Q lançou a Enterprise em todo o universo para combater o que ele considerava a pura arrogância de Picard e Riker ao rejeitar sua oferta de se juntar à tripulação. Da transcrição
Q: Oh. Well, you may not trust me, but you do need me. You're not prepared for what awaits you.
PICARD: How can we be prepared for that which we do not know? But I do know that we are ready to encounter it.
Q: Really?
PICARD: yes. Absolutely. That's why we're out here.
Q: Oh, the arrogance. They don't have a clue as to what's out here.
GUINAN: But they will learn, adapt. That is their greatest advantage.
Q: They're moving faster than expected, further than they should.
PICARD: By whose calculations?
Q: You judge yourselves against the pitiful adversaries you have encountered so far. The Romulans, the Klingons. They are nothing compared to what's waiting. Picard, you are about to move into areas of the galaxy containing wonders more incredible than you can possibly imagine, and terrors to freeze your soul. I offer myself as guide only to be rejected out of hand.
RIKER: We'll just have to do the best we can without you.
Q: What justifies that smugness?
PICARD: Not smugness, not arrogance. But we are resolute, we are determined, and your help is not required.
Q: We'll just have to see how ready you are.
GUINAN: Q!
(The Enterprise is thrown through space at even more incredible speed than usual)
No final do episódio, Guinan e Picard percebem que Q lhes deu um favor indireto, observando que enviá-los aos Borg antes de chegarem à Federação poderia ter sido o plano desde o início.
GUINAN: Q set a series of events into motion, bringing contact with the Borg much sooner than it should have come. Now, perhaps when you're ready, it might be possible to establish a relationship with them. But for now, for right now, you're just raw material to them. Since they are aware of your existence
PICARD: They will be coming.
GUINAN: You can bet on it.
PICARD: Maybe Q did the right thing for the wrong reason.
GUINAN: How so?
PICARD: Well, perhaps what we most needed was a kick in our complacency, to prepare us ready for what lies ahead.
A implicação é que Q iniciou seu confronto especificamente para ensiná-los sobre os Borg. A menção de Guinan à adaptação é meramente parte da defesa mais ampla da Humanidade. Deixe-me parafrasear a troca inicial
Picard: We're ready for whatever is out there
Q: No you're not
Guinan: They can adapt to whatever faces them
Q: You have no idea what's out there
Riker: Well, we really don't need you either way
Picard: Yeah!
Q: Ok, let's see how you handle this! snaps fingers
Guinan não está dizendo nada Picard e Riker já não estavam dizendo