This week’s episode of “Star Trek: Discovery” was packed with a lot of action. Not only that, fans of the series are also re-introduced to a certain character from the original “Star Trek” universe, Harry Mudd. If you have just become a fan of the sci-fi classic, then you probably don’t know him. Who is Harry Mudd? Why is he so iconic to the old “Star Trek” fans?
The Entrepreneur
Back in the glory days of James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner in the original series) on the small screen, he describes Harcourt Fenton Mudd as a con man. While the villain himself prefers to be called an “entrepreneur,” his machinations always prove otherwise.
Harry Mudd, who was then played by Roger C. Carmel, was known for his overly dramatic actions and dangerous operations. If you were lucky enough to watch him in the past, you can easily see him as a laughable villain. However, he posed a different threat to Captain Kirk and his crew, which made him so iconic to the series.
Mudd was one of the earliest “Star Trek” villains. He debuted in the original TV series in the episode “Mudd’s Women,” where he sends the entire Enterprise into chaos. In the episode, Mudd was trying to acquire a crystal known as Dilithium, the same type of material that the Enterprise uses as a power source. His plan was to sell the women to the crystal miners to get the stones.
However, the plan eventually backfired as the miners find out the truth about the girls. In the end, Mudd was taken to prison and Kirk’s team got the crystals they needed.
The “Star Trek” character continued to come back in several episodes after that, proving that he is indeed a worthy villain. He became popular enough to earn a place in the latest “Star Trek” series “Discovery.”
The Mudd is here to stay
In this week’s episode, “Star Trek: Discovery” brought back Harry Mudd to the series.
Compared to the original version, “Discovery’s” Mudd seems a bit younger. The character is now played by Rainn Wilson, who is known for his role in the American version of “The Office.” He is introduced in “Choose Your Pain” as a fellow inmate to Captain Lorca who is played by Jason Isaacs and Lietunant Ash Tyler, a new character who is played by Shazad Latif.
For now, we don’t know exactly what role Mudd will play in “Discovery.” However, based on his appearance, he seems to pose a much bigger threat now. Fans of the series will just have to wait for more episodes in the future.
“Star Trek: Discovery” is now available to watch on CBS All-Access.
