Star Trek - Discovery - 3.09: Terra Firma part I

[Dave]

I was wondering as an aside whether the Flash Gordon (1980) film could be one version of the Mirror Universe? This is the first episode that has actually referred to the Mirror Universe and Prime Universe as “Mirror” and “Prime” in dialogue, although the Emperor rightly claimed that her universe was the "Prime." Also the first mention of any awareness of the Kelvin Universe (the new timeline created by the incursion of a Romulan mining ship) in the Prime Universe. By introducing Lt. Commander Yor and describing how he crossed over from the Kelvin Universe into the Prime Universe, it establishes in canon that these are separate parallel universes, just like the Mirror Universe.

So, now we have Phillipa Georgiou's Groundhog Day episode? I hope she got it right this time by not executing Michael. It's a pity that we know more about the Mirror Universe versions of Joann and Rhys than we do the Prime Universe versions.

We got to see "glasses man" again, though he does have a name, Kovich. He has to be Section 31 with his "I know many things!" answer. Is he going to be in the new Section 31 show (if ever made)? Apparently, Anson Mount appears again before the end of this Season, I expect that would be next week in the Mirror Universe. All the talk of Lorca in this episode, but Jason Isaacs did not appear. My sources say not next week either.

Sorry, it was a nit that particularly irked me, but why couldn't they transport down on the planet Danuus V nearer to the door!!! Did they really do that just so they could mirror the first episode when we met Phillipa and Michael walking in a desert, so we could say goodbye to Phillipa walking in the snow?

Was the man in the bowler hat (now to be known as "bowler man") a Q? He also has a name, Carl. Maybe he was Squire Telane? Is Dannus V the homeworld of the Q?

The Kelpian ship name began with the initials KSF, which I guess stands for, Kelpian Space Force? But the distress call was meant to come from a Federation ship, and Stamets suggests using the Kelpian ship’s prefix code to access their systems; the same strategy used by Kirk to drop the Relient‘s shields in The Wrath of Khan. On the other hand, there were Vulcan only ships in Starfleet in Kirk's time. I'm not sure that there still were by the time that the KSF Khi’eth was lost?

 

[Alexa]

My head is spinning whenever they play with so many versions of the universe, so I will let you debate them.

Is this is good-by episode to Phillipa ? The series will be much boring without her. Or maybe Discovery manages to go back home in the last episode and it doesn't matter anymore.

 

[Dave]

Is this is good-by episode to Phillipa ? The series will be much boring without her. Or maybe Discovery manages to go back home in the last episode and it doesn't matter anymore.

As we have seen time and again, anything is possible with the writers, but it was made pretty clear that she would die if she stayed just one more day in the "Prime" universe. So, my guess is she is stuck where she has gone.

Like you though, I'm not quite sure "where" she has gone. It appears to be "Mirror Universe 2.0" but if Carl is a Q (or even something similar) then it could be like the TNG episode Tapestry where Picard dies and Q takes him to re-visit a pivotal event in his youth that he since regrets. Picard changes the past, but upon returning to the present he finds that the event changes the present in ways he doesn't like. So, he returns once more to the past and returns it to the way it originally took place. Picard then wakes up in the present, unsure if the events took place or if they were a dream caused by his injury, but somehow he is still alive.

My head is spinning whenever they play with so many versions of the universe, so I will let you debate them

I have a strong feeling that if the Section 31 series is ever made, it will feature Kovich, Lt. Commander Yor, Captain Braxton, Wells-class and Aeon-type timeship vessels, Berlinghoff Rasmussen, the Suliban, The Temporal Cold War and Temporal Accords.

I enjoyed the Captain Braxton adventures in Voyager, but not so much the whole Suliban storyline in Enterprise. Time Travel always produces unresolved paradoxes and the Star Trek stories have often made no sense. I'm glad that most Star Trek stories are grounded to one time (and time travel and mirror universes used for a fun outings). The Mirror Universe episodes only work when we know the characters involved well enough to observe all the differences. The previous Discovery visit didn't work because the characters had been poorly fleshed out. Even now we still don't know some very well at all.

 

[REBerg]

I was wondering as an aside whether the Flash Gordon (1980) film could be one version of the Mirror Universe?

I got that Planet Mongo vibe the moment Georgiou entered the alternate universe version of Discovery. Her headdress was so over-the-top (both figuratively and literally) that it brought to mind the Power Rangers' Rita Repulsa.

My head is spinning whenever they play with so many versions of the universe,

I'm with you there. Temporal and interdimensional travel have the same effect on me as they seem to be having on Georgiou. The atoms of my brain are being pulled apart.
On top of that, Carl adds an element of fantasy to the series. It had been pretty straight science fiction until he appeared on this uninhabited planet with his magic doorway and well-worn puns. I was never a Q fan., and I don't think I am going to like Cousin Carl.

 

[Alexa]

The series will be back next year. So the big question is: do they go back in time and that Q guy has another role to play ?

I don't like Q either. It's like playing poker with no chances to win the game.

Star Trek: Discovery season 4: Release date, filming, cast, plot and everything you need to know

"I am so excited to be back on set."

www.digitalspy.com

 

[AlekseiVashchenko]

Was I the only one getting tired of every line for Philippa in the previous episode and the beginning of this one being an insult? It was like listening to a pre-teen getting mad at their parents. Ironically, I'm doing the same thing as her by writing this.

 

[Alexa]

She is really sick, so it seems a bit harsh. Furthermore, this could be the last episode where we can see her.

 

[BAYLOR]

I was wondering as an aside whether the Flash Gordon (1980) film could be one version of the Mirror Universe? This is the first episode that has actually referred to the Mirror Universe and Prime Universe as “Mirror” and “Prime” in dialogue, although the Emperor rightly claimed that her universe was the "Prime." Also the first mention of any awareness of the Kelvin Universe (the new timeline created by the incursion of a Romulan mining ship) in the Prime Universe. By introducing Lt. Commander Yor and describing how he crossed over from the Kelvin Universe into the Prime Universe, it establishes in canon that these are separate parallel universes, just like the Mirror Universe.

So, now we have Phillipa Georgiou's Groundhog Day episode? I hope she got it right this time by not executing Michael. It's a pity that we know more about the Mirror Universe versions of Joann and Rhys than we do the Prime Universe versions.

We got to see "glasses man" again, though he does have a name, Kovich. He has to be Section 31 with his "I know many things!" answer. Is he going to be in the new Section 31 show (if ever made)? Apparently, Anson Mount appears again before the end of this Season, I expect that would be next week in the Mirror Universe. All the talk of Lorca in this episode, but Jason Isaacs did not appear. My sources say not next week either.

Sorry, it was a nit that particularly irked me, but why couldn't they transport down on the planet Danuus V nearer to the door!!! Did they really do that just so they could mirror the first episode when we met Phillipa and Michael walking in a desert, so we could say goodbye to Phillipa walking in the snow?

Was the man in the bowler hat (now to be known as "bowler man") a Q? He also has a name, Carl. Maybe he was Squire Telane? Is Dannus V the homeworld of the Q?

The Kelpian ship name began with the initials KSF, which I guess stands for, Kelpian Space Force? But the distress call was meant to come from a Federation ship, and Stamets suggests using the Kelpian ship’s prefix code to access their systems; the same strategy used by Kirk to drop the Relient‘s shields in The Wrath of Khan. On the other hand, there were Vulcan only ships in Starfleet in Kirk's time. I'm not sure that there still were by the time that the KSF Khi’eth was lost?

I haven't see this episode but , I love the fact t that the Kelvin Timeline is acknowledged in this one.

 

[Amethystmoon]

I enjoyed this episode. Really looking forward to the next one.

 

[ctg]

Poor Georgiou, wanting to die but nobody is willing to commit. Not in the Prime Universe or in the Mirror one. I have felt for her for so, so long time. She's an outsider, just like me and the only thing keeping her moving is Burnham.

Without her I would imagine that Empress would have offed her some way long time ago, because taking over the Prime Universe is such a big task. Humongous even. I also loved taht they utilised the Sphere Data for finding a "Q."

Thing is we don't know for sure that it is one of their collective members, because in the ST there has been gods and "demons" for a while. In the Picard they were very real at the season end. In the NG Q was a big thing, but since the actor is clearly so much older, it's hard to bring him in to harass another crew. Hence I think they changed the character and allowed him to be a bit more mature than the original Q.

Another thing that speaks against the Q continuum is the absence of flash and the arrogance. Instead Carl was helpful and not really patronising Michael or Georgiou for any reason. Instead he offered a solution straight away, just like Q but with no string attached.

What makes this thing all so curious is why the Sphere Data suggested that this is the solution and why it didn't mention in the brief the strange gods?

We got to see "glasses man" again, though he does have a name, Kovich. He has to be Section 31 with his "I know many things!" answer. Is he going to be in the new Section 31 show (if ever made)?

Maybe he isn't part of 31. Maybe he is just cut old and dry intelligence man.