How do you think the various series would have turned out if the crews and situations were switched around? If Kirk were the Emissary of the prophets, Janeway went to Farpoint, Picard took Klaang to Qo'noS, etc?
Kirk would have been revealed to have slept with a prophet during one of his trips to the past and thus conceived his own ancestor. Not to mention Kira's totally tapped. The trial would be held in a 21st century nudist court which would inevitably end with Q trying to seduce Janeway as a "test" Broken Bow would be a one parter with Picard since you could cut out all the Vulcan racism. And since you forgot him... Archer would be lost in the Delta Quadrant never to be heard from again.
Another variable is the chronological sequence this all takes place in. Is it 35 year old Shatner at DS9, or 62 year old Shatner? If Archer's teamed with Spock, Scott Bakula is about 13.
It's the entire crew from WNMHGB switched with the crew from Emissary. Personally I think given Kirk's track record with god-like aliens, It'd be reduced to a one-hour episode at the end of which the Prophets agree to close the wormhole and leave Bajor alone, with no series to follow.
Had Picard been on the NX-01, there would have been peace with the Klingon Empire from the beginning, all of Earth's first contacts would have been handled with dignity, composure and respect, leading to multiple peace treaties, which would have seen the Federation formed by the beginning of Season 3. Had Kirk been the Emissary, then Opaka would have been some 20-something blonde in soft focus who he would totally bang. He'd then unleash Kirk Fu on the Prophets who would go back in time and erradicate him from existence.
I think Janeway would have been a more-than-willing participant in the Temporal Cold War. That is, if she didn't get the NX-01 stranded in the Triangulum Galaxy.
Janeway would have gotten into a fight with the Klingons, almost gotten her ship destroyed, and then it would all be fixed next episode.
I think Sisko had more respect for the Bajoran religion than Kirk (or, for that matter, any other Trek captain) would have had. So Kirk-as-Emissary would have been a disaster, IMHO.
I dunno, Picard always seemed to have a huge respect for the Bajoran people. Definitely more than Sisko in season 1 of DS9.
Picard was an explorer, and would have been disaster as the Emissary too. Sure he could have done it if forced, but he certainly wouldn't have been happy staying there in one place for so long.
The PEOPLE, yes. But Picard would have been more dismissive of the Bajoran faith. (ref. "Who Watches The Watchers?") Sisko would not do that.
Sisko did dismiss the Bajoran faith before being handed evidence of their existence and finding out he was alien Jesus. He handed one of their most revered religious artifacts to a scientist to study, just to cherrypick one example. I think if any Trek captain god the evidence for the divinity of the Prophets that Sisko got, they'd believe in them too.
Kirk would have shown the prettiest Prophet how linear sex is! Janeway would have would have powered up the jellyfish-like space creature with coffee. Picard would have installed Klang as the new chancellor high council.
Who Watches The Watchers is not a good exmaple of Picard being dismissive of faith. That example is a straight up misinterpretation, and the only thing Sisko would have done differently is not let Leland arrow him through the chest. Also being powerful does not make you divine, it's not dismissive of faith to call them 'Wormhole aliens'. I'm not sure Sisko ever really accepted them as Gods, he just accepted their vision of his future. He always just saw them as very powerful and wise beings.
It's not a misinterpretation, and he most definitely is being dismissive of faith. Specifically, Picard says, "Doctor Barron, your report describes how rational these people are. Millennia ago, they abandoned their belief in the supernatural. Now you are asking me to sabotage that achievement, to send them back into the Dark Ages of superstition and ignorance and fear? No!" He's not just talking about the idea of them going down to the planet pretending to be gods. He clearly states that rational people abandon their belief in the supernatural. He calls their lack of belief in the supernatural an achievement. There is no other way to interpret that than Picard being absolutely dismissive of religious faith. Sisko would not have made those statements.