This is a Q episode without "Q" in the title. Why the break from tradition? Although I guess even if we throw out the series premier and finale of TNG, we still have "Tapestry" as a precedent for a Q show without the "Q," but still it's fun to stick with the theme. Let's try it. I would suggest for this one "The Q and the Dead" or "Q-icide." I don't know...maybe not.
Voyager beams a sample from an interesting comet and strangely enough a man appears on the transporter pad. He introduces himself as "Q," but he is not the Q that we are familiar with. The crew assumes that he is the other Q but he explains that he is not. Ok, this Q that Q, the Q, everyone is Q is confusing to write about. Much later in the episode the new Q asks to be referred to as "Quinn," and so for clarity I will call him that in this entire review. As soon as Quinn beams aboard he starts with the regular Q antics. He walks through force fields, flashes everyone around from place to place, and exhibits superior knowledge. He explains that he was imprisoned by the continuum on the comet-like thingy for 300 years. He then gives a lame "last words" speech that confuses everyone and is followed by this dramatic hand movement thing to exert his power. Q does his magic effortlessly, or sometimes with a snap for effect. Amanda from "True Q" used a complex and inconsistent dual-hand maneuver to blast through time and space. Quinn does a one-handed thing with two fingers out that swirl around and then end up straight up in the air. The whole thing looks like a rude gesture, and it's actually pretty funny. Anyway, in a flash all of the men are gone from the ship. He was trying to end himself, but screwed up and killed every other male instead. What's worse is he doesn't have the ability to fix it, because his skills are a bit rusty.Just then Q shows up, and figures out that Quinn was probably trying to kill himself. He returns the men without incident. Then the two battle it out, playing a god-like game of hide and go seek which takes Voyager everywhere from the big bang to hanging from a Christmas tree as an ornament. Naturally it's a stalemate since their powers are equal. So instead Quinn asks for asylum aboard the ship, and the captain is forced to comply. We learn that there is a very specific process in place with Star Fleet for when asylum is requested. A hearing is held, and I guess both sides get to ask for whatever they want and the captain decides their fate. This...does not exactly seem to comply with the Prime Directive. I guess it's ok to interfere as long as any single person in another society asks you to? I realize the Q are a superior species, not inferior, but still I feel like this policy of arbitrarily deciding the fate of Quinn just because he managed to get on the ship goes against the spirit of non-interference. Does this asylum policy include lesser-developed species? Anyway they decide that if she rules for Q, Quinn will be locked back up to protect him from self-harm. If she rules for Quinn, he will be made mortal and allowed to off himself. Q rightly points out that her choices suck.
Quinn chooses Tuvok to represent him in the hearing, and Q will present his side himself. He even cross-examines himself, which is fun. Q builds a case that no Q has ever ended their own life, and the impact on the Q society could be extremely destructive. Quinn's case is that life is meaningless without an end point. By being deprived of death, his life is being devalued. This is an interesting argument. If you were immortal, and there were no consequences at all, what exactly is the point of any particular action? And what do you do to entertain yourself after you've done everything? Quinn attempts to prove this point by taking them to the Continuum for a visit. The Continuum is represented as a ghost town, with people just standing around with nothing to do. They don't speak to each other anymore, because why bother? They already know everything, including everything that everyone else knows. They are dreadfully bored. Quinn makes the case that this is a hardship that he must live under and is why he wants his life to end. Sure he's not suffering from some painful disease where euthanasia would be acceptable by reasonable people, but he IS suffering.This also gives us some insight into why Q behaves the way he does. When we first meet him we get the feeling that he's under-stimulated and looking to mess with people as a form of entertainment, but here it's basically confirmed. Humans are at least unpredictable, especially when you're presenting them with impossible situations. But visiting the Continuum is also anticlimactic, because I've always pictured it as an amazing place of wonder. A place where you would be honored to visit and amazed at the sights. But I guess it's not, it sucks. And if you spent your whole life there you might want to die. We also learn that the Continuum is a repressive regime, one that scared Q back into submission at one point, and now has him doing their bidding.
They also visit the prison comet, to get a feel for how Quinn will spend eternity if that's what is decided. It's kind of like standing in a phone booth. With all four of them it's crowded, but it wouldn't be much more spacious with just one. And eternity is like, forever man. Janeway is not pleased with the conditions, but ultimately decides that it doesn't matter because she's not there to judge another culture's penal system. But....she is literally ok with breaking one of their prisoner's out and then possibly ruling to set him free permanently.
Q calls as witnesses Sir Isaac Newton, Commander William Riker, and Maury Ginsberg. It turns out that Quinn has positively affected these people's lives as well as mankind in general. He's the one that shook the tree to get the apple to drop and get Newton thinking, forever altering the course of science on Earth. He saved the life of one of Riker's ancestors, allowing for Riker's existence and therefore eventually stopping the Borg from assimilating all of Earth. The third guy, Maury Ginsberg, was on his way to Woodstock when his car broke down and Quinn stopped to give him a ride. Ginsberg ended up stumbling upon a wiring problem that would have shut down the entire concert, and also met his future wife in the back seat of the Jeep that Quinn was driving. Ginsberg's story, though brief, was so well told and intriguing that I immediately went to Google to see if it was a true story about the concert that I had missed. It's not. But I did learn that the actor's name really is Maury Ginsberg, and you probably recognize him as that guy from the thing. Anyway, Q's point is that Quinn's existence has had myriad positive influences in unknown and dramatic ways. To let him end his life is to make the universe a worse place. Watching Quinn smile as these stories are recounted certainly pokes holes in his "life is miserable" argument.In private (which by the way is wildly inappropriate in a trial situation), Janeway makes the offer that if the Q can find a way to keep an eye on Quinn and re-integrate him into society without imprisoning him, she will rule in their favor. But Q confides in her that contrary to his earlier testimony, Quinn is actually a very dangerous man who has caused wars and chaos, and must be locked back up. So Q comes up with an even more enticing idea, rule in his favor anyway and the Continuum is prepared to send them home to Earth instantly. For a captain that is hell bent to get her crew home, we know that it's enticing. But her integrity as a newly-appointed space judge of the gods prevails.
At her final ruling, Janeway gives a great speech where she states that she has a personal aversion to suicide, and that she is deeply disturbed that her decision could result in one. It is especially troubling that this suicide may alter an entire society, even if it's for the better. But she also has to consider the rights of the individual, and she believes that Quinn is both sound of mind and suffering deeply. Therefore, she agrees to grant him asylum. Under protest, Q keeps his word and instantly makes him mortal. Janeway appeals to Quinn to truly experience something new by exploring his own humanity. She encourages him to try life this way, and her and Chakotay immediately make plans to find a place for him on the ship. But it's only a very short while until they find him dying in sickbay after having taken a poison, Nogatch hemlock. This time his last words have a profoundness, as he remarks that he is doing this as a gift to his people. Shortly after it is revealed that the hemlock came from Q, and he explains that he's learned something about himself through this ordeal, and admires Quinn's courageousness. He knows the Continuum will not be happy with him, but he doesn't care.
The funny moments in "Death Wish" include Quinn's overall "aw shucks" demeanor, and Q's usual witty banter. When he sees Chakotay's tattoo he remarks, "How very wilderness of you." Then there's Q in Janeway's bed voraciously flirting with her. There's also Janeway attempting to explain to Newton and Ginsberg where they are, failing, and then changing tactic by just telling them they're dreaming. Even Neelix blathering on about rabbits and getting jealous of the curious new guy is done in a way that is hilarious. The confused look that Neelix gives Quinn when he starts his speech is priceless. But the episode also explores big issues in a way that Voyager usually doesn't. Is suicide ok to end suffering? How does a society reconcile making capital punishment legal and suicide illegal? Is solitary confinement a moral alternative? It even takes on some true science fiction concepts like exploring what an immortal society does once they know everything, and how boring a reality like that might actually be. Then there's just the character of Quinn. He's likable and fun, and it's sad when he dies. "Death Wish" is a Fantastic episode of Trek. Everything works here, and this is a particularly ambitious outing for Voyager.Published June 2, 2017
No comments:
Post a Comment