Synopsis: SAM (Series Acclimation Mil) ties to solve the mystery of Benjamine Sisko and understand organic lifeforms.
This episode can be seen as an illustration of Carl (C. G.) Jung’s concept of individuation—“the process by which a person becomes a psychological ‘in-dividual,’ that is, a separate, indivisible unity or ‘whole’” (C. G. Jung, 1939/1969, p. 275 [CW 9i, para. 490]).
In “Series Acclimation Mil,” SAM (Series Acclimation Mil) explained in a voiceover that she was a photonic, or holographic lifeform, and was created 217 days ago with the purpose of being the future emissary of her home world, Kasq, to the Federation. Currently, SAM was tasked with explaining organics to her makers, who were also photonic, had been created by organics, and became sentient. Her makers visited SAM at Starfleet Academy and wanted to know if they could trust organics. They ordered SAM to enroll in a class called “Confronting the Unexplainable.” While visiting the classroom for that course SAM learned about the mystery of Benjamin Sisko, who was created by godlike aliens. When SAM asked permission to join the class, the professor who taught it told her first that she would need to wait until next year but then told her that if she could solve Benjamin Sisko’s mystery, she could teach the class. Chancellor Nahla Ake suggested to SAM that she visit the Sisko Museum. Through the museum portal, SAM learned that Benjamin Sisko’s mother was both human and a prophet, and that his path had been predetermined, just like hers. SAM then watched an interview with Jake Sisko, Benjamin Sisko’s son. Later, Jay-Den Kraag told SAM that Jake Sisko wrote a book about his father. After visiting the Sisko Museum, SAM told the professor who taught “Confronting the Unexplainable” that Benjamin Sisko did not get to live the life he wanted. The professor then showed SAM the book that Jake Sisko wrote about his father. In it, he wrote that his father both chose his life and was chosen to live it. He wrote that the Prophets told Benjamin Sisko that if he married Kasidy Yates that he would know nothing but sorrow, but he married her anyway. That he had to stay true to himself. Jake Sisko told SAM that she was enough. Emboldened, SAM told her makers that she needed time. That organics’ purpose was not understanding, it is becoming, and she needs to do that too.
In this episode, when SAM explained to her makers that the purpose of the life of organics was not understanding but becoming, this idea can be compared to Jung’s concept of individuation—the ongoing process of acknowledging and integrating bits of unconscious material into the conscious ego to make it stronger and the psyche more whole. It is a lifelong journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance; of becoming not being.
Reference:
Jung, C. G. (1969). Conscious, unconscious, and individuation (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.). In H. Read et al. (Eds.), The collected works of C. G. Jung: Vol. 9 pt. 1. Archetypes and the collective unconscious (2nd ed., pp. 275-289). Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1939) https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400850969.275
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