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Memory Alpha
Mirror universe
(coexisting on another dimensional plane)

For the prime universe counterpart, please see Phlox.

Phlox was a Denobulan military doctor in the 22nd century Terran Empire. Amoral and sadistic, he carried out brutal, horrific experiments on living beings, including sentients, in the name of medical research for the Empire.

In 2155, Phlox served as chief medical officer on the ISS Enterprise. In addition to taking care of the crew, he designed various methods of torture for the Empire's use. Phlox and Malcolm Reed together designed a prototype for the agony booth which would be used on multiple occasions. During Commander Jonathan Archer's mutiny mission, he captured a Tholian pilot and ordered Phlox to contain it and supervise its torture to determine the location of the Terran ship the Tholians had recovered. When Captain Maximilian Forrest regained command, Phlox supervised Archer's torture in the agony booth until Forrest was forced to release him by Starfleet Command. Phlox was later ordered to kill the Tholian when it woke up and sent out a distress call to other Tholian ships. Phlox happily complied, and even expressed impatience when the Tholian took too long to expire. When several Tholian ships arrived, alerted by the distress call, they attacked the Enterprise. Phlox entered an escape pod just before the Enterprise's destruction and escaped to the USS Defiant. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")

While aboard the Defiant, T'Pol told Phlox of the research she had done on the ship's historical database. She was fascinated to discover that in that ship's universe, a United Federation of Planets was formed by Earth and other alien worlds, and that all members were regarded as equal. Phlox viewed such talk as subversive and dangerous, and felt that Archer should restrict access to the historical database.

Phlox (mirror) testing animal

Phlox "examines" a patient

Denobulans in the mirror universe were perceived by most Humans to be pacifistic with no real desire for war, power or revolutionary ambitions towards the Empire. It was for this reason that Archer allowed Phlox to remain on the Defiant while all other alien crewmembers were transferred to the ISS Avenger.

When approached by T'Pol and Soval to help them destroy the Defiant and stop Archer from crowning himself Emperor, Phlox resisted. He genuinely respected Archer's abilities as both an officer and warrior. Furthermore, he agreed with Archer that the current Emperor was corrupt, incompetent and responsible for the Empire's continuing losses, and that Archer might be able to turn the tide in favor of the Empire. When both T'Pol and Soval insisted that Archer's plans were delusional, Phlox pointed out that with the Defiant, Archer's seemingly delusional plan to become Emperor would now be a reality. Furthermore, Phlox threatened to report their conspiracy to Archer.

Phlox and Tucker fight

Phlox defends himself against Tucker

Both T'Pol and Soval pointed out that if Archer were unsuccessful, both he and his crew would be executed for treason. Furthermore, they pointed out that if one were to save the Emperor's life, by custom, the Emperor would grant that person anything they desired, such as a medical laboratory with unlimited funding and possibly concubines as well. The latter argument seemed to convince Phlox to help stop Archer.

Phlox attempted to sabotage key components of the Defiant, allowing the Avenger to attack and gain an early tactical advantage. However, Commander Charles Tucker discovered Phlox's treachery and was able to stop him and restore the ship's weapons and shields in time. This allowed the Defiant to gain the upper hand and destroy the Avenger. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")

Phlox's fate remained unclear, although it's reasonable to assume that he was executed along with T'Pol and the other mutineers, if not by Archer, then by Empress Hoshi Sato. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")
Like his prime reality counterpart, Phlox was portrayed by John Billingsley.
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