Re: Prophets

[Photon]

We had this discussion a few years ago. Do you like way the prophets were portrayed?

I don't

I wished they had shown the prophets to the same type entities w/similar bodies. Never could warm up to Damar or Jake's image being used as a mouthpiece for the gods. Just my opinion, but I think its one DS9's few failings.

 

[Jono]

What do you mean, "shown the prophets to the same type entities w/similar bodies"?

As for them using the appearances of people Sisko knew I had no problem with that, what would they need with their own personal corporeal forms? It isn't like they are going to be popping down to the shops for milk.

 

[Navaros]

I agree with you Photon. The Prophets should have been given personalities and appearances of their own. Not bothering to do that was a major cop-out IMO on the creative level. They way they did it amounted to the Prophets being totally generic and hence useless characters (which often amounted to little other than 'convenient plot contrivances') that aren't worth caring about.

 

[Photon]

I agree with you Photon. The Prophets should have been given personalities and appearances of their own. Not bothering to do that was a major cop-out IMO on the creative level. They way they did it amounted to the Prophets being totally generic and hence useless characters (which often amounted to little other than 'convenient plot contrivances') that aren't worth caring about.

Once aGAIN we're in total agreement. It was just plain lazy IMHO to make the prophets look the way the did. Lets see, Damar and Worf are still in makeup, lets do them for the prophets instead of Dax and Bashir. Who knows, they could have used CGI to make the prophets, just have them apperition-like.

The IDEA of the prophets, I like. The idea of actually incorporating religon into ST is refreshing. Really would have like to see how the total non-believing Picard would have reacted to being the Chosen one.

 

[Yassim]

I quite liked the alien-ness of the Prophets. I always assumed that what Sisko saw was not what the Prophets looked like, but that they were reaching into his mind for images he would understand. They were conversing through a strange form of telepathy, and the awkwardness of the identities of the people apearing highlighted their difference with Sisko.

I think the Prophets, as portrayed in Emissary, were one of Trek's great non-humanoid, truly alien aliens.

 

[jgdst]

I can't say I agree with the opinion about it being a cop-out or a budgetary restriction...

In Emissary, Sisko's character evolution for that episode, and consequently the series, depends on them using the images of people he knew. If they hadn't taken Jennifer's or Locutus's form, he couldn't have learned how to deal with his emotions regarding his wife's death and move on from it. Which is what the final scenes of Emissary essentially boil down to.

Also, later on in the series, these images are used as a form of irony, or at least in some way of guiding the conversation in a particular way. For instance, when these conversations take place between Kira and Winn, or both of these characters with Sisko. Admittedly, it's not always done for this effect, but it can shape your own opinion of the conversation - the prophets taking the image of Sisko's enemies in order to guide him? It's an interesting tactic to say the least

I will admit though, that using Sarah towards the end of the series confuses me a little, as I'm not sure if it's a retcon or not. The prophets have no concept of linear time, and have little interest in corporeal exsitence, yet went to the trouble of manipulating Sarah Sisko so that Benjamin would be born. And she addresses him in visions with a more human approach than other prophets have... That's only a minor thing though.

Overall though, I think they made the right choice portraying the prophets as they did

 

[C.E.S.]

What I liked about the Prophets, and particularly their portrayal, is that they kind of bridge the natural and the supernatural in the Star Trek universe. They lend credence to a kind of non-religious spirituality. The way they are portrayed allows the imagination to consider things that are "bigger" than we are, but that are not religious in nature (despite the Bajoran veneration of them).

*shrug*

I thought their portrayal as figures from Sisko's life--done in such a way to highlight their other-ness--was unique and fascinating.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

The only thing that was silly was "that is a corporeal matter". Sisko shouldn't have had to berate them into realizing what the whole show was about. The Prophets are of Bajor.