I am a grown man and "The Visitor"makes me cry everytime.

I agree with majority opinion here. Just rewatched it myself and it is a good one. I don't try to rank the best of the best against each other, I like having multiple favorite episodes.

 

I really want to like this episode, but for me it seemed to miss the mark:

1. Sooo muuuuch technobabble
2. Reset button
3. Avery Brooks' acting

I love Avery Brooks when he's exerting a kind of understated energy. I like him a lot less when he's somewhat more emotional.

I respect what they were going for. I really, really do. But for me it just didn't work.

I recognise this puts me in the minority, so don't shout at me.

 

That is certainly one way to interpret it, however I don't feel it is the most accurate. I see it not as much as suicide as a sacrifice to save another. I know it's a fine line between allowing oneself to die to save another, and killing oneself to do the same, but ultimately I am not sure I see the former as being more justifiable, or more acceptable than the other. To me, at least, both are sacrifices.

 

First time seeing the episode as a teenager = tugged at emotional heart strings.
Seeing the episode about 4 years after my first son, Jake (Jacob), was born = cried like a baby.
Love this episode and how great it is on all levels and even in all genre.

 

Coincidence? (I won't believe you if you say no.)

 

I honestly got bored watching this.

 

Eh, since I figured it would all "reset" in the end, I wasn't that emotionally blown away by it. I'm not saying it's not a good episode but it does tend to take away from the emotional impact when you know all that went before essentially won't happen.

I'm more saddened when characters I like actually DO die.

 

A true reset is when no one remembers anything. Sisko remembers those times he visited hos son throughout his life.

And it clearly shows in his reaction that he remembers at the end back on the Defiant.

 

Considering Jake's downward spiral, not Sisko's death, is what is at stake, the fact that there may be some sort of reset is a non-issue.

 

Agreed, it’s such a moving episode, I lost my father a few years back and the relationship between Ben and Jake is portrayed perfectly; including the frustration and pain of not being able to be with the person that you would do anything to have back.

 

this is one of my favorite episodes. Very emotional

 

Know what you mean. As a father with a son, the episode hits on a whole deeper level.