Sisko is evil!

[Kobayshi Maru]

In the alternate timeline, where Sisko is trapped in that wormhole thingy, there's no mention of a war with the Dominion, no Dukat getting off his rocker and making an aliance with the pah wraiths and corrupting Kai Winn with his wiles, Jadzia lives to a ripe old age and Nog gets to be a captain without losing his leg. Every one is better off!

Damn you, Jake sisko!

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Except the expansion of the Klingon Empire that is still hostile towards the Federation and the Cardassians, under the direct control/influence of the Founders, the Bajorans losing all Federation aid and support, distrust between the Federation and the Romulans would continue.

 

[Melakon]

Alternate timeline? Which episode is this in?

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

"The Visitor". Second episode of Season 4 (counting "Way of the Warrior" as one single ep). Tony Todd plays a much older Jake, telling an aspiring young writer about his life after his father was ripped from normal space in a freak accident.

 

[Melakon]

Oh yeah. I hate that episode because the message is all about how important your dad is all through your life. My dad died when I was Jake's age, so I don't need to hear that sort of crap.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

Oh yeah. I hate that episode because the message is all about how important your dad is all through your life. My dad died when I was Jake's age, so I don't need to hear that sort of crap.

What a coincidence! So did mine.

 

[Leviathan]

Meh, Al Bundy made the same choice in his alternate life experience: screw 'em make it WORSE!

 

[RandyS]

Oh yeah. I hate that episode because the message is all about how important your dad is all through your life. My dad died when I was Jake's age, so I don't need to hear that sort of crap.

You're more than welcome to my dad. I never had much use for him. Or him for me. Now, when It comes to my mom, yes, then I can relate to that episode.

 

[Captain Kathryn]

I'm pretty sure that they didn't know that those plot points would exist or they didn't want to spoil the viewers.

Anyway Sisko isn't evil. "The Visitor" just focuses on Jake and his dad. Not really on any other issues. So even if a lot of that stuff happened, I doubt that Jake would have mentioned them during his super brief visits with his dad.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I don't see how it would be better or more evil not to confront the expansion of a repressive and genocidal power.

 

[Dobian]

I loved The Visitor, it's one of my all-time favorite Star Trek episodes. I'm glad Jake fixed the timeline, though. I couldn't imagine the show without his dad in it!

 

[JirinPanthosa]

You can argue Sisko was a negative influence on the timeline but even if that were so it wouldn't mean he's evil, it would mean he's recklessly good intentioned.

It does beg some questions about what happened in the alternate timeline. Based on what we know was going on at the time, and the fact the Klingons did not collapse the wormhole, we might guess that the Dominion was playing the slow game they prefer, and that if Sisko hadn't mined the wormhole and forced their hand the Dominion would have won the war a hundred years later.

 

[Melakon]

Oh yeah. I hate that episode because the message is all about how important your dad is all through your life. My dad died when I was Jake's age, so I don't need to hear that sort of crap.

You're more than welcome to my dad. I never had much use for him. Or him for me. Now, when It comes to my mom, yes, then I can relate to that episode.

For me, mom died 5 years before dad, so when he was gone, what I knew as home was completely gone. I never quite recovered from it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Oh yeah. I hate that episode because the message is all about how important your dad is all through your life.

I love the episode, for precisely the same reason.

 

[Tosk]

Oh yeah. I hate that episode because the message is all about how important your dad is all through your life. My dad died when I was Jake's age, so I don't need to hear that sort of crap.

I disagree. It's about how important Jake thinks his father is all through his life. The episode doesn't show Jake's obsession with bringing his father home to be particularly healthy.

 

[dub]

Regardless of how relatable the story is to individuals or the message intended by the writers, the fact that we have such a strong bond between a black father and his son is awesome itself and something that had been greatly lacking in the world of entertainment. For that reason alone this episode and this series should be cherished television history. But beyond even that, it's just such a heart-wrenching story with outstanding performances, direction, writing and score. One of the very best episodes of the franchise.

Oh yes, and to answer the OP in the words of a great man, "the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many."

 

[Eric Cheung]

Exactly, Tosk. It shows that Jake isn't ready for his dad to leave him. In a way, the next four seasons would show Jake slowly becoming ready to part ways with him.

 

[RandyS]

Regardless of how relatable the story is to individuals or the message intended by the writers, the fact that we have such a strong bond between a black father and his son is awesome itself and something that had been greatly lacking in the world of entertainment. For that reason alone this episode and this series should be cherished television history. But beyond even that, it's just such a heart-wrenching story with outstanding performances, direction, writing and score. One of the very best episodes of the franchise.

But in this case, race doesn't enter into it , and it shouldn't. Everybody, regardless of race had lost a loved one at some point in their lives, and can relate to what Jake is going through. That's the point of this episode. A black father and son are the focus, yes, but their race isn't the point.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

Yes, the point of the story is about the father/son relationship.

However, the fact that these characters are an excellent, positive example of black representation in fiction is an excellent thing. That's all dub was saying, I think.

 

[kkt]

I don't think the episode is about a father's influence throughout the life being important so much. Jake was able to adjust after Ben's death -- married, successful career. It was when Ben continued to reappear and Jake became obsessed with trying to get him back that Jake's life fell apart. How to get over the grieving period for someone who isn't really dead?