The most familiar Q is portrayed by John de Lancie. He is an extra-dimensional being of unknown origin who possesses immeasurable power over time, space, the laws of physics, and reality itself, being capable of altering it to his whim.
In Star Trek, just how powerful are the Q? What is the extent of their power? They're power is virtually unlimited. They've not only been able to tamper with time and space, but have even been able to alter reality by creating alternate timelines as well as complete alternate dimensions.
As a race, the Q were immortal, but not absolutely omniscient or omnipotent (according to Quinn). They possessed the ability to alter, create, or destroy virtually any form of matter or energy, and to affect time in essentially any way they chose.
A highly advanced alien, Q's powers are nearly limitless. In his multiple appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard, Q routinely showcased the abilities of a god, easily able to manipulate time and reality to his liking.
Like Q, he can be anywhere, during any time period and his thoughts become instant reality. Either Traum or Theodore is more powerful than Q because the end of all reality except 'a single solitary thought' comes to an end as a result of an epiphany at the novella's end.
Q Origins - The Mysterious Backstory Of Insanely Terrifying God-Like Beings Of Star Trek Universe!
Who is Q afraid of in Star Trek?
Q seemed frightened of Guinan, telling Picard that she is "not what she appears to be," and that Picard should remove her from the Enterprise. Considering Q's abilities, it's unclear why he would be afraid of Guinan, and Star Trek has never offered a real explanation for Q's reaction.
Q explains that he is being punished by the Continuum for spreading chaos throughout the universe and he has been stripped of all his powers, banished from the Q Continuum, and transported to the Enterprise as a human, asking asylum.
They've evolved, physically or technologically, to the point of omnipotence. They've seen and built and done it all. But they can't do more than that. Their weakness is a lack of creativity beyond being creative enough to do everything? ...
As a trickster god, Q relies on people feeling powerless against his godlike status as he toys with their lives. With Guinan referring to him as merely a “denizen” it's clear that she doesn't buy into his elevated status. That could very well be the thing that frightens him most of all.
Riker uses the powers of the Q to return the crew again and bring both Worf and Wesley back to life. Riker makes a promise to Picard never to use the powers again and the ship arrives at Quadra Sigma.
Moore says that John de Lancie's Q was "in love with" Captain Jean-Lic Picard (Patrick Stewart), and that's one of the reasons why their relationship worked so well. Captain Picard commanded the USS Enterprise-D for seven seasons on TNG, and Q showed up about once per season to antagonize his favorite captain.
Other times, notably during "Deja Q" and Voyager, Q appears to the crew seeking assistance. Gene Roddenberry chose the letter "Q" in honor of his friend Janet Quarton.
It's established throughout his many appearances that he is one of the oldest of the Qs, having been around a lot longer than the rest of his people. This explains why he is the first to go through this process, of getting so bored by immortality he almost unconsciously wills himself into death.
The crew on Star Trek often encountered space gods with immense power, but eventually, the sci-fi franchise moved away from deities entirely. Despite being a science fiction franchise, the characters of the various Star Trek shows often encountered omnipotent gods who challenged their belief systems.
Q. The Q are potentially the least likely to get assimilated, for not just one reason but two. Firstly, their near omnipotence and god-like powers would make it almost impossible for a Borg, or even all Borg working together, to capture a Q.
The Borg, while still a powerful threat, are nothing compared to this type of power. The Q are not only able to defeat their entire race without breaking a sweat, but can also eradicate any trace of their existence altogether.
Borg shields are ineffective protection against projectile or melee weapons, and several have been defeated in this way, or through hand-to-hand combat.
But Star Trek: Picard's solution for explaining Q looking older is simple, ingenious, and totally suits the irrepressible prankster. In a way, it's a sign of respect and an endearing move that Q aged himself to make Picard feel more comfortable about his own mortality.
This suggests that the Q really do live forever and are incapable of dying (at least in the traditional sense). As Q is "dying" during the Picard season 2 finale, he says this: "I am moving on. In your parlance, I am dying." Dying could have a completely different meaning for the Q.
Although originally depicted as a clear villain who sought to prove humanity unworthy of existence, Q has since become more of a nuisance than a threat, and often serving as an aid and/or teacher for the Starship crews he has encountered, depending on the occasion. He is Jean-Luc Picard's archenemy.
Q, on the other hand, takes an intensely disdainful attitude towards beings he views as “inferior.” Picard was correct that respect is earned and Q has done nothing worthy of earning it. This concept, foreign to Q, explains his obsession with Jean-Luc Picard.
Guinan is an El-Aurian, a race of empathic and telepathic beings who are extremely long-lived; Guinan's exact age is never mentioned, but she is well over 500 years old by the time of her appearance in Star Trek: Picard season 2.
