In a Mirror, Darkly

This episode marks the first time that a full Tholian is seen on-screen in any Star Trek series. The upper part was based on the Tholian as seen on the viewscreen in The Tholian Web (1968). The concept of Tholians requiring very hot environments was continued from Future Tense (2003), which had based this on the fan theory that the viewscreen in The Tholian Web seemed to ripple from heat; Phlox states their preferred temperature is 480 Kelvins which is 207 °C (404 °F). The creators of 'Enterprise' took some creative license with the lower part of the body, giving it six spider-like legs; the reasoning was that since the Tholians catch their enemies in an energy web, they might look a bit like spiders.

When we first meet the mirror T'Pol, she wears the rank insignia of full Commander. Then, in a subsequent scene with Archer, she has the rank of a Lieutenant Commander, but she was never shown as being demoted.

The opening sequence is replaced with footage of various battles and a different theme song to reflect the fact that this is an alternate universe in which the Terrans are a warlike species.

Features Wings (1927)