Q2

DVD, Voyager S7 (Q2)

We come to the last episode to date to feature Q, that annoying pest who spanned the beginning of the 24th Century with the first season of 'The Next Generation' to this, the final season set in the 24th Century. We always thought he'd pop up in some form on 'Star Trek: Enterprise', but it was not to be. Q's last episode really isn't about Q: it's all about his son, played conveniently and appropriately by John DeLancie's son, Keegan. Q episodes have a difficult line to tread thanks to the race's omni-omni - they can know/do/go anywhere/thing/time so there is great challenge in creating a worthwhile situation that stretches any character or gives us reason to invest in what's happening because we know it can all be unravelled with the snap of a finger. With nonexistent stakes there's no reason to care so many Q episodes have dealt with meaningful subjects such as suicide, death, or the trial of humanity as a species. Either that or they've been knockabout comedies with a chance for a superior power to mock our limited heroes and show no respect or obey any conventions that we're used to.

This episode is not quite a moral tale with depth, or straight comedy though it doesn't stint on small flourishes, but there's not much substance behind them. We get to see Alpha quadrant aliens (Nausicaan, Bolian (the only episode where Chell is mentioned and not seen while another Bolian is seen), Cardassian, Bajoran, Romulan, Ferengi). We get mentions of Captain's Kirk and Picard, we get the Warp Core turned into a disco core (was that a Boslic female dancing behind Chakotay?), we get the computer being rude, and all the quick-change japes we're used to from Q, even a Borg attack. But it doesn't mean anything, there's no real danger, even though Icheb's injury is supposed to be life-threatening. The Chokuzan looked great, as did their ship, a kind of smoother version of a Romulan Warbird. But were they a real race or something Q made up?

The story of the Q Continuum's civil war and the birth of Q junior presented some continuity, even though it was four years later, and though it wasn't exactly logical progression (are the Q still at war? How will/has Q2 affect/ed things?) you can't expect much logic in a Q episode. It was a mild thrill to see the old Q robes from 'Encounter At Farpoint' (three of 'em!), but you don't tune into Voyager for a mild thrill. Q needs a stronger hook to bring him into a story and keep some integrity to proceedings, and while his son's transformation to human was a suitably bold angle to take, it didn't transpire as particularly riveting.

It's hard to criticise omnipotence (though I've never believed the Q are really omni-everything - they're too petty and happy to converse with lowly humans, and I think, simply much more advanced than any other species and enjoy rubbbing it in everyone's faces), but the writers clearly aren't. It's an okay story, with the occasional snort of mild amusement or smirk at visual references (the Bajoran and Cardassian hugging was inspired!), Q2 is fine, Q is fine, but the regulars aren't in it that much and don't get juicy scenes. And where does Chakotay get the idea the Q are there to keep order in the universe. In the past they've mainly been the cause of chaos. Not the Q swansong we were hoping for, but neither is it bad. Just a bit average.

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