Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Nog
2. Strong Relations
Heart Of Stone represented a turning point for Nog's character arc. He had been a bumbling adolescent and the time had come to do something with him. While Jake Sisko was moving away from interest in joining Starfleet Academy, Nog took his place (in that storyline).
For the scenes between Nog and Commander Sisko, Eisenberg felt that Avery Brooks pushed him to get the best performance possible - something he was extremely grateful for, as he considered his acting in that scene to be the best that he delivered as Nog.
The moment that Sisko grabs Nog's shoulders was, according to Eisenberg, improvised by Brooks. This, as shocking as it was, pushed him to blurt out 'I don't want to end up like my father!' as a response to Sisko's question. From there, the scene plays out as earnest and as honest as any he ever appeared in.