The Q

The Q are a race of omnipotent, godlike beings, most of whom refer to themselves as just 'Q'. They make their home in a dimension called the Q Continuum, a term which also is used to refer to the Q collective itself. They often appear humanoid, though thanks to their near-limitless powers, they can make themselves look however they like. Also, because of said powers, they can go anywhere (or any time) they like in the universe in the blink of an eye, do anything they want, and conjure up whatever strikes their fancy. As a result, they grow bored very easily, and are often apathetic to other races (except to use them for their own personal amusement).

They were first encountered by Captain Picard and his crew while visiting Farpoint Station. One of the Q put 'lesser' humanoid beings on trial, using Picard and his crew as representatives. They soon passed a test, showing they were no longer the "savage" beings Q believed them to be, and Q let them go. However, in the seven years that followed, he continued to plague Picard off and on, claiming that humanity was still being tested.

Eventually, Q went on to pester other members of the Federation, including Captain Janeway and her crew. He even went so far as to involve Janeway in a civil war going on in the Q Continuum, resulting from the death of one of their own, Quinn. Worried about the future of the Continuum, Q asked Janeway to bear his child, a hybrid that could end the war. When she refused, he instead conceived a child with a female Q, and the child, named Junior, did indeed end the war, restoring balance to the Continuum. However, when Junior grew to be a troublemaker, Q briefly left him in Janeway's care to help him shape up. It eventually worked, and he took back custody of the boy.

Notable Q's

Q TNG: S1: Encounter at Farpoint	Q TNG: S3: Deja Q	Amanda Rogers TNG: S6: True Q
Quinn Voyager: S2: Death Wish	Female Q Voyager: S3: The Q and the Grey	Q Junior Voyager: S7: Q2