Mirror, Mirror (1967) Star Trek episode -
TheBooBooKitty Rating: {>>>>} (Pure Evil) {{ Previous - Next}}
Please note that this review is laden with
spoilers.
This episode introduces the very popular "Mirror Universe" that is reused several times in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise. The mirror universe is quite popular amongst non Star Trek writers as well, showing up in South Park and often being referenced by other writers.
Body count: Zero people are actually killed, but several are made to simply cease to exist by use of a technological device that belongs to "Mirror Kirk".
Plot Outline: Captain Kirk, Doctor McCoy, and Lt. Uhura are accidentally beamed to an alternate universe during an ion storm. They beam to an alternate Enterprise and their alternate universe counterparts are beamed to the real USS Enterprise. Our displaced characters find out that the mirror world is a harsh reality, where the Federation of Planets has been replaced with the Galactic Empire and assassination is a common and accepted means of advancing in rank.
Back on the real USS Enterprise Mr. Spock immediately spots the interlopers from the alternate universe and has them thrown into the brig. The characters who beamed to the mirror universe fare a bit better, they are not spotted at first, and are able to somewhat blend in with the crew.
Captain Kirk refuses Imperial orders to fire upon a peaceful planet, and the crew becomes suspicious of him. Mirror Chekov attempts to assassinate Kirk, but he fails. Meanwhile Mirror Sulu has been making advances upon Uhura, and the Captain learns that he has a romantic interest in this universe in the form of "Marlena". She is a "Captain's woman" and shows Kirk a device that can simply remove people from existence.
Mirror Spock has been ordered to kill Kirk and assume command if Kirk does not carry out the orders to destroy the population of the planet below. But Mirror Spock doesn't want to be Captain. He figures out what is going on and sends them all back to the real universe so he can get his own evil Captain Kirk back. Before beaming off Kirk makes a case to Mirror Spock that he should be the one who begins to overthrow the Galactic Empire.
My Opinion: This episode goes beyond cool and firmly into the realm of "totally sweet". I was fascinated by the simple idea of there being an alternate universe in which everyone has reversed moralities. Of particular interest was "Mirror Spock". Mirror Spock was not evil because the original Spock largely ignored the concept of good, and was instead dedicated to order and logic. So the Mirror Spock simply gained a goatee and the ability to make tougher choices in a world that is more accepting of murder and torture.
Notes
- The Mirror Universe is reused several times during the run of Deep Space Nine and once during the run of South Park. There is another mirror universe original series episode, but that one does not establish the fact that it is the same one.
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The actress playing "Marlena" and "Mirror Marlena" (Barbara Luna) was terribly ill throughout the entire filming, but she hid it perfectly.
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Doctor McCoy somehow manages to recognize an acid spill on the mirror ship, but there is no table at that position on the original ship.
- Mirror Kirk's quarter appear to contain a mini-fridge, which is the only instance I can ever recall of a refrigerator in the original series. Normally they use drink dispensers.
Cast and Guest Stars
Directed by: Mark Daniels directed this
episode along with thirteen other original Star Trek episodes.
Writing credits: Jerome Bixby was responsible
for this script. He also wrote By Any Other Name, Day of the Dove, and Requiem for Methuselah.
Sources: Star Trek.com, my head, and watching the
sucker multiple times. A big thanks to weasello
for the format used.