Are the Q really omnipotent?

[Guest Voyager]

I've been think about this lately. Are the Q really omnipotent? From what I have seen of them, I'd have to say they weren't. Yes, they have lots of power, they can click their fingers and make anything happen, but does the power to toy with the universe alone make you omnipotent?

 

Here are my reasons to believe they are not. (Most of my referesnces are from ST:Voyager, as this is the main series I watch):

 

1. The main Q that we see in TNG and VOY is very well...annoying. Although he does help on occasions - like getting Voyager closer to home - he usually just causes problems, such as trying to get Janewa to 'mate' with hm.

 

2. Quinn, the Q who wanted to commit suicide. Any omnipotent race shouldn't want to commit suicide. Quinn said that the reason he wanted to die was becuase life had become pointless. He had seen and done everything, there was nothing left to do and he was ready to move on. An omnioptent race should be able to move on, but it appears that the Q don't die of old age, so the only way to move on is by being killed or suicide. If you can't die naturally, there is no point in life, so how could a race be omnipotent, when it misses out on the most important phase of life. Death.

 

3. Because of Quinn's suicide the Q went to war. Anyone so great shouldn't be affected by one fleeting life should they?

 

4. Q Juinor is supposed to be the saviour of the Q, but like Junior said 'how are you supposed to save race that's already omnipotent?' You can't, leading to my belief that the Q are not omnipotent. Juinor was even more of a trouble maker than Q was, and needed to be disciplined by humans. Humans? Didn't the Q refer to us a primitive? How does that look when an omnipotent race comes in help from a primitive?

 

5. Finally, the really impoortant point. Why do the continuim wear such sill hats!

[Memnon 0]

Well, I have to disagree with you completely on that. I believe the Q really are omnipotent. And here's why.

 

1) How does being annoying make the Q not omnipotent? Just because they can control all of time and space, or shall we say they have godlike powers, doesn't mean they should be good and gracious. Just because most of us humans worship a "God" figure doesn't mean an omnipotent being is supposed to act like God.

 

2) OK, now about the death issue. The whole debate about Quinn committing suicide is because the Q can NOT die, meaning they are immortal and they have no concept of death. Besides you are mistaken, the Q can not just "die", naturally or otherwise. They are omnipotent and can not be "killed" unless they're powers are taken away and made mortal. But by the time they're made mortal, they're not omnipotent anymore. So you see, the Q can not die at all, and must be made mortal to do so.

 

So in other words, you missed the whole point about being omnipotent. They do miss out because they are immortal. They're powers keep them from dying, and Quinn got bored of it all and wanted to die but couldn't by himself I guess.

 

3) Of course the Q were affected by it. Quinn was the first of his kind. To them, it was unthinkable for a Q to want to die. And so I guess the Q had different points of view about this issue, and went to war over it. How is this so odd for you?

 

4) Ok this point refers to the Q (or specifically our friend Q) needing help from humans, who are considered primitive to the Q. Again, I think you missed the whole point of this. Just because they are omnipotent doesn't mean they can do no wrong, that they are perfect. They are not supposed to be God, and so Q learns a lot from humans, about love, compassion, living life to the fullest, among many other things.

 

So do you see my point now? I think you're mistaking the meaning of omnipotent. Just because they have these godlike powers doesn't mean they are perfect and can do no wrong. They make mistakes too, and that's why I love the character of Q so much is because he has weaknesses, even though he's omnipotent.

[Guest Voyager]

Okay, let's agree to disagree. There are few points that you made that I think you were right about, but some I still disagree.

 

1. I'll accept your answer with that. I agree with you; they don't have to be nice to be omnipotent. They can be annyoing. I see your point.

 

2. Quinn had to be made mortal to die, but what about the Q war, when Q (our one) got shot. He might not have died, but if the weapons injured him that much on the shoulder, if it hit him on face, or somwhere else, then it might have been a different matter. With mortal weapons they can't die, but with Q weapons, isn't possible? Otherwise they wouldn't have tied Q to te pole to shoot him dead.

 

3. I agree that they would be affected greatly by the first Q's death, but to such the extent to go to war. They should know that that isn't going to solve their problems.

 

4. See your point. Part of me still feels that they shouldn't need our help, but I do see your where your coming from. Juinor still shouldn't need to save an omnipotent race though.

 

Q is a great character, I them loads too. I'm not saying that they'r not omnipotent. I'm willing to believe they are, but I was just pointing out my views on how things kind of contridict this.

[Memnon 0]

Ok, I was thinking about what you've pointed out and you know what the Q remind me of? The Greek Gods of Olympus. They are so simliar to the Q for this reason: They are Gods right? They have all these powers, they are worshipped by the humans, and are immortal. Yet, they are FAR from perfect. They are petty, jealous, and sometimes downright cruel to the humans. They also screw up sometimes and things must be fixed by someone else. They also fight amongst themselves sometimes and some hate each other. This is not what we in modern times think a God must act like. They are Gods yet.... they are definately not perfect and not people to be "worshipped". Doesn't this sound just like the Q? I thought so.

 

And yeah, Junior isn't a great solution to end the Q War going on I agree. Yet you gotta hand it our beloved Q (John de Lancie) for trying right? Oh and yeah I forgot about the Q weapons... I guess the only one who can kill a Q is another Q! That makes sense though.

[Takara_Soong 4]

I don't believe the Q need to be made mortal to be killed by another Q. In True-Q, Q had been ordered to kill Amanda if she didn't come to the Q Continuum although he later decided to give Amanda the choice to come to the Continuum or live as a human if she promised not to use her powers. There was no mention of making her mortal or was there any mention that her parents (who had been killed by the Continuum) were made mortal before their deaths.

[Guest Voyager]

Memon - The Greek Gods are a good comparison actually, that never occurred to me. It does look by what we've all said that a Q can only be killed by another Q.