Starfleet Academy Episode 5's Final Scenes Remove The New Star Trek Comic From Official Canon

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Spoilers for "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" episode 5 follow. 

The "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" series finale, "What You Leave Behind," left the door open just a tad for its lead, Captain Ben Sisko (Avery Brooks). Since the show's premiere, Sisko had become the Emissary of "Prophets" (noncorporeal aliens) who reside in a wormhole near planet Bajor. Sisko later learned he was always connected to the Prophets; his mother, Sarah (Deborah Lacey), had been possessed by one when she gave birth to him. 

In "What You Leave Behind," Sisko defeated his nemesis Dukat (Marc Alaimo) in the Fire Caves of Bajor and prevented the rise of an evil faction of Prophets: The Pah-Wraiths. With his work completed, Sisko ascended to be with the Prophets. He told his wife Kasidy (Penny Johnson) that he would return, but he couldn't promise when.

Now, "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" resolves Sisko's fate. (The series is set in the 32nd century, 800-ish years after "DS9.") In the episode "Series Acclimation Mil," it turns out that Sisko never came back; history's last record of him is his fight with Dukat on Bajor, and Starfleet officially lists him as MIA. "Starfleet Academy" has thus officially wiped several "Star Trek" comics and novels from any possible canon.

A long-running series of novels (published from 2001 to 2017), continuing the story of "DS9" after the series' conclusion, depicted Sisko returning in time for his and Kasidy's daughter to be born, and resuming his role in Starfleet. The 2023 comic "Star Trek: Godshock" (written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing) also depicted Sisko returning three years after "What You Leave Behind."

IDW Publishing

Not according to official "Star Trek" canon, though, which now has no room for "Godshock."

It's important to remember why "Series Acclimation Mil" had to go about honoring Sisko this way. In the lapse between when "Deep Space Nine" ended and now, Brooks retired from acting. That means it made more sense to write the episode with Sisko never coming back.

Unlike a TV show, a comic doesn't have to worry about casting. That's why "Godshock" can set itself three years after the "DS9" finale, even though Brooks has aged much more than three years. The comic also features Sisko forming a new crew with other fan-favorite "Star Trek" characters — his old second in command Worf (Michael Dorn), Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Data (Brent Spiner) from "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) from "Star Trek: Voyager," and even Scotty himself (the late James Doohan) from the original "Star Trek."

Getting all these characters together would have logistical complications on television, but not so for a comic. That's one reason that "Star Trek" comics and prose are the ideal medium for fanservice stories and crossovers like "Godshock." 

Plus, "Star Trek" has always drawn a sharp line between the TV and movies (which "count" as canon) and expanded material like books, comics, and video games (which don't). Akiva Goldsman of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" has said that the show's definition of canon doesn't include comics or novels. "Starfleet Academy" doesn't erase "Godshock" because the comic should always have been read as a fun "What If..."

For a TV episode that wanted to respect Brooks' retirement, it makes more sense to engage with his absence in an emotional way.

"Series Acclimation Mil" has some plausible deniability since it is set so far in the future relative to "Deep Space Nine." One could say this only means that history never recorded Sisko returning. But in the episode, Sisko's long-lived friend Dax (Tawny Newsome) and a holographic replica of his son Jake (Cirroc Lofton) both speak like they never saw him again. Then again, the Prophets don't do linear time, so perhaps Sisko is still planning to return to the 24th century one day?

But as for where the episode leaves us, it will bring mixed feelings for "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" fans. For one, it means Sisko broke his promise to Kasidy. However, Avery Brooks himself signed off on the "Starfleet Academy" tribute to him and Sisko, so presumably that means he was ok with Sisko never coming back.

The grown-up Jake also came to terms with his father's absence, remembering him as a loving dad and the man who taught Jake to be one himself. Watching Jake's scenes in the episode and his recollection of his father, you can't help but think of Dr. McCoy's (DeForest Kelley) words eulogizing Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" — "He's really not dead, as long as we remember him."

"Series Acclimation Mil" shows Sisko was certainly remembered. By the 32nd century, the Bajoran religion reveres the Emissary as a god in flesh. That cements the Christ parallels to Sisko's relationship with the Prophets. (Like real Christians, the Bajorans are still waiting for their savior's second coming.) Trekkies, too, will not soon forget Benjamin Sisko or Avery Brooks.

"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" is streaming on Paramount+.