Q question

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by Starfleet Engineer, Mar 14, 2013.

  1. Starfleet Engineer

    Starfleet Engineer Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Did the "Q" in Q Continuum stand for anything?
     
  2. Angry Fanboy

    Angry Fanboy Captain Captain

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    Angry Fanboy

    Quiff.
     
  3. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I have the impression from somewhere that the original idea was that Q stood for "question," basically -- Q was the questioner, the inquisitor who challenged humanity to answer for itself. But that's an impression I got from an old interview I read (perhaps with DeLancie, or maybe someone else), and I've never seen corroboration.
     
  4. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Originally there was a A Continuum. It fell, and was replaced by others.

    The Q Continuum is the seventeeth continuum.

    :)
     
  5. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Quartermaster. ;)
     
  6. The Wormhole

    The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    On that note, the novel I, Q (co-written by John de Lancie) does say there is also an M Continuum.
     
  7. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    ^Oh, I get it. And I suppose there's a 007 Continuum serving under them.
     
  8. Lt. Cheka Wey

    Lt. Cheka Wey Commander

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    Were other Q judging/challenging species like De Lancie Q? Did the Cardies, Pakleds and whatever had their own Q inquisitors/teachers?
     
  9. The Wormhole

    The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Well, a Double Oh Continuum at the very least, I'm sure.
     
  10. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I'm not saying that was the in-universe explanation. I'm saying I have the impression that's why Roddenberry chose that name for the character -- because he conceived the character as an inquisitor, an entity that would challenge Picard to answer for humanity. Although that's secondhand. On reflection, I think I got the impression from an old Starlog interview with John DeLancie where he said he was the "Q" and Picard was the "A," or something like that.

    Although I have, in fact, offered an in-universe explanation for why Q identified himself and his continuum in that way, late in my TNG-prequel novel The Buried Age. And it's along similar lines to what I've been discussing.
     
  11. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    ^ Wasn't Q named for a fan whose last name started with Q?
     
  12. Dream

    Dream Admiral Admiral

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    I always thought it was odd that Q's name was the exact same as one of the letters of the English language.

    It was official too, since all the other Q went by that name!:lol:
     
  13. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    We just choose to spell it 'Q'. We could have spelled it Cue or Queue. I don't think Q ever told humans it's to be spelled in a particular way.
     
  14. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    ^ Maybe Q just made that name up on the spot, because that's all he thought the humans could handle. :lol:
     
  15. The Wormhole

    The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Q is simply an approximation of the name that humans can comprehend. Just like they don't really look human, that's done for human comprehension. And the Continuum isn't really a gas station in the middle of nowehere, or the American Civil War.

    Who knows what they actually call themselves, or what they or the Continuum really look like.
     
  16. Captain McBain

    Captain McBain Captain Captain

    The Q were named after a long-time fan. I believe her name was Janet Quarton.
     
  17. xortex

    xortex Commodore Commodore

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    It stood for Questor of course, an alien machine.