Star Trek: 10 Times Captains Lost Control

1. Sisko Poisons A Planet

Star Trek For The Uniform
CBS

Sisko seems to have had the least control over his temper out of all of the Star Trek captains. While it's true that Kirk was quite expressive of his emotions, and Picard, Janeway and Archer slipped along the way, none of them poisoned an entire planet in pursuit of one man.

Sisko's obsession with Michael Eddington could very well had led to his undoing in the fifth season of Deep Space Nine. Eddington's betrayal stung him bitterly, dominating his thoughts. It grows to a point where Starfleet actually takes him off the hunt for the Maquis leader, owing to several failed attempts at capture.

However, he puts himself back on the case once Eddington makes the mistake of attacking another Starfleet ship. Things devolve quickly.

Sisko threatens to poison the atmosphere of a Maquis colony, mimicking the same action that the Maquis themselves had pulled against a Cardassian colony. Eddington naturally thinks he is bluffing - as do, for the most part, the crew of the USS Defiant. Even Worf has to ask for clarification once Sisko gives the order to fire.

The explosives ensure that the planet will not be able to sustain life for fifty years, with much of the Maquis already at refugee status. In his hunt for Eddington, Sisko has racked up a high price. Added to this, this was not cleared by Starfleet in advance.

For The Uniform leaves the viewer with the question: Do the ends justify the means? Considering what happens to the Maquis later in the season, that becomes an even more difficult question to answer.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"