Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Reveals Fate Of Mirror Universe Saru

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

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 revealed the fate of Mirror Universe Saru (Doug Jones). Written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, Discovery season 5, episode 5, “Mirrors” saw Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) confront Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis) when all four became stranded on the Terran ISS Enterprise while searching for the next clue to the Progenitor’s technology. Discovery didn’t actually return to the Mirror Universe in “Mirrors,” but setting the episode on the Terran Enterprise in a pocket of interdimensional space was the next best thing.

Given how closely Discovery season 1 was tied to the Mirror Universe, it seems only fitting that the show’s final season should reference it in some way. “Mirrors” provided that reference in spades, with the appearance of the Enterprise and the story of how it crossed over into the Prime timeline. Along the way, Discovery revealed what happened to some major players in the Terran Empire, including the fate of Mirror Saru, who was surprisingly instrumental in the episode despite not appearing.

Mirror Universe Saru In Star Trek: Discovery Explained

Saru played some interesting roles in the Mirror Universe

Although Mirror Saru’s role was minimal in Discovery seasons 1 and 3, “Mirrors” revealed that he went on to play an integral role in the Terran resistance and was instrumental in getting the ISS Enterprise and its complement of Terran refugees to safety. Mirror Saru first appeared on Discovery in season 1, episode 11, “The Wolf Inside” where the Prime Universe Michael Burnham met him as her Imperial Slave. Although Saru had no name when they met, Michael decided to call him after his Prime counterpart, and he later saved her life when she was attacked by Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif) after his Voq personality manifested.

Mirror Saru played a larger role in the Discovery season 3 two-parter “Terra Firma,” where he became the servant of Emperor Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) who had crossed back to the Mirror Universe via the Guardian of Forever (Paul Guilfoyle). Georgiou took Saru into her confidence, saving his life by telling him the truth about Vahar’ai, which demonstrated how much she had changed thanks to her time in the Prime Universe. It wasn’t made clear if Georgiou’s experiences due to the Guardian had altered the timeline, but Discovery season 5’s reveals about Mirror Saru seem to suggest that they did.

What Happened To Mirror Universe Saru In Star Trek: Discovery

“Mirrors” revealed that Saru survived after his early season appearances

Thanks to Michael and Book’s adventure on the ISS Enterprise, Discovery revealed that Mirror Saru became a rebel leader in the Terran Empire after the High Chancellor, Spock, was executed for trying to enact reforms. A plaque on the Enterprise found by Book during “Mirrors” discussed how a Kelpian former slave-turned-rebel helped the Enterprise crew and a group of refugees commandeer the ship and get to safety in the Prime Universe while he stayed behind to continue his work as a rebellion leader. Although the Kelpian wasn’t named on the plaque, Michael and Book inferred that it was Mirror Saru.

Given where Discovery left Mirror Saru’s storyline, it isn’t surprising to learn that he became a prominent rebellion member. This ties in with what the Guardian of Forever told Georgiou after her experiences in “Terra Firma;” that her saving Saru would allow him to go on to save others, having a positive effect on the timeline. “Mirrors” finally showed that effect, and helped Star Trek: Discovery close some other chapters on Star Trek‘s Mirror Universe. Including a reference to Mirror Saru was a smart move for the episode as well, given Prime Saru’s reduced role in season 5.

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