voyager q continuum

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The A to Z of Star Trek 's Q

Star Trek ’s galaxy is filled with mysterious alien races, unexplained phenomena, and incomprehensible technology that our Starfleet heroes would love to explore and understand. And then there’s the Q Continuum, a group of beings that a lot of those Starfleet officers wish would leave them alone instead.

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But you can’t keep a good omnipotent being down, and now that the Q are coming back—well, a Q, our Q , if you will—with John de Lancie’s arrival in the second season of Star Trek: Picard , here are the ins and outs of what you need to know about one of Star Trek ’s most enduringly silly godlike species, and its most iconic self-named member.

First introduced in The Next Generation ’s debut episode—the two-parter “Encounter at Farpoint”—John de Lancie’s Q was cut from the same cloth as similarly mysterious, powerful (and, on occasion, very camp ) figures like Trelane in the original Star Trek . An essentially godlike being with a puckish taste for putting our heroes in absurdist scenarios to test everything from their morals to their patience, Q stories are a whirlwind of de Lancie chewing as much scenery as he possibly can and wild stretches of danger and comedy, putting Captain Picard and his crew through their paces.

But Q himself also had a hugely important role to play beyond his iconic relationship with Picard—a sort of gentleman’s agreement in so much as a god and an ordinary (and usually very annoyed) human being can have. It’s Q that introduced the Federation to the Borg, in a manner that can either be perceived as him smashing together two powerful civilizations to watch the chaos that ensues or an early warning about one of the galaxy’s most dangerous presences. It’s Q that would eventually go on to help Voyager shave years off their long journey home. It’s Q, metatextually, that would go on to starkly differentiate Benjamin Sisko from the shadow of his predecessor: his sole appearance in Deep Space Nine highlighted by Q staging a boxing match between himself and Sisko, only for it to be cut short by Sisko promptly decking Q (“You hit me! Picard never hit me !”).

Aside from the laughs brought about by a cheeky superbeing with the power to do whatever the hell he wanted with a wave of his hand, Q’s appearances across The Next Generation and Voyager are likewise defined by the morality plays at their core. While Voyager in particular would go on to define the backstory of the wider Q society and the moral and ethical implications of a group of all-powerful beings, in TNG, Q’s games were tests of character. He’s introduced by literally putting humanity on trial for its history of violent, cruel transgressions, forcing the crew of the Enterprise to prove the species’ capacity to grow and change into a better society for all. He pushes Picard constantly, offering temptations and tricks to get the Captain to stand his ground and embrace both his very best aspects and his moments of failure.

But what are the Q themselves? Well, suitably so, we know a lot, and yet also nothing.

Most of our understanding of Q society in Star Trek is framed through Q himself—who has been exiled from it, re-introduced back into the fold as a stabilizing force, and, occasionally, starting civil wars within the Continuum (not just a name for the Q race but their plane of existence). But over the wider franchise, we have met other members of the Q to help further flesh out the Continuum as an entity beyond “our” Q’s impish behavior; from Amanda Rogers (Olivia d’Abo), a Q raised on Earth as if she were a human being to help explore the concept of giving a Q a moral code, to Quinn, an exiled Q in the Delta Quadrant encountered by Voyager , to even Q’s own son.

Not even the Q can agree on where and when the first immortal members of their species manifested, other than the general number of “billions of years ago.” It took centuries of evolution, but members of the Continuum mastered the ability to manipulate reality. Any Q could shift their own form and perception, create or destroy matter and energy, change time, and shift the very nature of existence on a whim, either by moving galaxies and solar systems or even creating alternate timelines. This le d to two things: first, an attitude that the Q believed themselves to be the most elite beings in the entirety of existence, having attained a knowledge and hyperintelligence beyond that of any other known species. Secondly, the Q promptly using their abilities to explore every facet of that existence thoroughly. It didn’t take long for them to understand and explore all of it in totality and then promptly get very, very bored with it.

This also meant that Q society very quickly stagnated which, alongside their amoral leanings, lead to rogue elements like our own Q. He had a history of calamitous galactic upheaval and a few minor bits of warmongering even before he first encountered humanity in the 2360s, poking and prodding at civilizations to provoke conflict on a whim, or reshaping parts of the universe with his powers. But even his own brand of chaos aside, this state of dormancy—where the Q shut themselves off in their own plane, not even communicating with each other because they believed all possible interesting conversation about anything had already happened—also lead to other members of the Continuum similarly rebelling.

One Q we meet in Star Trek: Voyager , a philosopher named Quinn (Gerrit Graham), attempts to commit suicide, but fearing the chaos such an act could cause within his society, the Continuum collectively sentences him to exile and imprisonment within a comet. After being accidentally freed by the Voyager on its journey through the Delta Quadrant, Quinn was granted asylum aboard the ship by Captain Janeway against the Continuum’s wishes, only to indeed, die by suicide. This event sparked a civil war within the plane of the Continuum, where a faction advocating for individual freedoms among the Q compared to the stagnancy of its status quo broke off. They created devastating superweapons that couldn’t just render Q beings mortal, but were capable of irrevocably damaging subspace beyond the Continuum’s plane—not only depowering Q who had left their home but threatening to undo reality itself.

After intervention by Voyager on Q’s behest, the civil war—which played out in front of the Starfleet crew’s eyes as the American Civil War—was brought to an end with a result we may ultimately see the ramifications of in Picard ’s second season. Q and a f emale Q chose to do something no member of the Continuum had considered in their long existence: procreate, giving birth to the first actual child of the Continuum. Nicknamed Junior (Keegan de Lancie), this Q did briefly bring about stability to the Continuum’s moral crisis, but, like his father before him, he was kind of a spoiled brat. After eventually being kicked out of the Continuum and nearly having his powers revoked, a brief stint aboard Voyager convinced the Continuum to re-accept Junior... as long as his father cleaned up his interstellar messes.

Aside from a brief trip over to the first season of Lower Decks , that was the last time we’d seen a Q in decades. But, of course, a few decades is a blink of an eye to a Q.

Now that Star Trek is returning to the Continuum next year, it remains to be seen what more we’ll learn about not just our Q, and maybe even his son, but the status of the Continuum itself. Hopefully something a bit exciting—after all, it’s not really a Q appearance if something a bit zany isn’t going on.

For more, make sure you’re following us on our Instagram @ io9dotcom .

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Recap / Star Trek Voyager S 2 E 18 "Death Wish"

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Voyager encounters a member of the Q Continuum who was trapped within a comet because of his desire of wanting to kill himself. The Q that was encountered by Captain Jean-Luc Picard appears on the scene to argue against the case of his fellow Q's desire for being granted mortality for the sake of self-termination, and although Captain Janeway doesn't want to see that Q end his own life, she nonetheless rules in favor of his being granted mortality when she sees for herself the kind of life he and other members of the Q Continuum are constantly subjected to due to their immortality.

This episode provides examples of:

• Absurdly Ineffective Barricade : Quinn casually walks through the forcefield around the transporter pad.
• Abhorrent Admirer : Q is pretty clearly interested in Janeway, telling her she's angry when she's beautiful and even showing up uninvited in her bed. She makes it clear that she's really not interested. Q being Q, of course, this doesn't put him off .
• The Alcatraz : The comet where Quinn has been imprisoned for over 300 years.
• And I Must Scream : Quinn's prison inside the comet is cramped, cold, and he's going to stay there for eternity or until he relents his position.
• And the Adventure Continues : Q assures Janeway that they will meet again.
• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking : Quinn's three witnesses whose lives he changed resulted in Isaac Newton discovering gravity, the existence of William Riker and all the times he saved the Federation (notably from the Borg), and some guy who saved Woodstock by noticing a disconnected cable.
• Arson, Murder, and Lifesaving : Q: Without Q there would have been no William T. Riker at all, and I would have lost at least a dozen really good opportunities to insult him over the years. Oh, and lest I forget, without Q, the Borg would have assimilated the Federation.
• Bait-and-Switch Comment Q: I'll take you home. Before you know it, you'll be scampering across the meadow with your little puppies, the grass beneath your bare feet. A man, coming over the hill way in the distance, waves to you. You run to be in his arms and as you get closer you see that it's...me! Janeway: You? Q: Forget Mark. I know how to show a girl a good time.
• Bedmate Reveal : As per tradition , Q appears in the captain's bed, this time wearing a silly nightcap. Unlike Picard , Janeway immediately jumps out of bed and puts on a dressing gown. " Get Out! "
• Famous physicist Sir Isaac Newton was sitting under a tree that was jostled by Quinn, causing the apple to fall on his head, giving birth to modern physics .
• When hippie sound technician Maury Ginsberg's car broke down, he was given a lift by Quinn to the music festival at Woodstock , and ended up being in the right place to notice a single unplugged extension cord that had knocked out the entire sound system, thereby saving the show. He also met his future wife thanks to Quinn.
• Quinn saved the life of Commander Will Riker's wounded ancestor, Colonel Thaddeus Riker, during the American Civil War by helping him to a hospital, thus enabling Riker to exist and save the Federation from the Borg.
• Birds of a Feather : Quinn was inspired to rebel against the Continuum by Q's disobedience.
• Bourgeois Bohemian : Q tells Maury Ginsberg he will eventually marry the cute hippy chick he met on the way to Woodstock and become a successful orthodontist, settled in Scarsdale with four kids.
• …But He Sounds Handsome : Q calls an expert on the Continuum to give testimony. Himself. Q: Thank you for coming. It's a rare honour to have someone of your reputation and accomplishment with us today.
• Call-Back : To the TNG episode Descent , where the holographic Sir Isaac Newton was outraged to hear Data say that the story of the apple falling on his head was considered to be apocryphal. This time, the actual man himself appears and confirms that it's completely true.
• The Cameo : Jonathan Frakes as Commander Riker from Star Trek: The Next Generation , called as a witness for the trial.
• Cerebus Retcon : For seven years on TNG (and once on DS9 ), Q had been portrayed as a Jerkass God , The Gadfly , or Trickster Mentor , who took delight in messing with people. This episode put a dark spin on all of his prior antics. A glimpse of life in the continuum showed that underneath all of his bluster and wacky cartoonishness, Q was a Sad Clown . Quinn : Q rebelled against this existence by refusing to behave. He was out of control, he used his powers recklessly, tormented lesser beings, all for his own amusement. And he desperately needed amusement. Because he could find none here at home.
• Character Overlap : Riker and Q.
• Clarke's Third Law Quinn: You mustn't think of us as omnipotent, no matter what The Continuum would like you to believe. You and your ship seem incredibly powerful to lifeforms without your technological expertise! It's no different with us; we may appear omnipotent to you, but believe me, we're not.
• Q and Q both mention cases where other Q have been executed, with the case of Amanda Rogers' mother and father having previously been explored.
• When Janeway tells Riker that Voyager was lost in the Delta Quadrant, Riker immediately glares at Q. In TNG's "Q Who", Q flung the Enterprise into the Delta Quadrant, where they were introduced to the Borg in an encounter which left 18 Enterprise crewmembers dead.
• Courtroom Antics : Despite Janeway warning against this at the start of proceedings, courtroom antics are inevitable with two omnipotent Large Hams involved. And who else but Q could call himself as a Surprise Witness and proceed to cross-examine himself?
• Courtroom Episode : Quinn more or less sued the Continuum to allow him to commit suicide and was sectioned to the Q equivalent of a rubber room (e.g. a comet). Q asks Janeway to rule on whether Quinn has the right to take his own life. Vulcans approve of suicide, so Tuvok is the counsel chosen by Quinn to assist in his case.
• When Quinn pops in to Tuvok's quarters, Tuvok asks him if the Q have always lacked manners or if it evolved with their omnipotence.
• When Quinn brings Voyager to the moment of the Big Bang, B'Elanna quips "This ship will not survive the formation of the cosmos."
• Deus ex Machina : Q offers to instantly take Voyager back to Earth if Janeway rules in his favor. Incidentally this trope prevented the writers from bringing back Q for some time, to the surprise of John de Lancie when he found out. To him the whole thing was a non-issue, as he pointed out Q would simply refuse if asked . This is played straight in "Q2".
• The ethics of assisted suicide.
• Quinn uses hemlock to poison himself, as did the philosopher Socrates.
• At the time of original broadcast, Hallmark stores were selling Christmas ornaments in the form of ships such as the Enterprise , the Shuttlecraft Galileo , and yes... Voyager .
• Q says he's a born-again Q.
• Don't Call Me "Sir" : Janeway: Don't call me Madame Captain!
• Double Entendre : Q: May I see you in your chambers, Captain? Janeway: You've been in my chambers enough for one visit, sir.
• Driven to Suicide
• Emergency Temporal Shift : One of Quinn's many attempts to escape Q involves transporting the ship back to before the Big Bang.
• Facial Markings : Q meets Chakotay. "Facial art — how wilderness of you!"
• Famous, Famous, Fictional : A variation, as Q's witnesses are Isaac Newton (known to pretty much everybody on Earth), William Riker (known to all Trekkies), and Maury Ginsberg (known to...okay, pretty much nobody, although he apparently played an important role at Woodstock).
• Fighting Across Time and Space : Q and Quinn get into a Reality Warp-off with poor Voyager stuck in the middle, bouncing across all of creation before Janeway runs out of patience and demands they try something else.
• First-Name Basis : Q of course refers to Captain Janeway as "Kathy" when in the privacy of her quarters.
• Force-Field Door : Quinn, on being beamed in, doesn't quite just walk through the barrier meant to contain him like it was nothing — rather, he sets it off where the camera can see; he pauses, surprised, when he realizes it's there and then walks through it like it's nothing.
• Former Teen Rebel : Q's Great Gazoo behaviour is explained as him rebelling against the ennui of immortality. Quinn even says his rebellion was inspired by Q's actions . Q: My penance has ended. I'm a born again Q. That life is behind me.
• When Quinn is first beamed on board Voyager, he's already wearing a Starfleet uniform.
• The Q Continuum is depicted as an old service station in the middle of nowhere so that the humans can understand what it is truly like for Quinn.
• Gendercide : Quinn accidentally makes all of Voyager's male crew members disappear and can't bring them back until Q intervenes.
• Get Out! : Played straight when Q first turns up in Janeway's bed. Once he starts seriously hitting on her, it's a cold and quiet; "Leave."
• A God I Am Not : Quinn tells Tuvok that, despite what the Continuum would have mortals believe, the Q are not omnipotent, just sufficiently advanced ; he points out that Voyager and its crew would seem just as powerful to less advanced races. He later implies that they haven't always been as they are now, speaking of a time before the "new era" when they previously had to deal with the unknown.
• Ham-to-Ham Combat : Q vs Quinn. "I'll stalemate you for eternity if I have to!"
• Heel–Face Turn : Q provides the poison so Quinn can kill himself, having been convinced by his arguments. As revealed in " The Q and the Grey ", he goes on to launch a rebellion inside the Continuum.
• Humanity Ensues : Averted; although Janeway invites him to explore life as a mortal rather that commit suicide, Quinn still kills himself, knowing he'd only be pretending to be human.
• I Gave My Word : Janeway knows Q will stick by any agreement he's made. Q: How would you know if I intended to keep my word? Janeway: Based on my research, you have been many things. A rude, interfering, inconsiderate, sadistic— Q: You've made your point. Janeway: Pest. And, oh yes, you introduced us to the Borg, thank you very much. But one thing you have never been is a liar.
• Inadvertent Entrance Cue : Quinn needs an expert on humans. The Q we know from ST:TNG appears.
• Incredible Shrinking Man : Voyager is shrunk to the subatomic level, then becomes a Christmas tree decoration in Quinn's efforts to hide from Q.
• In the Doldrums : The Q continuum was described this way by a Q who had become so bored with his omniscience that he wished to commit suicide. In order to back up his statement, he led the crew to a part of the continuum inhabited by a group of Q who did absolutely nothing but sit in one spot - having done literally everything .
• Irony : Q's argument for the reason Quinn's life has been of value, and should not be allowed to end, is supported by examples of how he has positively impacted the history of the human race. The same human race that rabidly enforces the infamous Alien Non-Interference Clause known as the Prime Directive. Even funnier, Q is using Quinn's past interventions as a supporting argument, even though the ultimate goal is to return Quinn to imprisonment where he would not be able to affect anything anymore.
• Lady Land : Quinn temporarily makes all the male crewmembers disappear, making Q think Voyager is an Amazon Brigade .
• Meaningful Echo : Janeway's "Bring them back now!" Sisko said the same thing in the sole Q episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• Never Give the Captain a Straight Answer : Averted Torres: Torres to Janeway. You'd better get down here, Captain. Janeway: Problem, Lieutenant? Torres: Yes, ma'am. That transport from the comet? It brought a man aboard. He says his name is Q. Janeway: Red alert!
• Never Trust a Title : There is intentionally no "Q" in the episode title, despite it being a feature of most (but not all) Q episodes. The producers did not want the audience to know Q would be appearing on the show as was the case with " Tapestry " on Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• Noodle Incident : Q claims that Quinn accidentally started a hundred-year war between the Romulans and Vulcans with his Suicidal Cosmic Temper Tantrum .
• No Sense of Personal Space : After Quinn appears standing uncomfortably close over his shoulder, Tuvok wonders if an absence of manners is a natural consequence of omnipotence. Quinn: Oh, you mean our just barging in whenever we feel like it? Tuvok: That is one relevant example.
• Nothing Left to Do but Die : Quinn's objective.
• Not Me This Time : When Q first arrives on Voyager , he initially suspects Quinn is responsible for them being in the Delta Quadrant, where humans aren't supposed to be for another century; Quinn hastily points out it had nothing to do with him. Later, Riker is implied to suspect the same of Q himself.
• Oh, Crap! : Janeway immediately calls Red Alert when she hears there's a Q on board.
• The Omnipotent : Subverted, at least according to Quinn. The Q aren't truly all-powerful, they just seem that way from a human perspective.
• Politically Incorrect Villain : Apart from his usual disdain for petty bipeds , Q makes several sexist remarks.
• Red Alert : Janeway on hearing the notorious Q is on board, though it turns out to be a notorious Q, but the definite article arrives shortly after.
• Richard Nixon, the Used Car Salesman : According to Q, if Quinn hadn't caused the apple to fall on Sir Isaac Newton's head, the man would have died alone and forgotten in a Liverpool debtor's prison, a suspect in several prostitute murders. Newton's lack of reaction implies he isn't surprised by that.
• Running Gag : Q annoying Starfleet captains (and hitting on them too, you could say).
• Sadistic Choice : If Janeway rules in Q's favor, Quinn will be confined for eternity in a most uncomfortable prison. If she rules in favor of Quinn, he will commit suicide.
• Skewed Priorities : When summing up the impact Quinn has had on the lives of his witnesses, Q notes that that had Quinn not saved Riker's ancestor, he would have lot at least a dozen good chances to insult the man over the years. Oh, and the Borg would have assimilated Earth.
• Shaped Like Itself : Q: This is your own doing. You could live a perfectly normal life if you were simply willing to live a perfectly normal life.
• Slouch of Villainy : On Voyager's bridge, Q slouches on the consoles and in front of the viewscreen.
• Status Quo Is God : Q promises that none of the witnesses he summoned will remember anything. Thus, Riker doesn't get to tell Starfleet that Voyager was stuck in the Delta Quadrant.
• Stepford Smiler : All the Q beside Q(1) and Quinn, just sit or stand around with silly grins plastered to their faces. Q(1) says they are all happy while Quinn says, "Yes, they have to be."
• Stock Desert Interstate : How Q and Quinn agree to present the Q Continuum to the Voyager crew, since You Cannot Grasp the True Form applies to their realm for "lesser" beings such as Humans and Vulcans.
• Stock Footage : Quinn's comet is recycled footage of the comet from the TNG episode " Masks ".
• Story Arc : This episode kicks off VOY's Q Trilogy, which will continue in Season Three's "The Q and the Grey" and conclude in Season Seven's "Q2" .
• Suicidal Cosmic Temper Tantrum : Q is opposed to Quinn committing suicide because it will destabilize their society with the idea that their existence could end.
• Take That! : “And you find nothing contradictory in a society that outlaws suicide but practices capital punishment?”
• Troll : Q presumably could have summoned Riker's ancestor from the past to witness that Quinn saved his life. He brought Riker to the Delta Quadrant purely to mess with him.
• The Un-Smile : When Q insists the bored members of the Continuum are happy with their immortal lives, one makes an unconvincing grin.
• We Will Meet Again : Unlike on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Q will return in "The Q and the Grey".
• Wham Line : "Hello, my name is Q" from someone who isn't John de Lancie .
• Who Wants to Live Forever? : The Q Continuum live a boring, empty existence because they've already done, said and visited everything.
• Women Drivers : Q makes a snide comment that having a woman in charge is why Voyager is 75,000 light years off course.
• World of Silence : The Q Continuum, as depicted in this episode.
• You're Cute When You're Angry Janeway: The vaunted Q Continuum: "Self-anointed Guardians of The Universe"! How dare you come aboard this ship and endanger this crew with your personal tug-of-war! Q: Did anyone ever tell you you're angry when you're beautiful?
• Your Favorite : In gratitude for Captain Janeway freeing him, Quinn magics up a dinner of Welsh rarebit "like your grandfather used to make." Neelix : Rabbit? She never told me she likes rabbits. What is a rabbit anyway? Is this some new chef she's interviewing?
• You Have to Believe Me! : Q transports a spotlight operator from The '60s and Sir Isaac Newton to give testimony. Janeway tries to explain to them what is happening. Janeway: Consider for a moment that it might be possible to travel forward in time, say to the twenty fourth century, onto a starship seventy five thousand light years from Earth. (Blank looks) Janeway: You're having a very strange dream .
• Star Trek Voyager S 2 E 17 "Dreadnought"
• Recap/Star Trek: Voyager
• Star Trek Voyager S 2 E 19 "Lifesigns"

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The Q and the Grey

• Episode aired Nov 27, 1996

Due to the death of the Q in their last encounter with Voyager, a Civil War has broken out among the Q continuum. A new Q needs to be produced and the mischievous Q known to the USS Enterpri... Read all Due to the death of the Q in their last encounter with Voyager, a Civil War has broken out among the Q continuum. A new Q needs to be produced and the mischievous Q known to the USS Enterprise has chosen Janeway as his mate. Due to the death of the Q in their last encounter with Voyager, a Civil War has broken out among the Q continuum. A new Q needs to be produced and the mischievous Q known to the USS Enterprise has chosen Janeway as his mate.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Rick Berman
• Michael Piller
• Kate Mulgrew
• Robert Beltran
• Roxann Dawson
• 16 User reviews
• 8 Critic reviews

• Capt. Kathryn Janeway

• Cmdr. Chakotay

• Lt. B'Elanna Torres
• (as Roxann Biggs-Dawson)

• Lt. Tom Paris

• Ensign Harry Kim

• Operations Officer
• (uncredited)

• William McKenzie
• Holographic Resort Man
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia Q confirms that the Romulan Star Empire once had, and may still have, an Empress.
• Goofs Q tells Janeway that no pair of Q had ever mated and/or procreate; but, way back in True Q (1992) he searched for a young woman who was the offspring of two Q members who had gone native on Earth.

Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres : You aren't the first female who's ever had a man run out on her.

Female Q : I hope you're not comparing some failed romance in your pitiful existence to my eternal association with Q.

Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres : You know, I have really had it with this superiority complex of yours.

Female Q : It's not a complex, dear, it's a fact.

Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres : Well, here's another fact: if you don't stop pestering me, I'm never going to finish, in which case your association with Q might not be quite as "eternal" as you think.

• Connections References Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: Voyager - Main Title (uncredited) Written by Jerry Goldsmith Performed by Jay Chattaway

User reviews 16

• Sep 6, 2021
• November 27, 1996 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Network Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 46 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Q2 (episode)

• View history

Facing his son's banishment from the Q Continuum, Q leaves him on Voyager in the hopes that he will gain self-discipline.

• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1 Story and script
• 3.2 Production
• 3.3 Sets and props
• 3.4 Continuity
• 3.5 Apocrypha
• 3.6 Video and DVD releases
• 4.1 Starring
• 4.2 Also starring
• 4.3 Guest Stars
• 4.4 Special Guest Star
• 4.5 Co-Stars
• 4.6 Uncredited co-stars
• 4.7 Stand-ins
• 4.8 References
• 4.9 External links

Summary [ ]

In her ready room , Captain Kathryn Janeway listens to Cadet Icheb 's presentation about "Early Starfleet History". Although Janeway breaks off his presentation – he wanted to be thorough so his presentation took more than the required 20 minutes – she congratulates him on passing the exam and walks him to the door.

"I would have failed him" a voice sounds. When Janeway looks around she sees a young Human male, dressed in Starfleet command red and wearing the insignia of a Starfleet Captain. When Janeway calls for security there is no answer, and she is told the rest of Voyager 's crew is in a time loop . When she asks him who he is, another, more familiar, voice sounds, that of Q . It turns out the young male is Q's son, Q Junior .

Act One [ ]

" Scan, scan, scan. That's all you people ever do! "

Janeway is told by Q that Junior has taken a vacation from the Q Continuum , on USS Voyager , to experience Humanity first hand. After Q has left, Janeway, having no further say in the matter, tells Junior that some rules need to be followed, whereupon Junior tells her that he makes his own rules and with a flick of his fingers he disappears.

Q's party in main engineering

On Voyager 's bridge , Lieutenant Commander Tuvok is trying to locate where either Q is when Junior appears. He wants to see more interesting things than bipeds pushing buttons or replacing relays and tries to convince Janeway to do something else, such as detonating some omega molecules or flying into fluidic space and fighting Species 8472 . When Janeway refuses, Junior tells her he is bored and will amuse himself and disappears. The next moment Janeway is contacted by Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres , who requests her presence in main engineering .

" Relax, aunt Kathy. It's a party! "

Accompanied by Tuvok and Commander Chakotay , Janeway enters main engineering where a party is going on. Torres warns Janeway that Junior's light show might cause a warp core breach but when Janeway tells Junior his party is over, he tells her that she has no unlimited control over space , matter and time so he gives the orders. With a flick of his fingers, he sends Janeway and company to the corridor . There they decide to try to ignore Junior in the hope he might get bored and leave Voyager .

In the cargo bay , Junior removes Seven of Nine 's clothing to stare at her naked body which he describes as "perfection"; utterly nonplussed, Seven dismisses the incident as an attempt to embarrass her and continues her work, which has the desired effect of getting Junior to leave.

" Watch this! "

Meanwhile, in the mess hall a food replicator rudely tells Captain Janeway to "Make it yourself" when she asks for coffee . Neelix tells her that ignoring Junior might not be the best solution and offers to be his mentor. Neelix is greeted with " Can I help you, kitchen rat? " when he enters astrometrics where Junior is watching a battle between Wyngari and Vojean starships . The two species lived in peace when Voyager traveled through their region of space some time ago, but now, with some of Junior's help, are fighting each other. Neelix suggests playing Kadis-kot , but Junior is uninterested as it is a game without explosions. After Neelix suggests that Junior uses his powers to alleviate the food shortage on the Wyngari homeworld , Junior loses patience with the Talaxian and tells him he "talks too much", before fusing Neelix' jaw and removing his vocal cords .

" Is this enough pressure? "

While in sickbay , where Neelix is examined by The Doctor , Janeway is contacted by Junior, now on the bridge. When Janeway enters the bridge she sees three Borg cubes on the viewscreen , firing on Voyager . Junior wants to see how Humans act under pressure and tells Janeway that this time she will not defeat the Borg .

Act Two [ ]

When Borg drones appear on the bridge, Janeway is grabbed by one of them and just before the drone has a chance to use his assimilation tubule , they vanish. In their place is Q, who has reversed all the things Junior has done, including by restoring Neelix' voice. When Janeway tells Q she wants his son off Voyager , he takes her aside to explain.

In the following discussion it becomes clear that Junior's birth should have brought peace and compassion, but instead he brought chaos. Junior started wars, tampered with primordial gene pools and punched holes in the fabric of space-time. His mother was so humiliated that she disowned him. The Q Continuum held Q responsible and that was the reason Junior was brought to Voyager , in the hope that some of Starfleet's ideals would rub off on him. Janeway tells Q that Junior needs parenting and instead of dumping him on Voyager , he himself should set an example by spending time with Junior. Q finds Janeway a genius, kisses her and disappears.

Q paying a surprise visit to Janeway

Janeway gets a surprise visit from Q, in her bath. He blames Janeway that her plan did not work. She exasperatedly points out he left fewer than ten minutes before, but Q clarifies that in Q time he and his son have spent years together, ending up with Junior becoming embarrassed to be seen with his father. Junior shifted the tectonic plates on Bozel Prime and refused to apologize for it. Janeway tells Q that Junior needs to understand that his actions have consequences. "Consequences… mmm" , Q mumbles. He takes back his last statement and goes to kiss her again only to meet her foot; he instead kisses that and disappears.

In Voyager 's sickbay, Q returns his son from a life as an Oprelian amoeba in a petri dish. Q tells him that he needs to become an upstanding citizen of the cosmos or he'll spend the rest of his life as an amoeba . Junior is given one week to change. To make matters worse for Junior his powers are temporarily removed by the Q Continuum. Despite Janeway's protest that Q had agreed to take a more active role in parenting, Q leaves Junior on Voyager and departs. An angry Junior leaves sickbay, crushing the petri dish under his foot on his way out, in search of a way to leave Voyager . Janeway calls security.

While being escorted to his quarters , Junior is told by Janeway that he no longer has unlimited control over space, matter and time, meaning she gives the orders, not him. Janeway tells Junior she has prepared a curriculum for him to follow so he can learn some respect and responsibility. Junior thinks he has little hope because he's been abandoned on an antiquated flying machine run by primates .

Junior's first lesson is that of spatial causality , taught by Seven of Nine, who is also tutoring Icheb in the subject. Later, Junior is given diplomacy lessons, under the guidance of Commander Chakotay, who reminds him that one of the responsibilities of a Q is to maintain order in the universe. Junior refuses Chakotay's help and cheats on the lesson, changing the personality subroutines of the people in the holographic program to make them more agreeable.

In Voyager 's mess hall, Junior helps Neelix. He complains to Neelix whether he "ever stopped talking?" but there is nothing Junior can do about it. Here Junior again meets Icheb, who wants to know if he would like to participate in some recreational activities . Junior declines, saying "Aunt Kathy" wants him to write an essay about the history of the Q but he has no experience writing essays. After Icheb offers to help, Junior hands over Icheb's essay instead of writing his own.

In the captain's ready room Janeway confronts Junior with his cheating, as Icheb's writing style is quite familiar to her, telling him " We may be common bipeds but we're not stupid. " Janeway tells him to wait for his father to return, and Junior objects, fearing he will be turned into an amoeba. Janeway offers to help him one more time but only if his motives are sincere.

Act Three [ ]

Q Junior exercising

In the mess hall Junior hands Janeway a new draft of his essay " I, Q: An Insider's View of the Continuum ", although she did not ask for it. Junior says he owed it to her for giving him a second chance. That same moment Icheb walks in, asking if Junior would like to join him for a piloting lesson by Lieutenant Tom Paris . Janeway thinks he has earned a break and allows him to go.

In the Delta Flyer , while maneuvering through an asteroid field , Junior is a little apprehensive and asks Icheb to be careful, since he is now mortal. Junior even gets a chance to fly himself, despite how the Q normally do not operate primitive machinery. When an alert sounds, Junior finds it distracting but because fixing it would require them to return to Voyager they ignore it. " Hear what? ", Icheb replies when Junior asks him if he still hears the alert.

Back on Voyager Janeway runs into Q again and tells him Junior has made progress. Junior presents his essay to them, concluding with saying Voyager 's crew has taught him to see the Continuum as home instead of different perceptions of reality. Q is not impressed, which irritates Junior and Janeway. After Junior leaves, Janeway learns that Junior needed to display nothing more than exemplary Q-ness. Anything less would result in a life as an amoeba.

When Janeway visits Junior in his quarters he tells her he does not care what Q thinks. Janeway offers to let him stay on Voyager , as a Human, if the Continuum decides not to turn him back into a Q. Junior thanks the captain, but tells her he doesn't want to be Human, he wants to be a Q, like his father.

Act Four [ ]

Q Junior in search of Icheb

Junior finds Icheb in a Jefferies tube – they refer to each other as "Itchy" and "Q-ball" – and asks him to help repair the fault which caused the alert during their piloting lesson. Icheb agrees, but soon finds himself trapped on the Delta Flyer where Junior starts the engines and erects a dampening field to prevent communication with Voyager . Junior wants to escape, by means of a spatial flexure , and hide from his father. Although he no longer has his powers, he still knows good hiding places.

Q Junior stealing the Delta Flyer

With the help of the Delta Flyer 's phasers , Junior destroys the shuttlebay door and escapes, despite Voyager 's tractor beam trying to hold them.

The Delta Flyer in the Clevari system

Icheb tells him to go back and apologize to Janeway but Junior does not listen.

The Delta Flyer attacks the Chokuzan vessel…

When a Chokuzan vessel appears, Junior chooses to attack it instead of complying with their demands, despite Icheb's comment that he learned from Janeway to respect other cultures' laws. During the battle Icheb is critically injured.

…and attempts to escape

Junior takes Icheb back to Voyager , but The Doctor is unable to treat Icheb because he needs to know what weapon caused his injuries. Q appears, and at first, Junior tries to blame the whole incident on Icheb. Janeway sets the record straight, and Junior pleads with his father to save Icheb. Q refuses, telling Junior it is time to learn the consequences of his actions, and leaves.

Act Five [ ]

Because Icheb is the only friend Junior has ever had, he agrees to go back with Captain Janeway to Chokuzan space and try to ascertain the type of weapon used to wound Icheb.

" Surprise! "

When the Chokuzan Captain agrees to give them the information to save Icheb, he also tells them that in Chokuzan culture, adults are held responsible for the actions of their children. Captain Janeway will be punished for Junior's actions. Junior does not agree and takes full responsibility, even if it means execution, to save the life of his friend. When the Chokuzan captain hears this he starts to laugh. It turns out the Chokuzan is actually Q. When Junior tells him they have no time for his games, Q tells them he was the one they fired on and that Icheb is alive and well. It turned out it was a test and according to Q, better than the tests Janeway devised, and Junior passed it. It was now time to face the Continuum's verdict.

" I wish you could see the look on your faces. Oh, wait, you can! "

Back on Voyager , Janeway, Q and Junior face three Q judges for the verdict, " We, the Continuum have found that Q has not made sufficient progress to warrant the reinstatement of his powers ". Although Q objects, saying Junior was willing to sacrifice his life to save that of his friend, the judge dismisses it. She reasons it was Junior who endangered the Icheb's life in the first place. However, because of his subsequent actions, Junior is not condemned to spend his life as an Oprelian amoeba but to suffer the next worse fate, to remain Human. Q, declaring the verdict an outrage, disappears right after the judges do.

A disappointed Junior talks with Janeway in her ready room. He wanted to continue his training, despite having nothing more to prove to the Continuum. Junior does not expect to see his father again anytime soon because Q already left him on Voyager , twice. Q appears in the corner of the room, saying, " The question you should be asking is why I keep coming back. " He apologizes for his abrupt disappearance and explains to Janeway and Junior that he threatened to leave the Continuum if Junior was not reinstated. According to Q, the Continuum crumbled like a Gelbian sandsculpture at the prospect of losing Q, to Junior's admiration, and already have returned Junior's powers. As a gift to Janeway, Junior places red roses all over her office and leaves for Golos Prime where his father will meet him after finishing talking to Janeway.

Q helps Janeway get Voyager a few years closer to home.

Q, knowing that the amused Janeway was not fooled like his inexperienced son was, freely admits he had to make some concessions. He will have eternal custody and has to go wherever Junior goes. Q gives Captain Janeway a PADD , as a thank you for her help, containing information which will enable Voyager to shave a few years off from their journey to Earth . When Janeway asks Q why he doesn't just send them all the way, he responds, " What sort of an example would I be setting for my son if I did all the work for you? " and disappears.

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Coffee, black. " " Make it yourself. "

" Then it's single-cellular city for you my boy! "

" I would've failed him. Kirk may have been a lowly Human, but at least he had pizazz. That report made him sound as interesting as a Vulcan funeral dirge! "

" I'm not detecting either Q . " " I want to be alerted if they resurface keep running scans. " " Scan, scan, scan. That's all you people ever do. I've been through every deck on this ship and you know what I've seen? Bipeds pushing buttons! Bipeds replacing relays! Bipeds running diagnostics. When are you gonna do something interesting? "

" What are you watching? " " What's it look like? A battle between the Vojeans and the Wyngari . " " We passed through that region a few months ago. They were at peace. " " Not anymore. "

" Itchy, are you in here? Itchy?? " " What can I do for you, Q-Ball? "

" If the Continuum has told you once, they have told you a thousand times: DON'T PROVOKE THE BORG!!! "

" You can't just dump your child on someone and hope he learns something. " " I can't? "

" Junior was supposed to inspire peace and compassion and instead of order, he's brought chaos. He's been starting wars among innocent species, tampering with primordial gene pools , punching holes in the fabric of space-time ! "

" You really should have picked a better godparent. " " Hmm, wonder if it's too late to ask Jean-Luc ? "

" You're not going to do your son any favors by indulging him. "

" I'm sure you'll do whatever you can to avoid returning to that petri dish. "

" Don't tell me you're actually going through with Q's plan. " " I may not approve of his methods, but for once his heart seems to be in the right place. "

" Talk about perfection. "

" Can I see you naked again? "

" I'm offering him the chance to fail. "

" Tell me, how do you save a race that is already omnipotent? "

" You're a genius!! " (Grabs Janeway's face and kisses her, leaves Janeway with an unforgettable expression)

" The boy needs to demonstrate nothing less than exemplary Q-ness. " " And what exactly is Q-ness?! " " Oh, it's impossible for your minuscule mind to comprehend, but I know Q-ness when I see it. And this [indicates PADD with Q Junior's essay] is not it. "

" Don't you 'Aunt Kathy' me! " " Yell at me later, we need to get Icheb to sickbay. "

" If your little playmate has to die to teach you a lesson, then so be it. "

" In our culture adults are accountable for the actions of their children. "

" I wish you could see the look on your faces! Oh wait, you can! " (mirrors appear out of thin air, everybody involuntarily grabs one and looks into it)

" He's been here for five days and what have you taught him? How to scribble essays and play with holograms? What's next, basket weaving? "

" Can I help you, Kitchen Rat? "

" We could play kadis-kot? " " Are there explosions in kadis-kot?! " " Well, no, but... " " Then I'm not interested! "

" He isn't so bad once you get to know him. He's just misunderstood. " " He tried to kill my crew! " " No one was hurt. I repaired the damage to your ship. I even gave your pet Talaxian his vocal chords back. Everything's exactly as it was. "

" What sort of an example would I be setting for my son if I did all the work for you? "

" Please, Aunt Kathy, you're my only hope. "

Background information [ ]

Story and script [ ].

• Ken Biller had first pitched a story of Q's son being an adolescent and causing trouble to Jeri Taylor for VOY Season 4 . ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 5 , p. 26)
• The final draft script for this episode was submitted on 10 January 2001 .

Production [ ]

• Keegan de Lancie ( Q (Junior) ) is the real-life son of John de Lancie ( Q ). Regarding the experience of acting alongside his own son in this episode, John de Lancie said, " It was both great and... a lot of actors will understand this, but while part of acting involves being very attentive to the other people and what's going on, you have to keep some of your power for yourself, to do your job and maintain your presence. In the case of my son, the majority of my attention was, 'How's Keegan doing?' If I go on a regular job, where someone might have a cold or an actor doesn't feel well or there's just an upset in their family, I am very sympathetic. But when we were acting, it's real tennis. " ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 168 , p. 50)
• It was Rick Berman who had suggested bringing Keegan de Lancie in to read for the role after having seen his performance on an episode of Ally McBeal . ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 5 , p. 26)
• The title of the final draft of Q Junior's essay is " I, Q: An Insider's View of the Continuum ". I, Q is also the name of a Q-related novel co-written by John de Lancie.

Sets and props [ ]

• One of the Vojean / Wyngari starships was previously used as the U.A.P. Icarus in Jonathan Frakes ' Star Trek spoof Star Patrol! .

Continuity [ ]

• Q appears for the third and final time on the series in this episode, having previously appeared in the second season episode " Death Wish " and the third season episode " The Q and the Grey ".
• This was the last episode of Star Trek to feature the Q until LD : " Veritas " in 2020 .
• This episode finally establishes in canon that James T. Kirk 's five-year mission ended in 2270 .
• Q tells his son not to provoke the Borg . It was Q himself who first introduced Starfleet to the Borg in TNG : " Q Who ".
• Q makes a reference to Jean-Luc Picard when they doubt the choice of Janeway as Junior's godparent.
• After modifying the diplomacy simulation, Junior convinces the Cardassian to apologize for the occupation of Bajor. However, Cardassia had already issued a formal apology for the occupation in DS9 : " Life Support ".
• Junior's approach to resolving the diplomacy simulation is very similar to James T. Kirk 's solution to the Kobayashi Maru scenario (described in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ) though Kirk's actions were motivated by frustration at being given an "impossible" problem, rather than laziness.
• The presence of Q represents the fifteenth occasion besides the series premiere (after " Eye of the Needle ", " Prime Factors ", " The 37's ", " Cold Fire ", " Threshold ", " Death Wish ", " False Profits ", " Future's End, Part II ", " The Q and the Grey ", " Timeless ", " Dark Frontier ", " Equinox ", " Dragon's Teeth ", and " Inside Man ") that the Voyager crew is presented with the possibility of returning home much faster than by conventional warp travel. On this occasion, the Q could facilitate an instant return, but instead, to "set an example" for his son, merely provides data to allow Voyager to cut its journey time by a relatively small amount.
• This episode features an attempt to give the ship's computer a personality, which previously occurred in TOS : " Tomorrow is Yesterday ".
• Junior's willingness to sacrifice himself to save a friend from the consequences of his actions mirrors Q's willingness to sacrifice himself to prevent the Enterprise -D from suffering for his actions in TNG : " Deja Q ". The Continuum is not convinced this time.
• A Nausicaan appears in this episode for the only time in the series, albeit a holographic representation of one.
• This episode's title is tied (with ENT : " E² ") for shortest in the franchise.

Apocrypha [ ]

• It is hinted in the novel Q&A that the "homework" Q gave Janeway was intended to lead Voyager to the Borg transwarp hub in VOY : " Endgame ".

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 7.10, 3 December 2001
• As part of the VOY Season 7 DVD collection
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Q collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway

Also starring [ ]

• Robert Beltran as Chakotay
• Roxann Dawson as B'Elanna Torres
• Robert Duncan McNeill as Tom Paris
• Ethan Phillips as Neelix
• Robert Picardo as The Doctor
• Tim Russ as Tuvok
• Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine
• Garrett Wang as Harry Kim

Guest Stars [ ]

• Keegan de Lancie as Q (Junior)
• Manu Intiraymi as Icheb
• Michael Kagan as Chokuzan Commander
• Lorna Raver as Q (Judge)

Special Guest Star [ ]

• John de Lancie as Q

Co-Stars [ ]

• Anthony Holiday as Nausicaan
• Scott Davidson as Bolian
• Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Michael Bailous as Cardassian
• Richard Bishop as operations officer
• Bill Blair ( unknown )
• David Campagna as Q judge
• Carter Edwards as command officer
• Andrew English as operations officer
• Tarik Ergin as Ayala
• Bernie Escarcega as command officer
• Joyce Lasley as Lydia Anderson
• Alicia Lewis as sciences officer
• Shauna Lewis as Romulan
• Mark Newsom as Bajoran
• Louis Ortiz as Borg drone
• Mark Pash as Q judge
• Stephen Pisani as operations officer
• Keith Rayve as Borg drone
• Richard Sarstedt as William McKenzie
• William Smith as Ferengi
• Pablo Soriano as operations ensign
• Jenna Z. Wilson as alien dancer
• Curtis Wong as Borg drone
• Unknown performers as Alien party-goers

Stand-ins [ ]

• Brita Nowak – stand-in for Jeri Ryan
• Stuart Wong – stand-in for Garrett Wang

References [ ]

2270 ; 2274 ; accomplice ; act of contrition ; Alpha Quadrant ; alternate reality ; amusement ; anomaly ; appeal ; aunt ; Baezian ; Bajoran ; Bajoran Occupation ; basket weaving ; bath tub ; Biddle ; biped ; brazen ; Bolian ; Borg ; Borg cube ; Bozel Prime ; Bozelian ; cadet ; Cardassian ; Crewman ; Chell ; Chenari ; Chokuzan ; Chokuzan vessel ( illusory ); civilization ; Clevari system ; Continuum vs. Q, The ; corpse ; curriculum ; deflector array ; Delta Flyer ; dilithium ; dip ; diplomacy scenario 12-alpha ; disownment ; draft ; Dralian turnip ; Early Starfleet History ; Enterprise , USS ; fabric of space ; Fekdar ; firstborn ; fixation ; flattery ; fluidic space ; flying machine ; Gelbian sand sculpture ; gene pool ; godmother ; godparent ; Golos Prime ; grappling ; grown up ; heart ; house-broke ; Humanity ; hygiene ; " I, Q: An Insider's View of the Continuum "; infant ; ion imbalance ; Itchy ; jaw ; Jefferies tube ; judge ; judge's bench ; Kadis-kot ; kilometer ; Kirk, James T. ; matter ; mentor ; mermaid ; " a million times "; mining rights ; minute ; Nausicaan ; necrosis ; Occupation of Bajor ; Omega molecule ; omicron radiation ; omnipotent ; omnipotent race ; Oprelian amoeba ; paramecium ; Pelosian ; personality subroutine ; pet ; petri dish ; phenomenon ; Picard, Jean-Luc ; plasma conduit ; power coupling ; pre-ignition sequence ; primate ; Prime Directive ; primordial ; Q (female) ; Q (species) ; Q-Ball ; Q Continuum ; Q-ness ; Q time ; rose ; senior officers ; slimy ; space ; spatial causality ; spatial flexure ; spatial rift ; Species 8472 ; subject matter ; Talaxian ; temporal loop ; temporal mechanics ; temporal plane ; tectonic plate ; time ; trespassing ; ultimatum ; vacation ; vocal cords ; Vojean ; Vojean vessel ; Voyager , USS ; Vulcan funeral dirge ; warrior-goddess of Fekdar ; Wyngari ; Wyngari homeworld ; Wyngari vessel ; Zozek system ; Zyznian church mouse

External links [ ]

• "Q2" at StarTrek.com
• " Q2 " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Q2 " at Wikipedia
• " Q2 " at the Internet Movie Database