Do you agree with the concept of the Q?

indolover · December 20 2012, 03:18 PM

Whilst it was a good concept and Q is cool as a character, I can't help it a bit pretentious.

So humans are so great, we'll become Gods in the distant future?

Forbin · December 20 2012, 04:05 PM

My main reaction is "why is this superior being trying to have conversations with ants? Why does he care about the ant colony?"

later, I was annoyed at the writers' lack of courage and imagination. The Q are omnipotent beings that could wipe out the Federation with a thought. The most dangerous beings in the cosmos. So let's make Q comedy relief, a prancing boob worthy only of our derision, so we don't have to deal with the fact that he could wipe out existence at a wrong word from us.

JarodRussell · December 20 2012, 04:24 PM

Well, he wasn't allowed to do that.

Romulan_spy · December 20 2012, 05:16 PM

Forbin wrote:

My main reaction is "why is this superior being trying to have conversations with ants? Why does he care about the ant colony?"

I saw Q more as playing with the ant colony rather than trying to talk to it. The ep "Hide and Q" is a classic example. Q's game where he puts the crew in a mock Napoleonic battle with humanoid pig-like creatures was Q's way of playing with us like a kid would put ants in a glass of water to see what they do.

sonak · December 20 2012, 05:40 PM

Romulan_spy wrote:

Forbin wrote:

My main reaction is "why is this superior being trying to have conversations with ants? Why does he care about the ant colony?"

I saw Q more as playing with the ant colony rather than trying to talk to it. The ep "Hide and Q" is a classic example. Q's game where he puts the crew in a mock Napoleonic battle with humanoid pig-like creatures was Q's way of playing with us like a kid would put ants in a glass of water to see what they do.

yeah, I agree that makes more sense than the whole "the Q are afraid of Human potential" nonsense we got at other points. If they just stuck with the idea that Q was just having fun toying with them it would make more sense AND would be scarier, because who wants to think of superpowerful beings with sadistic streaks?

Gary7 · December 20 2012, 06:04 PM

I enjoyed De Lancie's performance. He was hilarious. But I wish his character had been something else. "Q" didn't make sense to me at all. The comparing the Q's perception of us akin to how we perceive ants doesn't fit (ants don't have much to say at all, whereas we've got plenty), because we could be seen as being within the upper percentile of the evolutionary scale. Certainly "Q" would be curious to a degree and be well equipped to communicate with us (ants are near the bottom of the food chain and don't demonstrate communication outside of primary life concerns--food, shelter, enemies).

But I fully believe that an omnipotent race like the "Q" would either seek out to police the universe or dominate it. They don't seem to do either. And then you have this anomaly with one individual where it likes to tease and taunt people with no productive or scientific aims (e.g. study). The "Q" being we meet has many human qualities... and I seriously don't think that fits at all.

BillJ · December 20 2012, 06:47 PM

I thought there were several worthwhile Q episodes that explored the potential of the character...

Encounter at Farpoint
Hide and Q
Q Who?
Deja Q
All Good Things...
Death Wish

The rest were garbage.

The Overlord · December 20 2012, 06:54 PM

BillJ wrote:

I thought there were several worthwhile Q episodes that explored the potential of the character...

Encounter at Farpoint
Hide and Q
Q Who?
Deja Q
All Good Things...
Death Wish

The rest were garbage.

What about Tapestry?

The Wormhole · December 20 2012, 07:04 PM

indolover wrote:

Whilst it was a good concept and Q is cool as a character, I can't help it a bit pretentious.

So humans are so great, we'll become Gods in the distant future?

To be fair, this idea didn't really start with Q, a few of the omnipotent energy being in TOS were like that, such as the Metrons.

C.E. Evans · December 20 2012, 07:22 PM

indolover wrote:

Whilst it was a good concept and Q is cool as a character, I can't help it a bit pretentious.

So humans are so great, we'll become Gods in the distant future?

To some primitive civilizations, humans already are with their magical "skyships," transporters, phasers, and medicines that can cheat death itself.

BillJ · December 20 2012, 07:51 PM

The Overlord wrote:

What about Tapestry?

Never got the fuss over this episode.

Drago-Kazov · December 20 2012, 08:34 PM

The Wormhole wrote:

indolover wrote:

Whilst it was a good concept and Q is cool as a character, I can't help it a bit pretentious.

So humans are so great, we'll become Gods in the distant future?

To be fair, this idea didn't really start with Q, a few of the omnipotent energy being in TOS were like that, such as the Metrons.

It would be fun if some species wold only be omnipotent in certain areas of space.

Greg Cox · December 20 2012, 08:56 PM

indolover wrote:

Whilst it was a good concept and Q is cool as a character, I can't help it a bit pretentious.

So humans are so great, we'll become Gods in the distant future?

That's one to look it at it. You can also see it from the opposite perspective: that the Q (and other transcendent entities) keep our all-too-human heroes humble by reminding them that the universe is full of lifeforms that are a lot more evolved than we are . . . .

KamenRiderBlade · December 20 2012, 09:21 PM

Greg Cox wrote:

indolover wrote:

Whilst it was a good concept and Q is cool as a character, I can't help it a bit pretentious.

So humans are so great, we'll become Gods in the distant future?

That's one to look it at it. You can also see it from the opposite perspective: that the Q (and other transcendent entities) keep our all-too-human heroes humble by reminding them that the universe is full of lifeforms that are a lot more evolved than we are . . . .

I treat 'Q' more like the Greek Gods.

They just go about doing as they feel and messing with people.

JirinPanthosa · December 22 2012, 05:37 AM

Yeah, it does seem a bit odd that in Trek, the next evolutionary step after human is 'Omnipotent energy being'. Like in Transfigurations or with Kes.

I like the analogy Data made, Q doesn't want to talk to humanity on equal terms, humanity is Q's favorite pet. He likes taking out his laser pointer and watching us chase it around. His favorite humans are the ones who bark back, that's why he's so fond of Picard.'

The Q do dominate the universe. You think they don't? They don't have any reason to wipe out or police humans any more than humans have a reason to police all the lions for killing gazelles.

December 20 2012, 03:18 PM	#1
indolover Fleet Captain	Do you agree with the concept of the Q? Whilst it was a good concept and Q is cool as a character, I can't help it a bit pretentious. So humans are so great, we'll become Gods in the distant future?

December 20 2012, 04:05 PM	#2
Forbin Admiral Location: I said out, dammit!	Re: Do you agree with the concept of the Q? My main reaction is "why is this superior being trying to have conversations with ants? Why does he care about the ant colony?" later, I was annoyed at the writers' lack of courage and imagination. The Q are omnipotent beings that could wipe out the Federation with a thought. The most dangerous beings in the cosmos. So let's make Q comedy relief, a prancing boob worthy only of our derision, so we don't have to deal with the fact that he could wipe out existence at a wrong word from us. __________________ My kitbashes: http://www.inpayne.com/models/kitbash/trekpage.html My Kitbash Wallpapers: http://www.inpayne.com/models/wallpa...allpapers.html My kitbash calendar: http://inpayne.com/calendar/kbcalendar2013.html

December 20 2012, 04:24 PM	#3
JarodRussell Vice Admiral	Re: Do you agree with the concept of the Q? Well, he wasn't allowed to do that. __________________ lol l /\

December 20 2012, 06:04 PM	#6
Gary7 Rear Admiral Location: Near Manhattan ··· in an alternate reality	Re: Do you agree with the concept of the Q? I enjoyed De Lancie's performance. He was hilarious. But I wish his character had been something else. "Q" didn't make sense to me at all. The comparing the Q's perception of us akin to how we perceive ants doesn't fit (ants don't have much to say at all, whereas we've got plenty), because we could be seen as being within the upper percentile of the evolutionary scale. Certainly "Q" would be curious to a degree and be well equipped to communicate with us (ants are near the bottom of the food chain and don't demonstrate communication outside of primary life concerns--food, shelter, enemies). But I fully believe that an omnipotent race like the "Q" would either seek out to police the universe or dominate it. They don't seem to do either. And then you have this anomaly with one individual where it likes to tease and taunt people with no productive or scientific aims (e.g. study). The "Q" being we meet has many human qualities... and I seriously don't think that fits at all. __________________ Remembering Ensign Mallory.

December 20 2012, 06:47 PM	#7
BillJ Vice Admiral Location: Greater Cincinnati	Re: Do you agree with the concept of the Q? I thought there were several worthwhile Q episodes that explored the potential of the character... Encounter at Farpoint Hide and Q Q Who? Deja Q All Good Things... Death Wish The rest were garbage. __________________ Boobies are evil!!!

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December 22 2012, 05:37 AM	#15
JirinPanthosa Captain	Re: Do you agree with the concept of the Q? Yeah, it does seem a bit odd that in Trek, the next evolutionary step after human is 'Omnipotent energy being'. Like in Transfigurations or with Kes. I like the analogy Data made, Q doesn't want to talk to humanity on equal terms, humanity is Q's favorite pet. He likes taking out his laser pointer and watching us chase it around. His favorite humans are the ones who bark back, that's why he's so fond of Picard.' The Q do dominate the universe. You think they don't? They don't have any reason to wipe out or police humans any more than humans have a reason to police all the lions for killing gazelles.