Kirk’s Starship Enterprise Returns In Star Trek: Discovery – With A Big Twist

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 – “Mirrors”

Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) Starship Enterprise makes a shocking return in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, but with a jaw-dropping twist – it’s the ISS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Original Series‘ “Mirror, Mirror”! Written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, “Mirrors,” sees Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) enter interdimensional space to pursue Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis) and the next clue to the Progenitors’ ancient treasure. What Burnham and Book never expected to find was the Mirror Universe’s derelict ISS Enterprise.

Star Trek: Discovery picked up the mantle of the Mirror Universe from Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek; Enterprise. Discovery‘s season 1’s game-changing Mirror Universe arc introduced Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh), who would enter Star Trek‘s Prime Universe and is now headlining Paramount+’s upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie. Star Trek: Discovery deepened the saga of the Mirror Universe, but the alternate reality’s final appearance was in Star Trek: Discovery season 3. Thanks to Star Trek‘s Temporal Wars, it’s now impossible for the Prime and Mirror Universes to cross over in Star Trek: Discovery‘s 32nd century.

Star Trek: Discovery Brings Back Kirk’s Mirror Universe Starship Enterprise

The ISS Enterprise last appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series’ “Mirror, Mirror”

The Mirror Universe’s ISS Enterprise in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 is the same Constitution Class starship from Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 4, “Mirror, Mirror,” which was the ISS Enterprise’s only prior canonical appearance. The ISS Enterprise was trapped in interdimensional space and abandoned by its crew, who were refugees and freedom fighters attempting to flee the Mirror Universe for Star Trek‘s Prime Universe in the 24th century. As Captain Burnham later learned, the refugees made it to the Prime Universe, and one scientist even became a Starfleet Admiral.

In Star Trek: The Original Series‘ “Mirror, Mirror”, the ISS Enterprise was commanded by Captain James T. Kirk who assassinated its prior Captain, Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter). “Mirror, Mirror” saw the Prime Universe’s Kirk, Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and Scotty (James Doohan) switch places with their Mirror counterparts due to a transporter accident during an ion storm. Before switching back, Prime Kirk planted a seed with the goateed Mirror Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to take control of the Terran Empire and institute reforms to prevent the inevitable destruction of the Empire.

Star Trek: Discovery Filmed Season 5’s Enterprise On Strange New Worlds’ Set

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was on hiatus after season 2.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, “Mirrors”, was filmed on the USS Enterprise set of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. When Discovery season 5 was in production in late 2022, Strange New Worlds was on hiatus after completing season 2 filming in June. (Strange New Worlds wouldn’t begin season 3 production until December 2023.) Sonequa Martin-Green, David Ajala, Eve Harlow, and Elias Toufexis shot on Strange New Worlds‘ sets, which are located in Toronto where Star Trek: Discovery also filmed.

Star Trek: Discovery redressed Strange New Worlds‘ USS Enterprise set to become the ISS Enterprise. Scenes were filmed on the Enterprise’s bridge, hallways, and medical bay. Interestingly, by using Strange New Worlds‘ Enterprise set, which depicts the USS Enterprise before Captain Kirk assumes command, Star Trek: Discovery season 5 establishes that the ISS Enterprise, which crossed into the Prime Universe decades after Star Trek: The Original Series, is the same ship as in “Mirror, Mirror” despite the very different interiors.

What Happens To Mirror Universe’s Enterprise In Star Trek: Discovery?

The 32nd century just got another 23rd-century starship

Captain Burnham and Cleveland Booker piloted the ISS Enterprise out of interdimensional space and into Star Trek‘s Prime Universe with the help of the USS Discovery. Afterward, Burnham assigned Lt. Commanders Kayla Detmer (Emily Coutts) and Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) to fly the ISS Enterprise to Federation headquarters, so that the Mirror Universe’s starship could be put into “storage”. However, there are now fascinating ramifications to the ISS Enterprise existing in Star Trek: Discovery‘s 32nd century.

Although the ISS Enterprise is obsolete by 32nd-century standards, it’s still a bonanza of Mirror Universe technology that the United Federation of Planets has now acquired. This would certainly be of interest to Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg). The 23rd-century ISS Enterprise is a window not just to 900 years ago, but also to the alternate reality, especially since the Mirror Universe is now sealed off permanently from the Federation. Amazingly, the ISS Enterprise is also now the second 23rd-century starship in 3191 along with the USS Discovery itself. Perhaps the ISS Enterprise will reappear and play a role in the second half of Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+