History Recap / StarTrekEnterpriseS04E18InAMirrorDarkly

* SmoochOfVictory: Archer falls to the floor groaning after drinking a glass of champagne handed to him by Hoshi. Hoshi calls in Sgt Mayweather and [[BodyguardBetrayal the last thing Archer sees is them snogging]].
* SoMuchForStealth: The Tholian prisoner transmits a DistressCall via its exoskeleton. The Tholians create a web around the area and fire torpedoes into it until the cloaked ''Enterprise'' is revealed.

* AlienAutopsy: Mirror!Phlox is shown dissecting various creatures in Sickbay.

* SlouchOfVillainy: Archer does this in the command chair of the Defiant as he demands Starfleet's surrender. As does Mirror!T'Pol when we first see her in the captain's chair on ''Enterprise''. [[BareYourMidriff Thanks to her outfit]], she looks a good deal hotter doing so.

* TheMultiverse: The Tholians have opened a space-time rift to the 'normal' universe, seizing the ''Defiant'' and dragged it back to their own universe.

* HotConsort: Hoshi as the Captain's Women. [[spoiler:But why settle for consort, when you can be an Empress?]]

* HotConsort: Hoshi as the Captain's Women. But why settle for consort, when you can be an Empress?

** Archer sends a signal to Fleet Admiral Gardner about the ''Defiant''. When Forrest retakes the ship, this stops him from being executed as Starfleet orders the ''Enterprise'' to continue the mission, and Archer is the only one who knows all the details.

In the teaser, Zephram Cochrane greets the Vulcan making FirstContact with the human race…only to draw a shotgun from under his coat and murder him. The humans then storm the spaceship, intent on seizing its advanced technology. Yes, it's the MirrorUniverse, where HumansAreBastards and MightMakesRight.

In the year 2155 however things aren't going well for the Terran Empire, which is facing a successful rebellion among the alien races they've conquered. On the I.S.S. ''Enterprise'', First Officer Jonathan Archer hopes to repeat history with a raid into Tholian space. The Tholians have opened a rift into a future AlternateTimeline from which they've seized the Constitution-class starship U.S.S ''Defiant''. With speed and firepower a hundred years in advance of anything in the Quadrant, and a database full of subversive ideals, the ''Defiant'' is a [[OutsideContextVillain game-changer]] that could save the Terran Empire…or bring it to its knees.

* ActingForTwo: Mirror!Archer vs. Hallucination!Archer. Averted for any other character, as this is the first MirrorUniverse episode where no-one crosses over from our universe, adding to its claustrophobic feel.

* AgonyBeam / PunishmentBox: The Agony Booth, predecessor to the handheld agonizers used in "Mirror Mirror".
* AirVentEscape: In Part 2 Slar the [[TheReptilians Gorn]] slavemaster hides in the Jeffries tubes, committing acts of sabotage to force the crew to give him a shuttle to escape. Instead Archer hunts him down with a team of MACO's.
* AlienAutopsy: Dr Phlox is shown dissecting various creatures in Sickbay.

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Archer has a complex about this that's well justified. Although not lacking in ruthlessness, Captain Forrest commands respect and loyalty. People only obey Archer when it's in their interest.

* AngryGuardDog: Porthos is a [[RightHandAttackDog snarling Rottweiler]].
* AntiHumanAlliance: There's currently a rebellion in progress against human tyranny, and Archer hopes to use the ''Defiant'' to crush it. After he becomes paranoid and has every alien except Phlox (he still needs a doctor, and Denobulans aren't involved in the rebellion) thrown off the ship, Soval and T'Pol have to convince Phlox to help them sabotage ''Defiant''.

-->'''Phlox:''' It's not a delusion if the captain has the power to do what he says. And [[CurbStompBattle from what I've seen]] he certainly does.
* BastardUnderstudy: Hoshi and Mayweather, the two most underutilized characters in the series, end up taking over the entire Terran Empire!

* BoobyTrap: Slar takes out Reed's MACO team this way, leaving a communicator to emit a false signal. When the communicator is turned off after it's discovered, he sets off a remote-controlled bomb planted nearby.
* BrickJoke: Trip says he [[LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain never told anyone]] about sleeping with T'Pol during her ''pon farr'', but during their CatFight Hoshi drops a snide comment that shows he did tell her.
* CallBack: To several TOS episodes.

** The horror of the MirrorUniverse was first demonstrated when Mirror!Spock used an agonizer on a crewman. Likewise the Agony Booth is used to introduce this one.
** The computer reveals in a barely visible text blurb that the 'normal universe' Hoshi ends up marrying, leaving Starfleet and settling on Tarsus IV, where she is executed by Governor Kodos along with 4000 others in the event mentioned in "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E13TheConscienceOfTheKing The Conscience of the King]]".
** The Gorn, encountered in "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E18Arena Arena]]".
** Trip's scarring from Delta radiation, a reference to Captain Pike in "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E11TheMenageriePartI The Menagerie]]".
* CallForward: "It may take centuries but [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E23Crossover humanity will pay for its arrogance]]."

* ChickMagnet: Captain Forrest has Hoshi as his lover, and it's implied Archer doesn't kill Forrest because he's worried the act would turn Hoshi against him. Both Hoshi and T'Pol show more loyalty to Forrest than Archer -- Hoshi's first response is to try and stab their new captain, while T'Pol helps Forrest retake the ship.

* CoolChair: Archer takes a moment to enjoy the feeling of sitting in the Captain's chair after his mutiny.

* CustomUniformOfSexy: The crew still wear the standard Starfleet jumpsuits (with added BlingOfWar) but in homage to Uhura's outfit in "Mirror Mirror" the women wear a two-piece, including a [[BareYourMidriff high-cut shirt that shows off their taut abs]], kept permanently unzipped to show the cleavage. Given the blatant use of sex by the female characters to advance their interests, you could say this is a JustifiedTrope.
* DangerouslyShortSkirt: In the DVDCommentary it's mentioned that they had to keep telling the actress playing a [[DropDeadGorgeous dead Original Series yeoman]]: "Yes, the skirt really IS supposed to be that short."

* DeathFromAbove: After taking ''Defiant'' for herself, Hoshi threatens to destroy Earth's cities if Starfleet doesn't surrender immediately.

* DramaticIrony: Captain Archer proudly shows off the shotgun Zephram Cochrane used to kill the first Vulcan who stepped onto human soil.

* EvilWearsBlack: Dr Phlox wears a black leather outfit. Plus all the MACO personnel (which includes Lieutenant Reed and Sergeant Mayweather) wear black assault vests over their camouflage uniforms.
* ExactWords: After taking over ''Enterprise'', Archer wants to know if he has T'Pol's loyalty. She replies, "You're in command." Then she helps Forrest regain command.

* {{Fanservice}}: Has both the sexual kind and fanservice for actual fans. It brings back the evil Terran Empire from the Original Series "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E4MirrorMirror Mirror Mirror]]", the USS ''Defiant'' is back ("The Tholian Web"), all the women have BareYourMidriff outfits (combined with the 1960s-style miniskirt), Hoshi sleeps around and gets into a CatFight with T'Pol, and a Gorn is bought back and made into a credible threat.

** Hoshi: Archer and Forrest fight for her affections, she tries to stab Archer while smooching him, eventually poisoning him and taking over the whole damn Terran Empire!

** Archer sends a signal to Fleet Admiral Gardiner about the ''Defiant''. When Forrest retakes the ship, this stops him from being executed as Starfleet orders ''Enterprise'' to continue the mission, and Archer is the only one who knows all the details.

* GoodOldWays: Forrest and Archer are unimpressed by the Agony Booth. "There's something to be said for a good old-fashioned flogging."
* GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe: There's an Orion woman as a BridgeBunny on the ''Avenger'' (which leads to a FridgeLogic moment after "Bound" -- how come she's not controlling the ship with her pheromones?)

* {{Crossover}}: Though no actual ''characters'' crossed over, this episode is a sequel to a Original Series episode, and featured a TOS-era Federation ''Constitution''-class starship, fully stocked with uniforms and quite operational.

* DangerouslyShortSkirt: In the DVDCommentary it's mentioned that they had to keep telling the actress playing a dead Original Series yeoman: "Yes, the skirt really IS supposed to be that short."

* FantasticRacism: Archer still has a grudge against Vulcans, but this time it's because they're rebelled against the Empire. When Archer goes DrunkWithPower, T'Pol is convinced he'll raze their planet in retaliation.

** The ''Defiant'' and the Tholians from the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS3E9TheTholianWeb The Tholian Web]]") make an unexpected re-appearance over 37 years after that episode aired.

In the year 2155 however, things aren't going well for the Terran Empire, which is facing a successful rebellion among the alien races they've conquered. On the I.S.S. ''Enterprise'', First Officer Jonathan Archer hopes to repeat history with a raid into Tholian space. The Tholians have opened a rift into a future AlternateTimeline from which they've seized the Constitution-class starship U.S.S ''Defiant''. With speed and firepower a hundred years in advance of anything in the Quadrant, and a database full of subversive ideals, the ''Defiant'' is a [[OutsideContextVillain game-changer]] that could save the Terran Empire…or bring it to its knees.

* MsFanservice: T'Pol has her hair down past her shoulders and [[ShesGotLegs wears a TOS miniskirt]], while Hoshi lounges about in lingerie, seducing anyone who'll advance her career. Both women wear ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow and CustomUniformOfSexy.

* MsFanservice: T'Pol has her hair down past her shoulders and [[ShesGotLegs wears a TOS miniskirt]], while Hoshi seduces anyone who'll advance her career. Both women wear ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow and uniforms that show off their [[BareYourMidriff taut abs]] and cleavage.

* MsFanservice: T'Pol has her hair down past her shoulders and [[ShesGotLegs wears a TOS miniskirt]], while Hoshi seduces anyone who'll advance her career. Both women wear ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow and uniforms that show off their [[BareYourMidriff killer abs]] and cleavage.

* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: The I.S.S ''Enterprise'' has a Suliban CloakingDevice, TractorBeam and {{Escape Pod}}s, all required by the plot. Presumably because the Terran Empire doesn't have moral qualms about [[ForgottenPhlebotinum acquiring and exploiting alien technology]].

* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: The ''I.S.S Enterprise'' has a Suliban CloakingDevice, tractor beams and {{escape pod}}s, all required by the plot. Presumably because the Terran Empire doesn't have moral qualms about [[ForgottenPhlebotinum acquiring and exploiting alien technology]].

** The computer reveals in a barely visible text blurb that the 'normal universe' Hoshi ends up marrying, leaving Starfleet and settling on Tarsus IV, where she is executed by Governor Kodos along with 4000 others in the event mentioned in "The Conscience of the King".

** Trip's scarring from Delta radiation, a reference to Captain Pike in "The Menagerie".

** The ''Defiant'' and the Tholians from the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "[[ Recap/StarTrekS3E9TheTholianWeb The Tholian Web]]") make an unexpected re-appearance over 37 years after that episode aired.

* SanitySlippage: After reading of his more successful alternate universe self, Archer is goaded by a {{hallucination}} of this other Archer into increasingly reckless actions.

* {{Crossover}}: While no actual ''characters'' crossed over, the Mirror episodes were a sequel to a ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode, and featured a TOS-era Federation ''Constitution''-class starship, fully stocked with uniforms and quite operational.

* {{Fanservice}}: Has both the sexual kind and fanservice for actual fans. It brings back the evil Terran Empire from the Original Series "[[ Recap/StarTrekS2E4MirrorMirror Mirror Mirror]]", the USS ''Defiant'' is back ("The Tholian Web"), all the women have BareYourMidriff outfits (combined with the 1960s-style miniskirt), Hoshi sleeps around and gets into a CatFight with T'Pol, and a Gorn is bought back and made into a credible threat.

* MsFanservice: T'Pol has her hair down past her shoulders and [[ShesGotLegs wears a TOS miniskirt]], while Hoshi seduces anyone who'll advance her career. Both women wear ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow and uniforms show off their [[BareYourMidriff killer abs]] and cleavage.

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Archer has a complex about this that's well justified. Although not lacking in ruthlessness, Forrest commands respect and loyalty. People only obey Archer when it's in their interest.

In the year 2155 however, things aren't going well for the Terran Empire, which is facing a successful rebellion among the alien races they've conquered. On the I.S.S. ''Enterprise'', First Officer Jonathan Archer hopes to repeat history with a raid into Tholian space. The Tholians have opened a rift into a future AlternateTimeline from which they've seized the Constitution-class starship U.S.S ''Defiant''. With speed and firepower a hundred years in advance of anything in the Quadrant, and a database full of subversive ideals, the ''Defiant'' is a game-changer that could save the Terran Empire…or bring it to its knees.

In the teaser, Zephram Cochrane greets the Vulcan making FirstContact with the human race…only to draw a shotgun from under his coat and murder him. The humans storm the spaceship, intent on seizing its advanced technology. Yes, it's the MirrorUniverse, where HumansAreBastards and MightMakesRight.

In the teaser, Zephram Cochrane greets the Vulcan captain making First Contact with the human race…only to draw a shotgun from under his coat and murder him. The humans storm the spaceship, intent on seizing its advanced technology. Yes, it's the MirrorUniverse, where HumansAreBastards and MightMakesRight.

* AliensSpeakEnglish: Averted; the Gorn is shown growling into his communicator, with the words converted to English by the UniversalTranslator.

* CallForwarding: "It may take centuries but [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E23Crossover humanity will pay for its arrogance]]."

* MsFanservice: T'Pol has her hair down past her shoulders and [[ShesGotLegs wears a TOS miniskirt]], while Hoshi seduces anyone who'll advance her career. Both women wear ExcessivelyEvilEyeshadow and uniforms show off their [[BareYourMidriff killer abs]] and cleavage.

* PercussivePounding: Archer bouncing Forrest off the walls of his cell in retaliation for his TheReasonYouSuckSpeech. "Then why -- are you -- in the brig!"