Summary

  • Q's addition to the premiere episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation changed the franchise forever, as the character became a significant and popular recurring figure.
  • Q initially accused humanity of being a dangerous race but eventually judged them based on the actions of Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew, leading to a mutual respect between Q and Picard.
  • Q played a crucial role in many storylines, including introducing the Federation to the Borg and aiding Picard in the finale. Without Q, it's hard to imagine what Star Trek would be like.

The omnipotent being known as Q (John de Lancie) became one of Star Trek's greatest recurring characters, but he was almost completely absent from Star Trek: The Next Generation's premiere episode. Following the voyages of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D, TNG premiered in 1987 with the two-hour pilot, "Encounter at Farpoint." While the basic plot of the episode is fairly standard Star Trek fare, Q adds a new and interesting element to the story and ends up becoming the most significant part of the episode.

As the Enterprise is en route to Farpoint Station, Q appears on the bridge accusing humanity of being "a dangerous, savage child race." Captain Picard, of course, refutes this and eventually convinces Q to judge humanity based on the actions of the Enterprise crew. After putting humanity on trial, Q observes Picard and the Enterprise crew as they demonstrate sound judgment, intelligence, and comion. Q concedes that they ed his test this time, but the Enterprise crew will soon learn that when it comes to Q, "the trial never ends."

How Adding Q To Star Trek: TNG’s Premiere Changed Star Trek Forever

Star Trek TNG Encounter at Farpoint Q Picard

The initial drafts of the Star Trek: The Next Generation pilot did not include Q at all, and the character was only added after Paramount Studios requested a two-hour pilot. According to Star Trek: The Next Generation: An Oral History, published by Entertainment Weekly in 2007, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry himself wrote most of the second storyline involving Q. Q's part in the story was then added to legendary Trek writer D.C. Fontana's original script and the feature-length "Encounter at Farpoint" was completed. As it turned out, Q and the humanity on trial storyline would have much more impact on TNG and the Star Trek franchise than anything involving Farpoint Station.

John de Lancie's Q proved to be quite popular among fans after his initial appearance in "Encounter at Farpoint," and the character would go on to appear in seven more episodes of TNG. He developed a certain fondness for Captain Picard and even sought refuge on the Enterprise when he was booted from the Q Continuum. Q would go on to appear on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. Q is also the main antagonist in Star Trek: Picard season 2, where he confronts his apparent death. Despite this, Q visits Picard's son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), in the final scene of Picard season 3, claiming that while Picard's trial may be over, Jack's is just beginning.

It’s Hard To Imagine Star Trek Without Q

John de Lancie as Q in Star Trek: Voyager, TNG, and Picard

Over the course of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q was responsible for altering the trajectory of several storylines and interfering in various important events. In one of his most notable encounters with the Enterprise-D, Q introduced the Federation to the Borg, who would go on to become one of the Federation's most frightening and famous foes. TNG as a series was bookended by Q, as he appeared in the finale "All Good Things..." with yet another test for Picard and humanity. By this point, Q had developed a better understanding of Picard and a deep respect for him, and he helped Picard succeed.

Aside from the obvious contributions Q made to various storylines, he has also become one of the most popular secondary Star Trek characters. John de Lancie brings such wit and charm to the character, and Q always adds a fun and unpredictable element to the episodes in which he appears. Q has become such a staple of Star Trek, that it's difficult to imagine what the franchise would look like without him. While it might not have been obvious at the time, Paramount's request for a two-hour pilot for Star Trek: The Next Generation proved to be a considerable gain for the Star Trek franchise thanks to the addition of everyone's favorite omnipotent god-like entity known as Q.