Flirting in the pilot
I have thoughts — Q thoughts — about this moment from the pilot episode or Star Trek: TNG, "Encounter at Farpoint." I think this is where Q and Picard's interesting relationship is firmly established. And I love that it happens in the first episode.
Let's go through it!
If you'll recall, Q is putting the Enterprise through a test. At this moment, Enterprise crewmembers are on the alien ship (erm, body) and Picard is worried they are being harmed. So he asks Q to help them.
Q's into it. He goes into a little smirk here, like it's just now getting fun for him. Presumably people across the universe beg him all the time, but something about Picard amuses him.
In a show of power, he sits in the captain's chair (soon to be mon capitaine's chair). Everyone loses it. Picard tells them to calm down. Picard is smart; he has his eye on the goal. Q is just flaunting: Oh look, you need the thing I have in spades. Power.
But it gets better.
Picard plainly asks for help. This precedes the similar moment in "Q Who." Picard says with an urgent staccato, "Q, my people are in trouble, let me help them please."
Q is silent.
So Picard bursts out with, "I'll do whatever you say."
And instantly the crewmembers appear on the bridge, but it's an alien effect, not Q's typical flash...
Picard, who doesn't know anything about Q's typical flash, looks at his crew. And Q leans forward and says with menace, "You'll do whatever I say."
Picard says, without turning back to Q, "It seems I did make that bargain."
And then Troi explains the alien sent them back, not Q.
...
Let's talk about what happened here. Picard volunteers that he'll do whatever Q says, which has a vaguely sexual overtone. The fact that it might be interpreted as sexual makes it possibly sexual. And he seems okay with this. Now, some might say it's because lives are at stake here, but I'd say in retort that Picard has pride when he wants to, and he's great at negotiating. This is what he blurts out in front of his bridge crew. Either the prospect is appealing to him subconsciously or these are the terms he likes.
And Q? He might have responded, "Settle down, Picard, what makes you think I'm interested in that?" What a perfect chance to belittle him further, worse than sitting in his chair. But he does not.
He likes it. When the alien returns the crew, he takes advantage of Picard's ignorance. He basically says, "Yes, I've taken that offer." Even though he knows it's easily verifiable that he didn't return the crew, even though he gets immediately contradicted by Troi. He DNGAF, he's all, "Dammit, I should have done it first."
They're so cute and interested in each other. At personal cost!
Thoughts?
...
PS. If you liked this, I write fanfic for these two. Check it out.
