Oh, no…not the annual mirror universe romp! Anything but that! I am going to give this installment some unusual praise. It is the best of the bunch, although, to steal a line from Jon Stewart, that is like being the skinniest kid at fat camp. “Shattered Mirror” gets higher marks because the story has more of an emotional investment for the main characters than at ay other time.
Jennifer comes to the main universe, preys on Jake’s emotions over the loss of his real mother, and kidnaps him in order to lure the real Sisko to the mirror universe to force him to modify her copy of the Defiant, which has a number of structural flaws. The Siskos wind up indulging their emotions: Ben leads an attack against Worf’s ship to save the humans and Jake bonds with his “mother.” Even though she really is not, nor is she the kind of mother she would really want, the compulsion is too great. It is sad, but I empathize. particularly over the sense of loss as she dies.
Mark the occasion--”Shatter Mirror” isa mirror universe story that earns three stars. It will not happen often, so mark the occasion.
Rating: *** (out of 5)
