VERSIONE ITALIANA

PPR 142
SEQ 42
SAT 08.05.1989
I1 23.12.1994
COD qw
VHS 21
STO Maurice Hurley
REG Rob Bowman
MUS Ron Jones
GUS Guinan Whoopi Goldberg
Q John de Lancie
Miles O'Brien Colm Meaney
Guardiamarina Sonya Gomez Lycia Naff
IT Chi è Q?
DE Zeitsprung mit Q (Salto temporale con Q)

RIASSUNTO
Data Stellare 42761.3: Q ritorna e questa volta l'unica cosa che vuole è fare parte dell'equipaggio dell'Enterprise, mettendo tutti i suoi poteri al servizio degli umani. Al rifiuto di Picard, Q replica che gli umani non sono in grado di affrontare l'ignoto da soli e per confermare la sua tesi trasporta l'Enterprise in una lontana parte della galassia a confronto con una minaccia che la nave della Federazione non riuscirà ad eludere: i Borg.


NOTE
Quando è stato girato questo episodio c'erano due supervisori agli effetti speciali: Dan Curry e Robert Legato, ognuno dei quali aveva stilato le proprie specifiche per le caratteristiche della nave Borg. Secondo Robert Legato la nave Borg doveva essere una sfera con tantissimi dettagli nel mezzo; secondo Dan Curry invece, doveva essere di forma cubica tale per cui più ci si avvicina e più si notano particolari. Il gruppo di Robert Legato ha avuto qualche problema, quindi il compito di disegnare la nave Borg è stato assegnato al gruppo di Curry che ha impiegato 14 persone per due settimane per costruire la nave. Ciò è da considerarsi notevole in quanto, mentre le specifiche richiedevano che venisse realizzato solamente un lato della nave, il team ha fornito una nave completa su tutti i lati. Per ottenere un simile livello di dettagli, è stato utilizzato ogni oggetto adatto allo scopo, compresi un modellino di R2-D2, dei soldatini, alcuni binari dei trenini elettrici e il logo degli effetti speciali. Il concetto del disegno della nave è di Maurice Hurley ed il disegno è di Rich Sternbach.
In questo episodio debutta come baby Borg lo stunt Sam Klatman, figlio di Carol Eisner, la segretaria di David Livingston.


YATI
Quando Q rimanda l'Enterprise al punto di partenza, si vede la nave ruotare in senso antiorario, ma anche sul visore principale del ponte si vedono le stelle ruotare in senso antiorario. Forse Q ha momentaneamente cambiato qualche costante universale...
Nella scena in cui Worf spara al primo Borg che cade a terra, quando la scena viene ripresa con un'angolazione più ampia, il Borg ha cambiato posizione.


Premi
Vincitore nel 1989 dell'Emmy per il miglior sound editing; le persone premiate sono state William Wistrom, James Wolvington, Mace Matiosian, Wilson Dyer, Guy Tsujimoto e Gerry Sackman.
Vincitore nel 1989 dell'Emmy per il miglior sound mixing; le persone premiate sono state Chris Haire, Doug Davey, Richard Morrison e Alan Bernard.
Nomination per l'Emmy 1989 nella categoria dei migliori effetti speciali (Dan Curry).


Citazioni
Q: Ah, the redoubtable Commander Riker... and Microbrain! Growl for me... let me know you still care.

Q (a Picard): If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out there. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid.

ENGLISH VERSION

“Q Who?”
ST: TNG Episode No.: 42
ST: TNG Production No.: 142
Original Air Date (US): 05/08/1989
Stardate: 42761.3

In an encounter with the omnipotent being Q, Picard’s troublesome nemesis challenges Captain Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-D that they are arrogant and unprepared for what awaits them in the universe. Because of this weakness, Q offers his services and asks to be made a member of the Enterprise crew in order to protect them from the dangers in space. Picard objects to Q’s comments, stating that mankind is indeed prepared for whatever may await them ahead and do not require his services or help.

To prove his point, Q hurls the U.S.S. Enterprise into a distant region of the Milky Way galaxy, known as the Delta Quadrant (System J-25 to be exact), some 7,000 light years from the Enterprise’s last position. Immediately upon arrival there the U.S.S. Enterprise encounters an uknown alien vessel. However, this configuration of vessel and its’ lifeforms are familiar to Guinan, the El Aurian bartender of the Enterprises’ Ten Forward Lounge. Guinan informs the Captain that this lifeform is known as the “Borg”, and that they were responsible for the destruction of her entire planet and race. Guinan gives a brief summary stating that the Borg are a race of beings which are a combination of humanoid flesh and synthetic life. They are interested in “assimilating” biological and technological aspects of alien cultures, and that they have done so on many different occasions throughout this part of the galaxy. She also warily advises the Captain that it would be most prudent if they left this area immediately, for if they do not... the Borg will destroy them.

At that moment, two Borg drones materialize in the Main Engineering room of the Enterprise. The drones begin to scan the computer library systems and defensive capabilties of the Enterprise, and Picard orders them destroyed. The Borg drones are killed, and then mysteriously disappear from the engineering deck. However, they were able to gather a substantial amount of information in that short period of time, which was transmitted back to the Borg Cube Ship. Not suprisingly, it is learned that the Enterprise's defenses are no match for the powerful Borg.

Now having surveyed the ship's inferior defensive capabilities, the Borg vessel demands the unconditional surrender of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her crew. When Picard refuses, a short and fierce battle ensues, resulting in both ships badly damaged and 18 Enterprise crew members dead. In an act of desperation to learn more about this seemingly invincible enemy, Picard dispatches an Away Team to investigate the Borg ship, which is controlled by the collective minds of all the Borg, rather than by an individual leader or Captain.

While on the Borg Cube, the Away Team is able to gather a small amount of inforamtion about the Borg and their technology, but when Data reports that the Borg are in the process of repairing their vessel, Picard quickly orders the Away Team to beam back so that the Enterprise can make its escape while the Borg are repairing thier damaged ship. But as soon as the Enterprise begins its’ hasty retreat, the Borg follow right behind them.

With the Borg vessel rapidly gaining on the Enterprise and draining the energy from its’ shields, Q appears on the bridge of the Enterprise to taunt Picard with insults about the inadequacies of the starship and her crew. As the Borg close in and prepare to assimilate the ship and crew, Picard grudgingly admits to Q that he needs his help after all, and that they are unprepared what lies ahead of them. Delighted with the captain's confession of inadequacy, Q instantly transports the Enterprise out of System J-25 and back to safety.

However, Picard realizes in a later conversation with Guinan over a game of chess that now that the Borg are aware of their presence and technology... they will be coming...