Discovery’s ordeal in the Mirror Universe continues, but this episode is largely focused on the relationship between Michael and Tyler.  And as one would expect, it does not end well, though it serves to unravel more of the mystery around Tyler and what happened to him during his time with the Klingons.

Tyler reveals that he is actually Voq.  In essence, Voq went deep undercover in the form of Tyler to infiltrate the ship that posed the most danger to the Klingons in the war, which tracks somewhat with the interest in the spore drive that the Klingons showed earlier in the season.  It’s a plot point that only really works because of Lorca’s unconventional attitude about field promotions and assignments; as much as events conspired to put Lorca in a position to trust Tyler, there was really no way Voq or anyone else could have known what would happen once Tyler was on board.

It also feels like the kind of plot twist that would work better if the audience knew the characters longer or better, which gets back to some of the early observations about how the writers push too fast or too hard on certain plot and character beats.  Michael and Tyler’s relationship is really just beginning, so while the sense of betrayal is there, it’s not as potent as if the audience had lots of time to know Tyler in his role on the ship under normal circumstances.

But that twist at least works on some level, and supports much of the fast-paced plotting that centers on Michael and her attempts to negotiate her way through the Mirror Universe.  There are complications galore, and most of them play on the question of how much or how little the characters differ between the universes.  And the revelation that Georgiou is the Empress of the Terran Empire is a perfect touch; not only does it bring back a character that didn’t have enough screen time, but it makes the entire episode an exercise in breaking Michael down.

It’s that potential that makes it so easy to forgive the leaps that got us to this point.  Michael actually feels like the central character finally, and all of these experiences are designed to maximize the stress that Michael must endure.  And that, in turn, serves to reveal the kind of person Michael ultimately is.  At least, that’s the theory; the question is how well the writers will deliver on the execution.

Meanwhile, Tilly is doing her best to restore Stamets, but it doesn’t seem to be working.  Instead, his further immersion in the “spore network” brings him into connection with his Mirror Universe doppelganger, which will likely serve as the means to his restoration and thus a way back home.  With the purpose of the Mirror Universe sojourn for Michael’s character study now front and center, it gives this portion of the story arc a discernable lifespan.

It also makes me wonder if the speed of the narrative beats is a relic of the original plan to have this setting and crew be a single-season arc.  It would all make a lot more sense, or at least feel less unnecessary, if there was an expectation that all the plot and character threads would not to be resolved in the next few episodes.  It actually leaves me mildly concerned how they intend to push this past its original intended run.