Starfleet Dilemma: Which Captain Would You Follow?
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Sisko is indeed a compelling leader! His unique blend of qualities makes him stand out among Starfleet captains. I would be interested if you want to dive deeper into Sisko’s leadership:
How do you think Sisko’s relationship with his son Jake influences his command style?
How do you think Sisko’s experiences with the Maquis and the wormhole aliens shaped his perspectives?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Lorca. He and I seem to be on a similar wavelength regarding some things (such as exploration being overrated, lol). Not all things, of course, but some.
Oh my gosh, I haven’t checked in on TrekBBS in some time—blame summer—so I totally missed this. Something a CO like Sisko wouldn’t do.
All the COs have their “north star” - Kirk’s was the Enterprise and exploration, Picard’s was always exemplifying the Federation’s highest ideals, Janeway’s was getting her crew home, and so on. All very oriented towards “the mission is to continue on the mission”. With Sisko and his richer personal life (Jake/his dad/Kasidy/Bajor/Jennifer), I get the sense he’s more of a “the mission is to finish the mission” guy. Getting the job done and done well is number one, but he seems more cognizant of his crew having lives outside Starfleet just as he does.
I think Picard and Janeway looked at the Maquis through a strictly ideological lens, with Janeway only softening by default. Sisko’s interactions with the Maquis started from a much more personal, visceral place of betrayal. For as harsh as he may have been with Eddington, I can’t help but wonder if Sisko’s past with Hudson didn’t predispose him to be somewhat more sympathetic? He would have known a Maquis leader as much more than just a traitor and a rebel.
Wormhole aliens are an interesting twist as the series goes on. I honestly can’t remember if there was an aha moment or if it was so gradual we didn’t notice, but Sisko changed immensely. He hated being the Prophet, was uncomfortable with the orbs, and didn’t sign up to command ‘the wormhole station’. By the end of the show, he’s a believer, he wants to live out his days on Bajor and he’s come to adore the Bajorans. It’s a hell of a transition for seven years!
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Given that no closed list of captains is provided, I can apparently choose my own. I'd go for captain Drudgery Dullpants, captain in rank, head of the Bureaucratic Department on Bureaucratic Matters and Dull Paperwork and Stuff, on board of some base in the solar system, or preferably not even that, just on Earth, tasked with checking whether the paperwork of other ships is in order. (For example, that tentative transfer Picard put in for Sisko during Emissary, is it in triplicate form as required? Did Janeway give the appropriate number of warnings, to Ensign Kim before filing a formal reprimand, or indicate where he could lodge a protest?)
Captain Dullpants never wanted his own ship, and he was perfectly content to have remained a Commander for the rest of his career. He strenuously objected when told he was going to be promoted to Captain, and only accepted when they agreed on a transfer to a desk job, sighing 'ah, the sacrifices we all have to make for Starfleet!'.
Why?
Well, simple. I have no desire for ingesting alien parasites that will make my skin glow, of for away missions through fields of aggressive flowers that'll shoot me, either lethally or with some unknown chemical that'll make me act weird. I'm not waiting to be assimilated, nor am I trembling in anticipation to meet my evil twin transporter clone. I honestly hope I'll never experience time travel, or be possessed by alien entities either. When I visit the holodeck I don't expect it to malfunction and to get trapped there. I sincerely hope all weird space anomalies will stay light years away, and all those ship or ground combat situations are for those that enjoy their adrenalin boost. I hope to touch my phaser once a year, when the required checkup and shooting range exercises are scheduled, no more.
Sure, watching Star Trek is fun. Living it? Nah, watching paint dry is already excitement enough for me.
Captain Dullpants never wanted his own ship, and he was perfectly content to have remained a Commander for the rest of his career. He strenuously objected when told he was going to be promoted to Captain, and only accepted when they agreed on a transfer to a desk job, sighing 'ah, the sacrifices we all have to make for Starfleet!'.
Why?
Well, simple. I have no desire for ingesting alien parasites that will make my skin glow, of for away missions through fields of aggressive flowers that'll shoot me, either lethally or with some unknown chemical that'll make me act weird. I'm not waiting to be assimilated, nor am I trembling in anticipation to meet my evil twin transporter clone. I honestly hope I'll never experience time travel, or be possessed by alien entities either. When I visit the holodeck I don't expect it to malfunction and to get trapped there. I sincerely hope all weird space anomalies will stay light years away, and all those ship or ground combat situations are for those that enjoy their adrenalin boost. I hope to touch my phaser once a year, when the required checkup and shooting range exercises are scheduled, no more.
Sure, watching Star Trek is fun. Living it? Nah, watching paint dry is already excitement enough for me.
Great to hear from you! You make some really thought-provoking points. I love how you highlighted each captain’s “north star” and how Sisko’s is more about “finishing the mission” while maintaining awareness of personal lives and relationships. I think that contrast really captures what makes him unique among Starfleet captains.Oh my gosh, I haven’t checked in on TrekBBS in some time—blame summer—so I totally missed this. Something a CO like Sisko wouldn’t do.
...
I’m wondering—do you have a personal connection with Sisko as a character? Is there something specific in his journey that resonates with you? And out of curiosity, is there a Captain in Trek who you see as the total opposite of Sisko in terms of leadership style?
Looking forward to your thoughts—this conversation’s been a blast so far!
I can't believe I forgot to point this out the other day; it was Kirk who muttered, "I must be getting senile." But, to layer onto Sisko some more, we do start off, first scene of the pilot episode, he barely escapes Wolf 359 with his son and loses his wife. He's been the one to barely get out alive and still lose almost everything - it's hard to imagine that doesn't run through his decision making. By contrast, I'd say look at Archer--who I love--but he's written specifically as being a green CO who's only commanded test flights by the time we get to Broken Bow. Archer's had his ego bruised, but he doesn't get into the headier parts of command until later vs. Sisko who's complex before the first credits rolled.
A personal connection to Sisko? Not that I can think of. I'm not a parent or a widower, my main sport is definitely not baseball, no one has asked me to command a lemonade stand never mind a space station, and I can't make Creole food to save my life.
I could say he reminds me of my dad, but that's not saying much seeing as Sisko is also the only Captain we see as a parent (~15-20 minutes of Kirk's screen time with David Marcus or Janeway's salamanders notwithstanding). If anything, young me related to Jake more than anybody - I also wanted to be a writer and got into trouble with my friends at the mall at that age...Total opposite? I want to say Jellico but since he was written to be unlikeable, that feels like a total cop-out on my part. So I'll settle for the guy Jellico briefly replaced: Picard! Don't get me wrong, I like Picard, but he was not a man of the people by any measure. Captain Picard Day was cute and all, but imagine Picard being told he's also been promoted to godlike saviour of a grateful world? Sisko toes the line with Federation rules, if sometimes reluctantly as necessary evils. He respects them (mostly), and you know he'll enforce them, but he's not as unwavering a follower as Picard seems to be. When Sisko gives a speech to Klingons it's about don't hand the quadrant to the Dominion, not 'sorry, we can't help with your Romulan-backed un-civil war because it's the right thing to do'.
(Again, I like Picard. But I had to pick one. LOL)Maybe I've talked myself around into this: if Kirk and Archer are the 'doing' Captains, and Picard and Janeway are the 'thinking' Captains, Sisko is the closest thing to equilibrium?
Thanks so much for your detailed response! I really appreciate the depth you went into, and you provided exactly the information I was looking for. I loved how you highlighted the different layers to Sisko's character, especially contrasting his complex backstory with the other captains. Your insight into Sisko's decision-making and how it differs from characters like Archer and Picard was spot on. I also enjoyed your personal take on relating to Jake and the thoughtful comparisons you drew between Sisko and the other captains. Your breakdown of Sisko as a balance between the 'doing' and 'thinking' captains really resonated with me. It's a nuanced perspective that truly captures the essence of Sisko's unique command style. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I completely see where you're coming from regarding Sisko's unique perspective and ability to lead on a galactic scale. Each captain indeed brings something special to the table. While Sisko often showed a willingness to look beyond humanity's immediate interests for the greater good, the other captains have also faced moments where they’ve made decisions with far-reaching implications for the entire galaxy, not just Earth.
If we set Sisko aside, I'd love to know which other captain you think could step up to that level of leadership and why? Each one has had their moments — from Kirk’s boldness to Picard’s diplomacy, Janeway’s resilience, Archer’s pioneering spirit, and even Burnham’s unconventional approach. Which one stands out to you in that context?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Well, as a huge fan of Jason Isaacs I have to agree... To some degree.
I would follow Anson Mount's Pike into the depths of hell.
Honestly, Edward Jellico. He was driven, organized, professional, and demanded the best of his crew. He knew what he wanted, and could formulate a plan. The Enterprise crew didn’t care much for him, but that’s because he was there simply to do a job, and do it well. And he did just that. I’m sure the crew of the Cairo and him had a much better relationship, as they’d served together for a long time, and knew the patterns and knew each other.
I’m not certain that ‘I’m sure he was well liked by the other crew’ stands as such a strong reason to advocate Jellico.
Maybe they hated him as well? We don’t know.
Maybe they hated him as well? We don’t know.
Well, the Cairo probably had a crew that acted like actual professionals, so he likely didn’t come under the fierce opposition he did from the Enterprise crew when asked to actually do their jobs. The crew never really gave him a chance, nor did they really have any desire to. They decided they didn’t like his style, and were gonna push back if they could.
