Interstellar

This is a Stargate & Interstellar thread. Not Star Trek.

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The Next Generation did the most with this. It started with the first episode, "Encounter at Farpoint" wherein Q (an evolved energy being himself) put humans on trial to see if they evolved beyond their savage state for what we learned in "Hide and Q" was due to Q knowing that humans had the potential to become beings like them in the future. Hence he tests Riker by giving him the powers of the Q. Here are some select quotes where they hint at/get into why:

PICARD: "Q", listen to me. You seem to have some need of humans...
"Q" (MARSHAL): Or concern regarding them.

...

PICARD: Oh, no. I know Hamlet. And what he might said with irony, I say with conviction. What a piece of work is man. How noble in reason. How infinite in faculty. In form, in moving, how express and admirable. In action, how like an angel. In apprehension, how like a god.
Q: Surely you don't really see your species like that, do you?
PICARD: I see us one day becoming that, Q. Is it that what concerns you?

...

RIKER: We're growing. Something about us compels us to learn, explore.
Q: Yes, the human compulsion. And unfortunately for us, it is a power which will grow stronger century after century, aeon after aeon.
RIKER: Aeons. Have you any idea how far we'll advance?
Q: Perhaps in a future that you cannot yet conceive, even beyond us. So you see, we must know more about this human condition. That's why we've selected you, Riker, to become part of the Q, so that you can bring to us this human need and hunger, that we may understand it.


...

PICARD: Perhaps some day we will discover that space and time are simpler than the human equation. No coordinates laid in, Number One?

They also played around with the idea that Wesley was a link in that evolutionary path. I can't explain exactly what they did with him as I'm not a Star Trek fan and therefore don't know it as well as I do Stargate. However, he had a Daniel (before Daniel was Daniel) transformation where a mysterious advanced being know as the Traveler helped him realize his potential to evolve to a higher level. I don't know if he was supposed to be an energy being who used a humanoid guise (like Q) or if he was a transitional form that maintained a humanoid body but had Q like powers. Below a quote from "Journey's End" that use to look into the matter more fully if you like:

TRAVELLER: I merely opened the door for you. What you experienced came from your own mind, your own spirit if you wish. I hoped that you would open your mind to new possibilities, and you did. You pulled yourself out of time, don't you see? You've evolved to a new level you're ready to explore places where thought and energy combine in ways you can't even imagine. And I will be your guide, if you would like.

Then we have "Transfigurations," which was a whole episode devoted to exploring a humanoid alien species that was in transition from physical beings to non-corporeal energy beings. I'm just going to be lazy at this point and start quoting from Memory Alpha:

By 2366, many Zalkonians began to undergo the process of evolving into powerful non-corporeal lifeforms. They began experiencing isoelectric bursts as part of this process. The Zalkonian people were frightened by those undergoing the change and their government began exterminating anyone showing symptoms. Some of those affected fled their homeworld but were ruthlessly pursued by the Zalkonian military, including Sunad.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Zalkonian

It's a concept that carried over from the original series:

The Zetarians (or Zetars) were a race of once-corporeal beings from the planet Zetar.

When their planet began dying some time around the 14th century, the last hundred survivors planned on leaving the planet. Just as they were about to leave, however, one last cataclysmic event occurred, destroying their corporeal existence. They continued living as a pattern of lights and non-corporeal energy, containing their thoughts, desires, hopes, and will to live.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Zetarian

You also have Trelane and his parents (http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Trelane) whose origins were never identified, (and thus it has never been confirmed that his people started out as physical beings) but he is the inspiration for the Q.

There's also later appearances like these from Enterprise:

Organians were once corporeal, but they eventually evolved a non-corporeal form. They implied that their desire to avoid physical pain was a reason for that.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Organian

The energy lifeforms called "Wisps" by the crew of the Enterprise NX-01 originated as corporeal lifeforms of "substance" that evolved into a form of non-corporeal, massless, "perceptive energy," that existed and traveled through subspace. In their non-corporeal form, they contained no elements that could be identified by mid-22nd century Starfleet sensors.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Wisp

And the Kes character from Voyager:

Only a few days later, Kes began to undergo a massive surge in her mental powers. Although it was theorized that the exposure to Species 8472 caused these changes, there was little evidence for this. For whatever reason, Kes became telekinetic and was able to carry out delicate surgical procedures using only her mind. Unfortunately, she rapidly started to destabilize at the subatomic level and was causing massive damage to Voyager as a result. Taking a shuttle, she left the ship to explore her new condition and, as she left the corporeal world behind, pushed Voyager out of Borg space, 9,500 light years closer to Earth, as a parting gift.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Kes

There are many other powerful god-like beings that, like Trelane, weren't identified as evolving from physical beings but probably did considering the pattern and, as far as I'm aware, (which may not mean much since I am not the most knowledgeable about the franchise) no highly intelligent energy being has ever been identified as never having corporeal origins. You even have the Douwd (http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Douwd) which again were not identified as having corporeal origins but you can compare the one we saw to the Ancient Orlin since they both "gave up" their powers for the love of a human woman and, interestingly, they both destroyed an entire people. However, it doesn't happen for the same reasons or at the same time: The Douwd, known as Kevin, did it intentionally as revenge, while Orlin was indirectly responsible. Both were tormented by their actions and both encountered the show's explorers after the fact.

If you're interested you can also explore the trope outside of Star Trek and Stargate with the help of these articles:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EnergyBeings
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Transhuman?from=Main.Transhumanism

Not all energy beings mentioned have corporeal origins and not all transhumans are energy beings (some are just modified humans). Therefore you'll have to weed through the various examples to find what you're looking for.

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