‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Needs a “Mirror, Mirror” Episode
Star Trek: Lower Decks loves revisiting classic worlds, characters, and ideas. But there’s one place they haven’t gone yet–parallel.
The USS Cerritos’ primary mission often boils down to one phrase: second contact. As a concept “second contact” means a lot of things but on its most basic level, it just means there’s an in-universe reason to revisit things from Star Trek’s past.
Star Trek: Lower Decks does this masterfully all the time, but arguably never more so than its latest season premiere “Twovix“. The episode explores the complex idea of two crewmembers transported-accidents into one from a whole new place than the original Voyager story “Tuvix”. And while that means a lot more comedy for this admittedly silly scenario, it also allows for more thoughtfulness, too.
There are loads of episodes from Star Trek’s past we can make funny sequel titles out of. “Angel Two” anyone? “Devil’s Two” perhaps? What about “The Game: The Sequel”? We can keep going. All these ideas are equal parts groan-worthy and perfect for Lower Decks.
However, the best thing that Lower Decks has yet to continue on is easily the most obvious: the Mirror, Mirrorverse.
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In a Mirror, Historically
Transporter shenanigans and an ion storm land Kirk, Uhura, Scotty, and Bones in a parallel universe where there is no Federation, only an evil Terran Empire. Humans rule much of the Alpha Quadrant, enslaving and torturing all other “inferior” races. But our universe’s Kirk convinces the Mirrorverse goateed Spock that there is a better way.
Spoiler alert: there isn’t. This incarnation of Spock does take over as emperor and creates a kinder, gentler Empire. However, an Alliance between the Klingons and the Cardassians topples the Terran Empire, leaving a new, brutal regime in power. However, thanks to the main universe’s Sisko, a Terran Resistance Force slowly erodes the power of the Alliance. Eventually, Regent Worf finds himself led in chains to Terok Nor, now under Resistance rule.
Canonically, we know nothing after that moment in Mirrorverse history. In the past, there were stories that established former Emperors Hoshi Sato and Philippa Georgiou.
The stories establishing these earlier eras of the Terran Empire in both Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Trek: Discovery are mostly played straight. However, the Mirror Universe, for the most part, is rife with deeply horny comedy–making it a perfect fit for Star Trek: Lower Decks.
Obviously, there’s more to Lower Decks and the Mirrorverse than just sexy space jokes.
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Star Trek: Lower Decks and Mirrorverse Inversion
It’s not absolute, but often the basic idea behind the Mirrorverse boils down to swapping character’s morality. The good guys are bad, the bad guys are good, Vulcans have facial hair, et cetera. Star Trek: Lower Decks can do this, but it’s more interesting if they don’t choose that simple a path.
One of the most exciting things about exploring this era of the Mirrorverse is that it’s brand new. We have no idea what happens after the Terran Resistance defeats the Regent. Does the Terran Empire return? Does Miles “Smiley” O’Brien take over? Or is there a power vacuum? There’s loads to explore.
But obviously, the reason you bring the Lower Deckers to the Mirror Universe is to explore alternate character dynamics. Maybe in this world Boimler and Mariner date! Wouldn’t that be awful? It would certainly be very Mirrorverse! We’ve seen mean Rutherford in the past, but what if he never grows out of that?
Above all this is a chance to see the road less traveled. What if Mariner is a stickler for the rules? What if Boimler isn’t? Without Starfleet, all bets are off. This is especially true for Tendi who, sans Federation, has no reason to see a life outside of being an Orion pirate. Pirate Tendi might not even be evil! She could be plundered from the bad guys!
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Intendant Kira
Listen. Character building is nice. Finding out what’s up with the Mirrorverse would be fantastic. But the actual number one reason to send Star Trek: Lower Decks to the other side of the mirror, darkly is to bring back Intendant Kira. Emperor Georgiou is great. Smiley is cool. And arguably the easiest way to bring back Jadzia is vis a vie the Mirrorverse.
But the best character that evil world ever produced is Intendant Kira and it’s not even close.
If you don’t know, Intendant Kira is basically the most chaotic megalomaniacal bisexual trope in the history of science fiction. She slinks and she slithers. She slices, she dices, and she makes Julian Bashir into fries. Intendant Kira is a delight. She’s a brutal murderer, yes. But a delight.
And most importantly, she’s a great, big question mark. Officially, we have no idea what her fate is after her final appearance in the DS9 episode “Resurrection”. We know things are not great for her, but she’s still just as cunning and dangerous as ever.
The best thing Star Tre: Lower Decks can do with the Mirrorverse is bring back Intendant Kira and genuinely ask the question: can the Intendant reform? And exploring the depths and complexity of her character lends us to naturally explore the mirror versions (and actual versions) of the Lower Deckers as well.
