'Star Trek: Discovery: Succession' Retcons the Mirror Universe Arc

Star Trek: Discovery: Succession just came to a close in its fourth issue, but the final chapter of this IDW Publishing series changes what fans thought they knew about the mirror universe arc from Star Trek: Discovery Season One.

SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery: Succession #4 Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson, Angel Hernandez, and Mark Roberts follow.

Star Trek: Discovery: Succession takes place in the mirror universe after the USS Discovery returns home. With the destruction of the Terran Empire's flagship and the apparent death of Emperor Georgiou, the Emperor's cousin, Alexander, has assumed the throne. However, Alexander did not expect that Georgiou's adopted daughter, Michael Burnham, was still alive after having been assumed killed along with the would-be usurper Gabriel Lorca.

While Alexander makes plans to launch a series of genocidal weapons that will wipe out all non-human sentient life in the galaxy, Burnham has been making strange bedfellows with rebels from across the Empire like the Klingons Kol and L'Rell, the Vulcan-sympathizer Amanda Grayson, and Katrina Cornwell, and secret ally of Lorca's serving Alexander on Earth.

Unfortunately for this motley group of rebels, Alexander has been on to them all along and luring them into his trap. Once the rebels arrive on Earth, the guards they believed were working for Cornwell show they are still loyal to the Emperor. After being taken as prisoners, the rebels are brought into the throne room where Alexander murders Amanda Grayson.

However, the Klingons are not so easily subdued. They strike, and Cornwell and Burnham follow suit. Eventually, the tide turns and rebels get the upper hand, allowing Burnham to eliminate Alexander for good.

But even before finishing off Alexander, Burnham stabs Cornwell in the back - quite literally - proving that she was always loyal to her mother, the Emperor.

This is a twist from what fans were told in the first season of Star Trek: Discovery. During the mirror universe arc, the narrative suggested that Lorca had a hand in helping the Emperor raise Burnham and that Burnham eventually fell in love with Lorca, as he did her. They were attempting to overthrow Georgiou together when their ship was destroyed and Lorca ended up marooned in the prime timeline.

But according to Burnham in Succession, Lorca may have been in love with her but the idea that she felt that same was entirely in his head, a delusion that she may have fostered in order to gain Lorca's trust and learn more about his plans to overthrow Georgiou. In the end, Burnham says she was always loyal to her mother and by eliminating both Alexander and Cornwell she has done everything she can to avenge her mother's apparent death and take her rightful place as the new Emperor, ensuring the continued stability of the Terran Empire.

What do you think of this mirror universe twist? Let us know in the comments!

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