q2 episode voyager

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The War Without, The War Within

Such sweet sorrow (part 2).

Voyager is speeding along its journey home when the crew discovers an event where they are in need of assistance from an unknown entity. The crew is surprised when Q, an all-powerful alien they faced in the past, appears to ask for their help. He tells them that he’s in need of a place to stay to protect his son, Q2.

Q2 is a powerful entity who is similar to Q but much younger and more powerful. Q2 has the power to create and manipulate matter and energy, and he travels to the Delta Quadrant in search of his father. Q2 is also looking for a place to stay that is safe from the dangers of the Delta Quadrant.

However, Q2’s presence attracts the attention of a race of aliens called the Krenim, who are determined to capture and study the young entity in order to uncover the secrets of his power. With the Krenim on their tail, the crew of Voyager is forced to find a way to protect Q2 while still navigating their way back home.

The crew comes up with a plan to use a nearby asteroid field as a decoy, allowing them to take Q2 to the planet Rakos Four. Unfortunately, the Krenim are still in pursuit and have tracked them to Rakos Four. In order to protect Q2, Captain Janeway summons the Q Continuum to protect them.

The Q Continuum agrees to help, but they inform Janeway that they can only help if Q2 agrees to join them. Q2 is reluctant to join the Q Continuum, but he eventually agrees. He then uses his powers to manipulate the environment of Rakos Four and creates a temporal distortion field that prevents the Krenim from attacking them.

With the Krenim defeated, Q2 is welcomed into the Q Continuum and Janeway and her crew are allowed to continue their journey home. However, this victory comes at a cost as Q2’s new home is now far from Voyager. As the episode comes to a close, Q2 bids farewell to his father and the crew of Voyager and sets off on his own journey of exploration.

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Star Trek’s 12 most Q episodes, ranked by chaotic energy

A Q for every mood

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Decades before the letter “Q” gained a sinister political connotation (and during a rare fallow period for the James Bond film franchise), the alphabet’s most quizzical consonant became synonymous with Star Trek . Portrayed by actor John de Lancie, the omnipotent trickster god Q debuted in the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987 and developed into the show’s signature antagonist, the perfect foil for disciplined, steadfastly moral Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Q has remained one of the most popular guest characters in the Star Trek franchise, appearing across five series including the new season of Star Trek: Picard .

Q owes his longevity as a character to de Lancie’s magnetic performance and to the multiple ways he can be employed in a Star Trek story. Q is an all-powerful authority, casting judgment over humanity and enforcing the cosmic status quo of the Q Continuum, but he’s also a cartoonish agent of chaos who takes delight in befuddling straight-laced Starfleet Captains . Most of the best Q episodes find a balance between Q’s two extremes, depicting him as part bully, part teacher, and part comic relief.

In recognition of the delicate chemistry that goes into creating a good Q episode, Polygon’s scientists have developed the Q Scale, a method of measuring the ratio of Authoritative Q to Chaotic Q in a given story. Like the pH Scale, the Q Scale starts at 0 (Fully Authoritarian) and ends at 14 (Fully Chaotic), with the median 7 representing a healthy neutral between the two extremes.

Excluding his cameo in the Lower Decks episode “Veritas” (which is too slight to include here) and his recurring role in Picard ’s second season (which shouldn’t be judged until it’s completed), we’ve ranked every appearance of Q based on where it sits on the Q Scale, ​​in ascending order of chaos.

12. “Encounter at Farpoint”

The Next Generation season 1, episode 1

In the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation , Q forces the crew of the Enterprise to stand trial on behalf of all of humanity. He introduces himself as a representative of a godlike ruling body who has determined that our species is too savage and violent to be permitted further expansion across the galaxy. The episode contains the seeds of the flamboyant, hedonistic Q of his later appearances — namely, his love of playing dress-up — but most of what makes Q pop in “Farpoint” comes from John de Lancie’s performance rather than from the script itself. de Lancie was hand-picked by Trek creator Gene Roddenberry for the role based on his ability to elevate the material, and future appearances would be written with his theatrical strengths in mind.

Q Level: 1 (Wholly authoritarian)

Q Fact: The character of Q was a late addition to the script for “Encounter at Farpoint.” Writer Dorothy “D.C.” Fontana had been instructed to write a script for a 90-minute series premiere, and when the episode was expanded to two hours, Roddenberry wrote a 30-minute “envelope” story to pad out the episode, adding the “trial for humanity” subplot. Fontana and fellow Trek writer David Gerrold later theorized that Roddenberry did this in order to deliberately pocket what would have been Fontana’s contractual bonus for writing a double-sized episode.

11. “True Q”

The Next Generation season 6, episode 6

In this Next Generation episode, young Enterprise intern Amanda Rogers (Olivia d’Abo) discovers that she’s actually a Q, born on Earth to two outcasts from the Continuum who chose to live as humans. Now that her powers are emerging, the Continuum sends our Q to retrieve her, but Captain Picard demands that she be allowed to determine her own fate. Once again, we see Q operating as an unquestioning agent of a higher authority, though this is also his sixth appearance on TNG and his familiarity and fondness for Picard has made him more amenable to compromise. Q attempts to sway Amanda by claiming that the point of being Q is to do whatever you want, but this doesn’t hold water given that he also threatens to kill her if she doesn’t cooperate with the Continuum. Notably, this is also Q at his least fun, as he spends most of the episode being a creep to a teenage girl.

Q Level: 2 (Highly authoritarian)

Q Fact: Writer René Echevarria tried to name the young Q “Samantha” after the protagonist of the 1960s sitcom Bewitched , but executive producer Rick Berman caught the reference and nixed the idea.

10. “Death Wish”

Voyager season 2, episode 18

After The Next Generation concluded, Q began guest starring on its subsequent spin-off, Star Trek: Voyager . His first Voyager episode, “Death Wish,” is undoubtedly his best, and the most successful attempt at exploring the internal politics of the Q Continuum. In “Death Wish,” Voyager encounters a second Q (who calls himself “Quinn” to avoid confusion) whose desire to become mortal has made him a political enemy of the Continuum. When Quinn applies for asylum aboard Voyager, the powers that be dispatch our old familiar Q to represent their interests in a hearing to determine Quinn’s fate. “Death Wish” is the best of the more authoritarian Q episodes, not only because it explores a complex moral dilemma in the classic Star Trek tradition, but because it interrogates the duality of Q’s character. Quinn forces Q to look at himself and realize that he’s lost his sense of mischief and sold out to The Man.

Q Level: 3 (Skeptically authoritarian)

Q Fact: John de Lancie and Kate Mulgrew ( Voyager ’s Captain Janeway) have been close friends since long before Star Trek, which no doubt contributed to the pair’s chemistry on screen.

Voyager season 7, episode 18

In Q’s final appearance on Voyager , we get acquainted with his son, Q (or “Junior,” played by John de Lancie’s real-life son Keegan). Since Junior is the first child born in the Continuum, the inexperienced Q ditches his unruly adolescent offspring with Captain “Aunt Kathy” Janeway in the hopes that she can teach him some discipline. The Continuum expects Junior to help maintain order in the universe and threatens him with severe punishment if he fails to shape up, but Q himself plays only a minor role in turning his son’s life around, letting the Voyager crew set the example for responsible behavior. When Q does finally participate, it’s by staging a cruel costume drama that tricks Junior into believing that he’s put his new friend Icheb’s life in danger. Q scares Junior into becoming more responsible by way of his classic hijinx, staging elaborate tests and deliberately annoying a Starfleet crew.

Q Level: 4 (Nominally authoritarian)

Q Fact: This is Keegan de Lancie’s final acting credit. He currently works for the US State Department .

8. “All Good Things…”

The Next Generation season 7, episode 25

The series finale of The Next Generation resumes the trial that began in “Encounter at Farpoint,” returning Picard to the scene of his first conflict with Q as well as showing him a glimpse of a possible future. As it turns out, Q has been directed by the Continuum to put Picard through one more deadly test that will either prove humanity’s potential or destroy all organic life in the galaxy. Q follows his orders, but also obtains permission to appear to Picard and occasionally drop subtle hints as to the nature of the deadly puzzle. After seven years of observing and pestering Picard, Q is now less interested in controlling or passing judgment over humanity and more invested in seeing us grow to our full potential.

Q Level: 5 (Barely authoritarian)

Q Fact: “All Good Things…” is, to date, the fourth and final Star Trek episode to win the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation . Twenty-five movies and episodes have been nominated between 1966 and 2018.

7. “Tapestry”

The Next Generation season 6, episode 15

In “Tapestry,” arguably the best Q episode of all time, Captain Picard dies after suffering damage to his artificial heart. Q greets Picard in the supposed afterlife and offers him the chance to relive a key moment from his reckless youth, the bar fight that resulted in his cardiac replacement. Q acts as Picard’s guardian angel on a time-bending journey painted with shades of A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life , teaching Picard to value the wilder parts of himself, the traits that he just happens to share with Q. Q finds the exercise amusing, sure, but he seems motivated primarily by the desire to help his “pet” human learn a difficult lesson, and to save his life in the process. Picard is permitted to make his own choices throughout the entire experience, and while he does encounter a cruel twist, it’s one of his own making and Q provides a way out of it.

Q Level: 6 (Benignly authoritarian)

Q Fact: Writer Roland D. Moore considered using “Tapestry” to visit more than one pivotal moment in Picard’s life, including the never-seen death of his best friend Jack Crusher aboard the USS Stargazer.

The Next Generation season 4, episode 20

Feeling he owes Picard a debt after their previous adventure, Q insists on doing Picard a favor in return. Since Picard refuses to offer any suggestions apart from “Go away,” Q decides to interject into Picard’s love life, forcing him to confront his feelings for the rogue archeologist Vash (Jennifer Hetrick). Q traps Picard, Vash, and the rest of the Enterprise senior staff in a recreation of the legend of Robin Hood. Once in motion, the fantasy is beyond even Q’s own control, and Picard and company have mere hours to storm Nottingham Castle and rescue Vash/Maid Marian from her scheduled execution. Q devises all the rules of this deadly game, but he also abides by them, and Picard, Q, and Vash all get something out of the experience.

Q Level: 7 (Equally authoritarian and chaotic)

Q Fact: In the episode’s climactic battle, all of the male Enterprise crew members draw swords while Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi smash vases over the heads of their opponents. Ironically, Gates McFadden and Marina Sirtis were the only members of the ensemble with fencing experience (save Patrick Stewart, who has been stage fighting since the 1970s ).

5. “Hide and Q”

The Next Generation season 1, episode 10

In his second appearance, Q endows Commander Riker with powers identical to his own and dares him to use them, while Picard insists that he resist the temptation. While Q is still acting on the authority of the Continuum and in the interests of better understanding humanity, “Hide and Q” doubles down on John de Lancie’s whimsy, casting Q even more like a tempestuous child who plays with the fates of individuals and entire species for his amusement. Q devises a high-stakes contest for the crew that is, by his own admission, “entirely unfair.” When his attempts to woo Riker to godhood fail anyway, the Continuum forces Q to abide by the conditions of his own game and leave the Enterprise alone.

Q Level: 9 (Noticeably chaotic)

Q Fact: An earlier draft of this episode would have established that there were only three members in the entire Q species .

4. “The Q and the Grey”

Voyager season 3, episode 11

Inspired by his experience with Quinn, Q leads a revolutionary movement that launches the Continuum into a civil war. Q seeks to upset the status quo he once upheld by fathering the first new Q in eons, and he wants Captain Janeway to be its mother. (This episode ignores the existence of Amanda Rogers.) Q’s maturity level swings wildly between adulthood and adolescence throughout the episode. His goal is to strike down the old order and establish a new one that is less restrictive to individual freedoms and more receptive to new ideas, but his plan hinges on some pretty wild assumptions, namely that a half-Q, half-human baby will be greeted as a messiah and that reproducing with one of his own, like his longtime “associate” Q (Suzie Plakson), would be impossible. His buffoonish attempts to seduce Janeway are embarrassing to watch.

Q Level: 10 (Actively chaotic)

Q Fact: Prior to playing a Q, Suzie Plakson portrayed Vulcan Dr. Selar the Klingon Ambassador K’Ehleyr on The Next Generation . There are winks to both of these roles in her dialogue in “The Q and the Grey.”

The Next Generation season 2, episode 16

On the outs with the Continuum, Q arrives on the Enterprise and offers to join the crew, even to renounce his powers if necessary. Picard declines, deciding that Q is too dangerous to trust. Q handles this rejection by shoving the Enterprise deep into unexplored space, where they encounter an enemy too powerful to confront without his help — the Borg . Q proves his point all too well, as the Enterprise makes first contact with a species that would threaten billions of lives and change the face of the Federation over the next 15 years. While there’s still plenty of “teacher Q” in this action, it’s also an impulsive, unilateral decision with massive repercussions that he barely seems to consider. So long as he’s properly shaken Picard, he’s satisfied.

Q Level: 11 (Maliciously chaotic)

Q Fact: Writer Maurice Hurley initially intended for the big bad revealed in Season Two to be a race of insects , but that idea proved too expensive. The Borg retained the hive mind of the original concept, but were portrayed as humanoid cyborgs instead.

2. “Deja Q”

The Next Generation season 3, episode 13

Embarrassed by his clownish antics and galaxy-spanning reputation for wanton cruelty, the Continuum casts Q out and drops him on Picard’s doorstep. Trapped in a human body, Q must now depend on the mercy and kindness of the Enterprise crew to survive when one of the civilizations he once tormented catches wind of his newfound mortality and comes looking for revenge. While he can’t get up to much trouble in his human form “Deja Q” is the first episode to depict Q as a liar and cheater who’s spent eternity tormenting weaker beings for sport. Much in the way that “Death Wish” makes Q second-guess his authoritarian bent, “Deja Q” challenges his desire to wreak havoc and force-feeds him some of his own medicine.

Q Level: 13 (Proudly chaotic)

Q Fact: In the teaser for this episode, the de-powered Q arrives on the bridge of the Enterprise totally naked. After director Les Landau struggled to find a way to achieve the desired effect via camera trickery, John de Lancie decided to simply perform the scene in the nude .

1. “Q-Less”

Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 6

Q makes a single appearance on TNG ’s first spin-off, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , in an episode that serves as a sequel to “Qpid.” After two years exploring the galaxy as Q’s companion, archeologist Vash catches a lift back to Federation space via the Bajoran Wormhole and arranges to spend some time aboard the show’s titular space station. Vash attempts to make a clean break from Q, but he refuses to leave her alone and spends most of the next week using his powers to harass her and any member of the DS9 crew who gets in his way. In “Q-Less,” Q has no goal beyond stalking a woman who’s rejected him, and has no involvement or interest in an existential threat to the station that rears its head during his visit. He’s purely there to goof off and make mischief. While the episode does offer one classic moment in which Sisko loses his patience and clocks him in the jaw, Q proved to be an ill fit for the setting and tone of DS9 and never returned.

Q Level: 14 (Bugs Bunny chaotic)

Q Fact: According to the Deep Space Nine Companion , John de Lancie was dissatisfied with the depiction of Q in this episode, feeling that “skirt-chasing” was a motivation unworthy of his character.

Star Trek: Discovery is cracking open a box Next Gen closed on purpose

Star trek: discovery is finally free to do whatever it wants, the 10 horniest episodes of star trek, ranked by cultural impact.

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Recap / Star Trek: Voyager S7 E17: "Q2"

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This episode provides examples of

• Added Alliterative Appeal : Q tells his son that it's " s ingle- c ellular c ity" for him if he doesn't shape up to be the ideal Q within a week on board Voyager .
• Aesop Collateral Damage : Q states that if Icheb has to die to teach Junior a lesson, so be it.
• Badass Fingersnap : Subverted - Q Junior learns that he's been Brought Down to Normal when he snaps his fingers and nothing happens.
• Brick Joke : The episode starts with Icheb delivering a verbal history essay that has Janeway on the verge of falling asleep . Later on, when Q2 delivers a history essay to Janeway, she quickly recognizes it as Icheb's work instead of Q2's.
• Brought Down to Normal : Q jr is stripped of his powers as a punishment.
• Junior himself makes a few when suggesting fun things to do. "We could fly into fluidic space and fight Species 8472 . Or we could detonate a few Omega molecules ."
• When presented with a holodeck simulation of a diplomatic crisis, Junior's solution is to reprogram the simulation to make it easier to win .
• Junior's deciding to give the replicator a personality (that sasses Janeway) is a Mythology Gag harking back to " Tomorrow Is Yesterday " in the original series, in which some alien women were convinced that the Enterprise 's computer needed a personality, and so decided to give it one (that proceeded to flirt with Kirk).
• Apparently, this is no longer the winning solution that it was in Kirk's day. note  Then again, Kirk did so against a simulation specifically meant to be unwinnable, and in the Kobayashi Maru novel (and the 2009 film), it's shown he did so with panache rather than trying to slip it past the testers.
• Do Not Taunt Cthulhu : From Q himself: "If the Continuum has told you once, they've told you 1000 times— DON'T PROVOKE THE BORG! "
• "Groundhog Day" Loop : Not seen onscreen, but Q's son temporarily traps the crew in a never-ending loop of repeating the same 30 seconds over and over so he could speak alone to the Captain.
• Heel–Face Turn : Janeway's ultimatum to Q's son gets him to start turning his life around.
• Hope Spot : In universe, Junior was supposed to symbolize the ending and post-Q Civil War peace (as was intended back in "The Q and the Grey"). Unfortunately, he quickly dashed those hopes by turning into an absolute little shit .
• Humanity Ensues : Junior gets turned human as a punishment.
• I Hate Past Me : Q is clearly experiencing this in combination with Parental Hypocrisy , as Q Junior's antics reflect his own history as a cosmic troll. For instance, who else can we think of that once amused themselves by provoking the Borg or been sentenced to sensitivity training sans powers ...
• I Kiss Your Foot : Q tries to kiss Janeway in the tub, but Janeway blocks him with her foot, so he kisses it instead.
• Innocent Fanservice Girl : One of Q's son's antics has him attempt to annoy Seven by using his powers to remove her clothes, but she simply ignores him and continues working unfazed.
• Insignia Rip-Off Ritual : After Q Junior is turned into a human, Janeway removes his captain pips.
• Insult of Endearment : Q's son calls Icheb "Itchy" and he gets called "Q-ball" in return.
• Intrigued by Humanity : Q says that Junior was always fascinated by his stories of humanity but Junior admits to finding them boring after spending 20 minutes with them.
• Ironic Echo : Q Junior claims that he doesn't have to listen to Janeway because she doesn't have "unlimited control of space, matter, and time." Later, after he's turned human, Janeway reminds him that he no longer has "unlimited control of space, matter, and time."
• It's All My Fault : Q's son realizes it's his fault that Icheb was nearly killed and is willing to take full responsibility for it when he and Captain Janeway confront the alien that he attacked.
• Landing in Someone's Bathtub : Q does this to Janeway after he tries her suggestion and finds out that it didn't work .
• Laser-Guided Karma : Played for Laughs —after Q's son loses his powers and Neelix gets his voice back, he proceeds to be as annoying as possible around the teenaged Q.
• Misapplied Phlebotinum : A powerless Junior was able to create a " spatial flexure " (a sort of wormhole that's implied to be able to take them anywhere) by messing around with the Delta Flyer's deflector array. This is never mentioned again and nobody considers using it to get Voyager home.
• A Mommy To Her Crew : Why Q feels that Janeway is a better parent than he is.
• Naked Freak-Out : Q's son tries to invoke this with Seven by making her clothes disappear. It fails, because she is an Innocent Fanservice Girl (more accurately, naked freak-outs are irrelevant).
• The Nudifier : Junior making Seven's clothes disappear.
• Our Wormholes Are Different : The Spatial Flexures Junior creates by manipulating the Delta Flyer's deflector array.
• Parental Hypocrisy : Q reprimands his son for placing Borg cubes in Voyager 's path. Q is responsible for the Federation making First Contact with the Borg in " Q Who ".
• Plagiarism in Fiction : When Janeway assigns Junior an essay on the Q Continuum, Icheb offers to give him a few notes on a PADD. Cut to Junior turning an essay in to Janeway... Janeway: Insightful, informative. I'm impressed. Too bad you didn't write it. Junior: What do you mean? Janeway: I'd recognize Icheb's style anywhere. Junior: He gave me a few notes on my first draft, that's all. (Janeway gives him a Death Glare that says "Yeah, right")
• Pleasure Planet : The Clevari System. Junior suggests swimming with mermaids and challenging a warrior goddess to a grappling contest.
• Also an unintentional case, as John De Lancie is noticeably older than his previous appearances, despite the Q's immortality.
• Post-Kiss Catatonia : Janeway is stunned when Q smooches her on the mouth without permission.
• Power Perversion Potential : Q's son at one point uses his reality warping abilities to strip Seven of her clothes by making them disappear.
• Punctuated! For! Emphasis! : "If the Continuum’s told you once, they’ve told you a thousand times… DON’T. PROVOKE. THE BORG! "
• Put on a Bus : Q's wife in the interim since "The Q and the Grey". See Screw This, I'm Outta Here for more details.
• Race-Name Basis : The younger Q addresses Neelix as "Talaxian".
• Reality Warper : Both Q and Q's son.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here : The status of Q's wife in the interim since "The Q and the Grey". She's been so humiliated by her son's behavior that she's disowned him, leaving her husband to clean up the mess.
• Secret Test of Character : Q arranges one when his son steals the Delta Flyer and effectively kidnaps Icheb.
• Sequel Episode : To Season Three's "The Q and the Grey" and completing the Q-VOY Trilogy that began with Season Two's "Death Wish" .
• Teens Are Monsters : Especially one with unlimited control of space, matter, and time.
• Took a Level in Kindness : Q's son, and boy did he need it.
• Took a Shortcut : Q rewards Janeway with a datapad that has information that'll shave a few years off their journey home. What it actually tells her to do is never specified.
• Toplessness from the Back : Seven after Q2 disappears her catsuit.
• Tranquil Fury : Janeway is quietly pissed when Q2 tries to cheat his way through the tests, especially since he thinks he can fool her. Janeway: We may be common bipeds, but we're not stupid.
• Vengeful Vending Machine : Q's son magicks the replicators so that it sasses Janeway when she asks for a coffee. Captain Janeway: Coffee, black. Replicator: Make it yourself. Janeway: ("WTF?" expression)
• Wild Teen Party : Q's son turns Engineering into a 24th century rave , which disrupts activities going on until he restores everything to normal.
• Wipe That Smile Off Your Face : Not only does Q's son remove Neelix's mouth to get him to shut up, he also removes his vocal cords.
• Year Inside, Hour Outside : Q agrees to spend some quality time with his son. Janeway is relieved to get rid of him for a while, but he turns up in her bath a short time later. Well, it was a long time for a Q! Janeway: You've been gone for 10 minutes!!! Q: On your temporal plane, maybe! But in Q Time, we've spent years together!
• You Talk Too Much! : Q's son says this to Neelix right before zapping his vocal cords and sealing his mouth .
• Star Trek Voyager S 7 E 16 Human Error
• Recap/Star Trek: Voyager
• Star Trek: Voyager S7 E18: "Author, Author"

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Every q appearance in star trek tng, ds9, voyager & picard.

Q's one of the best-loved of Star Trek's cosmic beings, and he's appeared in multiple Trek shows, to wildly differing responses from each Captain.

Q (John de Lancie), Star Trek 's omnipotent being has appeared across multiple shows since his debut in the 1987 pilot of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Q's strongest connection was with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), and it was a relationship that would last for the rest of Q's apparently infinite lifespan. However, Q has also set his sights on other Star Trek leads, from Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) to Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome).

Star Trek: Picard season 3's end credits scene has revealed that Q shows no signs of stopping, despite his apparent death in season 2. With Q now setting his sights on Jean-Luc's son, Ensign Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), he's set to be a part of Terry Matalas' proposed Star Trek: Legacy show. Here's every Q appearance from "Encounter at Farpoint" to "The Last Generation", which signals the start of a brand-new story for Star Trek 's beloved trickster god.

RELATED: Star Trek May Have Introduced The Q Continuum In TOS

15 Star Trek: TNG Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2: "Encounter At Farpoint"

Q appeared to Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D during their very first mission. The omnipotent being believed that the human race was not evolved enough for further exploration of the universe. Picard convinced Q that humanity wasn't the " savage child-race " that the cosmic being believed them to be, and used the Farpoint mission to prove it. Realizing that the Bandi were exploiting an alien life form, Picard proved to Q that humanity had reached an evolved state of being, but it was far from the end of humanity's trials.

14 Star Trek: TNG Season 1, Episode 10, "Hide And Q"

Q continued testing humanity by bestowing the powers of the Continuum on Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes). It was a test of how susceptible humanity is to temptation, as Q is keen for Riker to explore the possibilities that his new powers offer him. Picard bet Q that he would fail to turn Will Riker into one of his own, and while Riker did succumb to temptation by sharing his gifts, he swiftly realized his mistake. The price of the bet was that Q would stay out of humanity's way forever, but Q would very quickly renege on that promise.

13 Star Trek: TNG Season 2, Episode 16, "Q Who"

Ostracized from the Continuum, Q offered to be Picard's guide to the uncharted areas of the galaxy that the Enterprise would soon encounter. Picard understood just how chaotic it would be to have Q aboard as a full-time crew member, and rejected his application. Q petulantly decided to prove just how badly Picard and the Enterprise needed him by propelling them into the Delta Quadrant, into the path of the Borg Collective, setting up their future conflict. It's the most seismic impact that Q has made on the Star Trek universe, and his reckless actions saw him punished in his next Star Trek: The Next Generation appearance.

12 Star Trek: TNG Season 3, Episode 13, "Deja Q"

The first hint of Q's softer side comes in "Deja Q" when he was forced to live as a human after being stripped of his powers and immortality. Expecting this to be another of Q's tests, Picard tentatively agreed to grant the cosmic trickster asylum aboard Enterprise. While there, Q formed a bond with Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), whom he dubbed " professor of the Humanities ". Q and Data's bond was so strong that the mortal Q risked his life to save the android. This selfless act was enough to convince the Continuum that Q had learned his lesson, and his powers and immortality were returned to him.

11 Star Trek: TNG Season 4, Episode 20, "Qpid"

In a storyline that foreshadows Q's Star Trek: Picard season 2 story , "Qpid" sees the trickster god become involved in Jean-Luc's love life. Creating an elaborate take on the legend of Robin Hood, Q set out to teach Picard about love, after detecting romantic tension between Jean-Luc and the archaeologist Vash (Jennifer Hetrick). Over the course of Q's lesson, he too became fascinated with Vash, and ultimately offered her the chance to travel with him. While Jean-Luc was put out by Q seducing the object of his desire, he insisted that the omnipotent trickster ensure Vash's safety.

RELATED: Every Picard TNG Love Interest (Before Laris)

10 Star Trek: TNG Season 6, Episode 6, "True Q"

Q returned to the Enterprise during the strange case of Amanda Rogers (Olivia d'Abo), a human being who manifested Q powers. It transpired that her biological parents were a male and female Q who left the Collective to live life as human beings. They were tracked down by the Collective and executed, leaving Amanda an orphan. It was only when Amanda began an internship on the Enterprise with Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) that she learned her true origins. Q eventually convinced Amanda to join the Collective when she used her powers to save the life of Riker and his away team on Tagra IV.

9 Star Trek: DS9 Season 1, Episode 7, "Q-Less"

In one of many examples of Benjamin Sisko and Jean-Luc Picard's differences, Q and Sisko did not like each other. Q arrived aboard Deep Space Nine to try and win back Vash, who he'd left stranded in the Gamma Quadrant. After the discovery of the wormhole, Vash was brought to DS9 where the archaeologist attempted to sell some of the artifacts she'd unearthed in the Gamma Quadrant. Q's presence aboard DS9 caught the attention of Sisko, who had no time for his games. After being punched in the face by DS9's commanding officer, Q decided that Sisko was too easy to provoke and left the station, never to return.

8 Star Trek: TNG Season 6, Episode 15, "Tapestry"

When Jean-Luc briefly died on the operating table in sickbay, Q appeared to him as God, ushering Picard into the afterlife. To save Picard's life in the present, Q offered him the chance to change his fate, by avoiding the bar brawl that resulted in the installation of his defective artificial heart. Picard accepted his second chance, only to find himself back in the present where he was still a junior lieutenant. This made Jean-Luc realize that he wouldn't be captain of the Enterprise without first being the headstrong risk-taker whose recklessness had got him stabbed in the heart by a Nausicaan.

7 Star Trek: The Next Generation Finale, "All Good Things"

Q returned for Star Trek: The Next Generation 's final test of humanity, which was designed to find out if they were capable of understanding advanced temporal concepts. The test saw Jean-Luc Picard split across past, present, and future to investigate a temporal anomaly that was expanding backward through time. Thanks to Q's gentle hints, Picard solved the problem and saved humanity from its own destruction. There was also the underlying suggestion that Q was also teaching Picard about the value of having a trusted crew of friends in each time zone, further evidence of the trickster's sensitive side.

RELATED: 12 Ways Picard Season 3 Mirrors TNG's Finale

6 Star Trek: Voyager Season 2, Episode 18, "Death Wish"

Q's meddling with Starfleet's best and brightest didn't end with Jean-Luc and the crew of the Enterprise, or his aborted attempt to befriend Sisko. Instead, he set his sights on Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) when Quinn (Gerrit Graham) sought asylum on the USS Voyager. Quinn had been exiled from the Continuum after he was inspired to experience death by Q's own time spent as a mortal. Q was initially dispatched to Voyager to stop Quinn from ending his life during a trial overseen by Janeway. However, the trial had a profound effect on Q, who finally agreed to help Quinn end his life, setting up his own fascination with death in Star Trek: Picard season 2.

5 Star Trek: Voyager Season 3, Episode 11, "The Q and the Grey"

Q was so impressed by Janeway, that he sought her help when Quinn's suicide caused chaos within the Continuum. Believing that the birth of a new Q would restore balance and end the civil war that plagued the Continuum, Q tried to persuade Janeway to mate with him. Janeway refused and instead attempted to bring an end to hostilities, with the aid of Q's ex-girlfriend and the crew of Voyager. Reunited with his ex, Q decided that they should mate instead, resulting in the birth of Q Jr. - the first new Q in a millennia - who brought a swift end to the civil war.

4 Star Trek: Voyager Season 7, Episode 19, "Q2"

Q Jr. (Keegan de Lancie), the son of Star Trek 's Q , was sent to the USS Voyager when he proved to be too much for the Continuum to handle. As Junior's godmother, Q believed that Janeway could teach his son the discipline and order that he had been unable to display while living in the Continuum. While Janeway's tutelage certainly made an impact on the youngster, it was Q finally accepting his responsibilities as a father that convinced the Continuum to reinstate Junior.

3 Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 1, Episode 8, "Veritas"

Q briefly appeared in Star Trek: Lower Decks to challenge the USS Cerritos' senior staff to one of his more bizarre games. Dressed as chess pieces, Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and her crew were thrown into a living chess game against sentient playing cards who were armed with hockey sticks. Q also tried to challenge Ensign Mariner and the Lower Deckers, but Beckett had no time for the cosmic trickster, flatly telling him that she wasn't in the mood for his games, much to Q's disappointment.

2 Star Trek: Picard Season 2

In the most personal of Q's tests for Picard, the dying god resolved to finally teach his old sparring partner how to be loved. While it was a convoluted plot involving dystopian futures, new species of Borg, and the progenitor of Khan Noonien-Singh, it was deceptively simple in its lesson. Q's meddling allowed Jean-Luc to come to terms with his childhood trauma, make peace with his dead mother and father, and finally look to the future with Laris (Orla Brady). Picard was so thankful to Q for his unconventional approach to psychotherapy that the two men warmly embraced, as Q seemingly prepared to die.

RELATED: Star Trek Picard Season 3 Ignored Season 2 Finale’s Khan Tease

1 Star Trek: Picard Season 3

After he appeared in his quarters on the Enterprise-G, Jack Crusher questioned how Q could still be alive, but the cosmic trickster chided Picard's son for thinking too linearly. This implies that the dying Q from Star Trek: Picard season 2 is actually from a point after the season 3 finale's credits tease. Q teased that, for Jack Crusher at least, humanity's trial is just beginning, meaning that the trickster god will be around to cause chaos in the Star Trek universe for years to come.

Keegan de Lancie

• View history

According to an interview with the elder John de Lancie, the younger de Lancie was required to undergo the same interview and audition process for the role of Q (Junior) as any other actor. The younger de Lancie read for the part of Q (Junior) against several competitors and was determined by the Voyager casting director to be the best actor for the part, having also done very well in the audition. The senior de Lancie has mainly clarified this in interviews to dispel any rumors that his son had earned the role as a cameo or strictly due to being the son of the primary Q actor.

He also had roles in the movies Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday , Exit to Eden (with Iman and Stephanie Niznik ), and The Velocity of Gary (with Olivia d'Abo ), as well as episodes of The Drew Carey Show and Ally McBeal (with Renee E. Goldsberry ).

In 2009, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Peace, War and Defense Studies as well as Arab Cultures. After graduation, he spent another year at the Qasid Institute taking classes in Arabic literature, media and classical grammar. From 2008 to 2009, he was also a Fulbright Fellow at the US Department of State and is currently serving as a US Foreign Service Officer.

External links [ ]

• Keegan de Lancie at the Internet Movie Database
• Keegan de Lancie at Wikipedia

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Star Trek: Voyager

• Q : [ lecturing his son ] If the Continuum's told you once, they've told you a thousand times: DON'T - PROVOKE - THE BORG!
• Captain Janeway : [ to the replicator ] Coffee, black.
• Voyager Computer : Make it yourself.
• Neelix : You can thank Q's son. He thought the computer needed more personality.
• Q2 : Aunt Kathy!
• Captain Janeway : Don't you "Aunt Kathy" me!
• Q2 : Yell at me later. We need to get Icheb to sickbay.
• Captain Janeway : [ about Q2 ] The last time I saw him, he was an infant.
• Q2 : Four years ago in human time. You called me 'adorable.'
• Captain Janeway : [ stunned ] You remember?
• Q2 : I may have looked like an infant, but I was still a Q.
• Q2 : [ to Q ] Maybe you should have picked a better godparent.
• Q : I wonder if it's too late to ask Jean-Luc.
• Captain Janeway : This party is over! Get your... guests off my ship!
• Q2 : I like you, Aunt Kathy. You've got gumption, but what you don't have is unlimited control of space, matter and time, which means, *I* give the orders around here.
• Seven of Nine : You'd be wise to follow Icheb's example. By applying himself, he's become a valued member of this crew.
• Q2 : Can I see you naked again?
• Q2 : Itchy! Are you in here? I-itchy!
• Icheb : What can I do for you, Q-ball?
• Q2 : Settling the planetoid predicament didn't take very long, so I used the rest of the time to convince the Cardassian to apologize for the Occupation of Bajor. How's that for order in the universe?
• Q2 : [ during a flight lesson with Icheb ] In case you forgot, I'm mortal now. I'd appreciate it if you didn't fly us into a rock.
• Q2 : [ of his father ] He abandoned me on an antiquated flying machine run by primates!
• Captain Janeway : We "primates" are your only hope.
• Q2 : Do you think it's easy to live up to my potential? I was supposed to be the savior of the Q Continuum. Tell me, how do you save a race that's already omnipotent?
• [ last lines ]
• Q : [ handing Janeway a PADD ] Oh, before I leave, I did a little homework for you. Consider it a thank you for everything you did for Junior.
• Captain Janeway : [ looking at the PADD ] Not that I don't appreciate it, but this will only take a few years off our journey. Why not send us all the way?
• Q : What sort of an example would I be setting for my son if I did all the work for you?
• Q2 : I've been through every deck on this ship, and do you know what I've seen? Bipeds pushing buttons, bipeds replacing relays, bipeds running diagnostics. When you gonna do something interesting?
• Captain Janeway : Say hello to Q, everyone.
• Captain Janeway : [ about Q's son ] He worked so hard on that paper. The least you could have done was tell him you were proud of him.
• Q : But I'm not.
• Captain Janeway : [ frustrated ] Oh!
• Q : And frankly, it's a little hard to be impressed with any of the boy's accomplishments. He's been here for five days, and what have you taught him? How to scribble essays and play with holograms? What's next, basket weaving?
• Captain Janeway : You're asking me to change your son in one week?
• Q : I'm sure you'll think of something.
• Q2 : What if she doesn't?
• Q : Then it's single-cellular city for you, my boy.
• Captain Janeway : [ with Q2 bereft of his powers ] What you no longer have, Q, is unlimited control of space, matter and time, which means *I* give the orders around here. Do I make myself clear?
• [ Q2 and Icheb are chased by a Chokuzan vessel ]
• Q2 : I'm opening another flexure! We'll go to the Zozek system! The girls there aren't as attractive but we have to make some compromises.
• Tuvok : Seven of Nine will be instructing you in spatial causality. You will learn how your actions can have widespread repercussions.
• Q2 : I read the PADD. You're gonna tell me how I can't create anomaly A without causing phenomenon B, which, in turn, affects civilization C, right?
• Captain Janeway : If the Continuum decides they won't take you back... I'll ask them to let you stay here.
• Q2 : I don't think they care WHERE an amoeba spends eternity.
• Captain Janeway : That's not what I meant. I'll ask them to let you remain human.
• Q2 : I appreciate that, but I don't wanna be human. I want to be a Q, like... my father.
• Neelix : [ of Q2 ] He may be omnipotent, but he's still a young man in need of guidance. Perhaps if someone were to approach him as a friend.
• Captain Janeway : You think he needs a mentor.
• Neelix : Exactly.
• Captain Janeway : Are you volunteering?
• Neelix : Well, I am good with children.
• Captain Janeway : [ chuckles ] Q is no ordinary child.
• Neelix : I'm no ordinary mentor.
• [ Q has released his son from a Petri dish ]
• Q2 : What was that for?
• Q : What's wrong? You didn't enjoy life as an Oprelian amoeba?
• Q2 : No! I was... shapeless and slimy. The only thing to eat was paramecia.
• Q : [ unimpressed ] Sounds unpleasant. I'm sure you'll do whatever you can to avoid returning to that petri dish.
• Q2 : Seven days? How hard could it be?
• Captain Janeway : We may be common bipeds, but we're not stupid.
• Captain Janeway : Aren't you supposed to be supervising our young guest?
• Chakotay : He says he doesn't need supervision.
• Captain Janeway : And you accepted that?
• Chakotay : Of course not. I'm just giving him a chance to fail.
• [ Q2 has presented an essay to his father ]
• Captain Janeway : [ to Q ] Well?
• Captain Janeway : What did you think?
• Q : [ unconcerned ] Oh, it's very nice.
• Captain Janeway : "Nice?"
• Q : Yes, I especially liked the part about the Continuum.
• Captain Janeway : The entire essay was about the Continuum.
• Q : [ irritated ] Yes, and it's very nice.
• Captain Janeway : Whether you're willing to admit it or not, your son has made progress here. He has the potential to be a better Q than you will ever be.
• Q : Potential isn't going to be enough for the Continuum.
• Captain Janeway : Then what WILL be enough?
• Q : The boy needs to demonstrate nothing less than... exemplary Q-ness.
• Captain Janeway : And what exactly is "Q-ness?"
• Q : Oh, it's impossible for your minuscule mind to comprehend, but I know Q-ness when I see it, and this...
• [ he picks up Q2's essay and throws it to Janeway ]
• Q : ...is not it.
• Q : I wish you could see the look on your faces! Oh, wait, you can!
• [ he snaps his fingers, and mirrors appear before Janeway and Q2, who look into them ]
• Q : Like Aunt Kathy said, you're never gonna learn anything if you don't face the consequences of your actions. If your little playmate has to die to teach you a lesson - so be it.
• [ Icheb has been seriously injured during the encounter with the Chokuzan ]
• Q2 : Look at what they did to him. If I go back, they'll do the same to me.
• The Doctor : What do you care? By this time tomorrow, you'll be an amoeba.
• Q2 : Why, I'd rather be an amoeba than a corpse!
• Q : Now, then, if we're all finished here, it's Judgment Day for Junior.
• Q2 : [ to Neelix ] Can I help you, kitchen rat?
• Q : [ Q pops his head through the turbolift doors ] Going up?
• Captain Janeway : I'll catch the next one.
• Neelix : We could play kadis-kot.
• Q2 : [ excitedly ] Are there explosions in kadis-kot?
• Neelix : Well, no...
• Q2 : Well, then I'm not interested!
• Q2 : You're leaving me here?
• Captain Janeway : I though we agreed that YOU were going to take a more active role.
• Q : I'd like to, Kathy, but we both know that you're a million times the parent I am.
• Q2 : I'm not a parent.
• Q2 : Well, maybe not in the biological sense, but you're certainly a mommy to this crew. Just look how quickly you house-broke that Borg drone.
• Q : Your brilliant plan didn't work. I smothered the boy with attention, spent every waking moment with him, but things only got worse.
• Captain Janeway : You've been gone for less than ten minutes!
• Icheb : We need the Captain's permission to leave Voyager.
• Q2 : D'you think she'd give it to us?
• Icheb : No.
• Q2 : Then there's no point in asking.
• Chakotay : [ running a holodeck training program ] . I assume you're familiar with these species.
• Q2 : Nausicaan, Bolian, Cardassian, Romulan, Ferengi and Bajoran.
• Chakotay : They're fighting over the mining rights to a planetoid. Your job is to settle the dispute.
• Q2 : These aliens mean nothing to me. What do *I* care if they can't get along?"
• Chakotay : One of your responsibilities as a Q is to maintain order in. the universe, right?
• Q2 : So I've been told.
• Chakotay : Well, if you can't help these races come to an agreement, there might be a war. The Alpha Quadrant would be thrown into chaos.
• [ Q2 smiles at the thought of that ]
• [ Janeway discovers an unfamiliar teenage smugly sitting in the corner of her ready room ]
• Q2 : [ on Icheb's lengthy report ] I would have failed him. Kirk may have been a lowly human, but at least he had pizzazz. That report made him sound about as exciting as a Vulcan funeral dirge.
• Captain Janeway : [ hitting her combadge ] Janeway to Security.
• Q2 : Don't bother. I trapped your crew in a temporal loop. They keep experiencing the last thirty seconds over and over - almost as monotonous as drone boy's essay.
• Captain Janeway : [ to Q ] Parenhood is more than just cleaning up your child's messes. YOU need to set an example.
• Captain Janeway : [ reviewing Junior's report ] Insightful. Informative. I'm impressed. Too bad you didn't write it.

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