Star Trek's Q (John de Lancie) and Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) faced off once before, but who would win in a rematch now that they both have godlike powers? Although he's most commonly associated with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), multiple Star Trek Captains have been menaced by Q since his first appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Q's trial of humanity was the thematic backbone of TNG, and it appears that Q will continue testing humanity via Picard's son, Ensign Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) in Star Trek's 25th century.
Q and Sisko only met once, early on in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, and the two did not get on. The Bajoran Emissary and the cosmic trickster briefly squared off against each other, with Q itting defeat after realizing that Sisko was "not Picard". However, now that Sisko has ascended to the Celestial Temple, he and Q may be more evenly matched opponents, leading to a longer conflict. If Q and Sisko were to have a rematch, here's what each party would be bringing to the ring.
Q’s Powers In Star Trek: TNG Explained
Q's capable of shaping reality at will, regularly appearing to the crew of the USS Enterprise-D in a variety of ridiculous costumes, or accompanied by a mariachi band. Q could also defy the laws of physics, bend time to his will, and catapult the USS Enterprise thousands of light years from home. Q could also transcend time and space, plucking figures from their time stream, and even displaced Picard across three separate timelines in the Star Trek: The Next Generation finale. This was one example of Q's elaborate, complex scenarios designed to teach Jean-Luc Picard lessons about both himself and the wider universe.
The grandest and most mind-boggling of Q's lessons for Picard was when he created Star Trek: Picard's Confederation to teach Jean-Luc a lesson about learning to be loved. Q has limitless power, and is also able to these powers on to others. However, just as he ed these gifts to Commander William T Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Q could also have his powers taken away by the Continuum to whom he answered.Despite this, Q is still one of the most powerful of the many omnipotent species in the Star Trek universe.
Sisko’s Powers As Star Trek: DS9’s Emissary Explained
As Emissary of the Prophets, Sisko is less of a free agent than Q, but still has access to impressive powers. Like Q, Sisko could transcend time and space while communing with the Prophets, an ability which inspired Star Trek - "Maybe a year, maybe yesterday. But I will be back." Sisko also hinted that he had more to learn about his powers, things that only the Prophets could teach him. However, as Sisko is yet to return to Star Trek on screen, it's unclear exactly what lessons he's been learning from the Prophets.
From what's seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Sisko doesn't have the reality bending powers of Q, and instead transcends it when he's required to do so. Sisko is more in thrall to the Prophets than Q ever was to the Continuum, despite regularly being chastized by them for his behavior. After the Prophets saved him from the Fire Caves underneath Bajor, Sisko is now seemingly immortal, something which can't be said about Q, who apparently died in Picard season 2. That said, Sisko and Q have the ability to live nonlinearly, which could explain why Q's still alive in Star Trek: Picard's cliffhanger.
Who Is More Powerful In Star Trek: Sisko Or Q?
On paper, Q is more powerful than Sisko in Star Trek - Q's a god, Sisko's a demigod. After ing with the Prophets in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine finale, it's unclear if Sisko now has the powers of a god. Until Sisko eventually returns from the Celestial Temple, it's fair to say that the godlike Q is the more powerful of the two. Whether this means that Q would beat Sisko in a face-off is another matter entirely, as proved by their one and only meeting.
Sisko didn't need the powers of the Prophets to punch Q in the face in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It was Sisko's zero tolerance of the cosmic trickster that was his true power, as previous Star Trek Captains like Picard or Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) indulged Q and went along his games. Ultimately, Q is always desperate for an audience, or someone to toy with. Sisko point-blank refused to give the cosmic trickster what he wanted, and laid him out on the floor of Quark's Bar. In that respect, Emissary, demigod, god, or human, Sisko is more powerful against Q than any of his Starfleet colleagues.