Overlooked Relationship

[T'Girl]

We talk about relationships quite a bit here. Romantic relationship. Sexually relationships. Gay relationships. The good and the bad. But in DS9 there's one relationship that shines above all the others and isn't the one usual mentioned. Ben Sisko and Jake Sisko. Father and son. It was there through all the years of the series, it had it's moments of trouble, but through the years it just kept growing stronger.

Compare their relationship with the one between Worf and Alexander.

Another excellent relationship is the one shown to be between Picard's brother and his wife and son. While Jean-Luc and Robert (row-bear) are estranged, Robert adores his wife Marie and their son René.

 

[JustKate]

The father-and-son relationship between Ben and Jake is really good - warm without being too, you know, sappy. And it's beautifully acted, too.

 

[sbk1234]

I really think it was the sophistication of some of these relationships that helps elevate Trek beyond the typical shows. I always admired Ben's relationship with Jake, and try to hold that as somewhat of a role model for what I hope to have as a relationship with my own kids.

I also really liked Jean-Luc's relationship with his nephew (or is that uncle) Rene. I relate to that one since, like Jean-luc, I'm not particularly close with my own brother, but I absolutely adore my niece, as he did his nephew.

 

[maneth]

Ben and Jake's relationship was great. It was probably abetted by the fact that Cirroc Lofton and Avery Brooks apparently had a really good relationship on set. Although I must admit that I found it weird that a 14 year old, or for that matter a 20 year old, would allow his father to kiss him goodnight...

 

[Greg Cox]

The Siskos are the best family in STAR TREK, and possibly the only one that isn't dysfunctional. Just aboute everyone else is estranged from their parents, children, siblings, etc.

Clearly, long after we have conquered war, poverty, and prejudice, our families will still drive us crazy!

 

[THE_FETT]

The one glaring problem I have with Sisko's relationship with his son coems from the very first episode of DS9.

Having witnessed ST:TNG from day one I always asked in incredulous perplexation, "Why would you put families- women and children- on board that ship? Arte these parents insane? Or simply guilty of child endangerment?"

Then in ep 1 of DS9 what do we see? My incredulity made manifest. These starships are actually going into mass battle against what is likely an unbeatable foe and what do we see? Children on board the damn ships! I mean, seriously- I was completely shocked.

And Sisko actually has the gall to be angry at Picard for the death of his wife? The wife who he took into the biggest battle in Starfleet history- and his kept his son on board to-boot!

The way I look at it, Sisko's relationship with Jake wasn't really praise-worthy; it was mandatory penance!

 

[sbk1234]

Ok, I'm ready to add some controversy. I find the O'briens to have a normal, non-dysfunctional family. Sure, they argue, and have problems, but realistically, that's the way most families are.

and speaking of O'briens and overlooked relationships, Miles and Jake had a really good chemistry together. Kind of like the favorite uncle/mentor. I would have liked to have seen more of that.