Emmisary

[Trek Survivor]

Loved "Emissary", the best start to a Trek series.

It's a shame the terrible seasons 6-7, and the direction they chose to take the Prophets and Sisko, kind of ruined it.

Still, when watched without knowing about the "Sisko is part-god" silliness, "Emissary" is still a great episode.

And I have to disagree with those who said season 1 of DS9 was "dismal", I enjoyed it a lot.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

Loved "Emissary", the best start to a Trek series.

It's a shame the terrible seasons 6-7, and the direction they chose to take the Prophets and Sisko, kind of ruined it.

Still, when watched without knowing about the "Sisko is part-god" silliness, "Emissary" is still a great episode.

And I have to disagree with those who said season 1 of DS9 was "dismal", I enjoyed it a lot.

Hey, to each his own.

 

[Richard Baker]

I rewatched 'Emissary' this past weekend and I forgot how good it was. Some of my favorite bits I had not remembered- how when they first explore the wormhole the Runabout settles on a 'planet' which Sisko and Dax see as two totally different environments and how Dax returned to DS-9 as an Orb first, then materialized into her normal form. Most of the show described the Orbs as aspects- the Orb of Time for example, but in the first show they seem to be even more, they at time could be an actual being in another form.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

I rewatched 'Emissary' this past weekend and I forgot how good it was. Some of my favorite bits I had not remembered- how when they first explore the wormhole the Runabout settles on a 'planet' which Sisko and Dax see as two totally different environments and how Dax returned to DS-9 as an Orb first, then materialized into her normal form. Most of the show described the Orbs as aspects- the Orb of Time for example, but in the first show they seem to be even more, they at time could be an actual being in another form.

They never explained why Jadzia and Sisko were seeing a different scenery in the wormhole. If it had something to with their personality or something else. I found that a bit frustrating.

 

[kirkfan]

So I'm watching the franchise from start to finish, I just finished TNG's Chain of Command II and I just saw Emmisary (I plan to watch the rest of the franchise in chronological order).

I've already seen Seasons 1-3 and some of 4 and got sidetracked some years ago.

I remember when Emmisary premiered and I remember liking the characters of Sisko, Quark and Odo, but at 17, I don't think I was appreciating the concept very much. I also like Kai Opaka.

After a few years, I said DS9 was my LEAST favorite of the 4 Trek shows.

But how wrong I was.

LOVED Emmisary. It's very Star Trek.

My favorite moment: when Sisko explains linear existence to the prophets, an idealized version life, but the prophets challenged him: "If what you say is true, why do you live here?" taking him back to Jennifer's death.

Wow, what a punch to the stomach. What a dose of reality.

There were a few strong points in that episode, indeed.

 

[dub]

They never explained why Jadzia and Sisko were seeing a different scenery in the wormhole. If it had something to with their personality or something else. I found that a bit frustrating.

What bothers me about that scene is the awkward performances during their brief back-and-forth after stepping off of the runabout. Dax seemed almost sarcastic in her responses to Sisko. She should have had some concern or shown some confusion when Sisko clearly had a very different perspective. At the same time, Sisko was shouting and in awe, then immediately afterward he just seemed comically annoyed. It was just all wrong. I'm not sure if the director is to blame or the actors. Obviously there were several takes from location to green screen and back and forth, so I can see why it would be difficult to pull off. But that specific scene has always bothered me. I suppose they could have been trying to capture some of the way old friends would act toward each other, but there was just no chemistry in the scene at all. YMMV.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

They never explained why Jadzia and Sisko were seeing a different scenery in the wormhole. If it had something to with their personality or something else. I found that a bit frustrating.

What bothers me about that scene is the awkward performances during their brief back-and-forth after stepping off of the runabout. Dax seemed almost sarcastic in her responses to Sisko. She should have had some concern or shown some confusion when Sisko clearly had a very different perspective. At the same time, Sisko was shouting and in awe, then immediately afterward he just seemed comically annoyed. It was just all wrong. I'm not sure if the director is to blame or the actors. Obviously there were several takes from location to green screen and back and forth, so I can see why it would be difficult to pull off. But that specific scene has always bothered me. I suppose they could have been trying to capture some of the way old friends would act toward each other, but there was just no chemistry in the scene at all. YMMV.

I understand the critique: the acting between the transitions isn't natural. OTOH, I don't expect much from the scene, other than it establishes that the two are having different experiences. Perhaps there could have been some explanation as to why they saw different things. I've always assumed that what they see is somehow a reflection of their internal strife: Dax is obviously more at ease with herself than Sisko. The Prophets, being primarily concerned with threats against them, would obviously want to examine Sisko more closely.

 

[kirkfan]

They never explained why Jadzia and Sisko were seeing a different scenery in the wormhole. If it had something to with their personality or something else. I found that a bit frustrating.

What bothers me about that scene is the awkward performances during their brief back-and-forth after stepping off of the runabout. Dax seemed almost sarcastic in her responses to Sisko. She should have had some concern or shown some confusion when Sisko clearly had a very different perspective. At the same time, Sisko was shouting and in awe, then immediately afterward he just seemed comically annoyed. It was just all wrong. I'm not sure if the director is to blame or the actors. Obviously there were several takes from location to green screen and back and forth, so I can see why it would be difficult to pull off. But that specific scene has always bothered me. I suppose they could have been trying to capture some of the way old friends would act toward each other, but there was just no chemistry in the scene at all. YMMV.

I understand the critique: the acting between the transitions isn't natural. OTOH, I don't expect much from the scene, other than it establishes that the two are having different experiences. Perhaps there could have been some explanation as to why they saw different things. I've always assumed that what they see is somehow a reflection of their internal strife: Dax is obviously more at ease with herself than Sisko. The Prophets, being primarily concerned with threats against them, would obviously want to examine Sisko more closely.

Yes, that must be it. It reflects how they feel internally. Sisko has a tempest inside his brain (brain, brain, what is brain?) and Dax is lighthearted.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The first season comes off better when you come back to it knowing where the series and where the characters are going. Kira season 1 looks a lot different after seeing Kira season 7 than she does never having seen her before.

The show certainly hadn't found its voice yet, but it had a lot of quite entertaining episodes that were more like TNG 'Alien/anomaly of the week' episodes.

 

[kirkfan]

The first season comes off better when you come back to it knowing where the series and where the characters are going. Kira season 1 looks a lot different after seeing Kira season 7 than she does never having seen her before.

The show certainly hadn't found its voice yet, but it had a lot of quite entertaining episodes that were more like TNG 'Alien/anomaly of the week' episodes.

The aliens seem a little off though. Like they don't know what to make of Sisko and the rest of the people. That's not very consistent with the fact that they've planned Sisko's life to a t, as we learn much later.

 

[Praetorian]

Non-linear time, mate.

The Prophets hadn't met Sisko at the time, but having done so, and being so impressed, they made sure he would be conceived.

Or something.

 

[kirkfan]

Non-linear time, mate.

The Prophets hadn't met Sisko at the time, but having done so, and being so impressed, they made sure he would be conceived.

Or something.

And then went back thirty thousand years to write "welcome emissary" on a slab of stone...

 

[Roguewolf]

Non-linear time, mate.

The Prophets hadn't met Sisko at the time, but having done so, and being so impressed, they made sure he would be conceived.

Or something.

Works for me, time travel can be so bothersome at times, so why not?

 

[kirkfan]

Non-linear time, mate.

The Prophets hadn't met Sisko at the time, but having done so, and being so impressed, they made sure he would be conceived.

Or something.

Works for me, time travel can be so bothersome at times, so why not?

You must avoid paradoxes at all costs.

 

[Roguewolf]

But what if, by avoiding the paradox, we create the paradox? What if we are "supposed to" create the paradox?

Pffft! Time travel - what are ya gonna do about it?

 

[kirkfan]

But what if, by avoiding the paradox, we create the paradox? What if we are "supposed to" create the paradox?

Pffft! Time travel - what are ya gonna do about it?

To time travel with an orb you need the wormhole aliens' approval or it won't work.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

^How divine was Sisko meeting Kirk!

 

[kirkfan]

^How divine was Sisko meeting Kirk!

He was fine.

 

[Sybok Was Wrong]

^How divine was Sisko meeting Kirk!

It was good to see Sisko have reverence for Captain Kirk--Siskos behavior toward Captain Picard left a bad taste in my mouth that hurt the character from the onset.

 

[Iamnotspock]

^How divine was Sisko meeting Kirk!

It was good to see Sisko have reverence for Captain Kirk--Siskos behavior toward Captain Picard left a bad taste in my mouth that hurt the character from the onset.

It never bothered me because his behaviour toward Picard was understandable, if irrational, and also was resolved at the end.