'All Good Things' and Picard destroying humanity

[JesterFace]

Have you ever thought it like this...

Q says that Picard will cause the destruction of humanity but would humanity been in any danger if Q wasn't throwing Picard through time? Picard caused the antitime anomaly but that happened after he started going through past, present and future.

And to top it all of, wasn't it Data who came up with the inverse tachyon pulse that ripped through time.

 

[Mojochi]

Yes on all counts. It's all part of the Q trial. Q did it by moving Picard through time (& not telling him he was going to do it, meaning Picard was unprepared. Kind of unfair imho) So Picard makes the fatal flaw of converging the beams (Even though Data suggested the beam in 2 of the time periods) It's Picard who initiates them all, in the same place, at different times.

This goes back to Hide & Q and what the Q trial is REALLY about, (Even though it's claimed to be about defending themselves on the charge of being a barbarous race) It's really about the fact that the Q are concerned that Humanity (& their morality) will evolve to the level of Q some day (Thus maybe ruining their less moral party/monopoly on the universe)

The Q are testing humans on whether they are going to be bothersome some day. That's why the tests are always "You aren't prepared for what awaits you" The Borg, the tapestry of Picard's life, having Q powers, living outside of time etc... It all goes back to this exchange...

Picard: No. I know Hamlet. And what he said with irony I to say with conviction. "What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty. In form, in moving, how express and admirable. In action, how like an angel. In apprehension, how like a god...

Q: You don't really see your species like that, do you?

Picard: I see us one day becoming that, "Q". Is that what concerns you?

It is. So they set them up all the time, with stuff that puts them outside their scope of understanding. Just because Q did it in All Good Things..., doesn't mean that it wouldn't have happened some day, on its own anyway. Just like Picard said Q did them a service by waking them up to the reality of the Borg, Q is doing him a service here, in realizing what it means to live outside of time, before they stumble on it naturally, (Kind of like Wesley does) or how Q did him a service in realizing not to pull the strings on the tapestry of his own life etc...

"The trial never ends." As long as humanity is marching ever closer to the omnipotence enjoyed by the Q, the Q will be keeping a close eye on it. That's why I kind of like the Wesley/Traveler story arc. It's the one example in the series of Humanity evolving into the kind of powers that the Q hold dominion over. So there is a canonical precedent on the show that they should be concerned. It's already happening

 

[Horta]

Mojochi, excellent post! Thank you!

 

[Horta]

At the end, when Q says, "For on brief second, you were open to options you had never considered. That is the exploration that waits you (...) charting the unknown possibilities of existence." Here, Q is not really worried about the evolution of humanity, he seems to acting more as a guide, a helper... he is giving a hint, just as he did with the paradox. He is trying to help.
In some ways it is similar to a first contact: as a species is on the threshold of a new relationship to the universe, a more advanced species reaches out and acts as a guide. But this is more profound than just getting a grip on a new technology (warp) and one's position in the universe (we are not alone), Q is talking about mankind evolving into a new, more advanced species. This is the perfect thought for the end of TNG becasue it is a testament and a tribute to Gene's vision: we can be better, we can evolve. Anything is possible. We don't accept man's basest attributes as man's eternal lot, assuming "that's the way man has always been, and always will be," instead we believe in the possibility of the unimaginable, our evolution...into something better.
This speaks to us on a very deep, universal level, but we can also see on a more mundane level. That is, on one level we can ponder a metamorphosis or evolution into a healed, superior species, or another level, we can look at it simply as choosing to be better humans today, in our current form. This is the first step, to be open to the possibilities.
Being "open to options you had never considered," can be a simple as hoping or believing in the possibility of growth and change. This alone gives life more meaning. "Being open" also can be a simple as not seeing the world in such limited way. For example, some people experience the world and life within the framework: "it is either black or white, i.e., "the other political party is always wrong an evil and stupid with disingenuous views." Such thinking prevents any progress or growth. Imagine if we all viewed all people as individuals with valid, sincere ideas that we may or may not agree with, and sincerely talked about issues with a drive to shed light and find solutions. Imagine how much more progress we would make solving the problems on earth.
During TNG's time, humans had arrived at this point. Q is suggesting we will go further if we are open to it.

 

[Mojochi]

At the end, when Q says, "For on brief second, you were open to options you had never considered. That is the exploration that waits you (...) charting the unknown possibilities of existence." Here, Q is not really worried about the evolution of humanity, he seems to acting more as a guide, a helper... he is giving a hint, just as he did with the paradox. He is trying to help.

I always took that as being personal for Q. I think he actually likes Picard, & while the Q are certainly concerned about humanity (Enough so that they execute Amanda Roger's parents for masquerading as humans) Q himself, has grown fond of them, especially Jean-Luc. "In all the universe, you're the closest thing I have to a friend, Jean-Luc" I think he kind of means that, in Deja-Q. He wants Picard, more than anybody else, to understand what's going down

With Wesley, we certainly know Humanity is evolving, & with John Doe, from Transfigurations, we know that there's a precedent of humanoid lifeforms reaching a state of evolution where they can metamorphose into energy beings. So too may someday be the case for humans. Trelane, The Douwd, The Cytherians, The Organians... all manner of lifeforms existing between our current state of evolution & full blown omnipotence have been shown. I kind of missed that after TNG. I never felt like someone had an evolved impression of our future, surfacing in the show

 

[at Quark's]

As a side note, I always liked some of Q's remarks in this episode. Felt like the writers took this final opportunity to exercise some self-criticism

Q: Of being inferior. Seven years ago I said we'd be watching you, and we have been, hoping that your ape-like race would demonstrate some growth, give some indication that your minds have room for expansion. But what have we seen instead? You worrying about Commander Riker's career, listening to Counsellor Troi's pedantic psychobabble, indulging Data in his witless exploration of humanity.

 

[JesterFace]

Some of the things mentioned above remind me why TNG is the best series ever.
Not just best Trek but the best series / form of entertainment ever.

 

[Stroudarian]

Yes on all counts. It's all part of the Q trial. Q did it by moving Picard through time (& not telling him he was going to do it, meaning Picard was unprepared. Kind of unfair imho) So Picard makes the fatal flaw of converging the beams (Even though Data suggested the beam in 2 of the time periods) It's Picard who initiates them all, in the same place, at different times.

This goes back to Hide & Q and what the Q trial is REALLY about, (Even though it's claimed to be about defending themselves on the charge of being a barbarous race) It's really about the fact that the Q are concerned that Humanity (& their morality) will evolve to the level of Q some day (Thus maybe ruining their less moral party/monopoly on the universe)

The Q are testing humans on whether they are going to be bothersome some day. That's why the tests are always "You aren't prepared for what awaits you" The Borg, the tapestry of Picard's life, having Q powers, living outside of time etc... It all goes back to this exchange...It is. So they set them up all the time, with stuff that puts them outside their scope of understanding. Just because Q did it in All Good Things..., doesn't mean that it wouldn't have happened some day, on its own anyway. Just like Picard said Q did them a service by waking them up to the reality of the Borg, Q is doing him a service here, in realizing what it means to live outside of time, before they stumble on it naturally, (Kind of like Wesley does) or how Q did him a service in realizing not to pull the strings on the tapestry of his own life etc...

"The trial never ends." As long as humanity is marching ever closer to the omnipotence enjoyed by the Q, the Q will be keeping a close eye on it. That's why I kind of like the Wesley/Traveler story arc. It's the one example in the series of Humanity evolving into the kind of powers that the Q hold dominion over. So there is a canonical precedent on the show that they should be concerned. It's already happening

Very eloquently put. I find myself agreeing with you on so many levels on a whole range of topics.

 

[Marynator]

Very eloquently put. I find myself agreeing with you on so many levels on a whole range of topics.

Oh yes even like when I don't fully agree with Mojochi he's just too eloquent to disagree with lol.

 

[Mojochi]

Oh yes even like when I don't fully agree with Mojochi he's just too eloquent to disagree with lol.

Hahaha. It honestly surprises me when anyone is patient enough to read through most of what I write here. Even I'm surprised how long some of them end up, & as a result, I try to be as polite as possible in debating, because why would I want to fight with someone who is willingly reading all the things I write? That's just so nice of them lol

 

[Marynator]

I read almost everything you write very carefully, you're very thoughtful in your posts and I can tell you're very intelligent, and when you're debating I don't feel so much you're trying to convince me to your side but rather offering your perspective and why you think what you do, if you know what I mean? I find your style inspirational and I'm trying to model my own debating style after yours as best I can, I do have a few buttons though that I tend to get pretty worked up over when they're pushed, lol.