WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, Episode 12, "There Is a Tide...", now streaming on CBS All Access.
Actor Kenneth Mitchell has been a foundational part of Star Trek: Discovery since the very beginning, having played a variety of Klingon roles over the show's first two seasons. And just when a devastating ALS diagnosis seemed like it might derail future appearances -- and his career at large -- Discovery's latest episode, "There Is a Tide," brought the actor back in a new role.
"There Is a Tide...," the penultimate episode of Discovery's third season, introduces Mitchell's latest character: Aurellio, a scientist working on behalf of the Orion-Andorian syndicate known as the Emerald Chain. His mission in the episode is to study and discern the power of the spore drive, so he can replicate it for the Chain to lessen its dilithium dependency. As such, he spends most of the time striking up a conversation with the spore drive's conduit, Paul Stamets.
In the episode, Aurellio is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a genetic condition and thus uses a hover chair to move around. Initially fated to not survive in the bleakness of a post-Burn universe, Emerald Chain leader Osyraa took him in at age 10. He credits her for giving him everything, promising her undying loyalty and even seeing past some of her bigger faults as leader.
Aurellio's condition is Discovery's way of incorporating Mitchell's real-life ALS diagnosis. Also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, Mitchell was diagnosed with ALS in August 2018, and has been using a wheelchair since October 2019. He went public with his diagnosis in February 2020, shocking the Star Trek world. However, Mitchell continues to interact with fans, and he even appeared on the Star Trek cruise in March.
While it's somewhat strange not to see Mitchell wearing Klingon makeup, the actor's appearance in Discovery Season 3 makes clear there will always be a role on the Star Trek series for him. And that's certainly a reason to celebrate.
Streaming on CBS All Access, Star Trek: Discovery stars Sonequa Martin-Green as Commander Michael Burnham, Doug Jones as Commander Saru, Anthony Rapp as Lt. Commander Paul Stamets, Mary Wiseman as Ensign Sylvia Tilly, Wilson Cruz as Dr. Hugh Culber, David Ajala as Cleveland "Book" Booker, Blu del Barrio as Adira, Ian Alexander as Gray, Tig Notaro as Chief Engineer Reno and Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou. New episodes of Season 3 air on Thursdays.