Though there are a few faults, this is a solid episode from start to finish. Q returns to the series in his full glory: irreverent, comical, sinister, and a perfect foil for the crew. In this episode, Q has his sights set on Riker, offering the First Officer the power of the Q. The story itself is one of temptation, power and corruption. As Riker himself says: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Riker first uses his newfound power to save the lives of both Wesley and Worf, both of whom are impaled by bayonets (in a rare display of graphic violence, Wesley is actually shown to have a bayonet protruding from his stomach). Afterwards, Riker must resist the temptation to use his power once he arrives at the scene of a mining accident and finds that a young child has perished.

The scenes of death, while not gruesome, do serve to heighten the tensions of the episode. In fact, the incidents lead Riker to the point where he is ready to fully embrace the power Q has given him. And, true to his own comment about power and corruption, the more Riker embraces his power, the more corrupt his character becomes — even to the point of displaying both arrogance and outright insubordination.

In the end, however, Riker is able to learn, as Data so aptly states, “To thine own self be true.” The fact that Riker is able (with the help of the crew) to reject the power he was offered demonstrates his quickly developing character — and is an important lesson in and of itself for the audience.

The only major mistake of the episode is when Tasha Yar begins to confess her attraction to Captain Picard. It’s important to Yar’s own developing character to see her vulnerability, but the scene is awkward and clumsy and serves no real purpose in the episode’s storyline.

That being said, overall, the cast is growing into their roles quite well. Indeed, they’ve begun to expand beyond the “caricatures” which they so often presented in earlier episodes.

Q’s humor and antics, the serious themes, and references to Shakespeare all add up to a story that successfully balances danger, wit, and a much deeper subtext. Originally, I was between a B+ and an A- with this one, but Q’s performance is engaging enough to make this a must-see episode.

Topics: Q
Filed under: TNG Reviews