I've just finished re-watching the entirety of Deep Space Nine from start to finish, and I've read each of the DS9-Relaunch novels, though some of them I haven't read in a very long time, so apologies if this is explained somewhere in detail.
One of the big themes throughout Season 6 and 7 in relation to Sisko and The Prophets is the idea of great sorrow in Sisko's life as a result of his choices. When the Prophets destroy the Dominion fleet in the Wormhole in 'Sacrifice of Angels', the Prophets tell Sisko it comes at a price and that 'he is of Bajor, but will find no rest there.'
Then, when Sisko proposes to Kassidy he is told by the Sarah-Prophet that if he marries Kassidy they will know only sorrow. In the finale, we see Sisko essentially give up his corporeal life to defeat Dukat and the Pah-Wraiths, and live with the Prophets.
I know he pledges to return one day, but considering that he's only gone for 9 months (he returns on the day of his daughter's birth, I think?) does that really fulfil the dire warnings of the Prophets? After all, the implication of the Prophets words is that he won't be present for the life of his child, as that seems to convey the magnitude of sorrow I would have thought they were trying to impart, though in 'Unity' he returns on the day of his daughter's birth. In some ways it doesn't seem like the Prophets' warnings have yet been fulfiled... In many ways, after all, he has been shown in the latest books to be resting pretty comfortably in the Kendra Valley!
I'd be interested to speculate on the future of the Prophets' predictions. Will we see more sorrow in Sisko's life as pennance for the giant favour the Prophets did him in 'Sacrifice of Angels'? Or have the Prophets' limited understanding of corporeal time (shown with their screw-up in 'Ascension') meant that they gave warnings more dire than the actual consequences? Or, as the simplest option, have we witnessed all the sorrow that Sisko will be forced to endure? Has he paid his dues?
Do you think this is something we'll see greater exploration of as the DS9-R continues?
One of the big themes throughout Season 6 and 7 in relation to Sisko and The Prophets is the idea of great sorrow in Sisko's life as a result of his choices. When the Prophets destroy the Dominion fleet in the Wormhole in 'Sacrifice of Angels', the Prophets tell Sisko it comes at a price and that 'he is of Bajor, but will find no rest there.'
Then, when Sisko proposes to Kassidy he is told by the Sarah-Prophet that if he marries Kassidy they will know only sorrow. In the finale, we see Sisko essentially give up his corporeal life to defeat Dukat and the Pah-Wraiths, and live with the Prophets.
I know he pledges to return one day, but considering that he's only gone for 9 months (he returns on the day of his daughter's birth, I think?) does that really fulfil the dire warnings of the Prophets? After all, the implication of the Prophets words is that he won't be present for the life of his child, as that seems to convey the magnitude of sorrow I would have thought they were trying to impart, though in 'Unity' he returns on the day of his daughter's birth. In some ways it doesn't seem like the Prophets' warnings have yet been fulfiled... In many ways, after all, he has been shown in the latest books to be resting pretty comfortably in the Kendra Valley!
I'd be interested to speculate on the future of the Prophets' predictions. Will we see more sorrow in Sisko's life as pennance for the giant favour the Prophets did him in 'Sacrifice of Angels'? Or have the Prophets' limited understanding of corporeal time (shown with their screw-up in 'Ascension') meant that they gave warnings more dire than the actual consequences? Or, as the simplest option, have we witnessed all the sorrow that Sisko will be forced to endure? Has he paid his dues?
Do you think this is something we'll see greater exploration of as the DS9-R continues?
