"I have been to another universe and back. You think I'd come all this way without a plan?"
– Gabriel Lorca to Ellen Landry, 2257
Captain Gabriel Lorca was a male Terran Imperial Starfleet officer who was a figure of immense prestige in the mirror universe during the mid-23rd century. While in command of the ISS Buran, he attempted an unsuccessful coup against Emperor Philippa Georgiou. He became a fugitive wanted by the Terran Empire for treason and the murder of Michael Burnham, captain of the ISS Shenzhou. He escaped into a parallel universe and took the identity of his counterpart, a Federation Starfleet officer. In that capacity, he was appointed as the commanding officer on board the USS Discovery in 2256.