star trek adventures mirror universe

Den of Geek

Star Trek: A Guide to All the Mirror Universe Episodes

What can we learn about Star Trek: Discovery from these previous Mirror Universe-set Star Trek episodes?

• Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Linkedin (opens in a new tab)
• Share on email (opens in a new tab)

Warning: This article contains Star Trek: Discovery spoilers.

In this week’s episode of Star Trek: Discovery , we got confirmation that the crew of the Discovery has landed in the franchise’s Mirror Universe where, instead of the peace-loving Federation, Earth has its own, tyrannical Terran Empire.

The Star Trek franchise has a history of episodes and arcs that take place in this Mirror Universe. They are often amongst the strongest storytelling of their respective series and build upon the Mirror Universe mythology that has come before.

As we head further into Discovery ‘s incarnation of the Mirror Universe, let’s look back at all of the Mirror Universe episodes in Star Trek ‘s history…

Ad – content continues below

The Original Series’ Mirror Universe

The one that started it all! The Original Series first ventured into the Mirror Universe in Season 2’s “Mirror, Mirror,” when four members of the Enterprise’s crew are switched with their nefarious counterparts in the Mirror Universe.

Discovery has drawn many of its Mirror Universe elements from this original incarnation, including the Agony Booths and the Terran Empire’s preferred method of job promotion: betrayal and murder.

Discovery also borrows “Mirror, Mirror”‘s logic that one does not simply travel to the Mirror Universe, but must switch places. The Mirror Universe’s Discovery has seemingly ended up in  our  Discovery’s universe, which will no doubt cause all manner of problems for the Federation.

There better be at least one goatee in Discovery ‘s mirror universe or I’m asking for a refund. (Though Tilly’s Terran ‘do is a good start.)

Deep Space Nine’s Mirror Universe

Deep Space Nine did a deep dive into the Mirror Universe with five separate episodes across five different seasons: “Crossover” (Season 2), “Through the Looking Glass” (Season 3), “Shattered Mirror” (Season 4), “Resurrection” (Season 6), and “The Emperor’s New Cloak” (Season 7).

While the Deep Space Nine Mirror Universe story arc doesn’t seem to have much to do with Discovery ‘s take so far, its thematic foundation of the narrative rested on the idea that those who visited the Mirror Universe had a positive effect on the Terran Empire, which began to reform itself for the better. Could the Discovery’s visit to the Mirror Universe have been part of that path to change?

DS9 ‘s visit to the Mirror Universe also introduced the idea that people who died in the “normal” universe might be alive and well in the Mirror Universe, as we found with Sisko’s wife. In “Despite Yourself,” we met Mirror Connor, another version of the Shenzhou’s ensign. It seems inevitable that we will meet more mirror versions of characters who’ve died in our universe. My favorite theory? That Phillipa Georgiou is the Emperor of the Terran Empire.

Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

Enterprise’s Mirror Universe

Enterprise really hit its narrative stride when it ventured into the Mirror Universe in “In a Mirror, Darkly, Parts 1 & 2,” which saw the show imagining a fate for the USS Defiant, the missing ship the Enterprise is looking for in The Original Series episode “The Tholian Web.” 

What happened to the Defiant, per Enterprise canon? Basically, the crew went crazy, turned on each other, and ended up in the hands of the Tholians. The crew of the ISS Enterprise, captained by a Mirror Universe version of Jonathan Archer, steal the ship from the aliens and attempts to use it to overthrow the Empire. The Defiant has already had a mention in Discovery as a ship that has previously crossed over to the Mirror Universe.

These episodes give us the backstory for the Terran Empire, and how it ended up so different from our universe’s Federation. It imagines the famous first contact between human Zefram Cochrane and the Vulcans going very differently. Instead of a peaceful interaction, Cochrane kills the lead Vulcan and he and other humans loot the ship. Yeah, the Mirror Universe is the worst.

Kayti Burt | @kaytiburt

Kayti is a pop culture writer, editor, and full-time nerd who comes from a working class background. A member of the Television Critics Association, she specializes…

9 Best Mirror Universe Episodes in 'Star Trek'

From 'Deep Space Nine' to 'Discovery,' here are the 9 best 'Star Trek' mirror universe episodes.

We are currently in the middle of a Golden Age of Star Trek . Star Trek: Discovery has ended a strong Season 4 and Star Trek: Picard is currently in the middle of a fascinating sophomore season. The animated series Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Lower Decks were well-received by both critics and fans and will both return for their next seasons later in 2022. On top of that, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will follow the adventures of the starship Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ) some years before the events of the original Star Trek series.

The Season 2 premiere of Picard picks up about a year and some change after the end of Season 1. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) has come fully out of retirement as Chancellor of Starfleet Academy. When he is called once again out into the stars to investigate one of those pesky spatial anomalies, he finds himself zapped into what seems to be an alternate universe, courtesy of his old nemesis, the incredibly powerful Q ( John DeLancie ). This is the closest thing to a journey into the Mirror Universe that any alumni of Star Trek: The Next Generation has done. In this spirit, here at the nine best Star Trek Mirror Universe episodes, from across the franchise.

RELATED: ‘Star Trek’s Mirror Universe, Explained

“Despite Yourself” ( Discovery , Season 1, Episode 10)

Star Trek: Discovery spends the most time in the Mirror Universe of the other series (so far). Its Mirror Universe debut, “Despite Yourself” is a little disorienting. This partially stems from the bold move of dropping the cast into the Mirror Universe so late in the season, but also from the unresolved plot strands which carry over from the Prime Universe.

Coming off of a major victory for the Federation while in the midst of the Klingon War, Captain Lorca secretly programs new coordinates for a spore drive jump. Commander Stamets ( Anthony Rapp ) just made 133 micro-jumps in a row, and the jump into the Mirror Universe traumatizes him. Dr. Culber ( Wilson Cruz ) confronts Lt. Ash Tyler ( Shazad Latif ) over the truth about his physiology, triggering his “real” identity, the Klingon Voq. Tyler kills Culber, leaving his body with the catatonic Stamets. This horror takes a backseat to the crew’s understandable confusion as they find themselves in the brutal Mirror Universe, and must pose as their savage “ISS Discovery ” counterparts and find a way home.

“Through the Looking Glass” ( Deep Space Nine , Season 2, Episode 23)

Some time after the first crossover between the Prime and Mirror Universes since the Kirk and Spock era, the Mirror version of Miles O’Brien ( Colm Meany ), (nicknamed “Smiley” for his grumpy demeanor), develops an interdimensional transporter. He kidnaps the Prime Benjamin Sisko ( Avery Brooks ) and forces him to impersonate the Mirror Sisko, who has died since becoming a resistance leader. Sisko must persuade the Mirror Jennifer Sisko ( Felicia M. Bell ), a brilliant scientist fighting against the rebellion to switch sides. Since Jennifer died at the hands of the Borg during the battle at Wolf 359, Sisko can’t help but intervene.

With the notable exception of Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy , the current incarnation of Trek shows have seemingly gone all-in on a Serious, Weighty tone. This makes a rewatch of the Deep Space Nine Mirror Universe episodes a relatively jarring experience. Its “alien soap opera” vibes come off as a campier version of TNG ’s generally straight-faced seriousness. "Through the Looking Glass" brings the always-welcome Colm Meany to the forefront as it catches up with the apparent mess of a Mirror galaxy, but is unfortunately the last of the DS9 Mirror entries worth your time.

“The Wolf Inside” ( Discovery , Season 1, Episode 11)

We learn more about the tumult engulfing Discovery ’s Mirror galaxy in “The Wolf Inside.” The as-yet-unseen Emperor is preoccupied with quelling a rebellion, and has tasked the ISS Shenzou — captained by Michael Burnham — with destroying the recently-discovered rebel stronghold. Prime Burnham will not pretend to this level of amorality, and must balance her convictions with appeasing the ever-scheming Mirror crew’s suspicion. She and Tyler discover the leader of the anti-Terran resistance: this universe’s Voq. The Mirror Sarek (Burnham’s adoptive father in the Prime Universe) is a resistance leader, and via a mind meld comes to understand the promise of Burnham’s Federation. Voq triggers Tyler, who attacks him, jeopardizing the delicate balance Burnham tries to achieve.

Any show is a bit shaky during its first season, and Discovery is no exception. “The Wolf Inside” suffers a bit from stretching the Voq/Tyler reveal as far as possible. As ever, the main cast appears to be having a fine time vamping it up as their evil twins. Still, elements of “The Wolf Inside” might have been best woven into the surrounding episodes rather than a standalone placeholder.

"Vaulting Ambition" ( Discovery , Season 1, Episode 12)

Still catatonic in the physical world, Stamets’ psyche is trapped in the mycelial network. His Mirror Universe counterpart finds him and helps guide him out, revealing that the entire network has become corrupted. Stamets finds an echo of the deceased Hugh, who explains that the Mirror Stamets has exploited the mycelial network for his own gain, and its spreading corruption will mean the end of all life everywhere if left unchecked. Burnham discovers that the Terran Emperor — none other than the Mirror version of Philipa Georgiou ( Michelle Yeoh ), Burnham’s now-deceased former captain, mentor, and surrogate mother — has been using Stamets to develop a bioweapon. This weapon has been draining the mycelial network, which cannot regenerate fast enough. She also realizes that Gabriel Lorca was in fact from the Mirror Universe all along. Lorca escapes his confinement in an Agonizer and frees his followers, who join him in his mission to restart his coup against Georgiou.

With Ash Tyler now firmly sidelined and under guard back on the Discovery , the show’s extended foray into the Mirror Universe finally hits its stride. “Vaulting Ambition” is an exciting installment from beginning to end. This is largely due to the winning pair of Sonequa Martin-Green and Michelle Yeoh, who are excellent in their scenes together. The two of them share an energetic chemistry, which is deepened by the ongoing mother-daughter relationship. Georgiou meets a different, arguably more complex version of the person she knows in the Prime Burnham. This conjures a complicated set of emotions, which Yeoh expresses brilliantly.

“What’s Past is Prologue” ( Discovery , Season 1, Episode 13)

The long Mirror Universe arc comes to a head in “What’s Past is Prologue.” Burnham and Georgiou manage to defeat Lorca, ending his coup attempt and resulting in his demise for once and for all. Stamets and Discovery ’s crew discover a way to escape destruction once they have destroyed the bioweapon on the Emperor’s ship. Discovery launches a surprise attack and in the ensuing melee, Lorca is killed, but Burnham beams Mirror Georgiou back to Discovery , which escapes both destruction and the Mirror Universe via the mycelial network.

“What’s Past is Prologue” is an excellent example of what Star Trek: Discovery can do when every element of its storytelling comes together. Stamets gets a version of closure as Hugh’s voice guides him through the mycelial network, and Burnham’s perhaps reckless choice to bring Mirror Georgiou into the Prime Universe sets up a rich mine of conflict which will carry over into the next two seasons. Not to mention keeping the fantastic Michelle Yeoh around.

“Crossover” ( Deep Space Nine , Season 2, Episode 23)

Deep Space Nine ’s wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant was, in retrospect, a perfect device to jumpstart a Mirror Universe episode. In Season 2, we finally got the first canonical crossover since the original Star Trek . Some kind of anomaly sends Dr. Bashir ( Alexander Siddig ) and Major Kira ( Nana Visitor ) into the parallel realm and onto a darker version of DS9. Kira’s döppelganger, the Intendant, runs DS9, part of a Klingon-Cardassian Alliance which overtook the Terran Empire after Mirror Spock took control and tried to change things. Bashir and Kira escape with the help of the Mirror Sisko and O’Brien, and spark a Sisko-led rebellion along the way.

Deep Space Nine ’s later Mirror Universe entries appear to coast on a species of high camp that never really works. In “Crossover,” however, we get to watch the cast ham it up with such scenery-chomping abandon , one wonders if they felt a little repressed in their tightly-wound Prime incarnations. Nana Visitor in particular is a vampish delight as the black leather-clad, bisexual Indentant Kira, who is by turns seductive and ruthless in equal measure. “Crossover” fills in Trek lore with some intriguing details, and it’s a shame the show’s Mirror episodes only go downhill from here.

"Terra Firma" Parts 1 & 2 ( Discovery , Season 3, Episodes 9 & 10)

Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery finds the crew nearly a thousand years into the future, navigating a very different galaxy than the one they left behind. As Discovery struggles to knit together a fractured Federation (warp drive is impossible due to an event which wiped out most of Starfleet and has rendered dilithium unstable), Philippa Georgiou has been experiencing episodes of violent sickness and disorientation. Since the Mirror and Prime Universes have been drifting steadily apart, her molecules themselves are becoming unstable. The crew discovers a planet which seems to hold the key to her recovery: a mysterious fella named Carl guards a doorway into her Mirror Universe past.

“Terra Firma” digs deep into franchise lore to catch up with the Guardian of Forever, a sentient portal to anywhere across space and time featured in what is arguably the original Star Trek ’s greatest episode.

"Mirror, Mirror" ( TOS , Season 2, Episode 4)

A transporter accident sends Captain Kirk ( William Shatner ), Dr. McCoy ( DeForrest Kelley ), Scotty ( James Doohan ), and Uhura ( Nichelle Nichols ) to the dark parallel reality which would not become known as the Mirror Universe for many years to come. They find a way to escape with the help of Mirror Spock, who is moved to try and change the empire for the better.

The original Star Trek introduced the Evil Twin trope into the show’s canon without knowing how influential the Mirror Universe would prove to be. Shed of franchise meta-baggage, “Mirror Mirror” is just a very entertaining sci-fi yarn as it tries out a premise that would prove to be evergreen. Canonically-speaking, Discovery establishes that Kirk and crew’s crossover was in fact not the first time the two realities had intersected. This may prove important to the upcoming Strange New Worlds series, which covers the pre-Kirk Enterprise years.

"In a Mirror Darkly" Parts 1 & 2 ( Enterprise , Season 4, Episodes 18 & 19)

Captain Forrest ( Vaughn Armstrong ) of the ISS Enterprise rules with an iron fist until his first officer, Commander Archer ( Scott Bakula ) stages a coup and takes over. He orders the ship into Tholian space and discovers the USS Defiant , a starship from around a century in the future, from a parallel universe where Archer is captain. The ensuing power struggle ends with Archer assassinated and Hoshi Sato ( Linda Park ) taking over the Defiant and demanding tribute as Empress.

Star Trek: Enterprise holds a complicated place in a Trekkie's heart. Despite an awful theme song, certain sexist character tropes that were already outdated, and a clunky attempt at serialized, vengeance-based storytelling, Enterprise still deserved more time to right itself before cancellation. That didn't happen, but we did get its shining two hours in the form of "In a Mirror Darkly." The two-parter functions as a kind of sequel for the Original Series episode "The Tholian Web," wherein the Defiant vanished into interdimensional space, but dispenses with the Prime Universe altogether. Free of any need to adhere to continuity or even win over new audiences, the entire Enterprise team delivers an entertaining variant on the Mirror Universe theme which may have inspired Discovery 's immersive approach to that darker, endlessly fascinating parallel realm.

The Mirror Universe in Star Trek Television, Explained

A fascinating and twisted reflection of the regular timeline of the Star Trek universe across four shows.

Created by Gene Roddenberry in 1966, the space adventure franchise Star Trek has endured for generations, spawning dozens of series, movies, and video games, with more related projects in the works. It has featured breezy and comedic episodes, but has also explored sensitive topics like fundamentalism, cloning, mental health, addiction, xenophobia, A.I. control, and bioweapons.

As a staple of science-fiction television, Trek shows have naturally tackled time travel , supernatural beings, noncorporeal lifeforms, space anomalies, and alternative or parallel universes . One of the latter was dubbed the Mirror Universe by fans, and here is how it came to be and what it entails. To clarify, when referring to this particular type of universe, the main timeline and its characters are labeled “Prime,” while their counterparts are slapped with the “Mirror” designation.

Stream Star Trek on Paramount+

The Mirror Premise at a Glance

In the Prime timeline , most humans aim to live in harmony with as many contacted alien species as possible; the main objective is building a universe of peace and tolerance, where medical advances can cure almost every ailment and injury, and special abilities and superpowers are celebrated and harnessed instead of feared and condemned. As Captain Picard explains to a man from the past:

The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity.

Although populated with the same characters and occupying the same space, the Mirror Universe is set in another dimension, and features twisted or strange doppelgängers. Instead of avoiding mass destruction and preaching acceptance, the ruling Terran Empire is a ruthless, fascist regime that goes to great lengths to oppress and subjugate every species.

It even treats its own people in the same manner, punishing officers who commit “mistakes” with a device called the Agonizer, or putting them in the Agony Booth, and mercilessly eliminating any opponents and obstacles. Sometimes, Prime characters venturing into the Mirror Universe can prove beneficial. In Star Trek: Discovery , for instance, an adventure in the alternate timeline helps put an end to the war with the Klingons .

Related: 21 Ways Star Trek Predicted the Future

Another example is when Prime characters in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine influence evil doppelgängers into a change of conscience, leading to political reforms. Unfortunately, it is later revealed that the Terran Empire is overthrown, only to be replaced by an alliance of Klingons, Cardassians, and Bajorans, who enslave both humans and Vulcans.

It's important to note that Mirror characters are not only often polar opposites personality-wise, but they also have subtle biological differences, such as more sensitive eyesight, and they experience faster cellular decay when they stay in the Prime Universe for too long.

Canon Shows with Mirror Universe Episodes

Before diving into the explanation of the Mirror Universe, here is a breakdown of the four canon series of Star Trek that feature this parallel dimension:

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)

Honorable Mention: The Tholian Web: Technically not set in the Mirror Universe, it features the vanishing of the USS Defiant into Tholian space, and the connection to a parallel dimension is established later on, in Star Trek: Enterprise ’s episode, “In a Mirror, Darkly.”

These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

Set in the 23d century, The Original Series (TOS) follows Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew, namely First Officer and Science Officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Chief Engineer Scott (James Doohan), and Communications Officer Lt. Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), as they explore the Milky Way and interact with various lifeforms, some more hostile than others.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

Star trek: deep space nine.

Deep Space 9 (DS9) is set in the 24th century, and centers on the titular space station located at the end of the galaxy, next to a wormhole connecting Federation space to the Gamma Quadrant. Main characters include Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Science Officer Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), Head of Security Odo (René Auberjonois), Chief Medical Officer Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddiq), and First Officer Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor).

Together, they protect the Alpha Quadrant from hostile species like the Cardassians and the ultimate rulers of the Gamma Quadrant, the Changelings, who are fluidic shapeshifters.

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)

Star trek: enterprise.

Enterprise (ENT) serves as a 22nd-century prequel to TOS , centering on Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and his crew in the first-ever exploration of the Alpha and Beta quadrants under the flag of the United Earth, aboard the Enterprise NX-01. They save the Earth from the hostile Xindi aliens, establish the guidelines for interstellar diplomacy, and usher in the formation of the United Federation of Planets. It’s basically a prequel to the entire Prime timeline.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017 –)

Star trek discovery.

Discovery (DIS) follows the crew of the titular starship in the 23rd century, a decade before TOS , and later into the 32nd century, after they time travel. Sonequa Martin-Green stars as Michael Burnham, a science officer who starts a war with the Klingon race and then becomes captain of the Discovery . Another key character is her mentor, Philippa Georgio ( wonderfully played by Michelle Yeoh ), the friendly, honorable, determined, and decorated commanding officer of the USS Shenzhou ; she is killed in hand-to-hand combat with a Klingon leader.

The Episode That Ushered in the Narrative

In TOS ’ episode “Mirror, Mirror,” the transporter malfunctions during an ion storm and swaps Captain Kirk and the rest of his landing party, McCoy, Scott, and Uhura, with their villainous counterparts from a parallel universe that exists in the same space. This alternate dimension sees the Federation’s USS Enterprise , now called the ISS Enterprise , as a flagship for the evil Terran Empire.

Disoriented at first, Prime team members decide to play along until they’re able to recreate the same conditions that would send them back home. Before leaving, Prime Kirk reveals to Mirror Spock the existence of the Tantalus Field, Mirror Kirk’s secret device that can monitor and eliminate people with a single touch, so that he can use it as he sees fit to reform the Empire.

It is revealed that Mirror Kirk used the deadly device to get rid of his predecessor, Mirror Captain Pike, in order to take over the ISS Enterprise ; that alone was shocking to both Prime Kirk and the audience, because it was completely out of character for the Kirk we knew, and cemented the darker aspect of the Mirror Universe as a whole.

Related: 23 Coolest Alien Characters in the Star Trek Franchise

The Tantalus Field makes a comeback in the DIS episode “Terra Firma,” when it is revealed that Mirror Georgiou, the Emperor of the Terran Empire, has been using it to spy on her adopted daughter, Mirror Captain Burnham.

To date, “Mirror, Mirror” is still considered the best Mirror episode in the franchise. It is a well-executed, insightful, and intriguing plot, featuring a particularly ruthless Kirk and an edgier Spock. No wonder it became a defining moment in classic pop culture and inspired fans to come up with the Mirror Universe designation in future related chapters.

Three Fan-Favorite Mirror Characters

TOS ’ Mirror Spock and DS9 ’s Mirror Kira left a particularly memorable impression.

Mirror Spock is a Terran/Vulcan hybrid and First Officer of the ISS Enterprise . Unlike the clean-shaven Prime Spock, who is inclined to self-sacrifice for the greater good, he sports a cool mustache and a goatee and ruthlessly resorts to punishment and torture, even with his subordinates. However, much like his counterpart, he is governed by logic, and thus, Prime Kirk is able to reason with him and influence him for the good of the Empire, and our heroes.

Mirror Spock: Captain, I am pleased that you frustrated Mr. Chekov’s plan. I should regret your death. Prime Kirk: Why? Mirror Spock: I do not desire the captaincy. I much prefer my scientific duties, and I am frankly content to be a lesser target. Prime Kirk: Logical, as always, Mr. Spock.

Fun Fact: Mirror Spock inspired the name for the progressive metal group, Spock’s Beard.

While Prime Kira is a compassionate Bajoran and an honorable Major (and later Colonel) who dresses modestly and fights for injustice, Mirror Kira is the ultimate femme fatale , black leather outfit and whip included. She holds the title of Intendant in the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance and is playful, manipulative, and hedonistic, with a twisted sense of humor.

When she comes face to face with Prime Kira, she is so fascinated by her counterpart that Mirror Kira professes her attraction to Prime Kira: a classic case of narcissism.

Mirror Kira: You know, I bet if we put our heads together, we could create a little excitement for ourselves. Terran Guard: You sentenced my wife to death. Mirror Kira: Isn't that a coincidence? I was hoping you weren’t married.

Other noteworthy Mirror characters are Mirror Philippa Georgiou, and Mirror Captain Gabriel Lorca. Georgiou is a complicated villain who starts off as the ruthless tyrannical ruler of the Terran Empire, and ends up in the Prime Universe as a prisoner, working for the Federation, who utilizes her vast skills in war to aid them. Georgiou gets a fascinating redemption arc as a villain through the seasons of Discovery, and her eventual experience of cell degeneration in the Prime Universe leads her to be sent into the past, before the two universes split apart.

And Captain Lorca is the compelling character in the first season of Discovery played incredibly well by Jason Isaacs ( Harry Potter , The Patriot ), who is hiding in the Prime Universe disguised as his Prime counterpart. He seeks to overthrow Georgiou and rule the Mirror Universe with Burnham at his side, though he was also one of the few Mirror Universe characters who showed a surprising amount of warmth and humanity, in rare moments.

Will there be more Mirror episodes in the franchise? The answer may very well lie in the upcoming seasons of DIS and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Perhaps more Prime characters will emerge as their secret Mirror counterparts in disguise, as was the case of DIS ' Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs), the power-hungry Captain in the Terran Imperial Starfleet who infiltrated and took command of the USS Discovery in the main timeline.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on the much-anticipated movie, Star Trek: Section 31 ; it will be directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, with Michelle Yeoh reprising her role of Philippa Georgiou as a member of the shady titular intelligence organization.

• The Inventory

Everything We Know About the Timeline of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe

Star Trek ’s Mirror Universe is one of—hell, the —most famous parallel universes in science fiction history. In fact, it almost has a timeline of its own as rich as the prime reality of Trek itself. So if you’ve been confused by all the Mirror-verse happenings in Discovery —and why wouldn’t you be?—we’re here to help put it all together.

Related Content

The order we’ve explored the Mirror Universe in is, just like Trek as a whole, not exactly chronologically linear. As each Star Trek series has jumped backwards or forwards in time, so has our window into this most famous of alternate realities. Some of the “newest” information on the Mirror Universe is two decades old, while new information about its early years been revealed repeatedly over the course of Star Trek: Discovery ’s ongoing first season, which has spent its back half on a new Mirror adventure. So, for convenience’s sake, we’ll be running through this chronologically in terms of the Mirror Universe’s timeline, not by the chronological order of Star Trek series themselves.

Enterprise Era: Origins of an Empire

Just as Enterprise itself reflects some of the earliest years of Starfleet and the eventual birth of the Federation, much of what we learn of the Mirror Universe in both parts of the season four story “In a Mirror, Darkly” is from some of the earliest days of the rise of the Terran Empire.

Although not explicitly shown, the Terran Empire seemingly rose out of a political faction on Earth before humanity took to the stars. The Mirror version of Captain Archer described the Empire as having been around for hundreds of years, and given Enterprise is set in the 2150s, it’s likely some form of it existed pre-human spaceflight or even before the unification of Earth. Either way, the Terran Empire as we know it really began in 2063, when Zefram Cochrane made contact with the first Vulcans to land on Earth, as he does in Star Trek ’s prime reality. Instead of offering a handshake, Mirror Cochrane simply shot the first Vulcan he met and then pillaged their ship—stealing technology that sends humanity not just beyond Earth, but on a mission of conquest against the other sentient species of the cosmos.

Just under a century after that first meeting, the Terran Empire was fully established, and the Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarites, Orions, and Denobulans had all been conquered and subjugated by the human regime. And that’s when a temporal accident sent one of the U.S.S. Defiant —a 23rd-century, Constitution-Class cruiser like Kirk’s Enterprise —to the 22nd-century Mirror Universe during the events of “The Tholian Web.” Although it was briefly captured by the Tholians, the Mirror version of Archer’s Enterprise crew took it by force.

The Defiant was wildly more advanced than any other ship known to the Empire at the time, and Archer planned to use its immense power to overthrow the current, unknown Emperor and rule the Terran Empire. Instead, his former “Captain’s Woman” Hoshi Sato betrayed him, poisoned him, and became Empress herself after threatening to bombard Earth with the Defiant ’s advanced weaponry, if the current ruling order didn’t submit to her will. They did.

Discovery Era: A New Hope

Roughly a century later, in the 2250s, not much has changed for the Empire when Star Trek: Discovery enters the Mirror Universe in its currently-ongoing story line. The Empire was still the dominant force of the Alpha Quadrant, although apparently the title bestowed upon its ruler had become gender-neutral since the days of Empress Sato, and the Mirror version of Phillipa Georgiou was the current “Faceless Emperor” of the regime. Apparently the Emperor no longer rules from Earth itself (presumably to avoid situations like, say, someone rolling up with a big spaceship and threatening to bomb the planet to bits), because Emperor Georgiou appears on a gigantic cityship that also serves as the Imperial Palace, the I.S.S. Charon , which looks like it’s powered by a giant, star-like reactor .

What we do know more about is the Empire’s opponents. The ongoing rebellion against the Terrans by the races they’d conquered survived the arrival of the Defiant the century prior, and is now joined by the Klingons. Unlike their prime counterparts of the same era, these Klingons successfully united the ruling Houses of their homeworld—led by the Mirror version of Voq, who became a prominent rebel figure known as the “Firewolf”—to form a single front pushing back against the Terran Empire alongside the Tellarites, Andorians, Vulcans, and other species.

Sadly, it seems like much of this fleeting rebellion might have been destroyed, after Emperor Georgiou callously bombed its main base of operations before Voq and his fellow allies could evacuate. Who knows, maybe we’ll learn they survived by the time Discovery ’s first season has come to an end?

Speaking of Discovery , the crew, currently trapped in the Mirror universe, spent this weekend’s episode trying to get ahold of the Defiant ’s records, hoping to figure out how it mysteriously appeared in the Mirror-verse in the previous century in hopes of using that info to return to the Prime universe. You can learn more about how that went in our most recent Star Trek: Discovery recap .

Star Trek : The Original Series   Era: Changing Fortunes

Our first-ever encounter with the Mirror Universe in the original series episode “Mirror, Mirror” is set just a decade after the events of Discovery . But we still get some new information, like the fact that despite the Vulcans had been subjugated centuries ago by the Empire, by the 2260s they could serve aboard Imperial starships—in fact, Spock wasn’t just allowed on-board the I.S.S. Enterprise , but served as its second-in-command. His father Sarek, revealed as a rebel against the Empire in Discovery ’s Mirror Universe adventure , was probably whatever the Vulcan equivalent of “royally pissed” is about it.

Otherwise, everything’s the same. The Terran Empire still ruled the quadrant, gleefully putting down rebellions when they arise with an iron fist. It’s not until the end of “Mirror, Mirror” that the seeds are sown for a major change in the future of the Mirror Univers. Near the end of the prime Kirk and team’s sojourn into the malicious alt-reality, Kirk managed to convince Mirror Spock that it’s illogical to serve an Empire that’s doomed to fall one day, and that no galactic rule could perpetually sustain itself on fear and cruelty. The words stick with Mirror Spock, who went on to overthrow Mirror Kirk and eventually spark a revolution that would fundamentally alter the Mirror Universe forever.

Prime Kirk also gave Spock access to a mysterious secret weapon his Mirror counterpart had, called the Tantalus Field, which Kirk presents like it can kill literally anyone in the universe remotely—which seems like it would be a very convenient bit of gear for anyone planning a violent revolution. Yay?

Deep Space Nine Era: New Foes, New Rebels

By the late 24th-century, the Mirror Universe had undergone the most dramatic changes it had ever seen. Good news: Mirror Spock took Kirk’s message to heart, using his position of power (and aforementioned superweapon) to rise to rule the Terran Empire, enacting a swathe of reforms that brought about disarmament and a more peaceful, less warlike version of itself. Bad news: That less aggressive and demilitarized Empire got overthrown by an alliance between the Klingons and Cardassians, which liberated the worlds ruled by the Empire, and proceeded to enslave the Vulcans and Terrans themselves. The Alliance then became the dominating rulers of the Alpha Quadrant, led by Regent Worf.

Suddenly finding themselves ruled instead of ruling, Terrans formed a rebellion quite like the ones they’d spent the prior centuries ruthlessly putting down. Inspired by an accidental trip into the Mirror Universe by Dr. Bashir and Kira Nerys in Deep Space Nine ’s “Crossover,” the Mirror version of Benjamin Sisko led an organized revolution against the Alliance forces, striking out at the planet Bajor, a key member of the Alliance following its liberation from Terran hands, and the Cardassian station it was ruled from. Mirror Sisko fell in battle, and was replaced by the Mirror version of Miles O’Brien. With a little help from the Prime reality in the form of plans to for a new I.S.S. Defiant , the Terran Resistance eventually captured Mirror Worf, signaling the downfall of the Alliance’s rule.

Though we last saw the “latest” from the Mirror Universe all the way back in 1999 on TV, ancillary Star Trek material has attempted to try and fill in some extra gaps in the alt-reality’s centuries-long timeline. Everything from books, to video games, to even comics have slotted themselves into the spans of decades left untouched by Trek series, but beyond Deep Space Nine , we don’t really have an idea of where the Mirror Universe went after the Alliance’s downfall.

For the foreseeable future, that’s likely to be the case. The only way we’ll see the future of the Mirror Universe is if Star Trek ’s TV adventures travel beyond where past shows have gone before. With Discovery   here to stay , that’s likely not going to happen any time soon.

Star Trek's Mirror Universe Explained

In the iconic narration of  Star Trek: The Original Series ( TOS ), Captain James T. Kirk vows to go "where no man has gone before." Numerous television series and films later, not only does Kirk make good on his promise, but he's joined in his quest to map the unknown by other heroic captains and crews. Whether by accident or on purpose,  Star Trek 's heroes have found themselves lost in distant corners of the galaxy, tossed on the eddies of time, caught in the crossfire of wars waged on other planes of existence, and once — no, really — in Sherwood Forest. 

One of the stranger locations that  Star Trek  keeps bringing its heroes back to is known as the Mirror Universe. The brutal locale makes its first appearance in "Mirror, Mirror" — a season 2 episode of  TOS  airing in 1967. It would take 27 years for Trek heroes to make their way back to the place in  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's   ( DS9 ) season 2 episode "Crossover." Since then, the gates to the Mirror Universe have stayed busy. Along with subsequent episodes of  DS9 , the Mirror Universe and its twisted characters have returned in the prequel series  Star Trek: Enterprise  ( ENT ) and  Star Trek: Discovery , and creators of non-canonical Trek media have taken the opportunity to bring the crews of other series to this weird world. 

But what is the Mirror Universe? To find out, keep reading for  Star Trek 's Mirror Universe explained.

WARNING! Spoilers for multiple  Star Trek  series follow!

What is the Mirror Universe?

What if everything was different? What if cowards were heroes, heroes were villains, and villains ruled over everything?  Star Trek  answers this question with its parallel reality, the Mirror Universe.

These days it's tough to have any kind of interest in science fiction and not be familiar with the concept of parallel universes, but  Star Trek 's Mirror Universe isn't just different. As the name implies, the people of the Mirror Universe are often the exact opposite of their Prime Universe counterparts. The  United Federation of Planets  and its hallowed ideals are replaced by the Terran Empire and a barbaric "might makes right" philosophy.  In Starfleet's place is the Imperial Starfleet, and its captains — known for their compassion and tolerance in the Prime Universe — are ruthless, unforgiving, and often xenophobic. The quickest way to get ahead in the Imperial Starfleet is to assassinate your superior officer, and the only consistent forms of discipline are torture — usually in the form of the excruciating agonizer booths — and death.

While the Mirror Universe characters are the opposite of the Prime Universe counterparts, that doesn't always change their roles in terms of being heroes or villains. The Mirror Universe version of  DS9 's Miles O'Brien , for example, is largely depicted as being heroic, though the Mirror O'Brien is willing to do things — like kidnapping — in order to achieve his goals that the prime O'Brien probably wouldn't stoop to. 

The first crossing

In 1996's  Star Trek: First Contact , Zefram Cochrane lays the groundwork for the founding of the Federation when he greets the first Vulcan to visit Earth. But in the two-part  ENT  episode "In a Mirror, Darkly," the Mirror Cochrane instead murders the Vulcan, paving the way for the oppression and brutality of the Terran Empire. 

Fast forward a hundred years later to the Terran Empire's version of the Enterprise ,   where Jonathan Archer is only a first officer. Mirror Archer is much more ruthless than his Prime counterpart, and he stages a coup to take over command of the ship. Among other things, we learn the Mirror versions of Dr. Phlox and Malcolm Reed are the inventors of the excruciating agonizer booths and that T'Pol is working with the Vulcans and other oppressed Imperial races in their rebellion.

Unlike most Mirror Universe episodes, none of the main characters from the Prime Universe cross over ... except in Archer's mind. After learning of the other universe, Mirror Archer has maddening visions of the Prime Archer taunting him. The story cleverly crosses over with the  TOS  episode "The Tholian Web," transplanting the captured USS  Defiant  not only from the Prime Universe but through time. Archer and his crew capture the  Defiant and use its superior technology to cripple the rebellion and to put Archer in the position to take the Imperial throne. In the final moments of the episode, however, Hoshi Sato — who Archer believes to be his loyal concubine — poisons him, taking the throne for herself. 

A Mirror Universe stowaway

For most of  Discovery 's first season, the eponymous vessel is commanded by Captain Gabriel Lorca, a man whose sensitivity to light — we're told — is a result of his injuries aboard the USS  Buran . By the end of the first season, however, we learn Lorca is perhaps the most deceitful captain in the history of  Trek 's   commanding officers . Lorca is, in fact, a native of the Mirror Universe masquerading as his Prime counterpart. His identity as a Terran accounts for his light sensitivity, though this is the first time we learn of this aspect of Terran biology. 

We never learn exactly when the Mirror Lorca crossed over to the Prime Universe, nor do we know the fate of the Prime Lorca. It's speculated he couldn't have survived alone in the Mirror Universe, but we never find out for sure. All we know is that as soon as he learned of Discovery 's unique spore drive, Mirror Lorca did everything he could to find himself in the experimental ship's command chair in order to use the drive to bring himself back to the Mirror Universe and continue his rebellion against Emperor Philippa Georgiou. 

At the end of "Into the Forest I Go," Lorca finally puts his plan into action. When the rest of the crew believes they're using the drive to jump to Starbase 46, Lorca secretly diverts the ship to the Mirror Universe. He reignites his rebellion against the Emperor, only to be killed by Georgiou in "What's Past is Prologue." 

The Emperor's new clothes

In the Prime Universe, Philippa Georgiou was the captain of the USS  Shenzhou — Michael Burnham's commanding officer who died during the Battle of the Binary Stars. But in the Mirror Universe, Georgiou is the emperor of the Terran Empire. While the Mirror Georgiou seems content to die fighting Lorca's followers, Burnham saves her against her wishes, bringing her back to Discovery  and subsequently to the Prime Universe. 

With unmatched combat skills and a devious mind, Mirror Georgiou becomes a great asset to the clandestine operations of Section 31. The official word from Starfleet is that the prime Georgiou somehow miraculously survived the Battle of the Binary Stars. It's agreed that the existence of the Mirror Universe is to be purged from all records because of the concern that in the wake of the devastating war with the Klingons , Federation citizens who learn of the Mirror Universe might attempt to cross over to find counterparts of their dead loved ones. 

While Georgiou resists any attempts by her new Prime allies to make her any less savage, it's clear she holds a special place in her heart for Burnham whose Mirror counterpart is her adopted daughter. Georgiou eventually rejoins the crew of the  Discovery  and becomes an integral part of their efforts against the rogue A.I. Control. She's also among the heroes when they choose to purposely strand themselves in the distant 32nd century. 

Kirk visits the Mirror Universe

In the opening of "Mirror, Mirror," Captain Kirk, Scotty, Uhura, and Bones are on surface of the Halkan homeworld, having tried and failed to negotiate dilithium mining rights. But somehow, due to a raging ion storm, when the four Federation officers are beamed back to Enterprise , they find themselves aboard the version of the ship in the Mirror Universe instead of their own. Meanwhile, their Mirror counterparts are sent to the Prime Universe where they're soon imprisoned. "Mirror, Mirror" takes place approximately a decade after  Discovery 's crossover, but because of Starfleet's decision to keep the place a secret, Kirk and his crew don't know what they're in for. 

On board the Mirror  Enterprise , everyone's in strange uniforms, including female crew members being in much more revealing outfits (and it isn't like the Prime Uniforms were particularly conservative). Most conspicuously, everyone gives each other salutes reminiscent of the infamous Nazi one-arm salute. 

Kirk and his colleagues from the Prime Universe struggle to remain incognito while they search for a way back home. See, rather than negotiating, the Terrans are threatening the Halkans with annihilation if they don't allow them to mine dilithium. And Kirk raises suspicions when he refuses to fire on the planet, inspiring an assassination attempt. The bearded Mirror Spock eventually discovers the identity of the Prime Universe heroes and allows them to return, wanting his own captain back. However, Spock's time with the Prime Kirk proves more consequential than anyone at the time imagines.

The fall of the Terran Empire

In season 2 of  DS9 , heroes from  Trek 's Prime Universe find themselves in the Mirror Universe for the first time in over a century. In "Crossover," Major Kira and Dr. Bashir come across a very different Deep Space Nine. In the Mirror Universe, DS9 is still named Terok Nor, but Odo is a slavedriver, Sisko is a pirate, and the Ferengi bartender Quark doesn't even know what latinum is.

Rather than Starfleet, Terok Nor is ruled by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance (KCA). Bajor is a part of the KCA, and the world's ruler — who also presides over the station — is the cold-blooded and seductive Intendant Kira, one of  Star Trek 's best villains . From the Intendant, Prime Kira learns that Kirk's trip to the Mirror Universe in TOS  had far-reaching consequences. Kirk so inspired Mirror Spock that the Vulcan helped bring about a series of compassionate reforms throughout the Terran Empire. Sadly, their lapsed focus on defense made them easier targets for the KCA. The Terrans are now a conquered people, working as slaves for the KCA and forced to wear clothing bearing the symbol of Earth to identify themselves. Because of this, while Intendant Kira treats her Prime counterpart as a treasured pet, Bashir is pressed into slavery as soon as he arrives. 

Kira and Bashir eventually escape with the help of the Mirror versions of Miles O'Brien — better known as "Smiley" in the Mirror Universe — and Sisko. Like Kirk before them, Bashir and Kira inspire change in the darker universe.  

The Terran Rebellion

DS9 's lead, Captain Sisko, is kidnapped and brought to the Mirror Universe by Smiley in season 3's "Through the Looking Glass". He learns that when his Mirror counterpart betrayed the KCA in "Crossover," the act started a Terran rebellion. Now, Smiley needs Sisko to help the rebellion by pretending to be his Mirror counterpart long enough for one last mission.

DS9  tracks the conflict between the Terrans and the KCA intermittently throughout the series, offering one Mirror episode every season except for its first and fifth. While the group refers to itself as the Terran Rebellion, other oppressed races are part of the struggle.  Star Trek:  Voyager 's Tuvok — a Vulcan — makes a cameo as part of the rebellion in "Through the Looking Glass." Plus, other races are spotted in their gatherings. Like the Maquis of the Prime Universe, they hide in the Badlands, where the KCA's sensors can't find them. Their leaders include much tougher and no-nonsense versions of Bashir and Jadzia Dax.

Things are looking up for the Terrans by the final  DS9  Mirror episode, "The Emperor's New Cloak." By the end of the episode, the Terrans have their own version of the  Defiant ,   complete with a game-changing cloaking device, and they've captured Terok Nor. At the same time, the KCA leadership is in disarray. Intendant Kira is on the run, Garak is dead, and the KCA regent — a much more sadistic and violent version of Worf — is the Terrans' prisoner.

The Mirror Universe rebooted?

Discovery 's season 3 two-parter "Terra Firma" reveals the crew's Mirror Universe native Philippa Georgiou is dying because of their journey to the 32nd century. Because 900 years have passed since Georgiou's crossing to the Prime Universe, the Prime and Mirror Universes are no longer aligned, causing her molecular cohesion to deteriorate. 

Learning of a world with a possible cure,  Discovery  brings Georgiou to a planet where a mysterious man keeps vigil over what appears to be a door leading to nowhere. In the second part of "Terra Firma," we learn this is the Guardian of Forever, who first appears in the classic  TOS  episode "The City on the Edge of Forever," one of  Star Trek 's saddest tales . The Guardian allows Georgiou to rejoin her life as emperor of the Terran Empire, where she tries and fails to redeem the Mirror Michael Burnham and save her life. Her attempts at peace and her compassion toward the Mirror Saru, however, convince the Guardian she's worth saving. The Guardian then sends her back to the 23rd century. 

The Guardian makes it clear Georgiou's trip back in time — which ends in her death — was no illusion. Since her Mirror Universe adventure all takes place before the Mirror episodes of Discovery 's first season, does that mean most of the history of the Mirror Universe has been altered? Or did her actions create another  parallel timeline — a second Mirror Universe?

Time travel — it's confusing and causes problems. 

The untold story of Tiberius

In  TOS ' "Mirror, Mirror," Prime Kirk discovers his Mirror counterpart has been secretly using a device called the Tantalus Field. With it, Mirror Kirk can monitor anyone on his ship and, should he choose, disintegrate them with the touch of a button. His concubine, Marlena, says it's how he became captain, implying he used it to murder his predecessor. But according to the "Before Her Time" documentary on the season 4  Enterprise Blu-ray, there was almost a reveal that the device did something else entirely. 

According to the documentary, rather than the two-parter which ultimately became "In a Mirror, Darkly," the  Enterprise  creators wanted William Shatner to reprise his role as the Mirror Kirk, aka Tiberius. In "Mirror, Mirror," it's said Tiberius got the Tantalus Field from an alien scientist's "plundered lab." The proposed  Enterprise  story would reveal that rather than killing, the device actually sends its victims to a penal colony in the Prime Universe. Tiberius would find himself at this prison, presumably surrounded by a bunch of people he sent there, such as his predecessor, who would likely have been the Mirror Captain Pike. 

Unfortunately, negotiations between Shatner and Paramount didn't work out. However, it's fun to consider the idea of Shatner reprising the role, particularly when you consider how little we see of Tiberius in "Mirror, Mirror." 

Picard's Enterprise in the Mirror Universe

Unfortunately,  Star Trek: The Next Generation  doesn't include any trips to the Mirror Universe. Plus, the history of the Mirror Universe as it's presented in  DS9  would seem to discount any Mirror versions of either the  TNG  or  Voyager   crews since the Terran Empire would've been conquered long before those groups existed. But while it's not considered part of official  Trek  canon, some clever comic book creators found a way to tell the story of the Mirror  TNG  heroes.

In 2017, IDW released the miniseries  Star Trek: The Next Generation — Mirror Broken , written by Scott and David Tipton and with art by J.K. Woodward. We learn that the news of the Terran Empire's demise is the result of exaggeration and rumor. The Klingon-Cardassian Alliance has bitten huge chunks out of the Empire, but it's far from dead.  Mirror Broken  begins with the Mirror Jean-Luc Picard as captain of the  Stargazer , while most of the series follows his efforts to take over the  Enterprise . The motley cast includes a bearded Picard, a spiky-haired Wesley Crusher, and a surprisingly confident and competent Lieutenant Barclay.

Broken Mirror  isn't the last we see of the ISS  Enterprise ,   either. In 2018, the same creative team released two follow-up miniseries –  Through the Mirror and Terra Incognita — that depict the pirates making their way to the Prime Universe.

The Pirate Queen of the Delta Quadrant

The  TNG  crew aren't the only ones to get the Mirror Universe treatment in the comics. In 2019, IDW released  Star Trek: Voyager — Mirrors and Smoke by Paul Allor and J.K. Woodward. A quick prologue explains that Captain Janeway and her crew were part of the Terran Rebellion against the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance before being flung to the Delta Quadrant. Unlike their Prime Universe counterparts, they're quite happy being far from the KCA and decide to stay where they are. 

Voyager 's bloody reputation has earned Janeway the title Pirate Queen of the Delta Quadrant. Mirror Neelix and Kes — Delta Quadrant natives who join the crew in the series — are Janeway's rivals. The ship's command structure is a bit different, as well. In the series, Commander Cavit is replaced by Chakotay as first officer after Cavit is killed, whereas in  Mirrors and Smoke ,   it's Chakotay who murders Cavit in order to climb the command ladder.  

One of the most interesting transformations we see is that of Annika Hansen, aka Seven of Nine in the Prime Universe. Hansen was never assimilated by the Borg in the Mirror Universe, though ironically, she still plots — alongside the Doctor, who's disgruntled from his poor treatment by the Terrans — to take over the ship.

Star Trek: What Is The Mirror Universe?

Step into the sinister abyss of Star Trek's The Mirror Universe, where morality blurs, and darkness looms.

Star Trek delves into the fascinating world of endless possibilities and uncharted mysteries. One of its fascinating concepts is the Mirror Universe, a dark reflection of the familiar realm that captivates sci-fi enthusiasts.

In this parallel dimension, the dreams of peace and diplomatic resolutions are shattered, replaced by a cacophony of mayhem. The revered Federation finds itself subjugated under the oppressive rule of the Terran Empire, a tyrannical version of Earth. Even the franchise’s most beloved characters , once beacons of virtue, now don malevolent masks, exuding wickedness and malice.

RELATED: Darkest Star Trek Storylines, Ranked

The Inception of the Mirror Universe

The allure of the Mirror Universe traces its origins back to the renowned episode "Mirror, Mirror" from the original Star Trek series (Season 2, Episode 4). In this unforgettable installment, Captain James T. Kirk and his crew find themselves unexpectedly transported to a chilling alternate version of their reality.

Here, the once-noble Federation is a distant memory, eclipsed by the bloodthirsty Terran Empire. This twisted parallel reality portrays officers as ruthless manipulators, cunningly plotting their way to the top. The pursuit of power supersedes notions of unity and cooperation. Humanity's darker potential is laid bare, and the consequences of unbridled ambition reverberate through this corrupted universe.

At the heart of this sinister realm stands the malevolent Terran Empire , a brutal dictatorship driven by an insatiable hunger for dominion. The empire subjugates other races, perpetuating its tyrannical rule with an iron fist. Symbolic of humanity's darkest impulses, the Terran Empire thrives on betrayal, backstabbing, and treachery, while acts of kindness are met with suspicion and disdain. Led by power-hungry rulers, the Terran Empire serves as a grotesque counterpart to the Federation's utopian ideals.

Episodes That Shaped the Mirror Universe

Star Trek has continuously explored the mysteries of the Mirror Universe, unraveling new layers of its twisted reality with each exploration. An unforgettable journey into this parallel dimension occurred in Deep Space Nine. The episode "Crossover" (Season 2, Episode 23) reignited the audience's curiosity surrounding this parallel dimension . In this riveting arc, Major Kira and Doctor Bashir find themselves immersed in the enigmatic depths of the Mirror Universe. What made this escapade even more mind-bending was the realization that their actions in this reality could have profound repercussions on their own universe. The intrigue deepened in "Through the Looking Glass" (Season 3, Episode 19), as Benjamin Sisko confronted his own mirror counterpart — the fearsome leader of the Terran Rebellion.

In Discovery , the Mirror Universe played a central role in the storyline. "Despite Yourself" (Season 1, Episode 10) thrust the USS Discovery into the heart of this parallel dimension. With the crew navigating the treacherous terrain, they were forced to adopt the personas of their evil counterparts to survive the deadly dance of deception. However, the trump card of this cosmic masquerade unfolded when the identity of Captain Gabriel Lorca was gradually revealed. A chilling revelation came to light: the man who had been leading them was, in fact, an impostor from the mirror universe, concealing his true identity in plain sight.

The Mirror Universe In Other Media

Beyond the captivating tales that first graced the TV screen, the haunting allure of the Mirror Universe continues to cast its spell on Star Trek enthusiasts. Devoted Star Trek authors have woven this parallel realm into gripping narratives, providing a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of beloved characters entangled in the clutches of their sinister counterparts. Among these literary gems, David Mack's novel The Sorrows of Empire stands as a compelling masterpiece. Readers are transported back to the early days of the Terran Empire's rise to power. The narrative delves deep into the hearts of key characters, exploring the pivotal moments that shaped their destinies.

Yet, the exploration of the Mirror Universe does not merely dwell in the realm of prose; it transcends into the expressive canvas of Star Trek comic books . Here, artists and writers bring to life the haunting imagery of this parallel. One stellar comic that deserves mention is Star Trek: The Next Generation - Mirror Broken . This enthralling tale charts the exploits of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's mirror counterpart, navigating the treacherous waters aboard the I.S.S. Stargazer. The comic thrusts readers into the tumultuous rise of this ruthless captain, entangled in a web of power-hungry machinations in the heart of the Terran Empire.

It that's not enough to quench the thirst of devoted Trekkies, the virtual realm of Star Trek Online offers players a grand and interactive journey through the Mirror Universe. In this sprawling online game, fans are afforded the rare opportunity to traverse the dark reflection and bear witness to infamous characters and the consequences of their actions firsthand. Each mission and storyline invites players to immerse themselves into this fully realized rendition of the Mirror Universe, an immersive playground where they can explore its depths and revel in its intricacies.

The Mirror Universe stands as an enduring and crucial facet of the Star Trek saga. It serves as a haunting testament to the duality of nature, unveiling the unsettling truth that even the most virtuous characters can harbor shadows within. Throughout the diverse series that make up this cherished franchise , the Mirror Universe has been a canvas upon which writers paint the depths of their characters' souls, weaving layers of complexity and intrigue into their personalities.

MORE: Star Trek: The Original Series - Plots That Would Make Awesome Video Games

• Show Spoilers
• Night Vision
• Sticky Header
• Highlight Links

Follow TV Tropes

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/MirrorUniverse/StarTrek

Mirror Universe / Star Trek

Edit locked.

As the Trope Maker the Star Trek franchise is full of examples:

    open/close all folders 

• The IDW comic story "Mirrored" gives us the Mirror Universe of the Kelvin Timeline Universe. As Captain Spock vanquishes the Klingons in the name of the Terran Empire, Commander Kirk vists Rura Penthe to get revenge on Nero (who in this universe never escaped, and has been there since the attack on the Kelvin ). Then Kirk ends up with control of the Narada , and things get worse.
• "Succession" deals with what happened in the mirror universe following season 1 of Star Trek: Discovery and what became of the Terran Michael Burnham.
• More recently, IDW has reimagined Dark Mirror by introducing a new iteration of the ISS Enterprise -D, whose make incursions into the prime universe in their attempts to raise the Terran Empire's fortunes in their conflict against the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. A prequel shows young Jean-Luc Picard aboard the ISS Stargazer . A spin-off features the ISS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, coming into conflict with Neelix and Kes whilst discovering an unassimilated Annika Hansen, whose references to the Borg pique Captain Janeway's interest, leading to her appearance in Star Trek: Online .
• The one-shot "Hell's Mirror" depicts the confrontation between the heroic Khan Noonien Singh and the crazed Captain Kirk.
• The Star Trek: The Next Generation novel "Dark Mirror" explores a Mirror Universe where the Terran Empire, or the United Empire of Planets as its called here, survives well into the 24th century after Spock's efforts to reform the Empire fail. By the 2360s the Empire is running out of space to conquer and makes an unsuccessful attempt to conquer the prime universe. note  Obviously, the novel was written several years before Star Trek: Deep Space Nine explains what really happened to the Empire after Kirk left. However since the episode " Parallels " established that an infinite number of parellel universes existed this could provide an explanation of why the "Dark Mirror" Mirror Universe was different.
• Star Trek Shatnerverse novels explain that the Klingon-Cardassian alliance was the brainchild of former Emperor Kirk as a means of taking revenge on Spock for deposing him from the throne and to regain the Terran Empire's throne for himself. This was mainly due to Mirror Spock deciding not to kill Kirk after his return. Spock did manage to save the Halkans by claiming they were a client state of the Klingons and that attacking them could lead to a war with the Klingons that the Empire didn't want at the time. This resulted in Kirk getting a commendation for seeing through the Halkan trap.
• In the Star Trek Novel 'Verse novels set in the Mirror Universe established that Spock was unable to convince Kirk to spare the Halkans and got in a fight with the man. Spock killed Kirk and then disposed of Kirk's body with the Tantalus Field. After Spock's opponents accquired the same habit of disappearing that Kirk's opponents used to have, dissent died down on the ISS Enterprise . Gathering power and influence, Spock rose to command the Empire, which he soon disestablished in favor of the Terran Republic, but the Klingons and Cardassians still wanted revenge for the Empire's acts. Spock died on Earth in the novel verse, but his followers were able to engineer a rebellion that would in time liberate Earth and its allies from the Klingons and Cardassians.
• Also, the Expanded Universe does show us more than one version of the Mirror Universe, though whether it's intentional or simply the Trek EU not being having nearly as tight continuity as the Star Wars one is unknown. "Dark Passions" is quite incompatible with the Shatnerverse version, for example. Also, one book written well after DS9 features several alternate universes, including one featuring the ISS Enterprise -E of the Terran Empire, which doesn't work with the DS9 incarnation of the MU, so that one is clearly deliberately alternate from the beginning.
• It also explores how long the unique mindset of the Terran Empire has been around. In Dark Mirror , Picard reads that universe's version of The Merchant of Venice , which has Portia saying "The quality of mercy must be earned ", and pointing how it's silly to expect a pound of flesh not to have blood too, allowing Shylock to get his revenge. Picard sees The Bible and refuses to read it.
• And was actually an Unbuilt Trope in its first appearance. Even though his mirror counterpart had a Beard of Evil , Spock was, as the show put it, "A man of honor in both universes", and not strictly evil in the mirror universe despite clearly being on the side of the angels in the primary reality. Further, the Aliens Of The Week were Actual Pacifists in both the 'normal' universe and in the Mirror Universe.
• There were several non-canonical sources made between before DS9 that explored the Mirror Universe. As the setting wasn't as well defined as it was later by DS9 some continuity elements may shock some readers. For example the term "Terran" wasn't coined until DS9, thus the works refer to the Empire (which was nameless in the original "Mirror, Mirror" episode) as the United Empire of Planets (for example in the TNG novel Dark Universe , in which the Empire is still pretty much fine in the 24th century) and in some countinuities as the Human-Vulcan Empire with Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites having more equal footing in the Empire than was shown in Enterprise . However this might explained why Vulcans shared the punishment and were turn into slaves by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.
• Certain other aspects of characters are flipped in the mirror universe as well. In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Bashir is a stupid and brutish thug (most likely due to never having been genetically altered), Odo is a sadistic slave overseer , Jadzia is a Psycho Knife Nut who is mirror Sisko's lover, mirror Sisko (while a good guy) has very little in the way of restrained self-control, and mirror Ezri and Leeta (while also not villains, though also not squeaky-clean) are both lesbians. Brunt of all people becomes a Nice Guy . Things get ridiculous when an entirely fictional holodeck character appears as a real person , (perhaps his mirror creator makes androids instead of holodeck characters?) whereupon everyone gives up trying to make sense of things.
• When the prequel series Enterprise revisited it in "In A Mirror Darkly," it also completely changed its opening credits' entire mood from "Idealistic Yet Not Naive Hope" to "War! Conquest! Exploding Slow Lasers ! " Moreover, since almost everyone except maybe the Vulcans is shown to be evil in one way or another, the ending in which The Bad Guy Wins doesn't really come as a surprise. What does come as something of a twist is it's the bad gal who wins, and then promptly proclaims herself Empress.
• The episode "Parallels" does show one Mirror Universe from the Bajorans perspective, as in one is them who are the enemies of the Federation (not the Cardassians) and who actually conquest Cardassia and not the other way around.
• "Living Witness" opened with what appeared to be a mirror universe setting, with a vicious Janeway threatening a planet to get resources. It turned out to be an inaccurate historical record written by this civilization some time in the future, based on an incident with Voyager several hundred years ago. The holographic doctor's backup unit is later activated and sets the record straight. Those familiar with Deep Space 9's episodes likely knew it wasn't the case, those who hadn't been watching...
• We are also introduced to the one biological difference between a Mirror Universe Terran and Prime Universe human: sensitivity to light . This is how Michael recognizes that the Lorca she serves under is actually from the Mirror Universe. And it retroactively explains why Mirror Universe ships had poorer lighting .
• We also meet the reigning emperor of the Terran Empire - Phillipa Georgiou, who is as different from Captain Phillipa Georgiou as day from night. When she ends up in the Prime universe, courtesy of Burnham, the first thing she does is nearly shoot Commander Saru for not immediately bowing down to her, as befits a proper slave (he's an alien, therefore a slave in her universe). She then convinces Starfleet to allow her to destroy Qo'noS, just like she did in the Mirror Universe, in order to force an end to the war .
• This arc does explore some implications that are ignored in the other shows. Given that the Mirror counterparts are bloodthirsty and evil, killing each other any chance they get , and crossovers have been happening for centuries, it starts to stretch credibility that nearly everyone has a living counterpart as well as a somewhat similar background (Kirk is still captain of the Enterprise , O'Brien is still an engineer at Deep Space Nine, etc). Michael discusses with several individuals the oddity of how similar yet different their background remained, and implied some sort of cosmic element keeping the two universes connected .
• The third season of Discovery reveals that the Starfleet of the fourth millennium has figured out how to scan for the specific genetic differences between humans and Terrans in order to catch any "visitors" from the other universe. Furthermore, they claim to have isolated a protein chain that supposedly makes Terrans evil. Georgiou brushes off their claims as overly simplistic. It's also revealed that the two universes have moved apart, and there haven't been any visitors in 500 years. Going back in time through the Guardian of Forever , Georgiou influences an alternate version of the mirror universe she lived through in season 1.
• Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard introduces a different Mirror Universe, which is actually the regular timeline, altered by Q changing the past . In this one, the dominant power is the Confederation of Earth rather than the Terran Empire, but it has much the same policies, only it seems to be more efficient because it's a more Lawful and less Chaotic evil. Picard is a ruthless general who collects the skulls of his enemies, Rios is a colonel fighting against the Vulcans, Seven is the President, with Agnes as her chief scientist and Raffi as her head of security, and Elnor is a Romulan freedom fighter. If anything, this is more chilling than the regular Mirror Universe, because while it's usually presented as having always been like that , this universe is specifically the result of something that happened as recently as 2024 . The Confederation of Earth is in many ways similar to the Mirror Universe 's Terran Empire. Both are xenophobic to the extreme, but the Empire focuses on enslavement, while the Confederation prefers to exterminate aliens. There also seems to be a lot less backstabbing in the Confederation, with loyalty to humanity being paramount. An interesting difference is that the Confederation Star Corps seems to use army ranks instead of navy ranks, so we have General Picard and Colonel Rios. This version of Picard is a ruthless conqueror, slayer of many aliens, including General Martok, Gul Dukat, and Sarek. Also, while the Empire was always on the verge of rebellion from the aliens, the Confederation seems to be a lot more successful in stamping out dissent and is even more successful militarily, having managed to defeat the Borg.
• Star Trek Shattered Universe has Captain Sulu and the USS Excelsior drawn into the mirror universe, where they are confronted by Captain Chekov of the USS Enterprise -A.
• The Ultimate Universe mod for Star Trek: Legacy includes a bunch of Terran Empire equivalents of Federation ships from the ENT, TOS and TNG eras.
• The "Mirror of Discovery" arc introduces the Discovery -era Terrans including Captain Tilly.
• The emperor is eventually identified as Wesley Crusher , though they relinquish the position after the Terran Gambit arc, replaced by Leeta with Marshal Janeway and her borg armies at their side. As mentioned above, this arc draws on concepts from the IDW comics.
• As part of all this, the player can acquire and fly Mirror Universe vessels. The Tier 5 Mirror ships found in lockboxes are nearly identical to their main-universe counterparts with only minor differences in console configuration and bridge crew seating, while the Tier 6 Terran ships found in the Zen store are entirely new ships not seen before (there are no Tier 6 Mirror Universe Klingon or Romulan ships yet).
• Star Trek Continues : The episode "Fairest of Them All" is a direct continuation of the TOS episode "Mirror, Mirror" which deals with the immediate aftermath of the episode. Unable to prevent Kirk from destroying the Halkan homeworld, Spock leads a mutiny against Kirk and most of the crew takes Spock's side after Kirk says what he really thinks of the Enterprise crew in a room where Spock had turned on the intercom . Spock gives Kirk and his few loyalists a shuttlecraft so they can reach the nearest habitable world.
• Star Trek: Lower Decks shows Mariner going into a holo-deck simulation of the Mirror Universe which she calls it by that name. The simulation however shows the Terran Empire which by that time was already defeated.
• Mirror Universe

Important Links

• Action Adventure
• Commercials
• Crime & Punishment
• Professional Wrestling
• Speculative Fiction
• Sports Story
• Animation (Western)
• Music And Sound Effects
• Print Media
• Sequential Art
• Tabletop Games
• Applied Phlebotinum
• Characterization
• Characters As Device
• Narrative Devices
• British Telly
• The Contributors
• Creator Speak
• Derivative Works
• Laws And Formulas
• Show Business
• Split Personality
• Truth And Lies
• Truth In Television
• Fate And Prophecy
• Edit Reasons
• Isolated Pages
• Images List
• Recent Videos
• Crowner Activity
• Un-typed Pages
• Recent Page Type Changes
• Trope Entry
• Character Sheet
• Playing With
• Creating New Redirects
• Cross Wicking
• Tips for Editing
• Text Formatting Rules
• Handling Spoilers
• Administrivia
• Trope Repair Shop
• Image Pickin'

Advertisement:

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Mirror, Mirror

• Episode aired Oct 6, 1967

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. 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. 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.

• Marc Daniels
• Gene Roddenberry
• Jerome Bixby
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 36 User reviews
• 13 Critic reviews

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk

• Mister Spock

• (as Barbara Luna)

• Kirk's Henchman

• Chekov's Helper in Mirror Universe
• (uncredited)
• Lieutenant Hadley
• Chekov's Guard #2
• Sulu's Guard
• Operations Division Lieutenant
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia It took about a month to complete this particular episode. After filming had begun, BarBara Luna was diagnosed with strep throat. Since the script called for Capt. Kirk to kiss her, they had to postpone the kissing scene for three weeks until she was medically cleared, since they couldn't risk William Shatner getting infected.
• Goofs When Dr. McCoy uses a hypo to gain entrance to Engineering for Scotty and himself: when the door first opens, the shoulder of the set crew can be seen briefly behind the actors.

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.

• Alternate versions Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
• Connections Edited into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Trials and Tribble-ations (1996)
• Soundtracks Theme Music credited to Alexander Courage Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

User reviews 36

• derekmaddog
• Jun 16, 2020
• October 6, 1967 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
• Desilu Productions
• Norway Corporation
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 50 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

• Mirror Universe

Elim Garak (mirror)

• View history

Elim Garak was a male Cardassian of the 24th century Klingon-Cardassian Alliance . In the 2370s , he was the second-in-command of the Alliance outpost Terok Nor in the Bajoran sector , serving under Intendant Kira Nerys . Garak chafed under Kira's command, constantly wishing to set violent and brutal examples to quell minor resistance from the Terran slaves who were working in the ore processing facilities on the station.

Garak was constantly hatching plots to kill the Intendant and take command of the station himself – plots that were always transparent and unsuccessful. When the Kira Nerys of another universe suddenly arrived on the station in 2370 , Garak saw the opportunity to have the Intendant killed, and have her replaced by the parallel Kira. Kira would then resign her post, leaving Garak in charge of the station. However, Garak's plot never came to fruition, because Kira left the station before he could have the Intendant "disappear". ( DS9 : " Crossover ")

The next year , Garak relished the chance to make an "example" of Terran Rebellion leader Benjamin Sisko , but the Intendant was so pleased to have her former lover back at her side that she told Garak to leave him alone. When Rom came to the station offering intelligence on Sisko, Garak had him tortured into revealing the plot to help Jennifer Sisko escape from the station, and then had him killed. ( DS9 : " Through the Looking Glass ")

When the rebels attacked and captured Terok Nor from the Alliance in 2372 , Garak was the only officer to escape the destruction unharmed. He was quickly captured by Regent Worf , however, who placed him in a dog collar as humiliation for the defeat. However, Garak managed to deftly deflect blame for the loss of the station onto Intendant Kira, and further convinced the Regent that she was to blame for the defeat at the Battle of Terok Nor . ( DS9 : " Shattered Mirror ")

Worf and Garak finally managed to capture the Intendant in 2375 , but she managed to bargain for her life by convincing the Regent to use Grand Nagus Zek as a bargaining chip to obtain a cloaking device from the primary universe – a technology that the Alliance did not possess. Garak was greatly disappointed that he was not able to execute the Intendant, but he planned to execute Zek, Quark , and Rom instead. However, the Ferengi managed to deflect Garak's attention by pointing out that his plans were amateurish – "our Garak would have relished the chance to actually interrogate his subjects to learn their secrets" . The mirror-Garak, however, was more interested in simply killing his prisoners. Garak was distracted long enough for Ezri Tigan to sneak up on him and inject him with the same hypospray that he was about to use on Quark.

Garak was left for dead – the contents of the hypospray he had been injected with was concentrated ulcartic virus , a very deadly and painful disease. ( DS9 : " The Emperor's New Cloak ")

External link [ ]

• Elim Garak (mirror) at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

'Star Trek Online' teams with IDW for more dark adventures in the Mirror Universe (exclusive)

The popular MMORPG braces for Mirror missions in this twisted corner of "Star Trek" lore.

Hoping to provide a cohesive template for further ventures into the reflective realm of "Star Trek's" Mirror Universe , a new partnership between Star Trek Online (STO) and IDW Publishing was recently announced to allow for synergy and narrative material in the future. 

Created by Cryptic Studios and Gearbox Publishing, STO is the largest Free-to-Play online " Star Trek " role-playing game in existence and currently boasts a player base of over 2.5 million in its expanding galaxy of story chapters and missions. 

For STO's 12th anniversary this past February, they've released their 25th episode titled "Shadow's Advance" that features Kate Mulgrew reprising her "Voyager" role as Captain Kathryn Janeway as the voice of the Terran Empire's Mirror counterpart, Marshal Janeway.

Related : Star Trek movies in chronological order

IDW has been the vanguard for "Star Trek" comic books since acquiring the licensing rights back in 2006. Since then, writers Scott and David Tipton have orchestrated an impressive number of "Star Trek" title including this year’s ongoing event, "Star Trek: The Mirror War," with Captain Picard and the "The Next Generation" crew exposed to that sinister dimension.

This new union brings better continuity for more immersive storytelling dives for Star Trek Online by meshing plotlines with character developments unfolding in the earlier timeline of the Tiptons' "Star Trek" comic book projects at IDW, also set in the final frontier’s Mirror Universe.

Space.com chatted with STO Associate Art Director Thomas Marrone, STO writer Paul Reed, and the Tipton Brothers to learn more about this creative marriage, and how this will affect seasons within the online game to deliver a smoother integration of Mirror Universe tales.

Get the Space.com Newsletter

Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!

Space.com: How did this ambitious new creative partnership come about?

Thomas Marrone: Back in 2018 at Star Trek Las Vegas we started talking to IDW about how we’d developed many environments and ships and it would be cool to see that in the comics. IDW, especially for their Mirror arc, has done a lot of great visual development through the artist J.K Woodward and CBS to define the look of the Mirror Universe in the "TNG" era. We never saw the "TNG" characters in the show as their Mirror Universe counterparts. That was fertile ground for IDW and for us when we were exploring it in the game. 

We also talked with writer Mike Johnson about his character, J'Ula, that he created for the "Star Trek: Discovery" comics that IDW did. We actually brought J'Ula into Star Trek Online for our "Discovery" arc. So there've been a lot of these little back and forth partnerships over the years. It's exciting to work with people who love "Star Trek" as much as we do. We're all pushing at the margins and the boundaries of the universe to fill in the blanks. STO does that really well and the comics do that really well. It's great to play off each other's strengths whenever we do that.

Scott Tipton: It's great for our series. J.K. Woodward designed the Mirror Enterprise-D and to see that out in the world in the Star Trek Online game is so cool.

Space.com: How will fans see Mirror elements of IDW's comics crossover into STO?

Scott Tipton: We both are trying to see what strikes everyone else in the Mirror Universe. It's more about putting these thing out in the universe and inspiring each other. Once they see what we're doing with some of our characters and how they're going to be moving forward, especially with a story as big as Mirror War is, then that gives them all these new parts to play with to incorporate into their storylines. There's a lot of material to mine there.

David Tipton: One of the things that came out of the past Mirror stories that Scott and I and others worked on at IDW, and some of that work with J.K. Woodward, is what produced the Next Gen Mirror characters. We've seen those characters and ships pop up in Star Trek Online. In the same way, both IDW's comics and Star Trek Online have picked up and run with the new interest in Mirror stuff coming out of "Discovery" using the Mirror Universe. What Star Trek Online has done with their Mirror content and what we’ve done has been consistent. The way that they use Mirror stories and how characters work in that universe now has a unified canon. 

Scott Tipton: And a lot of credit has to go to CBS. They're a great licensor to work for. They're the ones who came up with the idea to create a style guide for Mirror Next Gen which never existed and recruited J.K. Woodward to design the characters. Then that's what we were given to flesh out who these characters were. That style guide got to go to everybody which is why everything feels like it's coming in step because we're all working from the same playbook.

Space.com: AS STO salutes its 12th anniversary, how do you stay inspired and keep the game engaging for players old and new?

Paul Reed: One of the things we've done over the years is revisit moments or events or the after-effect of events that happen in the canon shows and the films. It's a pretty big universe. We've done content in previous eras, but we'll think about whatever happened to those people that showed up in one episode of " Voyager " or what are some of the cast members up to in the show. We did a large " Deep Space Nine " Dominion arc and got to catch up with Kira and Odo and people on the other side of the wormhole and delving into things that happened in that quadrant. I think that's how we keep things fresh and giving people answers to questions and new ideas and going in new directions.

Thomas Marrone: We've been really lucky to have all the new "Star Trek" that's been airing in the last few years. When "Discovery" started in 2018, that put a lot of wind back in our sails. We'd been mining the past 40 years of "Star Trek" between "TOS," "TNG," "DS9," "Voyager" and "Enterprise" but now we have brand new stuff to work on. We built a "Discovery"-themed starting experience pretty much immediately so that people coming in new to "Star Trek: Discovery," when they got into Star Trek Online, they'd have something relevant to them. That helped breathe a lot of life into the game.  

Then we had this opportunity recently with " Picard " where they actually reached out to us and so we got to provide ship design from Star Trek Online to "Picard" and that canonized an aspect of the game, which is an incredible opportunity. To be running concurrently with new "Star Trek" TV and even influence it has been an amazing development for us as a game that is over 12 years old. And between 2009 and 2018, we were one of the only multi-media ways you could experience "Star Trek." We took that responsibility seriously, and now to be passing that torch on to the new shows is a great way to evolve and come to the next step of the game's lifespan.

Space.com: What is the most fun or rewarding about playing in the "Star Trek" sandbox?

Thomas Marrone: I'm a big starship guy and I think that "Star Trek" has the most iconic, most graceful, most beautiful starships in all of science fiction and I love working with that. I was recently promoted to STO's Associate Art Director but the job I had before that was Lead Ship Artist, so I spent a lot of time building "Star Trek" ships for Star Trek Online. I'm really proud  of the fact that our models and designs were adopted by the "Picard" team to show up in the shows. We worked with their effects crew and they did some work on them due to the detail requirements for TV. STO has a certain expertise that we've been building our last 12 years that nobody else has and CBS recognized that and wanted to work with us on it.

Scott Tipton: For me, it's the characters, especially with "The Next Generation." I was in on the ground floor with that show so as it progressed I learned about them as they were being written. I feel invested in those characters so when I sit down to write Picard or Riker I can hear that voice in my head in a way I can't with the classic show because I feel like I know them so well. "Star Trek" is unique in sci-fi in that it’s kind of an anthology. You can have humor episodes or epic episodes. The flexibility you have with storytelling combined with those characters that everyone knows so well, and I feel I have a facility for, that's the real joy for me.

David Tipton: It's that character aspect for me too. Comics are sort of a dialogue-oriented media and if you do a "Star Trek" comic right and if the words coming out of those word bubbles sound like the character, then people resonate with it. But if Jordy doesn't sound like Jordy, you're going to have readers not satisfied with the comic. Getting those voices right for the comics is so important for us and something we continually strive for. We want it to sound like it was a real episode and that's the real trick in some ways too.

Paul Reed: I started watching "Star Trek" when I was a little kid. "Day of the Dove" was the first episode I ever watched. My mom came in the middle of it and said that she'd watched "Star Trek" back when she was in high school. So she sat down with me and explained that was Captain Kirk and that was Spock and why he had pointed ears. I got the whole primer. I grew up with "Star Trek" and was there when the first movie came out. Getting the opportunity to tell "Star Trek" stories and feature characters from the shows I watched growing up is incredible.  

Another big part of my job is working with our audio team when actors come in to do the voice-overs. If they have questions about what's going on in a scene I'm there to help give stage direction so they can do their job. Hearing the actors take this stuff we've worked on and add that extra dose of "Star Trek" reality is a major part of what makes my job so fun.

The "Shadow's Advance" expansion story launched in January on PC and March 16 for consoles. Star Trek Online is free-to-play and downloadable on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Follow us on Twitter @ Spacedotcom and on Facebook . 

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.

Early Star Wars Day Lego deal: $130 off UCS Razor Crest

Pre-Star Wars Day Lego deal: 20% off the Emperor's Throne Room

Relive NASA's historic Artemis 1 moon mission in this mini-doc (video)

Most Popular

• 2 Astrophotographer captures the Running Chicken Nebula in impeccable detail
• 3 China unveils video of its moon base plans, which weirdly includes a NASA space shuttle
• 4 NASA's TESS exoplanet hunter may have spotted its 1st rogue planet
• 5 This spacecraft is headed to NASA's asteroid-crash aftermath — but first, it'll stop by Mars

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published Jul 18, 2019

FIRST LOOK: 'Voyager' Warping to the Mirror Universe

IDW's Upcoming 'Mirrors and Smoke' Comic Book Presents Janeway, Pirate Queen of the Quadrant.

StarTrek.com

The U.S.S. Voyager will make her long-awaited return to the comic-book universe in October, when IDW Publishing releases the one-shot, Star Trek: Voyager: Mirrors and Smoke . This will be no ordinary adventure, as Mirrors and Smoke not only represents Voyager ’s first ever comic-book foray into the Mirror Universe, but the single issue will kick off a monthly IDW Mirror Universe event also set to feature The Original Series and Deep Space Nine . We have the first look at the cover (which debuted at an IDW San Diego Comic Con panel just moments ago) below.

Popular G.I. Joe writer Paul Allor has crafted the Mirrors and Smoke tale, which will be complemented with art by veteran Trek illustrator J.K. Woodward. As for the story, Mirrors and Smoke introduces Captain Janeway of the Voyager , a rebel ship stranded in the Delta Quadrant, far from the ruins of the Terran Empire. When Janeway crowns herself Pirate Queen of the Quadrant, the locals – including scavengers Neelix and Kes – won’t give up without a fight. Amid this conflict, the crew of the Voyager has a second problem on their hands: just who is the Terran calling herself Annika Hansen, and can she be trusted?

"As a child, Star Trek taught me about the power of exploration, the value of kindness and empathy, and the triumph of intelligence and logic over violence and anger,” Allor said. “And now, I am so excited to throw all of those values out the window and tell the story of the Mirror Universe Voyager crew pillaging and plundering its way across the far reaches of space.”

Woodward pointed out that the Mirror Universe looks at characters – and Star Trek as a whole – in a way that's unique and thrilling. “There really is no greater reward creatively,” he said. “I was very excited when IDW approached me about working on a Mirror Voyager story. I'd given considerable thought to what a Voyager crew would be like in the Mirror Universe, and based the look of the characters on designs I'd already completed. With suggestions from IDW and CBS, we developed new ideas and alterations to create a look that I think exceeds anything we've done previously.”

IDW will offer Mirrors and Smoke with a Woodward cover and also a special retailer incentive variant by George Caltsoudas. For additional details, contact your local comic book retailer or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you. And keep an eye on StarTrek.com for additional details about the IDW's upcoming Star Trek adventures, as well as exclusive first looks at covers and preview pages.

Get Updates By Email

Star Trek: DS9 Revealed Captain Kirk Broke The Mirror Universe

• Kirk's influence in the Mirror Universe led to the downfall of the Terran Empire, creating a harsh dystopia.
• DS9 explored the aftermath of Mirror Spock's failed attempt to reform the Terran Empire based on Kirk's suggestions.
• Michael Piller's curiosity and the impact of Kirk's character drove the return of the Mirror Universe in DS9.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine revealed the prime timeline Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) broke the Mirror Universe during his one and only visit. At the end of Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 10, "Mirror, Mirror," Kirk suggests to Mirror Universe Spock (Leonard Nimoy) that the future of the Terran Empire could be more peaceful, like the Federation in Star Trek 's prime timeline . Star Trek didn't return to the Mirror Universe for another 27 years, in DS9 season 2, episode 23, "Crossover", which aired in 1994, and revealed a number of details about how Kirk impacted the Terran Empire .

Having rejected multiple Mirror Universe storylines for Star Trek: The Next Generation , producer Michael Piller eventually gave into his curiosity in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Various Star Trek: DS9 characters crossed over into the Mirror Universe between seasons 2 and 7, beginning with "Crossover". DS9 's first Mirror Universe episode established what happened after Mirror Spock attempted to implement the changes suggested by Prime Kirk. Spock's attempts to reform the Terran Empire were a disaster, and created an even harsher dystopia than before .

Star Trek: The Mirror Universe's History Explained

Ds9s mirror universe episode revealed captain kirk broke the alternate timeline.

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 23, "Crossover", Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) and Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) are transported to the Mirror Universe following an accident in the Bajoran wormhole . In the 24th century Mirror Universe, there is no Deep Space Nine, but there's a Terok Nor, which is overseen by the Intendant, the Mirror version of Kira. As with its prime universe counterpart, the Cardassian space station Terok Nor is an ore processing plant populated with Terran slaves.

Future Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Mirror Universe episodes featured an adapted transporter that could cross between universes.

It's revealed that Kirk had a " profound influence " on Mirror Spock, who rose to commander in chief of the Terran Empire with promises of more peaceful reform. This substantially weakened the Terran Empire so that it was unable to defend itself against the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. The Terran Empire fell, and the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance became the dominant force, meaning that Kirk ultimately seeded the downfall of the Mirror Universe. Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors" revealed that Mirror Spock was executed for introducing his Kirk-influenced reforms , presumably when it was realized the Terrans could not defend themselves against the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.

Why DS9 Brought Back Star Treks Mirror Universe

Star Trek: TNG didn't do the Mirror Universe , largely because its pulpy idea wasn't in-keeping with TNG 's more serious tone. In the book Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, Michael Piller revealed his thinking behind bringing back the Mirror Universe in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and it was all because of Captain Kirk:

I couldn't get away from the fact that it would be interesting to know what happened after "Mirror, Mirror" finished. I couldn't escape the idea that Kirk's influence in the world that he left might have been profound and changed history. What would be more of a gross violation of the Prime Directive?

Robert Hewitt Wolfe, who contributed the idea of the fall of the Terran Empire told the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion that he wanted to explore why the Terrans were so brutal in Star Trek: The Original Series. Hewitt Wolfe's belief was that the Terrans had made themselves harsh and brutal to protect against the " barbarians at the gate "; the Klingons and Cardassians . Star Trek: Enterprise would later dismiss this idea, by revealing that the Terrans were cruel and brutal long before First Contact with the Vulcans. However, without Star Trek: Deep Space Nine revitalizing the concept, it's possible that Enterprise 's Mirror Universe two-parter may never have happened.

All episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: The Original Series are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, Ren Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.

Mirror universe

• VisualEditor
• View history

The Bajoran city of Hathon as it appears in the Mirror Universe

Terok Nor and Leeta as they appear in the Mirror Universe

Mirror universe is the unofficial designation for the parallel universe the Terran Empire and the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance originate from. In contrast to the "prime" universe, the course of history has taken a different turn early in Earth 's history (and possibly other planets as well). Humanity has not risen to be a respected member in an interstellar alliance of equals , but a totalitarian regime oppressing other races by brutal force.

• 2.1 Missions involved
• 4 External links
• 5 References

History [ | ]

No date of divergence between the Prime timeline and the Mirror universe has been established, although it is likely it dates back to the 16th century, if there is one, with the Terran Empire dating back to at least the 20th century.

Humanity's First Contact with an alien race still took place with the Vulcans in 2063, although in this timeline Zefram Cochrane shot the Vulcans and the humans seized the Vulcan ship and its technology. The Terran empire rapidly spread across the stars, conquering Vulcan , Andoria , Tellar Prime , Bajor Denobula, and Gorlan by the 22nd century.

Humanity's conquered races began rebelling against the Empire, but its rule was saved by the displaced U.S.S. Defiant , from the Prime Universe's 23rd century. Using the advanced technology from the future, the Empire was able to conquer all of known space, including rendering Qo'noS uninhabitable.

In 2256 , the U.S.S. Discovery and I.S.S. Discovery swapped places, although the I.S.S. Discovery (along with a small Klingon fleet) was also displaced in time, sending it to 2410 . It was returned to 2256 , in the prime universe, shortly before it was destroyed by Klingons; however her captain remained at large in 2410 .

In 2267 , a transporter accident swapped James T. Kirk with his counterpart. The influence of the Prime Universe Kirk on the Mirror Universe Spock led to Spock taking control of the Empire and reforming it to peaceful and benevolent. This however led to a weakening of the empire and allowed the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance to rise to challenge it. The Klingon-Cardassian Alliance eventually conquers the entire Empire by the mid-24th century with the former Terran rulers reduced to slaves. Bajor later joins the Alliance.

Over the 2370s , people from the prime universe make a number of "crossovers" between the realities and begin a chain of events that lead to the Terran slaves of Terok Nor rebelling against the Alliance and re-take Terok Nor. The Rebellion manages to steal the plans for the U.S.S. Defiant and construct the I.S.S. Defiant . Combined with a stolen Klingon cloaking device, the Terrans manage to fight off Alliance forces.

By the 25th century , the Alliance has fallen to a newly reformed Terran Empire. It is as totalitarian as before and, while it allows non-Terrans such as Leeta to serve in its ranks, it still maintains a highly xenophobic attitude towards them and outsiders. It also begins incursions into the Prime Universe, forging an alliance with the True Way . The Orb of Possibilities , taken from the mirror universe at an unknown time, is returned to mirror Bajor, aiding the rise of Captain Leeta .

In 2410 , the Mirror Universe's history is altered significantly when Admiral Leeta defeats the Iconians 200,000 years in the past and takes challenges the Emperor's power using a combination of future technology from the Temporal Liberation Front and aid from the Pah-wraith .

In 2411 , the Terran Empire in the Mirror Universe has further expanded their diversity with Kuumaarke , a Lukari captain, and an Alliance captain , serving their ranks. Later on, after the disappearance of Emperor Crusher, Admiral Leeta seems set to become the new Empress - however, the Borg of the Mirror Universe also begin to launch an assault on numerous realities using reality vortices.

Missions visited [ | ]

Missions involved [ | ]

Notes [ | ].

• Before the revamp of the Cardassian Struggle mission arc, in the mission “The Other Side” , players encountered the remains of Klingon-Cardassian Alliance led by General B'vat and Captain Ja'rod . They assisted the player in an attack on a Terran installation in the Arawath System (This mission, along with the other cut Cardassian Struggle Mirror Universe missions, was a player-recreated Foundry mission) . [1]

External links [ | ]

• Mirror universe at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.

References [ | ]

• ↑ https://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline#/discussion/1215544/mirror-wars-a-mirror-tale
• 2 Playable starship
• 3 List of canon starships

Screen Rant

Star trek 10’s best mirror universe variants.

The Mirror Universe is home to the darkest and most depraved versions of our favorite Star Trek characters, but which of these variants is best?

• The Mirror Universe in Star Trek introduces darker versions of beloved characters, like bearded Spock, and presents a brutal alternative to the utopian ideals of the Federation.
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine resurrected the Mirror Universe and explored the story of the Terran Empire's fall, becoming a key element in the franchise.
• Mirror versions of characters like Zefram Cochrane, Jennifer Sisko, and Hikaru Sulu offer unique insights into their counterparts and provide intriguing storylines.

The Mirror Universe in Star Trek is home to the darker and more twisted versions of some of the franchise's best-loved characters. The Mirror Universe was first introduced in a memorable episode of Star Trek: The Original Series that brought the " darkest timeline " and a bearded Spock (Leonard Nimoy) into the pop culture imagination. It established the brutal Terran Empire in Star Trek canon, a darker alternative to the utopian ideals of the Federation, the facistic Empire spread across the galaxy oppressing "lesser" species.

The crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation never ventured into the Mirror Universe, although Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) did cross into the Mirror Universe-like Confederation reality in Star Trek: Picard season 2. Almost three decades after "Mirror, Mirror" aired in 1967, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine resurrected the Mirror Universe and the story of the Terran Empire. DS9 's multiple Mirror Universe episodes established the alternate reality as a key element of the Star Trek franchise, which continues to provide darker versions of beloved characters to this day.

10 Mirror Zefram Cochrane

Star Trek: Enterprise revealed that the Terran Empire was established in a darker take on the Vulcan meeting in Star Trek: First Contact . Having broken the warp barrier and attracting the attention of alien life, Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell) established the brutality and Humans first mindset of the Mirror Universe by murdering the Vulcans. Earth then used the stolen Vulcan technology to rapidly expand across the galaxy, establishing a brutal reign over the galaxy. It's a tiny scene in the cold open of the Enterprise episode "In a Mirror Darkly" but it perfectly establishes how the Terran Empire was formed.

9 Mirror Jennifer Sisko

Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) was widowed when he lost his wife Jennifer (Felecia M. Bell) at the Battle of Wolf 359. As such, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine viewers only knew her through his recollections. The Mirror Universe gave Sisko a chance to reconnect with Jennifer again in multiple episodes of DS9 , and it was interesting that she maintained a peaceful outlook in the less moral universe. It was the closest that Sisko ever got to being reunited with his beloved wife, but he was aware of the problems that would arise should a reunion take place. Tragically, Jennifer was killed while attempting to escape to the Prime Universe with Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton).

8 Mirror Sulu

The Mirror Universe version of Lt. Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) was determined to take control of the ISS Enterprise, threatening both Mirror Spock and Prime Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) to achieve his goal. This plot point becomes archly funny in light of the George Takei and William Shatner feud that has been ongoing for decades. George Takei clearly relishes the chance to put Sulu front and center and gets to be a serious antagonist throughout "Mirror, Mirror". His Mirror Universe counterpart's thirst for command could be a hint of what's to come when Sulu takes command of the USS Excelsior.

7 Miles "Smiley" O'Brien

Miles "Smiley" O'Brien (Colm Meaney) was a slave on the Mirror Universe version of Deep Space Nine. After Mirror Sisko's death, "Smiley" became new leader of the Terran Rebellion, but still needed the positive influence of his former boss. So it was that Mirror O'Brien twice passed over into the Prime Star Trek Universe to seek the assistance of Prime Sisko to recruit Jennifer into the Rebellion and to also build them a Defiant to take back Terok Nor from the alliance. "Smiley" O'Brien remained in charge of the Terran Rebels until the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and possibly beyond.

6 Mirror Jonathan Archer

Scott Bakula's Captain Archer is one of the more interesting Mirror Universe variants, given the closeness in time to the establishing of the Terran Empire. It's therefore easier than most to see exactly how Archer was affected by Cochrane's decision to kill the Vulcans rather than shake their hands. Growing up in such a formative period for the Empire it makes perfect sense that Archer would become a ruthless and ambitious officer who set his sights on becoming Emperor. He eventually did achieve his goal, but only for a short time until his assassination at the hands of Mirror Hoshi Sato (Linda Park).

5 Emperor Philippa Georgiou

In Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror", the crew of the USS Enterprise is horrified to discover the brutality of the Mirror Universe. During Star Trek: Discovery 's Klingon War , Starfleet embraced this more pragmatic and brutal outlook by enlisting Terran Emperor, Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) to help them win the war. Georgiou went too far, but was eventually reigned in by Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) who would make a concerted effort to be a positive influence on the formerly cruel Emperor as penance for getting her Prime Universe counterpart killed.

4 Captain Gabriel Lorca

It's hard to judge Star Trek: Discovery 's Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) as a Mirror Universe variant given how little is known about the Prime Universe counterpart. However, Lorca made a much more successful attempt to infiltrate Starfleet than Mirror Kirk ever did in Star Trek: The Original Series . Having failed to depose Emperor Georgiou, Lorca found himself exiled to the Prime Star Trek Universe. Lorca replaced his Prime Universe counterpart aboard the USS Discovery to begin gathering the power he would need to make a second coup attempt. Lorca was defeated by Burnham, Georgiou and the rest of the crew of the USS Discovery. However, he's still the most compelling villain that Discovery ever produced, making him one of the best Mirror Universe characters.

3 Empress Hoshi Sato

Lt. Hoshi Sato is a hero to many , but her Mirror Universe counterpart is a stone-cold villain. Like many of her predecessors, Mirror Hoshi insidiously works against Emperor Archer to have him removed from power. Seducing his personal guard Ensign Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery), she convinced the besotted young man to poison Archer. With Archer dead, Hoshi used the superior technology of the USS Defiant to threaten Earth. Declaring herself Empress Sato, she threatened to start attacking Earth's defenses if her instructions were not met. It's unclear what happened in the century between Hoshi's rise, and the later rise of Emperor Georgiou but perhaps Michelle Yeoh's Star Trek: Section 31 movie could shed new light on this period.

2 The Intendant

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's "Crossover" is one of the best Major Kira Nerys episodes as it brings her face to face with her Mirror Universe counterpart. "Mirror, Mirror" had Kirk and his crew swap places so that they never came face to face with their own evil doppelgängers. This is what makes the Intendant character so unique, as she and Kira get to share scenes together. It's a fascinating look at what Kira could have become if the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor had never happened. The Intendant is scheming, sensual, and hell-bent on maintaining control of Terok Nor. While she retains some aspects of Kira's character, the alliance with the Cardassians proves that this is a very different version of the Bajoran.

1 Mirror Spock

The best Mirror Universe Star Trek variant is Mirror Spock because he gives hope in a hopeless universe. In "Mirror, Mirror", Spock is positively inspired by his experiences of meeting the Prime counterparts of his ISS Enterprise crew members. The implication at the end of "Mirror, Mirror" is that Spock will lead a revolution that will improve the lives of everyone in the Mirror Universe. Unfortunately, due to the Terran Empire's centuries of oppression this did not go to plan.

Seeing Spock's reforms as a sign of weakness, the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance seized their opportunity and attacked this more peaceful Empire, enslaving Terrans and Vulcans alike. It's a fascinating challenge to Gene Roddenberry's vision by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , suggesting that positive change isn't always as simple as handing a fascist regime over to a more benevolent leader. However, there's no denying that the bearded Mirror Universe version of Spock is the definitive Star Trek variant given his influence on the fate of the Terran Empire in-universe as well as popular culture at large.