Star Trek Subtly Confirms That The Mirror Universe's Big Bads Could Easily Defeat Starfleet

Star Trek: Lower Decks' series finale suggests that the Terran Empire of Star Trek Mirror Universe could defeat the Prime Universe's Starfleet. In its fifth and final season on Paramount+ Star Trek: Lower Decks takes over the multiverse and puts the fate of the Prime Universe in the hands of the USS Cerritos. After spending Star Trek: Lower Decks In season 5 investigating mysterious quantum fissures, Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and her crew must come together to stabilize a massive wormhole (surrounded by a Schrödinger field of possibility) that threatens to destroy the universe.

Introduced into the iconic Star Trek: The Original Series episode, “Mirror, Mirror”, Star Trek Mirror Universe presents a world in sharp contrast to Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets. In the Mirror Universe, the brutal Terran Empire conquered much of the Alpha Quadrant with its xenophobic and violent society. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Discovery both revisited the Mirror Universe, offering more information about the “evil” version of the Federation and its history. With a focus on war and violence, it is not surprising that the Terran Empire had more powerful ships than Starfleet.

Star Trek: Lower Decks confirms that mirror universe ships are more powerful than Starfleet

The ISS Cerritos has stronger weapons than the Federation's USS Cerritos

In Star Trek: Lower Decks' series finale, Starfleet must rely on the USS Cerritos to save the day, as no other ship will reach the unstable multiverse portal in time. Around the huge wormhole is a Schrödinger field of possibilities that transforms matter into any of the possibilities of the multiverse. Although Starfleet devised a way to protect the Cerritos crew from the effects of this field, the adjustments did not prevent the transformation of the ship itself. As Cerritos approaches the wormhole, the ship cycles through several ship designs and classes, including an ISS California Class model from the Mirror Universe.

Responsible for the ship's weapons systems, Lieutenant Shaxs (Fred Tatasciore) notes that the Terran weapons system on the ISS Cerritos is “incredible.” Unfortunately, the damage to the Cerritos rendered the weapons systems inoperative. Shaxs later regrets that he “I can't believe we have Terran weapons and no way to power them.” Both statements imply that Terran weapons are significantly more powerful than normal Starfleet weapons. Considering the Terran Empire is built on conquest, it makes sense that they would have powerful weapons, likely comprised of technologies stolen from the many worlds they have conquered.

Why isn't Starfleet better armed, considering all the wars they fight?

Even Starfleet warships would likely be outmatched by Terran Empire ships

Starfleet has fought several wars throughout Star TrekIt's a long history, but Federation ships aren't built primarily for combat. The United Federation of Planets was founded on principles of peace and its primary mission has always been exploration. As the Terran Empire conquers other worlds, the Federation forms alliances with them and exchanges knowledge and resources. However, after the Federation became aware of the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Starfleet began developing its first true warships, such as the heavily armed Defiant class and the Sovereign class.

The Defiant prototype was shelved after design flaws became apparent and the Borg threat became less urgent. The USS Defiant was later placed into active service as the Dominion began to become a greater threat in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Starfleet produced more Defiant-class ships, which proved vital in the Dominion War and later Federation conflicts, including encounters with the Borg. Still, as suggested in Star Trek: Lower Decks, Even the weapons of Starfleet warships cannot compare to the weapon systems of the Terran Empire's conquest ships.