With only three episodes to go in Season 3, Star Trek: Discovery delivered an episode that is moving the series forward, but also, changing Georgoiu’s role at the same time. “Terra Firma, Part 2” was also nostalgic as hell, and felt right at home among some of the rough-and-tumble TOS episodes, including, of course, “Mirror, Mirror.” But the deep-cuts in “Terra Firma, Part 2” weren’t just limited to a Terran dagger of Georgiou’s sword. From aliens from all corners of Trek canon, to a very slick reference to Scotty, “Terra Firma, Part 2” had it all. Here’s every Easter egg, callback and reference we caught in “Terra Firma, Part 2.” Your Emperor warns you, spoilers are ahead!
Agonizer references Kirk and Chekov
Georgiou’s leniency on Mirror Burnham echoes exactly how Kirk treated Mirror Chekov in “Mirror, Mirror.” In that episode, Mirror Spock was blown-away when Kirk didn’t order “full duration” in the Agony Booth, even though Chekov’s crime warranted death. Basically, Georgiou is behaving a lot like Kirk did in “Mirror, Mirror,” the irony being, she’s from this universe, and Kirk wasn’t.
“An Alliance to Destroy Us”
Mirror Burnham mentions a vast alliance trying to take down the Empire. This vaguely references a similar alliance that Prime Burnham discovered in “The Wolf Inside.” In that episode, Georgoiu destroyed those rebels from orbit, but this timeline is slightly different.
Coalition Members
Burnham rattles off a lot of alien races that are part of the coalition against the Empire. And, those selections all seem very pointed, and interesting. Here’s why.
Romulans– This implies the Romulans and the Vulcans split in the Mirror Universe, much as they did in the Prime Universe. Plus, it also implies the Terran Starfleet might be more aware of Romulans in the 2250s than their Prime Universe counterparts.Andorians- Founding members of the Federation of the Prime Universe, sworn enemies of the Empire in the Mirror Universe. Tellierates- This checks with what we saw in “The Wolf Inside,” in Season 1 of Discovery.Klingons- Again, in “The Wolf Inside,” we learned that Mirror Voq was the benevolent leader of the rebellion against the Empire.Denobulans- This is a callback to Enterprise. Dr. Phlox was a Denobulan, and in the Enterprise two-parter “In a Mirror, Darkly,” Mirror Phlox worked for the Terran Empire. So, if Denobulans were revolting, then yes, the Empire was in real trouble. Rigelians- Although mentioned in TOS and DS9, we first saw Rigelians in Enterprise. Most recently, we saw a Regelian in the Lower Decks episode “Much Ado About Boimler.”Coridanites- We most recently saw members of the Coridanite species in the Discovery episode “Far From Home.” But, the first time they appeared was in the Enterprise episode “Shadows of P’Jem.”
“You could kill her with the press of a button”
Does Georgiou have a Tantalus Field? Captain Killy suggests that she has the ability to kill Mirror Burnham with “the press of a button.” In “Mirror, Mirror,” Kirk discovered a device called the Tantalus Field, that was able to remotely vaporize people. In an unused concept for Enterprise, at one point, it was going to be suggested that the Tantalus Field sent people to alternate dimensions. That said, in this scene, it seems like we’re meant to get a similar feeling from “Mirror, Mirror,” and not necessarily assume Georgiou has the Tantalus Field.
Mirror Image Credits
The credits for “Terra Firma Part 2” are inverted, to acknowledge the idea that the episode begins in the Mirror Universe. The only other time a Trek show has had “Mirror Universe” credits was in the two-part Enterprise episode, “In a Mirror, Darky. Parts 1 and 2.”
No one has heard from Lorca
It seems possible that during the 3-months that Georgiou stays in the Mirror Universe, Captain Lorca does cross over into the Prime Universe. This would explain why “no one has heard” from him at all.
You are not Terran!
When Mirror Saru hears about all the great things Kelpiens have been able to do, he mentions that Georgiou must have “traveled far beyond the Empire.” Later, he accuses Georgiou of not being a Terran, essentially, because she’s acting way too nice. All of this implies that the Kelpiens in the Mirror Universe are aware of another universe, and another reality. Mirror Saru even says “Return to where you are from!” Also, bummer news, but in the Mirror Universe, Saru’s sister, Siranna, is apparently dead.
Mirror Airiam Is Not a Cyborg!
Actress Hannah Cheesman appears in both “Terra Firma Part 1” and “Terra Firma Part 2,” but it’s only here, in dialogue in Part 2, that it’s outright established that yes, this is Mirror Airiam. Obviously, in the Mirror Universe, Airiam never was involved in the shuttle accident that led her to become an augmented human. Interestingly, Hannah Cheesman was not the original Airiam, that would be actress Sara Mitich, who played Airiam in Season 1 of Discovery. Since Season 2, Mitich (sans-makeup) has played Commander Nilsson. In “Terra Firma Part 2,” Mitich plays Mirror Nilsson, opposite Cheesman as Mirror Airiam. This is the first time since the beginning of Season 2 that both Airiam actresses have been on the bridge at the same time. You could call this Mirror,Mirror Airiams, but that would be going to far, right?
Risa
You know this one! Risa is the pleasure planet, made famous by the TNG episode “Captain’s Holiday.” Is Risa a pleasure planet in the Mirror Universe? Seemingly not? Maybe?
Klingon-Romulan Alliance
The idea that the Klingons and Romulans form an alliance in the Mirror Universe in the 2250s is oddly similar to what happens in the Prime Universe in the 2260s. In the TOS episode “The Enterprise Incident,” we learn that the Klingons and the Romulans started sharing technology, partially because they wanted to take-down the Federation.
Tkon Empire
Another of Carl’s headlines reads: “Supernova Threatens Tkon Empire.” This references the TNG episode “The Last Outpost.” In that episode, the Tkon Empire had been destroyed for 600,000 years. They also had the ability to move planets and stars.
Guardian of Forever
Obviously, the biggest reveal here is that Carl is really the Guardian of Forever, first seen in the TOS episode “The City on the Edge of Forever.” The Discovery writers choose this name in honor of Carl Sagan. When the Guardian speaks his name, we hear an audio sample from Bart LaRue, who played the original voice of the Guardian in 1976. When the Guardian says: “Back in the day it used to be sure, come on through, just don’t screw up history or you’ll have to fix it,” he’s clearly referencing Kirk and Spock. And probably, Spock again in “Yesteryear.” For more on how the Guardian of Forever has changed Trek canon again, check out this deep-dive.
He was called “San”
Georgiou’s flashbacks earlier in Season 3 are now connected to a character named San. We still don’t know exactly who he was, but he is mentioned in the tie-in novel Die Standing. Clearly, we’ll hear more of this story in Michelle Yeoh’s next Star Trek show.
“He’s not the only one suited for the Captain’s Chair”
Mirror Georgiou brings the relationship between Burnham and Prime Georgiou full circle when she tells her that she’s also got what it takes to be the Captain of a starship. This references the opening moments of the very first episode of Discovery ever, “The Vulcan Hello.” In that episode Captain Georgiou straight-up told Bunrham it was time for her to get her own ship. Okay, so that’s two Georgious who have said it now. Does that mean it’s going to happen?
Romulan Ale toast for Georgiou
Speaking of booze, it seems that everyone in the DISCO crew is drinking Romulan Ale during the toast for Georgiou at the end of the episode. This could be a vague reference to Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, when Kirk and gang all have Romulan Ale, and Kirk says “To absent friends.” Chris Pine Kirk says something similar in Star Trek Beyond, and there’s a similar vibe in this scene, as to those two scenes. In each case, we never really saw if there were any lasting effects of that Romulan booze, but we did know that those respective crews were now ready to get down to business.
