While I thought this episode was quite odd, I thought it was OK. There is one factor that floors me involving the creative team. An away crew with full protective suits goes to a place alien to them. As soon as they know the air has the right composition, off goes the suit. They don't wear any gloves when they handle things. They grasp substances that could be toxic, at least unfamiliar. Archer would never have been hit in the face if it had not been for his removing his gear. The only reason I can think of is that you can't have an episode of people walking around in space suits. Yes, the Xindi are producing children, but a true directive would have been to leave well enough alone. It's their world and their process. The issue is what is happening to the Captain and the danger presented by the situation. Their mission trumps (excuse my profanity) other things. There are billions on earth who will die. The belief that earth will destroy the Xindi is wrong--they have been misinformed or have some misguided belief. To bolster them is not in the best interest of the mission, to save earth from them. I know there is some moral dilemma here, but not believing in an after-life, the whole business of sacrificing the lives of an entire civilization is too much.
