Benjamin Sisko was a very different kind of Starfleet captain in Star Trek. Everyone has their favorite captain in Star Trek; some adore Kirk, others prefer Picard, and there are dedicated fans to both Janeway and Archer. But, 33 years ago, Deep Space Nine‘s Benjamin Sisko proved he was very different to Picard – in the best possible way. Jean-Luc could even have done with taking notes.
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Amusingly, the key event took place during Sisko’s first year on Deep Space Nine – long before the chaos of the Dominion War, which would prove just how far he was willing to go for the Federation. In the Season 1 episode “Q-Less,” the cosmic being named Q paid Deep Space Nine a visit. What’s more, Sisko quickly proved much more adept at handling a Q than Picard.
Sisko Had No Interest in Q’s Games
Q has a habit of turning up in the most frustrating places, and he loves poking and prodding until he gets a reaction. The problem, of course, is that Jean-Luc Picard always seemed to get caught up Q’s games a little too easily. Picard and Q became as much friends as anything else, which meant Q visited the Enterprise constantly while Jean-Luc was in charge. In contrast, Sisko had absolutely no patience for these games. Q claimed to find him easy to provoke… and yet only visited Deep Space Nine once.
The reality, of course, is that Sisko was no gamesman. When Q set up intricate plans and taunted him, Sisko simply launched a punch and knocked him off his feet. In doing so, he proved himself a very different captain to Picard. He also confirmed what any other Starfleet captain should have demonstrated: that problematic cosmic visitors were singularly unwelcome, and that he didn’t appreciate Q playing with his life and the lives of his people. “Picard never hit me,” Q protested, shocked.
Q always believed he was testing humanity, trying to demonstrate that we are still barbarians. Sisko, however, simply didn’t care what Q thought about him. He had no interest in proving himself, and just wanted Q gone. It’s the same kind of ruthless brutality that Sisko would demonstrate throughout the Dominion War, often crossing lines other Starfleet captains would not. But it was also strikingly effective; after all, Q never returned to trouble Sisko again.
Ironically, of all the human beings Q interacted with, Sisko was the one who truly transcended humanity. He became the Emissary, a prophetic figure appointed by cosmic beings who lived in the Bajoran wormhole, and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy finally wrapped up Sisko’s story by showing his spirit still watching over his loved ones centuries later. Perhaps Sisko was right, and Q’s judgment really was irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
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