Why was the Mirror Universe classified?

[Greg Cox]

This was silly, and begs the question of why the Mirror Universe was not classified a few years from now when Kirk and friends cross over....?
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Because that was NOT in the aftermath of a major war where the Federation had suffered "terrible losses." It was a different climate, so the Powers That Be made a different decision. A decade later, they took a different approach--which is how things work in real life. Policies and leadership change over time, particularly in response to major crises, wars, etc.

Yes, of course, it's not logical to think that the MU version of your dead daughter is the same person, but, again, human beings are not inherently rational creatures, especially where dead loved ones are involved. Just look at the huge boom in Spiritualism after the "terrible losses" of WW I.

Hell, even Sarek admitted that his logic was "uncertain" where his son was concerned. Starfleet's concerns seem plausible enough to me. One can debate them, but I can certainly believe that such arguments prevailed, at that time.

Ten years later, it was a different story . . ..,

 

[Cyrus]

MU is classified because Spore drive is classified.

 

[thribs]

Because they’re poor writers and that was the only think they can think of to avoid continuity errors. Obviously it was no big deal when Kirk discovered it properly.

 

[Kane_Steel]

Because that was NOT in the aftermath of a major war where the Federation had suffered "terrible losses." It was a different climate, so the Powers That Be made a different decision. A decade later, they took a different approach--which is how things work in real life. Policies and leadership change over time, particularly in response to major crises, wars, etc.

Yes, of course, it's not logical to think that the MU version of your dead daughter is the same person, but, again, human beings are not inherently rational creatures, especially where dead loved ones are involved. Just look at the huge boom in Spiritualism after the "terrible losses" of WW I.

Hell, even Sarek admitted that his logic was "uncertain" where his son was concerned. Starfleet's concerns seem plausible enough to me. One can debate them, but I can certainly believe that such arguments prevailed, at that time.

Ten years later, it was a different story . . ..,

That's still quite silly. Someone who lost a loved one would still be highly interested in the possibility of seeing the doppleganger of that loved one again, a few years later.

It's fine classifying the Mirror Universe. It was obviously done to maintain some continuity in a halfassed way.

The reason why the Mirror adventures were classified should have been more compelling. Perhaps if Starfleet didn't want to destabilize the Federation and diplomatic ties with many worlds if the truth got out that Humans of the MU were barbaric conquerors of other species.

Many aliens of federation worlds may think that Humans of the prime timeline could have the same potential for conquest and power.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Because they’re poor writers and that was the only think they can think of to avoid continuity errors. Obviously it was no big deal when Kirk discovered it properly.

If that was the case, it would be poor writing on the part of TOS's writers.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

In TOS, they* probably assumed that no one would ever return to the Mirror Universe.

* - Writers, characters; everyone but the first generation of fanfic writers.

 

[Awesome Possum]

With Discovery, getting there required the spore drive. With TOS, it required a teleporter under the right conditions. Stands to reason they’d want to get the word out about a potential risk like that. Not everyone has a spore drive, but transporters are pretty widespread.

 

[fireproof78]

If that was the case, it would be poor writing on the part of TOS's writers.

We don't speak of that.

 

[Nerys Myk]

We don't speak of that.

The "just another day at the office" attitude in the face of some pretty amazing discoveries was always head scratching in TOS.

 

[Greg Cox]

That's still quite silly. Someone who lost a loved one would still be highly interested in the possibility of seeing the doppleganger of that loved one again, a few years later.
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Just saying that a policy decision made in one political climate can vary from a policy decision made ten years earlier, during wartime. Starfleet is allowed to change its mind. Again, that's not bad writing, that's just human nature.

Starfleet made a judgment called based on the emotions of the time. That's all.

To use another weird historical example, look at Prohibition. At one point, America thought it was a good idea to ban the consumption of alcohol. A decade later, Prohibition was dead.

So, fine, the MU was classified because it seemed like a smart idea at the time--and Starfleet was worried about how the general public would react. A decade later, cooler heads prevailed. Works for me.

 

[fireproof78]

The "just another day at the office" attitude in the face of some pretty amazing discoveries was always head scratching in TOS.

Hey, they discovered multiple alternate universes, as well as different ways to time travel that don't get mentioned again.

But, Spore Drive...?

Just saying that a policy decision made in one political climate can vary from a policy decision made ten years earlier, during wartime. Starfleet is allowed to change its mind. Again, that's not bad writing, that's just human nature.

Starfleet made a judgment called based on the emotions of the time. That's all.

To use another weird historical example, look at Prohibition. At one point, America thought it was a good idea to ban the consumption of alcohol. A decade later, Prohibition was dead.

So, fine, the MU was classified because it seemed like a smart idea at the time. A decade later, cooler heads prevailed. Works for me.

There was a doppelganger impersonating a Starfleet captain and leading a war effort. IF that isn't concerning to the powers that be in a government, I don't know what would be.

 

[Greg Cox]

I keep joking that Starfleet has a secret warehouse where they keep the Spore Drive, the Genesis Device, the telekinesis pills, Janice Lester's body-swapping gadget, etc.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I keep joking that Starfleet has a secret warehouse where they keep the Spore Drive, the Genesis Device, the telekinesis pills, Janice Lester's body-swapping gadget, etc.

I heard there might be a dozen or more.

 

[fireproof78]

I keep joking that Starfleet has a secret warehouse where they keep the Spore Drive, the Genesis Device, the telekinesis pills, Janice Lester's body-swapping gadget, etc.

 

[gblews]

Yes, she did. But that's not an example of actual human nature; it's just another character being (badly) written by the same writers. That was a stupid and implausible element of the plot, and it annoyed me quite a bit when I saw it.

So, this is more of your evidence, the fact that you simply didn't like the way the characters were written?

So, a person wishing to not kill and to keep close (relatively close) a loved one who that person thought they'd lost is not human nature? Hmm.

Yet another unconvincing plot development. Sensing pattern here? The characters don't act out of anything resembling recognizable human motivations, they just do whatever's necessary for the writers to get the story wherever they're trying to force it.

I thought the story was really well written and quite convincingly presented a pretty accurate account of, among other things, what many people might do if they thought they had an opportunity to regain a lost loved one.

 

[fireproof78]

So, this is more of your evidence, the fact that you simply didn't like the way the characters were written?

/thread

 

[gblews]

Those saying "MU versions aren't the same as PU versions" are ignoring one very salient point - if the MU exists along the spectrum of parallel universes, then LESS divergent realities exist. We saw some in TNG's "Parallels" and an even less-diverged scenario in VOY's "Deadlock". If people realise you can access the MU, then they realise you can access a reality where the only difference is your loved one didn't get on the business end of a phaser rifle or angry tardigrade. And then it's a goddamn free-for-all.

Good point which pretty much shoots holes in the whole "twinzies" argument. These duplicates aren't like your loved one's sibling, because for all intents and purposes, they ARE your loved ones, albeit with some socialization issues.

 

[lawman]

So, this is more of your evidence, the fact that you simply didn't like the way the characters were written?

Yes. Exactly. I'm saying I found the writing in the last few episodes of the season to be conspicuously poor and unconvincing. The characters (not just Burnham, but Georgiou and Lorca and Cornwell and Sarek and L'rell and Tyler and others) made decisions and took actions that do not strike me as resembling the behavior of actual human beings. Therefore, examples taken from same do not help make the in-universe rationale that was offered for classifying the MU any more persuasive. What's unclear about that?

I'm not saying there's no possible plausible explanation; indeed I've already acknowledged one in this thread. I'm just saying the writers weren't as clever as that poster.

 

[fireproof78]

Good point which pretty much shoots holes in the whole "twinzies" argument. These duplicates aren't like your loved one's sibling, because for all intents and purposes, they ARE your loved ones, albeit with some socialization issues.

Alternate realities do have their perks:

 

[F. King Daniel]

Those saying "MU versions aren't the same as PU versions" are ignoring one very salient point - if the MU exists along the spectrum of parallel universes, then LESS divergent realities exist. We saw some in TNG's "Parallels" and an even less-diverged scenario in VOY's "Deadlock". If people realise you can access the MU, then they realise you can access a reality where the only difference is your loved one didn't get on the business end of a phaser rifle or angry tardigrade. And then it's a goddamn free-for-all.

I can't be the only one who'd love to see them be really brave and explore that goddamn free for all.

Good point which pretty much shoots holes in the whole "twinzies" argument. These duplicates aren't like your loved one's sibling, because for all intents and purposes, they ARE your loved ones, albeit with some socialization issues.

This begs the question: Are we the meatbags, or the sum of our experiences? Shinzon was a Picard meatbag, but grew up in an extremely abusive environment and ended up a rapey psychopath. Kelvin!Spock is a Spock meatbag, but having lost his mother and world at a youngish age, has some anger issues rather close to the surface. Emperor Georgiou is a Phillipa meatbag, but her life was entirely different to Phillipa's. She's a "What if...?" but she's in no way the same person, IMHO.