Star Trek: Deep Space Nine began by establishing a hostile relationship between Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) which was ultimately never resolved. The two men met during the handover of DS9 to discuss Sisko's assignment to aid Bajor's entry into the Federation. Throughout their meeting, Sisko struggles to conceal his grudge against Jean-Luc, whom he holds responsible for the death of his wife, who was killed during the battle of Wolf 359.
Sisko's grief and anger over the part Picard played in Wolf 359 as Locutus of Borg was never fully resolved in DS9, which always felt like a missed opportunity. DS9 soon became the frontline in the Dominion War, and Sisko was able to move past his grief by marrying Kassidy Yates, before fulfilling his destiny by defeating the Pah Wraiths and taking his place in the Celestial Temple. As Sisko never met Picard again, the tension between both men was unresolved, and it's unknown if Sisko's experiences during the Dominion War changed his outlook on Picard's time as Locutus.
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Two Star Trek Captains Being Hostile Hasn’t Happened Since DS9
A scenario that leads to such thinly veiled hostility between Star Trek captains is rare in the show, and if there ever is a disagreement or clash of personalities, those differences are usually ironed out over the course of an episode. This doesn't happen at any point truly between Sisko and Picard in "Emissary", however. Even by the end of the episode when the two men shake hands, there's still palpable tension between them. Even TNG's Captain Jellico and Will Riker resolved their problems, so it's disappointing that two of Star Trek's most iconic captains have unresolved issues together.
There are still interpersonal conflicts between Star Trek characters, but they never feel as insurmountable as Sisko's feelings toward Picard. For example, Star Trek: Lower Decks regularly shows Captain Freeman making digs at her fellow Starfleet captains, but they still maintain a professional relationship for appearance's sake. Sisko's clash with Picard - someone who represents the very ideals of Starfleet and follows them to the letter - set Sisko up as someone who would often operate outside of Starfleet's rules to become the great military leader he was during the Dominion War.
Why Picard Never Saw Sisko Or DS9 Again
Recently, in Star Trek's expanded media, Sisko and Picard met again in the new IDW ongoing series, which sees Sisko return from the Celestial Temple. It begins to resolve their feud by giving Picard and Sisko a surprising bond based on their experiences with the collective minds of the Borg and the Prophets, respectively. However, Picard and Sisko never met again on-screen, most likely due to Patrick Stewart's work commitments following the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation. TNG finished a year after DS9 premiered, and Patrick Stewart was immediately signed up to further TNG movies, starting with Star Trek Generations in 1994.
Also, as the direction of DS9 shifted in tone from TNG, Jean-Luc Picard didn't feel like a character that would fit neatly into the Dominion War. Arguably, Picard's flawed attempts to negotiate with the Cardassians in Deep Space Nine episodes like "Journey's End" bordered on appeasem*nt, which could make him a problematic personality on the Bajoran station. Instead, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine viewers would have to fill in the gaps when it came to Sisko and Picard. In their final scene together, Picard admits to having kept Sisko's possible resignation a secret, and both men shake hands, which feels like a small, hopeful step in their relationship.
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