This week, we open the Starfleet personnel file for Admiral Jonathan Archer, a detailed biographical memo written by Star Trek: Enterprise writer/producer Michael Sussman for the fan-favorite episode "In a Mirror, Darkly." It was only meant to be a quick background graphic, so how did it evolve into a fan-favorite bit of canon? And why did Mike sneak "President of the UFP" into the character's résumé without telling the showrunners?

Larry welcomes Mike to The Trek Files to revisit the creation of this in-universe bio, share behind-the-scenes memories from the final days of Enterprise, and unpack how a throwaway idea from 2005 became the seed of a new series pitch, Star Trek: United, which imagines Archer in his presidential years. From secret nods to The West Wing, to collaborating with Andy Probert on "Space Force One," this episode is a crash course in how Trek canon can be built with equal parts creativity and chaos.

Documents and additional references: Starfleet Personnel File: Archer, Jonathan

The Trek Files Season 14 on Memory Alpha

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14-15 What really happened to Jonathan Archer after Enterprise?