WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Prodigy, season 2, episode 14, “Cracked Mirror”.
Summary
Star Trek: Prodigyseason 2, episode 14, “Cracked Mirror” introduces Mirror Universe variants of some belovedStar Trek: Voyagercharacters. In"Cracked Mirror", written by Erin McNamara and directed by Ruolin Li, Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran), Dal R’El (Brett Gray) and the rest of the USS Protostar crew find themselves aboard the Mirror Universe’s version of the USS Voyager-A.Prodigy’s Mirror Universe episode marks the first time thatStar Trekhas returned to the darkest timeline’s 24th century sinceStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 7, episode 12, “The Emperor’s New Cloak”.
Revisiting the Mirror UniverseallowsStar Trek: Prodigyto finally introduceevil Mirror Universe variantsof the original USS Voyager crew.Star Trek: Voyagernever did a Mirror Universe episode, meaning that fans never got to meet the darker versions of Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) or her crew. Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) came close, asStar Trek: Picardintroduced the Confederation version of her character, but it’s a completely different strand of theStar Trekmultiverse. So for years, only oneStar Trek: Voyagercharacterhad a Mirror Universe variant introduced on-screen, untilProdigyopened the floodgates.
Star Trek’s Mirror Universe Is Back: What Happened After DS9 Explained
Star Trek: Prodigy co-executive producer Aaron J. Waltke explains the state of the Mirror Universe in the late 24th century after Deep Space Nine.
Mirror Universe Tuvok (Tim Russ)
Introduced in Star Trek: DS9, season 3, episode 19, “Through the Looking Glass”
Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) meets the Mirror Universe version of Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) inStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 3, episode 19, “Through the Looking Glass”. InDS9’s second of five Mirror Universe episodes, Sisko is forced to impersonate his Terran counterpart by Smiley O’Brien (Colm Meaney). By this stage, the Terran Empire is on its knees, after being decimated by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance, led by theMirror Universe’s Worf(Michael Dorn). However, rebel factions are fighting back against the Klingons and Cardassians, which include Tuvok as a member.
“Through the Looking Glass”
“The Emperor’s New Cloak”
Season 7, Episode 12
The Mirror Universe version ofStar Trek: Voyager’s Tuvok was just as logical as his prime timeline counterpart. Rather than favoring the rash and impulsive strategies of his fellow rebels, Tuvok felt that the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance could be brought down by logical strategizing. Despite this, even Tuvok has to accept the surprise resurrection of the Mirror Universe version of Ben Sisko, despite the situation’s lack of logic.
Star Trek: Voyager & DS9 Crossed Over In The Mirror Universe
Despite being stuck in the Delta Quadrant, a Star Trek: Voyager crew member briefly crossed over into the Mirror Universe to join the DS9 cast.
Mirror Universe Chakotay (Robert Beltran)
Voyager’s Chakotay rocks an evil Spock goatee.
Star Trek: Prodigyseason 2, episode 14, “Cracked Mirror”, introduces the Terran Empire’s version of Captain Chakotay. Following in the footsteps of theMirror Universe version of Spock(Leonard Nimoy), the Terran Empire’s Chakotay also rocks a black goatee. This version of Chakotay is more cruel and violent than hisStar Trek: Voyagercounterpart, delighting in the torture of his prisoners. Mirror Universe Chakotay has brought the Agonizer aboard the ISS Voyager-A, revealing his fondness for the cruel and unusual punishments of the old-school Terran Empire.
Even when fighting the cruelty of Cardassian oppression in the Maquis, Chakotay was never as brutal as his Mirror Universe counterpart…
Star Trek: Deep Space Ninepreviously revealed that a shift to a more benevolent outlook weakened the Terran Empire in the late 23rd century. A century later, and the Terran Empire appears to be back on top, and if Mirror Chakotay is anything to go by, they’ve doubled down on the cruelty. Even when fighting the cruelty of Cardassian oppression in the Maquis, Chakotay was never as brutal as his Mirror Universe counterpart, which says a lot about the Terrans in the late 24th century.
Robert Beltran turned down the opportunity to play an evil Chakotay inStar Trek: Picardseason 2, because he “did not like what they had written for Chakotay”
Mirror Universe Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)
Mirror Universe Janeway inStar Trek: Prodigyis also more brutal than her prime timeline counterpart, effectively ordering the torture of kids. This version of Admiral Janeway is a key figure at the top of the New Terran Armada, which was established in the years betweenStar Trek: Deep Space NineandProdigyseason 2. The romanticrelationship between Janeway and Chakotayin the Mirror Universe is also more pronounced, as the Admiral tickles her Captain’s beard affectionately. Worryingly, Mirror Janeway also sports a Borg implant, suggesting that she’s taken on the Collective and appropriated their technology for her own ends.
Alas,Star Trek: Prodigyreturned to the prime timeline before Chakotay, Dal and the crew could meet the Terran version of the Doctor (Robert Picardo).
Despite Mirror Janeway’s brutality, like all Terrans she’s more interested in self-preservation. When the Loom arrives and starts trying to devourStar Trek’s darkest timeline, Janeway quickly allows the Gwyndala (Ella Purnell) and the Protostar crew to repair the rift in reality. Alas,Star Trek: Prodigyreturned to the prime timeline before Chakotay, Dal and the crew could meet the Terran version of the Doctor (Robert Picardo). However, now that the Terran Empire is confirmed to be back up and running, it’s possible that more Mirror Universe variants of theStar Trek: Voyagercrew could be seen in the future.
Star Trek: Prodigy
Cast
Star Trek: Prodigy is the first TV series in the Star Trek franchise marketed toward children, and one of the few animated series in the franchise. The story follows a group of young aliens who find a stolen Starfleet ship and use it to escape from the Tars Lamora prison colony where they are all held captive. Working together with the help of a holographic Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the new crew of the USS Protostar must find their way back to the Alpha Quadrant to warn the Federation of the deadly threat that is pursuing them.
Star Trek: Voyager
The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they’ve never faced before.
