As a huge Star Trek fan, I’ve been following all the hype around the new Deep Space Ninethemed episode of Starfleet Academy, and wow, there’s a lot to unpack! It turns out a character from DS9 actually made it all the way to the 32nd century, and we got some really interesting details about what happened with the Sisko family after the original series ended. But the biggest surprise? A cameo from Avery Brooks himself – Captain Benjamin Sisko! Considering he stepped away from acting around 2013, seeing him involved at all is a fantastic treat for those of us who’ve been following Star Trek for years. And the episode actually explains how he’s able to appear. Just a heads-up though: if you haven’t seen Star Trek: Starfleet Academy* Episode 5 – “Series Acclimation Mil” yet, be warned, this article is full of spoilers!
Before the episode aired, Paramount told ComicBook that the monologue featured was originally part of Avery Brooks’ 2007 spoken-word album, ‘Here’. ScreenRant’s John Orquiola has since shared how it ended up in the show, explaining it was thanks to Brooks’ Deep Space Nine co-star, Cirroc Lofton, who also reprised his role as the adult Jake Sisko in the episode.
I suddenly thought using an album by this artist would be perfect for the episode. It’s a really beautiful jazz album called “Here” that I often listen to. I wondered if we could incorporate it, and Tawny and I teamed up to explore the possibility. I gave her the CD and asked her to see if anything felt right for the show. I was hoping we could also feature Avery’s voice, creating a special moment at the end that would tie everything together nicely. Thankfully, it all came together – I’m still amazed it worked out!
Why Starfleet Academy Reused An Avery Brooks’ Recording
The new series Starfleet Academy features Tawny Newsome as Professor Illa Dax, continuing the story of the Trill symbiont originally introduced in DS9. Newsome also contributed creatively to the show, writing an episode focused on the character of Sisko and Avery Brooks, fulfilling a long-held plan to pay tribute to them.
From the start, we agreed the best way to pay tribute to both the character Sisko and actor René Auberjonois was to have his support and involvement in any way he desired. Cirroc, who had a relationship with Mr. Brooks, actually suggested using the recording he’ll explain. We knew right away that getting his approval and ensuring he understood this project was a celebration of his work was essential.
The showrunners needed Avery Brooks’ permission to use audio from his spoken-word album, and they had to explain the plot of the episode to get it. He eventually agreed. Considering some fans are upset that the episode implies Sisko didn’t keep his promise to Kassidy at the end of DS9, getting Brooks’ approval was really important.
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2026-02-05 17:16