Benjamin Sisko has a "sour space for Captain Picard" (because he lost his wife, Jennifer Sisko, during the Borg attack at Wolf 359 in 2367, thanks to Locutus) and is struggling to raise his son, Jake, who was only 12 years old at the event of Wolf 359.

He was serving on board the USS Saratoga during the Borg invasion in the beginning of year 2367, then spent some time at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards at Mars rebuilding the fleet. Sisko objected to being assigned to Deep Space Nine. He told Starfleet he had a son to raise and had been asking for an Earth assignment, not this. His important work on DS9 gives him a new direction, but his is still very much a life framed by tragedy.

He is a baseball fan, but since baseball died out in the 22nd century he has to visit the holo-suite to visit players and games. He is gentle, strong, soft-spoken, and short-tempered. He shaved his head bald in the beginning of year 2372. (Perhaps only bald captain can boldly go where no one has gone before.)

Although Jennifer Sisko died in the battle of Wolf 359, Benjamin had seen the mirror Jennifer few times in the mirror universe ("Through the Looking Glass", "Shattered Mirror"). However, the mirror Jennifer was killed by the mirror Intendent Kira on stardate ~49750 (in year 2372) ("Shattered Mirror").

He began romantically involved with Kasidy Yates, a freighter captain, since Jake introduced Kasidy to Benjamin on stardate ~48900 (in year 2371) ("Family Business"). Although it was later uncovered that Kasidy was working for the Maquis on stardate ~49500 ("For the Cause"), Benjamin and Kasidy are still involved after Kasidy finished serving her jail time (stardate ~50400 "Rapture").