Q is an asshole, but I feel like Q also used the Borg to protect the Federation against the Dominion.
In canon during TNG, the Federation has become very weak as a military power. Without the Klingons as a threat, Starfleet is a shell of its former self. It uses century old ships in service and ended two wars it should have won in a stalemate. Q forces an encounter with the Borg which shows the Federation is nowhere near equipped to win, then the next encounter wipes out a significant number of ships. So, starting after Wolf 359, the Federation starts a massive rearmament campaign.
Those new fleet designs end up being crucial to the Federation having a chance in the Dominion War. It is also telling that Q visited Sisko only once. People joke that Q didn’t come back because Sisko punched Q, but that did show Q that Sisko was willing to use force to defend himself.
Q is an asshole, but I feel like Q also used the Borg to protect the Federation against the Dominion.
In canon during TNG, the Federation has become very weak as a military power. Without the Klingons as a threat, Starfleet is a shell of its former self. It uses century old ships in service and ended two wars it should have won in a stalemate. Q forces an encounter with the Borg which shows the Federation is nowhere near equipped to win, then the next encounter wipes out a significant number of ships. So, starting after Wolf 359, the Federation starts a massive rearmament campaign.
Those new fleet designs end up being crucial to the Federation having a chance in the Dominion War. It is also telling that Q visited Sisko only once. People joke that Q didn’t come back because Sisko punched Q, but that did show Q that Sisko was willing to use force to defend himself.