True Q (episode)

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"True Q"
TNG, Episode 6x06 Production number: 40276-232 First aired: 26 October 1992
←	131st of 176 produced in TNG	→
←	131st of 176 released in TNG	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 176 released in TNG Remastered
←	239th of 726 released in all	→
Written By René Echevarria Directed By Robert Scheerer
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Q once again graces the Enterprise with a visit, claiming that a young intern aboard is really a Q.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Memorable Quotes 3 Background information 3.1 Video and DVD releases 4 Links and References 4.1 Guest Stars 4.2 Uncredited Co-Stars 4.3 Uncredited Stunt double 4.4 References

[edit] Summary

A female intern has come aboard the Enterprise, while the crew are helping a planet with its ecological state. The intern, whose name is Amanda Rogers, was to assist Doctor Crusher with some medical experiments, and eventually wanted to go to Starfleet Academy. She explained she felt very lucky she was accepted as intern out of hundreds of other applicants. As Commander Riker leads Amanda to her quarters, she unexpectedly seems to know the ship already. In her quarters, she explains she wishes her two pet dogs were present. When Riker leaves, the dogs actually show up, giving the first clue that Amanda is Q.

At the cargo bay, when a container nearly falls and kills Commander Riker, she manages to quickly alter its direction. Another such incident is in engineering, when a completely bizarre warp core breach occurs. Once again, Amanda is able to successfully use her abilities, stopping the breach. Shortly afterwards at a conference, when Amanda's identity is revealed, Q once again appeared. He explains that he is here to instruct and recruit Amanda back into the Continuum. Apparently, he caused the warp core breach for the sole purpose to test Amanda's powers as a Q. Later it is revealed that Amanda's parent's were Q who assumed human form to live on Earth. The Q Continuum was not happy with them living on Earth, and as a result, executed them and used a tornado as an excuse for their death.

Meanwhile, Q tries to convince Amanda to join the continuum. They play a hide and seek game on the Enterprise. Amanda easily locates Q's hiding places: in a container in a cargo bay, inside the warp core, and on top of the ship's hull.

Doctor Crusher assigns Amanda an experiment, as part of her internship. As Crusher leaves the lab, Q shows up again, "assisting" Amanda in the experiment. When Dr. Crusher returns, surprised at the early result, Amanda informs that Q has helped her. The Doctor and Q get into an argument when she explained that the results were not accurate due to the experiment being improperly done.

At Ten Forward, Amanda joins Beverly and a few other members of the crew for lunch. She stares for a long time at Commander Riker, who is sitting at another table with another woman. Using her abilities, she takes him to her "fantasy land", a night setting which she describes as beautiful. Riker is not happy with this, and shortly afterwards she sends him back.

When Captain Picard and Q discuss what must happen to Amanda, Q states that if she doesn't prove to be fully Q by joining the continuum, she will have to be executed. When informed, Amanda asks Q a question. When he doesn't show up, she calls him a coward, finally getting Q to answer. After a talk, they decide that she either must resist using her abilities forever or to join the continuum. 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.

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"It's like the laws of physics just went right out the window!"
(A bright flash of light)
"And why shouldn't they? They're so inconvenient."

- La Forge and Q

"Well if it isn't Number Two."

- Q, when Riker enters the room.

"You're attracted to him."
"I am not."
"I think you are. How repulsive! How do you stand that hair all over his face?"

- Q and Amanda, about Riker after it became obvious that Amanda is attracted to him

"With unlimited power comes responsibility."

- Q, a play on the phrase made famous in Marvel Comic's Spider-Man.

"None of us knew whether she had inherited the capacities of the Q, but recently they've begun to emerge, and uh, as an expert in humanity, I was sent to investigate."
"You? An expert in humanity."
"Not a very challenging field of study, I grant you."

- Q and William Riker

"Very well, I will introduce you. But.. we cannot argue like this in front of her. We must at least appear to be.."
"Pals?"
"Civil."

- Picard and Q

[edit] Background information

• This is the first of John de Lancie's record three appearances as Q during the 1992-1993 season. The next appearance would be in DS9: "Q-Less" and the third would be in TNG: "Tapestry". Interestingly, Q did not appear at all during TNG's fifth season.
• Amanda's temptation to use the powers of the Q is reminiscent of William Riker's temptation to use the powers of the Q in the first season episode "Hide and Q".
• Q's line "With unlimited power comes responsibility" is a paraphrase of the famous quote from the popular comic book series Spider-Man, "With great power comes great responsibility."
• Q states that "the jury is still out on that", with regard to Q's trial of humanity. This is perhaps foreshadowing to "All Good Things...", where that trial continues.
• Amanda's parents were killed in a Kansas tornado, a tip of the hat to The Wizard of Oz.
• Riker's 19th-century garb and top-hat may be an homage to his other famous role as Stanley Hazard in the first two North and South TV miniseries, in which he wore similar attire.
  ^{(citation needed • edit)}

[edit] Video and DVD releases

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 66, 17 May 1993.
• As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum: 5 December 1994.
• As part of the TNG Season 6 DVD collection.
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Q collection.

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Guest Stars

• John de Lancie as Q
• Olivia d'Abo as Amanda Rogers
• John P. Connolly as Orn Lote

[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars

• Lena Banks as an operations division ensign
• J. Bauman as Crewman Garvey
• Michael Braveheart as Ensign Martinez
• Carl David Burks as Ensign Russell
• Tracee Lee Cocco as Lieutenant j.g. Jae
• Shannon Fox as Riker's date
• Michael Moorhead as a science division ensign
• Joyce Robinson as Ensign Gates
• John Tampoya as an operations division officer

[edit] Uncredited Stunt double

• Chuck Borden as stunt double for John de Lancie

[edit] References

eco-regeneration; Kansas; neurobiology; plasma dynamics; Q (species); Q Continuum; Starbase 112; Tagra IV; Tagran; tornado; Weather modification network

Q-related episodes
TNG:	"Encounter at Farpoint" • "Hide and Q" • "Q Who" • "Deja Q" • "Qpid" • "True Q" • "Tapestry" • "All Good Things..."
DS9:	"Q-Less"
VOY:	"Death Wish" • "The Q and the Grey" • "Q2"

Previous episode: "Schisms"

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6

Next episode: "Rascals"