Does the Q exist across all multi-verses?

[Citiprime]

I think it would be better to say the Q are able to travel between realities, rather than there's only one Q continuum that exists across all realities.

Because the latter gets into some sticky philosophical issues.

If there's only one Q (e.g., the John DeLancie version) that exists across all realities, then that would imply they really are some sort of "higher power" in the Star Trek universe that came into existence through some way where they're detached from the natural order of our universe, instead of being native to this universe and just another species that somehow evolved into their abilities. Early TNG implies this, when Q seems concerned humanity will one day evolve into something similar to the Q.

Other species this question arguably applies to would be the Prophets and the Guardian of Forever, since the Prophets exist beyond linear time and the Guardian of Forever has the ability to connect to alternate universes.

 

[at Quark's]

I think it would be better to say the Q are able to travel between realities, rather than there's only one Q continuum that exists across all realities.

Because the latter gets into some sticky philosophical issues.

If there's only one Q (e.g., the John DeLancie version) that exists across all realities, then that would imply they really are some sort of "higher power" in the Star Trek universe that came into existence through some way where they're detached from the natural order of our universe, instead of being native to this universe and just another species that somehow evolved into their abilities. Early TNG implies this, when Q seems concerned humanity will one day evolve into something similar to the Q.

Other species this question arguably applies to would be the Prophets and the Guardian of Forever, since the Prophets exist beyond linear time and the Guardian of Forever has the ability to connect to alternate universes.

Well...

As a TrewBeliever (tm) I say

Credo in unum Continuum. Credo quia absurdum.

 

[Qonundrum]

Agreed that reality itself would probably be pretty chaotic if there were multiple Q Continuums (Continua?)

I thought the Q Continuum was in its very own reality or "plane of existence," separate from other universes/quantum realities/whatever you want to call them.

It might be in its own, but it doesn't stop members of it from popping into Trek's universes.

It'd be funny if there were multiple continuums, all unaware of each other. Until that other "very special episode" gets aired where the door is opened.

Now, did the Q evolve from a less-advanced species? Q (the one we usually see) did say in VOY The Q and the Grey, "The Q didn't come into existence. The Q have always existed." But I thought there was dialog in some other episodes indicating that they developed into their current state over a really long time period. If that's the case, which universe did they start in? And if it's possible for one corporeal species to evolve into the Q, then that also raises the possibility of the same thing happening to multiple species in multiple universes. I'll just go with Q's statement that they've always existed.

Kor

That's VOY for ya, with the inconsistencies. Q's probably fibbing, or - for such an omnipotent species - is blissfully unaware that it didn't exist for zillion millennia? It's all getting a bit overdone either way. Q in our universe being one way, the same Q in another developing more benignly, or more malevolently... That's where VOY got it right - instead of reusing the old parallel universe mirror trope, they found other interesting ways to show the crew as being malevolent. "Living Witness" being one great example of this.

 

[at Quark's]

I think it would be better to say the Q are able to travel between realities, rather than there's only one Q continuum that exists across all realities.

Because the latter gets into some sticky philosophical issues.

If there's only one Q (e.g., the John DeLancie version) that exists across all realities, then that would imply they really are some sort of "higher power" in the Star Trek universe that came into existence through some way where they're detached from the natural order of our universe, instead of being native to this universe and just another species that somehow evolved into their abilities. Early TNG implies this, when Q seems concerned humanity will one day evolve into something similar to the Q.

Other species this question arguably applies to would be the Prophets and the Guardian of Forever, since the Prophets exist beyond linear time and the Guardian of Forever has the ability to connect to alternate universes.

There's three different versions of Braxton resulting from 'temporal paradoxes and incursions' in Relativity but we're told to not worry about that, because they'll all be 're-integrated before the trial'.

Assuming that the Q started out as just a 'local' species, and there were different branches of in from different universes, perhaps something similar happened to them when they transcended those boundaries.

 

[Ronald Held]

I meant to say, that I prefer not to speculate about "them".

 

[Ronald Held]

There is one Q continuum, with access to all of the multiverse? No real need for multiverse of Q continuums.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I don't think this has ever been explained in Trek (maybe there's a suggested answer in Tapestry), but do we think the Q (or beings like them) exist across all multi-verses, or is there a Q for each one? For example, is there DeLancie Q for each alternate reality or would the one DeLancie Q span all realities?

Only when he wants to.

 

[Toril Toran]

Did Q evolve from a lower species, or did the Q always exist?

Yes.

You are not thinking fourth dimensionally Marty.

They may have evolved from a lower species, however you have to remember that they can go anywhere in time and space.

So they evolve from a lower species, then travel in time and space.

So from their perspective they did evolve from a lower life form AND they have always existed.

Isn’t Temporal Mechanics fun?

 

[at Quark's]

Did Q evolve from a lower species, or did the Q always exist?

Yes.

You are not thinking fourth dimensionally Marty.

They may have evolved from a lower species, however you have to remember that they can go anywhere in time and space.

So they evolve from a lower species, then travel in time and space.

So from their perspective they did evolve from a lower life form AND they have always existed.

Isn’t Temporal Mechanics fun?

That's part of my view, too.

Yes, they evolved from a lower species, then when passing some 'higher species barrier' they established themselves across time and space, and they have since that always always existed, from the beginning of time.

Much like the Kelvin timeline simultaneously originated from the original TOS timeline (from our out-of-universe perspecive), and always has been there as a causality loop (from an inside-universe-perspective).

Reminds me of a joke I read once in a short SF story. About a culture where time travel is common, two friends walking though a park. One of them suddenly stops and points out a bench (or a mailbox or some such thing). Look, there, how suspicious! What do you mean, says the other, that bench has always been there. Yes, yes, I know, says the other, I have fond memories of playing around it from early childhood. But had that bench always been there yesterday ?

 

[Ronald Held]

I presume that the Q evolved earliest from a corporeal species, and evolved "upward" for 10 billion years or so.

 

[Citiprime]

If Q exists across the multiverse, there's an interesting question this creates...

Why does Q have a specific affection for the Picard in the Prime Universe? There are an infinite number of Picards across the multiverse. Why is Q enamored with this one specific Picard out of an infinite number of them?

Also, is humanity on trial in every universe? Or just in ours?

 

[Nerys Myk]

If Q exists across the multiverse, there's an interesting question this creates...

Why does Q have a specific affection for the Picard in the Prime Universe? There are an infinite number of Picards across the multiverse. Why is Q enamored with this one specific Picard out of an infinite number of them?

Also, is humanity on trial in every universe? Or just in ours?

He loves all his Picards equally. He just makes sure none of them actually meet. That's why there was never a TNG Mirrorverse story.

 

[at Quark's]

He loves all his Picards equally. He just makes sure none of them actually meet. That's why there was never a TNG Mirrorverse story.

Like every child believes Santa Claus comes specifically (or mostly) for him (or her), so every version of Picard believes Q has picked only him.

The main difference being that Picard is rather less fond of Q.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Yeah, I agree,. there's only one Q Continuum and it exists simultaneously in all realities.

Kind of like Unicron from Transformers.

 

[fireproof78]

If Q exists across the multiverse, there's an interesting question this creates...

Why does Q have a specific affection for the Picard in the Prime Universe? There are an infinite number of Picards across the multiverse. Why is Q enamored with this one specific Picard out of an infinite number of them?

Also, is humanity on trial in every universe? Or just in ours?

Each universe is on trial to see who can beat the others.

Qs like betting on the different timelines.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

If Q exists across the multiverse, there's an interesting question this creates...

Why does Q have a specific affection for the Picard in the Prime Universe? There are an infinite number of Picards across the multiverse. Why is Q enamored with this one specific Picard out of an infinite number of them?

Also, is humanity on trial in every universe? Or just in ours?

Spoiler: ST:PIC S2 <S P O I L E R S>

In ST:PIC S2, at the end, Q tells Picard that "Even Gods has Favorites, you were always mine".

Picard: But... why does all this matter?
Is something going to happen for which I will be required?

Q: Must it always have Galactic Import?
Universal stakes, celestial upheaval?
Isn't one life enough?
You ask me why it matters.
It matters to me.
You matter to me.
Even gods have favorites, Jean-Luc.
And you've always been one of mine.

Picard: Q...

Q: Time's almost up.
I have one last surprise in store.

 

[publiusr]

The Organians and Metrons I can see Mirror variants of—Q being an outsider.

There may be universes where they can only go one way.

A universe with laws of physics that don’t cooperate (like ours) would be their final destination.

This universe would be even more constricting:

Weakless universe - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Then too, perhaps each Q *is* a universe

 

[Toril Toran]

I kind of assume ( rightly or wrongly, possibly both) that there is only one dimension for each higher life form in Star Trek. The Q, Organians, Metrons, etc., etc., each have their own single dimension, with no counterpart in other dimensions.
Since we assume there are an infinite number of dimensions in Star Trek, there would be room enough for all.

My question is if there are an infinite number of dimensions, are there mirror universes for each one? Or just one mirror universe for all?

 

[somebuddyX]

Yeah I think they exist across all multiverses except when they don't

 

[Victoria]

I kind of assume ( rightly or wrongly, possibly both) that there is only one dimension for each higher life form in Star Trek. The Q, Organians, Metrons, etc., etc., each have their own single dimension, with no counterpart in other dimensions.
Since we assume there are an infinite number of dimensions in Star Trek, there would be room enough for all.

My question is if there are an infinite number of dimensions, are there mirror universes for each one? Or just one mirror universe for all?

Now my head hurts...