And we’re back after that mid-season break!
Jumping straight in – the Discovery is in an unknown place (the Mirror universe, which I know because when I was on YouTube yesterday I saw a video with the word ‘ISS Shenzou’ in the title and already that spoilt about 40% of the plot for me so thanks for that) where they try to figure out what’s going on.
A Vulcan ship warps in and fires on the Discovery. The (ISS) Cooper (which the show doesn’t bother to explain where it came from – did it just warp in? Was it already there? Who knows??) fires on the Vulcan rebels, a designation which of course surprises the Discovery crew but should be familiar to anyone who has seen Enterprise‘s Mirror episodes.
Saru detects that the ships have a different quantum signature to what they should expect, leading the Captain to very quickly realise they’re not in the Prime universe. I’m kinda glad we don’t have to spend a painful amount of the episode with the cast realising they’re not in their universe anymore – I suppose it’s not unrealistic for them to make a quick leap, considering the sciency hijinks they’ve been involved with this season …
We’re also treated to a opening title sequence with slightly different graphics, but the same music – and I have the same opinion as I did of the previous ones.
Also of note, Johnathan Frakes is directing – who is equally known for his Trek directing abilities as he is his stint as Riker.
The post-title sequence involves a chat between Lorca, Burnham and Saru where Lorca shows them his map which reminds me of the chat he and Staments had in the previous episode about parallel universes, which I guess explains the quick realisation (see this is the problem with mid-season gaps!).
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| Like from there POV they were literally just discussing this a couple of hours ago. Talk about coincidences … unless it isn’t? :O :O :O |
Lorca hypothesises that the 133 jumps they made (somehow) filled in the gaps in the map that then allowed them to jump to the parallel universe (it sounded like the writers are trying to explain something which didn’t need an explanation – already-established-dodgy-tech causes jump to parallel universe isn’t the most absurd way we’ve crossed over to the Mirror universe). Saru makes a comment about this being a coincidence (:O :O :O)
The crew needs to get home so they can send the data about breaking the Klingon’s cloak to Starfleet (and presumably for other reasons …), so Lorca orders them to figure out how to survive where they are, and then figure out how to get home.
Meanwhile, Tilly and Culbert are examining Staments, who has clouded over eyes and is muttering about a palace. Lorca, who Culbert blames for Staments’ condition, comes in to tell Culbert he wants another doctor to take over Staments’ care, to preserve professional objectivity (which, to be fair, should’ve happened from the beginning like did I’m certain I said this), but Culbert feels he’s the most qualified, and says that Lorca didn’t care when he got Culbert to falsify Staments’ medical record. Culbert emotionally reacts, which does prove Lorca’s point (even if he does gaslight Culbert a bit) and he leaves reminding him of his orders.
Tyler flies to wreckage to collect a Klingon data core, where the shards of glass triggers him and causes him to shake the ship (which he uses some sort of haptic rig to control – something we never see again). Also where did the ISS Cooper go? I guess they just destroyed the Vulcans and then were like ‘okay lol bai’. Speaking of Vulcans, Tyler identifies the pilots of the Klingon ships as Andorian and Vulcan. Tyler says he’s going to carefully slice out the core using a laser, despite his super trembling hands.
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| There’s also this weird holographic arm laser representation thing he uses to aim his shooting, which I swear is copied straight out of Star Trek Online. It’s also something we never see again. |
Tyler manages to extract the cell without destroying it. He then goes to visit L’Rell, demanding answers. He opens the cell and grabs L’Rell’s neck, but she responds with a series of trigger-words which causes Tyler to stand upright and repeat Klingon (in Voq’s voice), until the screen blacks out and Tyler is now on the other side of the brig, with his phaser out, and L’Rell looking distressed at the trigger words not apparently working as he doesn’t remember his actual name. Also where is the brig officer? There’s usually one, right? Anyway, Tyler pushes L’Rell back into the cell and runs off. This scene seems to all but confirm the ‘Tyler is Voq’ theory.
Burnham confronts Tyler about his flashbacks and despite them both being aware and admitting that he should inform Lorca of his PTSD (especially considering he’s the security chief), he says he won’t due to their current situation meaning he won’t be able to get the support he needs, and Burnham agrees to trust him when he says he can handle it (despite him clearly not). And what – is there no relief officer who can replace him? I’m sure that’s not the case coz that’s just against any protocol ever – what if he had the flu??
Burnham leaves to go to engineering, just before Tyler blacks out and comes to with his glass shattered in his hands, slicing open his palms. Burnham and Tilly realise that in this universe, the Andorians, Vulcans and Klingons have allied against the Federation (or rather, the Terran Empire). Burnham briefs the senior staff about the Mirror universe. The Cooper returns (from wherever they went) and Lorca is forced to pretend to be his Mirror counterpart (there was some theories a while back that Lorca was actually from the Mirror universe, based on practically nothing). Saru theorises that they’ve switched places with the Discovery from the Mirror universe as they appeared in the exact spot previously occupied by that Discovery. Burnham changes the signature of their ship to match those of the Mirror universe (because apparently you can just do that).
In a brilliant, absolutely brilliant moment, it’s revealed the captain of the ISS Discovery is Tilly.
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| Thank you |
This is exactly everything I wanted and didn’t realise. Tilly opens up with saying ‘What the he- heck- the hell? What the hell? Hold your horses!’ and I love the character more than I ever thought I could. Tilly manages to bluff long enough to pass over to Lorca who she calls her chief engineer. Realising they don’t know if Lorca is known in the Mirror Universe, Lorca is forced to cover by putting on a fake voice.
He puts on a Scottish accent.
Because of course he does.
If I’ve ever said a bad thing about this show forget it now because I love everything and everyone.
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| Me rn |
After bluffing away the Cooper, Lorca orders Saru to make the ship and its crew resemble the ISS Discovery as much as possible. Burnham briefs Tyler on her Mirror counterpart’s history, they change the wallpapers on the ship’s computers (which bizarrely seems to require someone going to each and every screen, rather than the IT tech just changing them all remotely at once), and changing the registry on the ship to ‘ISS’. Burnham reveals that in the Mirror universe, Lorca attempted a failed coup, which he is on the run for, and Burnham was killed by his crew when she was sent to stop him. After a brief discussion on destiny and the savageness of the unknown Empress, Lorca reveals he’s found intel regarding the missing USS Defiant, the first ship to have been lost in the Mirror Universe.
Burnham explains that the Defiant seems to have jumped back in time, as Saru points out that it is still patrolling in the Prime universe (which is of course consistent with the Enterprise Mirror episodes, where the Enterprise crew discovered the Defiant, with its relatively advanced technology, and used it to launch a coup). I do wonder if we will come across the Defiant, which is represented in an illustration on a screen as the traditional Constellation-class ship, but the picture is basic and shows little detail. For a show I have criticised for being quite discontinuous with the visuals, it’ll be interesting to see if the Defiant is represented accurately, as it was in Enterprise – that being said, the Defiant will now be about 100 years older – so in theory, much more advanced?
Lorca points out the Defiant doesn’t have a spore drive, and so must’ve found its way into the Mirror Universe somehow – and thus there is another way out. Burnham and Lorca have cooked up a plan where Burnham will pretend to be Captain Burnham, having faked her own death to capture Mirror!Lorca, beam over to the Shenzou and steal more intel on the Defiant. Tyler is ordered to act as Burnham’s personal guard (of course, Tyler wouldn’t have a counterpart, as presumably he’s still Voq in this universe).
No one points out the risk that Burnham will encounter Mirror!Georgiou, and I’m calling it now. Tyler goes to Culbert to get checked out to see if the Klingon’s did anything to him. Culbert points out nothing was picked up on his physical examination after his rescue, including brainwashing. He points out that if Tyler is experiencing any of the things we know he is, Culbert will have to pull him off duty. Tyler doesn’t deny this and actually goes on to say he just wants to make sure he’s fit for his assignment, which is pretty much an admission. Culbert agrees to perform more exams. Staments’ eyes briefly comes clear and he whispers to Staments that the ‘enemy is here’ before clouding back over.
Tilly and Burnham are dressed as Terran captains, and Burnham is giving Tilly a pep-talk on confidence (which, she really, really needs), explaining that Terrans act strongly because they have to, due to constant fear, but Tilly has the strength of her crew, like a real captain. Lorca enters wearing civilian clothing. Tilly goes onto the bridge and immediately falls into the role of Captain, hailing the Sheznou, where its captain, Connor (the guy who died in the pilot when the Klingons shot the brig), answers. Burnham expressed anxieties at meeting her ghosts. Lorca headbutts the door, splattering blood and making himself look injured (I’m sure the medical staff could’ve … ah nevermind), and they walk onto the bridge, surprising Connor. Tilly and Burnham are delicious in their roles, including Tilly nice rebuke of ‘if you ever spoke to me like that, I’d cut out your tongue and use it to lick my boots’. The Shenzou alters course to the Discovery.
Culbert calls Tyler to the medbay to tell him about his discovery. He does this with no one else present which means he’s going to die. He tells him that deeper scans reveal that the Klingons did severe alterations to his body, including shortening his spine, his limbs – and while they haven’t hidden anything under his personality, they might’ve put something on top. Tyler freaks out, then hears some Klingon, then kills Culbert.
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| Yep |
This was also kind of spoilt for me in a headline. Staments speaks out that ‘the enemy is here’. The Shenzou arrives, causing Burnham to freak a bit. Tyler reports to the bridge, claiming to not know where he was. They beam over to the Shenzou, where Burnham wisely prevents Connor from taking Lorca away, claiming to want to keep her prize with her. She ensures he is locked up in the brig (and not an Agony Booth) before returning to her ready room.
Predictably, Connors makes an attempt on Burnham’s life to cement his captaincy, causing Burnham to be forced to kill him. She reacts with distress which she just manages to hide in time for his body to fall onto the bridge, to the applause of her bridge crew.
The Shenzhou warps off as Burnham returns to her quarters, where Tyler is waiting for her. Tyler confirms that he will protect Burnham whatever happens. Meanwhile Lorca is being tortured in the Agony Booth.
By far my favourite episode of Discovery yet, with the comedy of Tilly’s initial captaincy attempt juxtaposed with the slow, dark revelation of Tyler’s identity. All of the actors are exemplary in their ability to play with identity, which is a core theme of this series and harks back to my initial thoughts of this series being more about exploring the people of the crew than the new worlds. It’s a intoxicating new direction and I am more than willing to follow it.
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