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The Doctor <doctor@doctor.nl2k.ab.ca> wrote:
> AL/LLM REviews of Star Trek - Deep Space Nine - Emissary 
> 
> Google Gemini
> 
> Plot Synopsis
> "Emissary" begins with an intensely personal tragedy: the Battle of Wolf
> 359, where Starfleet officer Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks)
> loses his wife, Jennifer, to the Borg attack. 

Murdered by the cowardly traitor Picard.

Sisko should’ve killed him with his bare hands.

Decades later we found out Picard had continued working for the Borg all
those years.


Three years later, Sisko is a grieving single father who has lost his
passion for Starfleet.
> 
> He is assigned to the former Cardassian mining station Terok Nor, now
> known as Deep Space Nine, orbiting the recently liberated planet Bajor.
> His mission is to oversee the transition of the Bajoran Provisional
> Government. Sisko meets his initial crew and station inhabitants: the
> fiercely independent Bajoran First Officer Major Kira Nerys, the
> shapeshifting security chief Odo, the ambitious Ferengi barkeep Quark,
> and the eager young physician Dr. Julian Bashir.
> 
> The political tension between the Federation and the Bajorans is
> immediately palpable, but the landscape changes drastically when Sisko,
> guided by a cryptic Bajoran object, discovers the only known stable
> wormhole in the galaxy, leading directly to the distant Gamma Quadrant.
> 
> The episode climaxes with Sisko's first contact with the
> Prophets—non-corporeal, non-linear beings living within the wormhole.
> They have no concept of time, and Sisko must literally teach them about
> human existence and linear causality by confronting his own past grief.
> By understanding his pain, the Prophets understand time, and the Bajorans
> hail Sisko as the long-awaited Emissary, fundamentally changing his
> purpose and the destiny of the station.
> 
> Strengths
> Emotional Stakes from Minute One: The opening sequence featuring the loss
> of Jennifer Sisko at Wolf 359 provides an unprecedented level of
> emotional grounding for a Star Trek protagonist. Commander Sisko is not
> the cool, detached leader of past captains; he is a man burdened by
> grief, immediately making him relatable and complex.
> 
> The Power of the Setting: Unlike the Enterprise, DS9 is a permanent,
> stationary setting. This immediately creates a sense of consequence and a
> need for serialization, forcing the characters to deal with problems and
> enemies that return week after week, which became the show's defining trait.
> 
> Iconic First Contact: The scene inside the wormhole with the Prophets is
> a masterpiece of intellectual science fiction. It's not a ship meeting an
> alien; it's a profound, existential debate over the nature of reality and
> time, resolved through Sisko being forced to relive his pain and accept it.
> 
> Establishing the Ensemble: The pilot successfully introduces a dense and
> complicated ensemble cast, particularly the morally ambiguous Quark and
> the prickly, post-occupation Major Kira, setting the stage for deep
> character conflicts that drive the series.
> 
> Weaknesses
> Pacing and Length: As a two-hour pilot, the episode occasionally suffers
> from the need to introduce everything (the Bajorans, the Cardassians, the
> main cast, the station, the wormhole, the Emissary prophecy). It’s a
> lot of exposition packed into one story.
> 
> Bashir's Initial Role: Dr. Bashir’s introduction as an overly eager and
> somewhat naive young doctor feels a bit clichéd, though his character
> deepens significantly in later seasons.
> 
> Overall Impression
> "Emissary" is a landmark pilot episode that not only successfully
> launched a new series but also redefined the entire Star Trek franchise.
> It dared to introduce a cynical, complex, and emotionally broken
> protagonist, trading the utopian exploration of TNG for the grim
> realities of politics, war, and faith on a frontier outpost. The
> emotional payoff of Sisko's confrontation with the Prophets is earned and
> unforgettable. It’s an essential piece of television that truly sets
> the stage for seven years of groundbreaking storytelling.
> 
> Rating: 9.5/10
> 
> That episode set the tone for the rest of the series! It's remarkable how
> quickly they established such a complicated political and religious landscape.
> 
> ChatGPT
> 
> Here’s my review of *Deep Space Nine* — **“Emissary”** (Season 1,
> Episodes 1 & 2) — based on the plot, critical commentary, and how it
> sets up the series. I’ll finish with a rating out of 10.
> 
> ---
> 
> ## What Happens (The Plot / Overview)
> 
> “Emissary” opens with a traumatic moment for Benjamin Sisko: during
> the Battle of Wolf 359, when the Borg attack, this Starfleet officer
> rushes to save his wife, but finds her already dead. He saves his son
> Jake instead. ([Wikipedia][1])
> 
> Three years later, Sisko is assigned to command Deep Space Nine, a
> station that once was the Cardassian mining station Terok Nor, in orbit
> of Bajor. The Cardassians have recently withdrawn, Bajor is recovering
> from occupation, and the station is in disrepair. Bajorans invite
> Starfleet’s help, which tensions with some locals who don’t fully
> trust the Federation. ([trektoday.com][2])
> 
> Sisko arrives with Jake; meets up with Major Kira Nerys (Bajoran who
> deeply resents the occupation), with Odo (the station’s constable,
> shape-shifter), Quark (a Ferengi bar owner), Dax (a Trill science
> officer), and others. He’s also haunted by the past and unsure about
> being in command. ([trektoday.com][2])
> 
> A key plot thread is the appearance of Bajoran religious belief: Sisko is
> given an Orb by Kai Opaka, the Bajoran spiritual leader, who calls him
> the *Emissary* of the Prophets. This comes with responsibility. He is
> ordered to investigate anomalies in the Denorios Belt, which leads to
> discovering a stable wormhole leading to the Gamma Quadrant. The
> discovery of the wormhole is a major turning point — it changes the
> strategic importance of DS9. ([Wikipedia][1])
> 
> Meanwhile, there is tension with the Cardassians, who try to assert
> influence, and political instability in Bajor. Sisko must wrestle between
> his grief, his duty, his reluctance to take on a messianic religious
> role, and the expectations of Starfleet and Bajor. The episode ends with
> Sisko accepting the tension of being Emissary, beginning to forge his
> role, and DS9 positioning itself not just as a frontier outpost but as a
> station with deep political, spiritual, and strategic layers. ([Wikipedia][1])
> 
> ---
> 
> ## What Works Very Well
> 
> 1. **Tone & Ambition**
>    This pilot does a great job of signaling that *DS9* will be
> *different* from *TNG*: darker, more conflicted, with more burdensome
> roles, moral ambiguity, religious undertones, politics, and spiritual
> beliefs. It doesn’t try to be “another Federation Starship exploring
> strange worlds each week” — it’s more stationary, more complex.
> Critics are pretty united that the show’s premise and tone are
> compelling and rich. ([jammersreviews.com][3])
> 
> 2. **Character Foundations & Conflict**
>    The major characters are introduced with believable tension: Sisko’s
> grief and distrust (especially toward Picard, whom he somewhat blames for
> his wife’s death by way of the Borg), Kira’s mistrust of Federation
> involvement, the Bajorans’ religious beliefs, even Odo’s uneasy
> position. All these give texture. ([jammersreviews.com][3])
> 
> 3. **Wormhole Discovery as Big Stakes**
>    The wormhole plot gives DS9 a central mystery and significance. It’s
> not just about Bajor or station politics — the station is a gateway. It
> gives weight to future episodes and shows that DS9’s location matters. ([Wikipedia][1])
> 
> 4. **Emotional Core**
>    Sisko’s loss of his wife is not just backstory; it influences his
> skepticism, his hesitation, his personal stakes. His relationship with
> Jake, his longing for meaning, this makes him more than a duty-bound
> commander. The pilot balances action/politics with emotional resonance. ([Wikipedia][1])
> 
> 5. **Good Production Values & Visuals**
>    The station’s sets, the wormhole effects, the battle aftermath (Wolf
> 359, etc.) are well done for the time. The art direction was recognized
> with awards. It helps sell the world convincingly. ([Star Trek][4])
> 
> ---
> 
> ## What Doesn’t Work / Weaknesses
> 
> 1. **Exposition & Pacing Issues**
>    As with many pilots, “Emissary” throws in a lot of setup:
> political histories, religion, war trauma, folk prophecy, station
> logistics. Some of this feels heavy and sometimes “tell not show.”
> Certain character relationships and histories are explained in dialogue
> rather than organically demonstrated. Critics like Jammer’s Reviews
> point out that Kira’s lines especially bear the load of explaining
> Bajoran history. ([jammersreviews.com][3])
> 
> 2. **Uneven Character Work**
>    Some characters are less fully formed in the pilot. Supporting roles
> like Quark, Bashir, even Dax, have interesting traits but less depth
> early on. Also some of the acting (especially in the spiritual/orb scenes
> or moments of heavy dialogue) feels overemphasized or a bit melodramatic.
> ([jammersreviews.com][3])
> 
> 3. **Wormhole / Prophet Scenes Stretch Credibility**
>    The scenes with the Prophets (non-corporeal beings outside of linear
> time) are imaginative, but sometimes feel abstract, vague, or slow. Some
> reviewers felt they dragged slightly toward the middle of the two-hour
> episode. The philosophical dialogues are interesting but not always
> tightly executed. ([jammersreviews.com][3])
> 
> 4. **Religious / Mystical Elements Risk Genre Alienation**
>    For some viewers, the emphasis on faith, mysticism, prophecy (the
> Orbs, Prophets, Emissary status) may feel less grounded or more
> “fantasy” than science fiction. DS9 leans into this, which is a
> strength for many, but for some it’s a hurdle. One of the criticisms is
> that the pilot mixes a lot of genres and sometimes slightly slips into
> “mystical Trek” in ways that feel inconsistent with scientific
> rationalism. ([jammersreviews.com][3])
> 
> ---
> 
> ## Overall Impressions
> 
> “Emissary” is a strong pilot. It does excellent work in establishing
> tone, setting, character, and giving DS9 a distinct identity. It promises
> complexity — political, spiritual, moral — that many fans felt *TNG*
> often glossed over. It balances grief, duty, spirituality, and adventure
> in a way that is ambitious. The weaknesses are typical for a pilot:
> imperfect character depth, pacing, some scenes that feel heavy-handed,
> but overall those are minor compared to what the episode sets up.
> 
> ---
> 
> ## Rating: **8.5 / 10**
> 
> ---
> 
> **Why 8.5:**
> 
> * Because the pilot delivers more than just spectacle; it gives you real
> stakes, emotional weight, and several strong moral/spiritual conflicts
> right out of the gate.
> * Its ambition is impressive, and many of its scenes (Wolf 359 flashback,
> wormhole discovery, Sisko’s personal grief) land well.
> * It loses a little for exposition overload and some unevenness of
> dialogue or character introductions, but as a foundation episode, it works very well.
> 
> If you like, I can compare “Emissary” with other great Star Trek
> pilots (like *Encounter at Farpoint*, *Voyager Pilot*, *Enterprise*) so
> you can see how it stacks up. Do you want me to do that?
> 
> [1]:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emissary_%28Star_Trek%3A_Deep_Space_Nine%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com
> "Emissary (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)"
> [2]:
> https://trektoday.com/content/2011/10/retro-review-emissary/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Retro
> Review: Emissary – TrekToday"
> [3]:
> https://www.jammersreviews.com/st-ds9/s1/emissary.php?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Emissary\"
> | Star Trek: DS9 | Jammer's Reviews"
> [4]:
> https://www.startrek.com/news/ds9s-emissary-an-appreciation?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star
> Trek: Deep Space Nine's 'Emissary' at 30: An Appreciation"
> 



-- 
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.