Star Trek will probably never reveal the full story between these two Star Trek: The Next Generation characters, but I wish it would. With its premiere in 1987, TNG ushered in a new era of Star Trek, introducing the world to Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise-D. In addition to its regular cast of characters, TNG also introduced some fascinating secondary characters who altered the future of the Star Trek franchise and continue to have a presence in modern Trek.
John de Lancie's Q debuted in Star Trek: The Next Generation's series premiere as a mysterious god-like being who put Captain Picard on trial for the crimes of humanity. Q would go on to develop a certain fondness for Picard, shifting from an antagonist to a reluctant ally. Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2 introduced another enigmatic character in Whoopi Goldberg's Guinan, the bartender of Ten Forward aboard the USS Enterprise-D. When Q and Guinan first met onscreen, TNG teased a complex history between the two that Star Trek has yet to fully explore.
Star Trek Will Never Reveal The History Between Q & Guinan
It Seems Unlikely That Star Trek Will Dive Deeper Into Q & Guinan's Complicated Past
While it's remotely possible a future Star Trek project could reveal more about Guinan and Q, the franchise seems to have shifted its focus to other stories. The Q Continuum and the El-Aurians remain two of the most interesting species introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation, but much about them remains a mystery. Considering the vastness of the universe, it makes sense that not everything would be explainable. While it would be nice to learn more about the El-Aurians, the Q Continuum, and their relationship to one another, some things are better left mysterious.
Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard, the franchise has provided numerous hints about Q and Guinan without fully diving into their history. And maybe that's for the best. At this point, it's unlikely that Star Trek could provide an explanation for Guinan and Q's animosity toward one another that would satisfy everyone. Still, considering Q's supposed immortality and Guinan's longevity, both characters could continue to pop up across the Star Trek franchise, leaving the door open for another meeting between the two.
Everything We Know About Q & Guinan’s History
Star Trek Has Revealed Hints About The Characters' Shared Past
When we first see Guinan and Q meet, in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Q Who," Q claims that the two had "dealings" two centuries before and that Guinan is "not what she appears to be." Q also suggests that Guinan has gone by other names, while Guinan remarks that, unlike Q, other members of the Q Continuum "are almost respectable." Q believes humans like Picard to be arrogant, while Guinan has more faith in humanity and their potential. In "Q Who," Q sends the USS Enterprise-D across the galaxy where they encounter the Borg for the first time, and Guinan reveals that the Borg decimated her people.
In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 13, "Deja Q," Q arrives on the Enterprise-D having been stripped of his powers by the Q Continuum, much to Guinan's delight. After Guinan stabs Q with a fork to test whether he's really human or not, Q emphasizes how dangerous Guinan is. Of course, Q is not the most reliable source of information, which calls everything he says about Guinan, or anyone else for that matter, into question. Guinan, for her part, has always been trustworthy, and her assessment of Q lines up with what we know of him.
Guinan senses Q's unease about his impending death in Star Trek: Picard season 2, but she has no answers about Q's supposed loss of immortality.
Q and a younger version of Guinan (Ito Aghayere) appear in Star Trek: Picard season 2, and although the season does not reveal the full extent of their history, it does offer some more insight into the pair's relationship. Guinan reveals that the El-Aurians and the Q Continuum were once involved in a long cold war that ended in a truce. She also says that her people have a way of summoning a Q, but this hardly explains Q's obvious fear and animosity toward Guinan in TNG.
How Star Trek Could Finally Answer Q & Guinan’s Questions
A Future Star Trek Project Could Reveal More About The El-Aurians & The Q Continuum
Q made one last appearance in Star Trek: Picard, popping up in an after-credits scene at the end of season 3 to check in with Ensign Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers). The son of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Jack ended Star Trek: Picard season 3 on the USS Enterprise-G under the command of Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). Despite fan enthusiasm for a spin-off continuing this storyline, the long-rumored Star Trek: Legacy remains a rather remote possibility at this point. Still, anything is possible, and a Star Trek: Legacy series or film could potentially explain Q and Guinan's history.
Star Trek's newest upcoming show, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, could also include something about the El-Aurians and the Q Continuum, perhaps as a history lesson for the young cadets. It's also possible that Q or even Guinan could pop in that series, as Q is not limited by time or space and Guinan's lifespan has not been defined. Whether or not we ever learn the full history of Q's dealings with Guinan, Star Trek: The Next Generation changed Star Trek forever by introducing these two fascinating characters.
