Becoming Benjamin Sisko

[Bad Thoughts]

In the Beginning (pilot to Whispers)
Sisko was strikingly emotional in the beginning. The pilot featured his ongoing sorrow over the loss of his wife and his dedication to his son, wrapping it into his experience with meeting new lifeforms and de-escalating political tensions. “I exist here” transformed the abstract science fiction concept of how humans experience time into a stunning statement of emotional vulnerability. Some viewers reported tearing up at Sisko’s realization. No other pilot can say it had that effect on viewers.

And then nothing. Like the series as a whole, Sisko went into safe mode. Many of the stories for Sisko avoided the evolution of the character and keeping the focus on the archetype of the “captain.” Sometimes he could be a sympathetic ear to people of faith, like his relationships with Kira and Opaka. His conversation with Jake about religion in In the Hands of the Prophets highlighted a sympathetic and non-judgemental approach to religion, a striking difference from Picard and ST:TNG. That said, Sisko was his job. When he intervened in Bajoran politics during the Circle crisis, staying behind to give time for Kira to expose the conspiracy, he seemed more motivated by how he perceived his mission, bringing Bajor into the Federation.

Although seemingly irascible, Sisko is largely a variation of Star Trek characters we already saw. He is dedicated, although he might be more likely to buck the rules or find exceptions to orders than Picard or Kirk. He is more reactive, dealing with situations rather than initiating projects. He is lonely. Sometimes Sisko seems bored. Sometimes it seems Avery Brooks was bored. (There’s the rumor that Brooks wanted to quit. I have never seen evidence for this. Certainly, Behr feared that Brooks might walk, but that’s it. He was a loyal performed, and he was at the least motivated to stay in order to provide for his family.)

Key Relationships

• Jake: tenderness, dedication, understanding
• Jadzia Dax: friendly and affable; the interaction between the two helped them to become more personable
• Miles O’Brien: like Dax, allowed Sisko to express different sides of his personality
• Kira Nerys: highly antagonistic; Kira was the regular embodiment of Bajorans, and she tended to act independently of Sisko (the writers loved the character, almost to the detriment to others)

Key episodes

• Emissary: the pilot is 70% Sisko, 30% Kira; arguably, the most character-focused of Star Trek’s premieres
• Dax: not one of my favorites, but it brings back the character’s emotional range
• In the Hands of the Prophets: Sisko articulates how he negotiates his human values and those of the people he attempts to administer

Key Scenes

• Emissary: telling Jake they will have to rough it on the station; shaking down Odo; baseball; “I exist here.”
• Dax: confronting Dax about her passivity and Curzon’s guilt
• Move Along Home: Alemaraine (ridiculous scene, but all the actors make it work)
• In the Hands of the Prophets: conversation about religion with Jake; ” These people know that we are neither the enemy nor the devil.”; meeting Bareil
• The Circle: meeting Krim; explaining to Li Nalas about the hero Bajor needs
• The Siege: epilogue conversation with Kira and O’Brien about the meaning of heroism, which will be an angoing discussion in the series

In a few days, I'll post about the transitional period between Paradise and The Adversary.

 

[Riley]

I very much enjoyed reading this and look forward to more of your insights!

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I didn't think anyone cared, but I'll get on to part II.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I read and enjoyed it, but didn't have anything to add.

 

[Oddish]

In a few days, I'll post about the transitional period between Paradise and The Adversary.

Looking forward to your insights. Sisko was one of the most dynamic characters in Trek, especially in either classic era.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

The "Roots" of Benjamin Sisko
part II

I have always opined that Paradise was a turning point for the character and for Avery Brooks’ performances. According to both Behr and Wolfe, the writers felt that they were failing Brooks. That changed when they saw Avery Brooks playing Paul Robeson in a one-man show in Westwood. It gave them a new appreciation for Brooks’ acting power, but perhaps more importantly, they experienced how big issues drove Brooks, something that he channeled into his performances. The solution wasn’t really a reboot: it was an admission that the writers became lazy, writing for what Star Trek was supposed to be rather than for the characters they had. As Behr puts it, they went back to the pilot to find not only what the show was supposed to be, but what Sisko was supposed to be.

I know that there are people who don’t like Paradise , but it sets Sisko on a path. O’Brien is doing stuff, but Sisko is making choices and showing his ideological commitments. He refused to bed Cassandra, feeling that her approaches were not consensual, and expresses outrage over the death of Meg. However, the high point is the sweat box. Sisko refused to take off his Starfleet uniform. This is of course a symbolic way of showing his commitment to Star Trek values. However, I have come to appreciation over the years that this is not just a symbolic gesture, but people in the military see the uniform as a tool of self-discipline. He gets into the sweat box, which puts the attention on him rather than O’Brien. And he is given another opportunity to remove his uniform. He chooses to get back into the box.

At that moment, Sisko became a mensch. He showed how deeply rooted his beliefs and commitments were. It was not only a badass moment, but tied Sisko and Brooks to a legacy of powerful moments in films and theater that reflected the experience of Black Americans. Brooks put himself into this scene in a way he had not since the Prophets confronted him about his depression.

Many things began to change in the second half of season 2. Necessary Evil gave depth to Odo and Kira’s relationship and became the first true origin story of the franchise. Dax got out of her head and into her body in Blood Oath. Bashir got to being a dedicated professional in The Wire. Sisko’s growth continues with great scenes in The Maquis and The Jem’hadar.

Past Tense was another evolutionary leap for the character, in line with *Paradise*, but showing greater depth and more rich performance opportunities. The first half is very discursive. Sisko shows how appreciative of the history and the struggles over justice and need but with some reserve. He is in Starfleet mode, looking for the way out rather than the way to participate–we aren’t anywhere near the guy who will take Marlena Moreau’s place to get Kirk’s autograph. He accepts, as a fact of history, the massacre Bashir that is about to happen when asked by Bashir, because he knows the eventual outcome and is dedicated to the principles of non-interference.

Everything changes not with Gabriel Bell’s death, but Sisko’s choice to impersonate Bell. During the occupation of the processing center, Sisko attempts to keep things out of the control of the radicals, but he is not outwardly dismissive. He contains BC, he argues against his ideas, but never attempts to remove him. He shows the complexity of race, implicitly acknowledging that “his face” is not the one that is going to move the public. Interestingly, getting people’s voices heard is how he interprets what happened in the sanctuary district.

The high point of the episode–which the normally reserved Brooks went out of his way to praise–was the intense confrontation with Vin, a district security officer:

SISKO: You don’t know what any of this is about, do you? You work here, you see these people every day, how they live, and you just don’t get it.
VIN: What do you want me to say? That I feel for them? That they got a bad break? What good would it do?
SISKO: It’d be a start.

Sisko’s dedication is not about making sure the facts are right, protecting the future. He cares that this man, probably more of a bureaucratic cog than a reactionary, learns something. Changing people’s outlook, not being satisfied with the status quo: these motivate Sisko. Contrasted with Kirk in City on the Edge of Forever, Sisko’s obligation touches the spirit. All the actors in this episode brought their A-game. (It should also be noted that we will see more of this voice tone from Brooks.)

There is still a way to go with the character. Decades later, Sisko’s realization that the Prophets know his role in history in Destiny seems perfunctory, reminding us of his relationship with the wormhole aliens. I don’t feel Sisko was committed to rescuing Odo in The Die is Cast as he might have if the episode were in later seasons. Nonetheless, there was significant groundwork being made in the character that will shape the series.

Note: this was half written weeks ago. I finished it just tonight. Apologies if anything feels disjoint. I will likely add more observations to what is below.

Key Relationships:

• Jake: not different, but a lot more depth in Civil Defense and Explorers. Coming to terms with not following in the old man’s footsteps touched me, nonetheless.
• Gul Dukat: the adversarial relationship really ramps up, with great confrontations in The Maquis and Defiant.
• Odo becomes a more trustworthy figure, and even though Sisko is not a friend or confident, there is serious mutual respect for the professionalism of each.

Key Episodes

• Paradies, of course
• The Search, Part I shows Sisko negiating with the rules of Starfleet inwardly and the expectations of the fans outwardly. There was no sense things were leading to a war at this point, but the groundwork is being layed, and Sisko is making the case.
• Heart of Stone, while not the A-story, shows Sisko contributing to the growth of another character. Aron Eisenberg credits Brooks for challenging him, amping up his performance.
• Explorers: pure family drama, a somewhat comforting episode, that connects (what was supposed to be) Sisko’s passion for engineering, his dedication to Bajoran culture, and his love for Jake

Key Scenes

• Paradies: getting back into the sweat box, confronting Alexis about Cassandra
• The Maquis: the “paradise speech”, reminiscing with Cal Hudson
• The Jem’hadar: conversations with Quark, the compassion toward Eris, the caring toward Jake and Nog
• The Abandoned: remembering what it was like to be a new parent
• Meridian: the goodbye with Dax
• Past Tense: everything
• Heart of Stone: “Where the profit in that?”
• Facets: talking through Dax’s hesitation when about to confront Curzon

 

[Riley]

Thank you for continuing this analysis of Sisko! You are beautifully exploring why he is my favorite captain after James T. Kirk. Both are far more human and interesting characters than the other captains, in large part because of the actors and the writing they were given to perform.