25 Years Later, Deep Space Nine’s Finale Still Bugs Me: Here’s Why

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Ever since I was young, I’ve been a huge fan of the Star Trek universe. I used to watch The Original Series on TV as a child and even went to see Star Trek III: The Search for Spock at our local drive-in theater. Recently, with my Paramount+ subscription, I’ve caught up with all the newer shows, but until recently, I hadn’t yet seen all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which is now a part of my complete Star Trek experience.

After finishing all 10 seasons of “The Blacklist,” I’ve taken up a new pastime: binge-watching shows with large season archives. Currently, I’m deeply engrossed in “Deep Space Nine” as my latest fascination. On the whole, it was an excellent series, but I must admit, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with its conclusion for several reasons.

Ending Star Trek Is Hard

All in all, the final episode of Deep Space Nine stands out as strong, which is quite commendable given that this isn’t a common trait among Star Trek series. Unlike The Original Series, which was abruptly ended after just three seasons without a proper farewell, or shows like Enterprise and Star Trek: Discovery whose endings were hasty and incomplete due to early wrapping.

Among all shows, only “Star Trek: The Next Generation” has managed to wrap up its series effectively while still providing opportunities for continuation in films. However, “Deep Space Nine” attempts a similar approach, but it encounters a few notable issues.

Captain Sisko’s Finale Leaves A Lot To Be Desired, And It Was Almost Worse

Deep Space Nine concludes its primary storylines, including Captain Sisko’s duties as the Emissary of the Bajoran Prophets and the Dominion War. Post-war, Sisko has a climactic showdown with Gul Dukat on Bajor, which ends dramatically when they both fall from the Bajoran Fire Caves in a fashion reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls.

Initially, it seems that Sisko has perished, but later, his wife Cassidy experiences a vision where he’s been rescued by the Prophets. He appears to be staying with them for now as there’s much for him to learn from them. He assures her that he will come back at some undetermined point in time, which could be considered Sisko’s optimistic ending.

It seems that the final scene deviated from the initial concept. Originally, Sisko was supposed to stay with the Prophets indefinitely, essentially merging with them. However, Avery Brooks supported the alteration, believing it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to abandon his family, especially given that he was one of the few main Black characters on TV at that moment, and his wife was pregnant.

Without a doubt, the final outcome turned out to be more favorable compared to the initial plan, but both conclusions seem somewhat underwhelming. It appears that the choice was made between a climactic, somber conclusion or a conventional happy ending, and ultimately, they opted for something in the middle. This results in an ending that leaves us feeling rather unfulfilled.

A More Definitive Ending For Sisko Would Have been More Satisfying

Benjamin Sisko’s self-sacrifice for Bajor could have provided a fitting conclusion to his character arc, though it may not have been universally well-received. This decision would have aligned with the somber tone and gritty realism that had marked “Deep Space Nine” as the most emotionally complex and realistic version of “Star Trek” up until then.

In stark contrast, there’s always the conventional happy ending, which has its merit. Captain Benjamin Sisko expresses his intention of settling down on Bajor and even purchases land for a home. Ending the series of Deep Space Nine with a scene of Sisko relaxing on his porch with his family wouldn’t have been an undesirable choice. Among all Star Trek captains, it’s this one who truly deserves a peaceful retirement.

Either of the chosen endings for Benjamin Sisko’s story would have provided a satisfying conclusion, but the one we received feels incomplete and suggests further development for the character. However, 25 years on, no significant new content featuring him has been produced (except for a comic book whose canon is debatable).

But at least Benjamin Sisko got to be part of the finale. The same can’t be said for Jadzia Dax.

Terry Farrell Was Done Dirty By The End Of Deep Space Nine

As a dedicated cinephile, I found myself grappling with Terry Farrell’s departure from “Deep Space Nine” at the close of Season 6. The intricacies behind her decision to move on are certainly worthy of an in-depth analysis (which I’m jotting down for future exploration). In essence, she yearned for a more recurring role in the final season, and it seems there was a creative disagreement with a specific Star Trek producer, a conflict that has echoed among other Star Trek actors as well.

At the end of the second-to-last season, Jadzia Dax passed away, and the Dax symbiote was transferred to a fresh host, welcoming Nicole de Boer as Ezri Dax. This new character possessed all of Jadzia’s memories, enabling the series to maintain certain aspects of her personality, while also ushering in fresh conflicts – particularly with Worf, who had previously been married to Jadzia.

Regrettably, Terry Farrell didn’t make an appearance at the end of Deep Space Nine. However, the problem with the finale lies in how the show deliberately omits her, when it only needed a brief moment to recognize her significant role on the series.

As the final episode came to an end, I found myself reminiscing about the departures of three integral characters from Deep Space Nine: Chief O’Brien (Colm Meany), Odo (Rene Auberjonois) and Worf (Michael Dorn). Each character was granted a poignant flashback sequence, showcasing their significant moments throughout the series. In Worf’s case, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment as his montage unfolded, for it seemed like a missed opportunity to include a heartfelt scene featuring Worf and Jadzia – perhaps a glimpse of their wedding or even her tragic passing. Instead, the sequence focused on a moment between Worf and Ezri Dax, which was relatively recent in the storyline, leaving Jadzia entirely absent from the memory lane journey.

Terry Farrell’s character Jadzia played a crucial role for six out of the seven seasons in the show. Leaving her out in a manner that seemed so fitting and effortless feels like a deliberate oversight. It’s possible that there were personal issues on set due to her decision to depart, but this doesn’t justify the omission.

Deep Space Nine Is Still One Of The Better Star Trek Finales

Despite its challenges, Deep Space Nine boasts a strong conclusion and leans more towards the quality of The Next Generation compared to the chaotic tale of Enterprise. Its open-ended nature leaves one pondering the question: why wasn’t there a series centered around Captain Sisko after his enigmatic ending, given that we were treated to three seasons of Picard?

I’m really happy that I took the time to watch “Deep Space Nine.” If you haven’t seen it yet, even though discussing its ending here might give away some spoilers, I highly suggest you check it out. However, I must admit that I still hold a grudge against Quark.

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2025-05-12 00:21