Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) Accession (1996) User Reviews

The return of the Emissary?

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 4 June 2010]

Captain Sisko was never comfortable with being considered the Emissary of the Prophets by the Bajorans so when the wormhole opens and Akorem, a Bajoran poet who disappeared two hundred years before, emerges and claims to be the Emissary he is happy to relinquish the role. The Bajorans happily accept their new emissary but when he says they have lost their way by abandoning their caste system they are less pleased although they agree to return to their old ways believing it must be the will of the prophets. This means Major Kira must resign from the military and become an artist as her family were from the artists' clan... even though she has no aptitude for it. Sisko is not pleased with the way Bajor is going and points out that having a caste system would make it impossible for them to join the Federation. After he is visited by the prophets he wonders if he was wrong to give up his role as their emissary and confronts Akorem, suggesting that the two of them go into the worm hole to determine who the prophets have really chosen. In the secondary plot Keiko returns to the station and tells Chief O'Brien that she is expecting another child. With his wife back the chief thinks he must totally give up his previous bachelor lifestyle although this leads to him getting under Keiko's feet so she arranges for him to go off to the holosuit with Dr, Bashir; telling each of them that the other is depressed and needs company.

While not packed with action this was a decent episode which explored the strength of the Bajorans' faith and Captain Sisko's opinion of his role as Emissary which changes over the course of the episode. Richard Libertini did well in the guest role of Akorem, until the end I was unsure if his character would turn out to be misguided, a fraud or truly the Emissary, I was pleased with how he ultimately turned out. The secondary plot wasn't too exciting but provided a few good laughs and I enjoyed seeing Keiko get her husband and Julian to do what she wanted to give her some time to herself.

Too Many Emissaries

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 24 October 2018]

Just like Sisko, I have trouble with the Bajoran religion. Apparently, some time in the past, they had a caste system that was unyielding. We learn this from a revered poet who is a bit like an Ayatollah. H reclaims the role of emissary from Sisko (who gives it up willingly) and then wants his followers to go back to this repressive social state. Kira is understandably conflicted but stands by her beliefs, vile as they are. I just don't care for these episodes and have trouble with the sheep mentality.

Have a sip of fanatic Kool-Aid.

[thevacinstaller · 7/10 · 4 July 2021]

This is a bit of a crazy episode but interesting nonetheless.

One thing that struck me as 'concerning' is how some in the bajoran religion went full on fanatic when the artist became emissary and adopted the old teachings. The Vedek on the station pushed a guy to his death from the second floor balcony in the name of following the precepts of religion?

The episode takes a bit of a light touch on religion but there is definitely a theme of misinterpretation/fanaticism throughout the episode. I personally stand by the statement, "Give me moderation or give me death" and it has served me well in life. There's an interesting contradiction with the character of Akoreem being a poet (a creative person who examines life) who is also militant about adherence to his interpretation of religion.

The other message of the episode is that Sisko has finally come to accept his role of Emissary and he has a genuine concern and care for Bajor's future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The B-Plot is absolutely hilarious. Keiko/O'Brien/Bashir have officially entered a relationship together in a progressive break against the norms of society. Hey, I am all for it. Go all the way with it though ---- Get a king sized bed and embroidered bath towels.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problems: This is just a quibble but the Bajoran poet should have been from 1000 or 'thousands' of years ago. The bajoran people have always been regarded as philosophers and skilled artists in Canon; my opinion of them is fractured with the knowledge that they used a caste system a mere 200 years ago and only the threat of being wiped out by the Cardassian's motivated them to view each other as sentient individuals and not branded tools of society?!

There's a lot to talk about with this one, so it's a thumbs up for me.

Who is the Emissary?!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 2 January 2015]

When this episode begins, Akormen Laan (Richard Libertini) arrives on DS9 and announces that HE is the Emissary and NOT Captain Sisko. You'd think Sisko would be happy, and he initially is, but later he comes to wonder if he really IS this Emissary spoken of by the Bajoran holy men and women.

An additional plot in this one is the return of Miles O'Brien's family. Now you'd THINK he'd be happy for their return, but with the bromance going on between Miles and Dr. Bashir (make of this what you will-- MANY folks on the internet have!), Miles feels saddened with their return. After all, Dr. Bashir is a better playmate for Miles and he hopes they can continue their adventures.

The theme for this one is 'be careful what you wish for--you might just get it'. And, it's a decent episode. But nothing earthshaking (or Bajorshaking) occurs and it's a rather slight show.

Last Appearance of Kai Opaka

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 8 December 2011]

I loved Kai Opaka, I thought there was something very spiritual about the way she was portrayed by Camille Saviola. The Kai's Robes suited not only her figure but also her whole personality.

Which is why I was very sad in the Episode "Battle Lines" where she is taken from the DS9 'Verse to pursue her own "Pah" on that barren moon far away from her people.

But what makes me more sad, is that she was never checked up on by "The Sisko" or anyone else from Bajor. What happened to her? She must have been alive on that Moon throughout the entire Dominion War.

It's a mystery, that was never ever resolved to my satisfaction, and this is not just a loose end, it was a tear in the whole fabric of the DS9 story arcs.

A Light-Sale craft emerges from the Celestial Temple, containing Akorem Laan (Richard Libertini) - A Poet from 200-plus years in Bajor's past.

This person, claims to be The Emissary, and due to the regular twisting of Prophecy that occurs in this series, it actually looks like he MAY be the "real" Emissary.

So, Sisko steps down - Which immediately causes a bunch of problems- So it takes Kai Opaka to step in and make The Sisko think about what the hell he has done.

Maybe the writers of this 'sode were showing us, Opaka maybe had joined the Prophets and could appear to The Sisko like they do - But whether her appearance was really her, or the prophets, it took Kai Opaka to settle this mess! I'm SO sad they they never pursued Kai Opaka's ultimate "Pah" in DS9 - I liked her quite a bit, unlike that scumbag "Kai Rachet".

With great influence comes great responsibility

[snoozejonc · 7/10 · 28 September 2022]

A Bajoran comes through the wormhole and claims to be the Emissary.

This is an interesting episode with some good character moments for Sisko.

If you like the Bajoran religious episodes and Sisko's arc, this is a must watch episode. If not you may want to skip it and read a full plot summary for continuity.

The writers touch on a number of themes such as caste systems and the use of religion as a means of control, but unfortunately they also apply the famous Star Trek reset button to solve the main problems, as opposed to letting them play out in further episodes in a more plausible way that shakes up the Bajoran status quo.

For me the best aspect is Sisko's portrayal in response to the actions of the story's main antagonists. This develops the character's role as the Emissary and even gives some early hints at his lineage.

I quite enjoyed the lighter sub-plot involving Chief O'Brien and Dr Bashir, which is quite humorous and relatable to anybody in a relationship.

All performances are strong, particularly Avery Brooks, Nana Visitor, and Colm Meaney.

The Sisko is of Bajor

[Bil-704 · 9/10 · 26 April 2020]

I won't do a synopsis, you've either watched the episode (possibly quite recently) or read the other reviews. I just want to point out the two things about this episode that stuck out for me.

First, we hear of Keiko O'Brien's pregnancy with their second child. Fans who've watched the series know that eventually the baby will be carried to term by Kira. We also know that actress, Nana Visitor, was pregnant in real life and that this was a way for the character to be pregnant without having a baby herself. Her character wasn't really in a position to be a mother, and this was a convenient way to write the pregnancy into the show without having to hide it. Many other shows in television history have had pregnant actresses. Some let the character be pregant, some just hid the pregnancy altogether. In my opinion, Deep Space Nine had the most creative solution, in true Star Trek fashion. I tried to find out if the writers planned this from the start. If this episode was made in preparation of Visitor's pregnancy. But it seems that was a happy coincidence. Even though Visitor appears pregnant in episodes following this one, the pregnancy seems to have been inserted for the joke with Worf.

The other thing that caught my attention was the line spoken by the Prophet version of Kai Opaka. First , she says of the Prophets, "We are of Bajor." Then, she says to Sisko, "You are of Bajor." This seems to me to be the first hint of Sisko's true parentage. I find it interesting that nobody else wrote about this one.

This episode was an important one for me because it started both of these story lines. The pregnancy that would pass from one woman to another - of a different species, no less! And the path of "The Sisko" as Emissary. He not only begins to accept his role as the religious icon (and sorta missed it when it was gone!), but perhaps we begin to see what the Prophets intended his role as the Emissary to be.

On a a side note, I really would like to have a Kira Nerys original sculpture!