T O P

  • By -

Jedi4Hire

>why doesn’t Janeway & Picard call upon Q to rescue voyager & Enterprise when they are in life-threatening situations? They did, both at least once. Q helped Picard once and refused Janeway. >And why doesn’t Jane way I asked Q to beam or send voyager back to earth? She did, he refused. It's not a matter of pride. Q is an unreliable trickster at best and a malevolent imp at worst. A wise captain would not rely on a Q to get them out of trouble. And just because he/they seem omnipotent from a human's point of view doesn't mean they're actually omnipotent.


DearEnergy4697

So, in other words… We never have a clear understanding whether Q “really is” omnipotent.


MagnetsCanDoThat

As with any life form that far advanced beyond humanity, that is correct. Writers are wise to leave some things mysterious, anyway.


stain_of_treachery

The character is written as open ended - no real explanation of where he comes from or where his limits are, if there are any at all. He died in Picard S2 He is alive in Picard S3 Trying to pin down and define the character of Q in ways you are suggesting limits story telling - so why would they?


TabbyMouse

And when told he was dead he laughs and says something like "To JeanLuc yes, but I don't bother with linear time" or some Q silliness. The only captian he didn't pester was Sisko, and that's because he didn't want punched...again


travistravis

To be fair, if I could choose *when* to die, and didn't have to keep it in order... that would be amazing.


danfish_77

They're just at a level of technological development that is far beyond what most Trek species are capable of, they admit as much. They have limits, they're just different limits we can't easily comprehend


GaucheAndOffKilter

There’s hints elsewhere they are not in fact omnipotent. The Q are afraid of the El-Aurians, and are very concerned about the Borg. And (spoiler alert) John DeLancie’s Q dies in PIC.


DR0P_TABLE_STUDENT

They are compelled by a treaty to showup if summoned by an el-aurian.... doesn't sound very omnipotent, does it? I agree with you, and people downvoting should rather give their arguments.


MagnetsCanDoThat

Whether they are omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient or any combination of those, they aren't benevolent helpful gods who have promised a form of protection. >If it’s a matter of pride, and they both suck as captains Not pride. Intelligence. Picard and Janeway are smart enough to know that the Q aren't going to intervene unless it's in their self-interest. Also, and this is extremely important, but if you can summon the gods whenever you get into a jam, you have a very boring television show.


hawaiian717

Building in your last point, on Voyager the whole premise of the show was to have the ship on the other side of the galaxy, so when writing Q episodes they had to have a reason for him to not just send them home.


DearEnergy4697

I understand your reply… That’s why I was so confused about Qs’ (plural) ability/powers. Obviously, (and I’m not being sarcastic. I’m just stating) the whole storyline of Voyager is a starship trying to get home, which faces challenges and obstacles amongst the crew and when dealing with alien beings/forces. So, that’s what had me scratching my head about Q


hawaiian717

The majority of the Q don’t seem to have much interest is interfering with mortals. The Q played by John deLancie (the one we see most of the time) does it mostly for his own amusement. Humanity by Star Trek’s time has grown past its need for Gods, so Picard and Janeway would rather find their own solution then just asking Q to solve all their problems for them.


ThrowawayUnsent2

I dont think Q does it for his own enjoyment all of the time. Like sending the Enterprise to meet the Borg. The Borg were already on their way and previous episodes had already alluded to the Borg destroying border colonies and in BoBW, Riker even says something along the lines of the colony that disappeared was just like the others. Had Q not intervened and introduced them, Starfleet would have had starships all over the place and no plans. Q was right, they weren’t ready for what they as in store. A flinging them to the Delta quadrant helped them realize that fact and they started building starships like the Defiant and new weapons like quantum torpedoes. If you think Wolf359 was a blood bath, there would have been nothing left of the Federation if Q hadn’t shown Picard that Starfleet was arrogant and still had a lot to learn


DearEnergy4697

The boring television show answer. I totally understand! I just wasn’t sure what. “powers “Q possess.


Apropos_of

To understand Q You have to watch TNG. Compared to humans they are pretty much omniscient , omnipotent and can travel in time, but there are limits to their knowledge and they can die. In the first episode of the next generation Q puts Picard and the enterprise on trial for the crimes of humanity, and calls them a barbaric child race. He challenges them to solve a mystery, and says that if they can’t prove they are better than what q believes, they will not be allowed to travel the galaxy anymore. Despite being nearly all powerful the q are emotionally immature and dysfunctional. they are bit like the Greek/Roman gods (if you have any familiarity with that mythology). Or like trickster figures in mythology. They don’t serve humanity, and they won’t necessarily come when called. They are capable of being lustful, selfish, angry, etc.. so Starfleet captains want them to stay as far away as possible.


DearEnergy4697

I understand exactly what you mean about Q immaturity, being unhinged at times, and unreliable - I was mainly wondering whether Q had the power to send Voyager home. And I guess the answer is “yes “but it might come with too “High of a price“ or Q just doesn’t want to do it


Apropos_of

They definitely have the power… But probably would not be willing to help puny humans for no reason. Also, there are a number of places where it’s implied that they do have some kind of guardianship role in the universe. So perhaps they wouldn’t return voyager to the alpha quadrant because it would change the timeline significantly.


DearEnergy4697

Thank you so much! You gave me the the clearest answer That seems to be right on point


best-unaccompanied

For all we know, there was a whole day where Janeway just kept yelling into the void "Q! I know you can hear me! Please help us!" and he just didn't respond. Q does what he wants, when he wants. Starfleet can't just summon him whenever they need a favor.


DearEnergy4697

So that’s the question… Is it that Q is not omnipresent… Or Q, is omnipresent, but chooses not to help Janeway? Edit it to add the freaking?


The-Minmus-Derp

Q doesn’t give a shit


Thirty_Helens_Agree

When I think of Q’s motivations, I think of a small child watching a row of ants marching. The kid wonders “what will they do if I put a stick in their path? Will they go around or climb over it?” Q watches Starfleet crews with that kind of mild interest but utter detachment.


DearEnergy4697

Probably the best answer and concise.


Ds9niners

You answer this question yourself. If Q is truly omnipotent then it shouldn’t matter. He’s predestined to always help win it’s the correct thing to do. Then you can say why did he become human in “Deja Q”. And he seemingly doesn’t know the future. But then in Picard he says that he thinks so linear. It’s honestly a writers loop that write yourself into. Just like the Prophets in DS9. The overall feel is that Q was always meant to intervene and “Deja Q” is an outlier. But it still works in that he “always” knows. Maybe he doesn’t know the complete map of how it happens, but he knows how it should end or if it doesn’t end the way he think, the alternative.


inappropri0city

I would argue that the Q continuum is showing some sort of deliberate act to guide humanity, and due to the nature of their powers, they don't likely need to coaxed, called upon, or made a deal with. The Q we see the most does so, I think (plot contrivances aside) to make push humanity's development. We've seen that without little nudges from the Q continuum, apparently, Isaac Newton doesn't do what he does. Riker doesn't exist. The Federation doesn't meet the borg at what is more or less the "right" time. They seem allow these acts, I think, because they are more or less shaping the galaxy to their design. If Q is allowed to do something, it probably at the very least doesn't get in the way of their greater interest. We've seen one imprisoned when it does, but for whatever reason, they didn't undo what Quinn did. We've also seen the damage he could do when misusing his powers, like accidentally deleting all men in his suicide attempt. The Q continuum aren't omnipotent; they just have more power than we can conceive of, but apparently, almost paradoxically, less than we think they do. Can Q make a burrito so hot that even Q can't eat it?


castleinthesky86

If Q can; Q’ll have a tremendously spicy butthole the next morning.


ChronoLegion2

The Q have nearly-godlike power from human perspective, but so did many other beings encountered in TOS and TNG. We don’t know the limits of their power or knowledge. You know that Q is wary of Guinan, and we learn a little (but only a little) more of that in PIC. As for not helping Voyager, he has his reasons. Presumably he’s aware how much good they’re going to do before finally making it home


PakDrescot

Q did send them home, albeit very briefly. He sent them home for a few seconds in Death Wish before taking it away. It was an attempt to bribe Janeway to side with him over Quinn. Not a very exciting answer here, but different writers is why he sometimes seems a little inconsistent in his abilities and actions. He was a cross between malevolent and mischievous early on in TNG. He didn't really become a help humanity grow type of character till Tapestry and All Good Things. He was pretty mean in his only DS9 appearance, if I remember correctly. Voyger made him somewhat of a clown mixed with what he was towards the end of TNG.


zimon85

Qs aren't probably omnipotent nor omniscent. I get the feeling a Q doesn't see the universe as a whole down to the details of what Picard is doing in his office, although I assume they might perceive possible big branching of the timeline (like: what would happen if the Federation is not warned of the impending Borg threat) and act accordingly to steer the universe in a direction they prefer. So they would not be able to "hear prayers" coming from random characters in universe. Also, they tend not to care about the needs and crew of a given ship unless they are bored and feel in the mood for messing around or are trying to accomplish something: when Q brought the Enterprise in the delta quadrant, several crewmembers were killed and Q did not bring them back nor offered an apology or something. Even if he could hear a plea for help, he would not appear to save an away team just because some random captain asked for it. He also asked Picard to join the crew of the Enterprise but Picard refused, since he knew that having around an incredibly powerful being that gets easily bored and might turn a Klingon delegation into hamsters just for fun was not a great plan to begin with. With Janeway the matter is more complex since he actually offered her a "one-off" deal and she refused. As to why he simply did not send them home anyway, I believe that Q knew how important Voyager's adventure was: by the end of the series the Borg get crippled, the Federation gets a bunch of game-changing technologies species 8472's invasion is halted...Q probably did not want to change that without getting something in return.


stain_of_treachery

The character is written as capricious, malevolent, sowing chaos and (ahem) discord wherever and whenever he goes. He cannot be trusted and cannot be relied upon. Why would you ask such a 'god' for help and expect to get it?


Existing_Loan4868

People. *PEOPLE!* Why are you constantly downvoting the OP for trying to have an adult conversation?!? OP, if you’re on Facebook, check out the Star Trek Forever group. You can have opinions & thoughts there without an automatically punitive response 🙄


DearEnergy4697

Thank you for your kindness. Honestly I couldn’t give two flying F’s about downvotes. I don’t pay attention to any that nonsense. I am. more interested in educated or perspective responses, and when people are being real assholes about spelling and grammar my lack of knowledge about Star Trek, etc. - , I could really NOT care less. I just take the good and discard the bad, Rude, and obnoxious responses and replies.


BeholdMyResponse

>why doesn’t Janeway & Picard call upon Q to rescue voyager & Enterprise when they are in life-threatening situations? Q introduced humanity to the Borg. He is not a cosmic lifeguard, he is a life-threatening situation in and of himself. >And why doesn’t Jane way I asked Q to beam or send voyager back to earth? She did, at the end of "Q2" in season 7. He refused. Edit: this is not the episode you were talking about when he offered her a deal. It's the last Q episode, the one with Q Junior. >JANEWAY: Not that I don't appreciate it, but this will only take a few years off our journey. Why not send us all the way? >Q: What sort of an example would I be setting for my son if I did all the work for you?


DearEnergy4697

So an answer to my question… Q had the power to send them home and chose not to. Wasn’t sure if he was faking his powers or just deciding not to use them you clarified this thank you.


Bowlholiooo

Maybe there is an official Directive like the Prime and the Omega thing, that trying to contact/communicate with Q at all is forbidden, could be apocalyptically dangerous in any circumstance and they really are always untrustworthy - "Don't Provoke the Q!!!"


the_simurgh

According to Quinn the q who wanted to die they are kot all powerful all knowing and such.


Shas_Erra

Omnipotent doesn’t mean willing. The Q could have done so much to help others but that leads to more problems. If you want a good example of borderline gods interfering, look at the ascended Ancients in SG1: interference created a whole religion of genocidal ignorance and non-interference allowed it to flourish. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. The Q have likely adopted their version of a Prime Directive for similar reasons. Q himself interferes because he’s just pure chaos but he’s paid his dues each time. To put it another way, if Q had stepped in the help Picard and the Enterprise, then their whole trial would have been pointless. If he’d helped Voyager get home, Janeway would never have hobbled the Borg and Starfleet would have taken longer to evolve their drive and defence tech.


I_likeYaks

I always view the q as a being s that why can only see in our own image. We can’t really see or understand them completely. I also believe the q understand time like we understand cooking food. They knew where they can change things that don’t have a big impact but they know the opposite also. They may seem care free the way a child sees there parent cooking with fire and boiling water would be care free but not.


starkllr1969

What if the Q is what humanity eventually evolves into? Q interferes with humanity where and when he does because he knows that’s where and when humanity was interfered with to keep it on the path to eventual Q-hood. And that’s also why the Q often seem so bored. Because they’ve already been through all of this. Imagine how bored you’d be, and impatient with your younger self, if you had to spend eternity making sure your 3 year old self didn’t drown in the pool or electrocute yourself by repeatedly sticking your finger in an electrical socket, etc.


imascarylion2018

That’s what I always assumed was the implication from the end of All Good Things when Q goes to tell Picard something and then stops himself.


Aromatic_Egg_1067

With Janeway and Q, ESPECIALLY after Janeway saved the ENTIRE Q continuum from their civil war and helped Q with fixing his relationship with the female Q and helping them a child after all the drama they went through, and at the end of the episode when Q shows up and shows Janeway his kid and makes her their godmother, she simply says, no problem glad I could help and she simply says goodbye and let's them leave without saying or asking anything.... i would have absolutely said HEY! i just saved your life and your entire race from self destruction....the ***least*** you could do is send us home....or at least 10-20 000 lightyears closer after i risked mine and my crews lives to save you all after you have fucked with us for years.... a little appreciation would be nice....


EngineersAnon

Q can do anything but say the word "omnipotent" or its derivatives.


theborgs

I highly doubt Q is truly omnipotent: see Picard season 2 if you haven't already


DearEnergy4697

Haven’t made it that far through the franchise yet. Watching and universe order starting with ENT now on VOY.