True. Regardless I just struggle with the whole idea that mating with an alien must be done, essentially forcing sexual contact for the sake of the crew. I don't know of many people who would say that I should just have sex with whomever to get my way as a positive thing. But, maybe I'm old-fashioned. Regardless, Janeway expressed no sexual interest in Q and having her compromise personal principles or beliefs is strange to me.
Look at Worf/Troi, 7/Chuckles, 7/Raffi and Kira/Odo its never really stopped Trek before. And if I was stuck 70yrs from home ide take a finger to get back
With Q appearing in Janeway's bath tub and attempting to romance her, every suggestion and innuendo indicated sex, and there was no reason for a woman to be pressured into prostitution for the sake of "taking one for the team." Pretty reprehensible idea.
From a doctor's point of view, saving lives IS the "important stuff to do." And no, Picard wouldn't have bothered reviving the frozen people. To him, they were already dead, so they could just be ignored. His entire attitude toward anyone displaying less than the "proper" 24th-Century Attitude of Starfleet Enlightenment is that they're some kind of primitive variety of human, that he's ashamed to be seen with. Again, she is following HER instinct to help and heal. What part of "she didn't know it only involved touching fingers" is difficult to fathom? Q wanted to MATE with her, to MAKE HER PREGNANT. For humans, unless artificial insemination and artificial wombs are used, that involves sex and childbirth. Would she have gone through with it if he'd explained everything beforehand? If he'd made it quick and painless like it was for Troi when she had her baby (at least Janeway was asked for consent; the alien that invaded Troi's body essentially raped her, hijacking her reproductive system without her consent)? Was this yet another form of Q testing humanity, to see how far Janeway would be willing to go for her crew? We have no idea, but if you're really determined to see what happens if Janeway had consented, there are several fanfics exploring this. Even if this was correct, which it isn't, so what? Could Janeway have had a child and given it up to the father and not raised it herself, knowing that the child would be half-Q? What would Starfleet have said when they returned? Can you imagine the debriefing: ADMIRALS: Captain Janeway, how did you get home so quickly, from so far away? And why does your latest physical indicate that you're pregnant? You know you're not supposed to fraternize with the crew. JANEWAY: Q said he would send us home if I had sex with him and had his child. So I did. Have sex, I mean. I haven't had the child yet. ADMIRALS: WHAT???! JANEWAY: Well, at first I thought of my principles and Starfleet principles... and finally I decided I didn't want to put up with any more whining from Harry Kim about still being an ensign. ADMIRALS: But... Q! JANEWAY: Oh, relax, get your minds out of the gutter. It was only a finger touch. Exactly. SHE DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME! You seem to have a hard time understanding that when he made the offer, he didn't bother explaining that it was only a finger touch and that no human-style sex would be involved. So yes, she did have reason to believe that she would need to compromise her morals. None of the males in those couples tried to bribe the females into sex and childbirth in exchange for something they wanted.
Also, there is no reason to assume that because two Q did it that way automatically means that would have been the experience for Janeway. Again, that assumes a lot about the moral cost and experience for Janeway.
The 2 Q's have a little discussion about which way to do it because they could pick anything so i assume if it was Q and a human it would be done the human way
Yes, with sex implied every step of the way, there's something disturbing about what came across as: "Put out so you can go home." And it's just as disturbing that posters are insisting she should've violated her conscience. Q violated her privacy as she lay naked in her tub, and had a hard time accepting "no" from her repeatedly. The episode really has some dark overtones even though it's presented as lighthearted. It's a problem that continues today - as we've seen in The Orville in the very first episode when Kelly gets raped in a situation that's equivalent to getting drugged by someone who uses her. But the lighthearted tone of the show expects the audience to actually laugh when that scene is shown, with none of the moral issues represented whatsoever in that episode or when the violation comes up again later on. Where shows like these try to tackle moral issues in a profound way, sometimes they end up missing the point completely.
IIRc, there is a line in Farpoint like "You are expanding across the galaxy faster than we expected." That's why the Q intervene then, not in TOS or Enterprise.
Which was why the concept of Q was relevant on Star Trek: The Next Generation. It became clear by "Q Who" Q was looking out for Picard and his representation of humanity.
Also, I think it had something to do with the Borg attacking the Romulans at that time. The Q could maybe foresee that this expansive, relatively benevolent race, was about to be wiped out, and decided to test them for a few years on the matter. Maybe they also knew the Dominion was unknowingly right on their doorstep (with a wormhole just there waiting to be discovered).
Yes, it is an arguable point that the Q are concerned that the Federation will encounter the Borg too early if they explore too fast.
Or Q transported the Enterprise to meet that Borg cube in order to warn the Federation about them. After all, there was already Borg activity along the Neutral Zone by the end of Season 1.
Interesting to note: Q's agenda in Encounter at Farpoint is explicitly to prevent humanity from expanding and exploring too far. And while the episode seems to refute this, most of the rest of TNG doesn't feature exploration on the same level as TOS. They do minor missions almost entirely within Federation space or known polities. "The Great Unknown" that Picard spoke of in Encounter at Farpoint is never mentioned again. So, it seems Q got exactly what he wanted. And by focusing their energies on fighting back the Borg and later the Dominion (what exactly was Q and Vash doing in the Gamma Quadrant?), they are prevented even further from exploration of the Galaxy.