In the tenth episode of the fifth season of Deep Space Nine, Sisko becomes obsessed with his role as the Emissary after an accident. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Deep Space Nine.
What a gloriously complicated and uncomfortable episode. Much like “Sacred Ground†over on Voyager, this episode got me thinking about faith and the challenges that come with belief, especially a belief that is so all-encompassing and scary as this one. I say “scary†not to imply that being religious is frightening, but to quantify the way in which Sisko’s connection to B’Hala compels him to act against his own self interest. And why shouldn’t he behave that way if he’s so close to obtaining a truth that would positively affect the Bajorans as a whole?
And yet, this episode is still heartbreaking, because for the first time in the history of this show, Benjamin Sisko chose something over his son. The show doesn’t ignore that, nor does it try to gloss over how traumatizing that is for Jake. Again, “scary†works here. Because what if Sisko was right?
I’ll return to that question later. It was utterly fascinating that Sisko was given a story about this specific phenomenon because he’s historically been apathetic to Bajoran spirituality. Coming off of “Accession†from last season, this felt like a natural journey for him. What if Sisko’s role as the Emissary was vital for the survival of the Bajorans? Which is a super complicated question to ask because, as we see in this episode, Sisko’s got a responsibility to the Federation that puts him at odds with a spiritual journey that he might be on. How do you rectify that? Initially, though, that’s not what this story is about. I kept expecting that the lost city of B’Hala would reveal some long-lost secret of Bajor, but I now realize it was always just a catalyst. Sisko’s obsession with it was only exacerbated after the plasma explosion.
Yet the show never gives us an explanation for what was happening inside of Sisko’s head. And you know what? I don’t think we should have been given one. That way, the show puts us into an active participant role. Like those who surround Sisko, we see the external affects of his behavior and we get none of the internal struggle. We don’t see his visions, we don’t get to experience any of them ourselves, and we just have to trust that they’re real as Sisko says they are. It’s an act of faith, and as Sisko’s condition gets worse, that act becomes increasingly harder to maintain. Sisko is certain that the city of B’Hala holds some crucial secret, but how can anyone validate that?
Even further, “Rapture†demonstrates the myriad of complications that this brings. I know it’s uncomfortable to think about, but isn’t this a version of the trope where an outsider makes themselves the god of a native group’s religion??? Granted, Sisko didn’t choose this, and I absolutely believe that he sincerely felt like he was doing good. I don’t doubt that, but if I were in Starfleet, I’d probably be horrified with what Sisko had done.
Of course, it’s all made worse by a succession of acts: Sisko refuses surgery, despite that his son is begging him to stay alive, despite that Kasidy (!!!!!) has returned and is ready to resume her relationship with him, despite what Julian recommends. He rejects it all – which is his right, and the show explicitly acknowledges that – and EVERYTHING HURTS. Sisko made his son cry, I WAS NOT READY FOR THIS. But what of Sisko’s weird alliance with Kai Winn, who finally accepts that Sisko is the Emissary? What of him bursting into the ceremony to admit Bajor into the Federation, warning of “locusts†that will destroy Bajor if they don’t stand alone? These are irreversible acts, at least for now, that have changed the course of history. Again, perhaps Sisko did something to save Bajor. (What if the locusts are the Dominion? WHAT IF.) Perhaps this will be viewed as a stroke of tactical brilliance in a couple years. But for now, Sisko nearly threw away his relationships and his career, all for a belief. All for faith.
Is that worth it? I don’t know. “Rapture†doesn’t tell us either, and so this episode becomes a haunting exploration of faith and duty. I’m haunted by Sisko’s anguish over the loss of his visions, and I hope he didn’t just make everything worse. I want the best for him, but that’s the thing with faith; you can’t ever really know.
The video for “Rapture†can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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