LogFAQs > #933687422

14. Q
I have literally nothing better to do than mess with a bald mortal.

I sort of like more for what he represents than for who he actually is. Gene Roddenberry had a lot of bad ideas, but the core concept of humanity has conquered its bad attributes, moved beyond them, and now explores the great unknown is great. But its also great for those explorers to have challenges, and its an interesting idea to have a personification of those challenges who says Maybe youre not as great as you think you are.

Qs shtick is to find the greatest specimen of humanity and prod and poke him to prove how humans arent that great, and Picards shtick is to prove him wrong. Hes a literal judge who dresses up like a post-apocalyptic WWIII judge (by the way, I hate how later Qs show up and wear the judge outfits just because the writers thought that was generic Q equipment and not a historical thing he took). The idea of a trickster god in Star Trek is weird and interesting and clever.

The problem is that Q is only good like half the time, and hes only good period with Picard. Q is a character designed to test Picard specifically, and no one else. He shows up in DS9 and has no place in the episode. He doesnt care specifically about Sisko, Sisko doesnt care specifically about him, and everyone is just sort of annoyed at each other. And Voyager, ugh. As far as Im concerned, Q should have stopped existing after TNGs finale. His job was to judge humanity based on its best member, and thats what he did in All Good Things And then he just keeps showing up in Voyager. Janeway, have god sex with me and Ill teleport you home. Janeway, we super gods need a human to judge the morality of one member of our species who wants to commit suicide, but were willing to bribe you, the judge, rendering this whole exercise completely pointless. Janeway, we have god weapons that are beyond your understanding, so they look like Civil War-era muskets, and everyone will appear to you like Confederate soldiers. Thats all canon, by the way.

You know what completely inappropriate comparison Im going to make here? Q is like Jake Sisko. He exists for Picard, and in that capacity hes great. He shows up and makes some low diction jabs at the very educated and philosophical Picard, then reveals how Picard isnt as hot as he thinks he is. I dont really like every episode Q is in (hes in twelve episodes throughout all series, of which Id say maybe five are good), but Q himself is the definition of a good foil.

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005