John de Lancie will return to the Star Trek universe as the iconic nemesis Q for Lower Decks, reprising his role for the first time in nearly two decades.
This one will divide fans, no doubt about it. For some of you, this is music to your ears, for others, you’re probably not going to care. Star Trek: Lower Decks hasn’t been the critical hit that ViacomCBS has been hoping for. It’s turned off some fans that are fans of new-Trek and left critics comparing it to so many other copy and paste clones of Rick and Morty.
Yet it persists.
If you’re a fan, you’re going to love to know that one of the most iconic characters of all time, Q, will make his Lower Decks debut in the second half of season one. His role in the show, and what his actual storyline is anyone’s guess at this point.
de Lancie has been a beloved actor in Star Trek and has appeared across all three of the ’90s series. His character, Q, is a mischievous, if not arrogant god-like alien. More akin to a philosophically inspired Loki than something more vicious.
Some consider Q a villain of sorts, but it’s more adept to refer to him as an antagonist or nemesis. Q isn’t evil, nor is he motivated by doing harm. While most of his schemes are annoying, they’re all, usually, necessary. In fact, it was Q that warned Jean-Luc Picard about the arrival of the Borg.
Sure, he left them stranded in the middle of the Borg’s neighborhood without so much as a tank of gas and a map, but things turned out……ok-ish. So whatever Q has in store for the crew of the Cerritos is anyone’s guess.
de Lancie isn’t the only Star Trek alum joining up for the second half of the first season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Also joining him for the second half would be Kurtwood Smith, best known as Red Foreman on That 70s Show. Smith has played three roles on Trek so far, making his upcoming appearance as number four. ‘Smith is most well known for playing Annorax on Star Trek: Voyager‘s epic two-parter “Year of Hell”.