Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Jake Sisko
6. Where There Is Bravery, There Is Also Fear
...Nor The Battle To The Strong is easily one of the most important episodes when it comes to Jake Sisko's arc. Here, removed as he was from the station, we see him completely separated from the familiar trappings, surroundings, and safety nets. While the war with the Klingons continued - though at this point they were 'officially' on a ceasefire - Jake and Bashir find themselves on Ajilon Prime.
The episode was designed to give Jake his 'Hemmingway Moment', mirroring Hemmingway's experiences in the First World War. The original pitch would have seen Jake and Bashir arrive at a Cardassian hospital, where they would deal with derision from female Cardassian doctors and nurse. However, this was deemed too costly, so the story was switched to a predominantly human facility instead.
With the episode running three minutes short, the scene between Jake and the soldier who shot himself in the foot was added. Not only was this crucial scene to help Jake open his eyes to the horrors of war, but it ended up becoming one of the most important scenes in the episode altogether.