Q Who (episode)

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Q throws the ''Enterprise'' into uncharted space where it encounters and is engaged by a vessel of a previously unknown species: the [[Borg]]. When the vessel instantly and effortlessly overwhelms the ''Enterprise'', Picard realizes that the Federation may not be as ready for the future as he thought.

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== Summary ==

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===Teaser===

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[[File:Gomez and Picard.jpg|thumb|''"Yes, Ensign. It's all over me."'']]

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New [[ensign]] [[Sonya Gomez]] orders a [[hot chocolate]] from a [[replicator]] in [[engineering]]. While doing so, [[Geordi La Forge|La Forge]] passes, and the two converse, La Forge noting Gomez's polite manners toward the replicator, saying "please" and "thank you". As the two walk to main engineering, La Forge urges the talkative and enthusiastic Gomez to relax. After arriving, he notes to her that she is carrying food or drink in the premises of engineering, which is forbidden. As she turns around to put it away, she spills some all over [[Jean-Luc Picard|Picard]]'s [[Starfleet uniform (2350s-2370s)|uniform]]. La Forge accepts responsibility and Picard, though not entirely unvexed, welcomes Gomez to the ship.

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Picard excuses himself to change his uniform. He walks to the nearest [[turbolift]] to get to his quarters. However, when the doors open again, he finds that the turbolift did not make it to his quarters, but is inside a [[shuttlecraft]] far away from the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}. He quickly realizes that he been abducted by [[Q]]. Picard reminds Q about their agreement [[Hide and Q (episode)|from a year earlier]], when Q agreed never to trouble Picard's ship again; Q points out that they are nowhere near the ''Enterprise''. Q is, however, kind enough to clean Picard's uniform with his abilities.

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===Act One===

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[[File:Guinan senses something strange.jpg|thumb|left|''"Is there anything unusual happening?"'']]

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In [[Ten Forward]], La Forge and Gomez arrive and talk some more. Meanwhile, [[Guinan]] is tending to her regular duties. While talking to [[Martinez]], she pauses and wanders around the room for a moment, before making contact with the [[Bridge]]. [[Commander]] [[William T. Riker|Riker]] answers and wonders what she wants. Guinan wonders if everything is fine with the Bridge, since she felt something she only encountered long ago, but merely brushes it off and tells Riker to forget she called. Later, La Forge notices something is up with Guinan, and wonders if she's OK. She merely responds, "I don't know."

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Meanwhile, in the shuttlecraft, Picard tries to make contact with ''Enterprise''. However, Q tells him there is no point, since at the current distance, he will never reach ''Enterprise''. Picard attempts to communicate anyway. Q explains that they have business to discuss, but Picard will not discuss anything with him, stating that keeping him prisoner will not convince him to listen to what Q has to say. Q merely says that he will, eventually.

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[[File:Q and Picard.jpg|thumb|''"Do we stay out here years? Decades?"'']]

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[[Counselor]] [[Deanna Troi|Troi]] walks onto the bridge, and wonders where Captain Picard is. When she hears he is in his quarters, she decides to contact him, but there is no response. Riker asks the ship's computer, but according to it, Picard is nowhere to be found. Furthermore, [[Lieutenant]] [[Worf]] reports that a shuttlecraft is missing from [[Shuttlebay]]. With the captain missing, Riker orders [[Wesley Crusher|Wesley]] to put a stop to the ship. They hail the shuttle on all frequencies, but there is no response. In fact, there is no trace of a shuttle anywhere in the sector.

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"''[[First officer's log]], Stardate 42761.3. We have not been able to determine why or how [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard|Picard]] left the ''Enterprise''. We can't even be certain he is in the missing [[Ansel Adams|shuttle]] although that is the assumption on which we are proceeding. For the last six hours, we've been searching without success.''"

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While the ''Enterprise'' continues to search for Picard and the missing shuttlecraft, Picard demands Q to return him to the ship. Eventually, he agrees to give Q's request a full hearing and in a flash, they're back on the ''Enterprise'', and the shuttle is back in place. Worf reports that the shuttlecraft has returned, and the computer tells the crew that Picard is in Ten Forward, allowing Riker to conclude that Q has returned.

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===Act Two===

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[[File:Guinan reacting on Q.jpg|thumb|left|''"I knew it was you!"'']]

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They appear in [[Ten Forward]], where – upon a confrontation with [[Guinan]] – Q expresses his desire to join the ''Enterprise'' crew, after being cast out from the [[Q Continuum]]. Skeptical, Picard refuses his request, especially after he [[Encounter at Farpoint (episode)|put the crew on trial for the crimes of humanity]] and [[Hide and Q (episode)|asked Riker to join the Continuum]]. Q argues that they need him since they are not prepared for what awaits them. Picard claims that they are ready to confront the unknown, and Guinan adds that humans' ability to adapt is their great advantage.

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Q, in turn, seeks to demonstrate how prepared they are and throws the ''Enterprise'' 7,000 light years into uncharted space, to give them "a preview of things to come" upon which he disappears. [[Guinan]] advises Picard to return to Federation space as quickly as possible, but he decides to explore the nearby [[System J-25]] first.

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"''[[Captain's Log]], Stardate 42761.9. Despite [[Guinan]]'s warning, I feel compelled to investigate this unexplored [[sector]] of the galaxy before heading back.''"

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[[File:First view of Borg cube.jpg|thumb|''"Protect yourself, Captain, or they'll destroy you."'']]

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A survey of the only [[Class M]] [[planet]] in the system reveals that while there was once an industrialized civilization there, it has been ripped away from the planet, "identical to [[The Neutral Zone (episode)|what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone]]." A [[Borg cube|cube-shaped]] ship then approaches the ''Enterprise'', and scans of the ship show nothing. Picard asks Guinan for her advice, and she reveals that the ship belongs to the [[Borg]] – a cybernetic race who were responsible for the near-extinction of [[El-Aurian|her people]]. "''Protect yourself, captain,''" she advises, "''or they'll destroy you.''"

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The Borg proceed to [[transport]] one of their [[Borg drone|own]] into [[engineering]], in spite of the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s [[shields]] being activated. [[Geordi La Forge|La Forge]] sees the intruder and requests security to report there immediately.

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===Act Three===

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[[File:Borg drone in Enterprise-D engineering.jpg|thumb|left|The first Borg ever seen, attempting to access the ship's computer]]

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Picard and Worf arrive with a security team and see the Borg apparently making a survey of the ship. Q appears for a brief moment and warns Picard that it's not interested in human lifeforms, only the ship's technology. Before leaving, he advises the captain not to allow it to interfere with the operations of the ''Enterprise''. When the Borg attempts to do so, Picard orders Worf to stop it. A security officer tries to drag it away, only to be hurled clear across the room.

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Worf then tries to stun it with his [[phaser]], to no avail, and is forced to increase the phaser to full power. They successfully destroy the Borg, but almost instantly another is beamed aboard in its place. Worf again attempts to destroy it, but shields form around it, protecting the Borg. It tampers with the same engineering console, then turns and removes some components from the dead Borg before it is beamed back to the cube and the corpse disappears.

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Picard holds a conference, in which Guinan further details what the Borg are, and how they destroyed her people. She advises them that the Borg do not negotiate with people, at which point they hail the ''Enterprise''. Picard tries to reason with them, but the Borg voice completely ignores him and simply informs the crew that they will not be able to defend themselves against the Borg ship, threatening to "punish" them if they attempt to do so. [[Deanna Troi|Troi]] tells Picard that every Borg is part of the same mind, and that they have no distinct leader.

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[[File:Enterprise fires at Borg cube.jpg|thumb|''"They still have us!"'']]

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The Borg lock onto the ''Enterprise'' with a [[tractor beam]] that drains their shields and prevents the ship from moving. The Borg then use a [[cutting beam]] to slice a section out of the ''Enterprise'' hull, and all eighteen crewmembers in that section are vaporized. Picard orders Worf to use whatever force is necessary to sever the Borg's beam, and they are ultimately successful after three phaser attacks, which blast several craters into the surface of the Borg ship.

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Q shows up at another crew meeting in the [[observation lounge]], telling them that the Borg are not concerned with the crew or the Federation, only the ''Enterprise'' and how they can use her technology. Picard asks him to reveal that this is just another illusion, only for Q to respond that the situation is perfectly real as everything else before vanishing. The ''Enterprise'' sends over an [[away team]] consisting of Riker, Worf and [[Data]] in an attempt to learn more about the Borg over Guinan's strong objections.

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===Act Four===

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"''Captain's Log, supplemental. We have been attacked without provocation by an alien [[race]] which Guinan calls the [[Borg]]. It appears that we have neutralized their [[Borg cube|vessel]]. Commander Riker is leading an away team in an attempt to learn more about them.''"

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[[File:Away team inside Borg cube, 2365.jpg|thumb|left|''"Our readings were incorrect. The Borg crew survived."'']]

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The away team discover the ship to be full of Borg, most of whom are in [[stasis]]. The few active Borg pay no attention to the team, so they don't see them as a threat. The away team then finds what they believe to be a [[Borg nursery]], where the Borg are born as biological lifeforms, and immediately after birth, they begin growing artificial, [[Cybernetics|cybernetic]] implants. What Riker finds astounding is that the Borg have developed the technology to link artificial intelligence directly into the humanoid brain.

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Data notices that the Borg seem to be using their combined mental powers to repair the ship, which is why the team has not been attacked. Picard has them beamed back to the bridge, and says ''"Let's get the hell out of here"''. They start leaving at [[warp]] 8, but the Borg follow with ease. Q appears on the bridge, warning the crew that the Borg will not stop until they have them in their grasp. He even says to Picard, "''You should have stayed where you belonged.''"

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===Act Five===

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"''Captain's Log, supplemental. We are unable to maintain the gap between the ''Enterprise'' and the Borg ship.''"

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[[File:Borg Shield neutralizer.jpg|thumb|''"You can't outrun them. You can't destroy them. They are relentless."'']]

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They increase to maximum warp, but still have no success in escaping. Riker orders them to arm [[photon torpedo]]es, and Picard gives the order to fire, but the torpedoes have no effect. Q appears on the [[bridge]] and informs Picard he does not have a chance. The Borg ship, after getting within firing range, fires a [[Borg missile|shield-draining missile]] twice and the ''Enterprise'', now with very low shields, fires torpedoes again, with the same result.

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Q then makes the Borg threat perfectly clear to Picard: "''You can't outrun them, you can't destroy them. If you damage them the essence of what they are remains; they regenerate and keep coming. Eventually you will weaken, your reserves will be gone... They are relentless."

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The Borg fire twice more, and the ''Enterprise'' loses both shields and [[warp drive]]. Again preparing to fire photon torpedoes, Data advises Picard that the shields are at 0% and will not protect the ''Enterprise'' from further attacks. Picard and Riker exchange glances, and Riker orders Worf to prepare to fire anyway.

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[[File:Picard and Guinan (2365).jpg|thumb|left|''"They will be coming."'']]

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Q demands whether they still believe to be prepared, to which Picard admits that they are frightened and that Q has shown them to be inadequate. Picard asks Q's help, saying that they need him, to which, with a snap of his fingers, Q flings the ''Enterprise'' back into Federation space. He congratulates Picard for admitting his need for help, claiming that "''another man would have been humiliated to say those words.''" Picard is still upset about the loss of eighteen of his crew, but Q is unapologetic, telling him that the universe is not a safe place before disappearing. The ''Enterprise'' sets course for [[Starbase 83|the nearest starbase]].

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Reflecting upon events in Ten Forward with Picard, Guinan says that the encounter with the Borg happened before it should have, and for the moment, the Borg are only capable of seeing the Federation as "raw material to them". And because they are now, Guinan begins, "aware of our existence," "''[[The Best of Both Worlds (episode)|they will be coming]]''," Picard continues. Guinan ominously says, "''You can bet on it''." Picard comments that perhaps Q did the right thing for the wrong reasons, to shake humanity out of its complacency for whatever lies ahead.

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===Log Entries===

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* [[First officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)#First Contact with Borg|First officer's log, USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-D)]]

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* [[Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2365#First Contact with Borg|Captain's log, USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-D), 2365]]

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== Memorable Quotes ==

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"''The chance to study you is, frankly, provocative, but you are next of kin to chaos.''"

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: - '''Picard''', to Q, when he asks to join the crew of the ''Enterprise''

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"''Picard, you are about to move into areas of the galaxy filled with wonders you cannot possibly imagine. And terrors to freeze your soul!"''

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: - '''Q''', to Picard in Ten Forward

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"''Ah, the redoubtable Commander Riker! And Microbrain! Growl for me; let me know you still care!''"

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: - '''Q''', to Riker and Worf in Ten Forward

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"''Interesting, isn't it? Not a ''he'', not a ''she'', not like anything you've ever seen before. An enhanced humanoid.''"

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: - '''Q''', describing a Borg to Picard

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"''Guinan? Is that your name now?''"

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: - '''Q''', after meeting Guinan again in Ten Forward

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"''Admit it, Picard. You're out of your league. You should have stayed [[Sol system|where you belong]]!''"

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: - '''Q''', when the ''Enterprise'' is being chased by the Borg cube

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"''We have analyzed your defensive capabilities as being unable to withstand us. If you defend yourselves, you will be punished.''"

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: - '''The Borg'''{{'}}s only message to the ''Enterprise''

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''"We mean you no harm. Do you understand me?''"

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"''{{'}}Understand' you? You're ''nothing'' to him.''"

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: - '''Picard''' and '''Q''', after a Borg beams into Engineering

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"''He might try to take over the ship. I wouldn't let him!''"

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: - '''Q''' commenting to Picard about the Borg intruder

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"''Why?''"

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"''Why? Why, to give you a taste of your future, a preview of things to come. ''Con permiso, capitán?'' The hall is rented, the orchestra engaged. It's now time to see if you can dance.''"

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: -'''Riker''' and '''Q''', before Q leaves after sending the ''Enterprise'' to J-25

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"''Q... end this.''"

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"''Moi? What makes you think I'm either inclined or capable to terminate this encounter?''"

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"''If we all die here, now, you will not be able to gloat. You wanted to frighten us. We're frightened. You wanted to show us we were inadequate. For the moment, I grant that. You wanted me to say 'I need you'? I ''need'' you!''"

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: - '''Picard''' and '''Q''', about the pursuing Borg

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"''That was a difficult admission. Another man would have been humiliated to say those words. Another man would have rather died than ask for help.''"

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"''I understand what you've done here, Q, but I think the lesson could've been learned without the loss of eighteen members of my crew.''"

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"''If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires, both subtle and gross. But it's ''not'' for the timid.''"

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: - '''Q''' and '''Picard'''

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"''The Borg are the ultimate user. They're unlike any threat your [[Federation]] has ever faced. They're not interested in political conquest, wealth, or power as you know it. They're simply interested in your ship, its technology. They've identified it as something they can consume.''"

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: - '''Q''' commenting during a senior staff briefing

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"''Eighteen of our people have died. Please, tell us this is one of your illusions.''"

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"''Oh, no. This is as real as your so-called life gets.''"

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: - '''Picard''' and '''Q'''

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"''You judge yourselves against the pitiful adversaries you've encountered so far: the Romulans, the Klingons. They're ''nothing'' compared to what's waiting.''"

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: - '''Q''' to Picard in Ten Forward

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"''Are we going to stay out here for years? Decades? I'm ageless Picard; you're not.''"

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: - '''Q''', to Picard

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"'If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross, but it's not for the timid.''"

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: - '''Q''', to Picard

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== Background information ==

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=== Story and script ===

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[[File:Rob Bowman and Patrick Stewart.jpg|thumb|Director Rob Bowman instructing Patrick Stewart]]

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* Initially conceived by writer [[Maurice Hurley]] as a race of insectoids, Hurley had originally planned the [[TNG Season 1|season one]] episode {{e|The Neutral Zone}} to be the first part in a trilogy that would introduce an entirely new threat to the Federation, introducing a plot point that Federation and [[Romulan]] starbases along the [[Romulan Neutral Zone]] had been mysteriously wiped out. This was intended to lead into a series of episodes that would have introduced the Borg as a main villain in the wake of the [[Ferengi]]'s complete failure to meet with audience expectations of a major Starfleet antagonist. Unfortunately, the Writer's Guild strike of 1988 prevented this, as well as many other concepts, from coming to fruition in TNG's early days.

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[[File:Reviewing Borg makeup.jpg|thumb|Reviewing the final Borg makeup and costume design]]

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*By the time they made their first appearance in "Q Who", the villain species had been changed from insect to the more budget-friendly cyborg form. (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', pp. 169, 180) Hurley finally got to proceed with his planned sequel with "Q Who", although only one passing reference was made of the strange destruction of outposts referred to in "The Neutral Zone" by [[Data]], "''It is identical to what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone.''" {{Star Trek Minutiae|academy/literature329/142.txt}}. Not everyone picked up on the reference, partly due to the absence of the Romulans from the storyline, but they are mentioned when Q says, "''You judge yourselves against the pitiful adversaries you have so far encountered -- the Romulans, the Klingons, are nothing compared to what's waiting.''" {{Star Trek Minutiae|academy/literature329/142.txt}}

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=== Production ===

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* Filming for the episode began on {{d|27|February|1989}}, with the first day of filming the Borg taking place on {{d|2|March|1989}}. ("Lost and Found", [[Star Trek Magazine issue 147|''Star Trek Magazine'' issue 147]])

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* First UK airdate: 7th August 1991

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=== The Borg ===

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[[File:Borg (concept art 1).jpg|thumb|Preliminary Borg concept by [[David Fisher (illustrator)|David Fisher]] and [[Rick Sternbach]]]]

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[[File:Borg (concept art 2).jpg|thumb|Detail sketch by [[Rick Sternbach]]]]

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[[File:Borg (behind the scenes).jpg|thumb|A Borg stuntman's ([[Tim Trella]]) costume being adjusted between takes]]

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* Budget constraints kept the Borg from being depicted as insectoids as Maurice Hurley had originally intended, though the hive concept survived to become the overwhelming group mind known as the Collective. Costume designer [[Durinda Rice Wood]]'s first idea for the Borg was kind of like a reptile spine look. In addition, the Borg's unique, cube-shaped ship, and their eerie appearance – reminiscent of both the biomechanism designs of {{w|H.R. Giger}} and the cybernetic, laser-eyed Lord Dread from the 1987 syndicated series ''Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future'' – all contributed to the Borg ascending to the height of ''Star Trek'' villainy, exactly as intended.

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* Hurley worked together with [[Rick Berman]] and [[Gene Roddenberry]] to create the Borg, whose name was derived from "cyborg", meaning cybernetic organism. The Borg were intended to provide the series with what the [[Ferengi]] had failed to deliver – a deadly, remorseless enemy that could not be reasoned with or defeated.

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* And exactly because of their powerful nature, the Borg would appear in only five further episodes through the run of ''The Next Generation''. The producers stated that their infrequent appearance was due to their inability to find ways to defeat the Borg (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]''). However, just as Khan returned to battle Kirk in the second ''Star Trek'' film, the Borg would also make the transition to the big screen in the second ''The Next Generation'' feature.

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* The graphics displayed on monitors in the Borg [[alcove]]s were referred to as "Borg Spaghetti" by the [[production staff]].

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* The Borg Collective voice heard in the episode was synthesized from the voices of Maurice Hurley, director Rob Bowman and Bowman's assistant.

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* While it is not explicitly stated in this episode, the overall ambition of the Borg seems to be the acquisition of technology, not the [[assimilation]] of other species as in later episodes. While {{e|The Best of Both Worlds}}, the next episode to feature the Borg, dealt with this changed premise by stating in dialogue that their objectives had changed, subsequent Borg episodes would ignore it entirely.

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* The Borg cube has a different appearance than the cubes used in {{film|8}} and ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', and the Borg seen here also have simplified clothing compared to later appearances in ''The Next Generation'' and other series. Obviously this is explained by budget constraints and advances in makeup that were made after this episode was produced.

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* {{ENT|Regeneration}} and {{VOY|Dark Frontier}} indicate that not only was [[Earth]] [[Starfleet]] previously aware of the existence of the Borg, [[Federation]] scientists actually pursued them – even if they were considered mere rumor. While it is not impossible to imagine that Humans might have been aware of the Borg prior to "Q Who" (especially considering the events of [[2293]] ({{film|7}}) and the [[time travel]] events of {{film|8}}), it is nonetheless a strange continuity situation.

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=== Cast and characters ===

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* This episode featured the first of two appearances of [[Sonya Gomez]], initially intended to be a comedic recurring character, but dropped after {{e|Samaritan Snare}}. Gomez would later become the lead character in the non-canon [[Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers]] series of novels.

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* [[Diana Muldaur]] ([[Katherine Pulaski]]) does not appear in this episode.

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=== Special and visual effects ===

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[[File:Borg (concept art 3).jpg|thumb|Storyboards for the ''Enterprise''-D's confrontation with the Borg cube]]

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[[File:USS Enterprise-D assaulted by a Borg cube.jpg|thumb|Visual effects shot from the episode]]

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* The complexity and cost of ''The Next Generation''{{'}}s visual effects sequences demanded detailed planning before a single frame was shot. As the visual effects supervisor for the first episode to feature the Borg, [[Dan Curry]] created these storyboards as a blueprint of the ''Enterprise''-D's first engagement with a [[Borg cube]]. The frames from the completed episode show how closely the visual effects team followed the storyboards.

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=== Music ===

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* Two sound effects are introduced in this episode and used for the rest of the series: 1) the "click/snap" effect when the main view screen is magnified; and 2) the "trigger" effect when the ship's weapons are fired.

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* [[Ron Jones]] happened to compose the score for this first episode to feature the Borg before doing the music to {{e|The Best of Both Worlds}} and {{e|The Best of Both Worlds, Part II}} and after scoring {{e|The Neutral Zone}}, which hinted at their existence from the start.

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=== Continuity ===

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* This episode marks the only time we see Guinan's office.

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* This episode refers to previous events seen in previous episodes, Q's trial ({{e|Encounter at Farpoint}}), his return when Riker temporarily became a Q ({{e|Hide and Q}}) and the mysterious destruction of [[Romulan Neutral Zone]] [[outpost]]s ({{e|The Neutral Zone}}).

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* The conflict between [[Q]] and [[Guinan]], revealed in this episode but never fully explained, is revisited (with the tables turned) a year later in {{e|Deja Q}}.

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* In Ten Forward, after Picard calls for 'All Stop', the ship is still moving with respect to the stars, when Q gives his 'Con permiso' speech.

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* Guinan's pose when first confronting Q is almost exactly the same as the one Whoopi Goldberg's character Celie uses when standing up to her abusive husband in the 1985 movie ''The Color Purple.''

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* In the [[observation lounge]], for the only time during the series, the outline of the [[viewscreen]] behind Picard blinks [[red alert]] during the first senior staff conference. However, its sister viewscreen on the opposite side of the room, which displays the Borg's and Q's messages to the staff during the same conference, is not blinking.

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* When Q is discussing time with Picard in the shuttlecraft, he is bouncing a ball in homage to Steve McQueen in ''{{w|The Great Escape (film)|The Great Escape}}''.

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* The drawer in which Riker finds the baby in is a Borg [[maturation chamber]], in which assimilated children are placed until they are adults.

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* It is later revealed that due to the events shown in {{film|8}} and {{e|Regeneration}} the Borg ''already knew'' of [[Earth]]'s existence and were on their way. This means Q's actions were an early warning for the Federation. Later, on ''Star Trek Voyager'', Q would say if it wasn't for this early warning, the Federation would have been assimilated.

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* During the [[Borg cube]]'s first attack, the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} attempts to disable its [[tractor beam]] with four [[phaser]] strikes. The first three shots miss the target by wide margins. This suggests a target lock malfunction in the [[saucer section]]'s [[dorsal]] and [[ventral]] [[phaser array]]s.

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=== Reception ===

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* The book ''[[Star Trek 101]]'', by [[Terry J. Erdmann]] and [[Paula M. Block]], lists this episode as one of the "Ten Essential Episodes" from ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''.

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* Director Rob Bowman later recalled, "''That was a very abstract, almost avant-garde episode with Q and what he was trying to prove with the ''Enterprise'', telling Picard to be aware because there are some bad-asses out there that you're ''not'' prepared for no matter what you think. This is just a lesson to you to keep your eyes and ears open because there are things out there that you don't understand, and here's an example. For television, it's big stuff, but in order to make big stuff, there's a lot of investment by everybody involved, and it all came together wonderfully.''" ("Rob Bowman - Director of a Dozen", ''[[The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine]]'' Vol. 10, p. 19)

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* A mission report for this episode by Will Murray was published in ''[[The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine]]'' Vol. 9, pp. 15-18.

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=== Apocrypha ===

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* It is revealed in the novel ''[[Greater than the Sum]]'' that the eighteen crewmembers who disappeared during the Borg's slicing of the ''Enterprise''-D's hull were actually assimilated.

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=== Awards ===

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* This episode won two [[Emmy Award]]s. Only four other episodes of ''Trek'' have won this many. It won for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series. It was also nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects.

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=== Video and DVD releases ===

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* Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, [[CIC Video]]): [[TNG Season 2 UK VHS|Volume 21]], catalogue number VHR 2504, {{d|2|September|1991}}.

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* As part of the UK VHS collections ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum (VHS)#UK Episodes|Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum]]'' and ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - Borg Box]]'': {{d|5|December|1994}}.

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* As part of the US VHS collection ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum (VHS)#US Episodes|Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum]]'': {{d|8|September|1998}}.

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* UK re-release (three-episode tapes, [[Paramount Home Entertainment]]): Volume 2.6, catalogue number VHR 4742, {{d|21|June|1999}}.

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* As part of the [[TNG Season 2 DVD]] collection.

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* As part of the ''[[Star Trek: Fan Collective - Borg]]'' and ''[[Star Trek: Fan Collective - Q]]'' collections.

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* As part of the [[TNG Season 2 Blu-ray]] collection.

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== Links and references ==

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=== Starring ===

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* [[Patrick Stewart]] as [[Captain|Capt.]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]]

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* [[Jonathan Frakes]] as [[Commander|Cmdr.]] [[William T. Riker|William Riker]]

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=== Also starring ===

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* [[LeVar Burton]] as [[Lieutenant|Lt.]] [[Geordi La Forge]]

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* [[Michael Dorn]] as [[Lieutenant junior grade|Lt.]] [[Worf]]

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* [[Marina Sirtis]] as [[Counselor]] [[Deanna Troi]]

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* [[Brent Spiner]] as [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Commander]] [[Data]]

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* [[Wil Wheaton]] as [[Wesley Crusher]]

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=== Guest stars ===

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* [[John deLancie]] as [[Q]]

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* [[Lycia Naff]] as [[Ensign]] [[Sonya Gomez]]

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* [[Colm Meaney]] as [[Miles O'Brien]]

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=== And special guest star ===

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* [[Whoopi Goldberg]] as [[Guinan]]

−

=== Uncredited co-stars ===

−

* [[Majel Barrett]] as the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} [[computer voice]]

−

* [[Rob Bowman]] as the [[Unnamed Borg#Voice of the Borg|Voice of the Borg]]

−

* [[Michael Braveheart]] as [[Martinez]]

−

* [[Jeffrey Deacon]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) command division personnel#Bridge Crewman (2364-2366)|command division officer]]

−

* [[David Fisher (stuntman)|David Fisher]] as [[Unnamed Borg#Male drone 2 (2365)|Borg drone]]

−

* [[Maurice Hurley]] as the [[Unnamed Borg#Voice of the Borg|Voice of the Borg]]

−

* [[Sam Klatman]] as [[Unnamed Borg#Borg infant|Borg infant]]

−

* [[Lincoln Simonds]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) operations division personnel#Security officer (2365-2368)|security officer]]

−

* [[Tim Trella]] as [[Unnamed Borg#Male drone 1 (2365)|Borg drone]]

−

* [[Guy Vardaman]] as [[Darien Wallace]]

−

* Rob Bowman's assistant as the [[Unnamed Borg#Voice of the Borg|Voice of the Borg]]

−

* [[Unknown performers]] as

−

** [[Boliska]]

−

** [[Unnamed Borg#Female drone (2365)|Female Borg drone]]

−

** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) operations division personnel#Security officer (2365-2366)|Security officer]]

−

** [[Unnamed Borg#Borg drones (2365)|Six Borg drones]]

−

=== Stand-ins ===

−

* [[James G. Becker]] - [[stand-in]] for [[Jonathan Frakes]]

−

* [[Darrell Burris]] - stand-in for [[LeVar Burton]]

−

* [[Dexter Clay]] - stand-in for [[Michael Dorn]]

−

* [[Jeffrey Deacon]] - stand-in for [[Patrick Stewart]]

−

* [[Nora Leonhardt]] - stand-in for [[Marina Sirtis]]

−

* [[Tim McCormack]] - stand-in for [[Brent Spiner]]

−

* [[Guy Vardaman]] - stand-in for [[Wil Wheaton]] & [[John de Lancie]]

−

=== References ===

−

[[2165]]; [[2265]]; [[artificial intelligence]]; [[beard]]; [[Borg]]; [[Borg alcove]]; [[Borg cube]]; [[Borg drone]]; [[Borg history]]; [[Borg missile]]; [[Borg nursery]]; [[Class M]]; [[cortical array]]; [[cutting beam]]; [[El-Aurian]]; [[El-Aurian homeworld]]; [[Ansel Adams|''Enterprise''-D shuttlecraft 06]]; [[Federation]]; [[French]]; [[Homeless]]; [[hot chocolate]]; [[J-25 VI]]; [[J-25 system]]; [[Klingon]]s; [[locator beam]]; [[maturation chamber]]; [[Milky Way Galaxy]]; [[Number one]]; [[Q Continuum]]; [[Ranous VI]]; [[Romulan]]s; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[Sector 30]]; [[Sector 31]]; [[Starbase 83]]; [[Starbase 173]]; [[Starbase 185]]; [[Starfleet Academy]]; [[three-dimensional chess]]; [[tractor beam]]; [[transporter]]; [[tricorder]]; [[type 7 shuttlecraft]]

−

=== Sources ===

−

* [[Judith Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens, Judith]] and [[Garfield Reeves-Stevens|Garfield]], ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission]]'' (1997)

−

* [[James Van Hise|Van Hise, James]], ''[[Trek: The Unauthorized Behind-The-Scenes Story of The Next Generation]]'' (1992)

−

== External links ==

−

* {{NCwiki|Q Who?}}

−

* {{wikipedia|Q Who|Q Who}}

−

*{{Startrek.com|q-who|Q Who}}

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{{TNG nav|season=2|last={{e|Pen Pals}}|next={{e|Samaritan Snare}}}}

[[Category:TNG episodes]]

Changes: Q Who (episode)

Revision as of 07:15, 29 March 2015

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-Q throws the ''Enterprise'' into uncharted space where it encounters and is engaged by a vessel of a previously unknown species: the [[Borg]]. When the vessel instantly and effortlessly overwhelms the ''Enterprise'', Picard realizes that the Federation may not be as ready for the future as he thought.
-== Summary ==
-===Teaser===
-[[File:Gomez and Picard.jpg|thumb|''"Yes, Ensign. It's all over me."'']]
-New [[ensign]] [[Sonya Gomez]] orders a [[hot chocolate]] from a [[replicator]] in [[engineering]]. While doing so, [[Geordi La Forge|La Forge]] passes, and the two converse, La Forge noting Gomez's polite manners toward the replicator, saying "please" and "thank you". As the two walk to main engineering, La Forge urges the talkative and enthusiastic Gomez to relax. After arriving, he notes to her that she is carrying food or drink in the premises of engineering, which is forbidden. As she turns around to put it away, she spills some all over [[Jean-Luc Picard|Picard]]'s [[Starfleet uniform (2350s-2370s)|uniform]]. La Forge accepts responsibility and Picard, though not entirely unvexed, welcomes Gomez to the ship.
-Picard excuses himself to change his uniform. He walks to the nearest [[turbolift]] to get to his quarters. However, when the doors open again, he finds that the turbolift did not make it to his quarters, but is inside a [[shuttlecraft]] far away from the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}. He quickly realizes that he been abducted by [[Q]]. Picard reminds Q about their agreement [[Hide and Q (episode)|from a year earlier]], when Q agreed never to trouble Picard's ship again; Q points out that they are nowhere near the ''Enterprise''. Q is, however, kind enough to clean Picard's uniform with his abilities.
-===Act One===
-[[File:Guinan senses something strange.jpg|thumb|left|''"Is there anything unusual happening?"'']]
-In [[Ten Forward]], La Forge and Gomez arrive and talk some more. Meanwhile, [[Guinan]] is tending to her regular duties. While talking to [[Martinez]], she pauses and wanders around the room for a moment, before making contact with the [[Bridge]]. [[Commander]] [[William T. Riker|Riker]] answers and wonders what she wants. Guinan wonders if everything is fine with the Bridge, since she felt something she only encountered long ago, but merely brushes it off and tells Riker to forget she called. Later, La Forge notices something is up with Guinan, and wonders if she's OK. She merely responds, "I don't know."
-Meanwhile, in the shuttlecraft, Picard tries to make contact with ''Enterprise''. However, Q tells him there is no point, since at the current distance, he will never reach ''Enterprise''. Picard attempts to communicate anyway. Q explains that they have business to discuss, but Picard will not discuss anything with him, stating that keeping him prisoner will not convince him to listen to what Q has to say. Q merely says that he will, eventually.
-[[File:Q and Picard.jpg|thumb|''"Do we stay out here years? Decades?"'']]
-[[Counselor]] [[Deanna Troi|Troi]] walks onto the bridge, and wonders where Captain Picard is. When she hears he is in his quarters, she decides to contact him, but there is no response. Riker asks the ship's computer, but according to it, Picard is nowhere to be found. Furthermore, [[Lieutenant]] [[Worf]] reports that a shuttlecraft is missing from [[Shuttlebay]]. With the captain missing, Riker orders [[Wesley Crusher|Wesley]] to put a stop to the ship. They hail the shuttle on all frequencies, but there is no response. In fact, there is no trace of a shuttle anywhere in the sector.
-"''[[First officer's log]], Stardate 42761.3. We have not been able to determine why or how [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard|Picard]] left the ''Enterprise''. We can't even be certain he is in the missing [[Ansel Adams|shuttle]] although that is the assumption on which we are proceeding. For the last six hours, we've been searching without success.''"
-While the ''Enterprise'' continues to search for Picard and the missing shuttlecraft, Picard demands Q to return him to the ship. Eventually, he agrees to give Q's request a full hearing and in a flash, they're back on the ''Enterprise'', and the shuttle is back in place. Worf reports that the shuttlecraft has returned, and the computer tells the crew that Picard is in Ten Forward, allowing Riker to conclude that Q has returned.
-===Act Two===
-[[File:Guinan reacting on Q.jpg|thumb|left|''"I knew it was you!"'']]
-They appear in [[Ten Forward]], where &ndash; upon a confrontation with [[Guinan]] &ndash; Q expresses his desire to join the ''Enterprise'' crew, after being cast out from the [[Q Continuum]]. Skeptical, Picard refuses his request, especially after he [[Encounter at Farpoint (episode)|put the crew on trial for the crimes of humanity]] and [[Hide and Q (episode)|asked Riker to join the Continuum]]. Q argues that they need him since they are not prepared for what awaits them. Picard claims that they are ready to confront the unknown, and Guinan adds that humans' ability to adapt is their great advantage.
-Q, in turn, seeks to demonstrate how prepared they are and throws the ''Enterprise'' 7,000 light years into uncharted space, to give them "a preview of things to come" upon which he disappears. [[Guinan]] advises Picard to return to Federation space as quickly as possible, but he decides to explore the nearby [[System J-25]] first.
-"''[[Captain's Log]], Stardate 42761.9. Despite [[Guinan]]'s warning, I feel compelled to investigate this unexplored [[sector]] of the galaxy before heading back.''"
-[[File:First view of Borg cube.jpg|thumb|''"Protect yourself, Captain, or they'll destroy you."'']]
-A survey of the only [[Class M]] [[planet]] in the system reveals that while there was once an industrialized civilization there, it has been ripped away from the planet, "identical to [[The Neutral Zone (episode)|what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone]]." A [[Borg cube|cube-shaped]] ship then approaches the ''Enterprise'', and scans of the ship show nothing. Picard asks Guinan for her advice, and she reveals that the ship belongs to the [[Borg]] &ndash; a cybernetic race who were responsible for the near-extinction of [[El-Aurian|her people]]. "''Protect yourself, captain,''" she advises, "''or they'll destroy you.''"
-The Borg proceed to [[transport]] one of their [[Borg drone|own]] into [[engineering]], in spite of the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s [[shields]] being activated. [[Geordi La Forge|La Forge]] sees the intruder and requests security to report there immediately.
-===Act Three===
-[[File:Borg drone in Enterprise-D engineering.jpg|thumb|left|The first Borg ever seen, attempting to access the ship's computer]]
-Picard and Worf arrive with a security team and see the Borg apparently making a survey of the ship. Q appears for a brief moment and warns Picard that it's not interested in human lifeforms, only the ship's technology. Before leaving, he advises the captain not to allow it to interfere with the operations of the ''Enterprise''. When the Borg attempts to do so, Picard orders Worf to stop it. A security officer tries to drag it away, only to be hurled clear across the room.
-Worf then tries to stun it with his [[phaser]], to no avail, and is forced to increase the phaser to full power. They successfully destroy the Borg, but almost instantly another is beamed aboard in its place. Worf again attempts to destroy it, but shields form around it, protecting the Borg. It tampers with the same engineering console, then turns and removes some components from the dead Borg before it is beamed back to the cube and the corpse disappears.
-Picard holds a conference, in which Guinan further details what the Borg are, and how they destroyed her people. She advises them that the Borg do not negotiate with people, at which point they hail the ''Enterprise''. Picard tries to reason with them, but the Borg voice completely ignores him and simply informs the crew that they will not be able to defend themselves against the Borg ship, threatening to "punish" them if they attempt to do so. [[Deanna Troi|Troi]] tells Picard that every Borg is part of the same mind, and that they have no distinct leader.
-[[File:Enterprise fires at Borg cube.jpg|thumb|''"They still have us!"'']]
-The Borg lock onto the ''Enterprise'' with a [[tractor beam]] that drains their shields and prevents the ship from moving. The Borg then use a [[cutting beam]] to slice a section out of the ''Enterprise'' hull, and all eighteen crewmembers in that section are vaporized. Picard orders Worf to use whatever force is necessary to sever the Borg's beam, and they are ultimately successful after three phaser attacks, which blast several craters into the surface of the Borg ship.
-Q shows up at another crew meeting in the [[observation lounge]], telling them that the Borg are not concerned with the crew or the Federation, only the ''Enterprise'' and how they can use her technology. Picard asks him to reveal that this is just another illusion, only for Q to respond that the situation is perfectly real as everything else before vanishing. The ''Enterprise'' sends over an [[away team]] consisting of Riker, Worf and [[Data]] in an attempt to learn more about the Borg over Guinan's strong objections.
-===Act Four===
-"''Captain's Log, supplemental. We have been attacked without provocation by an alien [[race]] which Guinan calls the [[Borg]]. It appears that we have neutralized their [[Borg cube|vessel]]. Commander Riker is leading an away team in an attempt to learn more about them.''"
-[[File:Away team inside Borg cube, 2365.jpg|thumb|left|''"Our readings were incorrect. The Borg crew survived."'']]
-The away team discover the ship to be full of Borg, most of whom are in [[stasis]]. The few active Borg pay no attention to the team, so they don't see them as a threat. The away team then finds what they believe to be a [[Borg nursery]], where the Borg are born as biological lifeforms, and immediately after birth, they begin growing artificial, [[Cybernetics|cybernetic]] implants. What Riker finds astounding is that the Borg have developed the technology to link artificial intelligence directly into the humanoid brain.
-Data notices that the Borg seem to be using their combined mental powers to repair the ship, which is why the team has not been attacked. Picard has them beamed back to the bridge, and says ''"Let's get the hell out of here"''. They start leaving at [[warp]] 8, but the Borg follow with ease. Q appears on the bridge, warning the crew that the Borg will not stop until they have them in their grasp. He even says to Picard, "''You should have stayed where you belonged.''"
-===Act Five===
-"''Captain's Log, supplemental. We are unable to maintain the gap between the ''Enterprise'' and the Borg ship.''"
-[[File:Borg Shield neutralizer.jpg|thumb|''"You can't outrun them. You can't destroy them. They are relentless."'']]
-They increase to maximum warp, but still have no success in escaping. Riker orders them to arm [[photon torpedo]]es, and Picard gives the order to fire, but the torpedoes have no effect. Q appears on the [[bridge]] and informs Picard he does not have a chance. The Borg ship, after getting within firing range, fires a [[Borg missile|shield-draining missile]] twice and the ''Enterprise'', now with very low shields, fires torpedoes again, with the same result.
-Q then makes the Borg threat perfectly clear to Picard: "''You can't outrun them, you can't destroy them. If you damage them the essence of what they are remains; they regenerate and keep coming. Eventually you will weaken, your reserves will be gone... They are relentless."
-The Borg fire twice more, and the ''Enterprise'' loses both shields and [[warp drive]]. Again preparing to fire photon torpedoes, Data advises Picard that the shields are at 0% and will not protect the ''Enterprise'' from further attacks. Picard and Riker exchange glances, and Riker orders Worf to prepare to fire anyway.
-[[File:Picard and Guinan (2365).jpg|thumb|left|''"They will be coming."'']]
-Q demands whether they still believe to be prepared, to which Picard admits that they are frightened and that Q has shown them to be inadequate. Picard asks Q's help, saying that they need him, to which, with a snap of his fingers, Q flings the ''Enterprise'' back into Federation space. He congratulates Picard for admitting his need for help, claiming that "''another man would have been humiliated to say those words.''" Picard is still upset about the loss of eighteen of his crew, but Q is unapologetic, telling him that the universe is not a safe place before disappearing. The ''Enterprise'' sets course for [[Starbase 83|the nearest starbase]].
-Reflecting upon events in Ten Forward with Picard, Guinan says that the encounter with the Borg happened before it should have, and for the moment, the Borg are only capable of seeing the Federation as "raw material to them". And because they are now, Guinan begins, "aware of our existence," "''[[The Best of Both Worlds (episode)|they will be coming]]''," Picard continues.  Guinan ominously says, "''You can bet on it''."  Picard comments that perhaps Q did the right thing for the wrong reasons, to shake humanity out of its complacency for whatever lies ahead.
-===Log Entries===
-* [[First officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)#First Contact with Borg|First officer's log, USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-D)]]
-* [[Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2365#First Contact with Borg|Captain's log, USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-D), 2365]]
-== Memorable Quotes ==
-"''The chance to study you is, frankly, provocative, but you are next of kin to chaos.''"
-: - '''Picard''', to Q, when he asks to join the crew of the ''Enterprise''
-"''Picard, you are about to move into areas of the galaxy filled with wonders you cannot possibly imagine. And terrors to freeze your soul!"''
-: - '''Q''', to Picard in Ten Forward
-"''Ah, the redoubtable Commander Riker! And Microbrain! Growl for me; let me know you still care!''"
-: - '''Q''', to Riker and Worf in Ten Forward
-"''Interesting, isn't it? Not a ''he'', not a ''she'', not like anything you've ever seen before. An enhanced humanoid.''"
-: - '''Q''', describing a Borg to Picard
-"''Guinan? Is that your name now?''"
-: - '''Q''', after meeting Guinan again in Ten Forward
-"''Admit it, Picard. You're out of your league. You should have stayed [[Sol system|where you belong]]!''"
-: - '''Q''', when the ''Enterprise'' is being chased by the Borg cube
-"''We have analyzed your defensive capabilities as being unable to withstand us. If you defend yourselves, you will be punished.''"
-: - '''The Borg'''{{'}}s only message to the ''Enterprise''
-''"We mean you no harm. Do you understand me?''"<br />
-"''{{'}}Understand' you? You're ''nothing'' to him.''"
-: - '''Picard''' and '''Q''', after a Borg beams into Engineering
-"''He might try to take over the ship. I wouldn't let him!''"
-: - '''Q''' commenting to Picard about the Borg intruder
-"''Why?''" <br />
-"''Why? Why, to give you a taste of your future, a preview of things to come. ''Con permiso, capitán?'' The hall is rented, the orchestra engaged. It's now time to see if you can dance.''"
-: -'''Riker''' and '''Q''', before Q leaves after sending the ''Enterprise'' to J-25
-"''Q... end this.''"<br />
-"''Moi? What makes you think I'm either inclined or capable to terminate this encounter?''"<br />
-"''If we all die here, now, you will not be able to gloat. You wanted to frighten us. We're frightened. You wanted to show us we were inadequate. For the moment, I grant that.  You wanted me to say 'I need you'? I ''need'' you!''"
-: - '''Picard''' and '''Q''', about the pursuing Borg
-"''That was a difficult admission. Another man would have been humiliated to say those words. Another man would have rather died than ask for help.''"<br />
-"''I understand what you've done here, Q, but I think the lesson could've been learned without the loss of eighteen members of my crew.''"<br />
-"''If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires, both subtle and gross. But it's ''not'' for the timid.''"
-: - '''Q''' and '''Picard'''
-"''The Borg are the ultimate user. They're unlike any threat your [[Federation]] has ever faced. They're not interested in political conquest, wealth, or power as you know it. They're simply interested in your ship, its technology. They've identified it as something they can consume.''"
-: - '''Q''' commenting during a senior staff briefing
-"''Eighteen of our people have died. Please, tell us this is one of your illusions.''"<br />
-"''Oh, no. This is as real as your so-called life gets.''"
-: - '''Picard''' and '''Q'''
-"''You judge yourselves against the pitiful adversaries you've encountered so far: the Romulans, the Klingons. They're ''nothing'' compared to what's waiting.''"
-: - '''Q''' to Picard in Ten Forward
-"''Are we going to stay out here for years? Decades? I'm ageless Picard; you're not.''"
-: - '''Q''', to Picard
-"'If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross, but it's not for the timid.''"
-: - '''Q''', to Picard
-== Background information ==
-=== Story and script ===
-[[File:Rob Bowman and Patrick Stewart.jpg|thumb|Director Rob Bowman instructing Patrick Stewart]]
-* Initially conceived by writer [[Maurice Hurley]] as a race of insectoids, Hurley had originally planned the [[TNG Season 1|season one]] episode {{e|The Neutral Zone}} to be the first part in a trilogy that would introduce an entirely new threat to the Federation, introducing a plot point that Federation and [[Romulan]] starbases along the [[Romulan Neutral Zone]] had been mysteriously wiped out. This was intended to lead into a series of episodes that would have introduced the Borg as a main villain in the wake of the [[Ferengi]]'s complete failure to meet with audience expectations of a major Starfleet antagonist. Unfortunately, the Writer's Guild strike of 1988 prevented this, as well as many other concepts, from coming to fruition in TNG's early days.
-[[File:Reviewing Borg makeup.jpg|thumb|Reviewing the final Borg makeup and costume design]]
-*By the time they made their first appearance in "Q Who", the villain species had been changed from insect to the more budget-friendly cyborg form. (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', pp. 169, 180) Hurley finally got to proceed with his planned sequel with "Q Who", although only one passing reference was made of the strange destruction of outposts referred to in "The Neutral Zone" by [[Data]], "''It is identical to what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone.''" {{Star Trek Minutiae|academy/literature329/142.txt}}. Not everyone picked up on the reference, partly due to the absence of the Romulans from the storyline, but they are mentioned when Q says, "''You judge yourselves against the pitiful adversaries you have so far encountered -- the Romulans, the Klingons, are nothing compared to what's waiting.''" {{Star Trek Minutiae|academy/literature329/142.txt}}
-=== Production ===
-* Filming for the episode began on {{d|27|February|1989}}, with the first day of filming the Borg taking place on {{d|2|March|1989}}. ("Lost and Found", [[Star Trek Magazine issue 147|''Star Trek Magazine'' issue 147]])
-* First UK airdate: 7th August 1991
-=== The Borg ===
-[[File:Borg (concept art 1).jpg|thumb|Preliminary Borg concept by [[David Fisher (illustrator)|David Fisher]] and [[Rick Sternbach]]]]
-[[File:Borg (concept art 2).jpg|thumb|Detail sketch by [[Rick Sternbach]]]]
-[[File:Borg (behind the scenes).jpg|thumb|A Borg stuntman's ([[Tim Trella]]) costume being adjusted between takes]]
-* Budget constraints kept the Borg from being depicted as insectoids as Maurice Hurley had originally intended, though the hive concept survived to become the overwhelming group mind known as the Collective. Costume designer [[Durinda Rice Wood]]'s first idea for the Borg was kind of like a reptile spine look. In addition, the Borg's unique, cube-shaped ship, and their eerie appearance &ndash; reminiscent of both the biomechanism designs of {{w|H.R. Giger}} and the cybernetic, laser-eyed Lord Dread from the 1987 syndicated series ''Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future'' &ndash; all contributed to the Borg ascending to the height of ''Star Trek'' villainy, exactly as intended.
-* Hurley worked together with [[Rick Berman]] and [[Gene Roddenberry]] to create the Borg, whose name was derived from "cyborg", meaning cybernetic organism. The Borg were intended to provide the series with what the [[Ferengi]] had failed to deliver &ndash; a deadly, remorseless enemy that could not be reasoned with or defeated.
-* And exactly because of their powerful nature, the Borg would appear in only five further episodes through the run of ''The Next Generation''. The producers stated that their infrequent appearance was due to their inability to find ways to defeat the Borg (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]''). However, just as Khan returned to battle Kirk in the second ''Star Trek'' film, the Borg would also make the transition to the big screen in the second ''The Next Generation'' feature.
-* The graphics displayed on monitors in the Borg [[alcove]]s were referred to as "Borg Spaghetti" by the [[production staff]].
-* The Borg Collective voice heard in the episode was synthesized from the voices of Maurice Hurley, director Rob Bowman and Bowman's assistant.
-* While it is not explicitly stated in this episode, the overall ambition of the Borg seems to be the acquisition of technology, not the [[assimilation]] of other species as in later episodes. While {{e|The Best of Both Worlds}}, the next episode to feature the Borg, dealt with this changed premise by stating in dialogue that their objectives had changed, subsequent Borg episodes would ignore it entirely.
-* The Borg cube has a different appearance than the cubes used in {{film|8}} and ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', and the Borg seen here also have simplified clothing compared to later appearances in ''The Next Generation'' and other series. Obviously this is explained by budget constraints and advances in makeup that were made after this episode was produced.
-* {{ENT|Regeneration}} and {{VOY|Dark Frontier}} indicate that not only was [[Earth]] [[Starfleet]] previously aware of the existence of the Borg, [[Federation]] scientists actually pursued them &ndash; even if they were considered mere rumor. While it is not impossible to imagine that Humans might have been aware of the Borg prior to "Q Who" (especially considering the events of [[2293]] ({{film|7}}) and the [[time travel]] events of {{film|8}}), it is nonetheless a strange continuity situation.
-=== Cast and characters ===
-* This episode featured the first of two appearances of [[Sonya Gomez]], initially intended to be a comedic recurring character, but dropped after {{e|Samaritan Snare}}. Gomez would later become the lead character in the non-canon [[Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers]] series of novels.
-* [[Diana Muldaur]] ([[Katherine Pulaski]]) does not appear in this episode.
-=== Special and visual effects ===
-[[File:Borg (concept art 3).jpg|thumb|Storyboards for the ''Enterprise''-D's confrontation with the Borg cube]]
-[[File:USS Enterprise-D assaulted by a Borg cube.jpg|thumb|Visual effects shot from the episode]]
-* The complexity and cost of ''The Next Generation''{{'}}s visual effects sequences demanded detailed planning before a single frame was shot. As the visual effects supervisor for the first episode to feature the Borg, [[Dan Curry]] created these storyboards as a blueprint of the ''Enterprise''-D's first engagement with a [[Borg cube]]. The frames from the completed episode show how closely the visual effects team followed the storyboards.
-=== Music ===
-* Two sound effects are introduced in this episode and used for the rest of the series: 1) the "click/snap" effect when the main view screen is magnified; and 2) the "trigger" effect when the ship's weapons are fired.
-* [[Ron Jones]] happened to compose the score for this first episode to feature the Borg before doing the music to {{e|The Best of Both Worlds}} and {{e|The Best of Both Worlds, Part II}} and after scoring {{e|The Neutral Zone}}, which hinted at their existence from the start.
-=== Continuity ===
-* This episode marks the only time we see Guinan's office.
-* This episode refers to previous events seen in previous episodes, Q's trial ({{e|Encounter at Farpoint}}), his return when Riker temporarily became a Q ({{e|Hide and Q}}) and the mysterious destruction of [[Romulan Neutral Zone]] [[outpost]]s ({{e|The Neutral Zone}}).
-* The conflict between [[Q]] and [[Guinan]], revealed in this episode but never fully explained, is revisited (with the tables turned) a year later in {{e|Deja Q}}.
-* In Ten Forward, after Picard calls for 'All Stop', the ship is still moving with respect to the stars, when Q gives his 'Con permiso' speech.
-* Guinan's pose when first confronting Q is almost exactly the same as the one Whoopi Goldberg's character Celie uses when standing up to her abusive husband in the 1985 movie ''The Color Purple.''
-* In the [[observation lounge]], for the only time during the series, the outline of the [[viewscreen]] behind Picard blinks [[red alert]] during the first senior staff conference. However, its sister viewscreen on the opposite side of the room, which displays the Borg's and Q's messages to the staff during the same conference, is not blinking.
-* When Q is discussing time with Picard in the shuttlecraft, he is bouncing a ball in homage to Steve McQueen in ''{{w|The Great Escape (film)|The Great Escape}}''.
-* The drawer in which Riker finds the baby in is a Borg [[maturation chamber]], in which assimilated children are placed until they are adults.
-* It is later revealed that due to the events shown in {{film|8}} and {{e|Regeneration}} the Borg ''already knew'' of [[Earth]]'s existence and were on their way. This means Q's actions were an early warning for the Federation. Later, on ''Star Trek Voyager'', Q would say if it wasn't for this early warning, the Federation would have been assimilated.
-* During the [[Borg cube]]'s first attack, the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} attempts to disable its [[tractor beam]] with four [[phaser]] strikes. The first three shots miss the target by wide margins. This suggests a target lock malfunction in the [[saucer section]]'s [[dorsal]] and [[ventral]] [[phaser array]]s.
-=== Reception ===
-* The book ''[[Star Trek 101]]'', by [[Terry J. Erdmann]] and [[Paula M. Block]], lists this episode as one of the "Ten Essential Episodes" from ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''.
-* Director Rob Bowman later recalled, "''That was a very abstract, almost avant-garde episode with Q and what he was trying to prove with the ''Enterprise'', telling Picard to be aware because there are some bad-asses out there that you're ''not'' prepared for no matter what you think. This is just a lesson to you to keep your eyes and ears open because there are things out there that you don't understand, and here's an example. For television, it's big stuff, but in order to make big stuff, there's a lot of investment by everybody involved, and it all came together wonderfully.''" ("Rob Bowman - Director of a Dozen", ''[[The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine]]'' Vol. 10, p. 19)
-* A mission report for this episode by Will Murray was published in ''[[The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine]]'' Vol. 9, pp. 15-18.
-=== Apocrypha ===
-* It is revealed in the novel ''[[Greater than the Sum]]'' that the eighteen crewmembers who disappeared during the Borg's slicing of the ''Enterprise''-D's hull were actually assimilated.
-=== Awards ===
-* This episode won two [[Emmy Award]]s. Only four other episodes of ''Trek'' have won this many. It won for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series. It was also nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects.
-=== Video and DVD releases ===
-* Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, [[CIC Video]]): [[TNG Season 2 UK VHS|Volume 21]], catalogue number VHR 2504, {{d|2|September|1991}}.
-* As part of the UK VHS collections ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum (VHS)#UK Episodes|Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum]]'' and ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - Borg Box]]'': {{d|5|December|1994}}.
-* As part of the US VHS collection ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum (VHS)#US Episodes|Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum]]'': {{d|8|September|1998}}.
-* UK re-release (three-episode tapes, [[Paramount Home Entertainment]]): Volume 2.6, catalogue number VHR 4742, {{d|21|June|1999}}.
-* As part of the [[TNG Season 2 DVD]] collection.
-* As part of the ''[[Star Trek: Fan Collective - Borg]]'' and ''[[Star Trek: Fan Collective - Q]]'' collections.
-* As part of the [[TNG Season 2 Blu-ray]] collection.
-== Links and references ==
-=== Starring ===
-* [[Patrick Stewart]] as [[Captain|Capt.]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]]
-* [[Jonathan Frakes]] as [[Commander|Cmdr.]] [[William T. Riker|William Riker]]
-=== Also starring ===
-* [[LeVar Burton]] as [[Lieutenant|Lt.]] [[Geordi La Forge]]
-* [[Michael Dorn]] as [[Lieutenant junior grade|Lt.]] [[Worf]]
-* [[Marina Sirtis]] as [[Counselor]] [[Deanna Troi]]
-* [[Brent Spiner]] as [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Commander]] [[Data]]
-* [[Wil Wheaton]] as [[Wesley Crusher]]
-=== Guest stars ===
-* [[John deLancie]] as [[Q]]
-* [[Lycia Naff]] as [[Ensign]] [[Sonya Gomez]]
-* [[Colm Meaney]] as [[Miles O'Brien]]
-=== And special guest star ===
-* [[Whoopi Goldberg]] as [[Guinan]]
-=== Uncredited co-stars ===
-* [[Majel Barrett]] as the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} [[computer voice]]
-* [[Rob Bowman]] as the [[Unnamed Borg#Voice of the Borg|Voice of the Borg]]
-* [[Michael Braveheart]] as [[Martinez]]
-* [[Jeffrey Deacon]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) command division personnel#Bridge Crewman (2364-2366)|command division officer]]
-* [[David Fisher (stuntman)|David Fisher]] as [[Unnamed Borg#Male drone 2 (2365)|Borg drone]]
-* [[Maurice Hurley]] as the [[Unnamed Borg#Voice of the Borg|Voice of the Borg]]
-* [[Sam Klatman]] as [[Unnamed Borg#Borg infant|Borg infant]]
-* [[Lincoln Simonds]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) operations division personnel#Security officer (2365-2368)|security officer]]
-* [[Tim Trella]] as [[Unnamed Borg#Male drone 1 (2365)|Borg drone]]
-* [[Guy Vardaman]] as [[Darien Wallace]]
-* Rob Bowman's assistant as the [[Unnamed Borg#Voice of the Borg|Voice of the Borg]]
-* [[Unknown performers]] as
-** [[Boliska]]
-** [[Unnamed Borg#Female drone (2365)|Female Borg drone]]
-** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) operations division personnel#Security officer (2365-2366)|Security officer]]
-** [[Unnamed Borg#Borg drones (2365)|Six Borg drones]]
-=== Stand-ins ===
-* [[James G. Becker]] - [[stand-in]] for [[Jonathan Frakes]]
-* [[Darrell Burris]] - stand-in for [[LeVar Burton]]
-* [[Dexter Clay]] - stand-in for [[Michael Dorn]]
-* [[Jeffrey Deacon]] - stand-in for [[Patrick Stewart]]
-* [[Nora Leonhardt]] - stand-in for [[Marina Sirtis]]
-* [[Tim McCormack]] - stand-in for [[Brent Spiner]]
-* [[Guy Vardaman]] - stand-in for [[Wil Wheaton]] & [[John de Lancie]]
-=== References ===
-[[2165]]; [[2265]]; [[artificial intelligence]]; [[beard]]; [[Borg]]; [[Borg alcove]]; [[Borg cube]]; [[Borg drone]]; [[Borg history]]; [[Borg missile]]; [[Borg nursery]]; [[Class M]]; [[cortical array]]; [[cutting beam]]; [[El-Aurian]]; [[El-Aurian homeworld]]; [[Ansel Adams|''Enterprise''-D shuttlecraft 06]]; [[Federation]]; [[French]]; [[Homeless]];  [[hot chocolate]]; [[J-25 VI]]; [[J-25 system]]; [[Klingon]]s; [[locator beam]]; [[maturation chamber]]; [[Milky Way Galaxy]]; [[Number one]]; [[Q Continuum]]; [[Ranous VI]]; [[Romulan]]s; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[Sector 30]]; [[Sector 31]]; [[Starbase 83]]; [[Starbase 173]]; [[Starbase 185]]; [[Starfleet Academy]]; [[three-dimensional chess]]; [[tractor beam]]; [[transporter]]; [[tricorder]]; [[type 7 shuttlecraft]]
-=== Sources ===
-* [[Judith Reeves-Stevens|Reeves-Stevens, Judith]] and [[Garfield Reeves-Stevens|Garfield]], ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission]]'' (1997)
-* [[James Van Hise|Van Hise, James]], ''[[Trek: The Unauthorized Behind-The-Scenes Story of The Next Generation]]'' (1992)
-{{Q episodes}}
-== External links ==
-* {{NCwiki|Q Who?}}
-* {{wikipedia|Q Who|Q Who}}
-*{{Startrek.com|q-who|Q Who}}
-{{TNG nav|season=2|last={{e|Pen Pals}}|next={{e|Samaritan Snare}}}}
 [[Category:TNG episodes]]