Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Section 31After 58 years,Star Trek: Section 31shows that it’s time forStar Trekto abandon its oldest multiverse concept, the Mirror Universe.Star Trekpioneered the concept of the multiverse that’s so prevalent in modern franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Mirror Universe, a twisted alternate reality whereStar Trekcharacters are sinister versions of themselves, was introduced in 1967’sStar Trek: The Original Seriesseason 2 episode, “Mirror, Mirror.” Ever since,Star Trekhas returned to the Mirror Universe time and again.
TheMirror Universe’s Terran Empireis the ruthless opposite of the United Federation of Planets inStar Trek’s Prime Timeline. After its initial appearance inStar Trek: The Original Series, almost 30 years passed beforeStar Trek: Deep Space Ninereturned to the alternate reality. The Mirror Universe’s 22nd century was glimpsed inStar Trek: Enterprise, butit wasStar Trek: Discoverythat delivered an even more disturbing and prevalent vision of the evil parallel timeline.
Star Trek: DiscoveryintroducedEmperor Philippa Georgiou(Michelle Yeoh), and explored the Mirror Universe inStar Trek: Discoveryseasons 1, 3, and 5. EvenStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2 took a detour into the Mirror Universe. However, Emperor Georgiou redefined the Mirror Universe, andStar Treksubsequently refashioned the alternate reality in Georgiou’s image. By theend ofStar Trek: Section 31,the Mirror Universe has worn out its welcome.
Section 31 Proves It’s Time For Star Trek To Abandon The Mirror Universe
When The Terran Empire Becomes The Hunger Games, It’s Time To Call It A Day
Star Trek: Section 31centers on Emperor Philippa Georgiou, so it’s unsurprising and inevitable that its main threat and enemy hail from the Mirror Universe and reflect Georgiou’s past sins.Star Trek: Section 31’s flashbacks depict how theyoung Philippa Georgiou (Miku Martineau)won a brutal contest and murdered her own family to claim the throne of Terran Emperor. Georgiou denied her own love for San (James Huang) and enslaved him. It’s no great shock that San (James Hiroyuki Liao) returns to seek revenge on Emperor Georgiou.
Star Trek: Section 31 Movie Sequel: Everything We Know
Star Trek: Section 31 is Paramount+’s first Star Trek streaming movie, but will Michelle Yeoh headline another movie as Emperor Georgiou?
It’s no coincidence thatEmperor Georgiou’s Mirror Universe origin is derivative ofThe Hunger Games, with Philippa and San cast as the Terran Empire’s Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Yet Georgiou’s origin reflects a creative bankruptcy when it comes to the Mirror Universe. NumerousStar Trekcharacters have gone to the Mirror timeline, andStar Trek: Section 31teases an invasion of the Federation by the Terran Empire that Emperor Georgiou thwarts.Georgiou herself turned her back on the Mirror Universe, and it’s a cue forStar Trekto do the same.
Star Trek’s Mirror Universe Has Run Its Course
What More Is There To Learn About The Terran Empire
Star Trek’s Mirror Universe is an idea that’s fascinating enough to have endured and been expanded for nearly 60 years.Star Trek: The Original Seriesposited that the fascist Terran Empire was essentially doomed, andStar Trek: Deep Space Nineproved Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) prophecy correct.Star Trek: Enterprise’s Mirror Universetwo-parter showed the limits of snarlingly evil Terrans.Every foray into the Mirror Universe only builds gratitude for the enlightened, optimistic FederationinStar Trek’s Prime Timeline.
A plan for William Shatner to reprise his evil Mirror Universe Tiberius Kirk character onStar Trek: Enterprisedidn’t come to fruition.
Star Trek: DiscoveryandStar Trek: Section 31have collectively pulled enough water from the Mirror Universe’s well for it to run dry. Emperor Georgiou’s golden, malevolent Terran Empire is the most sadistic and violent incarnation of the Mirror Universe, complete with cannibalism and sadomasochism. After so many forays into the alternate reality,the Mirror Universe went from an exciting ‘What If?’ diversion to a series of one-dimensional"everyone is evil"clichésthat substitute shock value for character depth.
Star Trek’s Multiverse Is More Interesting Than The Mirror Universe
There Are Greater Possibilities For Alternate Star Trek Realities
The Mirror Universe isStar Trek’s first alternate reality, but its multiverse has become more interesting than the timeline where everyone is pure evil.Star Trekis no stranger to parallel timelines and futures that were erased, andJ.J. Abrams even built a blockbuster trilogy ofStar Trekmovies set in the alternate Kelvin timelinewith rebooted versions of Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the crew of the Starship Enterprise.9 years afterStar Trek Beyond, audiences are still waiting to be reunited with Chris Pine and his Enterprise crew.
Star Trek: Picardseason 2 briefly rebooted the Prime timeline into a reality ruled by the evil Confederation of Earth, which was essentially another Mirror Universe, but it only lasted 2 episodes.
With the giddy imagination and creative freedom that animation offers,Star Trek: Prodigyseason 2 andStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 offered more thrilling possibilities forStar Trek’s multiverse.With the Traveler Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) as their guide,Star Trek: Prodigy’s young crew of the USS Protostar went where no Starfleet heroes had gone before.Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5proved the multiverse truly has infinite diversity in infinite combinations.Star Trek: Lower Decks' vision of seeing how humanity improves itself in different realities is more intriguing and uplifting than the Mirror Universe filled with villains.
Star Trek’s Next Shows Won’t Involve The Mirror Universe
No Mirror Universe in Strange New Worlds or Section 31
Star Trek on Paramount+’s next two yearsrevolve around two TV series,Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,andStar Trek: Starfleet Academy. Neither show is likely to involve the Mirror Universe.Strange New Worldsis a prequel set beforeStar Trek: The Original Series. Since the Mirror Universe has long been the purview ofStar Trek: Discovery,andStrange New Worldshas prided itself on innovative, boundary-pushing big creative swings,Captain Christopher Pike’s (Anson Mount) USS Enterprise is expected to steer clear of the Mirror Universe.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 - Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 ended with an epic cliffhanger and here’s everything known about when it will be resolved in season 3.
LikeStrange New Worlds,Star Trek: Starfleet Academyis a spinoff ofStar Trek: Discovery,and it’s a direct sequel continuingDisco’s 32nd century.Star Trek: Discoveryestablished that due to the Temporal Wars,the Prime and Mirror timelines diverged, and there hadn’t been any crossovers for five hundred years. WithStar Trek: Starfleet Academyinvolving a host of new faces, young Starfleet hopefuls, andStar Treklegacy characters meeting a new enemy threatening the Federation, the Mirror Universe looks to be inStar Trek’s rearview mirror.
The Mirror Universe looks to be in Star Trek’s rearview mirror.
Star Trek’s Mirror Universe has made an indelible mark on the franchise and posed fascinating questions that have since been answered. The fascist Terran Empire has risen, fallen, and risen again, and has reached its storytelling limits. InStar Trek: Discovery’s far future, the Prime and Mirror Universes are no longer aligned, and it’s time forStar Trekto take that hint.
