Unraveling the Time-Bending Bell Riots in Star Trek DS9: Sisko's Epic Departure from History

Summary

The Bell Riots in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine highlighted the social inequality of 21st century America, which is still relevant today.

Commander Sisko played a crucial role in ensuring the occurrence of the Bell Riots, which ultimately contributed to the establishment of the utopian Federation. The potential impact of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' altered timeline on the Bell Riots cannot be overlooked; however, considering the harsh realities of the 21st century, it is evident that the significance and relevance of this story persist.

Commander Benjamin Sisko risked altering history by being involved in the Bell Riots during Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3. In the "Past Tense" two-part episode, a malfunctioning transporter sends Sisko, Dr. Julian Bashir, and Lt. Jadzia Dax back to 21st century Earth. They arrive in San Francisco in 2024 and discover Sanctuary Districts, which ironically house the homeless and unemployed citizens behind walls in major cities.

The idea of Sanctuary Districts was revisited in Star Trek: Picard season 2, where Seven of Nine and Commander Raffaela Musiker find themselves in a homeless community in Los Angeles in 2024. This serves as a commentary on the current state of America, highlighting the social inequality that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine addressed in 1995, which still persists today. In the Star Trek universe, 2024 is a significant moment in establishing the utopian ideals of the Federation, made possible by Sisko unintentionally altering history and later bending the Temporal Prime Directive to rectify it.

Star Trek: DS9’s Bell Riots & Sisko Becoming Gabriel Bell Explained

The Bell Riots occurred due to the oppressive Sanctuary system, which resulted in a revolt led by Gabriel Bell. The National Guard's aggressive response to regain control of the Sanctuary Processing Center resulted in numerous deaths. The public outcry following the riots compelled the government to reevaluate the Sanctuary program and take steps towards addressing long-standing social inequality. The significance of this event was such that it was crucial for Sisko to ensure that the Bell Riots still occurred, even after the real Gabriel Bell's untimely death. Sisko assumed Bell's identity to ensure that the events unfolded as recorded in history. This solution created a causal loop since the future Sisko could only play the role of Gabriel Bell if he had already been Gabriel Bell in 2024.

Does Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Canon Change Affect DS9’s Bell Riots?

Although the Bell Riots hold significant importance in Star Trek history, it remains uncertain if the timeline changes in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds would have any impact on this event. "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" episode highlighted the interference of time agents such as Sera (played by Adelaide Kane), who manipulated key moments such as the Eugenics Wars and World War 3. With the Bell Riots being a crucial turning point in the early Federation narrative, it becomes susceptible to targeting in the temporal conflicts depicted in Strange New Worlds.

Nonetheless, the Romulan interference explored in Star Trek: Picard season 2 and the harsh realities of 21st-century society suggest that the Bell Riots depicted in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine remain unaffected. These riots within the Sanctuary Districts did not require the orchestrations of Khan Noonien-Singh (portrayed by Ricardo Montalban), but rather stemmed from human cruelty and a disinterested response to social inequality. Sadly, the story of the Bell Riots remains remarkably relevant even 28 years after the initial airing of "Past Tense" on television.