TWITrek Character Insight No. 38: Jake Sisko

This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe.  An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight!  This week, our subject is Jake Sisko from DS9.
 


Jake is the son of Starfleet Captain Benjamin Sisko, and he grows up during the elder Sisko's service aboard the Deep Space Nine station. Although Ben Sisko wants his son to follow his steps into Starfleet, Jake follows his own path and becomes a writer, a profession he is passionate about.


Early in the DS9 series, Jake plays many similar roles as the Wesley Crusher character did, including being the accidental or unexpected hero on multiple occasions. However, Jake gets more depth thanks to the friendship with Nog, Quark's nephew who is also aboard the station. Jake and Nog even helped save his father from the Jem'Hadar during an initial encounter with that species.


Jake remains aboard the station as a Federation News Service reported covering the Dominion War, even when the Dominion takes over the station. Although Jake only appears in 71 episodes overall, which is 20 less than Morn, he is a regular character in all seven seasons of DS9.


As noted above, Jake loves writing and this includes poetry. Jake also enjoys cooking and baseball, which are activities that he did frequently with his father while growing up as an army brat. After becoming friends with Nog, the duo often plays dom-jot together as well.

Jake is one of only two characters since TNG to not appear as a hologram on a show. He is also the only member of the DS9 to not have a mirror universe counterpart.

Our notable quote this week comes from the episode Second Sight:
Jake Sisko: Dad - are you in love?
Commander Sisko: What?
Jake Sisko: You know, with a woman. You're showing all three of the signs.
Commander Sisko: Signs?
Jake Sisko: The ones that Nog told me about: loss of appetite, daydreaming, smiling all the time...
 
Actor: Cirroc Lofton played Jake in all episodes except as a child in Emissary and as an old man in the episode The Visitor. Lofton mostly played small guest roles in many TV shows outside Star Trek, including Soul Food, 7th Heaven, and CSI: Miami.

Until next time, live long and prosper...