Sisko - why active duty in Starfleet?

[HIj'Qa]

Why did Sisko go to Starfleet Academy, and then into service on starships?

He didn't ever say he had family members in Starfleet who inspired him or that he sat on the roof of his father's restaurant looking at the stars.

There are a couple of mentions of his early interest in engineering and starship design, but the dream job there would be in San Francisco at Starship Design at Starfleet Headquarters, like Harry Kim in Non Sequiter.

But, of course, if he'd stayed in San Francisco and not pursued command, he probably wouldn't have ended up on Deep Space Nine. I think the prophets must have been involved in more than his birth, steering young Sisko onto a certain career path.

 

[Vulcan Princess]

I never thought about it, but you're probably onto something there.

(I love your location; I've been known to correct Wikipedia grammar, too.)

 

[Farrens]

Didn't he spend some time at Utopia Planitia early in his career?

 

[Jono]

Didn't he spend some time at Utopia Planitia early in his career?

He was assigned to UP after the loss of the Saratoga and that was when he worked on the Defiant project.

Don't know that the Prophets would have to steer him, it was his destiny to be the Emissary. Once he was born that seemed to be all the Prophets had to do.

 

[od0_ital]

Sometimes, folks just want to get the fuck out, and the military is the option they pick.

 

[Myasishchev]

His little-mentioned first wife took the planet in the divorce.

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

I remember that Sisko's wife died in the battle with the Borg but I don't remember if she was a civilian or a Starfleet officer. If she was Starfleet she might have convinced Ben to get into it, too.

But there could just be a boring explanation -- after he finished space-college he looked at his options and decided that Starfleet would be a pretty good gig for awhile. After he saw the universe somewhat he might find his calling but he ended up in Starfleet for good.

 

[Verteron]

I remember that Sisko's wife died in the battle with the Borg but I don't remember if she was a civilian or a Starfleet officer. If she was Starfleet she might have convinced Ben to get into it, too.

But there could just be a boring explanation -- after he finished space-college he looked at his options and decided that Starfleet would be a pretty good gig for awhile. After he saw the universe somewhat he might find his calling but he ended up in Starfleet for good.

She was a civilian living on the Saratoga whilst Sisko was a bridge officer (first officer, possibly? My memory of Emissary is a little hazy).

Anyway, not all children follow in the footsteps of their parents.

Remember that Ben's from a broken home - his mother walked out and abandoned him at an early age, something he didn't consciously remember due to his father remarrying and his step-mother posing as his biological mother, but nonetheless may have created some psychological scars. This could be a 'human' psychology explanation for his reasons for effectively signing up for the navy, running away from his father's influence, etc.

The counterpoint to this is, of course, that Ben is part Prophet, and his life was planned thanks to the Prophet's ability to exist outside of time. They needed him to be in Starfleet at DS9, so created initial conditions that would guarantee this outcome. Who knows how far their meddling extends? The butterfly effect can be very powerful if one can predict the results!

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

He didn't ever say he had family members in Starfleet who inspired him or that he sat on the roof of his father's restaurant looking at the stars.

Who says that he didn't? Since he seemed very much interested in starships, why shouldn't he be interested in space travel? Jean-Luc Picard was also the first one in his family to leave the solar system.

Anyway, in "Homefront" it was established that Sisko was originally a Starfleet engineer, and that then-Capt. Leyton got him interested in a command career. That's why Leyton promoted Sisko to first officer of the USS Okinawa. Who knows... had Sisko never met Leyton at this point he still would have been a chief engineer on a ship somewhere (or working at a shipyard).

We also don't know for sure what the Prophets planned at which point. They totally exist outside of "linear time". In "Emissary", they didn't seem to know who Sisko was or what "corporeal creatures" were. So either they were lying or they didn't actually know. Maybe the Prophets made the decision to create Sisko after they first met with him. Don't think so linear! It could be a causality loop. Sisko's discovery of the wormhole led to his birth. Of course, in this case any other outcome wouldn't have been possible. Sisko was "destined" to become commander of DS9.

 

[DevilEyes]

Maybe the Prophets made the decision to create Sisko after they first met with him. Don't think so linear! It could be a causality loop. Sisko's discovery of the wormhole led to his birth. Of course, in this case any other outcome wouldn't have been possible. Sisko was "destined" to become commander of DS9.

That's exactly how I see it. Kind of like in Lost -

Spoiler: season 5 of LOST

Locke was considered by the Others the chosen one who would become their leader, and was visited by Richard Alpert after his birth, as a child and teenager, because middle-aged Locke time-travelled to the past before his birth, met Richard and told him when he would be born - therefore creating his own 'Destiny.

 

[Jono]

I remember that Sisko's wife died in the battle with the Borg but I don't remember if she was a civilian or a Starfleet officer. If she was Starfleet she might have convinced Ben to get into it, too.

But there could just be a boring explanation -- after he finished space-college he looked at his options and decided that Starfleet would be a pretty good gig for awhile. After he saw the universe somewhat he might find his calling but he ended up in Starfleet for good.

Not unless she travelled back in time, Sisko didn't met Jennifer until after he had graduated from the Academy.

 

[Elias Vaughn]

Sisko said one of his heroes was Captain Kirk. Maybe he just wanted to follow in Kirk's footsteps.

 

[Red Ranger]

He didn't ever say he had family members in Starfleet who inspired him or that he sat on the roof of his father's restaurant looking at the stars.

Who says that he didn't? Since he seemed very much interested in starships, why shouldn't he be interested in space travel? Jean-Luc Picard was also the first one in his family to leave the solar system.

Anyway, in "Homefront" it was established that Sisko was originally a Starfleet engineer, and that then-Capt. Leyton got him interested in a command career. That's why Leyton promoted Sisko to first officer of the USS Okinawa. Who knows... had Sisko never met Leyton at this point he still would have been a chief engineer on a ship somewhere (or working at a shipyard).

We also don't know for sure what the Prophets planned at which point. They totally exist outside of "linear time". In "Emissary", they didn't seem to know who Sisko was or what "corporeal creatures" were. So either they were lying or they didn't actually know. Maybe the Prophets made the decision to create Sisko after they first met with him. Don't think so linear! It could be a causality loop. Sisko's discovery of the wormhole led to his birth. Of course, in this case any other outcome wouldn't have been possible. Sisko was "destined" to become commander of DS9.

That's a really interesting theory. It reminds me of the time loop in Planet of the Apes, caused by Taylor's arrival in their time. And it makes total sense that the Prophets/Wormhole Aliens, intrigued by their meeting with Sisko, would then send one of their own back in time to ensure his birth and eventual intervention to help save them. It's too bad that idea was never verbalized in the show.

But I also think that in addition to Sisko's path being predetermined, there was also an element of choice, in that he did decide to take the command path. It does seem that even though he did decide on a command path, he was often tugged back in the direction of engineeering and building things.

After all, he served at Utopia Planetia and was considering retiring from Starfleet at the beginning of Emissary, to take a job building orbital habitats, or some such thing. I wish they had explored more of his engineering background through talks with O'Brien about engineering principles.

Red Ranger

 

[DevilEyes]

He didn't ever say he had family members in Starfleet who inspired him or that he sat on the roof of his father's restaurant looking at the stars.

Who says that he didn't? Since he seemed very much interested in starships, why shouldn't he be interested in space travel? Jean-Luc Picard was also the first one in his family to leave the solar system.

Anyway, in "Homefront" it was established that Sisko was originally a Starfleet engineer, and that then-Capt. Leyton got him interested in a command career. That's why Leyton promoted Sisko to first officer of the USS Okinawa. Who knows... had Sisko never met Leyton at this point he still would have been a chief engineer on a ship somewhere (or working at a shipyard).

We also don't know for sure what the Prophets planned at which point. They totally exist outside of "linear time". In "Emissary", they didn't seem to know who Sisko was or what "corporeal creatures" were. So either they were lying or they didn't actually know. Maybe the Prophets made the decision to create Sisko after they first met with him. Don't think so linear! It could be a causality loop. Sisko's discovery of the wormhole led to his birth. Of course, in this case any other outcome wouldn't have been possible. Sisko was "destined" to become commander of DS9.

That's a really interesting theory. It reminds me of the time loop in Planet of the Apes, caused by Taylor's arrival in their time. And it makes total sense that the Prophets/Wormhole Aliens, intrigued by their meeting with Sisko, would then send one of their own back in time to ensure his birth and eventual intervention to help save them. It's too bad that idea was never verbalized in the show.

But I also think that in addition to Sisko's path being predetermined, there was also an element of choice, in that he did decide to take the command path. It does seem that even though he did decide on a command path, he was often tugged back in the direction of engineeering and building things.

After all, he served at Utopia Planetia and was considering retiring from Starfleet at the beginning of Emissary, to take a job building orbital habitats, or some such thing. I wish they had explored more of his engineering background through talks with O'Brien about engineering principles.

Red Ranger

The only problem is that it makes no sense for the Prophets to decide they had to "ensure" Sisko's birth. Was there any reason to think that he would not get born? What made them think they had to do anything?

But I happen to think that the entire storyline of Sisko as Prophets' Jesus should have been avoided, just like the Pah-wraiths.

 

[Elias Vaughn]

I always just assumed they were only pretending to not know who Sisko was in 'Emissary', to get him to begin thinking of time non-linearly and prepare him for when he'd eventually join them inside the Celestial Temple.

 

[neozeks]

The only problem is that it makes no sense for the Prophets to decide they had to "ensure" Sisko's birth. Was there any reason to think that he would not get born? What made them think they had to do anything?

Like it's been said - don't think so linear. Maybe the Prophets can sometimes see the consequences of their actions before they even take those very actions. Thus, they figured out they were the ones responsible for his existance but hadn't yet actually conducted the influence which resulted in his existance. If that makes any linear sense... Actually, did you know there is a theory (I think it's actually a theory of one of the writers) that Prophets are Bajorans from the future? So, at one point in time they became advanced enough to step out of time or exist in all time at once, even in their own past.
Ah, my head hurts...

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

The only problem is that it makes no sense for the Prophets to decide they had to "ensure" Sisko's birth. Was there any reason to think that he would not get born? What made them think they had to do anything?

That's only because you're thinking too linear... like a corporeal creature. You have to think like a Prophet.

Half the time nobody really knew what the Prophets were even talking about. The Prophets claimed that they're "of Bajor". But they also claimed that Sisko was "of Bajor". So was this meant literally or was it only a metaphor?

Who knows that they're thinking? Their way of reasoning was always pretty alien.

Prophet 1: "The Sisko has discovered our realm."

Prophet 2: "Only someone who is of Bajor can discover our realm."

Prophet 3: "The Sisko is one of us."

Prophet 1: "Linear procreation."

Prophet 2: "The Sisko has taught us."

Prophet 3: "We have to start the game."

Prophet 1: "The Sisko is of Bajor."

Prophet 2: "It is decided then."

Prophet 3: "The Sisko must be born."

 

[neozeks]

^ I half expected one of them to say (in a Prophety intonation): What is that?

Actually, I recently rewatched Emissary and at first, the Prophets take both Sisko and Dax. But then they scan them and keep only Sisko. Maybe they thought: "Whoa, our scan shows something Prophetlike in this one! Hmmmmmmm...'

 

[od0_ital]

^

The Prophets didn't take either of 'em - Sisko & Dax went into the wormhole voluntarily, but Dax was rejected while Sisko was kept for a little while longer.

 

[neozeks]

^

The Prophets didn't take either of 'em - Sisko & Dax went into the wormhole voluntarily, but Dax was rejected while Sisko was kept for a little while longer.

Okay, a bad choice of words. But the point is still the same.