History Recap / StarTrekDiscoveryS1E10DespiteYourself

--->'''Burnham:''' Terran strength is born out of pure necessity. Because they live in constant fear, always looking for the next knife aimed at their back. Their strength is painted rust. It's a façade.

* CassandraTruth: Stamets blurts out "The enemy is here!" several times, the last time after Tyler snaps Culber's neck. Everyone thinks he's just babbling.

* {{Retcon}}: A Constitution Class starship (namely the ''Defiant'' NCC-1764) is shown as a wireframe diagram and is clearly ''not'' the classic Constitution design or looks as the ''Defiant'' itself was shown in "The Tholian Web" and "In a Mirror Darkly", suggesting either that it was modified in the century or so it spent under the control of the Terran Empire or that the [[CosmeticallyAdvancedPrequel more advanced look]] of ''Discovery'' will be carried forward.

* DressingAsTheEnemy: Upon learning of the vastly different Terran Empire, Lorca has the crew go all-in so they can

* TriggerPhrase: L'Rell speaking the phrase "Whom do we seek?" in Klingon causes Voq to reassert himself in Tyler, but it's subverted when Tyler takes back control just before Voq can say him name and take complete control.

* BuryYourGays: Culber (or so, at least, it appears).

* RedBaron: Captain Tilly of the Terran Empire is known as "The Slaughterer of Sorna Prime", "The Witch of Wurna Minor" and "Captain Killy". Saru snarks that the last one isn't very clever.

** Stamets shouting "Don't go to the palace!" as well as the comments about the mysterious Emperor are also clear foreshadowing.

* EvilIsSexy: While the Mirror Universe uniforms seen here are not nearly as revealing as have appeared on prior Trek series, and no more revealing than the normal uniforms, Tilly's is somewhat of an exception with a BreastPlate emphasizing her bust and a low-cut neckline that, while not really showing anything, is still more than anyone else has.

* DrivenByEnvy: Mirror Connor attempts to kill Burnham not only because he doesn't want to give up his command, but because he's never achieved the level of respect from the crew that Mirror Burnham had. He's proven right when the bridge crew starts clapping when Burnham steps over his body and out of the lift.

** It's confirmed that Tyler is really a surgically and mentally altered Voq.

** Stamets shouting "Don't go the palace!" as well as the comments about the mysterious Emperor are also clear foreshadowing.

* MythologyGag: When Lorca has to play the ''Discovery'''s chief engineer and is warned to disguise his voice, he put on a Scottish accent.

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* AnyoneCanDie: Tyler snaps Culber's neck when Culber tries to prevent him from going on the mission with Burnham and Lorca and perform more in-depth testing.
* BadBadActing: Tilly's first attempt to fool a Terran Empire ship barely works (and requires a quick assist from Lorca). The second time, she dives right into character.

* ContinuityNod: The USS ''Defiant'' being in the Mirror Universe and its advanced technology being one of the reasons for human hegemony was revealed in the ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' two-parter "[[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS04E18InAMirrorDarkly In A Mirror Darkly]]".

* DrivenByEnvy: Mirror-Connor attempts to kill Burnham not only because he doesn't want to give up his command but because he's never achieved the level of respect from the crew that Mirror-Burnham had. He's proven right when the bridge crew starts clapping when Burnham steps over his body and out of the lift.

* TheReveal: Finally confirmation that Tyler is really a surgically and mentally altered Voq.
* ShoutOut: Culber mentions the "[[Film/TheManchurianCandidate Manchurian Protocol]]" used to test for brainwashing.

* {{Retcon}}: A Constitution Class starship (namely the ''Defiant'' NCC-1764) is shown as a wireframe diagram and is clearly ''not'' the classic Constitution design (or looks as the ''Defiant'' itself was shown in "The Tholian Web" and "In a Mirror Darkly", suggesting either that it was modified in the century or so it spent under the control of the Terran Empire or that the [[CosmeticallyAdvancedPrequel more advanced look]] of ''Discovery'' will be carried forward.

* {{Retcon}}: A Constitution Class starship (namely the ''Defiant'' NCC-1764) is shown as a wireframe diagram and is clearly ''not'' the classic Constitution design, suggesting either that it was modified in the century or so it spent under the control of the Terran Empire or that the [[CosmeticallyAdvancedPrequel more advanced look]] of ''Discovery'' will be carried forward.

* PrecisionFBomb: While not as literal as her famous first one, Tilly refers to the people in the Mirror Universe as "assholes".

* KlingonPromotion: Wouldn't be the mirror universe without it. Tilly's counterpart became captain of ''Discovery'' by knifing her superior, and Captain Cooper tries it on Burnham.

* {{Retcon}}: A Constitution Class starship (namely the ''Defiant'' NCC-1764) is shown as a wireframe diagram and is clearly ''not'' the classic Constitution design, suggesting that the [[CosmeticallyAdvancedPrequel more advanced look]] of ''Discovery'' will be carried forward.