Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — 7x12 — The Emperor's New Cloak

Aired 1999-02-03

SpaceOpera.com rating:3

Average reader rating:3.19

Synopsis

Grand Nagus Zek is abducted and held hostage by Alliance members from the mirror universe.

Filler rating: not filler

This is the last mirror universe episode.

Remarkable scenes

Mirror Ezri attacking Quark.
Quark and Rom hauling a cloaked cloaking device across the station.
Mirror Julian shooting and killing Mirror Vic Fontaine. Ah, I love it.
Rom obsessing over why some things in the mirror universe are opposites and some things aren't.
Mirror Kira kissing Mirror Ezri...
Mirror Kira killing Mirror Brunt.
Quark and Rom making fun of Mirror Garak for not being as good at his job as regular Garak.
Mirror Ezri killing Mirror Garak.
The Mirror Defiant attacking the Regent's ship.
Morn Appearances; 1. Behind Quark, who's complaining about Bashir because he's jealous that he has more of a chance with Ezri than he does.

Review

The final mirror universe installment on DS9, thankfully. It actually does a great deal to wrap up the whole mirror universe story, too. The Regent is captured, right along with his flagship! Unfortunately, there is much to complain about. The lesbianism in this episode was over the top, the fact that we've already seen cloaking devices in the mirror universe was a drastic oversight, we get another overdose of Ferengi silliness. One thing I did like was Rom's objections about how some things are curiously not mirrored in the mirror universe. Like O'Brien being too nice, or the tube grubs not being poison. His ramblings may have been slightly incoherent, but in a way he's right and his statements kind of exemplify the way in which the DS9 writers have continually misused the mirror universe since day one. I can only pray that if it's ever used again that it be a true homage to TOS, and not this mishmash of silliness and plot device exploitation.

6 reader comments

I'm not to fond of any of the DS9 mirror universe episodes, this one included. However, I disagree with the assertion that the lesbianism here is "over the top". In fact, I found it, well, disappointingly tame. There was a fairly simple kiss between Mirrors Kira and Ezri, a vague show of tenderness between them, and a rather gentle innuendo between Mirrors Ezri and Leeta at the end. Mirror Kira herself was over-the-top, as always, and that was grating. But, as a bi woman, I was hoping for something a little more… sweeping and romantic… or at least, a portrayal as suggestive as hetero romances have gotten. I mean, "Rejoined" was much more "lesbianist" than this episode, and even then, that came with major caveats.
It's always been pretty disappointing to me that characters with non-hetero sexuality never got much (or really any) showing on Star Trek. I hate to be on a soapbox, but it seems like that would be part of the "enlightened 24th century". It's really too bad for those of us who'd like to see the girl get the girl at the end sometimes.
by Marie Douceur | 08/19/2011 at 8:10 am

I'm not a fan of mirror universe episodes either, and this one is no exception. Personally, I think it's a shame that this is the last "Ferengi" episode, because it's nowhere near as good or entertaining as the others. Granted, we do get a little bit of Ferengi intrigue -- and we get to see Zek again -- at the very end of the series, but this is the last proper Ferengi episode, and it's kind of boring. The only thing "new" here is Mirror Ezri (who, I have to admit, is a total fox).
But it's still lame, and we still have to deal with Mirror Kira and Mirror Julian, who are somehow even more annoying and than their 'regular' counterparts.
2 points for Quark and Rom, 2 points for hot Mirror Ezri and 1 point for being the LAST Mirror Universe episode (thank god) = 5/10
by John DC | 12/22/2011 at 2:56 am

I agree with Marie Douceur - the lesbian moments were too tame.
by Inga | 06/21/2013 at 9:31 am

I actually don't think this one was too bad. The inconsistencies are annoying, but the Ferengi episodes and Mirror Universe episodes are all just there for the sake of fun. It was nice to combine them and get them both out of the way at once to avoid disrupting the overall seriousness of the plotlines in season 7.
by Bronn | 07/26/2013 at 1:30 am

Mirror Worf is the only mirror character I don't hate (apart from Ezri, rowr) - he's very entertaining as a bombastic fool.
Loved Rom pointing out the logical inconsistencies, very 'meta'.
by L | 08/17/2013 at 4:40 am

I rather like this episode, I thought the exploration of a family with a specific type of dysfunction was a good one and generally made for a good Ezri character episode.
You are right that the tie-in of this episode to Honor Among Thieves is largely irrelevant. This episode is about Ezri’s family, not the Orion syndicate, and O’Brien is only there to fulfill the mandatory “B Plot” requirement.
by Christopher Alexander | 07/31/2021 at 3:28 pm