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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.

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All of Q's Greatest Appearances

The trickster god has caused mayhem across several shows

Q has been causing trouble for Starfleet Captains and crews since the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Now, he’s back in Star Trek: Picard to continue the trial that began in “Encounter at Farpoint.” To celebrate his return, we’ve gathered a list of all the best Q episodes to watch — from his TNG days to an animated cameo — to learn more about the character and his powers before the next episode of Picard . Prepare to see the road not taken...

In addition to streaming on Paramount+ , Star Trek: Picard also streams on Prime Video outside of the U.S. and Canada, and in Canada can be seen on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave. Star Trek: Picard is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Q episodes in Star Trek

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation

2. Star Trek: The Next Generation

3. Star Trek: The Next Generation

Encounter at farpoint.

4. Star Trek: The Next Generation

5. Star Trek: The Next Generation

6. Star Trek: The Next Generation

7. Star Trek: The Next Generation

8. Star Trek: The Next Generation

All good things....

9. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

10. Star Trek: Voyager

11. Star Trek: Voyager

The q and the grey.

12. Star Trek: Voyager

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Star Trek's 6 essential Q episodes you have to watch

"Come come, mon capitaine..." the trial never ends. 

Q is not just a letter in the alphabet. When Star Trek: The Next Generation launched, an unforgettable character was created alongside the new crew of the Enterprise D. John de Lancie appeared as the omnipotent hassle known only as “Q” in the pilot episode. He put all of humanity on trial, and he continued to be a presence on the series up through the finale.

Not resigned to bother only one crew with trials and tests, de Lancie appeared as the character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager . It doesn’t matter how many other humans he spends his time with; Q’s heart, if he has one, will always lie with Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). He has recently returned to Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard to make good on a promise that he made in the TNG finale: the trial never ends. 

If Q appears in an episode, then it’s going to be memorable. John de Lancie’s performances are never anything other than stellar. We do have our favorites, and what better time to run through the Q-pisodes that we love the most? Are we putting Q himself (and the episodes that he appears in) on trial? We wouldn’t dare. 

Here are our picks for the 6 best episodes in the Star Trek universe that feature Q. Red alert, mon capitaine. 

Honorable Mention: “Veritas” from  Star Trek: Lower Decks

This isn’t a true Q episode, but we have to mention it. The animated antics of this trial-based episode brought Q in for a cameo, and the show celebrated him with perfect mockery. It showed him turning the main crew into chess pieces, before featuring Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) blowing right past him on her way to do anything else. She didn’t have time for any of his Q nonsense, and she told him so. That anyone would dare to do this to an omnipotent trickster is hilarious. 

Flowing with french phrases, he’s portrayed as a ridiculous amalgam of everything that is Q. It’s silly, but that’s the point. We hope that de Lancie returns to the Cerritos again at some point in the future... we’d pay real money for an entire episode of Newsome and de Lancie sniping at each other. 

6. “Q-Less” from  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

This episode is here because of one specific moment. Q only made one visit to DS9, and it was early on in Season 1. The moment that we love so much may be the reason why he never went back. 

Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) is not Jean-Luc Picard. When Q tried his trickster act on him, briefly transforming both himself and Sisko into boxers, Sisko did what many viewers likely wanted to do themselves from time to time. Sisko punched Q directly in the face. 

“You hit me! Picard never hit me!” Q said, sprawled on the deck. Sisko told him what we’ve already said; he’s not Picard. No playing along, certainly not in Season 1 of this series. Q got punched in the face and that moment alone earns the entire episode a place here. 

5. “Death Wish” from  Star Trek: Voyager

“How would you like to spend eternity as a Gorakian midwife toad?” Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) only had to hear the name “Q” before she immediately called red alert in this underrated Season 2 entry. The Q that appeared on Voyager was not the Q we knew; it was another member of the Continuum who wanted to die. The Q we were familiar with appeared to deal with him a few moments later. 

The first Q (Quinn) is eventually granted asylum by Janeway, and after a lot of discussion about the Q Continuum, he is made mortal. Very much against the wishes of the Continuum, Q provides Quinn with a rare poison and makes death possible for him.

The way that de Lancie portrays Q’s change of position throughout the episode is great, and we love it when Janeway tells him that the Continuum won’t be happy with him. “I certainly hope not,” he says. Despite whatever orders and rules he gets from on high, Q has grown a conscience. Underneath all of the judge robes and bluster, he cares. 

This episode also features a blink and you’ll miss it cameo from Riker (Jonathan Frakes), as well as Q somewhat falling for Janeway. This would be followed up on the next time that Q visited the stranded Voyager crew.  

4. “Deja Q” From  Star Trek: The Next Generation

Upsetting the Q Continuum has consequences, and we saw what they were in Q's Season 3 TNG showcase. He fell out of nowhere, naked, to the deck of the bridge. He smiled at Picard and said, “Red alert.” 

He’d been striped of his powers and was human, so naturally he wanted to join the Enterprise crew. He demonstrates enough selflessness by the end of the episode to get his powers back, but there are so many riches to be found before that happens. 

The famous Picard hand-palm moment? That’s from this episode, and it comes after Q tells Picard that he’s the closest thing he has to a friend. In order to prove that he’s human, Worf suggests that Q dies. The absolutely fascinating dynamic between Q and Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) continues here, and it includes Guinan stabbing Q’s hand with a fork. 

When he gets his powers back? Q brings in a Mariachi band. He also makes it clear that there is likely some humanity left in him, as this episode's disaster-of-the-week conveniently fixes itself. The moment that stands out the most is Q’s farewell to Data (Brent Spiner). He doesn’t inflict Data with the “curse” of humanity, but he does give him a gift. 

Data is allowed to have a miraculous and genuine laugh, and he remarks that it was a wonderful feeling. This episode is fun as hell, but it also marks a turning point. Q is markedly different after all of this, definitely more human than wants to be.  

3. “Q Who?” from  Star Trek: The Next Generation

Q feels the need to show the Enterprise crew how unprepared they are for what’s waiting for them out in the vastness of space. He greatly overcompensates and sends them right into their first encounter with the Borg, a foe that is laughably beyond them.

The Borg making their first appearance here is enough on it’s own, but Q’s involvement in the episode makes it an all-time great. The Guinan rivalry begins here, and as we've said, it fascinates us. Guinan seems to have some kind of defense against Q’s omnipotent powers. We still don’t know what that’s about, but we love thinking about it. 

What does Q really want? He wants Jean-Luc to tell him that they are scared, unprepared, and that they need him. He wants Picard to humble himself, and that’s exactly what happens in the end. Picard begs Q for help, and with a snap of his fingers, it’s over. 

Not really, though. Thanks to Q, the Borg are now aware of them. They’ll be coming, and we know how that proceeded to go down. Q almost got all of humanity assimilated because he wanted one man to swallow his pride. Classic. 

2. “Tapestry” from  Star Trek: The Next Generation

The current course of Star Trek: Picard (featuring Q showing Jean-Luc the road not taken) reminds us very much of this episode. Picard “dies” and Q greets him in the afterlife; he shows him what would happen if Jean-Luc didn’t get into a bar fight when he was a callous youth. 

He wouldn’t have required a synthetic heart, but he would also have gone on to live a life without taking any risks. The bar fight was a pivotal thread on which the tapestry of Picard’s life was based. Picard has no interest in living the timid life that he experiences here, and he tells Q that he would rather die in the present than live as that person. Q obliges him. Though Picard survives and is still his same old self, he remains unsure whether or not it was another test from Q. He can’t quite believe that it was compassion, because what would Q have to gain from that? 

Nothing, if you ask us. We’d like to think that Q’s selflessness continues here, and that he really does want to help Picard. This is Season 6, and we’re not far away from Q giving Picard a “helping hand.” It’s a terrific representation of how small choices can change a bold captain into a man who is bereft of passion and imagination. “Welcome to the afterlife, Jean-Luc. You’re dead.” 

1. “All Good Things…” from  Star Trek: TNG

“You’re doing it right now. You’ve done it before and you’ll do it again.” The finale of TNG is one of its greatest episodes, and it rightfully bookends the series with Q. He’s the reason that Picard is moving back and forward through time, but he’s not the one who causes existence to be wiped out. Picard is to blame for that. 

All of our favorite Q/Picard scenes are from this episode. The “yes or no” game is up there, as is Q whisking Picard to the moment where the first protein fails to form. Nothing tops their final scene, though, as Q admits that he was the one to blame for getting Picard into this in the first place. It was another directive from the Continuum, but the “helping hand” part? That was Q’s idea. Seven seasons changed an omnipotent ponce. 

The trial never ends, and Q almost tells Picard a truth about his own future. He leans in, comes close to whispering, and then backs away with a smile and a “you’ll find out.” It is perfectly staged and perfectly played by de Lancie, and ever since this scene, we’ve been wondering what the hell Q was talking about. 

At long last, we may be finding out. Q never appeared in the movies that featured the TNG cast, but he’s back in action on Star Trek: Picard . He’s already referenced some of what he said in this episode, and we are very lucky that he has made good on his promise: to drop by and say hello from time to time. 

When Jean-Luc Picard meets his ultimate fate, we are confident that Q will be there. Q has had an immense effect on Picard’s life, but that goes both ways. Q would hate to admit it, but Picard has changed him as well. Maybe that’s why he can’t stay away from him; Picard makes him a better being. As many of the episodes listed above prove, Q longs to be better. He needs Picard to show him the way. 

New episodes of Star Trek: Picard air Thursdays on Paramount+.

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Star Trek: 10 Best Q Episodes In The Series, Ranked

Q was quite the character and you can see his importance to the 'Star Trek' series by reliving these 10 best Q episodes in the televised sci-fi saga!

The Star Trek Universe is chock-full of alien species , but none have been more enigmatic than Q, the omnipotent rogue refugee from the Q Continuum. Capable of literally anything, Q has vexed three crews of Starfleet personnel. The character was so popular (due in no small part to the expert portrayal by the talented John de Lancie) he appeared on episodes of The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , and Voyager .

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The episodes the character appeared in were always eagerly anticipated by fans, but which ones were the very best? Without further ado, here are the 10 top Q episodes in the series, according to IMDb.

10 TNG - ENCOUNTER AT FARPOINT (7.0)

Q’s first appearance was in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s pilot episode, Encounter at Farpoint . Challenging humanity to prove itself as evolved beyond barbarity was to be a hallmark of the character, as he did here with the mystery of Farpoint Station.

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Other character traits and relationships were also established in this episode such as his arrogance, snide demeanor, and antagonism with Captain Picard. His omnipotence was fully unchallenged, as he was able to effortlessly trap the Enterprise as well as transport individuals and alter space and time with the trademark snap of his fingers.

9 VOY - THE Q AND THE GREY (7.3)

Q made the bulk of his appearances on The Next Generation , but the character proved so popular, he made the jump to several episodes of Voyager . In The Q and the Grey , the Voyager crew had to deal with the fallout of a civil war in the Q Continuum that was having adverse effects on the fabric of reality. The episode was notable for casting Q in the role of a (somewhat) heroic revolutionary, as well as introducing Next Generation alumnae Susie Plakson (who played Worf’s girlfriend K'Ehleyr and Dr. Selar) as “Lady Q.” Their relationship would prove to be the catalyst for ending the Q Civil War.

8 VOY - Q2 (7.4)

Voyager ’s Q2 episode introduced another member of the Q Continuum that spun directly out of the events of The Q and the Grey . As representatives of opposite factions in the Q Civil War, Q and Lady Q agreed to conceive a child to breathe new life into the Continuum and end their conflict. The result was Q Junior (played by John de Lancie’s son, Keegan), a petulant child who Q dumps on the Voyager crew to teach some responsibility. Captain Janeway admirably teaches both Qs a lesson in parenting by episode’s end, which would also mark the last on-screen appearance of the character.

7 TNG - QPID (7.4)

Among all the roles Q has assumed in his long history with the Star Trek franchise, matchmaker would have been the most unlikely. However, Q attempted just that (in a twisted and warped kind of way) in the Next Generation episode, QPid .

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As a way of paying back Captain Picard for saving his life in a previous episode, Q thought it would be a good idea to show him the futility of his feelings of love for Vache, a less-than-reputable archeologist. Q’s scenario involved casting the Enterprise crew in the roles of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, in a truly bizarre but comical outing.

6 TNG - TRUE Q (7.5)

Exploring the old adage regarding corruption and power, the Next Generation episode True Q examined how Amanda Rogers, a young biology intern aboard the Enterprise , dealt with the revelation that she was actually a Q. As her parents were refugees from the Continuum that decided to explore a mortal life on Earth, Rogers began exhibiting fantastical powers that necessitated Q’s intervention in a mentoring capacity. All was not what it seemed, as revelations regarding the nature of Amanda’s parents’ deaths and her own fate were revealed in an episode that downplayed the comedic aspects of Q for his more chilling traits.

5 VOY - DEATH WISH (8.4)

One of the strengths of Star Trek has been its ability to deal with topical issues in a space-age format , and it continued to do that in the Voyager episode, Death Wish . Here, Captain Janeway and her crew stumble upon an imprisoned member of the Q Continuum. After countless millennia of existence, “Quinn” was unable to bear the burden of omnipotence and wished to die, but was stopped from doing so and jailed by the Q Continuum. The episode presented both aspects of the assisted suicide debate admirably, with Q advocating that Quinn remain alive and Tuvok advocating for autonomy in deciding one’s own death. Ultimately, the ordeal with Quinn forced Q to resume his role as a challenger of authority, and directly sparked the Q Civil War.

4 TNG - DÉJÀ Q (8.6)

Finally fed up with Q’s antics and his propensity to cause chaos throughout the universe, the Q Continuum de-powered and expelled Q from their assemblage. Realizing he’d need protection from all the alien races he’d tormented over the years, Q asked to be brought to the Enterprise , where he materialized naked on the bridge.

The episode is marked for several comedic scenes , including Q’s banter with Worf and Q2, Data ’s first time laughing, and a Mariachi band appearing on the Enterprise bridge, but also delved into issues regarding what it means to be humans and the nature of mercy.

3 TNG - TAPESTRY (9.0)

One of the defining characteristics of the relationship between Q and Captain Picard has been a mutual antagonism. Picard resents Q’s misuse of his power and general disdain of humanity’s achievements, while Q seems intent on pushing Picard through his tests like a rat in a maze. However, in Tapestry , Q reveals a somewhat softer side to Picard, as in his own twisted way, he allows the captain to live some of the more tumultuous days of his youth. The choices Picard made as young ensign haunted him throughout his life, and having the opportunity to deal with them was a mercy Picard surprisingly conceded Q had afforded him.

2 TNG - Q WHO (9.0)

Perhaps one of the most influential episodes of The Next Generation was Q Who , which introduced the widely popular cybernetic antagonists, The Borg . Aside from becoming the perennial threat to the galaxy across two Star Trek series, The Borg becomes personally significant to Captain Picard, as they assimilated him briefly in the now-classic two-parter,   The Best of Both Worlds .

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However, it was Q who forced the introductions in the Enterprise’s first meeting with The Borg, snapping them light-years away into Borg space to prove a point to Picard and his crew: there are things in this universe humanity can’t handle.

1 TNG - ALL GOOD THINGS... (9.1)

Q’s proclivity to test humanity’s development as a species extended itself to the last episode of The Next Generation , entitled, “ All Good Things... ” Here, Q (at the behest of the Continuum) challenged Picard to solve a galactic puzzle that had the capability to wipe humanity from existence. Through three time periods, Picard worked frantically to solve the puzzle and succeeded, having learned to avail himself of the time he had to enjoy his friendships. Also, he learned that Q helped him along his quest with some well-timed hints, indicating that Q’s intentions may not have always been antagonistic in nature.

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The Best Q Episodes of 'Star Trek

If Jean-Luc Picard calls someone "devious and amoral and unreliable and irresponsible and...definitely not to be trusted" then it's probably true. In the case of Q, a godlike being that's all at once annoying, all-powerful, and strangely childish, just because Captain Picard doesn't like him doesn't mean he's not one of the best characters in the Star Trek Universe .

Initially a character that put Picard and the entire Enterprise crew on trial to prove that humanity should be destroyed, Q eventually became a recurring character that was known for his playful - but still antagonistic - relationship with the Captain. In the best  Star Trek  episodes with Q, the character, portrayed by John de Lancie, represents everything great about the writing of  Star Trek . Q is both a foil for Picard and his crew, but also an asset. He's a teacher, thanks to his undending knowledge of the universe, but he's also a creature that enjoys creating havoc. Simply put, Q is complex as hell, and that's why we love him.

Since some of the most memorable episodes of  Star Trek  feature Q, we've decided to break down every one of Q's appearances so we can find out which is the best. So sit back, strap in, and get ready to enter the final frontier, because it's time to rank the best Star Trek Q episodes. 

Picard's nemesis, Q, claiming to have lost his powers, appears on the Enterprise; some of Q's enemies arrive to take advantage of his vulnerable state.

After Picard refuses to let him join the crew, Q hurls the Enterprise into battle with powerful cyborgs.

When an old injury from his Starfleet Academy days leaves Picard near death, Q allows him to relive those days and make different choices.

All Good Things...

Jean-Luc Picard jumps through time and finds an anomaly that defies causality, only to find the situation is a test that allows Picard to demonstrate human potential to Q.

Encounter at Farpoint

"Encounter at Farpoint" is the pilot episode and series premiere of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. In this episode, the crew of the newly built Enterprise examine the mysterious Farpoint Station which the Bandi people are offering to the Federation, while under the gaze of a powerful alien entity that calls itself "Q."

A new member of the Q Continuum comes aboard Voyager, seeking asylum so he can commit suicide. Q arrives onboard to stop him, leaving Captain Janeway to mediate a moral dilemma.

The Q and the Grey

Q returns to Voyager with the announcement that he's chosen Capt. Janeway to be the mother of his child.

Q2, Q's adolescent son, must receive a weeklong rehabilitation period at the hands of his reluctant aunt.

A young honor student serving aboard the Enterprise is torn between remaining a part of the crew or accepting an offer made by Q.

The immortal Q returns to fan the flames of romance between Picard and an archaeologist he met while on vacation.

Vash arrives aboard the Deep Space Nine station trying to elude her companion, Q, and make a profit selling archaeological artefacts from the Gamma Quadrant, including a mysterious alien crystal.

Q gives superhuman powers to Riker and tells him his shipmates' wishes will be granted if he joins with Q.

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Prepare for Picard Season 2 with every Q episode, ranked

Here's every Q episode of Star Trek, ranked worst to best

Star Trek fans got an unexpected treat on First Contact Day (April 5), when a teaser trailer for Star Trek: Picard Season 2 debuted. There’s some narration from Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) about the nature of time, and our choices, and all the other human-condition philosophizing you’d expect from a Star Trek series. But the real surprise came at the end of the trailer, with a brief voice-over from everyone’s favorite omnipotent trickster: John de Lancie as Q.

For Star Trek neophytes (why they’re watching Picard rather than starting with The Next Generation, one can only guess), Q was a recurring antagonist on Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran between 1987 and 1994. Bear in mind, we call him an “antagonist,” not a “villain.” That’s because Q isn’t evil in any meaningful sense of the word. He simply wants to challenge Picard, and humanity in general, to better themselves by developing a deeper understanding of the universe. Granted, if members of the Enterprise crew get hurt — or killed — along the way, so be it.

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Since we know we’ll be getting a long overdue visit from Q when Picard Season 2 debuts in 2022, we figured now would be an ideal time to gather up our favorite Q episodes and rank them from worst to best. To determine the order of this list, I’ve employed the highly scientific method of “asking my coworkers what they think.”

For such a significant figure in the Trek canon, he doesn’t actually show up that often — but that just makes his rare appearances all the more memorable. Here’s every Q episode of Star Trek, ranked from worst to best.

Encounter at Farpoint (TNG: S1, E1 & E2) 

Believe it or not, Q’s first appearance is one of his weakest — or, at least, the overall episode is pretty weak. Encounter at Farpoint was the series debut for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the show didn’t start off on the right foot. With dreary pacing, a predictable story and thin characterizations, Encounter at Farpoint doesn’t have much going for it. However, this two-parter positively perks up when the enigmatic Q appears onscreen, with his rapier wit, gaudy costumes and playfully threatening attitude. It’s fair to say that without the energy Q brought to the TNG premiere, the show might not have worked at all. 

Q-Less (DS9: S1, E6) 

Q is a great character; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was a great show. But if we’re being brutally honest, they were probably never meant to go together. Something about Q’s teasing nature and Cmdr. Benjamin Sisko’s forthright attitude just don’t gel together. When Q irritates Picard, it’s funny; when Q irritates Sisko, it’s a little exasperating. In any case, the episode might also have been better if the core plot — something about a magic crystal draining DS9’s energy — had been a little more exciting. Props for Q and Sisko in an old-timey boxing match, though. That was fun.

The Q and the Grey (VOY: S3, E11) 

Generally speaking, Q’s presence — similar to guest appearances by Geordi LaForge and Reginald Barclay —helped to liven up the middle seasons of Star Trek: Voyager. Something about The Q and the Grey didn’t really work, though. In this episode, the Q Continuum is in a state of civil war, and Q hopes that creating a new member of the species might help settle the hostilities. Q’s attempts to flirt with Capt. Kathryn Janeway are admittedly entertaining, but the American Civil War metaphor feels a little confused, and never sits quite right with the rest of the episode’s sci-fi trappings.

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True Q (TNG: S6, E6) 

True Q is an oddity, since the whole episode is rather down-to-Earth and low-stakes. Usually, Q episodes feel like big events, but True Q has an easygoing “episode of the week” quality that’s both endearing and a little forgettable. The Enterprise picks up a teenage girl named Amanda, who has strange powers. Q shows up to explain that Amanda was conceived by two Q living as humans, and that she needs to decide whether to accept her powers or live out a normal life. It’s fun to see Q as a parental figure (more on that later), but the episode’s stakes are pretty low overall. 

Q2 (VOY: S7, E19) 

One of the “just-for-fun” Q episodes, Q2 picks up where The Q and the Grey left off. Q’s offspring is now a teenager (or the Q Continuum equivalent of one, at least), and completely out of control. The elder Q reasons that the stern, patient Capt. Janeway can help the boy learn some responsibility. Seeing Janeway grapple with a recalcitrant young Q is as entertaining as it sounds, and de Lancie’s Q is as tricky and mercurial as ever. The episode even moves Voyager’s overall narrative forward a bit. In a fun touch, Keegan de Lancie — John’s son — plays the young Q.

Hide and Q (TNG: S1, E10) 

TNG had a rough first season, but a few episodes were perfectly serviceable Star Trek stories. Hide and Q is one of those. In it, Q sees great potential in Cmdr. William Riker, and offers to make Riker a member of the Q Continuum. In the episode, Riker must grapple with the morality of using his fantastic new powers, and learns a few lessons about human fallibility along the way. If you guessed that the episode would be an allegory about the value of hard work, well, you’ve clearly seen at least one episode of Star Trek before. But Hide and Q fleshes out two important TNG characters, so that’s worth watching. 

Deja Q (TNG: S3, E13) 

Deja Q is a fun episode, as it finally makes Q answer for some of his bad behavior. After angering the rest of the Q Continuum, Q finds himself stripped of his omnipotent powers, and forced to live as a regular human aboard the Enterprise. There, he predictably clashes with just about everyone on board — especially Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan, who memorably jams a fork into his hand. Still, it’s rewarding to learn that Q can be inventive, helpful and even selfless when the situation calls for it. He gets his powers back in the end, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Qpid (TNG: S4, E20) 

Qpid polled well among the whole Tom’s Guide staff. While it’s not the deepest or most thoughtful episode of TNG, it’s easily one of the most lovable. Q once again shows up to annoy Picard, but this time, there’s no deep, philosophical reason. He just wants to have some fun. As such, he transports Picard and the bridge crew to a fantastical Sherwood Forest, where they must live out a Robin Hood fantasy in order to save Picard’s love interest from the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham — played, of course, by Q. Come for the swordfights; stay to hear Lt. Worf proclaim that he is NOT a merry man. 

Death Wish (VOY: S2, E18) 

Death Wish asks the same question that many Star Trek fans have asked about the Q Continuum: If you have the power to go anywhere and do anything, at all times, what kind of meaning would your life have? For Quinn, an outcast from the Q Continuum, the answer is “not much.” Quinn has grown tired of his existence as a Q, and wishes to die. Q absolutely forbids it, but Capt. Janeway isn’t sure what to think. Death Wish is a dark and thoughtful episode about the merits of euthanasia, but it also takes a harsh look at the Q Continuum itself. 

Tapestry (TNG: S6, E15) 

Star Trek’s answer to Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, Tapestry lets Capt. Picard reshape a pivotal moment from his past. After Picard dies due to a malfunction in his artificial heart, Q lets him relive the day that cost him his biological heart in the first place. Picard discovers that small choices can dictate the course of our whole lives — and Q exacts a high price for that lesson. While Q himself is decidedly not the central character in this episode, his running commentary and chemistry with Picard elevate the whole experience. It also shows us that perhaps Q is not as cynical as he seems. 

Q Who (TNG: S2, E16) 

Up until Q Who, TNG viewers saw Q as a trickster, at best, and a villain, at worst. He showed up explicitly to make life miserable for the Enterprise crew, and was satisfied only when he’d made his point. Q Who was our first hint that, perhaps, the godlike being had some affinity for humanity after all. In this episode, he takes the Enterprise crew far beyond Federation space, where they encounter the ruthless Borg Collective for the first time. When the Enterprise finds itself outmatched, Q spirits the ship back home, but warns the crew that they can’t evade the Borg forever. It’s a chilling introduction for one of Star Trek’s pivotal species. 

 All Good Things… (TNG: S7, E25 & E26) 

While Encounter at Farpoint may not be TNG’s most beloved episode, All Good Things… could not have happened without it. In the TNG series finale, Picard finds himself existing in three time periods simultaneously: the past, during the Farpoint mission; the present, investigating a spacetime anomaly; and the future, as an old man who left Starfleet behind long ago. Q shows up to explain that Picard’s temporally displaced actions have doomed humanity once and for all. Now, Q has given Picard one last chance to set things right, in his most mind-bending and ambitious trial yet. It’s a great sendoff for a beloved antagonist.

BONUS: Veritas (LOW: S1, E8) 

We can’t really count Veritas as a Q episode — but we couldn’t leave it off the list, either. In this episode of the animated comedy Lower Decks, the crew of the Cerritos finds themselves on trial (sort of) for a host of seemingly unrelated Starfleet “crimes.” During Ens. Brad Boimler’s testimony, he points out that Q has apparently challenged the Cerritos crew on occasion. What’s more, Q himself shows up at the end of the episode — only to whine petulantly when Ens. Beckett Mariner refuses to play along with his games. She suggests that he go bother Picard instead, so perhaps the omnipotent being finally took her advice. 

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi. 

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Hide And Q (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 1.7 Log entry
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1 Production history
• 3.2 Story and script
• 3.3 Cast and characters
• 3.4 Costumes and sets
• 3.5 Continuity
• 3.7 Remastered version
• 3.8 Reception
• 3.9 Apocrypha
• 3.10 Video and DVD releases
• 4.1 Starring
• 4.2 Also starring
• 4.3 Guest star
• 4.4 Co-stars
• 4.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 4.6 Stunt doubles
• 4.7 Stand-ins
• 4.8.1 Dedication plaque references
• 4.9 External links

Summary [ ]

Q returns to the Enterprise -D

Having dropped Deanna Troi off at Starbase G-6 for a shuttlecraft ride to Betazed , the USS Enterprise -D is fortunately close to the Sigma III solar system , when its Federation colony transmits an urgent call for medical help. An accidental explosion has devastated a mining operation there. There are 504 colonists at the site. Doctor Beverly Crusher is hurriedly preparing her medical staff to treat the massive number of injured colonists.

En route to the mining colony at warp 9.1 , the Enterprise is once again trapped in Q 's force field grid . Q appears as an Aldebaran serpent on the bridge of the Enterprise , and informs the bridge crew that the Q Continuum , after studying their recent contact with Humanity , are mostly impressed by them and wishes to discuss it. Picard urgently asks to wait until they've completed their mission, but Q demands he abandon it. He then changes into a Starfleet admiral .

Act One [ ]

The barren world of Q's creation

Q as a Marshal of France

Picard again says that he will listen to Q's offer of the realization of their "impossible dreams," but only following their rescue mission. Q, however, disagrees, and turns himself towards Riker , asking what he finds of Q's offer. Riker says that they do not have time for Q's "games," which triggers Q's excitement. He transports Riker, Data , La Forge , Yar , and Worf off the bridge to a class M planetoid , appearing before them in the uniform of a Napoleonic marshal wearing the insignia of The Order of the of the Goldren Fleece. (A Marshal outranks a Admiral) Picard is left alone on the bridge and is unable to contact anyone on the ship.

Q colorfully engages them in a Napoleonic-era campaign tent, declaring that the point of his game will be to stay alive. He promises a great future for Humankind if they win, but something "disastrous" if they lose. Furthermore, the game will be completely unfair, brushing off fairness as a Human concept. Yar protests, and Q transports her away into a " penalty box ," but, unbeknownst to the crew, she is really back on the Enterprise . He says, that if anyone else violates the rules of the game, he will be put in the penalty box, displacing Yar into nothingness.

Act Two [ ]

Back on the Enterprise , Picard paces around the bridge, powerless to do anything. He laments that even the log entry system doesn't work, as it feeds back and distorts his voice every time he tries to speak. Just then, Yar re-appears on the bridge and explains her situation to Picard while standing at tactical . Being controlled by Q's whims has left her off-balance and she is so fed up that she is on the verge of tears. Picard tries to comfort her, but she is ashamed of herself for even thinking about showing weakness, especially in front of Picard. Picard reassures her that showing emotion is not a sign of weakness, and Yar hints at what their relationship could be if he weren't captain. Suddenly, Q appears before Yar and Picard, apparently bored with the display the two officers have made, and says that Yar's penalty is now over. While seated in the captain's chair , he makes a starlog entry for Picard, explaining that the real intent of his game is to test whether the ship's first officer is worthy of the greatest gift the Q can offer. They make a bet: Picard's command against Q's keeping out of Humanity's path forever. Q then promptly tells Picard that he has already lost as Riker will be offered something impossible to refuse.

Debating philosophy

Picard then confronts Q in his ready room . Q sits in his chair, reading one of Shakespeare 's works. Picard asks why Q is demonstrating a "need" for Humans through this confrontation, instead of providing a simple, direct explanation, a statement of what he seeks. Through Q's recitation, Picard understands that how Humans respond to a game tells him more about them. Q proposes to continue and quote some Hamlet for him. Picard refuses, and quotes him instead: " What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty, in form, in moving, how express and admirable. In action, how like an angel; in apprehension, how like a god… " Q stands up in objection from his chair, and responds that surely Picard doesn't see Humanity like that. Picard answers that he sees Humanity as one day becoming like that, and perhaps that is what the Q fear. Q, obviously irritated by Picard, throws the large Shakespeare book at him and then disappears.

Meanwhile, down on the planetoid , Riker, Data, and La Forge discuss the situation while Worf gathers reconnaissance. Apparently, aliens dressed in 18th century French uniforms are heading their way, armed with ancient muskets . Data explains that muskets are inferior to their phasers . The muskets, however, turn out to have phaser power. Q, appearing as Data before Riker, tells him that he now has the power of the Q , and is able to transport his crewmates back to the ship. He does so, and is amazed by his immense new power.

Act Three [ ]

Wesley stabbed

Back aboard Enterprise , all systems are again functioning, and the Q grid has disappeared. There is no sign anything happened, and no others noticed anything. Data, La Forge, and Worf appear back on the bridge, where Picard explains to them Q has shown some kind of interest in their first officer since their mission at Farpoint .

On the planetoid, Riker and Q discuss the powers Q has granted Riker. Interestingly, the rank insignia that Q now carries on his uniform is that of a Starfleet commander, implying they are now equals. Riker asks what Q wants from him. Q replies that the Continuum has granted them a gift, beyond all other gifts. He explains that, before Farpoint Station , they saw Humanity as savages only. However, they discovered instead that Humans are unusual creatures, in their own limited ways. He also states that since Humans are constantly evolving, they may eventually become stronger than the Q one day.

" That grid, their wounds… only the Q can do that. "

Riker rejects Q's powers, and Q disappears. Suddenly, the bridge crew, including Picard but also Wesley Crusher , appear on the planetoid's surface again, while they are approached by the soldier creatures Q created. Now unarmed, only Riker's powers can save the crew now. Worf is stabbed by a bayonet from one of the animal soldiers, and after Crusher runs to his rescue, the acting ensign is killed as well. Frustrated and angry, Riker uses his new-found powers to create a Q-style force field around the soldiers, and transports the crew back to the Enterprise , healing Worf and Crusher in the process. Picard is stunned.

Act Four [ ]

The Enterprise , meanwhile, has arrived at the mining colony. In Picard's ready room, Picard tries to advise Riker on his new powers. During the discussion, Picard has Riker guarantee to him that he will be strong enough not to use the power of the Q. An away team beams down to the mining colony, and they find a small group of people seriously injured. They find a young child underneath some large rocks that Data moves rapidly out of the way. Dr. Crusher says it is too late, and that the child has died. Riker is faced with the dilemma of whether to bring the child back to life. He says that he is prevented from doing so by a promise. He shows his frustration to Picard on the Enterprise and surprisingly demands from Picard a meeting with the senior staff.

" Perhaps they're all remembering that old saying, 'power corrupts.' "

The senior staff , including Wesley, meets on the bridge. Riker explains that even though he has been granted unusual powers, he is not a monster, that he is still the same William Riker they know. Picard reminds him that he has already changed, for example, by not addressing him as captain but by his first name. Riker doubts that his decision not to save the child was right, comparing it to when he saved the Enterprise crew earlier, however, Picard reminds him that that was a fiction Q created. He tries to convince Riker that the Q do not admire Humans, but that they have muddled Riker's mind.

Then, Q appears as a medieval monk on the bridge.

Act Five [ ]

" Hey, Wes – not bad! "

Picard furiously asks Q why he takes on so many guises, " Have you no identity of your own? " Q retorts, " I forgive your blasphemy ." Riker asks to give each of the senior staff something they would most like. Dr. Crusher asks Wesley to leave with her. Riker, however, knowing that his young friend wishes he was older, turns Wesley into an adult, aging him ten years in an instant. He offers to make Data Human, but the android declines, saying that it will never feel real to him. Data then quotes Shakespeare to drive his point home and says " this above all, to thine own self be true. "

" I strongly suspect it's some explaining you have to do now. "

Riker then walks to La Forge, granting him his vision. After taking in the view of Quadra Sigma III (and taking a long look at Tasha Yar's "beautiful" face), La Forge also declines Riker's gift, telling the commander that "the price is too high" and he does not like who he has to thank. Riker then creates a Klingon female as a mate for Worf. Worf, however, says that there is no place for the female in his life. Wesley also asks Riker to make him young again. It isn't until Q says " But it's easier, boy! Listen to Riker! " that Riker realizes his mistake. He admits he feels like a fool, and Picard comforts him by confirming that he should. Picard then walks up to Q, pulls off his hood and tells him to uphold their wager. Q stomps around the bridge, recalling no wager. Picard replies that his fellow Q will remember that because he failed to turn Riker, he'll promise to stay out of Humanity's way forever. Thunder sounds on the Enterprise bridge, and Q is abruptly called back to the Continuum, screaming for a second chance.

For the Enterprise crew, it is as if they had just returned from their rescue mission, like no time had passed in between. Data asks the captain how the Q can handle space and time so well, while they handle interactions with Humans so badly. Picard answers that they may one day learn that space and time are easier to handle than the Human equation. Sitting in their chairs, Picard has Riker order La Forge to set a new course and the Enterprise -D engages its warp drive .

Log entry [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2364

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Drink not with thine enemy. The rigid Klingon code. That explains something of why you defeated them . "

" I feel like such an idiot. " " Quite right, so you should. "

" Macrohead… with a microbrain! "

" You're no Starfleet admiral, Q! "

" Oh, your species is always suffering and dying. "

" Seized my vessel. These are the complaints of a closed mind, accustomed to military privileges. But you, Riker, and I remember you well, what do you make of my offer? "

" Q is nothing if not imaginative. "

" No one has ever offered to turn me into a god before. "

(referring to Tasha Yar) " Where is she, Q? You can forget your game if– " " To use a 20th century term, she is in a penalty box. Where she will remain unharmed unless one of you merits a penalty. Unfortunately, there is only one penalty box. If any of you should be sent there, dear Tasha must give the box up to you. " " And where does she go? " " Into nothingness. I entreat you to carefully obey the rules of the game. The only one who can destroy your Tasha now is you. "

" I'm offering you a bright future. "

" Incredible, Worf! You came out of nowhere. " " A warrior's reaction. "

" There's a new ship's standing order on the bridge: when one is in the penalty box, tears are permitted. "

" A marshal of France… ridiculous! "

" Hear this, Picard, and reflect: 'All the galaxy's a stage.' " "' World', not 'galaxy'; 'all the world's a stage.' " " Oh, you know that one… well, if he was living now, he would have said 'galaxy.' "

" Let us pray… for understanding and for compassion. " " Let us do no such damn thing! "

" I'm sure your fellow Q remember you agreed to never trouble our species again. Just as they're now aware that you failed to tempt a Human to join you. " (to the ceiling) " No! No, if I could do just one more thing… " " Q, I strongly suspect that it's some explaining you have to do now. "

" Oh, thank you very much I'm glad you enjoyed it. Perhaps maybe a little… Hamlet? " " No. I know Hamlet. And what he might say with irony I say with conviction. 'What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty. In form, in moving, how express and admirable. In action, how like an angel. In apprehension, how like a god…' " " Surely you don't see your species like that, do you?! " " I see us one day becoming that, Q. Is it that which concerns you? "

" But it's what you've always wanted Data, to become Human. " " Yes, sir. That is true. But I never wanted to compound one… illusion with another. It might be real to Q… perhaps even you, sir. But it would never be so to me. Was it not one of the captain's favorite authors who wrote, "This above all: to thine own self be true?" Sorry, Commander, I must decline. "

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

• First draft story outline: 30 June 1987 ( Creating the Next Generation )
• Revised final draft script: 25 September 1987 [1]
• Filmed: 28 September 1987 – 7 October 1987
• Score recorded at Paramount Stage M : 16 November 1987 [2]
• Premiere airdate: 23 November 1987
• UK premiere airdate: 21 November 1990

Story and script [ ]

• This episode represented Maurice Hurley 's first contribution to TNG. Gene Roddenberry gave him the episode as a rewrite assignment. However, Roddenberry was thereafter so disappointed with his work on the episode that he ignored Hurley whenever they passed each other in the hallway at Paramount, which was about four or five times a day. ( William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge ) Ultimately, the script was rewritten by Roddenberry to such an extent that Hurley requested the pseudonym "C. J. Holland" be used instead of his own name for the episode credits. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 42))

Cast and characters [ ]

• Marina Sirtis ( Deanna Troi ) does not appear in this episode. This is her first non-appearance . The revised final draft screenplay submitted only three days prior to filming featured Deanna Troi which suggests that Marina Sirtis' sudden unavailability was the reason for her non-appearance. Her lines were eventually cut from the episode or transferred to other characters (mostly Tasha Yar) and Picard's log entry explaining her absence (a trip home) was written for the beginning of the teaser.

Costumes and sets [ ]

A "Q" insignia on the tablecloth

Fleur-de-lis

• Q is wearing a French marshal uniform. Many marshal uniform versions existed, so this version seems plausible. His bicorne holds a tricolor cockade from the French Empire era (blue in center, red in middle, and white outwards, a color order used until 1812).
• The musket-wielding aliens who attacked the crew of the Enterprise -D wear uniforms which seem to be a mix of several Napoleonic era armies, including British red coat and/or French royal army (these nations shared the same colors, blue being predominant in France and red in the UK). The headgear bears the royal coat of arms of Spain. However, Data states that " muskets are appropriate to the 1790-1800 French uniform. "
• Q's tent shows French royal arms with three fleurs-de-lis , which was the French national flag from 1376 until the French Revolution, when it was replaced by the tricolor (blue, white, red) of modern-day France.

Continuity [ ]

One of the aliens seen in this episode

• The illusory female Klingon seen in this episode is both the first Klingon besides Worf and the first female Klingon to appear on The Next Generation .
• This is the first appearance of Q since " Encounter at Farpoint ".
• Q's force field grid is stock footage from "Encounter at Farpoint". This episode is the last time it appears in Star Trek , although it was mentioned in the finale " All Good Things... ".
• Another scene from "Encounter at Farpoint" was reused for this episode, the scene at the beginning of the episode when the four officers are leaving the sickbay. A couch can be seen at the place where Crusher's office would be at this time.
• This episode marks the first appearance of a Starfleet admiral's uniform in Star Trek: The Next Generation , although the dress uniform worn by Q was never seen again. An actual uniformed admiral did not appear until " Too Short A Season ", although Leonard McCoy did appear as a retired admiral in the pilot episode.
• The command division Starfleet uniform Q wears while talking with Riker on the planet has the rank pips of a commander, the only time Q ever appears in a command division Starfleet uniform without the rank of captain, aside from his admiral's uniform at the start of this episode. Q also appears in Data's operations division Starfleet uniform, marking the only instance that Q wears either the rank pips of lieutenant commander or a gold operations uniform. This is also the only time that John de Lancie wears the makeup and appearance of another character while playing Q on The Next Generation .
• The ready room conversation between Q and Picard references William Shakespeare 's plays As You Like It , Hamlet , and Macbeth .
• This episode marks the first appearance of LeVar Burton without the VISOR or contact lenses. The second is in the fourth season episode " Future Imperfect " and the third and last is in the seventh season episode " Interface ".
• Data's quote from Hamlet , " This above all, to thine own self be true ", is the source of the TNG Season 7 episode title, " Thine Own Self ", an episode in which Data figures prominently.
• The episode's score, composed by Dennis McCarthy , was recorded on 16 November 1987 at Paramount Stage M . [3] Cues M51, M51A, and M52 from the score (the first three cues from Act Five), totaling 5 minutes 24 seconds, appear on Disc One of the Star Trek: The Next Generation Collection, Volume One .
• The music, played during the fight scenes between the Enterprise -D crew and the illusory aliens, is the revolution song La Marseillaise , which is the French Republic's National Anthem since its adoption in 1792.

Remastered version [ ]

In the original episode, the desolate planet set was extended through use of video compositing, a difficult effect to recreate using the original components. CBS Digital created a new set extension using matte paintings for the episode's release as part of the TNG Season 1 Blu-ray collection. [4]

Reception [ ]

• Director Cliff Bole remembered: " I liked the episode but it wasn't one of my favorites. " But Bole praises John de Lancie for his performance and mentioned that he is an excellent actor and he took him to Australia for an episode of Mission: Impossible . ("Cliff Bole – Of Redemption & Unification", The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 17 , p. 28)
• A mission report for this episode by John H. Sayers was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 4 , pp. 39-44.

Apocrypha [ ]

• The novel Q&A establishes that Q was sent by the Continuum to give Picard the power of the Q as a test of Humanity's ability to save the universe eventually, but Q disregarded their directive and gave the Q power to Riker.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 5 , catalog number VHR 2396, 3 September 1990
• As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum : 5 December 1994
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 1.4, catalog number VHR 4645, 15 June 1998
• As part of the US VHS collection Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum : 8 September 1998
• As part of the TNG Season 1 DVD collection
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Q collection
• As part of the TNG Season 1 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker

Also starring [ ]

• LeVar Burton as Lt. Geordi La Forge
• Denise Crosby as Lt. Tasha Yar
• Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
• Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
• Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher

Guest star [ ]

• John de Lancie as Q

Co-stars [ ]

• Elaine Nalee as Female Survivor
• William A. Wallace as Wesley Crusher, age 25

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• James G. Becker as Youngblood
• Darrell Burris as operations officer
• Animal thing
• Steve Chambers as animal thing
• Dexter Clay as operations officer
• Jeff Dashnaw as animal thing
• Jeffrey Deacon as command officer
• Nora Leonhardt as sciences ensign
• Daryl F. Mallett as crewmember ( citation needed • edit )
• Tim McCormack as Bennett
• Lorine Mendell as Diana Giddings
• Faith Minton as female Klingon
• Dave Perna as animal thing
• Steve Reed as animal thing
• Chris Tedesco as animal thing
• Eight survivors
• Engineering crewmember (voice)
• Female command crewmember
• Female command officer
• Female medical officer
• Female sciences crewmember
• Four animal things
• Sciences lieutenant
• Sciences officer

Stunt doubles [ ]

• Kirk Elam as stunt double for LeVar Burton
• William Perry as stunt double for Wil Wheaton ( unfilmed )
• Al Simon as stunt double for Michael Dorn

Stand-ins [ ]

• James G. Becker – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
• Darrell Burris – stand-in for LeVar Burton
• Dexter Clay – stand-in for Michael Dorn
• Jeffrey Deacon – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
• Susan Duchow – stand-in for Denise Crosby
• Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner
• Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Gates McFadden
• Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for John de Lancie
• Guy Vardaman – stand-in for Wil Wheaton

References [ ]

1790 ; 1800 ; 18th century ; 19th century ; 20th century ; 21st century ; ability ; accuracy ; acting ensign ; admiral ; adventure ; affection ; agreement ; Aldebaran serpent ; " all right "; All's Well That Ends Well ; amber ; amusement ; angel ; animal ; animal thing ; answer ; apprehension ; As You Like It ; " at best "; athlete ; " at least "; " at this moment "; " at your service "; author ; ball ; bayonet ; Betazed ; bicorne ; blasphemy ; blood ; bridge ; bridge crew ; bridge officer ; bridge staff ; brother ; burn unit ; " by all means "; campaign headquarters tent ; campfire ; candle ; cannon ; Cargo Bay 6 ; century ; charge ; class M ; colonist ; " come on "; compassion ; complaint ; compliment ; computer report ; concept ; confrontation ; Constitution II -class ; conviction ; coordinates ; costume ; couch ; counselor ; course ; court ; cowl ; creature ; custom ; crying ; danger ; death ; deflector ; demonstration ; dimension ; disaster ; discipline ; dream ; dress uniform ; drum ; Earth ; emergency ; emergency area ; Emergency Manual Override station ; enemy ; evil ; explanation ; explosion ; explosion site ; eye ; Farpoint Mission ; Farpoint Station ; fear ; Federation colony ; feather ; first name ; flag ; flim-flam man ; force field ; force field grid ; " for example "; " for shame "; France ; freckle ; French ; French Army ; French Army uniform ; French language ; friend ; friendship ; fury ; game ; gas ; gift ; Globe Illustrated Shakespeare: The Complete Works, The ; god ; gratitude ; gravity ; gunpowder ; Hamlet ; happiness ; harm ; Hartley, David ; heart ; hour ; Human ( Humanity ); Human condition ; Human equation ; Human history ; Human philosophy ; hypospray ; idea ; identity ; idiot ; illusion ; immortality ; " in fact "; information ; " in reason "; insect ; intelligence ; interest ; " in time "; irony ; " I see "; jealousy ; job ; joke ; " keep in mind that "; kligat ; Klingon ; Klingon mating rituals ; lead ; lemonade ; lesson ; library ; lifeform ; log entry ; lower rank ; Macbeth ; " macrohead "; marshal ; medical tricorder ; medkit ; meeting ; meter ; methane ; microbrain ; Milky Way Galaxy ; mind ; minute ; mistake ; model ; monk ; monster ; moon ; musket ; Napoleonic era ; nature ; nose ; nothingness ; number ; number one ; objection ; " of course "; offer ; online ; orbit ; " out of the goodness of your heart "; oxygen ; path ; penalty ; penalty box ; phaser ; pity ; place ; plain ; planning ; player ; plea ; power ; power ; price ; promise ; propellant ; proposal ; Q ; Q Continuum ; Q's moons ; Q's planet ; Qo'noS ; Quadra Sigma III ; quality ; question ; rank ; ready room ; real life ; reason ; red alert ; regiment ; rescue mission (aka rescue operation ); rescue team ; ridge ; ring ; risk ; rosary ; rule ; savage ; saying ; schematic ; school ; search ; sex ; shadow ; Shakespeare, William ; shako ; shape ; shield ; Sigma III solar system ; signal horn ; sitting ; skant uniform ; skirmishing line ; soldier ; Sol system ; sound ; space ; space vessel lifeform ; species ; speed ; stage ; standing order ; Starbase G-6 ; strength ; survivor ; tale ; teaching ; tear ; temptation ; tent ; term ; theory ; thing ; time ; tradition ; tricorder ; Troi, Deanna ; truism ; truth ; turbolift ; Turbolift Control ; Twelfth Night, or What You Will ; type I phaser ; type II phaser ; understanding ; uniform ; universe ; unnamed plants ; value ; viewscreen ; visit ; VISOR ; " what the hell "; warrior ; weapon ; wish ; word ; wound

Dedication plaque references [ ]

USS Enterprise dedication plaque : Chief of Staff ; Design Engineer ; Federation Space Systems ; Mars ; A.G. Probert ; Roddenberry, Gene ; Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

External links [ ]

• "Hide and Q" at StarTrek.com
• " Hide and Q " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Hide and Q " at Wikipedia
• " Hide And Q " at the Internet Movie Database
• " Hide and Q " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• "Hide And Q" script  at Star Trek Minutiae
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Star Trek: The history of Picard and Q in 6 episodes

Tracking the complicated relationship between Q and Jean-Luc Picard

Star Trek: Picard is back, and the pesky trickster Q (played by John de Lancie) is already up to his old ways, meddling with time, space and Jean-Luc Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) dwindling patience in Star Trek: Picard season 2 .

For the uninitiated, Q is part of the Q Continuum, a race of God-like beings who can manipulate almost anything and anyone. Q can transport spacecraft across the galaxy with a click of his fingers, move back and forth through time and summon a wardrobe full of inextricable costumes. In the words of Picard: “He’s devious and amoral and unreliable and irresponsible and definitely not to be trusted.”

If you’re new to Star Trek or haven’t watched The Next Generation in a while, you might want to scrub up on Picard and Q’s decade-spanning, volatile relationship.

In this guide, we’ve selected six episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation to help you understand Q and Picard’s history, including the time Q hurled Picard into the Borg’s backyard through to the incident when Q forced Picard to cosplay as Robin Hood.

There are plenty more Q-focused episodes to watch, both in Star Trek: The Next Generation and other series (like Voyager, Deep Space Nine and even Lower Decks ), but if you’ve only got an afternoon to catch up, these are the episodes we recommend you watch.

The one where Q holds Picard personally responsible for all of humanity's sins

Encounter at Farpoint, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2)

The best place to start for a complete picture of Q’s antics and Picard’s frustrations is right at the beginning of Star Trek: The Next Generation . The first episode of the series is a fantastic watch, and it introduces us to both the crew of the USS Enterprise D and Q for the very first time. 

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This is also Q's first encounter with humans, and his way of greeting us? Putting Picard and his crew on trial on behalf of all humanity, calling us a “dangerous, savage, child-race.” (I mean, he's not wrong?) 

Picard argues that Q is unfairly judging humanity for its past mistakes, decades and centuries before, not for how far they’ve come since. So, he strikes a deal with Q and proposes they're tested in the present to prove humans have moved on from their violent tendencies. 

What follows is the first of many tests that Q puts Picard through, a mission to Farpoint Station, where the crew must unravel the mysteries of a new space station and why things aren't quite as they seem.

Q eventually deems Picard, the crew and, therefore humanity, to have passed the test. But not before he ominously warns Picard he hasn't seen the last of him.

Best quote: Q to Picard: "Temper, temper mon capitaine, I'm merely trying to assist a pitiful species."

The one where Q teaches Picard the life-affirming value of a good bar fight

Tapestry, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 6, Episode 15)

If you only have time to watch one episode about Q and Picard, make it this one. 

Not only is this an excellent episode for learning more about Q and Picard’s complex dynamic, it’s a must-watch for those who love Picard, as it gives us all a look at the life of a young Jean-Luc fresh out of Starfleet Academy — as well as who he could have become.

At the start of the episode, Picard is fatally wounded. As he’s on death’s door, Q shows up. He tells Picard that he’s dying because of his artificial heart, which he received back in his youth after getting into a bar fight with a Nausicaan.

Q gives him the chance to go back in time, so he doesn’t get into the fight, doesn’t get stabbed and doesn’t get the artificial heart that later threatens to kill him. He does, but things go awry when Picard learns how formative the experience was and helps shape who he becomes later in life. 

The important thing to note about this episode is that as annoying as Q is, he’s not evil. His actions do, eventually, end up enriching Picard’s life. It's just frustrating his methods are so maddening. 

Best quote: Picard to Q: "I refuse to believe that the afterlife is run by you; the universe is not so badly designed."

The one where Q dumps Picard in the Borg's backyard

Q Who, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 2, Episode 16)

In this episode, Q asks Picard if he can join the Enterprise. He promises that he could play a vital role in helping the Enterprise navigate the galaxy and all of the scary things that lurk in the depths of unexplored space. 

Picard, rightly suspecting Q is probably up to no good, declines. This makes Q upset, and, as a form of punishment, he clicks his fingers and sends the Enterprise 7,000 light-years into an unknown part of the galaxy that’s two years away from the nearest space station.

The crew soon learn they’re not just in unknown space, they’re in Borg space. This is the first time the Borg appear in Trek, and there's an edge-of-your-seat pursuit that almost gets the Enterprise destroyed.

As the Enterprise’s shields are down, and the crew are probably minutes away from assimilation, Picard begs Q for help. “If we all die… you will not be able to gloat!” he says. “You wanted me to say I need you… I NEED YOU.” With another click of Q’s fingers, the Enterprise is back where it was before. 

Best quote: Picard to Q: "I understand what you've done here, Q, but I think the lesson could have been learned without the loss of eighteen members of my crew."

The one where Q hits Picard up on LinkedIn

Deja Q, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 3, Episode 13) 

If Q drives you as nuts as he does Picard, you’ll like this episode as it involves a satisfying scene in which he's stabbed with a fork — go Guinan! 

Q shows up on the Enterprise again, but this time it’s because the Q Continuum is sick of his antics, so he's been stripped of his powers and sent away to live as a mortal. He chooses to become human and seeks asylum on the Enterprise, and Picard (reluctantly) grants it to him, despite assuming he’s pulling yet another prank. 

While aboard the Enterprise, Q learns more about what it means to be human, striking up an unexpected (sort of) friendship with Data. However, after living just a few days as a human, he’s sick of it and melodramatically whizzes off in a shuttle with a high risk of being killed.

“My life as a human being has been a dismal failure,” he says. “As a human, I would have died of boredom.” At this point, another Q intervenes and restores his powers. 

Best quote: Q to Picard: "… in all the universe, you're the closest thing I have to a friend, Jean-Luc."

The one where Q finally gets Picard into a pair of tights

Qpid, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 4, Episode 20)  

Q wants to thank Picard for allowing him to stay on the Enterprise in Deja Q, so shows up uninvited to repay the favour.

“I’ve just been paid a visit from Q [...] he wants to do something nice for me,” Picard tells Riker in a hilariously scathing tone. “I’ll alert the crew,” Riker says.

It just so happens that he turns up when Picard’s old flame Vash, an archaeologist he met on Risa a year before, is on board the Enterprise for a conference. 

Q decides this would be a great time to teach Picard yet another lesson, so he sends Picard, Vash and a few other members of the crew into a Robin Hood-style scenario. You’ve probably seen a meme of this episode before, like Worf head-to-toe in costume saying: “Sir, I protest. I am not a merry man!” 

Q takes the role of the High Sheriff of Nottingham, naturally, and sets Picard or, sorry, Robin Hood, the task of saving Vash, or Maid Marian. His point was to get Picard to admit that he cares for Vash and to show him that isn’t good for his role on the Enterprise, and could end up getting his crew killed. 

The episode ends with Q offering to take Vash on a journey of exploration through the stars to all of the archaeological ruins in the galaxy. She kisses Jean-Luc, puts on her explorer garb and joins Q.

Best quote: From Q: "I had such high hopes for you, Picard. I thought that you were a bit more… evolved than the rest of your species but now I realise you're just as weak as all the others. Still it pains me, to see the great Jean-Luc Picard brought down… by a woman."

The one where Q gives Picard the worst Wordle of all time

All Good Things, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26)  

Picard is moving back and forth through time, from when he first arrived on the Enterprise, to the present day, to far into the future when he’s an elderly man. He’s not sure what’s up. Could it be a problem with his brain? Alien infiltration? A space anomaly? No, silly, it’s Q of course! 

Q reveals this is (surprise, surprise) another test, this time devised by the Q Continuum to find out if humanity is capable of expanding its understanding of the universe and evolving its thinking. 

Although Q might have been instrumental in the time paradox Picard finds himself in, to his credit he dose provide him with some clues about how to solve it. This helps Picard figure out what’s going on and means he manages to stop the anomaly that could wipe out human life entirely.

Picard, obviously, succeeds. He then has a final face-off with Q in which he promises that he’ll continue to watch over humanity. “The trial never ends,” he says. 

Best quote: From Q: "The Continuum didn't think you had it in you, Jean-Luc. But I knew you did.”

Becca has been writing about consumer tech and popular science for over ten years. She’s covered all kinds of topics, including why robots have eyes and whether we’ll all experience the overview effect one day, but she’s particularly interested in VR/AR, wearables, digital health, space tech and chatting to experts and academics about the future. She's contributed to TechRadar, T3, Wired, New Scientist, The Guardian, Inverse and many more. Her first book, Screen Time, came out in January 2021 with Bonnier Books. She loves science-fiction, brutalist architecture and spending way too much time floating through space in virtual reality. 

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Blu Del Barrio Had An Ironic Reaction To Their Final Star Trek: Discovery Scene

"Star Trek: Discovery" is in the midst of its last official mission, as the Paramount+ series is set to sign off at the end of May after five seasons. The first "Star Trek" series of the streaming era has seen its share of highs and lows over the years, but the casting of Blu del Barrio, the first openly non-binary actor in the "Trek" universe, is undoubtedly a high point. The actor spoke to Comic Book Resources ahead of the show's ending, sharing takeaways from the experience and revealing that their last day on set was emotional -- just not in the way you might expect.

"I could not stop laughing," del Barrio revealed when asked about how it felt to give these characters their "final send-off" in a portion of the "Discovery" finale that was filmed after the rest of the episode. "Everybody was crying, but I couldn't stop laughing," they reiterated. The actor compared their incongruous giggles to someone reacting oddly at a funeral. "I like, I went into it like when you cry at a funeral, I don't know what it was," they explained. "The direction was 'Cry. You can cry. You can be sad.'"

Read more: 12 Reasons Why The Original Series Is The Best Star Trek Show

Discovery Filmed An Ending That Called For Its Actors To Cry

Though fans haven't seen the sequence in question yet, it's one that Comic Book Resources described as a "coda," and it was apparently filmed after principal photography wrapped. Director Jonathan Frakes previously told Variety that the show's planned two-part finale was suddenly turned into just one episode, leading to the need for additional footage "to actually make the finale the finale." Executive producer and director Olatunde Osunsanmi apparently finished the episode. Whatever happened behind the scenes, it resulted in a quick added shoot that called for the actor to cry, and as del Barrio told CBR with a laugh, they just "couldn't stop laughing."

It's tough to predict just how "Star Trek: Discovery" will end, given that only two "Trek" shows from the modern era have reached their conclusions so far. "Star Trek: Short Treks" seems to have fizzled out after season 2, but given its standalone nature, the show didn't have to offer up a grand finale (it also doesn't seem completely gone, as Paramount released "Star Trek: Very Short Treks" in 2023). "Star Trek: Picard," on the other hand, ended with a sentimental conclusion that satisfied fans of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," reuniting its cast in a meaningful way and signing off with style. Given the apparent compression of the "Star Trek: Discovery" finale, we have no idea what it might look like -- but as with all things "Discovery," we trust it to be interesting and offbeat.

Del Barrio Is Proud Of Being Part Of Trek History

All laughter aside, del Barrio got serious with CBR to relay the pride they feel at having brought one of TV's few romantic relationships between transgender characters to life. Their character, Adira Tal, ended up in a relationship with Gray, a trans character played by Ian Alexander . "I'm most proud of being able to portray a really wonderful and beautiful trans relationship," del Barrio said, adding, "There is very little stuff out with one trans character and we got two. I got to make something really beautiful with Ian that I'm very proud of, and I also now have a lifelong friend." It's true that trans couples are rare on screen: while Netflix's "Sex Education" recently broke down barriers by featuring a love scene between two trans partners, depictions of relationships like these are few and far between.

It makes sense that such a relationship would flourish in the diverse world of "Star Trek," a franchise that has spotlighted many different types of love over its half-century-plus existence. "Star Trek: Discovery" will always have a special place in "Trek" history, thanks in part to the way it's embraced queer characters in a franchise that has always had queer fans -- even when their stories weren't portrayed on screen. "Being able to show a queer trans relationship in that way, in this universe so many years into the future [in] all its intricacy, I think is great, and I'm very proud of that," del Barrio told CBR.

Season 5 of "Star Trek: Discovery" is currently streaming new episodes on Paramount+ each Thursday.

Read the original article on SlashFilm

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Glenn morshower's 5 star trek roles explained.

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Every Star Trek Series, Ranked Worst To Best

Every star trek movie in chronological order, fallout theory reveals cooper howard's family is in a specific vault from the games.

• Glenn Morshower portrayed five characters across multiple Star Trek series & films, showcasing his versatility as a character actor.
• Morshower's roles ranged from a junior officer to a sneaky alien, displaying his talent for embodying different personas effectively.
• Known for playing military and law enforcement roles, Morshower's commanding presence shines through in each of his Star Trek performances.

Character actor Glenn Morshower has portrayed five different characters across three Star Trek series and one feature film. Morshower's first Star Trek appearance came near the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, when he portrayed ensign Burke in "Peak Performance." He later appeared as an alien named Mr. Orton in the TNG season 6 episode, "Starship Mine." Morshower briefly appeared as the navigator on the USS Enterprise-B in Star Trek Generations before popping up in episodes of Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise .

Glenn Morshower has appeared in numerous films and television shows, often portraying military men or law enforcement officers. He is best known for playing Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce in 24 and Colonel Sharp in the Transformers films. Morshower has also appeared in episodes of The X-Files, CSI, The West Wing, Friday Night Lights, and Agents of SHIELD. More recently Morshower played Marshall Winthrop in 25 episodes of The Resident and President Andrew Johnson in the Apple TV+ series Manhunt . Morshower has also done voice-over work for several popular video game franchises, including Call of Duty and Wolfenstein.

There are 11 Star Trek TV series (and counting) over 58 years. From The Original Series to TNG to Strange New Worlds and Prodigy, we rank them all.

5 Ensign Burke

Star trek: the next generation season 2, episode 21 - "peak performance".

In Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "Peak Performance," the USS Enterprise-D participates in war games exercises, as Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) faces off against Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) in command of the USS Hathaway. Glenn Morshower portrays Ensign Burke, who serves as a junior operations and tactical officer aboard the Enterprise. When Riker chooses Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) to be a part of his crew on the Hathaway, Burke takes the Klingon's place at the tactical station.

A Ferengi ship commanded by DaiMon Bractor (Armin Shimerman) arrives and attacks, unaware that the two Federation ships are participating in practice exercises. The two Federation ships and their crews are able to outsmart the Ferengi, and bring an end to the wargames. Ensign Burke then serves as a mediator during a game of Strategema between master strategist Sirna Kolrami (Roy Brocksmith) and Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner).

4 Mr. Orton

Star trek: the next generation season 6, episode 18 - "starship mine".

In Star Trek's version of Die Hard , Captain Picard must singlehandedly thwart a group of thieves aboard the USS Enterprise-D. When the Enterprise docks at the Remmler Array to undergo a decontamination process, Captain Picard ends up stuck on the ship when the rest of the crew beams down to the station to attend a party. The party is quickly interrupted when the station administrator, an Arkarian named Mr. Orton, takes the senior officers captive, while his accomplices board the Enterprise.

With his alien appearance and prosthetics, Glenn Morshower is unrecognizable as Orton, who is eventually captured after the captive Enterprise crew members escape. Data and the other crew members had rigged the VISOR of Lt. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) to emit a hypersonic pulse that rendered everyone other than Data unconscious. Orton initially played nice with the Enterprise crew members at the party, before revealing his part in the plot to steal trilithium from the Enterprise.

Tim Russ portrayed the first of the marauders taken out by Captain Picard on the Enterprise. Russ is most known for portraying Vulcan Chief of Security Tuvok in all 7 seasons of Star Trek: Voyager , but he also appeared briefly as a lieutenant aboard the Enterprise-B in Star Trek Generations.

3 USS Enterprise-B Navigator

Star trek generations.

Glenn Morshower's unnamed navigator only appears in the opening sequence of Star Trek Generations as a crewmember aboard the USS Enterprise-B, under the command of Captain John Harriman (Alan Ruck) . Setting out on its maiden voyage, the Enterprise-B soon gets pulled into a rescue mission to save two El-Aurian refugee ships. Morshower's navigator informs Harriman that the Enterprise is the only ship in range of the El-Aurian ships , and he later releases plasma from the warp nacelles as part of the rescue attempt.

When the Enterprise gets trapped in the same energy ribbon that damaged the El-Aurian ships, the navigator is hit by an explosion and presumably killed. From this point forward, Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) takes over the navigator's station and helps the Enterprise escape. Having gone down to the deflector control room to modify the main deflector, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) gets caught in a hull breach and is presumed dead. In reality, he ends up in the mysterious Nexus, where Captain Picard later finds him.

With 13 entries in the Star Trek movie series from 1979-2006, there are a couple of ways to watch the films chronologically.

2 Mokra Order Guard

Star trek: voyager season 2, episode 12 - "resistance".

As Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Lt. Tuvok, and Lt. B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) try to buy tellerium for the USS Voyager, they are targeted by the planet's ruling body, the Mokra Order. Tuvok and B'Elanna are captured, while an injured Janeway is saved by a local man named Caylem (Joel Grey). Caylem believes Janeway to be his daughter, Ralkana, who was killed years ago trying to rescue her mother from prison.

Glenn Morshower only appears briefly as one of the Mokra Order guards stationed at the prison where Tuvok and B'Elanna were being held. When Janeway and Caylem mount their rescue attempt, Janeway lures this guard away from his post so that Caylem can knock him out. With distinct ridges at the tops of their noses, the Mokra Order soldiers were brutal members of the Alsaurian species opposed by the Alsaurian resistance movement.

1 Sheriff MacReady

Star trek: enterprise season 3, episode 9 - "north star".

As the Enterprise NX-01 explores the Delphic Expanse, they discover a planet inhabited by humans living in a civilization modeled after the 1860s American frontier. Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) , Commander Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer) and Sub-Commander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) visit the planet to investigate and soon meet Glenn Morshower's Sheriff MacReady. MacReady is immediately suspicious of Archer, and orders his deputy to keep an eye on him.

Archer and his crew eventually learn that the humans were originally brought from Earth by a species called the Skagarans. The humans later overthrew their Skagaran masters and subjugated them, creating laws preventing them from getting an education or owning property. Archer later tells MacReady about modern Earth and emphasizes that humans of the 22nd century have moved past subjugating sentient species. With his penchant for playing law enforcement officers, Glenn Morshower brought a commanding presence to all five of his Star Trek roles.

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, & Star Trek: Enterprise are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek Generations is available to stream on Max.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star trek voyager, star trek: enterprise.

• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

‘Survivor’ Liz Has a Meltdown After Missing Out on the Applebee’s Reward Challenge

All Liz wanted as a reward was an Applebee's Mushroom Swiss Burger, but denial left her only 'hangry' for revenge.

The Big Picture

• Survivor 's Reward Challenges can lead to crucial decisions on who to include, and more importantly, who to leave out.
• Liz's emotional reaction to being excluded from the reward shed light on the importance of social awareness in the game.
• Liz's strategic decision at Tribal Council to eliminate Tiffany over Q may have long-term consequences in the game.

When Jeff Probst revealed that whoever won the Reward Challenge would go to the Sanctuary, where good things happen, for an overnight stay featuring Applebee's, there was one player who had a fire under her butt to win. Sadly, she didn't. And if you thought it couldn't get any worse, it did. Liz Wilcox had a complete temper tantrum after Q Burdette did not pick her for the reward following his Reward Challenge victory. He had three other names in mind, and he couldn't care less that she hadn't eaten. Q plays Q's game. Liz's emotional meltdown was based on having not being able to eat due to her various island allergies, but her lack of connection to her daughter and their weekly Applebee's family night was lost as well. Q's omission illuminates that it's not always important who you pick to join in on a reward on Survivor , it's who you leave out.

Survivor is one of the most brilliant social games to ever come to television. Throwing a group of strangers onto a tropical locale to coexist while forming a cohesive society just to vote one another out is something that became the blueprint for future reality shows. In a game where having strong social relationships with your fellow tribe mates is crucial when making every little decision. Survivor typically features a pair of challenge types. One for immunity, where a tribe or an individual is safe from being voted out. The other is reward, where a tribe or an individual earns a specific reward to help them in the game. From fishing gear to food, with letters from their loved ones in between, these Reward Challenges are like currency in the game. When players reach the merge, Reward Challenge victories often come with a major decision. Who will they bring along to share in the reward? Because they typically are for food or comfort, players tend to go hard to win. Sometimes a decision comes down to whom the winner wants to spend private time with in order to concoct a plan. Other times, it's to ensure that certain players don't have a chance to plot while they're away. Sometimes who you leave out of a reward can be more damaging than who you include. Q Burdette learned that the hard way.

A reality show where a group of contestants are stranded in a remote location with little more than the clothes on their back. The lone survivor of this contest takes home a million dollars.

Q's Savage Decision Caused a Dramatic Reaction

With eight players remaining, Survivor 46 has been getting tighter and tighter. With major blindsides pervading the merge, every decision has had major consequences. In the latest Reward Challenge, the castaways played as individuals with a major reward on the line. As Jeff alluded to, it was the biggest reward of the season. Thanks to another round of incredible product placement, the winner would be sent to the Sanctuary for a feast of Applebee's. Not since Karishma Patel on Survivor: Island of the Idols has there ever been a more visceral response to the chain restaurant. Liz Wilcox, who is notoriously allergic to everything in the world, has had very little to eat during her time on Survivor . She can't eat coconuts, and since the tribe as a whole passed on Jeff's rice negotiation, Liz has had little nourishment. Upon learning that the reward would include the Applebee's classic Bourbon Street Mushroom Swiss Burger, Liz was on a mission to win. It had an even more special connection to her as she would spend every Survivor Wednesday with her daughter chowing down on Applebee's together. Not only was there a desire to eat, but there was an emotional connection to this specific reward. Even before heading for the challenge, she pleaded for her fellow castaways to include her if she wins. Fate was not on her side. After almost nailing her sandbag in one shot, she fell short to the winner, Q. And Q chose chaos. Or Qaos as we'll now officially coin it.

When given the option of whom to bring along to the Sanctuary, Q decided to bring Maria Shrime Gonzalez , as she had been the only one to check on him, Tiffany Nicole Ervin and Kenzie Petty , as he had been with them from the beginning. This meant four players were sent back to camp with nothing. Including the one and only Liz Wilcox. And she was pissed! And she made it well known to everyone in Fiji. It's possible you could hear her screams all the way back in the states! Liz's guttural reaction was real. This was a real person going through a real thing in real time. Never has any castaway had this type of reaction to not being picked for a reward. By exploding in front of the entire tribe, Liz made her feelings clear. It was evident where she stood, at that moment. Which is key. Things can quickly change on Survivor .

These Castaway Legends Should Return for ‘Survivor 50’

Liz balanced head and heart at tribal council.

As Q stated throughout the episode, he did not regret his decision. In his mind, he felt he had made the right choice for his game. He showed little remorse for the woman who had literally been starving. For whatever reason, leaving her out of a reward would benefit him in the end. In a game of numbers, pissing off one person could have been his entire downfall in the game. With eight players remaining, Liz easily could have allowed her grudge to be the revenge she needed to vote him out. And yet, she showed that Q's presence as a goat was better than keeping a strong player like Tiffany in the game. Her decision shocked some players and fans alike. But there may be a reason. And it's filled with revenge. All it took was an inconsiderate comment that set Liz off the edge.

The majority of the episode followed Liz and the aftermath of her omission of the reward. While no one seemed too keen to console her or comment on Q's decision with regard to Liz, her pain was evident. So when Q and friends returned the next morning, Kenzie and Tiffany were discussing the meal and how they were too full to even take a bit of Liz's desired Bourbon Street Mushroom Swiss Burger, Liz was fuming. Like the brilliant Madeline Kahn in Clue , there were flames on the side of her face. Liz had every right to be furious. Yes, she easily could have removed herself from listening to the conversation, but Tiffany and Kenzie's inability to read the room was one of the first displays of abysmal social awareness on their part. People do crazy things when they're hungry. But once that tummy is full, bragging is rarely the answer.

Survivor 46 sees a 'hangry' Liz Wilcox

Liz's overall decision at Tribal Council could easily be scrutinized as well. For someone who was up in arms when Q stole her thunder during his chaotic threat to quit a few Tribal Councils earlier, she could have redeemed the moment and built up her resume by stopping Tribal Council and telling Tiffany to play her idol in order to blindside Q. Not only would she have a bold move on her resume, she would ensure that Maria's ability to claim a blindside against Tiffany didn't exist. But Liz's passionate anger towards Q was not enough to overcome her mind, realizing what the rest of the game could look like. For her, eliminating Tiffany made the most sense. Q is an easy vote out whenever they want. The morality of eliminating someone like Tiffany, who wants to be there, over Q, who was willing to quit, will forever be a dark stain on all who continue to keep Q safe. But alas, in a game for a million dollars, thinking about number one is all that matters. Q did what he thought was right. Liz did what she thought was right. Time will tell if it will bite her in the end. If there was anything we learned, when a hangry Liz Wilcox comes out, a Survivor moment would be made.

New episodes of Survivor air Wednesdays at 8:00pm on CBS. All seasons of Survivor are available to stream on Paramount+.

Watch on Paramount+