Original air date: October 6, 1967
SYNOPSIS
A transporter accident places Captain Kirk's landing party in an alternate universe, where the Enterprise is in the service of a barbarically brutal empire.
CANON CONTEXT
In Star Trek's internal chronology, the earliest appearance of the Mirror Universe is in the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise. The two-part episode "In a Mirror, Darkly", which is a sequel to the Original Series episode "The Tholian Web", reveals the fate of the USS Defiant.
RECAP
Ah, the alternate universe. How I’ve missed thee! And can we talk about Spock’s goatee and mustache! Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Where to begin? Well, at the beginning I suppose. It starts with what should be a simple transport from a planet onto the Enterprise for four members of the crew. But this time is not so simple as there is a huge storm overhead happening. When the Enterprise attempts to beam everyone back on board there is a glitch in the system. Then things start going, as I like to call, pear shaped.
Their outfits are different, but so are their personalities and attitudes. I’m familiar with the alternate universe as I had just watched the first season of Star Trek Discovery just a few months ago. I’m aware of the opposite personality and I must say it’s done fairly well. It also helped that we don’t see much of the “other” in this episode. We stick with the crew we know and love and how they deal with their current circumstance they’ve been thrown into. For starters, the way that crew members move up in rank is by assassinating the one just above their station. This means everyone, especially Kirk, must watch his back or he might find myself with a knife stuck in it at any moment.
Same thing goes for Uhura who seems to have caught the eye of a creepy looking Sulu.
But she is a badass and no stranger to adversity while men just stand by and watch her having to defend herself. Granted, I’ve seen Kirk and Scotty come to her aid. But they seem to be the only ones. Otherwise, girlfriend gotta do whatever she gotta do to survive!
I would like to touch briefly on this tender(?) moment between Uhura and Kirk.
She won’t say it but she’s scared because she knows that everyone on this ship is mean and cutthroat and she’s just been asked to go stay on the bridge without Kirk or Bones or Scotty there to protect her. It’s a moment where you can tell that Kirk cares about her but that he also trusts that she is more than capable of taking care of herself.
Then there’s Spock. Of course, he is subject to the usual teasing from Kirk and Bones at the very end of the episode to bring a bit of light-hearted jest and humor to an otherwise scary episode, but for now, let us all bask in the glow of the “new” Spock:
In this universe his is not all that different from the one we know and love. He is logical but he is also quite regimented in his duties. While the Federation might be misguided in their new world orders and rules, Spock is still very much of the mindset that he will follow whatever orders he is given by whomever is in command. And if that means killing Kirk who has been acting rather strangely and not as ruthless as this version of the Federation dictates, then he will do so. At least this Spock still respects Kirk in so far as when he discovers for himself that this is not the right Kirk he doesn’t stop him but instead helps him get the hell out of dodge. To put it lightly.
They are quite a pair aren’t they? Whether it’s this universe or another.
And lastly, we mustn’t forget the much needed femme fatale. In this universe, and indeed episode, Kirk has a woman who appears to share his bed and does nothing more? Well, not exactly. Though I feel like 95% of her contribution to the story takes place in his private quarters. She is rather helpful if also quite pleasant to look at.
She shows him, and later uses to save him, a device that is able to look anywhere on the ship and with the push of a button, kill that person. The how and why isn’t really important. What is important is that just like Spock she learns that this Kirk is not “her Kirk.” He is much too kind and gentle. She wants to go back with him to his universe but of course she cannot. Kirk does, in his own way, pass her on to Spock when she tells him that she can show him that handy device. He can use it to take control of the ship and hopefully change the course of how the Federation treats other planets and people it encounters. Something tells me that is not exactly the path they take.
In the end, Kirk, Bones, Scotty, and Uhura make it back to their own universe where everyone, including Spock, are pleased to have them back. Oh, and who do we have here. She looks familiar…
DID THEY REALLY SAY THAT?
Dr. McCoy: Jim, I think I liked him with a beard better. It gave him character. Of course almost any change would be a distinct improvement.
Captain James T. Kirk: What worries me is the easy way his counterpart fitted into that other universe. I always thought Spock was a bit of a pirate at heart.
Mr. Spock: Indeed, gentlemen. May I point out that I had an opportunity to observe your counterparts here quite closely. They were brutal, savage, unprincipled, uncivilized, treacherous - in every way splendid examples of homo sapiens, the very flower of humanity. I found them quite refreshing.
Captain James T. Kirk: [to McCoy] I'm not sure, but I think we've been insulted.
Dr. McCoy: I'm sure.