Sisko and Captain Picard never came to terms over this Star Trek conflict (but both found their ways to deal with the Borg trauma)

During the Battle of Wolf 359, when Starfleet Commanding Officer Benjamin Lafayette Sisko (played by Avery Brooks) lost his wife Jennifer (played by Felecia M. Bell), he was left with irrevocable trauma. He held anger and a grudge against Captain Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart), whom Sisko believed to be responsible for the grave loss. In the pilot episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine titled Emissary, the audience revisits the Battle of Wolf 359, where Captain Picard, as ‘Locutus of Borg’, is leading the charge.

The assimilated version of Captain Picard—taken over by the alien race known as the Borg—is responsible for the destruction of Sisko’s starship, the USS Saratoga, with the Borg Cube. Sisko ends up losing several of his crew members, along with his wife. He manages to escape with his son, just minutes before the ship is lost.

The events leave Sisko with lifelong pain that he carries even as he takes on new responsibilities. Meanwhile, when Captain Picard finally regains his sense of self, he, too, must confront trauma that becomes a key part of his character arc.

Captain Picard as Locutus of Borg

The Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes titled The Best of Both Worlds Part I and II show Captain Picard abducted and transformed into ‘Locutus of Borg’ by the cybernetic humanoid species. Through Picard’s assimilation, the Borg gain access to classified knowledge about the Federation, using it to their advantage during their assault on Starfleet at Wolf 359.

After devastating losses, the crew aboard the USS Enterprise-D successfully recaptures Picard and destroys the Borg Cube, thanks to the neural link that worked both ways. This marks a turning point for Picard. Though the implants and connection are removed, we later see him grappling with the emotional scars in Star Trek: Picard, well after the events of the battle.

In Deep Space Nine, we learn that Officer Sisko was present at Wolf 359 and even saw Captain Picard in his assimilated form.

What happened during the Battle of Wolf 359?

In the Deep Space Nine pilot episode, Emissary, we see a flashback of Benjamin Sisko, who is the First Officer aboard the USS Saratoga during the Borg assault. Captain Jean-Luc Picard appears as Locutus of Borg. During the brutal battle, the Borg Cube disables Starfleet’s shields. Many of the officers on the bridge are killed, leaving Sisko and one other officer alive.

As the ship suffers a warp core breach, time runs out. The surviving crew is forced to evacuate with the remaining civilians. Sisko finds his wife, Jennifer, and son, Jake (played by Cirroc Lofton), trapped in the wreckage. While he manages to save his son, he is forced to leave his wife’s body behind and flee the ship in an escape pod.

What happened between Sisko and Picard?

For Sisko, it was Captain Picard’s face on the viewscreen that haunted him. The image remained as a memory of the dreaded day he lost his wife and several of his crew members.

In the episode Emissary, Sisko informs Captain Picard that he was at the Battle of Wolf 359. There is a lot of awkwardness in the air, which they both choose not to address. Picard still carries remnants of trauma from the battle.

However, they part on an amicable note when they shake hands at the end, almost as if accepting the trauma that the battle left on both their souls and how they have come to terms with it.

Star Trek: The Original Series was created by Gene Roddenberry and aired on the NBC network between 1966 and 1969. Despite being canceled due to low ratings, the series went on to acquire a cult status among its fans.

The Star Trek universe became a much sought-after and profitable franchise with comics, animated television programs, films, and spin-off television shows. The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine are two of the more successful shows to emerge from the Star Trek franchise.

ALSO READ: These 7 Star Trek references in The Big Bang Theory are a treat for fans

Trending

For more stories on shows, follow SoapCentral

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback