Wednesday 24 January 2018

Star Trek's dark Discovery



Star Trek: Discovery is back streaming on CBS All Access and Netflix outside the US. This post has spoilers. So, please don't read on if you've yet to catch up with latest episodes or begin watching the spin-off series.

The midseason premiere revealed that the crew of the USS Discovery are marooned in the infamous Mirror Universe. That dark realm of goatees and fascism. The Federation doesn't exist and in its place, a reign of terror under the Terran Empire lead by Emperor Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh).



Captain Lorca (Jason Isaacs) is the big bad. This is a narrative twist I was hoping for all along and there are clues peppered throughout the first half of season one. Lorca's masterplan was to manipulate Starfleet renegade Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and crew to return him to the Mirror Universe and, presumably, become Emperor.

Lieutenant Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) was in a coma in the wake of unwittingly aiding Lorca to spore jump into an alternate universe. His mirror self is a fascinating foe and may or may not be aboard the USS Discovery now that Stamets has awakened after learning his partner, Doctor Culber (Wilson Cruz), was killed by tortured Klingon captive, Lieutenant Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif).



What of the ISS Discovery in the Prime Universe? Well, that remains a story untold for now. However, it would be a surprise if the showrunners don't tap that rich vein either this season or next.

Much like in Star Wars fandom there's a civil war going on regarding the merits of Discovery and whether or not you're a true Star Trek fan if you like/loathe the series. There are enough spin-offs for everyone to play nicely. Live long and prosper.

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