On paper, Q could have been a one-off character. This nearly omnipotent being started off on the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation as a sinister figure putting humanity on trial. However, the performance of John de Lancie made the character an instant fan favorite, and from there, almost every season of TNG would have at least one Q appearance.
The character has a wicked sense of humor, treating humans as toys for the most part, yet also clearly enjoying his meetings with Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
There are touches of Q slowly understanding humans more as he goes, even as he plays his games. While he’s appeared in several other Trek shows, TNG had the best focus on Q. From best to worst, here’s how every Q appearance on TNG ranks and why he’s one of the most iconic characters in franchise history.
1. Deja Q (season 3, episode 13)
This is as human as Q has ever come across in Star Trek. It opens with a nude Q literally dropping into the bridge, claiming that the rest of the Continuum is tired of his antics and stripped him of his powers. At first, the crew thinks it’s just another one of Q’s games until an alien race nearly kills him. Turns out all the races Q has tormented over the years are coming for payback.
There’s comedy in Q trying to understand being human, as anything from back aches to hunger is foreign to him. He still has his arrogance, but also a strange bond with Data over claiming humanity. He even prepares to sacrifice himself, which is enough to get him reinstated.
That has Q back to his usual persona in the end, yet the fact that he sees the crew as the closest thing he has in the universe to friends shows that deep down (way deep down), Q has something like a heart. For bonus points, this is the episode that gave us the now-iconic Picard facepalm meme.
2. Tapestry (Season 6, episode 15)
It’s rare to say Q is capable of teachable moments. This is an exception. After Picard is mortally wounded in an attack, he finds himself in the afterlife with Q claiming to be God. They discuss how Picard gained an artificial heart after being stabbed in his Academy days, and Q sends Picard back in hopes of changing that fate, which Picard does.
However, Picard finds himself in a new timeline where, instead of being a Captain, he’s a low-level scientist. Without that brush with mortality, Picard never found the confidence to be a commander. Q sets things right with Picard forced to admit Q did him a favor, fixing this loose strand of his life. It’s a good PIcard-centered episode while also showing Q has a soft spot for the man.
3. Q Who (Season 2, episode 16)
Often, Q comes off as a quirky trickster with that sly sense of humor. But this episode is a stark reminder that the character can be terrifying when he wants to be. After another of his annoying drop-in visits, Q’s rivalry with Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) is revealed. Picard makes the colossal mistake of almost bragging that humans can meet any challenge, and Q takes him up on it by transporting the Enterprise-D halfway across the universe. And it’s here that we get the grand debut of the Borg.
The Borg may be a major threat, but the real terror comes from Q. After an attack claims the lives of 18 crewmembers, Picard rants at Q over this being his fault. Q’s contemptuous, "oh, please" attitude sums up how he sees humans as nothing but insects. He does make his point in there being threats Starfleet isn’t ready for. In terms of importance to the entire show, the introduction of one of the greatest threats ever automatically rates this high.
4. Qpid (Season 4, episode 20)
This episode is just a delightful romp and it’s thanks to Q. Picard is preparing for a big archaeological conference while reuniting with former lover Vash. Q drops in to pay Picard back for his help in “Deja Q” and won’t take no for an answer. Sensing Picard’s feelings for Vash, Q tests them in a unique way: He drops the crew into a recreation of Sherwood Forest with Picard as Robin Hood, the crew as the Merry Men, Vash as Maid Marian and Q himself as the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Q’s antics are funny, from Picard’s terror at his frenemy wanting to do something nice for me to how he gives the fantasy a life of its own, so even he doesn’t know what’s coming. There’s also the fun conclusion featuring some incredible emotional beats shared by Q, Picard, and Vash. It’s clear the entire cast loved filming this episode, de Lancie especially, to make this a classic episode.
5. All Good Things… (Season 7, episodes 25 & 26)
In a brilliant full-circle bit, TNG ended as it began, with a two-hour epic where Q is the central player. Picard finds himself bouncing across time from a future where he’s retired to the events of the series premiere. It’s all thanks to Q, still putting humanity on trial. This time, we see how the relationship between Picard and Q has evolved over the series’ run and their dynamic is much different now.
The time-travel antics can be a bit confusing to keep up with, but they are more intriguing in the wake of the Picard series. The fun comes from seeing Q and Picard banter and trade verbal jabs amid some quirky games. Their final scene together is fantastic and showcases how vital Q was to The Next Generation becoming such a mainstay.
6. True Q (Season 6, episode 6)
After taking season 5 off, Q made his return for the sixth season in a story that deepened the aspects of the Q Continuum. Amanda Rogers (Olivia d'Abo) is a new crew member who shows amazing brilliance in science. She also possesses strange powers, which she uses to stop a warp core breach. Q pops in to drop the bomb that Amanda’s late parents were members of the Continuum and she’s inherited her powers.
Q is well-presented here as he’s being pressured into teaching Amanda by the Continuum, with some awesome moments like her hurling him around with her powers and a strange game of hide-and-seek. There is a more sinister subplot of Picard suspecting the Continuum was behind what was thought to be the accidental death of Amanda’s parents.
There’s good talk on what it means to be a Q, and de Lancie keeps you guessing about his motives. It’s worth watching the episode just for Q’s priceless line on how one of the key reasons he comes is to listen to Picard’s “wonderful speeches.” Even Q is a fan of them!
7. Encounter at Farpoint (Season 1, Episodes 1&2)
The two-part premiere of TNG showed both the promise of the great series it would become and some bad storytelling that makes it amazing the show survived. It’s bloated and dragging in the storytelling and clearly the show’s writers hadn’t grasped its direction. Q himself could have come off terribly with the superpowers, the odd talk, and the strange trial.
What saves it is de Lancie’s performance, as from the start, he imbues Q with a unique spirit that captivates the viewers. That includes his soon iconic outfit and instantly forging a bond with Picard. It’s thanks to de Lancie that the character became such a favorite and got TNG off on a better foot.
8. Hide and Q (season 1, episode 10)
Q’s second appearance is a good example of just how rough and poor the first season of TNG was. Q shows up again to test the crew again. Q has them transported to another world and beset by savage warriors, while Picard is left behind on the Enterprise-D. Q then moves to the real test by granting Commander Riker the power of Q to see how he can be tempted.
Q is more of a whimsical creature here, as this episode feels more like a tale from The Original Series. The moral quandary of Riker granted godhood and giving the crew their deepest desires doesn’t quite work although it’s nice how the Continuum forces Q to abide by his rules to let the crew be. However, in the end, this has to rank as a forgettable episode and not Q’s best outing.
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Stream Star Trek: The Next Generation on Paramount+. And for those who don't subscribe to the service, all 26 episodes of TNG season 6 are available for free on PlutoTV, which includes "Tapestry" and "True Q."