Captain Benjamin Sisko was the main protagonist of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but how old was Sisko at the beginning and the end of the series?

How old was Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) before, during, and after Star Trek: Deep Space Nine? Sisko was the lead in DS9‘s main cast of characters and is widely regarded as one of the most influential characters in the franchise. Born in 2332, Sisko became Star Trek‘s first Black male lead when he took command of the Deep Space 9 space station in DS9‘s pilot episode, “Emissary.” During his time in command of the station, Sisko also acted as the Emissary to the Bajoran Prophets and was instrumental in the conflict that eventually became the Dominion War.

Although it wasn’t revealed until “Emissary,” Sisko’s involvement in important Star Trek timeline events started before his tenure on DS9. In 2366, Sisko was present at the Battle of Wolf 359, the first major encounter between the Borg and the Federation. Sisko was 34 at the time of the Battle and lost his wife Jennifer Sisko (Felecia M. Bell) in the conflict. The trauma and grief of Wolf 359 influenced a good deal of Sisko’s character in “Emissary” and throughout the rest of the series.

How Old Captain Sisko Is In Star Trek: DS9

DS9 covered six years of Sisko’s life

Because Sisko’s birth year is well documented, it’s easy to determine his age during DS9‘s run. At the start of the series, in 2369, Sisko was 37 years old. DS9 began three years after the Battle of Wolf 359, and concluded in 2375, approximately six years later. In the series finale, “What You Leave Behind,” Sisko sacrificed himself to stop Gul Dukat (Mark Alaimo) from unleashing the Pah-Wraiths and ascended to the Celestial Temple to live with the Prophets. By DS9‘s finale, Sisko was 43 years old, an age he may have remained indefinitely given how his story ended.

Captain Sisko’s Age After DS9 Is Tricky

Sisko’s DS9 ending makes his post-series age complicated

Because of his status at the end of DS9, Sisko’s age post-series is tricky to determine. As a non-corporeal, non-linear being, Sisko likely stopped aging when his corporeal body presumably died on Bajor in the Fire Caves. Therefore, although he was 43 at the time of his “death,” Sisko is now ageless given that the Prophets experience time differently than humans and the rest of the galaxy. Normal, linear aging would likely mean nothing to Sisko upon his ascension to the Celestial Temple.

However, given that the franchise continued after Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ended, it is still possible to determine how old Sisko would be at the time of new Star Trek shows. Star Trek: Picard brought the franchise into the 25th century, with season 3 being set in 2401 and 2402. By 2402, Sisko would have been 75 years old. Sisko’s age corresponds with Avery Brooks’ age, with Brooks also being 75 as of 2023. Matching the actors’ and characters’ ages so exactly made for a more realistic performance from Brooks as Captain Sisko.