"Everything that exists has a specific nature. Each entity exists as something in particular and has characteristics that are part of what it is. A is A... And no matter what reality he calls home, Luthor is Luthor."
— The Question, Justice League Unlimited, "Question Authority"
"Ugh. I hate that mirror. It makes me look masculine."
— Aunt Zelda, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Archie comic storyline.
At some point, one has to accept that DS9's "Mirror Universe" is really just a generic parallel universe where everyone is slightly more pissed off.
"Picture every gold, silver, bronze and rust age comic. Imagine a comic shop full of every DC comic ever. Now imagine that each one is about the Syndicate, and is about some lone hero rising up, and getting killed. Every issue is a forensic report of a new hero, alone and outclassed, standing up and getting murdered, brutally, publicly, colorfully, at the rate of one or two a month. It's not that the Syndicate are killers, but killers in equal measure to the heroes. It's evocative."
— qbe9584
"I'm not saying they [drunk particle physicists] will accidentally open up a portal to a parallel universe, I'm just saying while you have the chance, you and your loved ones should work out a secret signal so they can tell the difference between you and evil!you. Just in case. You can't just assume evil!you has a pointy beard and dramatic music everywhere he goes."
— Ed Byrne, Crowd Pleaser
"And so far, we can conclude that we are indeed in a parallel universe. But one not governed by the Federation, but by a fascistic, human-only organisation known as the Terran Empire. Most places and ships that are found in our universe, like the Cooper, exist here. The same goes for people. [...] The Terrans appear to be the antithesis of us, in every way. They're an oppressive, racist, xenophobic culture that dominates all known space, and they're ruled by a faceless emperor."
— Michael Burnham, Star Trek: Discovery, "Despite Yourself"
"Doctor Ho" - A mirror universe series in which the Time Lords are irresponsible meddlers while the Doctor is a staid bureaucrat trying to stop them. Unfortunately he's also a covert lecher who knocks up every pretty female he comes across.
— TrekBBS, "Come up with the most silly Who spin off"
"The equation is simple. Here, 'evil' wins."
— Antimatter Brainiac, JLA: Earth-2
From a young age, we're taught the difference between good and evil, and for most of us, those early lessons go on to shape our entire worldview. So imagine what might happen if we were to flip the message. If we were to teach our children that evil was the way of the world. If teachers and philosophers taught their students to "do no good" rather than to "do no harm." If the world leaders and heroes of our planet sought to maintain chaos and corruption rather than peace.
Our world would be starkly different. It would be a nightmare. It would be a place of death and devastation. It would be Earth-3.
Our world would be starkly different. It would be a nightmare. It would be a place of death and devastation. It would be Earth-3.
— DC's website on Earth-3
on Earth-3