Star Trek: How Q Taught Picard To Learn From The Mistakes Of His Past

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In the wonderful and ever expanding universe of Star Trek, there have been countless characters that have resonated with audiences, none perhaps more than captain Jean Luc Picard from The Next Generation. His stoic and sometimes harsh exterior masked a deeply emotional and caring man. He would follow the rules unless they got in the way of what was right and just, repeatedly prioritizing saving lives no matter what the personal cost was to him.

Picard's character was never perfect, and that was, in part, what the writers of TNG were trying to do. His journey throughout the series was one of discovery and learning. There was perhaps no one more influential to his growth as a character than the semi-antagonistic, near omnipotent figure of Q. But how did this strange, godlike being manage to make the Starfleet captain learn from the mistakes of his past?

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Q is a strange figure in the Star Trek universe, who often walks the ever-changing line between good and evil. He did a lot of damage, both physically and mentally, to the unfortunate Federation members he came across. He favored the mother and father figures of Picard and Janeway, and seemingly avoided those of a more serious inclination such as Sisko, who refused to play the parental part he needed. His first appearance was during the pilot episode of TNG, where he set a precedent as to what his recurring character would be all about. His role was to test and challenge the protagonists to see if they truly are ready and deserving for what the galaxy has to offer.

It’s often been debated how pivotal Q's interference has been; for example whether his actions actually saved the Federation or not by introducing them