Q, Gives Janeway A Shortcut Back to Earth

Star Trek Voyager Season 7 Episode Episode 19 Q2

[@DrewSavo]

Q on TNG: recurring menace who toys with the crew and has morale repartee with Picard. Q on DS9: shows up once, gets punched in face by Sisko, never appeared again Q on VOY: caring and considerate, on friendly terms with Janeway.

[@DefSquadFan]

This weird to me and ruins the Q character

[@brch2]

@@DefSquadFan Why? Picard refused to be civil with Q, which usually is what drove Q (at least after their first encounter) to screw with them. Janeway didn't tolerate Q easily at first, but she was far more civil towards him than Picard, and he responded in kind. If Picard had acted better towards Q, Q would have acted better towards him. Almost everything Q did towards Picard, even including the first episode, ended up helping Picard and the crew in some way... they just hated to acknowledge it.

[@christiangarvin7351]

Sisco was part god tho

[@awesomechainsaw]

Q on Lower decks: He wished to test the captain in a similar way to Picard but was far more of a dick about it in the short scene we see. He then tries to do the same to Mariner who shoots him down. Responding with basically “Oh come on pal Picard is so boring now that he’s retired.” I love how differently he reacts to every character he meets.

[@averagehelper]

Q on MLP: bit of a nuisance, on friendly terms with a pegasus.

[@littleredruri]

I honestly love this dynamic. Picard always saw Q as nothing more than a nuisance, he never could see the humour in his antics. But Janeway can see him as a friend, she can get along with him and can actually see some of the fun that he sees. It's a really sweet thing.

[@jamesproctor4568]

Doesn't Janeway mention the first time she meets Q that the Federation basically had Picard's interactions with him documented, so that other captains could interact with him in a way that doesn't end with the captain, ship, and/or crew receiving the same treatment that Picard got?

[@tilasole3252]

Q tried to take Picard to bed before, but it didn't end well. So he obviously was trying to sweeten Janeway up.

[@DECODEDVFX]

@@jamesproctor4568 yep

[@MTNMN]

Sisko saw him as a punching bag 💀

[@randomrazr]

Q's homework led them towards the borg transwarp nebula

[@bradameerbeg2154]

The son of Q, played by the son of the actor who plays Q…. So freaking meta…

[@dieselyeti]

It's like Q squared?

[@EterPuralis]

Quintessentially Q

[@user-ob1kh6hp1y]

@@dieselyeti I guess if he had a grandson it would be Q'ubed

[@Vespyr_]

No wonder he looked just like him. I was shocked by what great casting they had. They cheated. Such a Q thing to do.

[@timriggins70]

And now John is a granddad through at least one of his sons

[@blue387]

Q gave Janeway a shortcut to go home, directly at a Borg transwarp hub in the final episode which Voyager used to get back home while destroying the hub. Q introduced the Federation to the Borg and then using Voyager, he crippled the Borg and got Voyager home.

[@thegreatkwyjibo5529]

This will only take a few years off our journey. That's what Janeway said, so why would the directions to the Borg transwarp hub only take a few years off?

[@SeansModelBuilds]

@@thegreatkwyjibo5529 She didn't know about it until Future Janeway told her about it.

[@kentonbaird1723]

Did... Did Q do all of this to eliminate the Borg from the galaxy?

[@suddenrushsarge]

@@kentonbaird1723 Seems like something he would do.

[@JnEricsonx]

@@kentonbaird1723 He's not allowed to do that. He wanted to do a good turn for Voyager. Don't forget he even told his son "DONT PROVOKE THE BORG."

[@warwargr3654]

I always wondered if Q giving Janeway the PADD was not just him being kind by shaving a few years off their journey but making sure Voyager actually had a chance of getting home. Who knows, the route they were taking could have lead to another 'Year of Hell' or any other possible numbers of phenomena ending with Voyagers destruction.

[@wiiviewer]

I have always believed he WAS sending them home. He just made them do the work. He sent them on the path of the Transwarp Hub. To him time is nothing, so he could see that Janeway would go back in time to make sure they could get home. It's very possible they wouldn't have been near it if it wasn't for him. It's not a coincidence it's so close to the end of the series.

[@shadowblack1987]

The route takes them to a place where future Janeway shows them the transwarp hub...

[@AlexanderRM1000]

@@wiiviewer Oooh nice catch! He practically did send them all the way home since they're only half a year out, except for needing to go through like 10 more monsters of the week and then a major confrontation with the Borg. When I saw the video title (never watched Voyager in full) I assumed knowing Star Trek it would involve him *offering* to send them all the way and Janeway finding some bizarre excuse to refuse and doom her crew to decades longer in the Delta Quadrant, just so the show wouldn't end. It's nice to see that they found a way that allowed him to actually send them home but at the same time made the ending feel earned.

[@ianmoseley9910]

Did not want to alter the time line

[@christopherg2347]

@@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket The time cops do not get involved in time travel, that lead to their own formation. Time travel that was fully initialized from their past. They had to pick a timeline to defend. That timeline invovled Admiral Janeway going back in time and blowing up a transwarp hub. Indeed, the Time Cops had the option to just keep Voyager at earth, during that first Braxton incident. But they could not, as their recorded history said "Admiral Janeway will appear and they will blow up a Transwarp hub, going home".

[@dnakatomiuk]

I love how Q and Janeway are like friends

[@lylek8933]

Too lazy to look up names, but the actor that plays Q is good friends to the actress that plays Janeway and he actually had a pivotal role in getting her to do so. I can see that friendship in this scene since it felt more like a conversation among friends than an exchange with the Q. :)

[@trevormoses5061]

@@lylek8933 John De Lancie and Kate Mulgrew were friends from a long time back (fellow students I think).

[@DefSquadFan]

I only watched Voyager until SevenofNine came on for a few episodes then I stopped watching.

[@martychisnall]

That’s all Q ever wanted from a Captain

[@archismanchakrabarty9752]

Yeah. Q and Picard were like a master and a pet.

[@scotts918]

*Janeway walks out of her office with a PADD in hand* - Paris, set this course, it'll take a few years off our journey. *Rest of the crew* - WTF...

[@davidhenderson3400]

By this point I do not think anyone would even see this as odd.

[@EduardoEscarez]

@@davidhenderson3400 Crew: Why... Janeway: Q Crew: Ahhh!

[@marks47]

Rest of crew: "Couldn't you have just had his kid, so we could be home already?" So much for "I'd do anything for the safety and welfare of my crew..."

[@EduardoEscarez]

@@marks47 LOL 🤣

[@noahhastings6145]

@@EduardoEscarez *Crew: "Y?" Janeway: "Q!" Crew: "A."

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

I fully believe "the shortcut" is what led to the events of the finale. It's a shame they didn't tie it all in

[@partyguy101ify]

They really could have tied it in. Maybe after Captain Janeway thanks Admiral Janeway after the Admiral dies, Q would show up and say, "Ahem, and me."

[@f123raptor]

I always liked to think the Q were actually humanity’s protectors rather than our antagonists, always keeping a watchful eye and from time to time throwing us into the deep end of the pool, not only to keep us humble but also to move us forward toward our potential. I also love to assume we eventually reached our true potential which is to one day become the continuum, reaching back through time and across space to guide ourselves along our path.

[@tilasole3252]

I doubt that is the Q Continuum's goal. But maybe John de Lancie's Q character once he and Picard got on good terms.

[@ObsidianKnight90]

It's not canon but there's a book in which it's heavily implied that during Q's participation in a rebellion against the Continuum he deflected a meteor thrown at him into the Earth... the one that killed the dinosaurs. One of Q's punishments upon surrendering and re-entering the continuum is that he was tasked in safeguarding the lifeforms of that planet, rather than just undoing his actions, as a reminder of the horrors and devastation that can be inflicted upon other beings through nothing more than a Q's carelessness. This is why (among other things) Q warns Picard about the Borg, because they are an existential threat to the Federation and Earth in particular (as evidenced by the First Contact movie).

[@The_Gallowglass]

@@tilasole3252 I think it is Q (John DeLancie) that has those plans for humanity, not necessarily the whole continuum

[@LexTan]

Q (John De Lancie), for how loyal he is to the Continuum also seems like he juggles several hats... Subject to and loyal to the Continuum, yet a rogue and free spirit who keeps the Continuum on their toes, worried about what he'll do next. I'm sure there are unseen members of the Continuum who think he's a fool to interact with humans and be some sort of spokesman, trying to get his pets recognition. But in the end Q always seems to enjoy and even love his human friends like Picard, Janeway and Mariner.

[@chuckliquor3663]

Kind of the inverse of the prime directive.

[@Ostermond]

Honestly, I would’ve really loved to see Q Junior as a crewmember.

[@joimumu]

but without his god powers

[@MrBlueBurd0451]

It would have given Harry a chance to be promoted because he's no longer Ensign Newbie.

[@mikewright3029]

@@joimumu let him keep one, please?.... maybe another empath for the crew? :3

[@JasonSmith-sz6pp]

Voyager could have had their very own Wesley.The writers missed on this one.

[@NoUniqueUsername]

Don’t you mean as a Q-member (bad pun, I shall see myself out)

[@skynetprime82]

If only Picard could've seen Q at that moment, in some ways Q actually matured as well

[@orgonkothewildlyuntamed6301]

yes especially the loss of some of his hair.........

[@prplhze2000]

Actually, she handled him much better than PIcard usually did. She didn't see him as an enemy and didn't mind standing up to him. She didn't let him get under her skin as PIcard did and Q probably liked her more. Hence he stopped trying to get a rise out of her as he did Picard and his crew.

[@FoieGras]

Picard is already dull, plodding, and pedantic. Having Q as he is now would've made him MOREso. Q appears to each captain as he is needed.

[@Hwyz447]

Picard was Q's first contact with humans. Picard was like Q's student. Q was teaching him lessons in life. The dangers of space travel and so on.

[@jawstrock2215]

Well, Picard was always against the idea to have a god like being influencing or forcing some evolution of people, or just handing them things without effort/work. Picard would much rather humanity figure things out for themselves. Janeway.. might be secretly wishing the Q would bring them home, so she would naturally just be nicer for it ;)

[@mdteletom1288]

Janeway knew how to play Q a lot better than Picard or Sisko did.

[@dalemcilwain]

Q knew Sisko didn't need him.

[@matthew8153]

Dale Mcilwain Sisko was a badass in his own right.

[@dalemcilwain]

@@matthew8153 Avery Brooks played two of tv's iconic characters 1. Sisko 2. Hawk. So he better be bad ass.

[@dalemcilwain]

@@matthew8153 Before Benjamin Sisko, there was Hawk (Spenser For Hire & A Man Called Hawk). Hawk was just 1,000% BAD ASS.

[@ananousous]

Better than Sisko? I think not

[@michaelh2001]

Before the kid disappeared, Janeway should have said, “Send us home, I’ll make you a crew member.” One minute later: “Tuvok to Captain, we are in Sector 001 and are being hailed by Starfleet.” Janeway, “Thank you, acting ensign Q!” 😀

[@attiepollard7847]

You heard what Q said he can't do it

[@corjonbett]

Love Janeway's smile at the end. "Well, he's got me, there!"

[@singletona082]

'What sort of example would I be if I did all the work for you.' Honestly? He's right. Also he's using Janeway to solve the borg problem FOR him and avoid them becoming a threat to the Q.... and indirectly you can thank him for their itenerary past this point in the show. All of it.

[@CertifiedDoc]

I don't see how the borg could possibly become a problem for the continuum.

[@blackmondayy1]

@@CertifiedDoc The Borg are by far the most formidable race I have ever seen .... but the way the Q continuum was presented to us all it would have taken was a snap of fingers and the Borg would cease to exist ... kind of like a Thanos moment.

[@CertifiedDoc]

@@blackmondayy1 My point exactly.

[@geoffreygualtieri378]

I can just imagine Janeway through this whole thing wondering “This guy is great, how did Picard not get along with him?”

[@DoremiFasolatido1979]

Yeah...he's only great BECAUSE of Picard not getting along with him. Though...they did mostly sort that out across the franchise in an "Odd Couple" kind of way. Picard is the one who taught Q mostly not to be a dick. He was always the rebel of the Continuum. Where they were dicks, but reserved and uptight about it...he was always out looking to have a good time "fulfilling his obligations" to the universe. And he caused a shitload of havoc because of it. Picard slowly broke him of that, got him to actually understand what he was doing, eventually. Then he encountered Sisko and realized how boring and pointless it all was to be the "imp" again, and moved on with his existence. Pretty much all Sisko had going for him...he managed to finally bore a Q. Q thought Sisko being stupid enough to punch him would mean more fun manipulating him. But the reality is, messing with someone that's easy to trigger isn't fun at all. Low-hanging fruit. So by the time he got to Janeway, he was largely a decent guy. Bit of a pain in the ass, but not malicious or cruel, or spiteful (mostly). Janeway got it easy with him. I'm sure she'd have been just as frustrated if she'd had to deal with him at the beginning.

[@The_Gallowglass]

@@DoremiFasolatido1979 I don't even see him as an adversary from the beginning. He gave them a wakeup call to check the Federations complacency and arrogance, when he sent the Borg their way.

[@ryanshannon6963]

@@The_Gallowglass I see Q more as a parental unit illustrating to their 13 year-old why they don't know as much as they think they do when he sent them to delta quadrant and then encountered the Borg. Picard was full of hubris, even if he didn't boast about it publicly, prior to that episode. By the end of the episode just prior to Q saving them from complete destruction/assimilation did Picard finally admit he/The Federation wasn't The Sh*t and that there were unexplored/unknown dangers that could break them in a mere instant if they weren't careful. I think Picard saw Q as reckless for putting his ship/crew in such danger "on a whim" at that time, so future encounters between the two gradually toned down from downright combative, to irritation, nuisance, then somewhat bothersome depending upon captain's mood and Q's level of sarcasm that day. Q did respect Picard for sure, but he knew there was damage done at the beginning of their relationship that would make it very difficult for something remotely close to a Janeway relationship. But, Janeway wasn't nearly as tight personality wise as Picard and her ability to give sh*t back as much or more than receiving it was more amenable to Q's personality, which definitely helps with the relationship.

[@dreadcthulhu5]

@@ryanshannon6963 Q is what is called a trickster mentor. They teach you things by making your life difficult, but in the end you learn more than you realized and grow a lot.

[@paulrippcord506]

Because Picard is as fun as counting rocks in a quarry. Janeway is the type of boss you’d talk to outside of work.

[@demarcusfaulkner7411]

Q is so full of himself but you can definitely see his son was important to him.

[@darania1]

'We come as a package deal was a sentimental but paternal thing to say'

[@averagehelper]

"What sort of an example would I be setting ... if I did all the work for you?" [Discord vibes]

[@Makeitso2023]

Gotta love how Q used janeways own morals of learning for ya self and not cheating against her showing that he to had learned as much Q junior

[@inkblotthecolt]

"hmm... What kind of FRIEND do you think I am?"

[@Jnor116]

People saying Q was an adversary to Picard, I say he was a good mentor, and probably knew Picard better than anyone else. He put Picard in tough situations to test his resolve and was impressed everytime. Then when Picard was in life threatening danger Q allowed him a chance to change his life. Q helped advance the federation and he found a worthy student willing to put aside pride to learn.

[@OneofInfinity.]

@Trolley The Troll Yes you are.

[@NPCSingularity]

I appreciate this view of things.

[@Jnor116]

@@NPCSingularity people claim Q was a villain, but if you watch his story arc unfold the truth is he found humans to be capable of much more than the continuum thought. While adversarial at first you can see over his appearances that he genuinely enjoys his time with Picard, and even breaks the rules to teach and mentor Picard into the evolution that he believes humans will eventually make. His only real anger towards Picsrd was when Picard mentioned that humans could potentially evolve to be better than the Q continuum. In the last episode of the Next generation he shows his fondness of Picard by teaching him a lesson to help expand the future of the human race. Telling Picard that the real exploration for humans will be when the explore their potential to think beyond their limitations as mortal beings. He is more a hard mentor than anything else.

[@NPCSingularity]

@@Jnor116 again, I like your view. Q was always one of my favorite guest stars on Trek.

[@corjonbett]

@@Jnor116 In one book, it's revealed Q was grooming Picard to speak for all existence to a being greater than the entire continuum. Picard's respone when asked to make a single statement to determine the fate of existence?? He LAUGHS at how ridiculous the situation is, saving all of reality!

[@cb7235]

Her reaction to the plethora of flowers is priceless

[@SchweitzerMan]

"What sort of example would I set for my son if I did all the work for you...?" Q vanishes and then Janeway starts kicking herself for all the opportunities she could have used to have Q get them home but didn't.

[@ananousous]

She just had to get pregnant

[@SchweitzerMan]

@@ananousous I think every member of the crew who died between The Q & the Grey and the time Voyager got home would have appreciated it if Janeway took one for the team. Remember how on TNG when everyone knew Lawaxanna Troi's sex drive had gone into overdrive, they had no problem setting up Picard with her?

[@ananousous]

@@SchweitzerMan Q's love for her was a fever, longing still for that which nurseth the disease

[@SchweitzerMan]

@@ananousous Tell me more!

[@ananousous]

@@SchweitzerMan I don't know about that Mr. SchweitzerMan. We just met, and my applebottom is private

[@PrimeEvilDean]

In one of the books that Q is in, he mentions why he didn't send Voyager back home to Earth despite appearing on the ship several times (in one case they even saved his life and he STILL didn't do it). It was because without Voyager "distracting" the Borg & Species 8472 in the Delta Quadrant, the Borg would've launched an assault on Earth the likes of which the Federation has never seen. I do believe in 1 episode, the Borg were planning to use some sort-of "assimilation virus" on Earth's population. Janeway stopped it. In another episode, Species 8472 was planning to infiltrate Starfleet Headquarters. Janeway stopped it. So basically, Q purposely kept them there to stop these threats to the Federation because Starfleet would have no knowledge of them considering they're coming from the other side of the galaxy. As far as him handing her the PADD, yes, he indirectly put the ship on a direct course to one of the Borg transwarp hubs knowing full-well Admiral Janeway from the future was going to give them the assist to get home AND provide Starfleet with future technology to defend itself against the Borg. Remember.....Picard himself even said that Q "seems to have a curiosity in humanity" and has "more than just a passing interest in what happens to us." Not all of it is parlor tricks and "tests."

[@styremcstyre]

What's the title of the book?

[@PrimeEvilDean]

@@styremcstyre Hmm....I think it was the one written by John DeLancie himself. I'm pretty sure it was called "I, Q," or something like that. Google it. Very good read. It shows like why Q does the things he does.

[@styremcstyre]

@@PrimeEvilDean I'll look it up, thanks!

[@PrimeEvilDean]

@@styremcstyre You're very welcome! The books answer A LOT of the questions that the TV shows never really address. Most are very good. Just steer clear of the books written by Shatner.....egad lol those get kinda zany lol

[@mikeymcmikeface5599]

I wouldn't join a continuum that would have me as a member.

[@jeanne8507]

Mikey McMikeFace - 😂😂😂

[@godzilloid]

Quoting Groucho Marx

[@reason4being]

Meh, the perks aren't all that to tell you the truth..now the Z continuum..now we're talking

[@roughrider1568]

Groucho Q

[@cardinalbob1]

I’d never join an club that would have someone like me for a member. -W. C. Fields

[@frakmaster69master11]

Then Q Jr. witnessed his best bud Icheb carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey a couple of years later on Star Trek Picard...

[@Pyxis10]

Yes he did. Of course noone remembers it. You see after that incident, he set things up so that eventually Picard would run into a quantum singularity that would swallow the whole of the galaxy. Of course being so throughly out of his mind by then he only made things worse. He shot the engineer who was trying to cancel the effect thinking they were a cardassian agent, and hit the panel making the calculations. Of course it exploded, fusing circuits and causing the wrong equations to be sent. The main deflector l sent out an inverse axion pulse straight at the heart of the phenomenon, causing it to swallow all of reality and resetting time and space to where they should have been. The Prime Timeline. All of the Kelvin nonsense ceased to be. Q looked at this, with a satisfied smirk of amusement. His son has grown indeed.

[@saadqureshi7127]

That gave me PTSD. Fuck that pos show. Stopped watching it after that episode. Too much drama bullshit as well. I'd rather see the evacuation of Romulus than the shit they gave us. Even destiny is better than Picard even tho the ship is still ugly af.

[@IRMentat]

spin off universes don't count.

[@patsfreak]

Icheb turned into a rape apologist and Q2 obvy set him up for the folks who traffic borg parts.

[@mohdfaizal6773]

@@IRMentat true, no counts. Especially when it's woke, n badly written.

[@clementmartinez121]

OMG I love the Janeway eye roll.

[@dlc1119]

The problem with 'omnipotent beings' as characters is that they are by definition a 'deus ex machina' and can make for too-easy resolutions to dramatic tension/conflict. Q balances power with a sense of 'impishness' but also real concern for the actual growth of humanity. Really looking forward to his return in Picard: S2

[@GrimYak]

Omni potent beings in most cases are written by lazy writers as some sort of exit strategy

[@dlc1119]

@@GrimYak That's practically the definition of 'deus ex machina'

[@Wayoutthere]

Picard is not canon

[@-Benedict]

@@Wayoutthere I don't think you have the requisite authority to make that decision.

[@WalrusWinking]

Picard, Discovery, lower decks. None of these are canon. They're part of their own twisted version of star trek.

[@tek512]

All that time around Picard really gave Q a lot of insight into humanity. It showed through in Voyager.

[@CB66941]

Janeway's big smile when Q Junior gave that bouquet 🥰

[@SaykredCow]

It’s weird because Janeway REALLY hung out around Q long enough that she could have tried to sell the idea of snapping his fingers and sending them home better

[@OhNoTheFace]

They probably got along like this because while she suggestd she never pushed. Q's are moody as hell

[@TheGrayfrog100]

Dad Q has to be the best! For his Son. An example of Q'ness but when he talks with "Aunty Kathy", they share the truth of the situation. A moment shared by the "Grown up's" Such an amazingly written scene.

[@petersvancarek]

A nice moment. Q teaching unsuspecting Starfleet by not giving them directly what they want. When one looks from longer perspective then it is visible... new technologies coming out of this journey will lead to acquiring new technologies, to understand new tings in various fields of science.... just like Q did for federation by playing "games" with EnterpriseD crew

[@MichaelBradley1967]

1:17 the facial expression that's worth a thousand face-palms (or five hundred double face-palms).

[@FederationThunderbolt]

XD i started thinking of how to add to this comment, and one that came to me was this "*I AM DONE WITH YOUR BULLSHIT!!!!*" -Caddicarus Kingdom Hearts III

[@carmelasanchez698]

Que son is the most favorite of mine in the whole Q continuum. He's also a cutie pie I wouldn't mind saying hello to him once or twice.

[@porridge57]

Carmela Sanchez "Saying hello"...nice metaphor.

[@admiralsquatbar127]

Alright, calm down.

[@bevrosity]

@@admiralsquatbar127 fr lol

[@Radonatos]

Yeah sure. Would you still not mind if he was poor and without powers?

[@phrophetsamgames]

I would have loved an alternate timeline where Janeway took up Q on his offer of having a baby. Imagine the amount of coffee that kid would have materialized.

[@Trikeboy2]

It is thanks to those coordinates that Voyager found it's way to the transwarp hub. Q did help Voyager get home.

[@peaceandloveonearthandmars]

Q is Awesome!!!

[@ghfdt368]

I think Q didn't send them all the way back at that moment because he knows about the timeline, admiral janeways role, the borg, Neelix leaving Voyager is vital to the future of the galaxy and being an ambassador. it's true Q could do changes but as we know from the franchise the Q have to follow some strict rules and in addition they know all about the timelines so dont want to mess up or alter events that could have dire consiquences in the future.

[@mitche5007]

Look at all the beautiful roses, she should have her ready room decorated like that all the time, all that’s missing now is coffee that was located in that nebula😊

[@teleportedbreadfor3days]

To be honest, Janeway makes a good point, but Q makes a better one: What’s the point in living if the gods do everything for us. Sometimes a perilous journey is more worthwhile because of the prospect of missing something entirely, something potentially important and even life changing

[@Jonsse]

Didn't think about this at all when watching this, but that pad was the catalyst that got them the rest of the way home. Short of snapping them straight home, he initiated the chain of events that got them there.

[@Whazzupie]

Sucks for the handful of crew that died in the climax literal minutes from home lol Years trudging along Voyager across the galaxy, oof

[@deaconandrewkingtheinspira762]

So "Q" does have a compassionate heart 💕💖

[@kargaroc386]

Q knew what he was doing here. He already knew about the borg and its portal, future janeway's virus, and picard S3, and q who and the regeneration stable time loop, etc etc. This is one of those critical moments in Trek lore that is quite obscure and only lasts a few moments.

[@davesmith5482]

An expanded version of this episode should have been the finale, with Q Junior sending Voyager back home with a snap of the finger at the end. Imagine, Q Junior whispers something in his father's ear and the older Q replies "Now son, what have we learned about setting off chains of events with cosmic impact?" followed by a brief pause, a wry smile and "...but I suppose we can make an exception for Aunt Kathy....just this once."

[@weareorigin]

Father Q's plans were to have Janeway near the transwarp hub. Then Janeway would cripple the Borg for the Q continuum. So the Q never provoked the Borg...directly.

[@dr.abelgideon7747]

ME: "Cause you See, There's this thing called CHEMESTRY. And when the cast has it the show's So much BETTER." That's what I would say to Viacom today if I could get a meeting.

[@CookingwithYarda]

Love the last sentence !! The many wisdoms of ST Voyager !!!

[@brandonlink6568]

Since they knew the series was about to end I wish they would've given Q a reply like 'It's a bigger shortcut than you think' or imply that their journey is almost over.

[@lucasbachmann]

Well you're in one sentence demonstrably a better Voyager writer than they were.

[@lucasbachmann]

​@@NaesGalaxyTos and Tng were basic exploration themes. Voyager didn't deliver, as it claimed it was going to be about survival, crew conflict, and getting home. But aside from very sporadic home progress and lip service to struggle- there was very little different from a tng exploration script. Likewise for Enterprise

[@mazgrasso6569]

Having Q as a super powerful ally does have it's benefits I know Q isn't meant to interfere but Imagine calling Q for in very dire situation plus it's nice to know that dispite voyager being so far from home was being watched by a entity that was God like.

[@singletona082]

What do you think Q providing a roadmap was? He was making sure they avoided things the ywouldn't be able to handle.

[@samhernandez8724]

I just love it! Q dealt with Janeway on her own terms as a limited life form of psychology, desire, snd longing!👀👏💥🌟👍👍👍💨

[@Radonatos]

Q usually gives them what they need, not what they want.

[@Borusa1976]

Actually this was Keegan de Lancie last role. He's gone on to work now as of 2011 he became a member of the U.S. Foreign Service.

[@RandallHallKaizenReiki]

"Also, there is this Borg transwarp network hub you need to destroy."

[@lima6638]

He literally gave Janeway a padd which effectly gave her the route to the Borg Transwarp hub. A literally thank you in the form "would you like to fuck with the Borg?"

[@sogggy]

The episode where Q shows Picard he could have had a much different life, if he did not fight in the bar back at Star Fleet Academy, is the best Star Trek episode ever. Of any Star Trek Series.

[@Makeitso2023]

Worf: “ can I help you mr Picard” lol

[@partyguy101ify]

What Junior thinks: Either the Continuum allows him to rejoin or his father leaves thinking he cares more about being his dad. Reality: Q doesn't get to stay in the Continuum and keep his powers (and immortality) unless he swears eternal custody over Junior to keep him and the Continuum out of trouble. The little things you miss the first time around.

[@onisahman]

'Question you should be asking is why do I keep coming back?' Something Picard kept asking throughout TNG.

[@cola98765]

it's form Season 7 they already had to plan the ending meaning that what Q said about giving example was not "we only do minor adjustments" but more of a "we can make BIG changes... just make them look small."

[@davesmith5482]

That's just wishful thinking by fans. The finale was a mess and put together in haste based on the competing wishes of several different people in the production. It's very unlikely when they wrote this episode the finale had been written, or even the plot they went with storyboarded. The line about Q saying "what kind of example would I be setting?" was just a lazy plot device to explain why the series didn't end right there and then - even though it would almost certainly have been a better ending than what they actually shipped out.

[@imogenonscreen8054]

Janeway seems to me the only captain Q was almost genuinely friends with.

[@notabannedaccount8362]

Q’s revised course took Voyager through the Borg trans warp hub!

[@onixy2239]

Finally, we finally know why Q didn't use his powers to send the Voyager back home in a instant instead of giving them shortcuts.

[@therealdankclank]

I subscribe to Q's son being the one responsible for creating Kurtzman Trek.

[@davecrupel2817]

I'm proud of you, Q!🤗You're acting like a Big Q now!

[@stevenjoy3537]

I wish he had sent them back. I understand it was a 7 year series but it would have been good to see Voyager vs the Dominion. Could have been some series cross over too.

[@ananousous]

If they wanted a cross over, he should have sent Voyager into the X-Men universe

[@ianmoseley9910]

Always felt it would have been great for them to turn up at the final battle with the Borg in tow. Interesting to see how the Borg and the Founders coped with each other.

[@josephperdomo1536]

The one thing I wished they did was when the prophets made the dominion disappear, during the war, the Jem' Hadar ships should've appeared in Voyager.

[@SWIFTO_SCYTHE]

Okay to be fair - i like the friendlyness shown here. Its like Q is a friend to Janeway not an adversary like Picard. Like if i were Janeway or Picard and Q came by id be like "YOO wuz up homie whats new in the galactic neighborhood what brings you by my starship?" And be friends with the a godlike being what is not to like about that?

[@crypto1223]

TheAllaksion The constant fear he may screw you over or trap you in a nightmare to teach you a lesson, while rubbing his godly powers in your face constantly? Also Q is not an adversary to Picard so much as he’s a school professor that has been assigned to tutor a stubborn as fuck student that keeps failing to see the big picture.

[@TheRealLaughingGravy]

Q needs to have a word with his tailor. He looked a lot better in the TNG era uniform.

[@SymbioteMullet]

Garak was busy

[@DavidLS1]

Q's son also had the power to send Voyager home...but the roses were nice too.

[@JustB3NJI]

Question is, was that Q setting Voager up to deal that crippling blow to the Borg?

[@clementlee2121]

If I had as much influenced over the little Q as janeway had, I would have skipped the roses and asked to be sent back to Earth as my first negotiating tactic.

[@terryprideaux]

He looks so much like his dad. You can tell they are real life father and son.

[@macgyveratlarge2133]

Q Continuum member? They would love me. I tend to keep to myself, and just try to help people. But, I will admit that I would have a soft spot for granting wishes... That's why I keep to myself, I always screw things up.

[@Astraeus..]

I mean....on some level I do realize that it would have completely destroyed the show, but in all reality...Janeway (and crew) took care of Q Junior, gave him a home and made him welcome. Safe to say they're a large part of why he wasn't just summarily turned into an amoeba by the Continuum.... They could have just poofed the ship back home...seriously...

[@theplayerofus319]

No because the journey was important to the character development and it would be a bad example for his son so he staited

[@gyver8448]

The route he gave them ended up in them finding the Transwarp Hub and getting home decades early. So really, he did send them home. He was just subtle about it. There's no way he didn't know that would happen and it's entirely in his character to do it.

[@simonthomas5367]

Best character ever.

[@meganlockhart4148]

While you're at it Q, can you erase the Kelvin timeline?

[@slimbo7858]

And Discovery...

[@meganlockhart4148]

@@slimbo7858 Yes!

[@AndDiracisHisProphet]

@@meganlockhart4148 and Picard!

[@santyclause8034]

The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation?

[@OneofInfinity.]

Just send a robot from the future to make sure Jar Jar Abrams does not go into film making and ruin two beloved franchises with his lack of creativity.

[@michealoceallaigh4716]

Q created the "What if" future in "All Good Things" I'd say the "Endgame" future was also his doing to ensure they got home (a rehearsal to shake out the flaws) hence no pesky paradox.

[@michaelferri6790]

I was about to say that the actor who played the child on the episode was actually John Douglas’s actual own son

[@bbenjoe]

Janeway sees true Q's fatherly lie. Oh well, Junior still has a lot to learn.

[@michelvanderlinden8363]

I cant speak of his appearance(s?) on DS9, but I felt Q always returned some of the emotions the captains showed him: Picard was distant, cold, confident bordering on arrogant, and often impatient. Q in return mirrored those emotions. Janeway however is far more patient, understanding, and not as confident as Picard is due to her situation. Q in a way mirrors those emotions too (as far as a Q can I suppose). His character made both shows worth watching, and they used him as sparingly as they should have at moments that mattered.

[@sebastiannemeth-ramirez2160]

Then he tried harassing Sisko, who punched him in the face. He was never seen again on DS9. That's why Sisko is my favourite: did what two Starfleet captains failed to do.

[@michelvanderlinden8363]

@@sebastiannemeth-ramirez2160 "failed to do"... Janeway was stranded and definitely didnt need to make another enemy, and Picard experienced first-hand how powerful truly is. Sisko got off lucky Q didnt kill him one atom at a time, because he could have.

[@brch2]

@@michelvanderlinden8363 We don't know that Q could have harmed Sisko, because we do not know which is more powerful between him and the Prophets/wormhole aliens.

[@thesmithersy]

She could have avoided all this with the correct verdict in Quinn's hearing

[@TGNXAR]

Janeway had the most amicable relationship with Q.

[@katakisLives]

Well its worth baring in mind that Picard's first experience with Q was when he put all of humanity on trial

[@porpus99]

I really hope that John DeLancie reprises his role as Q in the Picard series. You do not even need to give him any make up, as Q can look like anything he wants. Just explain his aging and goatee as "Looking more dashing and dignified", at least from Q's perspective.

[@XR171]

Or more likely he shows up looking like when we last saw him. "Oh Jean Luc time has not been kind to you." *Thumb snap Q is now older and gray* "There now we match."

[@voteDC]

@@XR171 Q could also make him human again.

[@XR171]

@@voteDC He could but Picard would be totally against it. His choices lead him to where he is now and to take that away would also take away from those choices.

[@voteDC]

@@XR171 Ah but the trial never ends. Q is still judging humanity and had picked Picard to represent them. He could easily see the new Android nature of Picard as taking him away from that role and as such

[@XR171]

,

[@patsfreak]

I hope we get in Legacy, since it’s clear Q found a new play thing in Jack, that he casually drops he dropped Janeway on the Borg’s door step on purpose.

[@belperite]

I love how tongue-in-cheek the Q interactions are on VOY :D

[@jarl.aegir.anthonysson]

I love how Q did the right thing in the end

[@TheOmegaRiddler]

I like how at the end when Janeway got a little greedy, he used her own morality against her.

[@smof1]

Q knew that the actions of voyager in the future would lead to the decimation of the borg. Thats what I think at least

[@DD2225]

I wanted to see an episode which Q thanks Janeway by giving the crew one full day on earth before he returns them back to their position on their way back to earth.

[@jeremydale4548]

BAD idea. Woulda killed morale.

[@highjim7778]

time, time never changes.

[@spartybrearly7221]

Janeway never seemed 100% motivated to get Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant. For example here, where Q owes her a favour and she just blithely accepts a route reducing the journey by a few years.

[@jatwood9648]

I've just had a startling realization. Sheldon from Big Bang Theory acts just like Q. Well, at least they picked good source material.

[@CzechMirco]

1:14 - Q had to specify that he meant the "gelbian" one, because of course sand sculptures everywhere else are well known for their sturdiness.

[@denizen9998]

Notice how Janeway said "thank Q"

[@dirdib69]

I recall De Lancie saying the Mulgrew had an (to him) unnerving ability to learn her lines instantly.

[@redengineer4380]

Waiting for the day a Q becomes an honest to god member of the crew in a show. It'd completely change the nature of the threats they'd face.

[@crypto1223]

red engineer That would be pure nightmare fuel. The basic problems would all be mechanical, while the main threats would have to be either equally as powerful, or so cunning as to outsmart a Q to make the rest of the crew be relevant to the problem.

[@redengineer4380]

@@crypto1223 Precisely.

[@reason4being]

@@redengineer4380 writers don't learn their lesson and quickly write themselves into a corner when they make characters too powerful

[@redengineer4380]

@@reason4being Yeah, that's the problem. It'd require very careful writing to be good.

[@Toanuriamer99]

This is one of those ideas that sound good at first, but really aren't. You either end up with no serious threats and a boring show, or a show that constantly has to introduce ridiculously strong adversaries, thus burning out very quickly. Alternatively, you place so many restrictions on the Q character that it defeats the original idea. Using the Q sparsely as they did, and never as part of the crew, was done for a reason and it was the right thing to do. The only viable option is to have a "fallen Q" that has been forever banished by the continuum and slowly learns to adjust to mortal life throughout the show. Even then, you'd still have to make that character distinct from John de Lancie's Q as well as characters with similar arcs like Odo, Seven of Nine, Data, the EMH, and so on.

[@jonas1015119]

Q could have been a whole lot meaner to Voyager over time. Imagine if he had teleported them back home for a while only to bring them back afterwards.

[@syaba5336]

I like to think the younger Q behave more maturely they havent experienced enough to just, take things less seriously. Or at least the more mature Qs PRETEND to because they see the merit in it

[@Trekkie155]

It’s Sad Knowing That This Was Q’s Very Last Star Trek Appearance, To Date. I’m Still Hoping de Lancie Shows Up On “Picard” To Cause Some A Further Ruckus ❤️

[@katakisLives]

I always though how would that work because the actor will have aged a load since the 90's but I guess he could have chosen to appear older for some reason

[@brch2]

Not anymore... though not "in the flesh", Q did make his brief appearance in Lower Decks.

[@matthewrobbins663]

Your wish is Kurtzmans demand! He is back!

[@Rexini_Kobalt]

no matter how goofy q is, _he is still a god_ , and a damn good one

[@jonathancineus6424]

They really look like father and son.

[@jasonleslie203]

I wish they had brought Q jr back again.

[@romansierra5614]

To the journey! 🍵

[@cryofpaine]

Fun fact, Q's advice was just one sentence - "Stop spending so much time at impulse!" Seriously, they're not doing anything at the end, why are they not at full warp?

[@Eidako]

Scanning for coffee-flavored nebulae is hard at warp 9.

[@PCLoadLetter]

Refilling the bussard collectors perhaps?

[@piotrd.4850]

Antimatter supply and Like any other ship in real life, have limit of enduring maximum speed.

[@Tzarina8472]

Come to think of it, I hope Janeway shared those roses with the crew, especially those who suffered most from q's antics.