Star Trek: Enterprise, the prequel to the original Star Trek series, has had its fair share of standout episodes that contributed to the Star Trek universe. Here’s a ranking of the ten best episodes that fans of the series wouldn’t want to miss:

1. “In a Mirror, Darkly” (Part I & II) (Season 4, Episodes 18-19)

A fan-favorite for its dark alternate universe setting; it’s often hailed for its distinctive storytelling in which the crew members are not their usual selves but rather more sinister versions in a mirror universe.

2. “Demons/Terra Prime” (Season 4, Episodes 20-21)

This two-parter addresses issues such as xenophobia and terrorism within the context of Earth’s resistance to joining an interstellar community—it serves as an effective precursor to Federation ideals.

3. “Similitude” (Season 3, Episode 10)

A morally complex episode where cloning technology is used to save Commander Trip’s life—an emotionally powerful narrative that challenges ethical boundaries.

4. “Silent Enemy” (Season 1, Episode 12)

An episode that epitomizes Star Trek’s theme of exploring the unknown with an alien species that poses a mysterious threat to Enterprise.

5. “Carbon Creek” (Season 2, Episode 2)

By telling a story of Vulcans crash-landing on Earth in the 1950s, this episode offers a fun and unusual historical twist that adds depth to Vulcan-human relations.

6. “Stratagem” (Season 3, Episode 14)

A psychological battle between Archer and his enemy in the Xindi conflict showcases clever writing as well as strong performances from both Scott Bakula and Randy Oglesby.

7. “The Andorian Incident” (Season 1, Episode 7)

As one of the first season’s highlights, it features the reintroduction of the Andorians and sets up recurring character Shran, marking an important point in series continuity.

8. “Twilight” (Season 3, Episode 8)

In this alternate-reality episode, Archer deals with memory loss that resets every day as a result of a temporal anomaly, providing a unique and emotional character study.

9. “Babel One/United/The Aenar” (Season 4, Episodes 12-14)

This three-part story arc shows the Enterprise crew playing a critical role in preventing a war between major powers and is instrumental in forming what will become the United Federation of Planets.

10. “First Flight” (Season 2, Episode 24)

A look back at Captain Archer’s test pilot days and the inception of the NX Program provides an intimate glance at his character and sets the stage for humanity’s venture into deep space.