h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: 'Star Trek' Characters - Q - A87888190
Author: Galaxy Babe - spaghettified editor - U128652

So, who wants to read about Q?

GB

I do - I'm a big Q-phile!

Also, John de Lancie and Majel Barrett Roddenberry are the only two Star Trek actors I've seen live at a Star Trek convention. In self-defence: 'cons' were very small-potatoes affairs in the early 90s, and I had a radio show with time to fill, and it was unusual enough at the time, and the convention centre was a short drive...ahem.

My favourite story of de Lancie's was that he first discovered he had an action figure when one of his sons announced, 'Wait! I left Daddy in the sandbox.' I'm not sure if it was the boy who grew up to play Q, Jr.

Anyway, this entry is erudite and playful, and complete enough even by Bluebottle's exacting standards. In other words, a winnah!

I did some proofreading, which is kindly meant:

I think it's 'How the mighty have fallen.'?

>>Riker and Worf hate one another as both blame the other for the death of Deanna Troi...<<

Suggestion: '...as each blames the other...'

Although Memory Alpha has it 'Thaddius', my guess is that Riker's ancestor would have been called 'Thaddeus', as that's how it was spelled during the US Civil War. Not that it matters much.

>>thanks goodness<<
I think that's a typo?

Again, thank you for the fun read.

thank you Dmitri, I am glad you enjoyed it, the original was by the same author who began the Guinan entry which I also added to and corrected. I am more pleased with this one as I do prefer Q but Guinan is part of the fabric and a very important character, IMHO. After all, we'd still be at war with the Klingons if not for her ()

I have read that about the action figure in the sandbox

John de Lancie sounds as much fun as Q himself, from what I've read. I think Q's best line was "If only I'd known [that 'a mere woman' could get under Picard's skin and cause him such anguish], I'd have appeared as a female." I just had to include that

>>seen live at a Star Trek convention<< attending a Star Trek convention is on my Bucket List

All corrections madethank you very much for the proof read, it always helps to have another pair of eyes!

GB

"So, who wants to read about Q? "

Ooo - me!

Excellent summary of Q's exploits

"One episode features his son Keegan, who guest-stars as Q Junior" - John de Lancie's son I presume.

"Lwaxana Troi3" - could just clarify in Footnote 3 that Majel plays Lwaxana, and maybe say a bit about who she is?

Superb footnotes indeed

Thank you - this is definitely a worthy topic for the Guide!

Yes, John de Lancie does seem like a great character himself - his voice is just perfect as Discord in My Little Pony, as he comes across as accepting of the MLP world but slightly outside it as well, very like Q... Eg the time when the main characters were all captured, so Discord and two ponies had to go and rescue them, he said something like: "Well isn't this quite the gathering of secondary characters?"

All fixed thank you Sasha! I had hoped you would like this

I confess the only time I ever ventured into the My Little Pony world was actually buying the toys for my daughters... about 30 years ago but:

"Well isn't this quite the gathering of secondary characters"? does sound like a Q quote, and I can hear his voice saying that

hi GB

I think you should mention in your first paragraphs that Q is actually only one of a species (?) of Q. I know you say later that there are more of his kind, but I think it belongs to the summary at the top, too.

I really enjoyed this entry too. One thing I was puzzled by was 'Encounter at Farpoint' and 'All Good Things' being described as Parts I & II - I've only ever seen these as double-length episodes?

Also, was 'Devil's Due' the one about the con-artist pretending to be a demon? Perhaps you could clarify in a footnote that it wasn't Q behind it but someone using tractor beams and holographic technology etc to appear to be divine.

<BB<

Thanks Tav, I've added that

Hi BB, 'Encounter at Farpoint' and 'All Good Things' are described as Parts I & II in the Star Trek Encyclopaedia - I have seen the episodes and they play separately, I know what you mean by double-length episodes, as it's one continuing story but I don't see what's confusing about "Parts I & II"?

Yes that was 'Devil's Due' and I have added a footnote

GB

Oh, have they actually been cut in half and shown as two separate parts? I've only ever seen them as double-length, which is how they both are on my DVDs, unlike, say, 'Best of Both Worlds' which is clearly divided into two.

<BB<

They are shown separately on tv, the usual length for a single episode, part one ends with "To Be Continued..."

Just having another read of this - excellent tweaks made

In the QPid section, I see a Marion that should be Marian. Just out of interest, is Guy of Gisborne played by someone from the Enterprise like Friar Tuck, etc, or a new character?

You could perhaps mention in the Next Generation section that Q not only appeared in the first episode of the series, but also the last.

I'll get to the tweaks after the tennis

Meanwhile, are you doing some artwork for this entry for me?

GB

I believe Guy of Gisborne was played by the amazing Clive Revill in this one. He's always worth a mention.

I would be honoured to have a go at doing artwork for you I've got some ideas already

Updated

I really look forward to seeing the illustrations Sasha

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

I'm sure this will appear on the front page before Q can click his fingers.

<BB<