Q warned the Federation about the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation, saving them from being caught unaware when the Borg made it to Earth.
Summary
- Q’s warning about the Borg in Star Trek TNG saved the United Federation of Planets from certain destruction.
- The Borg’s encounter with the Enterprise-D led to Earth’s vulnerability being exposed, prompting Starfleet to better prepare.
- The Battle of Wolf 359 could have been much worse without Q’s intervention, which helped slow down the Borg Cube.
By warning them about the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q (John de Lancie) saved the United Federation of Planets – and Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) – from certain destruction. Introduced in the premiere episode of TNG, Q developed a certain fondness for Captain Picard and made a habit of antagonizing the Captain of the USS Enterprise-D. While Q’s initial appearance in “Encounter at Farpoint” was certainly adversarial, he grew more and more interested in humanity as TNG went on. Although the crew on the USS Enterprise-D may not agree, Q’s actions often helped Picard and his crew just as much as they annoyed them.
In one of Q’s best Star Trek episodes, Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, episode 16, “Q Who,” the omnipotent being sends the Enterprise hurtling thousands of lightyears across space, where they encounter the Borg for the first time. When Borg drones beam onto the Enterprise, Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) destroys one only for another to appear in its place. The Enterprise tries and fails to outrun the Borg Cube, and quickly finds itself outmatched. If the Borg had made it to Earth before the Federation learned anything about them, the Borg would have caused much more damage than they did.
Q Saved The Federation By Introducing Them To The Borg In Star Trek: TNG’s “Q Who”
Q likes humanity (and Picard) more than he lets on.
Soon after the USS Enterprise-D arrives seven thousand light years from their previous location in Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s “Q Who?”, they discover a planet with giant craters where the cities should be. This discovery prompts Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) to remark: “It is identical to what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone.” This line proves that the Borg already knew about Earth and humanity (which is later more firmly established when the Borg appear in Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise). Q’s intervention, then, did not reveal the Federation to the Borg, but rather warned Starfleet about what was already coming.
Because of this encounter, Captain Picard then provides Starfleet with everything he learned about the Borg, allowing them to better prepare for a potential attack. If the Borg had approached Earth with no warning, the Federation would have responded as they always do when encountering new species – with peaceful curiosity. Picard responds this way in “Q Who,” attempting to communicate with the Borg before using any kind of force against them. Q’s actions put Starfleet on the defensive, and as Picard says, gave them “a kick in [their] complacency.”
The Enterprise lost 18 crew members in its initial encounter with the Borg. These losses may have been prevented if Picard had accepted Q’s help sooner, but it’s clear Q doesn’t place the same value on individual human lives.
The Battle Of Wolf 359 & Its Aftermath Could’ve Been Much Worse Without Q
Starfleet suffered a devastating loss, but it could have been wiped out entirely.
At the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s “Q Who,” Picard remarks that Q may have done the right thing in warning them about the Borg. Q even offered his help earlier in the episode, but Picard refused (which is understandable, given their history). It will be a while before the Borg return, but when they do, they deal the Federation a devastating blow. In the excellent TNG two-parter, “The Best of Both Worlds,” the Borg assimilate Captain Picard and turn him into their mouthpiece, Locutus. Locutus then leads the Borg in an attack at Wolf 359, where Starfleet suffers one of its worst losses prior to the Dominion War.
After the Battle of Wolf 359, Starfleet began developing more defensive technology, including warships like the USS Defiant, which proved invaluable during the Dominion War.
However, the battle slowed the Borg Cube down, if only slightly, allowing the Enterprise-D to catch up with the Cube before it reached Earth. Data and Worf then rescue Picard from the Cube and use his Borg knowledge and connections to destroy the Borg ship. If the Enterprise had been unable to rescue Picard, not only would Earth likely have sustained significant damage, but Starfleet would have lost one of its best and most influential Captains. Whether Q’s goal was to save the Federation or simply to save Picard, his actions in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s “Q Who” helped prepare the Federation for future conflicts with the Borg and other powerful enemies.
