Delving into the core of the show with today's challenge!
Star Trek has always excelled at exploring themes which affect humanity - although there is a glaring elephant in the room which says that it hasn't addressed everything it should have.
I think the exploration of extremes is certainly something Deep Space Nine hit on perfectly given that, initially, it is itself an extreme location for the Federation to choose to set up shop. Sisko himself becomes the personification of that extreme although not initially and through his actions we gather an understanding of just where the boundaries between right and wrong lie - what is the ultimate point you can go to and still be doing good? What exactly is the divide between these core values? At what point have you effectively sold your soul for a supposed "greater good".
Sisko's precarious balance between right and wrong is much more in your face than it ever would have been with Picard and I always feel Janeway too has a pretty solid moral compass. Ben Sisko's trouble is that his situation lends itself to more "out of the box" thinking that perhaps anyone else since he can't walk away from his demons.
Without question Sisko's actions in For the Uniform and In the Pale Moonlight are exemplory examples of this as is his decision to "sabotage" the Bajorans joining the Federation (although that might have something to do with Prophet intervention). It does seem that Sisko's tightrope walk is pretty unstable since he also had his girlfriend arrested for working with the Maquis.
Perhaps the theme with Sisko is not just the understanding of the balance between right and wrong but also the effect that experiences have on one's life and also one's perception of that balance and the importance of ensuring it's existence. If we go all the way back, it's maybe evident in its first evolutions within the second season and Paradise and The Maquis where he is faced with some varying degrees of control and has to assess what he must do to deal with his opponent at each turn whether Alixus and her community or his good friend Cal Hudson. But what themes did Star Trek speak to you about?
Come back tomorrow for our twentieth question, live from 1pm!
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