****Set Spoilers to Stun****
This week “The Wolf Inside” brought answers as Michael questions the darkness within herself aboard the Mirror Universe’s Shenzhou. We’ve seen Burnham struggle with decisions and darker impulses since episode one but now that she’s faced with having to actively be dark she is consistently trying to keep her lighter ideals intact while playing the part of her evil doppleganger.
The episode picks up two days after the last one Michael is still trying to buy time as she works on cracking the Terran database for the information our Discovery needs. Unfortunately she is given a mission to destroy an alien Insurgent base and their leader, the Fire Wolf. Instead of carrying out the orders directly, Burnham sees this as an opportunity to see how the Klingon’s in this universe managed to work with other alien races. She and Tyler (after having an intimate moment earlier) head to the surface in a veiled recon mission.
Lucky and unluckily (more on the bad luck later) for her they meet the Fire Wolf, Voq, who happens to be the White Klingon who disappeared way back in episode four. After having the okay from the insurgent’s “Prophet” aka Mirror Universe Sarek, Voq trusts Burnham and tells her that the Terrans where just too big a bad to fight alone and that’s why they joined with other aliens. So basically the Klingons in the Federation universe will join them if there’s a bigger threat… is anyone else picking up a Borg cube on sensors?!
During their conversation Tyler loses his shit, talks Klingon, and attacks Voq. Luckily he is stopped and they are allowed to leave thanks to Mirror Sarek and Michael pleading with them. Burnham give them an hour head start to evacuate their base since she still has to play the part of a Terran captain.
Back on the Shenzhou, Michael confronts Tyler—and oh shit he’s the other Voq! He tells her that he underwent surgery to be the ultimate sleeper agent as the original Tyler’s personality was grafted on to his after grueling physical augmentations. Unluckily seeing his Mirror counterpart triggered his Voq memories back especially the ones about how much he actually hates Burnham for killing T’Kuvma, the Klingon messiah, in episode two.
This is where Sonequa Martin-Green’s acting is on full display as she struggles to keep herself together during the revelation as her new lover is actually her old enemy. The horror, pain, confusion, and anger all read at the same time and we don’t know if she is going to buckle or kill him on the spot. It’s this indecision however that leaves her open and Voq-Tyler gets the upper-hand but her alien servant Mirror Saru is there to save her.
Side Note: I wonder if she hadn’t named him earlier would Mirror Saru had saved Michael’s life. Was this act of kindness or humanity the thing that actually saved her in this dark universe?
Earlier in the episode we find out that the fate for talking shit about the Captain is transporter-space-death so we know that Voq-Tyler is definitely getting his ass killed. Michael is quick to agree and not offer any excuses to eliminate him another way. Had she succumbed to this world finally after that heartbreaking revelation?
Nope because she transports him into space only to have Saru transport him on to Discovery with a security detail ready to take him into custody. I guess off camera she warned them and managed to slip the data they crew needed in his pocket. Thus completing her mission.
Time for her and Lorca (who is still being tortured) to leave right? Of course not because the Emperor’s ship comes and destroys the alien Insurgents’ base. The Emperor hails the Shenzhou and our prayers have been answered because its Philippa Georgiou aka Michelle Yeoh aka Michael’s old mentor and Captain who she betrayed and died in episode two, and she came to slay in her gold armor and robes.
Over in the B-Storyline, Tilly tries to bring Stamets out of his catatonic state by flooding his body with spores only for him to die… for a few minutes and then we see him inside the mycelial network with his Mirror doppleganger.
Will Michael survive her meeting with the Emperor faced with the guilt she feels for betraying her mentor and for her death? Will Lorca have more lines? Will Tilly get to beat down Voq-Tyler for messing with her friend? Will Stamets and Mirror Stamets fight for mycelial supremacy? Most importantly how many fierce outfits will Michelle Yeoh wear to slay my life?
GNerd GNiche 