While the Q episode “Tapestry” was one of the worst episodes (in my opinion) “Q-Who?” is one of my favorites. Despite his penchant for mischief and just plain annoyance, Q is amusing and almost likeable—-and right in this episode.
Captain Picard leaves for his quarters to change his uniform after a young ensign in engineering spills hot choco on it. He steps off the turbolift and finds himself on a shuttle craft with Q.
Q has a proposal for him—-make him a member of the crew and he in turn will teach them about everything he knows about the universe.
A tempting offer for sure, but because of Q’s past misdeeds against the crew, Picard doesn’t trust him and assures him that they are ready to encounter whatever is out there without his help.
Q immediately proceeds to show them otherwise. Guinan is familiar with, not only the Q Continuum, but the area of space in which Q sends the ship hurling.
This is our introduction to the Borg and Guinan warns the captain to turn around. Picard, against Guinan’s best advice, decides to explore the region with disastrous results.
In later episodes, as well as the film “First Contact,” the Borg are assimilators, not merely the gatherers of technology and destroyers of inferior races as they are depicted here.
Q’s objective was to show the crew, mainly the captain, that they aren’t ready and that they need someone like Q to help them.
Picard realizes, after admitting to Q that “we need you,” that what Q really provided them was a “kick in our complacency.”
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