Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Solved Deep Space Nine’s Sisko Problem

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Even though it’s sparked debate, the series Starfleet Academy is doing well on streaming platforms by exploring major themes from Star Trek, like the purpose of Starfleet and revisiting the Klingons. The fifth episode delves into a long-running puzzle from the finale of Deep Space Nine, which is sure to grab the attention of many fans. It also brought back actor Cirroc Lofton to reprise his role as Jake Sisko, delivering a pair of heartfelt scenes about what happened to his character after DS9 concluded.

I grew up with Star Trek because my mother loved the original series when she was a child. It was always a part of my life, and I happily watched the movies and The Next Generation as I got older. I wasn’t instantly hooked on Deep Space Nine, but I eventually came to enjoy it. I really connected with the character of Jake Sisko because, like me, he was raised by a single parent, had a mischievous best friend, and dreamed of becoming a writer. Since the newer Star Trek shows started, I’ve been hoping Jake Sisko would return, and I was excited to see him appear at Starfleet Academy. While he wasn’t working as a reporter there, it’s a promising start, and I hope it’s not the last we see of him.

The Ending of Deep Space Nine Was Particularly Hard on Jake Sisko

This is one of the episode’s most emotional scenes. It begins with everyday life continuing on the station, showing some Starfleet personnel departing. Kira Nerys, now in command, gives Quark a firm warning before sharing a heartfelt moment with Jake Sisko. They stand together looking at the wormhole and the Celestial Temple within, as Jake watches for his father. Actor Cirroc Lofton beautifully portrays Jake’s mixture of awe and sadness.

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I’ve always admired the consistent vision of Deep Space Nine. Producer Ira Steven Behr really shaped that show for all seven seasons – it’s rare to see that kind of stability in a series, honestly, with Strange New Worlds being a recent exception. I think that’s a big reason why people have been hesitant to go back and try to wrap up some of the lingering plot threads. I recently learned something fascinating: Behr specifically pushed back against a storyline idea where a Black father would abandon his family. He felt it relied on a harmful and unfortunately common stereotype from the 90s – one that, sadly, still pops up today.

The scene where he promises his wife he’ll return was added to ease worries about his eventual disappearance, as he’s considered missing in action nearly a thousand years later. Seeing Jake speak helped lessen the impact of this, as he shared memories of his father’s love, support, and guidance in becoming a good parent himself. A second scene with Jake went even further in providing comfort.

Starfleet Academy Bringing Back Jake Sisko Was the DS9 Sequel Fans Needed

Kristen Breyer portrayed the newest caretaker for Dax, who was a mentor and friend to Sisko. Unable to determine Sisko’s ultimate fate, she gives SAM a copy of Anslem, a book Jake wrote about his father but never released. Using advanced technology, SAM is able to have a conversation with Jake about his dad. While the book starts with Jake grieving his father’s death, he shares with SAM that, though he can’t prove it, he felt his father’s presence with him always.

One thing Star Trek rarely delved into was the true nature of the Bajoran Prophets, but the show eventually revealed them to be incredibly advanced aliens existing outside of our normal understanding of time and space. This opens up a fascinating possibility: it could explain how Sisko seemingly managed to be present for every key moment in his son Jake’s life, and even beyond. And honestly, I’m starting to wonder if Jake and Dax are telling us everything they know. Considering how central Sisko was to the Bajoran religion, it’s entirely possible they have insights into his fate, maybe even seen him after he disappeared. But that information, understandably, would be deeply personal, leaving the larger mystery unsolved for the rest of Starfleet – and us viewers!

This episode was a clever way to revisit Deep Space Nine and offer a satisfying glimpse into the lives of familiar characters without giving a definitive answer to a long-standing question from the original series finale. It respects everything fans have imagined over the past three decades, while still showing us what happened with Dax and Jake after Sisko’s departure. However, the most exciting part was definitely the return of a beloved DS9 character. It’s a shame it took 27 years to see Jake Sisko again, but I hope this isn’t the last time we see him in the Star Trek universe.

New episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy are now available on Paramount+ every Thursday, along with all episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

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2026-02-07 01:12