Q - Notes

Universe :	Prime Timeline
Name :	Q [1]
Species :	Q

One of the most extraordinary life forms ever encountered, Q possessed near god-like abilities to manipulate matter, energy, space and time. Yet he could - and often did - act in a remarkably childlike manner. [2] The Enterprise-D crew first encountered Q in 2364 when he put them on trial for the 'crimes of Humanity'. Picard convinced Q to judge Humanity not on their history but on their present, and thus far no judgment against Humans has been entered. [1] Later Q returned to the Enterprise and offered Commander Riker the opportunity to become a Q himself, an offer which Riker found extremely tempting but ultimately declined. [3] Q became increasingly interested in Humanity, and in 2365 he asked Picard if he could join the Enterprise crew. When the captain declined Q flung the ship 7,000 light years across space to system J-25, initiating first contact with the Borg. [4]

Q's antics led to his powers being removed in 2366, and he sought sanctuary on board the Enterprise-D. Although his powers were eventually returned, Q appeared to have learned to be at least a little less selfish. [5] Unfortunately the effects were not long lasting, and in 2367 Q disrupted a symposium of the Federation Archaeology Council aboard the Enterprise-D. He placed Picard, Vash, and various members of the crew into a fantasy world he had created based on the legendary figure of Robin Hood. During the incident Q became fascinated by Vash, and the two decided to become partners in exploring the universe. [6] Q returned to the Enterprise-D once again in 2369 to evaluate Amanda Rogers, a Human female. Unknown to Amanda her parents had been members of the continuum who had chosen to live as Humans. Amanda was beginning to exhibit the power of the Q, and although initially reluctant she eventually decided to accept her nature and live as a Q. [7]

Vash eventually tired of exploring with Q and returned to the alpha quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole. Q took her decision poorly, but ultimately accepted her right to choose for herself. [8] One of the more unusual visitations to the Enterprise-D took place in 2369 when Captain Picard was badly injured on an away mission. Q apparently visited him and offered him a chance to change some aspects of his youth, most especially the fight Picard had started at the Bonestell Recreation Facility in 2327 which led to Picard being stabbed through the heart. Picard discovered that without such apparently rash actions he would never have become the great explorer and leader that he was. However, it is uncertain if this was a genuine visit by Q or simply an elaborate form of 'Near Death Experience'. [9]

In 2370 Q again decided to test humanity. He devised a complex temporal paradox in which Picard would be responsible for the destruction of Humanity through the creation of an anti-time eruption. When Picard managed to understand the nature of the problem Q claimed that this showed Humanity was open to the unknown possibilities of existence. This, he claimed, was the real exploration awaiting Humanity. He added that the testing process would never end. [10]

In 2372 Q visited the Starship Voyager to return the Q known as Quinn to confinement. Quinn had decided that the great power and immortality of the Q had led to a pointless and stagnant existence, and had thus decided to commit suicide - a crime in the eyes of the rest of the Q. Quinn noted that Q's free-thinking attitude of a few years before had been his original inspiration, and Q decided to help him fulfil his wishes. [11] Q subsequently became the leader of a rebellious fraction amongst the Q, prompting a civil war. He took Captain Janeway to the continuum to try and negotiate a peace, but she was unsuccessful and the two were captured and sentenced to death. An old girlfriend of Q brought the rest of Voyager's crew into the continuum and they were able to rescue the pair and bring an end to the war. Q and the female Q conceived a child in the hope that this would bring a new future to the continuum. [12] Unfortunately as the junior Q matured Q found it difficult to instil any sense of responsibility in him. In an attempt to instil some moral values Q asked Captain Janeway to look after the youngster, which she did. Q Junior gave Voyager considerable difficulty, but did ultimately appear to have learned a some sense of responsibility. [13]

In 2401, Q transfered Picard and several others into an alternative reality in which the Federation had failed to be created and instead a Confederation of Earth had started to conquer the galaxy. [14] When Picard and his group escaped the Confederation reality by time travelling to 2024, Q followed. It was here he had changed the events to cause the alternate reality. He did it by preventing Renée Picard, an ancestor of Jean-Luc, from going on the Europa mission. [15] During 2024 Q met with Guinan and she surmised that he was dying, which he addmited to. [16] Once Jean-Luc had prevented the changes to the timeline, Q used the last of his energy to return him and most of his team to their own timeline [17], before he passed away.

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Canon source

Backstage source

Novel source

DITL speculation

Associated with

Associated with The Next Generation

Associated with Deep Space Nine

Associated with Voyager

Associated with Star Trek : Picard

Played by

References

#	Series	Season	Source	Comment
1	TNG	1	Encounter at Farpoint
2			Various Next Generation episodes
3	TNG	1	Hide and Q
4	TNG	2	Q Who
5	TNG	3	Deja Q
6	TNG	4	Qpid
7	TNG	6	True-Q
8	DS9	1	Q-Less
9	TNG	6	Tapestry
10	TNG	7	All Good Things
11	VOY	2	Death Wish
12	VOY	3	The Q and the Grey
13	VOY	7	Q2
14	STP	2	The Star Gazer
15	STP	2	Watcher
16	STP	2	Monsters
17	STP	2	Hide and Seek

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Last updated : 7 Jul 2022

Series :	TNG Season 1
Episode :	Encounter at Farpoint

Series :	TNG Season
Episode :	Various Next Generation episodes

Series :	TNG Season 1
Episode :	Hide and Q

Series :	TNG Season 2
Episode :	Q Who

Series :	TNG Season 3
Episode :	Deja Q

Series	Season	Actor	Film / Episode Title
TNG	1	John de Lancie	Encounter at Farpoint
TNG	1	John de Lancie	Hide and Q
TNG	2	John de Lancie	Q Who
TNG	3	John de Lancie	Deja Q
TNG	4	John de Lancie	Qpid
TNG	6	John de Lancie	True-Q
TNG	6	John de Lancie	Tapestry
TNG	7	John de Lancie	All Good Things
DS9	1	John de Lancie	Q-Less
VOY	2	John de Lancie	Death Wish
VOY	3	John de Lancie	The Q and the Grey
VOY	7	John de Lancie	Q2
STP	2	John de Lancie	The Star Gazer
STP	2	John de Lancie	Penance
STP	2	John de Lancie	Assimilation
STP	2	John de Lancie	Watcher
STP	2	John de Lancie	Fly Me to the Moon
STP	2	John de Lancie	Two of One
STP	2	John de Lancie	Mercy
STP	2	John de Lancie	Farewell
SNW	3	John de Lancie	Wedding Bell Blues
LD	1	John de Lancie	Veritas