Will Star Trek: Starfleet Academy finally address Captain Sisko’s disappearance after DS9? EP weighs in

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Academy is going to be the one to disclose the fate of Captain Benjamin Sisko after the events of Deep Space Nine (DS9).

Noga Landau, the showrunner of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, says that the new series, starting on January 15, 2026, on Paramount+, will reveal Sisko’s fate. He was taken off the scene at the end of DS9 after he had finished his role as the Emissary of the Prophets of Bajor.

This enigma has remained unresolved for more than two decades, and fans have been waiting patiently for its solution. It now looks like the upcoming series is set on finally answering some, if not all, questions related to Sisko’s fate.

The question of whether Sisko broke his promise or transcended human understanding is both deeply personal and a significant thematic puzzle. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set to pay tribute to this legacy while incorporating it into the wider Star Trek universe.

---

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy: Addressing Captain Sisko’s disappearance

Noga Landau, the executive producer of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, has announced that Captain Benjamin Sisko's disappearance will be addressed in the series. It is a very overdue follow-up to the saga that ended with DS9's final episode, What You Leave Behind (1999), nearly 26 years ago.

At New York Comic Con 2025, Landau was clear that the series is very much part of Star Trek's legacy, known for its iconic characters and stories. It brings both nostalgia and fresh perspectives to fans.

She also mentioned the homage to great Starfleet heroes and the values the new show portrays through sets and casting. At the same time, some familiar characters, like Robert Picardo reprising The Doctor from Voyager, and other Discovery cast members, will appear. Taking all this into account, the announcement that the Sisko mystery will be addressed is a major draw for long-time Star Trek fans.

Speaking with ScreenRant, Landau said:

“And there's also mysteries. Watch out for Benjamin Sisko! We get to do some really cool stuff that hasn't been done in a long time, that I think really honors the fans who've been waiting to see what happens. So we definitely know who we are and the shoulders that we are standing on today.”

The big question that no one has resolved is that, at the end of DS9, Sisko was last seen entering the Prophets' realm, merging with them, and living in a place beyond the ordinary timeline.

Even though Sisko expressed his longing to return to his family, later canonical mentions in the Star Trek series, like Lower Decks Season 3, episode Reflections, indicate that he is “working hard in a celestial temple.” The implication is that he remains in the Bajoran wormhole and in contact with the Prophets.

The presence of Sisko’s baseball on Colonel Kira’s desk during the Deep Space Nine visit in the episode set in 2381 CE, 20 years before the timeline of Picard Season 3, suggests that he has not physically returned from the wormhole dimension at that time.

Fans have had differing opinions on whether Sisko would ever return, with some pessimistic interpretations suggesting that his departure made it impossible for him to reunite with his loved ones. By exploring this period of Sisko’s life, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy may provide clarity on questions of legacy, duty, and sacrifice central to his character development.

Interestingly, Avery Brooks, who played Sisko, reportedly disagreed with the original writing that left Sisko’s return ambiguous, claiming it was a troubling choice both character-wise and culturally to have Sisko leave his pregnant wife.

This tension provides narrative depth for the new series' decision to address Sisko’s fate, allowing further storytelling to merge or expand upon the character's complex legacy. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy thus finds itself at the intersection of honoring past storytelling while extending the Star Trek franchise, with Sisko's storyline as a crucial link.

---

What is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy about?

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy takes viewers to the iconic institution where the next generation of Starfleet officers is being trained.

The program in the show is quite strenuous. It aims to portray how cadets are trained and how they adapt to challenges presented to them through a series of adventures. The series also serves as a link between the historical aspect of the Star Trek universe, which has lasted more than 60 years, and its futuristic elements.

The story primarily centers on cadets undergoing Starfleet’s demanding training. Viewers will follow the characters' growth and leadership development through episodic missions. The series also introduces characters from previous Star Trek shows in a way that conveys continuity and preserves the legacy of Starfleet, which the cadets must uphold while facing new moral dilemmas.

The important “wall of heroes” in the Academy’s atrium is a symbolic element that visually acknowledges Starfleet’s history and values.

As Noga told ScreenRant:

“...when you look at the wall of heroes in our atrium, our giant set, you'll see us honoring so many of the people who came before us, who showed us what heroism is, and who showed us what the values of Starfleet are.”

In the official plot of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, new cadets are the main focus, but the integration of the Sisko story arc adds complexity and intrigue. Sisko’s transformation into a Prophet and his promise to return reportedly set up the mystery that the Academy and its cadets will face—both as an event in Starfleet’s past and as an unfolding question in the series’ timeline.

This accompanying storyline explores themes of sacrifice, leadership, faith, and identity, making it one of the defining features of Starfleet Academy. These elements differentiate it from other Star Trek productions and provide a strong emotional and philosophical foundation.

Linking the cadet-focused storytelling with the legend of Sisko adds narrative complexity in multiple ways, including positioning the cadets as witnesses to heroes and their unwritten tales of Starfleet. It also connects to broader Star Trek themes such as existence beyond the material world, the responsibilities of command, and the challenges of balancing personal life with duty—central aspects of Sisko's original storyline in DS9.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will start streaming on Paramount+ on January 15, 2026. The launch will feature the first two episodes, with the remaining episodes released weekly on Thursdays. The final episode is set for March 12, 2026. The season consists of 10 episodes in total, and Paramount+ is the exclusive streaming platform. The release schedule was revealed during the Star Trek Universe panel at New York Comic Con 2025.