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Alright, let’s snap our fingers and summon the mischievous, omnipotent being known as Q! This character, brilliantly portrayed by John de Lancie, has been a recurring presence in the Star Trek universe, challenging and entertaining crews across multiple series. Here’s my take on the Top 10 Q Episodes across the Star Trek universe:
Top 10 Q Episodes Across the Star Trek Universe
- “All Good Things…” (TNG, Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26): The series finale of The Next Generation is also one of the best Q episodes. Q puts humanity on trial once again, and Picard must solve a mystery that spans three different time periods. The episode is a grand, time-spanning adventure that brings the story of the Enterprise-D crew to a satisfying conclusion. It’s a brilliant and fitting end for both TNG and Q’s role in it, while also setting up his eventual return in Picard.
- “Encounter at Farpoint” (TNG, Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2): The episode that started it all for both TNG and Q. This pilot episode introduces Q as a powerful and enigmatic being who puts humanity on trial, challenging the crew of the Enterprise-D to prove their worth. While the episode itself is a bit uneven, Q’s presence is electrifying, and it sets the stage for his complex and fascinating relationship with Picard.
- “Q Who” (TNG, Season 2, Episode 16): While primarily known for introducing the Borg, this episode is also a crucial one for Q. He throws the Enterprise-D into the path of a Borg cube, arguing that humanity needs to be prepared for the dangers that lie beyond their current understanding. It’s a pivotal episode that showcases Q’s manipulative nature and his belief that humanity needs to be challenged to grow. It also showcases that Q, in his own way, does care about humanity, and wants them to survive.
- “Tapestry” (TNG, Season 6, Episode 15): Q gives Picard a chance to change a pivotal moment in his past, with the result that he ends up living a life he never imagined. This episode explores the idea that our mistakes and regrets shape who we become. It’s a powerful and thought-provoking story that provides valuable insight into Picard’s character. The episode also highlights the complex and often antagonistic relationship between Picard and Q.
- “Hide and Q” (TNG, Season 1, Episode 10): Q offers Riker the powers of the Q Continuum, tempting him to abandon his humanity. It’s an early episode, but it’s a fun and entertaining exploration of power, temptation, and the importance of staying true to oneself. Riker’s refusal showcases that humanity is not as easily tempted by power as Q might believe.
- “QPid” (TNG, Season 4, Episode 20): Q transports the Enterprise-D crew to a Robin Hood scenario, with Picard as Robin Hood and the rest of the crew in various roles. It’s a lighthearted and humorous episode that allows the cast to have some fun, and it features some great moments between Q and Vash.
- “Deja Q” (TNG, Season 3, Episode 13): Q is stripped of his powers and becomes human, forced to rely on the Enterprise-D crew for help. It’s a fun and often hilarious episode that explores what it means to be human. It also features some great moments between Q and Data, as the two try to understand each other’s perspectives. The ending, with Q being given his powers back, is also significant, showcasing that Q does have superiors in the Continuum.
- “Q2” (VOY, Season 7, Episode 19): Q returns to Voyager, this time bringing his rebellious son, also named Q, to be disciplined by Janeway. It’s a fun and chaotic episode that explores the challenges of parenthood, even for omnipotent beings. It also gives us a further glimpse into the Q Continuum, and shows that even they have rules and punishments.
- “The Q and the Grey” (VOY, Season 3, Episode 11): Q seeks Janeway’s help to end a civil war in the Q Continuum, proposing a shocking solution: to mate with her and create a new kind of Q. The episode features the return of Suzie Plakson as a female Q, and it explores the nature of power, responsibility, and the potential for change, even within a seemingly unchanging society. Also, John de Lancie and Suzie Plakson’s performances are superb.
- “No Win Scenario” (PIC, Season 3, Episode 4): This is a key episode in the final season of Picard. While Q himself doesn’t appear until the very end, his presence is felt throughout the episode, as Picard grapples with his past and the choices he’s made. The ending, with Q’s brief but impactful appearance, sets the stage for the final confrontation between him and Picard, and suggests a major change for Q and his relationship with humanity.
Honorable Mentions: “Death Wish” (VOY), where Q helps another member of the Continuum to end his immortal life, and “All Good Things…” and “The Star Gazer” (PIC), which bookend Q’s appearances in the franchise.
Q is one of the most fascinating and enduring characters in the Star Trek universe. He’s a trickster, a teacher, a judge, and a mirror to humanity’s flaws and potential. These episodes showcase Q at his best (and sometimes worst), challenging our heroes, provoking thought, and providing some of the most memorable moments in Star Trek history. His complex relationship with Picard, in particular, is a highlight of the franchise, evolving from antagonistic to something approaching respect and even a strange form of friendship. Q’s appearances always guaranteed an interesting and thought-provoking episode, and he will be missed.
10 Best Selling Books About Star Trek
The Fifty-Year Mission: The First 25 Years by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman
This Star Trek history book uses an oral-history format to document how the franchise was conceived, produced, and sustained through its first quarter-century, with attention to creative decisions, studio dynamics, and shifting audience expectations. It is often selected by adult readers looking for a Star Trek behind-the-scenes book that focuses on the people who built the original era of the franchise rather than on episode recaps alone.
The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman
This follow-on volume continues the Star Trek production history into the period dominated by The Next Generation and the later screen era, capturing how the franchise expanded in scale, tone, and business structure. It serves adult, nontechnical readers who want a detailed Star Trek book that connects creative choices to the realities of television production, film development, and brand management over time.
The Star Trek Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded Edition by Michael Okuda
This Star Trek reference book compiles in-universe entries that organize characters, places, species, technologies, and organizations into a single navigable guide designed for fast lookup and cross-referencing. It is frequently used as a Star Trek companion book by readers who want consistent terminology and continuity cues across multiple series without needing a technical background.
Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future by Michael Okuda
This Star Trek chronology organizes major events into a timeline-style narrative, helping readers place missions, political changes, and cultural milestones into a coherent sequence across eras. It is commonly used by readers who want a Star Trek timeline book that clarifies when key developments occur and how separate storylines relate without requiring deep prior knowledge of every series.
Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual by Rick Sternbach and Michael Okuda
This Star Trek technical manual presents a structured, readable model of how the Enterprise-D and its systems are portrayed to function, using diagrams, subsystem descriptions, and operational concepts that remain accessible to non-engineers. It is often chosen as a Star Trek design and technology book by adult readers who enjoy the “how it works” side of the franchise while still wanting a narrative-friendly presentation rather than dense engineering text.
The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion: Revised Edition by Larry Nemecek
This Star Trek guidebook provides a structured way to revisit The Next Generation through episode-focused entries that prioritize clear summaries and context for how the series was made and received. It is often used as a Star Trek episode companion by readers who want a practical, quick-reference format that supports rewatching while still supplying production-facing details in plain language.
The Star Trek Book New Edition by Paul J. Ruditis
This illustrated Star Trek overview surveys the franchise across multiple eras, using short topical sections to explain major themes, settings, ships, and recurring ideas in a way that supports browsing rather than linear reading. It is often selected by adult readers who want a single Star Trek book that orients them across series and films while still offering enough detail to be useful between viewings or while sampling new parts of the canon.
Imzadi by Peter David
This Star Trek novel centers on character-driven consequences and personal history within the Next Generation cast, using a plot that balances relationship dynamics with a broader sci-fi mystery structure. It is regularly recommended as a Star Trek Kindle book for readers who prefer Star Trek fiction that prioritizes voice, emotional stakes, and continuity-aware storytelling over purely episodic adventure.
Spock’s World by Diane Duane
This Star Trek Original Series novel uses the political and cultural history of Vulcan to frame a larger story about identity, governance, and the long-term pressures of federation membership. It is frequently picked up by readers seeking Star Trek books that develop worldbuilding through society-level detail while still keeping the narrative focused on recognizable characters and accessible themes.
The Physics of Star Trek by Lawrence M. Krauss
This nonfiction Star Trek science book uses well-known concepts from physics to discuss which elements of Star Trek align with real-world scientific understanding and which remain speculative, while staying readable for general audiences. It is commonly chosen by adult readers who want a Star Trek-themed way to think about space, energy, and constraints on technology without needing advanced math or a specialist background.
