Editing Q (section)

==Q in TNG==
 
Q explains to Picard that how humans respond to a game tells more about them than a direct confrontation. He was first encountered by the [[Federation]] when he appeared aboard the USS Enterprise-D in early 2364. He warned the crew of the Enterprise that Humanity should return to their home star system or be destroyed, and when he encountered resistance, he placed Humanity on trial with Jean-Luc Picard and his command crew as representatives. He accused Humanity of being a "dangerous, savage child-race." Picard managed to strike a deal with Q, however, and submitted to a test of conduct to prove that Humanity had evolved beyond its previously savage state. The Enterprise's mission to Farpoint Station served as this test. When the Starfleet crew sufficiently proved their evolved state of being by discovering and assisting a spaceborne entity that had been coerced by the Bandi to take the form of a starbase, Q disappeared. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") 

The next time Q appeared on the Enterprise later that year, he created a bizarre and deadly "game" for the ship's crew, in order to demonstrate that he had given Commander Riker Q-like abilities. He and Picard settled on a bet that if Riker rejects his offer, the Q would leave humanity alone forever. Ultimately, Riker rejected these new powers, and Q was forced back into the Continuum. (TNG: "Hide and Q") 

In his third appearance in 2365, Q first expressed an interest in joining Picard's crew. When Picard declined, Q tried to show how much he could be of assistance by hurling the Enterprise into the path of a [[Borg]] Cube. Q was hoping to show the Federation that it was entirely unprepared to meet some of the more powerful races that existed in the universe. Ultimately, Picard had to beg for Q's help in escaping from the pursuit of the Borg ship. 

Q's motives for introducing the Federation to the Borg may not have been as malicious as they appeared. Following the events of 2152, the Borg were already aware of humans and Earth by this point. In fact, it seems possible that they sent the original Cube that Q brought the Enterprise in contact with to investigate the signal from the 22nd Century. (ENT: "Regeneration") 

If this is true, Q may have actually been assisting the Federation by warning them of the impending Borg invasion. Had he not intervened, the Borg would have arrived at Earth uninterrupted and since [[Starfleet]] would have no knowledge of how to combat them, they could have easily assimilated [[Earth]]. 

Interestingly, in this encounter Q alluded to a past association with Enterprise bartender Guinan; Guinan has declined to elaborate on the nature of her relationship other than express her extreme dislike for Q. Based on Q's reactions, the sentiment seems mutual. (TNG: "Q Who") 

In 2366, Q was stripped of his omnipotence and immortality and transformed into a [[Human]] by the Q Continuum as punishment for his irresponsibility. He sought refuge on the Enterprise, requesting asylum and protection from those beings in the universe whom he had tormented. Although Captain Picard and the rest of the crew were unconvinced of the sincerity of Q's plea (and indeed suspected that the entire situation was merely an elaborate prank), Picard agreed to provide Q temporary asylum. Although not a scientist, Q provided theoretical guidance for Geordi La Forge's analysis of the [[Bre'el IV]] satellite. During this time, Data was assigned to watch Q, and Q gained an unusual perspective on Humanity and its condition. However, after a Calamarain attack nearly destroyed Data, Q resolved to end his life in order to prevent further risk to the Enterprise crew. Another Q prevented Q from sacrificing himself, and restored Q's powers as a reward for his selfless act. In gratitude, Q corrected the orbit of the Bre'el IV moon, which was in danger of colliding with its primary – an event which the Enterprise crew was trying to prevent. Q also gave a special gift to Data, his "professor of the Humanities" – a brief moment of laughter. (TNG: "Deja Q") 

In 2367, the Enterprise crew encountered a woman claiming to be the mythical Ardra of Ventax II. Her demonstrations of omnipotent power resembled those of Q, to the extent that Beverly Crusher wondered if she was, in fact, Q. Picard pointed out that the woman's obsession with the Contract of Ardra was atypical of Q, and her powers were later proved to be aided by sophisticated technology rather than any innate ability. (TNG: "Devil's Due") 

Later in 2367, Q returned to the Enterprise to "properly" thank Captain Picard for his role in helping him regain his standing in the Continuum. At the time, Picard was meeting a friend named Vash, whom he'd met on [[Risa]] the year before. Q resolved to teach Picard a lesson about love, and cast Picard, Vash, and the Enterprise command crew into an elaborate scenario styled by the ancient legend of Robin Hood. Q himself assumed the role of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Ultimately, Picard learned his lesson, and everyone was returned to the Enterprise. Intrigued by Vash, though, Q offered to take her on a journey of exploration to explore various archaeological ruins of the galaxy, and she accepted. (TNG: "Qpid") 

In 2369, Q once again appeared aboard the Enterprise-D, this time to instruct Amanda Rogers, a seemingly Human female who developed Q powers during her internship with Doctor Beverly Crusher. Shortly after Rogers's birth, the Continuum used a tornado to execute Rogers's parents, two Q who had assumed life as Humans on Earth, for secretly conceiving a child. Although Q's petulant and acerbic attitude did little to ingratiate himself to Amanda, he eventually convinced her to go with him to the Continuum to learn to use her newfound abilities. (TNG: "True Q") 

Later that same year, Q appeared to Jean-Luc Picard when the latter was critically injured in a Lenarian ambush. Appearing as "God," Q told Picard that he had died because of his [[Cardiac Implant/Artificial Heart|Artificial Heart]], and offered him the chance to return to the incident in his youth, allowing him to relive the events leading up to his near-fatal injury and change history. Although Picard was successful in changing history, he eventually realized that the event – and his previous nature as an arrogant, brash young man – was a part of his identity, and had helped mold him into the successful [[Starfleet]] officer he had become. Although he was uncertain as to whether the experience had been real or simply a vision, Picard was grateful for Q's revelation. (TNG: "Tapestry") 
 
"You don't get it, do you, Jean-Luc? The trial never ends."In 2370, Q returned to the Enterprise to continue the trial against Humanity. Claiming that the seven-year-old trial had never actually ended, Q proclaimed Humanity guilty of "being inferior" and informed Picard that his race was to be destroyed. He sent Picard traveling through time to his past, present, and future, where he was presented with a temporal paradox, in the form of an eruption of [[Anti-time]] in the Devron system. In this paradox, Picard himself was responsible for the creation of the anomaly, that propagated backwards in normal time (anti-time having the opposite properties of normal time), thus destroying Humanity in the past. 

However, in addition to sending Picard jumping through time, Q also provided Picard with hints to understanding the nature of the paradox. Ultimately, Picard determined the solution and devised a way to close the anti-time anomaly in all three time periods. Following the success, Q revealed that the entire experience was a test, aimed at determining whether Humanity was capable of expanding its horizons to understand some of the advanced concepts of the universe. Departing, Q promised to continue watching Humanity, proclaiming that "the trial never ends." (TNG: "All Good Things...")