Save Edith, Create the Mirror Universe

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

The Most Beloved Classic Star Trek Story Is A Secret Mirror Universe Episode

Star Trek: The Original Series introduced the Mirror Universe, but did it also quietly show what caused it in the first place?

www.giantfreakinrobot.com

Interesting theory.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It just proves what I've always suspected. Kirk can have the Federation, or Edith, but not both.

Or in other words:

You can't have your cake and Edith too.

 

[fireproof78]

It just proves what I've always suspected. Kirk can have the Federation, or Edith, but not both.

Or in other words:

You can't have your cake and Edith too.

Take your like and get out.

 

[Tosk]

Only in an alternate universe would I click on a Giant Freakin Robot link.

 

[FederationHistorian]

It's an interesting theory. And doesn't really conflict with what's shown on screen, if the history and literature of the mirror universe has been restructured into propaganda.

 

[F. King Daniel]

It doesn't work with the eyes thing in Discovery.

*crickets*

 

[The Wormhole]

For what it's worth, in Ellison's original script, the timeline where Edith survived and Germany won WWII resulted in a 23rd century* where the galaxy is in a state of anarchy and the Enterprise is a pirate ship.

*In Ellison's script, TOS's "present day" was actually in the 25th century, due to the fact that in the first season when the show was set really was up to the individual writers of each episode to decide for themselves, like Trelane saying it's the 28th century in Squire of Gothos.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

It doesn't work with the eyes thing in Discovery.

How so?

 

[BillJ]

How so?

Their vision doesn't like the bright lights of the Prime universe. Since that is likely an evolutionary trait, it would've taken more than 300 years to develop that way.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Unless of course it's the product of a failed gene-editing experiment.

 

[BillJ]

Unless of course it's the product of a failed gene-editing experiment.

Just no.

 

[The Wormhole]

IIRC, Disco also implied the wide spread photosensitivity was because the stars don't shine as brightly in the MU as they do in the Prime Universe, which definitely rules out Edith Keeler's death being a factor, since there's no way her getting run over has an impact on how brightly the stars shine.

Granted if there was that much of a difference in how brightly the stars shine, it should also have an impact on which planets life could develop on, with there being fewer in the MU where it should be possible. But then since when did realistic science have a place in Star Trek?

 

[FederationHistorian]

It doesn't work with the eyes thing in Discovery.

*crickets*

New headcanon:

Kelvinverse Kirk, Spock, and Uhura created the events of DIS (including their mirror universe) with their trip through the Guardian of Forever.

 

[The Wormhole]

Oh, just remembered, according to Kovich, Mirror humans have a genetic predisposition towards being evil. It's literally in their DNA.

 

[fireproof78]

Oh, just remembered, according to Kovich, Mirror humans have a genetic predisposition towards being evil. It's literally in their DNA.

As opposed to regular humans?

 

[BillJ]

I truly love the episode "Mirror, Mirror", but Trek's use of the Mirror universe should have ended there. Conceptually, it simply falls apart at the first application of any kind of logic.

 

[fireproof78]

One need merely look at the indulgences of Rome or the aggression of powers like Sparta to see how humans can make what are often considered vices in to virtues.

I find the MU more than plausible, if a bit dramatic.

 

[BillJ]

I find the MU more than plausible, if a bit dramatic.

That they are somehow exactly like us, even having very similar careers and the exact same technology level? There are conceits there because of it being a TV show, but it still is paper thin. There's also the fact that the Defiant from "In a Mirror, Darkly" should have given them a huge leg up on technology that simply isn't evident in "Mirror, Mirror".

 

[fireproof78]

That they are somehow exactly like us, even having very similar careers and the exact same technology level? There are conceits there because

Yeah, it's a dramatic conceit.

I guess, as Trek conceits go it's minor to me. Humans reproducing with aliens is more difficult to accept for me.

There's also the fact that the Defiant from "In a Mirror, Darkly" should have given them a huge leg up on technology that simply isn't evident in "Mirror, Mirror".

Not sure why this is a problem

 

[BillJ]

Not sure why this is a problem

It makes the Mirror universe not make any sense.