[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Michiel

• If earths first contact was the 'starting point' of the mirror universe, how come everyone in the episode acts evil already? This is not THAT long from first contact. And Phlox enjoying torturing people? Well, I suppose humans could have used vulcan technology to take over Denobula.

Keep in mind that the "real" universe has changed just as much for the better in just as short a time. ST:FC was based on the idea that first contact was an event with unique power to unite mankind. It's not such a stretch that we might unite against the aliens rather than in cooperation with them. (Remember Independence Day? They made a big point of how the alien attack brought the whole world together. Of course, as in Trek, the United States had to act first before anybody else got involved. Presumably we other countries were just twiddling our thumbs, going "dee dee dee dee doo, da dee dee doo dee dee....")

As for the change in humans' morality, maybe it's what came of being a species in constant battle with other worlds. The Romans considered themselves civilized and peace-loving, but we look back on much of their society with revulsion, and that society was all about constant expansion and "pacification." Also, remember that we're watching a military crew here. The standard ENT crew may have ranks, but their MU counterparts are soldiers. With such a drastic difference in their ways of life, Archer and Mirror-Archer might have no more in common than Picard and Shinzon did.

Of course, this is all just silly rationalization. "Mirror, Mirror" is a great time as long as you don't think too hard about it, and that applies to MU episodes in general.