Summary

• The jump to the Mirror Universe in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 was a turning point for fans, revealing Captain Lorca's true identity.
• Sonequa Martin-Green discusses how fans reacted to the series' dark and violent tone, which was a departure from traditional Star Trek.
• Audience's mixed feelings about violence in the show shifted when Lorca's connection to the Mirror Universe was revealed, bringing joy to fans.

Star Trek: Discovery series lead and producer Sonequa Martin-Green discusses how season 1's Mirror Universe multi-part arc was a turning point for the audience. Star Trek: Discovery was controversial from the get-go as longtime Trekkers couldn't reconcile the series' dark and violent tone, visual effects, and serialized style with the Star Trek shows of the 1990s they were familiar with. But the tide began to turn with Star Trek: Discovery season 1's Mirror Universe saga, which revealed Captain Gabruel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) was a Mirror impostor and introduced Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh).

Sonequa Martin-Green was interviewed by the Star Trek: Discovery. Martin-Green discusses the audience's reaction to Star Trek: Discovery season 1, and how the jump to the Mirror Universe and the reveal of Captain Lorca's true identity gave fans a storyline "they were happy about." Check out Sonequa's quote below:

We all knew going in that was the deal... that Lorca wasn't who he claims to be, that was in the original pitch. But it was pretty fascinating to go on that journey with the audience, though. Because, of course, the audience did not know. And so we were able to have lots of spirited discussions about it because people had mixed feelings about it. A lot of people shared with me that they didn't like all this violence at the start. This isn't the tone of the [Trek] we know. This isn't our vibe. But the reveal was that Lorca was our connection to the Mirror Universe — that eventually gave them a great sense of joy that they were happy about.

Star Trek: Discovery's Mirror Universe Saga Remains Impactful Today

Discovery's Mirror Universe gave us Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Georgiou

The Mirror Universe was an entertaining diversion in Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Enterprise, but Star Trek: Discovery's depiction of the twisted alternate reality was one of the great achievements of the series. Discovery's Mirror Universe added fascinating new layers to the parallel timeline that were, at times, sordid and disturbing, but it was also a visual treat that truly made the Mirror reality feel truly distinct from the Prime Timeline. The Mirror Universe also introduced one of the greatest characters to emerge from Star Trek: Discovery: Emperor Philippa Georgiou.

Georgiou was a living symbol of the moral and ethical ambiguities Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Star Trek: Discovery often faced and had to reconcile against Starfleet's virtues.

Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Georgiou is headlining her own made-for-Paramount+ movie, Star Trek: Section 31. Georgiou was a living symbol of the moral and ethical ambiguities Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Star Trek: Discovery often faced and had to reconcile against Starfleet's virtues. Star Trek: Discovery season 1 and season 3's Mirror Universe story arcs are unforgettable chapters of the series that helped define the heroism of Captain Michael Burnham and gave modern Star Trek perhaps its most captivating anti-hero in Emperor Philippa Georgiou.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 premieres April 4 on Paramount+.

Source: Television Academy