Plot
The USS Enterprise is en route to Quadra Sigma to aid colonists caught in a methane explosion when Q (John de Lancie) re-appears and demands that they abandon their mission to compete in a game. He teleports Commander Riker and the bridge crew, with the exception of Captain Picard, to a barren landscape and appears in front of them whilst wearing a uniform of a Napoleonic era French general. The explains the rule of the game is to stay alive, and after Yar (Denise Crosby) refuses to compete, he transports her back to the bridge of the Enterprise in a "penalty box".
Q returns to the bridge too, to talk to Picard and to set a wager. He explains that the Q Continuum is testing Commander Riker to see if he is worthy of being granted their powers. Meanwhile Riker and his team are attacked by bearded aliens wearing French soldier's uniforms from the Napoleonic era and armed with muskets that fire energy bolts. Q returns to Riker and tells him that he has granted him the powers of the continuum, and Riker promptly returns his crew mates to the ship but remains behind with Q to ultimately reject the powers. Q brings the crew back to the landscape, this time without their phasers and with Picard. The crew are attacked once more by the bearded aliens, and both Worf and Wesley Crusher are killed. Riker accepts the powers of the Q and returns the crew again, and brings both Worf and Wesley back to life.
Riker makes a promise to Picard never to use the powers again and the ship arrives at Quadra Sigma. A rescue team beams down and discovers a young girl who has died. Riker is tempted to save her, but in the end he refuses to do so out of respect for his promise; however, he quickly shows signs of regret at this decision, which he expresses to the captain. Tension between Picard and his first officer grows as Riker now seems to be embracing his powers. At Q's suggestion, Riker uses his powers to give his friends what they supposedly want, turning Wesley into an adult, giving La Forge (LeVar Burton) his sight, and creating an affectionate Klingon female for Worf. They all reject the gifts, however, and Picard declares that Q has failed to tempt a human to join the Q Continuum, recalling the wager. Q removes Riker's powers and is forceably recalled to the Continuum having failed in his mission.
Read more about this topic: Hide And Q
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