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John de Lancie Talks Reprising Q on ‘Star Trek: Picard’: ‘You Can Never Go Back’ (EXCLUSIVE)

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Adam B. Vary

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When John de Lancie was first cast as Q on the pilot of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” his expectation was that he was only supposed to play the wily omnipotent being — who challenges Capt. Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) with proving humanity’s worthiness — for that single, two-part episode. But three days into shooting, “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry took de Lancie aside.

“He said to me, ‘You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into,'” de Lancie says. “And oh my god, was he right.”

De Lancie reprised his performance as Q on seven more episodes of “TNG,” including the series finale, when Q promised he would visit Picard again “from time to time.” Despite appearances as Q on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: Voyager” (as well as a brief cameo on the animated series “Star Trek: Lower Decks”), however, Q never did drop in on Picard for another verbal tête-à-tête.

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That is, until Monday’s announcement that de Lancie would return as Q in Season 2 of the Paramount Plus series “ Star Trek: Picard ,” which will premiere in 2022.

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A prolific character actor in TV, film and theater, de Lancie’s played everything from “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic” as the voice of the villain Discord to “Breaking Bad” as Donald Margolis, the distraught father of the heroin-addicted Jane (Krysten Ritter).

But for many, Q is de Lancie’s signature role. His episodes of “TNG” remain some of the most beloved in the series’ seven-season run from 1987 to 1994, and the news that he would be playing the role again lit up Trekkie Twitter in celebration. In this exclusive conversation with Variety , de Lancie explains his reaction to the news that he was being invited to return to “the dinner party,” as he puts it — and his reservations about reprising a character he hasn’t played since 2001.

When “Star Trek: Picard” was first announced, did that cause you to wonder, “Oh, what if Q could come back?”

Well, it’s interesting. Terry [Matalas], one of the executive producers, when I met with him, he said, “Oh, of course, you knew you were going to be coming back.” And I said, “You know what, Terry, ‘Star Trek’ has done a lot of movies and other shows without me. So I did not assume that that was going to be the case.” I just sort of discipline myself as a professional over the years to go, “look, it’s somebody else’s dinner party. You cannot spend your time worrying about whether you’re getting invited. Just take it off the radar. You get invited or you don’t get invited, that’s all.”

So when were you first invited back to this dinner party?

Well, I want to say, six months ago. This whole COVID year has been disjointed, but it was after their first season.

How did that feel to know that they were interested in bringing Q back?

You know, it was, and is, a little bit of a mixed bag. One of the issues that I have is you don’t want to fall into the trap of re -creating. I was obviously a little concerned — very concerned — about the issues having to do with, well, excuse me, this is 20 years later. I’m supposed to be immortal and I certainly look very mortal. There were issues about all of that. I was flattered. Of course, I said yes. I didn’t have to think about that part. And then I wondered, where are they going to go with this?

Did the producers talk with you at that point about what was planned for Q, or was this more of a mystery to you?

There was generalized talk, which intrigued me. One of the things that’s sort of unusual, having played a character that has had such a long history — I’ve only done, I think, nine episodes [of “Star Trek”], between the three shows. [ Editor’s note: It’s been 12. ] I’ve always thought of it as being kind of a diamond in the rough, and having new facets of that stone that’s going to be cut. So here it is, many years later, we’re still cutting that stone. There will be elements of that stone which have already been cut, and they will simply need to be burnished up. And then there will be elements of this stone that will be newly cut, for which there will be people who go, “Oh I always thought you would go in that direction,” and then others, “Oh, I like him the way he was before!”

It solved one major problem for me, and that is I feel very strongly about the whole thing of, you can never go back. Dare I say, how often have we gone back to meet with old girlfriends or boyfriends or what have you and you go, “Oh, I think it would have been better just keeping this in my imagination!” Here, we are not, in fact, going back. We are taking what we have and we are moving forward. And to me, that’s exciting.

Have you shot anything yet?

How did it feel to act against patrick stewart again.

It was fun. My own issues have always been the same. I have to put in a lot of homework because I’m very dyslexic and I just have to work really hard to get all of that into RAM, as it were. And then once that’s done, I’m there to play . And so it was just fun. That type of preparation has paid off and you’re just ready to rock and roll.

Did you pay any attention to the way that the announcement of your return was received?

I saw the little trailer, which I thought was really well done, where there’s a playing card that disappears and then you just see the Q. I felt that that was very befitting this character. This is thin ice for all of us: There are expectations . In the case of that little announcement, I thought they exceeded expectations on that. It was a really nice little morsel of, “Here he comes!”

“Star Trek” fans are notoriously picky, but I have not seen negative reactions to Q’s return — it’s been quite enthusiastically received. How does it feel to have people be so interested in seeing you continue to play this role?

Well, as you were saying that just now, what I felt was mostly was, Oh shit . [ Laughs ] The pressure is on! That’s how I feel about it. I find that to be a challenge. I hope that I can match it. I hope that we all can match it, and more to the point, exceed it. [ Laughs ] This is one of the reasons I stay away from all this stuff. I kind of just have to stay in the world of what can be done, and what cannot be done, and not to get too pressurized in all this.

One common reaction I’ve seen is people saying, “oh, thank god, I can feel good about the letter Q again.” Obviously, in the last few years, the letter Q has taken on a much different connotation with the rise of the QAnon conspiracy cult. How strange has that been for you, given how identified you’ve been with the role?

[ Sighs ] I’m really grateful for that character that I played — and I have become protective of that, of what Q means and all that. Certainly with this other thing, I’ve chosen not to dumpster dive into it. I don’t want to bring those two elements together in any way whatsoever. There’s a part of Q that I’m playing that is frankly more real and more positive and more life-affirming than the [ pause ] ridiculousness that I hear about this other stuff.

Since we’re talking about reprising one of your most memorable roles, I did want to ask — given that “Better Call Saul” is a prequel series for “Breaking Bad,” have you ever wondered if Donald Margolis would pop up on that show?

I would have loved for that character to have continued. Through my career, I was always hired to play the very aggressive, wordsmith-y sort of character, which ironically is difficult for me because I just tend to work seemingly twice as hard as anybody else. That character allowed me to just relax a little bit, and to just feel , as opposed to trying to dominate or bulldoze. But again, you brought it up and I appreciate it and I take it as a compliment, but I just don’t think about it ever. I just can’t.

Let me just tell you, it’s very interesting what different characters can do for somebody. In this case, just imagine a 22-year-old, shy, kind of strung out kid who comes up to me and says, “Hey, are you Jane’s father?” And I go, “Uh yeah.” And he’s looking at me kind of askance, and he goes, “Yeah, well, now I guess I know what my parents went through.”

I’m sure his parents did everything to try to keep him from, you know — “Please, you can’t keep on doing this, you’re going to ruin your life.” And he couldn’t hear any of it, but he could be affected when he saw it in a story. So I’m really happy to have played that role.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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Published Apr 5, 2021

Q Returns to Star Trek: Picard

Catch up on this, and other announcements from First Contact Day inside!

StarTrek.com

Paramount+ today revealed a first look at season two of its hit original series Star Trek: Picard with an all-new teaser trailer. The teaser trailer was introduced by series star Patrick Stewart at the top of today’s First Contact Day virtual global panels, which also revealed that season two will premiere in 2022. Actor John de Lancie made a surprise appearance during the panel, confirming that he will appear in season two of Star Trek: Picard as his iconic Star Trek character, Q.

Teaser Trailer | Star Trek: Picard - Season 2

The free First Contact Day virtual panels will be available to view on-demand on Paramount+’s YouTube Channel and on Paramount+ in the U.S., following their initial airing on StarTrek.com/FirstContact today from 12:00-2:45 PM, PT/3:00-5:45 PM, ET.

Star Trek: Picard features Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard, which he played for seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation , and follows this iconic character into the next chapter of his life. The series is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. For season two, Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Michael Chabon, Doug Aarniokoski, Dylan Massin, Patrick Stewart, Heather Kadin, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers; Aaron Baiers (Secret Hideout) and Kirsten Beyer serve as co-executive producers. Akiva Goldsman and Terry Matalas serve as co-showrunners for season two.

Star Trek: Picard season two cast members include Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Jeri Ryan, Orla Brady and Brent Spiner.

Star Trek: Picard streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and is distributed concurrently by ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories and in Canada, airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave.

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One of the things that’s sort of unusual, having played a character that has had such a long history… I’ve always thought of it as being kind of a diamond in the rough, and having new facets of that stone that’s going to be cut. So here it is, many years later, we’re still cutting that stone. There will be elements of that stone which have already been cut, and they will simply need to be burnished up. And then there will be elements of this stone that will be newly cut, for which there will be people who go, “Oh I always thought you would go in that direction,” and then others, “Oh, I like him the way he was before!” It solved one major problem for me, and that is I feel very strongly about the whole thing of, you can never go back…. Here, we are not, in fact, going back. We are taking what we have and we are moving forward. And to me, that’s exciting.

Already at work on  Picard Season 2, de Lancie also shared his thoughts about getting to work with Patrick Stewart again — the last time Q and Picard interacted was in the 1994  Next Generation series finale “All Good Things…,” so this makes a 27-year reunion for the two actors.

I have [been filming]. It was fun. My own issues have always been the same. I have to put in a lot of homework because I’m very dyslexic and I just have to work really hard to get all of that into RAM, as it were. And then once that’s done, I’m there to play. And so it was just fun. That type of preparation has paid off and you’re just ready to rock and roll.

Finally, the actor shared his feelings about the fan response to Q’s return to  Star Trek  after all these years.

This is thin ice for all of us: There are expectations. In the case of that little announcement, I thought they exceeded expectations on that. It was a really nice little morsel of, “Here he comes!” What I felt was mostly was, ‘Oh shit!’ [Laughs] The pressure is on! That’s how I feel about it. I find that to be a challenge. I hope that I can match it. I hope that we all can match it, and more to the point, exceed it.

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 is in production now, and is expected to debut sometime in 2022.

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Star Trek: Picard

Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life. Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life. Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life.

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Picard  season 2 to feature return of notorious  Star Trek  villain Q

John de Lancie reprises the role for the Paramount+ series.

Editor at Large for Entertainment Weekly, host of Outlander Live! on EW Radio, and Mark Harmon enthusiast. Yes, I know the guacamole is extra.

Watch your six, Picard : Q is staging his return.

Paramount+ revealed Monday that John de Lancie will appear in season two of Star Trek: Picard as Q, a significant adversary to Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ). The news was announced at Monday's First Contact Day virtual session, which included a surprise appearance by de Lancie himself.

A teaser of the new season was also shared during the panels (which will be available to view on-demand on Paramount+'s YouTube Channel and on Paramount+ ). In it, Stewart voices Jean-Luc Picard as the camera moves through his palatial French chateau before focusing on a Queen of Hearts card that's lying on a table. The card then burns up – leaving behind the letter Q.

"Time offers so many opportunities, but never second chances," says Picard. Then, Q can be heard saying, "The trial never ends." Watch the teaser below.

For those who aren't familiar with Q, the villainous character first appeared in Star Trek: Next Generation, followed by Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Lower Decks . Q can alter reality, among other dastardly deeds.

Other actors set to join season two of Picard are Alison Pill , Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera , Jeri Ryan , Orla Brady , and Brent Spiner. Production on season 2 has already begun, with a premiere set for 2022 on Paramount+.

Check out our daily must-see picks — plus news, celeb interviews, trivia, and more — in EW's What to Watch podcast, hosted by Gerrad Hall.

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Star Trek: Picard: what you need to know about Q, Jean-Luc’s omnipotent sparring partner

Q, the immortal trickster, is back to cause more mischief in Picard

Over the past five-and-a-bit decades, Star Trek crews have repeatedly faced off against warmongering Klingons, calculating Romulans, and the technological might of the Borg. On all their voyages, however, they’ve never met a recurring foe quite like Q.

An omnipotent member of the Q Continuum, this mischievous superbeing likes nothing more than tormenting Captain Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D. And he’s all set to make a nuisance of himself once again, as it’s been confirmed he’s returning to resume hostilities (in the most charismatic way possible) in the upcoming Star Trek: Picard season 2 .

But who is Q? What are his powers, and is he a hero or a villain? And why is he so obsessed with Jean-Luc Picard? Answers to all these questions and more can be found below…

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Along with the assimilation-obsessed Borg, Q is the most enduring antagonist introduced by Star Trek: The Next Generation. In fact, he was a thorn in the side of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D from day one, cropping up in pilot episode ‘Encounter at Farpoint’ to put humanity on trial.

A member of the omnipotent Q Continuum (every one of its members is also known as Q), he considered the human race warlike and barbaric, and told Picard that his crew’s actions on their mission to Deneb IV would determine the fate of the entire species. Although the Enterprise passed this particular test, Q vowed to keep his eye on them – a promise he’d go on to keep throughout The Next Generation, and beyond.

Who plays Q?

American actor John de Lancie played Q in eight episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation – episode titles often featured a shameless pun on the letter Q – and also reprised the role in Deep Space Nine and Voyager. More recently, he had a voice cameo in Lower Decks: season 1, and will soon be seen sparring with Jean-Luc once again in Star Trek: Picard season 2 when it drops in February.

Away from the final frontier, de Lancie has also had significant roles in Stargate SG-1, Torchwood: Miracle Day, and Breaking Bad, where he played the air traffic controller father of Jessie’s late girlfriend, Jane Margolis (Krysten Ritter).

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What are Q’s powers?

Like all members of the Q Continuum, Q is effectively a god. As an extra-dimensional being, he is ageless, and could manipulate time and matter with a mere snap of his fingers decades before Thanos dreamed of pulling on an Infinity Gauntlet.

Is Q good or bad?

That’s the billion-dollar question.

While Q is undeniably an antagonist in the eyes of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, his actual motives are a little harder to pin down. The best way to describe him is as a mischievous agent of chaos, in the same mould as Loki . As such, his whims are driven as much by personal amusement – or selfishness – as the pursuit of some higher purpose.

He largely sees the Enterprise and its crew as a play thing, notably when he decides (in The Next Generation season 1 episode ‘Hide and Q’) to put First Officer Will Riker through a series of tests to decide if he’s worthy of membership of the Q Continuum. It’s of no consequence to Q that Worf and Wesley Crusher are killed in the process – particularly as Riker is able to magic them back to life instantly.

In season 4 episode ‘Qpid’, meanwhile, Q transports the Enterprise crew to Sherwood Forest for a romantic Robin Hood-themed adventure. It’s important to note that Worf is not a merry man.

Despite the tomfoolery, some positives do occasionally arise from Q’s actions. In The Next Generation season 2 episode ‘Q Who’, for example, Q offers to act as the Enterprise’s guide through uncharted regions of space. When Picard rebuffs his offer – under the somewhat arrogant assumption that his crew are ready for anything – Q transports the Enterprise light years across the galaxy for their first encounter with the Borg. While Q’s behavior is rather petulant, there’s no denying that he gave Starfleet a crucial heads-up about the Collective’s existence.

And Q sometimes takes on a management role within the Q Continuum, notably in season 6 episode ‘True Q’, when he arrives on the Enterprise to assess whether a Starfleet intern is actually another Q. (It turns out her parents were a pair of Qs disguised in human form.)

Does Q have any weaknesses?

Aside from the hubris and his obsession with taunting humans and other “lesser beings”? Not really – Q is pretty much impervious to conventional weapons. He is, however, at the mercy of other members of the Q Continuum.

In season 4 episode ‘Deja Q’, he’s stripped of his powers as punishment for his repeated misbehavior, and arrives on the Enterprise looking for asylum. He finds himself at the mercy of creatures he’s wronged in the past, including bartender Guinan (who stabs him with a fork), and a gaseous species called the Calamarain who do what they can to eliminate him. When his presence puts the ship in danger (Data is almost killed by Q’s assailants), Q leaves on a shuttlecraft to protect the crew – a selfless act that prompts the Continuum to reluctantly welcome him back for a second chance.

What about Q’s other Star Trek appearances?

While Q’s relationship with The Next Generation crew is his defining experience with Starfleet, he also crossed paths with the crews of both Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

DS9 episode ‘Q-Less’ picks up the story of Vash, the former love interest of Picard who left with Q to explore the Gamma Quadrant at the end of ‘Qpid’.

In Voyager episode ‘Death Wish’, Q turns up when a Q imprisoned in a comet asks Captain Janeway for asylum. In ‘The Q and the Grey’, Q returns to Voyager asking Janeway to be the mother of his child. She declines the request but, when he has a baby with another Q, she agrees to be the child’s godmother. Q and his godson subsequently returned in ‘Q2’, with the undisciplined kid played by John de Lancie’s real-life son, Keegan.

As well as his recent cameo in Lower Decks episode ‘Veritas’, Q has appeared in several novels (I,Q was co-written by de Lancie himself), and videogames.

How will Q fit into Star Trek: Picard season 2?

Both trailers so far hint Q will be pivotal to the new season. All the clues suggest that some serious damage has been done to the space-time continuum, with Picard seemingly finding himself in a world he doesn’t quite recognize. Indeed, we're shown a vision of a totalitarian future that Picard has to undo by traveling back to the past – it's strongly suggested that much of this is Q's doing.

When Q arrives on Jean-Luc’s doorstep, telling him “you’re a bit older than I imagined” and welcoming him “to the very end of the road not taken”, it’s not entirely clear whether he’s the cause of the former Enterprise captain’s predicament – or the solution.

Either is plausible. 

Over the years of The Next Generation, Q became somewhat obsessed with Picard – even more than he was with the Enterprise as a whole. In season 6 episode ‘Tapestry’, Q showed Picard an alternative version of his life where he hadn’t been critically injured in a bar brawl. In last-ever episode ‘All Good Things’, meanwhile – one of the all-time great series finales – he helped Picard leap back-and-forth through time on a mission to save the whole of existence.

There’s clearly affection there and – while Picard has always shown a degree of ambivalence towards his omnipotent sparring partner – the duo are undoubtedly a great double act. The Picard production team will undoubtedly be hoping for sparks to fly once again.

Star Trek: PIcard will air on Paramount Plus (US) and Amazon Prime Video (internationally) in February 2022. 

Episodes of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager are available to stream on Paramount Plus (US), and Netflix (US and UK).

Richard is a freelance journalist specialising in movies and TV, primarily of the sci-fi and fantasy variety. An early encounter with a certain galaxy far, far away started a lifelong love affair with outer space, and these days Richard's happiest geeking out about Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel and other long-running pop culture franchises. In a previous life he was editor of legendary sci-fi and fantasy magazine SFX, where he got to interview many of the biggest names in the business – though he'll always have a soft spot for Jeff Goldblum who (somewhat bizarrely) thought Richard's name was Winter.

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‘picard’ star john de lancie had single question before returning to ‘star trek’ as q.

The highly anticipated Paramount+ series once again beamed down Thursday with some familiar faces from 'The Next Generation.'

By Ryan Parker

Ryan Parker

Former Senior Reporter

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Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry told John de Lancie during production of The Next Generation pilot “Encounter at Farpoint” that the actor had no idea what he was getting himself into with joining the franchise. Thirty-five years later, de Lancie can’t help but chuckle at the accuracy of the statement.

Star Trek: Picard once again beamed down Thursday with the premiere episode of the second season, “The Star Gazer” arriving on Paramount+. And fans were treated to some familiar faces from TNG , including Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan and de Lancie back in his iconic role of the troublesome all-powerful, extradimensional being, Q.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter prior to the premiere, de Lancie admitted he was as shocked as anyone when the request came for him to once again reprise Q,  one of Star Trek ‘s most popular antagonists.

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“I did [the TNG series finale] ‘All Good Things,’ and then they went off to do some movies. No one asked, no one called,” de Lancie begins. “It is not as if I was expecting it or waiting for it. As I have said in the past, I don’t spend too much time worrying about if I am going to be invited to someone’s dinner party, so I put it out of my mind. And then one day, my agent called and said, ‘They would like to have you on Picard and want you to go over to Paramount for a chat.'”

The actor’s mind began to swirl with what he called “infinite possibilities,” knowing better than anyone that a storyline involving Q had zero barriers. So, de Lancie took the meeting and shortly thereafter found himself across from Picard showrunner Terry Matalas. Their talk began with a single query from the actor, whose costume as Q in TNG was a bit of a monstrosity.

“I said, ‘I just have a preliminary question: You’re not putting me in tights again, are you?'” de Lancie says. “And Terry goes, ‘Oh, no, no, no.’ I said, ‘OK. We can proceed.'” Of course, the actor had several more questions about how his character would be handled and was impressed by everything he heard.

“I asked how they were going to deal with the age and that type of stuff. And Terry said, ‘We will [make it happen] and more importantly, we want you how you are now,'” de Lancie says. “He explained to me how the story arch would go, and I said, ‘That sounds great.'”

The first day of production was electrifying for de Lancie. He and star Patrick Stewart had crossed paths a number of times since the TNG finale, which aired in May 1994. But now they were back in front of cameras; once again their iconic sci-fi characters playing a mental game of chess with the fate of the galaxy in the balance

Simply put, de Lancie says, “It was fun,” before expanding. “We shot outside at a winery. They rolled cameras, and then they cut. And unbeknownst to me, Terry had come up from the studio to see that first shot. And he threw his hands up and said, ‘The magic!'”

As far as what fans should expect in the way of Q returning for Picard , de Lancie shares no spoilers as he pulls back the curtain a touch in order to manage expectations. “When I was on TNG , they were Q episodes. Here, I am more of a catalyst,” the actor explains. “I do six out of 10 episodes. I did have to readjust because I thought it would be like before, wall-to-wall words with just me and Patrick. And when I got there, I realized that just cannot be the case. I tried to get an overview and not just an egocentric view of it. And I said, ‘This makes sense. I am getting the ball rolling.'”

All that said, de Lancie cannot wait for audiences to experience the second season of Picard , noting Star Trek fans are like the franchise’s stories: unique.

“These are people who have watched the show, and they come back and want to talk about it. So I have gotten to understand the show from their point of view really well,” de Lancie said of fans’ investment in the material and characters. “And Star Trek storytelling is important. In the end, it has to be about something that is meaningful and deep and has social relevance. That is the essence of Star Trek . And as long as we always have that, we will always have our audience.”

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Who Is Q in 'Star Trek: Picard'?

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Since Star Trek 's premiere in 1966, audiences have seen new iterations with each passing generation. From the original series to the original cast movies, to the Berman era in the 1990s and early 2000s (known for executive producer Rick Berman ) and now, each addition to the decade-spanning franchise has been able to introduce new elements and elaborate on the old. Star Trek: Picard capitalizes on Star Trek nostalgia even more than its predecessor, Star Trek: Discovery , serving as a character study on the fan-favorite Jean-Luc Picard ( Sir Patrick Stewart ) of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Season 2 not only sees the return of Guinan ( Whoopi Goldberg ), but also the mostly omnipotent Q ( John de Lancie ) as he hurdles Picard into the next test he must face amidst reflecting over the decisions he's made throughout his life.

But Picard doesn't quite give the audience a detailed refresher of the history of Q or his relationship with Picard other than a few expository references. So, if you need a refresher on a 30-year-old show, or are a newer Star Trek fan born after 1994 but don't have the time to trek on a 178 episode binge of The Next Generation , this feature is for you.

RELATED: ‘Star Trek: Picard’s Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera, and Evan Evagora on Season 2 and Geeking Out with Patrick Stewart

Q is a member of The Q, a race of beings who have the ability to alter matter and energy, and therefore time, at their whims. They can inhabit the dimension/reality that humanity exists in, but also have their own plane of existence called "The Q Continuum." Their society is organized, but highly reactive to change due to their powerful, almost god-like status. Many of the appearances of the Q sees minute questioning and change start a wildfire throughout the Continuum. Just like an overprotective father, they need control.

The Q also have the ability to present themselves in different forms, but Q almost always presents himself as a human male dressed in a Starfleet uniform, though he makes a point to age and matches Picard in his latest appearance -- becoming decades older and in civilian clothing with his signature snap. Q, as an individual, is boastful, emotional, and manipulative. He has an inflated ego, to say the last. Even among the Continuum, he's known for his chaotic and brash behavior and is reprimanded for it at one point.

He appears across 5 series ( The Next Generation , Deep Space 9 , Voyager , Lower Decks , and Picard ), but his first and probably most memorable appearance comes in the premiere of The Next Generation , "Encounter at Farpoint." This first encounter sets the stage for most of Q's appearance, especially much of those with Picard. When Q stops the crew of the Enterprise-D on its maiden voyage, he warns Picard and crew that humanity isn't worthy of space travel, and if they don't return to Earth they will be put on trial for confirmation. The Enterprise is able to pass Q's test, freeing a space creature captured and used for energy on a colony.

Perhaps the most relevant Q appearance comes in The Next Generation 's 3rd season episode, "Q Who," which includes many of the highlight elements returning to Star Trek via Picard. This time, instead of a trial or a game, Q requests to join the Enterprise as a guide, as he has knowledge that could help humanity as they venture to where no man has gone before. Picard unsurprisingly declines, and Q angrily transports the ship to an unknown location in the Delta quadrant where they encounter a Borg cube. The Enterprise is almost destroyed, but Picard asks Q for help in the last moment, serving Picard a harsh message about what enemies awaited them. Not only is this the first appearance of the Borg chronologically in Star Trek , but this episode also introduces a vague hostile history between Q and Guinan, both special guest stars on this season of Picard.

In addition to his fascination with Jean-Luc, Q also made quite a few appearances to Starfleet personnel and other civilizations in the 2360s and 2370s which put him on the Federation's radar. The organizations began briefing officers of his existence as a result. Q followed Vash, a woman whom he provided Q abilities, to Deep Space 9, but found Sisko boring compared to Picard. He also appears to crew members of the Cerritos, putting them through trials similarly to his antics on the Enterprise.

Q doesn't mess with only humans either, although you could say he has an affinity for humanity. When the Q Continuum doesn't allow his chaos to go unnoticed, he tries to seek asylum on Picard's Enterprise when he's punished by being made human. He doesn't say it aloud, but Picard can deduce that he's seeking protection from other civilizations Q made enemies of. This is temporary, of course, when Q shows progress and leaves the Enterprise to protect the people he torments so often. This experience also enlightens him in a profound way as he interacts with Data ( Brent Spiner ), who has a unique relationship with humanity on his own.

Q's arc on Voyager is possibly more consequential than even the introduction of the Borg to the alpha quadrant, even although he only appears in 3 episodes. When Voyager accidentally releases an imprisoned Q (known by Quinn) from a comet, Q becomes involved in a Q civil war over the idea of changing their status quo. Q became one of the leaders supporting change. To end the civil war, he has a child with a female Q -- the first Q offspring in over a millennium.

Despite the galactic scale consequences of the fate of the Q Continuum, Q has always been revered for his relationship with Picard and humanity. The last time he meets Picard in The Next Generation , it's been some time since Q has put humanity on trial. In the series finale, Picard once again passes the mind-bending test, but Q advises, "The trial never ends." That same line teases the continuation of the story between the man and the Q.

• TV Features
• Star Trek: Picard (2020)

• TNG performers
• DS9 performers
• VOY performers
• Star Trek novel authors
• LD performers
• PIC performers

John de Lancie

John de Lancie ( born 20 March 1948 ; age 76) is an American actor, director, producer, writer, educator, sailor, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his portrayal of Q on Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager , Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Picard . He also portrayed the character in Star Trek: The Game Show and Star Trek: Borg . In addition, he co-wrote the novel I, Q with Peter David and has narrated audio adaptations of several novels, including Q-in-Law (with Majel Barrett Roddenberry ) and Dark Mirror . His Borg costume from his latter video game appearance was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay and was also worn by Michael Reilly Burke , Gary Hunter , and Tom Morga . [1] On My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic , he performed the voice of Discord, a character inspired by Q.

For "Qpid", he filmed his scenes between Wednesday 6 February 1991 and Thursday 7 February 1991 and Tuesday 12 February 1991 and Friday 15 February 1991 on Paramount Stage 8 , 9 , and 16 and on the location shooting at the Descanso Gardens .

In 1996 , de Lancie co-founded Alien Voices with Leonard Nimoy and writer-producer Nat Segaloff. The audio production company/troupe produced several sci-fi audio productions (including the two Spock Vs. Q audios), as well as a few televised specials for the Sci-Fi Channel , which co-starred Nimoy, de Lancie, and several other Star Trek alumni.

In 2008 and 2010 , de Lancie and Robert Picardo co-hosted " Star Trek: The Music ," a concert covering the music of all the Star Trek eras.

• 1.1 Appearances as Q
• 2 Personal information
• 3.6 InAlienable (aka Illegal Alien )
• 4 Weakest Link
• 5 Other Trek connections
• 6 Bibliography
• 7 Star Trek interviews
• 8 External links

Star Trek appearances [ ]

As First of Four in the video game Star Trek: Borg

Appearances as Q [ ]

• " Encounter at Farpoint " ( Season 1 )
• " Hide And Q "
• " Q Who " ( Season 2 )
• " Deja Q " ( Season 3 )
• " Qpid " ( Season 4 )
• " True Q " ( Season 6 )
• " Tapestry "
• " All Good Things... " ( Season 7 )
• DS9 : " Q-Less " ( Season 1 )
• " Death Wish " ( Season 2 )
• " The Q and the Grey " ( Season 3 )
• " Q2 " ( Season 7 )
• LD : " Veritas " (voice) ( Season 1 )
• " The Star Gazer " ( Season 2 )
• " Penance "
• " Assimilation "
• " Watcher "
• " Fly Me to the Moon "
• " Two of One " (archive footage; uncredited)
• " Farewell "
• " The Last Generation " (uncredited) ( Season 3 )

Personal information [ ]

de Lancie and Marnie Mosiman in 1991

Born John Sherwood de Lancie, Jr. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 20 March 1948 , he was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child and, as such, did not learn to read until he was 12. [2] Despite this affliction, he began to act at the age of 14, performing in a high school production of William Shakespeare's Henry V .

He went on to study acting at Kent State University (he was in attendance during the Kent State shootings on 4 May 1970) and won a scholarship at Julliard. He has performed in numerous stage productions, participating at such engagements as the American Shakespeare Festival and the Mark Taper Forum, as well as establishing a successful career in film and television.

On 20 March 1984 (on de Lancie's birthday), de Lancie married to Marnie Mosiman , who appeared in the Next Generation episode "" Loud As A Whisper "." They have two sons: Keegan de Lancie , the oldest, portrayed Q's son Q Junior in the Voyager episode " Q2 "; Owen de Lancie, their youngest, portrayed Q's son in Star Trek World Tour .

Coincidentally, de Lancie is a long-time friend of Kate Mulgrew , who portrayed Kathryn Janeway in Voyager .

Acting career [ ]

de Lancie got off to a busy start following his television debut in Captains and the Kings , which also featured Cliff DeYoung , Kermit Murdock , Bill Quinn , and Richard Herd . The following year, he was seen in SST: Death Flight with Barbara Anderson , Brock Peters , Robert Ito , and Richard Derr and The Man with the Power with Persis Khambatta , Noél De Souza , James Ingersoll , Tim O'Connor , Roger Perry , and Jason Wingreen . That same year, he had a role in Testimony of Two Men with Theodore Bikel , Jeff Corey , Logan Ramsey , and Star Trek: The Original Series star William Shatner . de Lancie later co-starred with Shatner in The Bastard (also starring Kim Cattrall , John Colicos , William Daniels , Ike Eisenmann , James Gregory , and Alex Henteloff ) and Little Women (with William Schallert and Logan Ramsey). Also in 1978, de Lancie and Marc Alaimo appeared as divers in the Six Million Dollar Man television special Sharks , produced by Fred Freiberger and Harve Bennett and co-written by Freiberger.

Besides a number of other television films and miniseries, de Lancie also made appearances in various television series, including an episode of Battlestar Galactica (with Ken Lynch , Nehemiah Persoff , and Logan Ramsey) and various episodes of Emergency (with Kevin Tighe ). This ultimately culminated in his major motion picture debut, appearing as a police lieutenant in The Onion Field (co-starring fellow Star Trek alumni Phillip Richard Allen , K Callan , Ronny Cox , Richard Herd, Christopher Lloyd , Michael Pataki , and John Savage ).

de Lancie's next film appearance occurred the following year in Loving Couples , starring Stephen Collins and Sally Kellerman . He also found himself working on Scruples , co-starring fellow Trek performers Kim Cattrall, Paul Carr , Walker Edmiston , Gary Graham , John Hancock , and Bill Quinn.

He starred in a series pilot entitled Nightside , but the pilot was not sold; this project co-starred Larry Cedar and Vincent Schiavelli . de Lancie later took a role in The Thorn Birds ; his many co-stars in this program included Philip Anglim , Antoinette Bower (portraying a relative of de Lancie's character), Brett Cullen , Richard Kiley , Christopher Plummer , Jean Simmons , and Meg Wyllie .

From 1982 through 1986 and again in 1989, de Lancie starred as Eugene Bradford in Days of Our Lives . For his work on this series, he won two Soap Opera Digest Awards, one in 1984 and another in 1985, and was nominated for a third in 1986. Afterward, de Lancie was cast as a regular on CBS ' Trial and Error , but this series was cancelled after only eight episodes, premiering in March 1988. Between these projects, he returned to guest-starring on other TV shows, including a 1986 episode of The Twilight Zone , in a segment co-starring Jimmie F. Skaggs , James Lashly , and Brent Spiner . de Lancie and Spiner would work with each other again on Star Trek: The Next Generation , beginning the following year.

de Lancie continued expanding his resume throughout the 1990s, including roles in several popular films. He and his Next Generation co-star Gates McFadden appeared together in Taking Care of Business . The following year, de Lancie appeared briefly as a television executive near the end of The Fisher King . In 1992, he appeared as a doctor in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (starring Matt McCoy and Charles Lucia ) and in 1993, he appeared in Fearless (also featuring Steven Culp , Stephanie Erb , Eric Menyuk , and John Towey ). He then starred in Evolver , portraying the creator of the title robotic menace.

On television, he made guest appearances in such television series as L.A. Law (working with Corbin Bernsen , Larry Drake , Diana Muldaur , and Charles Napier ), The Young Riders (with his TNG / DS9 co-star Jennifer Hetrick and Anthony Zerbe ), and Matlock (in a 1993 episode with Daniel Roebuck ). He also voiced Eagleton in two episodes of Batman: The Animated Series , one which also featured the voices of Loren Lester and Paul Winfield and another with the voice of L.A. Law co-star Diana Muldaur.

After TNG ended in 1994 , de Lancie was cast as a regular in Legend , created by Michael Piller and Bill Dial and co-starring Richard Dean Anderson of MacGyver and Stargate SG-1 fame (de Lancie had previously appeared on an episode of MacGyver and went on to appear on Stargate SG-1 ). Katherine Moffat , Stephanie Beacham , Douglas Rowe , and Terry Jackson also appeared in the pilot episode with de Lancie. However, the series lasted only 12 episodes, airing from April through August 1995.

Aside from a supporting role in Multiplicity (co-starring Ann Cusack , George D. Wallace, and Harris Yulin ) and an uncredited voice-over role in Saving Private Ryan , the remainder of de Lancie's screen acting credits throughout the 1990s were in television. He made guest appearances on Murder One (with Daniel Benzali , Barbara Bosson , Roy Brocksmith , Juliana Donald , John Fleck , and John Carroll Lynch ), Picket Fences (with Louise Fletcher and Ray Walston ), Dave's World (with Bruce McGill ), and appeared in two episodes of Fired Up , which was executive produced by Kelsey Grammer . He also starred in a number of made-for-television films, including 1997's Final Descent (with Gwynyth Walsh ) and its 1999 sequel Final Run .

Off-screen, de Lancie lent his voice to Interstate '76 , voicing Antonio Malochio.

In the year 2000, de Lancie starred in an episode of The Outer Limits with series regular Kevin Conway , who portrayed the infamous Control Voice, and was further featured in an episode of UPN's Secret Agent Man with series regular Dina Meyer . In 2001, he portrayed Colonel Frank Simmons in several episodes of Stargate SG-1 during the series' fifth season; he also appeared in an episode of the sixth season the following year. He appeared in two episodes of Gene Roddenberry 's Andromeda and later portrayed Odin in several episodes of Charmed (working with Elizabeth Dennehy , Maury Sterling , and Joel Swetow ).

He made guest appearances on such shows as The West Wing , Special Unit 2 , The Guardian (starring Raphael Sbarge , in an episode with Vaughn Armstrong ), NYPD Blue (starring Gordon Clapp ), Without a Trace (starring Enrique Murciano , in an episode with Tracy Middendorf ), and Shark (starring Jeri Ryan , in an episode with Ivar Brogger and Michael Buchman Silver ). His recent television credits have included recurring roles on The Unit (which starred Abby Brammell and on which de Lancie and Ann Cusack played a married couple), the acclaimed AMC Network drama Breaking Bad which also guest-starred Mark Margolis (including an episode with Jonathan Banks ), and the comic drama Greek .

On film, de Lancie had supporting roles in two romantic comedies: 2000's Woman on Top (with Anne Elizabeth Ramsay ) and 2001's Good Advice . In 2004, he worked with George Takei and Tucker Smallwood in The Eavesdropper . He was also seen in Reign Over Me , which also featured Jonathan Banks . In 2008, de Lancie was seen in such films as Pathology (with Larry Drake and Sam Witwer ), Quality Time (with Gail Strickland , Rif Hutton , Mary Elizabeth McGlynn , and Jeanette Miller ), and the independent film You (with Jerry Hardin , Amy Pietz , and Brenda Strong ).

In 2009, he appeared as a sardonic, atypical newscaster in Crank: High Voltage , which co-starred Clifton Collins, Jr. , Keone Young , Menina Fortunato , Nicole Randall , Jimmy Ortega , Henry Hayashi , and Spice Williams . He later had a role in Gamer . He also voiced Santa Claus in Elf Sparkle Meets Christmas the Horse , which also featured the voices of Pamelyn Ferdin and Richard Chaves . He had also filmed a role in the science fiction thriller Recreator .

In 2011, de Lancie appeared in Torchwood: Miracle Day , the fourth season of the Doctor Who spin-off series, Torchwood as Allen Shapiro . Nana Visitor also appeared in the series, and Jane Espenson and John Shiban wrote some of the episodes; de Lancie appeared in the last three. [3] In 2011, de Lancie also appeared in the drama-comedy television series Franklin and Bash , along with Clayton Landey , Robert Pine , Jason Alexander , Geoffrey Blake , Patrick Fischler , David Gautreaux , J. Patrick McCormack , Mark L. Taylor , Ivar Brogger , Gates McFadden and Malcolm McDowell . He currently plays the Q-inspired near-omnipotent trickster Discord , a recurring antihero in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic , starting with the character's introduction in the two-part Season 2 episode "The Return of Harmony" [4] . He later tweeted , comparing the My Little Pony fanbase (known as Bronies) to that of Star Trek .

de Lancie lent his voice to several video games during this decade; in 2012, he portrayed Professor Fitz Quadwrangle in Quantum Conundrum . He also provided the voice of Assassin leader William Miles, father of protagonist Desmond Miles - voiced by Nolan North - in the fourth and fifth Assassin's Creed games, Assassin's Creed: Revelations , and Assassin's Creed III ( Roger Aaron Brown and Robin Atkin Downes also appeared in the games, but de Lancie did not share any scenes with them).

In 2015, he portrayed a demon in the episode "And the Infernal Contract" from The Librarians , directed by Jonathan Frakes , and starred in the film Visions alongside Anson Mount and Gillian Jacobs .

InAlienable (aka Illegal Alien ) [ ]

In 2003, de Lancie was attached to star in a science fiction film called Illegal Alien , executive produced and written by Original Series star Walter Koenig . The film would have co-starred Koenig and Robert Picardo . [5] (X) [6] As time went on, however, de Lancie became unhappy with the changes being made to the film and dropped out. (Picardo also had to drop out due to another commitment.) The film was re-named InAlienable and was released in 2008 with such Trek performers as Marina Sirtis , J.G. Hertzler , Patricia Tallman , Courtney Peldon and Gary Graham . [7]

Weakest Link [ ]

In 2001, de Lancie participated in the Star Trek edition of the game show Weakest Link along with LeVar Burton , Denise Crosby , Roxann Dawson , Robert Picardo , William Shatner , Armin Shimerman , and Wil Wheaton . De Lancie was the first contestant eliminated with Anne Robinson saying to him " John, I am afraid that's your Q to leave ".

Other Trek connections [ ]

• McMillan & Wife episode "Affair of the Heart" (1977) with Barbara Babcock, John Schuck, and Jason Wingreen
• Emergency: Survival on Charter #220 (1978 TV movie) with Jason Evers, Vince Howard, and Kevin Tighe
• The Six Million Dollar Man episode "Just A Matter of Time" (1978) with Paul Carr
• Black Beauty (1978 mini-series) with Edward Laurence Albert, Ike Eisenmann, Diana Muldaur, and Brock Peters
• Barnaby Jones episode "Terror on a Quiet Afternoon" (1978) with Lee Meriwether
• Nero Wolfe episode "Might as Well Be Dead" (1981) with Bruce Gray and Allan Miller
• It's a Living episode "The Wedding" (1981) with Bert Remsen and Wendy Schaal
• Murder, She Wrote episode "If The Frame Fits" (1986) with Norman Lloyd and directed by Paul Lynch
• On Fire (1987 TV movie) with Bill Erwin
• Hooperman episode "High Noon" (1988) with Barbara Bosson
• Christine Cromwell: Things That Go Bump in the Night (1989 TV movie) with James Cromwell and Ellen Albertini Dow
• Get Smart, Again! (1989 TV movie) with Cecily Adams , Stanley Adams , and Kenneth Mars
• Angel of Death (1990 TV movie) with Brian Bonsall and Ray Walston
• Missing Pieces (1991 film) with Bob Gunton
• Arcade (1993 direct-to-video movie) with Don Stark
• Schemes (1994 direct-to-video movie) with John Glover and George D. Wallace
• Without Warning (1994 TV movie) with Ron Canada and Marnie McPhail
• Raven Hawk (1996 TV movie) with John Fleck and Ed Lauter
• Spy Game episode "And That Concludes Our Session" (1997) with Keith Szarabajka
• You Lucky Dog (1998 TV movie) with James Avery
• Border Line (1999 TV movie) with Michelle C. Bonilla , Len Cariou , Josh Cruze , Christopher Michael , and Mikael Salazar
• The Practice episode "Payback" (2001) with Diane DiLascio and Jeremy Roberts
• Crossing Jordan episode "Payback" (2002) with Susan Gibney
• Judging Amy episode "Picture of Perfect" (2003) with Miriam Flynn
• The Closer episode "Flashpoint" (2005) with Ellen Bry and Raymond Cruz
• Breaking Bad 4 episodes (2009-2010) with Raymond Cruz , Mark Margolis , and Jonathan Banks

Bibliography [ ]

• " The Gift ", 1990
• I, Q , 2000 – Co-author with Peter David
• Star Trek: The Visual Dictionary , 2013 – Foreword

Star Trek interviews [ ]

• TNG Season 1 DVD special feature "The Beginning"
• TNG Season 1 DVD special feature "Selected Crew Analysis" ("Character Notes")
• TNG Season 2 DVD special feature "Departmental Briefing Year Two: Memorable Missions" (" Loud As A Whisper "), interviewed on 27 August 1991
• TNG Season 3 DVD special feature "Departmental Briefing Year Three" ("Visual Effects " Deja Q ""), interviewed on 21 August 1991
• TNG Season 4 DVD special feature "Mission Overview Year Four", interviewed on 21 August 1991
• TNG Season 5 DVD special feature "A Tribute to Gene Roddenberry " ("Gene Roddenberry Building Dedicated to Star Trek's Creator"), interviewed on 19 March 2002
• TNG Season 7 DVD special feature "Special Profiles Year Seven" ("Q"), interviewed on 19 March 2002
• The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 2 , pp. 4-7, "John de Lancie - Q", interviewed by Edward Gross
• The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine , Vol. 3, p. 48, "The Encore of Q", interviewed by Edward Gross
• All Good Things Blu-ray special feature The Unknown Possibilities of Existence: Making "All Good Things" ( 2014 )
• " To Boldly Ask... John de Lancie " video interview with Ian Spelling (20 October 2022)

External links [ ]

• John de Lancie at Wikipedia
• John de Lancie at X (formerly Twitter)
• John de Lancie at the Internet Movie Database
• John de Lancie at Battlestar Wiki
• 2009 interview with John de Lancie at AMCtv.com
• 2012 interview with John de Lancie at TrekCore
• John de Lancie at SF-Encyclopedia.com
• John de Lancie at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 USS Voyager (NCC-74656-A)
• 2 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Star Trek: Prodigy

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‘Star Trek: Picard’: What’s Wrong With Q?

Where to stream:.

• Star Trek: Picard

Stream It Or Skip It: 'Star Trek: Prodigy' Season 2 On Netflix, Where The Ragtag Group Of Teen Starfleet Trainees Join Janeway On A Dangerous Mission

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After the Season 2 premiere of  Star Trek: Picard gave us a tiny morsel at the end of the episode featuring the return of John de Lancie’s all-powerful Q, this week’s episode, titled “Penance”, brought the master manipulator back full force. Only, as Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) himself realizes… Something is wrong with Q.

“It was refreshing,” de Lancie told Decider on the still-mysterious twist. “It gave me a kind of a secret, and that secret, that’s what actors try to do oftentimes is find a secret because it energizes things a little bit without having to reveal anything. There’s a secret in there.”

As to what that secret is, de Lancie was mum… Is he dying? Is there some sort of infection in the universe? Maybe he’s not Q at all? Whatever it is, it’s as unclear to us, the audience, as it is to Picard. Part of the reason for that is that, as usual, Q is talking in riddles, his hints and teases all out of order for the timeline, only leading Picard along in whatever his game is instead of giving it up entirely.

The good news, though, is that despite Q’s infuriatingly twisty phrases, de Lancie always knows what’s going on, and what he’s teasing — even if the audience doesn’t.

“It’s really important to know what’s coming,” de Lancie continued. “There were times when I’m not sure if the writers knew exactly what was coming either. We had a general notion, but actors don’t do well with general. You need really specific and detailed. There were times where I was waiting to go, well, I wonder what’s gonna happen next here.”

Notably, de Lancie had yet to see the episodes when interviewed, so wasn’t entirely sure of the content that made the final cut (when asked about the digitally de-aged version of Q who showed up in the premiere, de Lancie laughed and posited his reaction to seeing it might be, “Oh my god look how much thinner I was back then!”). But he has been able to help steer the direction of the character over the years, and in particular, having a faulty god in this damaged Q ties right into something DeLancie has become a passionate advocate for over the intervening years: atheism, reason, and science.

“Yes, and hopefully those lines will still be in there,” de Lancie said, when asked if his activism had impacted this new take on the character. “[Gene] Roddenberry was decidedly secular. And I think one of the things that has been really great about Star Trek is that it has for the most part remained that way. Science, reason, first. Magical thinking, quite a bit further down the line. So in any case, I do keep those things in mind. You know, something a little off, somebody asked me during the whole QAnon stuff, they said, your connection… They said, is there a connection between Q and QAnon? I said, ‘Hey, I play God, not an idiot.’ And that got sent out. So I play a God, not an idiot.”

Star Trek: Picard streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Where to watch  Star Trek: Picard

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Yep, The Picard Finale Has A Credits Scene, And We Need To Talk About It

This post contains  spoilers for the series finale of "Star Trek: Picard."

The third season of "Star Trek: Picard" was long ago declared to be its last . Lead actor Patrick Stewart is hanging up his communicator and the cast of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" will finally split up for good. The final season of "Picard" largely served as their encore, a late-in-life reunion that allowed the character to have a few conversations — and to be in utter peril — one last time. It seems the Next Generation is no longer their generation. 

Indeed, "Picard" ends with a Next Generation of its own. Flashing forward to a year after the season's climactic Borg battle, a new crew has been assembled. Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharp Chestnut), the daughter of Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), is already sitting at the helm of the U.S.S. Titan-A. Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), the son of Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden), has passed through Starfleet (in only one year!) and will sit as the special counselor to the captain of the Titan. The captain, incidentally, is Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and her first officer will be Raffi (Michelle Hurd), her one-time girlfriend. This is "Star Trek: The Next, Next Generation."

Also, to assure that legacy is on everyone's mind, the U.S.S. Titan is, at the last minute, rechristened the U.S.S. Enterprise-G (it seems that the Enterprise-F was wiped out quickly). Jack will begin his career on the namesake ship of his father's two most famous commands. 

With the circumstances so arranged, naturally, the showrunners decided to fold in one last notable guest star to link everything back to NextGen. In a mid-credits scene, the presumed-dead trickster god Q ( John de Lancie ), alive again, appears to Jack.

The trial never ended

Q died during the finale of the second season of "Star Trek: Picard." So how can he be back to wreak inconvenience on Jack Crusher? Seeing as he is an omnipotent being that lives beyond the normal laws of time and space, there's no reason why he couldn't have lived another several billion years, only to return to the time when Jean-Luc Picard was alive to bid him farewell. He explains to Jack that humans think in linear terms and that his death was not to be taken as permanent. 

Jack tells Q that he knows all about his appearances to Jean-Luc, and how Q infamously put humanity on trial for their aggression and brutality. Q first appeared in the "Next Generation" pilot episode "Encounter at Farpoint" (September 28, 1987) dressed as a post-apocalyptic judge in control of his own kangaroo court. In the show's final episode, "All Good Things..." (May 23, 1994), Q declared that the trial never ended and that Picard, through his own witlessness, will accidentally destroy humanity. It wasn't until Picard could understand the real existence of paradoxes that humanity began to show a glimmer of promise. Q withdrew, having proven his point.

Q would return a few times on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager," and would close out his story in "Picard," hugging Jean-Luc in a bizarrely sentimental farewell. It seemed that his infinite lifecycle came to an end.

But, as audiences now see, the trial seemingly continues in perpetuity. Q says to Jack that his own trial is just starting. Picard's progeny now bears the responsibility of proving humanity's worthiness to continue existing. 

What does it mean?

Audiences have long been trained to accept mid-credits teasers as previews for an upcoming film or TV series; we have the Marvel Cinematic Universe to thank for that. As such, the appearance of Q might serve as a miniature pilot for another new "Star Trek" TV series. Showrunner Terry Matalas has even said that he would love to make a series called "Star Trek: Legacy," which would presumably be about life on the Enterprise-G with a young ensign Crusher and Captain Seven seeking out new life and new civilizations. 

With a new Enterprise, a new crew, and a godlike antagonist, it seems that we're exactly back to where we were in 1987 with the launch of "Next Generation." Only this time, a whole season of television presaged it, establishing characters and scenarios the way a pilot episode might. The groundwork has been laid. It seems all Matalas needs is a green light. 

As for reusing the "Next Generation" premise of a Picard standing in as humanity's avatar while Q puts our species on trial, I have no problem. Repeating an idea may be cheap from a writerly perspective, but it makes logical sense given Q's nature. He is pretty much immortal, we see, and experiences time on a vast scale. When one can live billions of years, a millennium is but a drop in the bucket. Q knew Picard for, what, five decades? That's not even the single beat of a bumblebee's wing to Q. It makes sense that the trial of humanity would continue into the next generation, or even into multiple generations beyond. Q is the Picard family Devil now. 

Whether or not audiences see it happening, we can rest assured that Q will make Picards miserable for thousands of years to come. 

Giant Freakin Robot

Star Trek: Picard Completely Transforms Q In TNG

Posted: July 10, 2024 | Last updated: July 10, 2024

One of the most shocking things about Star Trek: Picard’s last episode was that Q reappeared in the final scene to have a brief conversation with Jack Crusher. The young man points out what we were all thinking–that the omnipotent being was supposed to be dead, having passed away in the previous season of the show. Q chides Crusher for thinking “so linearly,” which brings up a fascinating possibility: Q’s many appearances in The Next Generation might have been “out of order,” with him appearing to Picard and crew at different points in his own timeline.

Q For All Seasons

Before we can dive into this wild Star Trek theory about Picard’s final episode, we need to review who Q is.

He appears in the first episode of The Next Generation as a god-like being who wants to put humanity on trial–he subsequently appears in other episodes of TNG as a kind of trickster figure, though he appears in its last episode to remind Picard that humanity’s trial never ended.

The character popped up for one episode of Deep Space Nine and several episodes of Voyager before appearing again in Picard’s second season.

In that season, he sent the title character on one more insane adventure (one that crossed both dimensions and time periods) before dying, something that everyone previously thought impossible.

His farewell was very emotional, and fans had every reason to think he would never appear again.

That’s why it was so shocking when this beloved Star Trek character appeared in the final episode of Picard, and the only explanation for his reappearance is that we were seeing Q pop up after he died in our timeline but before he died in his own timeline.

Q Could’ve Been Hopping All Over Time

In previous episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, fans mostly assumed that Picard and Q shared the same linear timeline, something that was seemingly confirmed when he would reference past events.

However, the character didn’t always reference past events, and for that matter, an all-knowing god figure might have knowledge that transcends time and space.

Given the events of Picard’s final episode, it’s entirely possible that Q was popping into different points in our timeline from different points in his own timeline.

Star Trek’s River Song

For sci-fi fans, perhaps the clearest analog to Q would be River Song, the fan-favorite Doctor Who character. She actually married the Doctor, but their romance was a strange one because each of them was a time traveler and they weren’t always on the same page–for example, the 10th Doctor meets her on the adventure where she dies, but at that point, she had already gotten married to the 11th Doctor in her own timeline.

If this Star Trek theory is true, then Picard’s final episode proves that Q is this franchise’s own River Song, constantly meeting Picard at different points in each character’s timeline.

Star Trek: Legacy

Unless we get the Star Trek: Legacy show that fans have fervently demanded, we are unlikely to see either Picard or Q in this franchise ever again. That means we may never get a confirmation of this wild theory, one that completely transforms our understanding of The Next Generation.

Of course, this is only fitting–figuring out this mystery regarding Q may just be one more test for humanity, and it’s one we fully intend to pass.

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Gabrielle Ruiz Teases Major Returns In Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5

The final season guest star list "is sick," says T'Lyn voice actor.

There will be no spoilers here, but if you've been watching Star Trek: Prodigy 's second season — and if you haven't, well, go fast and do! — you'll already have enjoyed a whole gaggle of jaw-dropping guest stars that one half of the animated shows has to offer. When it comes to casting legacy characters, it looks like the fifth season of Star Trek: Lower Decks will be no different. As Gabrielle Ruiz — voice of the recklessly out-of-control Vulcan science officer, T'Lyn, and others, including Lieutenant junior grade Castro, in Star Trek: Lower Decks — told Seán on the TrekCulture podcast over the weekend:

Okay, I can say this, now that I'm pulling this out of my brain. The guest star list [for season five] is sick! Then, the people that are coming in that said yes to do it. I'm just squealing for everybody to find out.

I can't wait for that specific episode to air because I think it's the best one. It's written the best, the guest star list is the best, the dynamic of us trio of girls going to do a thing is so much fun.

Jack Kiely is a writer with a PhD in French and almost certainly an unhealthy obsession with Star Trek.

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Will jean-luc picard appear in star trek’s next movie.

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Section 31: Everything We Know About Star Trek’s First Streaming Movie

Chicago fire season 13, pd season 12 & med season 10 release date confirmed, aemond's "sobriquet" line explained: what it says about aegon & its secret deeper meaning.

• Star Trek: Section 31 is set in the "lost era" of the early 24th century, featuring Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Georgiou.
• A young Rachel Garrett, Captain of the Enterprise-C, is confirmed to appear, hinting at a possible young Jean-Luc Picard cameo.
• The film may explore Section 31's role in the Star Trek timeline, potentially shedding light on characters from the past, like young Picard.

Could a young Jean-Luc Picard could appear in Star Trek 's next film, Star Trek: Section 31 ? Introduced in Star Trek: Discovery season 1, Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Philippa Georgiou became one of Star Trek's best new characters. After Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery traveled to the far future in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, Georgiou experienced debilitating flashbacks due to being displaced in both time and dimension. The Guardian of Forever (Paul Guilfoyle) eventually sent Georigou to a period in history "when the Mirror Universe and the Prime Universe were still aligned."

Although the synopsis for Star Trek: Section 31 remains unknown, Paramount+'s first-ever S tar Trek streaming movie has been confirmed to take place in Star Trek's " lost era" of the early 24th century. Section 31 's has been announced, but not who they are playing. Besides Georgiou, the only Section 31 character confirmed to appear is a young Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl). Captain Garrett ( Tricia O'Neil) made her first and only appearance in the iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Yesterday's Enterprise." She sacrificed her life and her ship, the USS Enterprise-C, to restore the proper version of the future. Based on what has been revealed about Section 31's place in the Star Trek timeline, it's possible a young Jean-Luc Picard could make an appearance.

Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh headlines Star Trek: Section 31, and here's what we know about Paramount+'s first Star Trek streaming movie.

How Jean-Luc Picard Could Appear In Star Trek’s Next Movie

Throughout star trek's "lost era," picard was attending starfleet academy & serving on the uss stargazer..

Born in 2305, Jean-Luc Picard entered Starfleet Academy in 2323, eventually graduating at the top of his class in 2327. Although it has not been confirmed when exactly in the 24th century Star Trek: Section 31 takes place, it could be set while Picard is serving as a cadet at the Academy. Picard did well academically while at the Academy, which made him brash and cocky. Soon after graduating, Jean-Luc was nearly killed after getting into a bar fight with a group of Nausicaans. Considering Captain Picard has changed and matured by the time of Star Trek: The Next Generation, it would be interesting to see a glimpse of his life as a cadet.

Jean-Luc Picard became Captain of the USS Stargazer in 2333 and commanded that ship for 22 years, before taking over command of the USS Enterprise-D in 2363.

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation , Captain Picard remained closed off from most of his crew members, only occasionally revealing personal aspects of his past. Jean-Luc was 58 years old when he took over command of the USS Enterprise-D in 2363, meaning a lot of his life remains unexplored on screen. Of course, Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Georgiou is the star of Star Trek: Section 31, so the film will presumably focus on her past, present, and future. Still, it would be fun to see a young Picard pop up, if only for a brief cameo appearance.

When In Star Trek’s Lost Era Section 31 Could Be Set

Star trek's "lost era" spans from the end of star trek vi: the undiscovered country to the beginning of star trek: the next generation..

Rachel Garrett appears to be in her 20s during Section 31 , and she is younger than Picard, despite becoming Captain of the Enterprise before him. By 2344, Garrett is Captain of the Enterprise-C , but her age at that time remains unknown, making exact dates and timelines difficult to pin down. Still, it seems likely Star Trek: Section 31 will take place around the 2320s or a bit later, although time travel and alternate universes could always complicate matters. In only one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation , Rachel Garrett made a lasting impression, and it's about time Star Trek revealed more about this fascinating character.

Actress Tricia O'Neil was around the age of 45 while filming "Yesterday's Enterprise," meaning Rachel Garrett's age is likely somewhere around that number.

As Starfleet's top-secret intelligence organization, Section 31 has been depicted in different ways since its introduction in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . While the organization is more widely known in the 2250s of Star Trek: Discovery's early seasons, very few knew about Section 31 by the time of DS9. Star Trek: Section 31 will bridge this gap, while also filling in the backstory of Rachel Garret and perhaps some other legacy characters. Whether or not Emperor Georgiou has a run-in with a young Jean-Luc in Star Trek: Section 31 remains to be seen, but perhaps Cadet Picard will get a shoutout.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

How Star Trek: Prodigy And Picard Collaborated To Bring Back One Of Star Trek’s Biggest 'Abandoned' Characters

I love seeing two shows come together for a great cause.

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for Season 2 of Star Trek: Prodigy . Stream it now with a Netflix subscription and read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 is streaming on Netflix, and it's the best serialized Trek story we've seen in franchise history . One of the reasons why is how well it intertwined itself into other shows, and there's one massive tie-in with Picard that many fans are excited about. Surprisingly, CinemaBlend learned from the Hageman brothers that they were actually deep into using Wesley Crusher for Season 2 when Picard called and shared the story of how it all worked out.

For those reading who haven't seen it yet and don't care about spoilers, Wesley Crusher ends up being a key figure in Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2. He helps Dal and the crew attempt to correct the timeline and avoid the time beasts known as The Loom. It takes just about every ounce of his power as a Traveler, but he gets it done.

Given that Wil Wheaton returned as Wesley Crusher in Picard Season 2 before the second half of Prodigy Season 1 ever aired, one might assume the co-creators took inspiration from the cameo to make him a part of the next season. Kevin Hageman confirmed, however, that they had Wesley Crusher in their season before Picard had worked him in, and shared how Picard showrunner Terry Matalas collaborated with them on helping bring the character back to Star Trek :

They were wonderful over on Picard. We were already in the middle of writing our season so Terry [Matalas] called us up and is like, ‘What are you guys doing with Wesley because we’re hoping to do something little.’ So we got in sync, but yeah, we were already down the road [writing that story] because we knew Wesley is the original prodigy. How great would it be for him to come back? Star Trek kind of abandoned him after Wesley walked off the screen of Next Generation. No one’s really touched where this character is. So, it was such a blast.

Fans were disappointed when Wil Wheaton's Wesley wasn't featured in Star Trek: Picard Season 3 , making his return feel somewhat superfluous. We know now that it was Terry Matalas teeing up the character's big adventure in Prodigy Season 2, which showed many of his abilities as a Traveler.

Matalas didn't just tee up Star Trek: Prodigy to tell a grand story about Wesley's return; he even gave them some spoilers well in advance. Dan Hageman confirmed to CinemaBlend that he told them Picard Season 3's biggest secret about Jack Crusher so they could work it into the end of their season.

And then they told us, ‘Wesley’s got a brother,’ so then we’re like ok we gotta figure out a way to get that in.

I wonder if when Ed Speleers talked to CinemaBlend about sharing a scene with Wil Wheaton , he knew this scene was coming all along? It's certainly possible, though with Jack being a toddler, I don't imagine Speleers would need to be told about the scene happening if Wheaton hadn't told them during their conversation.

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What's most impressive about the collaboration is how similar the characters look between live-action and animation. Kevin Hageman noted that there's a reason for that, and that the two teams worked together to ensure Wesley looked consistent across the two shows:

They looked at our character designs and stuff so that they didn’t have Wesley walk on [Picard] and look totally different.

Star Trek: Prodigy and Picard set the stage for future adventures for Wesley Crusher, potentially in upcoming Trek shows . I could see a spinoff for the character similar in tone to Doctor Who , and with Russell T. Davies making nods to Trek in his Disney+ series , now might be the perfect time for that show. I'm all for more Wesley in the future, so maybe some Trek creatives can put their heads together again and figure out a way for that to happen.

Star Trek: Prodigy is available to watch right now on Netflix. Stream it now so that fans can see Season 3 happen, and maybe even tell a friend to watch as well so we can all have great sci-fi animated adventures in the future.

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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