Summary

• Q's appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation were some of the most compelling episodes, with Patrick Stewart and John de Lancie playing off each other well.
• Q has almost limitless power and a fascination with humanity, which led him to appear in multiple Star Trek series, including Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard.
• While Q's episodes varied in quality, his best outings included "All Good Things..." and "Q Who," which introduced the iconic villain, the Borg, to the franchise.

John de Lancie's Q became one of Star Trek's mostbeloved recurring characters from his first appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In his debut in TNG's premiere episode, Q antagonized Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D, putting them on trial for the crimes of humanity. This trial would continue for all of TNG's run, with Q popping up nearly every season to annoy Picard some more. Patrick Stewart and John de Lancie played off of one another well, making Q's episodes some of the most compelling of TNG.

Part of the enigmatic Q Continuum, Q has almost limitless power and a particular fascination with humanity and its future. In addition to his appearances on TNG, Q briefly tried to bother Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, before setting his sights on Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) of Star Trek: Voyager. Q also briefly appeared in Star Trek: Lower Decks before returning to live action in Star Trek: Picard season 2, where he reconnected with iral Picard. Here are all of Q's Star Trek appearances ranked worst to best.

15 "Q2"

Star Trek: Voyager Season 7, Episode 19

In a follow-up to Star Trek: Voyager season 3's "The Q And The Grey," Q returns to visit Captain Janeway with his teenage son, Q Junior (Keegan de Lancie) in tow. Q has been unable to control his unruly son and he seeks the help of Janeway (who Q named as Junior's godmother). Junior is then stripped of his powers and left on Voyager, where he becomes friends with former Borg drone, Icheb (Manu Intiraymi). While "Q2" has some nice father/son moments and garners a few laughs, it fails to say anything that hasn't already been said in other, better episodes of Star Trek.

14 "The Q And The Grey"

Star Trek: Voyager Season 3, Episode 11

Q returns in Star Trek: Voyager season 3, this time pursuing a romantic relationship of sorts with Captain Janeway. After the events of Voyager's "Death Wish," the Q Continuum has fallen into civil war, and Q believes having a child will end this conflict. Although he initially chooses Janeway as his partner, he later has a Q-baby with a former flame and fellow member of the Continuum, delightfully portrayed by Suzie Plakson. While "The Q And The Grey" has some interesting updates on the Q Continuum, Q's pursuit of Janeway mostly just comes across as offputting and cringe-worthy.

Suzie Plakson also appeared in TNG as the Vulcan Dr. Selar and as Worf's former flame, K’Ehleyr. She would go on to appear in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise as an Andorian named Tarah.

13 "Q-Less"

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 1, Episode 7

Aside from the ittedly great moment where Commander Sisko knocks Q down with one punch, "Q-Less" is one of the character's weaker episodes. After leaving to travel with Q in TNG's "Qpid," Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) arrives on space station Deep Space Nine, with Q not far behind. Vash fits in with the other characters of DS9, finding a kindred spirit in Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman). Q, on the other hand, doesn't quite gel with the more serious tone of DS9, despite the fact that de Lancie's performance is as solid as ever. Plus, the B-story of "Q-Less" is largely unremarkable and the regular characters of DS9 feel like secondary characters on their own show.

12 "Veritas"

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 1, Episode 8

Star Trek: Lower Decks is a self-referential love letter to the Star Trek franchise, and Lower Decks season 1's "Veritas" highlights a popular type of Star Trek episode in particular - the courtroom drama. In "Veritas," Ensigns Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), and the other Lower Deckers are asked to testify about their senior staff. As they recount various incidents that happened on the USS Cerritos, Boimler speaks about a time Q appeared on the ship with a puzzle for the crew. Q also pops up at the end of the episode, but Mariner says they don't have time for his games. "Veritas" is an incredibly fun episode of Star Trek, but Q only appears briefly as another Easter Egg in a show that is full of them.

11 Star Trek: Picard Season 2

Episodes 1-5, 8, & 10

John de Lancie reunited with Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Picard season 2, where he appeared in seven of the season's ten episodes. Q sends Picard to an alternate timeline where a totalitarian Confederation has taken over. Picard and his friends then travel back in time with the Borg Queen (Annie Wersching) to figure out what Q altered in the past to change the future. Q appears agitated throughout Picard season 2, and in the finale, he appears to die after sending Picard and his companions back to the proper timeline. While it's always great to see Stewart and de Lancie act alongside one another, Q's plan seems unnecessarily complicated and Q's death gets no real explanation.

10 "Encounter at Farpoint"

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2

Q made his Star Trek debut in Star Trek: The Next Generation's very first episode, in which he takes on the persona of a judge as he places Captain Picard and the USS Enterprise-D crew on trial. Q claims the human race to be savage and dangerous, but Picard and his crew prove Q wrong by solving the mystery of Farpoint Station. Although this performance impresses Q enough for him to let the Enterprise go, Q promises he is not finished with the ship and its captain. Q is the bright spot of an otherwise slow story, but he comes across as more antagonistic and less fun than he will be in later appearances.

9 "Hide And Q"

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1, Episode 10

In Q's second appearance, he picks on Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) rather than Picard, offering Riker a chance to the Q Continuum. Q loses a bet with Picard when Riker ultimately rejects his omnipotent powers, but Q doesn't hold to his promise to stay away from humanity. Q is more fun in "Hide and Q" than he was in his earlier appearance, and there's a wonderful scene in which Picard out-Shakespeares the god-like Q. However, the Riker/Q pairing doesn't work as well as Q and Picard, and the ultimate message is a bit on the nose.

8 "True Q"

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6, Episode 6

When Amanda Rogers (Olivia d'Abo) begins an internship with Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), she soon discovers that she has unusual abilities. Q then arrives on the Enterprise and reveals that Amanda is the daughter of two Q who left the Continuum to live as humans. After saving an entire planet, Amanda decides to the Q Continuum and keep her powers rather than remain human. "True Q" has some funny moments and Amanda's journey to embrace her powers is well done, but this episode lacks some of the spark found in other Q stories.

7 "Qpid"

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 20

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4 includes one of Q's most lighthearted episodes, in which he sets out to teach Picard about love by placing the captain and his crew in an elaborate Robin Hood setting. Over the course of the episode, Q takes an interest in Picard's love interest Vash, and eventually offers her the chance to travel with him. While "Qpid" lacks the impact of many of Q's other outings, it's a fun and diverting episode that garners genuine laughs. Lt. Worf's declaration that he is "not a merry man" has been meme-d and repeated by many Trek fans, and everyone seems to be having fun in their outlandish costumes.

6 "The Last Generation"

Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 10

Q makes a surprise appearance in an end-credits scene of Star Trek: Picard season 3, which sets up a very interesting future for iral Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher's son, Ensign Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers). Despite Q's apparent death in Picard season 2, Q checks in on Jack to let him know that while Jean-Luc's trial may be over, Jack's is only just beginning. Although the proposed Picard spin-off, Star Trek: Legacy, shows no signs of happening, Q's scene in "The Last Generation" perfectly sets up a new story arc for the omnipotent trickster and Picard's next generation.