Sisko's well being

[JM1776]

Does he ever truly recover from the death of his first wife? Is it possible (or even plausible) that the Prophets manipulated reality to cause Jennifer's death, knowing that such would help shape Sisko into the man they needed him to be?

Did the title of Emissary go to his head? Did some of his later decisions reflect a growing megalomania and exaggerated sense of self-importance? Or did the Prophets' blessing genuinely afford him divine license to act as he thought best, because, in essence, he was that important?

Just curious to know how he's seen by the rest of the Bander Log.

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

Sisko was always the reluctant Emissary of the Prophets, until around the sixth season’s, The Reckoning, when he displayed a huge amount of faith in the Prophets, enough that he supported them when his own son was chosen as the Pah Wraith’s champion, and he allowed the contest to proceed.
Some could argue that he had an overinflated sense of his own authority or importance when he seemingly overstepped his authority and released a biological weapon on a Maquis settlement. But then, an inflated ego is a prerequisite for being a worthy Starfleet Captain.

 

[erastus25]

I've always been confused about whether or not the prophets know how to change a timeline. In Emissary, they don't even understand what linear time is, which would seem to imply that they have no idea they could create a cause and effect. Yet, we learn they understood things well enough to possess Sisko's mom. So, I guess, they could have caused Jennifer's death. Is it possible, though, that when Sisko explained baseball to them they jumped "back in time" (an easy, yet confusing proposition for non-linear and non-corporeal beings) and made Sisko the prophet, killed Jen, etc... How ironic would it be if Sisko accidentally created a pre-destination paradox that totally changed the nature of his existence simply because he happened to be the first dude to find the wormhole and explain time to the prophets?

 

[PKTrekGirl]

I think he recovered from Jennifer's death as well as could be expected. I'm not sure if anyone ever fully 'recovers' from the death of someone close to them - particularly a premature and violent death at the hands of another. But I think he did okay in that area.

As for the Prophets causing Jennifer's death, I certainly think it is plausible...but I'm not sure it is probable.

I'm not really sure if they can manipulate reality outside of the wormhole. I mean, they shaped Sarah Sisko while she was in the wormhole/Celestial Temple and then send her to give birth to Ben...and they can make an entire fleet disappear within the wormhole. But I really cannot recall if they were ever shown to actually be capable of manipulating events and people outside the wormhole except through the people and objects (such as orbs) which once were in the wormhole/Celestial Temple.

For example, Bajorans were never shown to get visions independently of the orbs...which came from the Celestial Temple.

Sisko never got Emissary-like visions before he actually went to the wormhole in Emissary - that was when they started, and before that experience he had no inkling that he was to be the Emissary.

Now, I do think that Sisko was preselected - the man the Prophets had planned to be the Emissary from the beginning. And they sent Sarah at just the right time so that he would be born for the purpose.

But I'm not sure as they controlled Sisko or events before Emissary. I think that more than likely, they used events that already existed on the timeline for their own purposes.

Good question though. I'm not sure as we've ever had a really good convo about the nature of the Prophets, and what they could and could not do. I'd love to hear other people's thoughts though, as this is kinda a tricky issue to think about - that whole chicken/egg thing comes in to play.

How much of what happened could the Prophets control? And how much did they control? And how much of what already existed did they just use for their own purposes?

Is Sisko the ONLY individual who could have been the Emissary? Or did they just manipulate things a bit for the guy who was gonna be in the neighborhood anyway as commander of DS9?

 

[indranee]

he was reluctant at first, then he got into it... and I mean, REALLY into it. I don't blame the dude. I would too. given the chance.

 

[Mr. Fergy]

^Agreed.