I think “Lower Decks” killing Sito was the right direction. It was a small part of setting up the Bajoran-Cardassian conflict in DS9 (granted it was in its second season) and redeemed a character that the audience was fully expected to dislike from the event of “The First Duty”. It did so much to turn them around and make us fall in love with them. Sito got to have a second chance and do what they knew was dangerous but ultimately necessary. By the time Fill returned for Lower Decks, the weight of Sito’s death had a more meaningful impact that was unexpected.