Why would the prophets choose a human to be an emissary for them? Wouldn't it have been easier to choose a Bajoran, someone they could relate to?
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6The Sisko is of Bajor.– ValorumCommented Sep 29, 2021 at 12:59
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8The Sisko is of Bajor.– ValorumCommented Sep 29, 2021 at 13:03
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1But seriously, they chose Sarah Sisko because she could then be the mother of Ben Sisko, the Emissary of the prophets.– ValorumCommented Sep 29, 2021 at 13:04
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1@Valorum - Why her though? Why not a Bajoran female?– user144649Commented Sep 29, 2021 at 13:06
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1I think what "The Sisko is of Bajor" alludes to is that despite his species, his heart belongs to Bajor, which is what really matters.– Brian OrtizCommented Sep 29, 2021 at 21:31
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2 Answers
You are linear. It limits you.
The simplest explanation is that they chose for one of their number to inhabit Sarah Sisko because they had already (in the future) observed that her son, Ben Sisko was the first to enter their Celestial Temple and become the Emissary of the Prophets. By taking over her body, they could ensure that he would have the powers necessary to act as their instrument in the war against the Pah Wraiths.
So why a human? Because Ben Sisko was the Emissary and was a human. Note that this explanation only makes sense if you're not subjectively bound by time.
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In the finale his wife was pregnant, would his future child also be an Emissary as well, with powers?– user144649Commented Sep 29, 2021 at 13:16
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4@EmpressSvetlana - A potential Emissary, if we believe the nonsense in the EU novel "The Soul Key"– ValorumCommented Sep 29, 2021 at 13:17
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This can be supported by the numerous prophecies surrounding the Emissary. -In the series opening episode "The Emissary", Kai Opaka says to Sisko, after feeling his Pah, "Ironic, one who does not wish to be among us is to be the Emissary." -Former Vedek Yarka comes to DS9 to warn Sisko about Trakor's Third and Fourth Prophecies, which both center on the Emissary dealing with terrible trials in the episode "Destiny" Commented Sep 30, 2021 at 12:47
The DS9 episode Accession offers us the only real hint here. A Bajoran named Akorem Laan is literally sent from the past to the present and believes he is the Emissary. The Prophets state otherwise (note: except for Sisko and Akorem, these are not other characters talking, but The Prophets using their forms)
KIRA: The Sisko taught us that for you, what was, can never be again.
AKOREM: If the D'jarras belong in the past, why did you send me into the future?
ODO: For the Sisko.
SISKO: For me?
AKOREM: You're saying that he's your Emissary?
BASHIR: He is the Sisko.
(snip)
OPAKA: Why? Why do you stay here?
SISKO: Because I still have questions.
OPAKA: We are of Bajor.
SISKO: What does that mean?
OPAKA: You are of Bajor.
You'll note that they refer to both themselves and Sisko as being "of Bajor", despite none of them actually being Bajoran.
If you watch the whole series, you'll repeatedly see Sisko start to grow to be more and more Bajoran and gradually accepts the role of Emissary. It's not that they picked a human, it's that they literally wanted Benjamin Sisko ("He is the Sisko"). We're never told why him specifically (possibly due to his confrontation of the Pah-wraiths in the series finale), but they went to great lengths to both ensure his birth and keep him at Bajor (most notably wiping out an entire Dominion fleet).
answered Sep 29, 2021 at 13:58
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Love how he never even tries to correct them on that naming thing. Like "Hey, My dad is a Sisko, my son is a Sisko, my wife was a Sisko. Call me 'Ben'". Commented Sep 30, 2021 at 14:14