A Bajoran solar ship from centuries past emerges from the wormhole, bringing time-traveling poet Akorem Laan, who claims to be the Emissary of the Prophets. Sisko is initially eager to shed his role as Bajoran religious figure, until Akorem calls for regressive social policies that affect his friends and threaten Bajor's relationship with the Federation. Meanwhile, Keiko returns permanently from her job on Bajor -- pregnant from her last visit home. Also impactful is the change her return brings to Miles and Julian's friendship. The two have grown inseparable, and don't know how to continue their "cool hangs" now that "the wife" is back in the mix.
The fortuitous midpoint timing of this episode was actually unintentional. At this point, the writers had mostly steered away from any episodes about Bajoran religion. The studio had noted fan reaction to previous episodes on the topic (the vocal "this isn't Star Trek" crowd) and concluded they were bad for ratings. They hadn't forbidden these stories, as such, but the writers knew they'd be burning goodwill with the executives whenever they tried one. But then a freelance writer came in with a pitch too tantalizing to ignore: "there's another Emissary, and Sisko has to fight for what he never wanted."
That writer was Jane Espenson, who would later amass a raft of credits on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, and more. One might have guessed at her future success based on this -- hers is the only writing credit on the finished product, a highly unusual thing for an outside writer. Different members of the writing staff noted that very little rewriting of her final draft was necessary, and that many of the best moments were her idea. (For example, Worf's panicked reaction to hearing that Keiko will be having another baby: "Now?" A spectacular callback joke.)
Without being super preachy about it, the episode examines what can happen when religion -- particularly a socially regressive faction within a religion -- seizes an outsized role in government. Akorem literally brings with him a centuries old world view of a society based on class and caste. The story transitions somewhat from Sisko to Kira as she tries to reconcile her sense of faith with her sense of self. Nana Visitor does a great job a presenting Kira's reluctance, then frustration, and near-hopelessness as she tries to pursue the artist's path Akorem says is meant for her. Kira fights back tears when tendering her resignation, showing us the personal cost of this societal change.
Meanwhile, through Sisko, we see larger scale consequences. He learns of the power he might have wielded as Emissary, were he a different sort of person; Kira confesses her people would have done literally whatever he asked. We see a particularly orthodox Vedek commit murder -- and admit to it readily, as though he's done nothing wrong -- when someone resists giving in to the new religious order. Ultimately, Sisko accepts his role as Emissary, even finding joy in it at the end of the episode.
But this intriguing arc is a bit short-circuited by how easily it all unfolds. Realistically, you would expect some intense factions to develop over just which of these two men is the real Emissary. Sisko abdicating and then reclaiming the mantle shouldn't come without friction -- in both directions. Kai Winn is wisely mentioned in dialogue in the episode, but given how well she's been established as an orthodox religious figure (and how strained her relationship is with Sisko), she really should have been present on screen to personify the strife in this situation.
Then there's the Miles/Keiko/Julian subplot, which falls pretty flat. The "controlling wife who doesn't let her husband come out to play" is a thing that occurs in real life, but it feels overly represented on television. That's not what's actually happening here -- though I'm not sure O'Brien looks much better for the truth. Keiko is in fact quite understanding and supportive of her husband's friendship, but he lacks the ability to pick up on that or to articulate what he wants. It's a very sitcom-like scenario that exists only because of lack of communication, infantilizing Miles and cheapening his relationship with Keiko. (Also infantilizing Miles, his inability to keep his house clean when his wife is away -- an element that actor Colm Meaney complained about to the writers.)
Director Les Landau really does pull out all the stops to make the episode look special, though. There are showy moments (Sisko transitioning from dream to vision in a single take, via a sudden lighting change), subtle moments that illuminate character (a series of slow push-ins on Sisko as he explains to Dax what being Emissary has meant to him), and moments that encompass both (a slow push up to the promenade's second floor as Odo and Kira talk about the nature of faith). He also gets to take advantage of the CG Bajoran ship model created for an earlier episode.
One advantage Landau didn't get, though, was in casting. Originally, the production reached out to actor David Warner to play the role of Akorem Laan. The reliable Star Trek veteran (of two movies and the Next Generation's indelible "Chain of Command") was talked out of taking the job by his wife, in favor of a vacation. Good news for Warner, bad news for the audience, who were deprived of his skill and gravitas. (Plus, with an actor of that caliber in the role, you might have wondered -- for at least a moment or two -- if Akorem might be a character sticking around beyond this one episode.)
Other observations:
- When Sisko is asked to bless the marriage of a Bajoran couple at the start of this episode, you can pick up a nice character detail in their costumes: the wife is in the military, while the husband is a civilian.
- Quark has an odd way of serving beer, pouring it warm from a pitcher that's been sitting around, then putting the glass on a tray to carry it a couple of feet.
- Keiko's pregnancy was Jane Espenson's idea, one that the staff writers liked enough to roll with. Fortuitously, it would become a way for the show to work in Nana Visitor's real-life pregnancy later in the season.
- Kai Opaka makes her final appearance on the series here, as an Orb vision and a Prophet.
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