Summary: A freak accident appears to take Captain Benjamin Sisko's life in the Defiant's engine room, right in front of his son, Jake. Later, it becomes clear that Sisko wasn't killed at all, but has become unstuck in time. Every few weeks, months, or years (the interval increases each time) the Captain re-appears for a few moments in his son's life, before vanishing again without a trace. For the Captain, the accident just happened; for Jake, an entire lifetime eventually passes by. At first, Jake tries to lead a normal life, marrying and achieving his dream of becoming a writer. Before long, however, he becomes consumed by his obsession to save his father, which he'll make any sacrifice to accomplish. Why It's Great: 'The Visitor' is a great episode not because of the complicated, sci-fi plot, but because of the relationship between Benjamin Sisko and his son, Jake. Their bond is, in many ways, at the core of the series, and it is never better explored than in this episode. In lesser hands this premise could become sentimental or manipulative, but as written by Michael Taylor, directed by David Livingston, and acted by Tony Todd, Cirroc Lofton, and Tony Todd, the episode just works on every level. The ending, in which an aged Jake decides to sacrifice his own life to give his father a chance to avoid the entire accident in the first place, marks a poignant and tragic end to an hour that is routinely cited as one of the best of the series.
Michael is one of the founders of FACT TREK (www.facttrek.com), a project dedicated to untangling 50+ years of mythology about the original Star Trek and its place in TV history. He currently is the Director of Sales and Digital Commerce at Shout! Factory, where he has worked since 2014. From 2013-2018, he ran the popular Star Trek Fact Check blog (www.startrekfactcheck.blogspot.com).
