When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissary?

[Quinton O'Connor]

As anyone who's read any of my posts around here already knows, I have seen all of the show in the past. But it's been a long time and I'm currently in the first season in my rewatch.

For the first ten hours, at least, I haven't seen any sort of impact from this. And Kai Opaka's words about Sisko being the Emissary are so cryptic and seemingly small-natured in the pilot. I don't remember when, but at a certain point the Bajorans start damn near worshipping him and I'd like to know when that is. End of the first season? Sometime during the second?

 

[DS9 Gal AZ]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

I don't exactly when it is, but it rather bothered me. I was half-expecting him to start walking on water or something.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

Hah, true.

 

[InklingStar]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

The first time I remember anyone making a big deal over it was in The Collaborator when Vedek Winn tried to get Sisko to implicitly endorse her campaign. That's about as far as I am in my own rewatch so I don't recall if there is anything else for a while. I know it comes up in season 3's Destiny, and season 4's Accession.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

I just find it really odd that Kira wouldn't treat Sisko differently (as she does later on) because of all this. Where I'm at ("Move Along Home") it really feels like most viewers won't even realize what has happened in the pilot.

 

[Destructor]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

I believe his discovery of the ancient buried city in year 5 is probably the year he went from being 'that human interloper who may or may not be the Emissary' to 'The Emissary'.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

Cool, thanks for that info bit.

 

[DS9Continuing]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

I think it isn't really mentioned much until "In the Hands of the Prophets," the s1 finale. That's when Winn talks about how important Sisko is to Bajor for the first time. Of course, it being Winn, she does it with a certain edge to her voice.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

Ooh, I was hoping it would land mention there. I figured given the overall plot of the episode, I'd be seeing that. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[DS9forever]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

You'll not find much on Sisko as the Emissary in the first two seasons. When Ron Moore came aboard in the third season, he felt it had become sidelined.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

The mythology of the Bajoran culture isn't touched upon very much in the first two seasons, which I think makes sense - they're still in the very early stages of recovery from the Occupation at this point. I think the first time that Bajoran mythology itself gets mentioned after the pilot is in the third season episode 'Destiny,' which is about a prophecy. I like the way that Destructor put it, that with the discovery of B'halla, the Bejoran people began to realize that Sisko really IS the Emissary, and not some human who just happened to wander in and claim the title. But then, Sisko doesn't think of himself as the Emissary until the fourth season episode Accession, and if he didn't see himself as the Emissary, why should the Bajorans.

 

[Neutral Zone]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

Whenever I've watched DS9 I've noticed that the acceptance of Sisko being the Emissaary was in little ways at first. The way they treated with him a little more resprct, or asking him t say prayers or blessings. But there was no real big thing until someone actually made a challenge to Sisco being the Emissary (can't remember the episode).

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

Thanks to everyone for your informative answers!

So Ron Moore was instrumental, eh? That somehow doesn't surprise me.

 

[carlmarx]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

I remember also in The Circle trilogy there is a brief discussion where either Winn or Jaro tell Sisko that some in the provisional government respect him, some fear him as the Emissary and others want nothing to do with him. Maybe that was actually what was referred to above in "In The Hands Of The Prophets".

 

[DS9 Gal AZ]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

Ah, Winn and Jaro. Good times.

 

[Vulcan Princess]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

I remember also in The Circle trilogy there is a brief discussion where either Winn or Jaro tell Sisko that some in the provisional government respect him, some fear him as the Emissary and others want nothing to do with him. Maybe that was actually what was referred to above in "In The Hands Of The Prophets".

From In the Hands of the Prophets:

BAREIL: I'm sorry, Commander. The Vedek Assembly will not see you.
SISKO: Why not?
BAREIL: Some fear you as the symbol of a Federation they view as godless. Some fear you as the Emissary who has walked with the Prophets. And some fear you because Vedek Winn told them to. We're all very good conjuring up enough fear to justify whatever we want to do. Today, I am only a Vedek. If the Prophets will it, someday I may be Kai, and I can be a better friend to you then.

 

[carlmarx]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

^^Ah, that was it! Thanks!

 

[NKemp3]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

Third season episode "Destiny" is when you really see it take hold for Kira at least. When Sisko asked to speak to her in private in his quarters on the Defiant he ended up asking her if she truly believed he was the Emissary. She paused and then nodded her head. She said something about not wanting to admit it to herself for awhile but that she really thought he was the emissary of her people.

 

[DS9 Gal AZ]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

One the things I understood about Winn (despite everything) was her resentment of Sisko as the Emissary. This non-believing alien, the Emisarry of Prophets? It's like ... I'm trying to think of an appropriate analogy ... it's like an aetheist being declared Jesus or something...

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Re: When exactly do the Bajorans start treating Sisko like the Emissar

That's probably a good analogy for it. It's reasonable that the Bajorans would doubt it.