#mirror u

(insp: Wolf Larson - If I be wrong)

I was wrong, Lorca was evil. Yes, there can be moral ambiguity due to Universe differences but essentially he was evil. In a way the writers did it so we can let him go as a character. But Saru! I hope this means we can get the alien Captain that Star Trek should have done long ago. The symbolism in having an alien as Captain is the heart of Star Trek. He was incredible and gave a speech that was classic Trek and Starfleet. It was wonderful to see Discovery become a family and crew. It makes the difference of Lorca vs Saru feel natural and like Starfleet. It left me open to the changes we have experienced over the whole series so far. Michael Burnham was also a classic Trek character. She was in an impossible situation but persevered, improvised and stayed true to her principles. It was less interesting than what was happening everywhere else. That often seems to be Michael's role. She is that solid ground as everything shifts and bends. This is just immediate unfiltered reactions. Who knows what I will think tomorrow?

Major Trekkie here. I suppose letting out my endless thoughts on Discovery might get Tumblr posts rolling. Captain Lorca has been an enigma until Sunday's reveal. I didn't think he'd be a Mirror U Lorca, at all. Spoiler He's Mirror U Lorca. He also apparently loved, or possessed, or somehow wanted Mirror Burnham and crossed universes to get her back. She's also a means to an end(ack, right, the ends can justify terrible means, he said that!). That reveal makes a whole lot of sense in some ways, but not if that means he's just basic Mirror U darkness. Thankfully we KNOW he isn't. The biggest hint on that is simple. He hand picked his crew. Tilly he needed so he'd have Discovery's Mirror U Captain. Stamets he needed for the Spore Drive. But Saru? Saru is a member of a slave race. Airiam? She's a major bridge crew member who isn't human either. Lorca could have arranged a mostly human crew easily. If he was a xenophobic barbarian he would have done that, especially with his first officer. We also know that Mirror U characters can be complex. DS9 had loads of them. Not one human Mirror U counterpart was pure dark barbarian. They were nuanced, hopeful, and sometimes selfless. Another point, Mirror U Kirk and company could not adapt to the Federation Universe at all. Spock pointed out that a civilized person can pretend to be barbaric, but it doesn't work the other way. Admittedly, Lorca had USS Defiant information to help him prepare, and he didn't fully adapt, but that's still a point worth making. Finally, he showed more compassion and empathy than playing a part needed. He didn't have to rescue Ash. My theory is that seeing the Federation rubbed off on him fast. Maybe reading about the Defiant interested him from the start. Maybe just being in the Federation U gave him new perspective. Maybe he never even fit into the Mirror U? Or the writers will prove me wrong and make him simpler and more boring. I doubt it and it would suck, but it's possible. Either way, my head was left spinning and hasn't stopped.