The Q or the Prophets?

[Nightdiamond]

Which is more powerful? Which would win in a conflict against each other?

I actually saw some debates on this idea, which I found interesting. I'm sure this question has come up for some viewers, since DS9 has focused on the Prophets as the chosen entities, like T.N.G did with the Q.

In my opinion, I don't think they would be interested in a conflict with each other, considering how advanced they are.

Still, here are some of their purported powers;

The Q-

1. Can materialize themselves in any form instantly.
2. Can travel through time
3. Can control time
4. Can create or re-create virtual worlds with people, all 'real'
5. Can apparently shrink or enlarge objects to any size they wish
6. Can alter another being's physical form
7. Extremely high or unlimited I.Q

What made the Q so fascinating is that at first glance, they appeared to be able to do anything. We saw them create real 'virtual' worlds with 'fantasy' people that were flesh and blood with personailties.

We also seen Q block the Enterprise's path with a giant energy field. And for time travel, Q took Picard into the past, at least 2 times, one before human life began...


The Prophets-

1. Naturally exists outside all time
2. Can travel through time, or send other people through it
3. Can make physical objects inside the wormhole disappear
4. Can communicate telepathiclly
5. Can alter a being's personality and heal them as well

The Prophets really caught our attention when they made the Dominion fleet disappear. I think most viewers were thinking that maybe, they might just disable the ships where they were, but instead they surprised everyone and just made them all vanish.

So the question and debate is, with these powers, who would win, or is more powerful?

 

[JustKate]

I don't think they can really be compared. I have always though of them has having completely different kinds of power, so how can it be compared?

The Q seem to be a lot like any other species, just infinitely more powerful - they can get angry or at least petulant, they can develop relationships with each other or representatives of other species, they even procreate, though very rarely. They remind me a lot of the Roman gods and goddesses - human in both good and bad ways.

But the Prophets seem to be...outside the concerns of the rest of us. They are remote, and they move in mysterious ways. I think the Prophets just wouldn't find the Continuum...very interesting. Or if they did find them interesting, it would be in ways we couldn't fathom.

 

[Nightdiamond]

I don't think they can really be compared. I have always though of them has having completely different kinds of power, so how can it be compared?

The Q seem to be a lot like any other species, just infinitely more powerful - they can get angry or at least petulant, they can develop relationships with each other or representatives of other species, they even procreate, though very rarely. They remind me a lot of the Roman gods and goddesses - human in both good and bad ways.

But the Prophets seem to be...outside the concerns of the rest of us. They are remote, and they move in mysterious ways. I think the Prophets just wouldn't find the Continuum...very interesting. Or if they did find them interesting, it would be in ways we couldn't fathom.

That was my first thought as well. The Q appear to understand and interact with this universe a more, while the Prophets are more "alien" and less interested in it.

And that they expressed their power in different ways, though with time travel, they are very simillar. I think being as advanced as they are, with the exception of the Pah Wraiths or some Q, they just wouldn't be interested in conflict...

Do you think the Prophet's attitude makes them even more "advanced"?

 

[SomniumRabidum]

I doubt that this conflict would ever happen. Like some other posters have said, I doubt they would interest one another in any meaningful way.

However, if a conflict did arise, I'm going to disagree with you guys and go with the Q. I actually don't think it's even close.

 

[Navaros]

They both can in theory do anything. Yet for some inexplicable reason, most of the time, they don't do anything.

Same crap, different pile, as the saying goes.

Therefore it's a tie IMO.

 

[kythe]

Both the Q and the Prophets are so far from us in nature that I doubt we understand either of them well enough to judge their relationship. We probably do not understand their abilities completely either. The only information we have about either race is what they choose to share - it's entirely one-sided. Who is to say we have a complete picture of their lives?

 

[Anwar]

Well, it's clear we don't have enough hard evidence as to who's tougher.

More entertaining? Q.

 

[Anticitizen]

They'll fight until the Organians show up and tell them to knock it off.

 

[Nightdiamond]

I doubt that this conflict would ever happen. Like some other posters have said, I doubt they would interest one another in any meaningful way.

However, if a conflict did arise, I'm going to disagree with you guys and go with the Q. I actually don't think it's even close.

My first guess too, the Q have shown they could do almost anything.

On the other hand, wasn't it mentioned that Q had a reputation for tormenting and annoying other lifeforms just for amusement? The gas-like aliens who were somewhat powerful is an example.

However, consider this; the Prophets exist outside space and time. That means they see all points simultaneously.

Any attempt to collapse the wormhole or tamper with it, or even shrink it down to fit in a Q's palms would be seen already.

Collapse the Prophet's wormhole, and then return home only to find the... Prophets... looking at you curiously?

The Prophets could also just as easily go back before the Q's transformation or whatever they call it and prevent it from happening, thereby nullifying them .

 

[Too Much Fun]

Aw, I'm disappointed this wasn't about which characters are cooler. I always welcome the opportunity to praise Q and rip those supercorny Prophets. I agree that comparing the two is like comparing tangerines to oranges.

 

[Nightdiamond]

Aw, I'm disappointed this wasn't about which characters are cooler. I always welcome the opportunity to praise Q and rip those supercorny Prophets. I agree that comparing the two is like comparing tangerines to oranges.

Throw it in too! Same topic applies.

I think Q is funnier and communicates more smoothly with humans.

Shrinking the Voyager into the size of a christmas ornament seems to be huge evidence of they're being able to do almost anything.

 

[JustKate]

Well, it's clear we don't have enough hard evidence as to who's tougher.

More entertaining? Q.

Definitely!

I did enjoy the role the Prophets played in DS9...but I wouldn't call them "entertaining."

 

[kythe]

I'm not sure how they could have made the Prophets more "entertaining", but I don't believe that was their purpose in the story. If they were too much like Q, we would consider them a take-off. I like their differences is personality and function.

 

[JustKate]

I'm not sure how they could have made the Prophets more "entertaining", but I don't believe that was their purpose in the story. If they were too much like Q, we would consider them a take-off. I like their differences is personality and function.

Oh, I agree. They served completely different roles. That's another thing that makes them almost impossible to compare. I mean, since they didn't even attempt to do the same sorts of things, how can we compare them?

 

[matthunter]

Well, it's clear we don't have enough hard evidence as to who's tougher.

Sure we do. Federation technology can kill a Prophet, the Pagh Wraith possessing Keiko in The Assignment showed O'Brien how to do it.

The closest any of our heroes got to killing a Q was using the Q's own "virtualized" weapons against them in The Q and the Grey, and they couldn't have even gotten their hands on them if the female Q hadn't shown them how to get into the Continuum.

 

[JustKate]

^ How can you kill a being that doesn't exist in time?

 

[SolkaTruesilver]

^ How can you kill a being that doesn't exist in time?

Shooting chroniton particules at it a lot. Temporal energy seems to affect them badly.

But on the other hand, they are master manipulator. I doubt they won't foreseen you trying to kill them anyway.

 

[JustKate]

^ That's what I was thinking. Plus...since they don't exist in time and we do, how do we know that they're not merely gone during our particular time but still around...somewhere (somewhen)? It's gets, you know, awfully metaphysical.

 

[SolkaTruesilver]

^ That's what I was thinking. Plus...since they don't exist in time and we do, how do we know that they're not merely gone during our particular time but still around...somewhere (somewhen)? It's gets, you know, awfully metaphysical.

They...

Okay. See it that way: It's not that they can travel whatever way in the Time they want, it's that they live at every point of time existence.

I have no idea why they sent Orbs, by the way..

 

[JustKate]

Me either. My head is starting to hurt.

Anyway, your point (at least I think it was your point) that for various reasons, it might be difficult to make them cease to exist entirely is a valid one.