Star Trek fans were blessed with a new trailer for Star Trek: Section 31 over the weekend. The film stars Queen Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh, reprising her Star Trek: Discovery role as Philippa Georgiou. Yeoh’s star power is bringing a lot of folks who have never watched an episode of Star Trek to the table. If that’s you, let me be the first to welcome you into the Star Trek fandom.
In light of all the newcomers, we thought it would be good to give a primer on what we know and what you need to know about Star Trek: Section 31. Watch the trailer and we’ll hit the highlights for Star Trek: Section 31.
What is Section 31?
Section 31 is Starfleet’s black ops division. Don’t get me started on why I think it is complete madness for an organization like the Federation to even have a black ops division. That’s a story for another day. My goal here today is simply to explain what Section 31 is. Section 31 was founded in the 2140s, which is the Star Trek: Enterprise era, as a type of security organization for United Earth. In the 23rd century (Star Trek: The Original Series/Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2 eras), Section 31 was considered an intelligence organization for the Federation. By the 24th century (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine era), the organization’s existence was disavowed by the Federation but was actually part of Starfleet Intelligence. Some would argue that this is to give the Federation some measure of plausible deniability.
It’s murky waters when it comes to Section 31, but just like the new trailer for Star Trek: Section 31, those episodes are usually exciting action episodes. And from that perspective, they’re actually quite interesting to watch. If nothing else, Star Trek: Section 31 looks to be a fun action film. If you want a few Section 31 episodes to watch, check out “Divergence” from Star Trek: Enterprise and “Inquisition” from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Who is Philippa Georgiou?
Michelle Yeoh plays Philippa Georgiou, a character she originated in Star Trek: Discovery. Now, the tricky thing with Georgiou is that she is actually the Mirror Universe Georgiou. While the prime universe Georgiou is kind and a thoughtful mentor and captain, her mirror counterpart is a conniving, power-hungry, ruthless Emperor.
In Star Trek: Discovery season 3 episodes 9 and 10, “Terra Firma, Part 1” and “Terra Firma, Part 2,” Philippa finds herself literally tearing apart at the molecular level because she has traveled not just from an alternate dimension, but she’s now hopped 900+ years into the future with the Discovery crew. Apparently, that’s more than her molecules can take, being that far away from her own dimension and time simultaneously. In order to save herself, she travels through the gate guarded by The Guardian of Forever. When or where does she land? We’ll find out in Star Trek: Section 31.
Who is Rachel Garrett?
The only other named character in Star Trek: Section 31 that we’ve seen before in other iterations of Star Trek is Rachel Garrett. Rachel Garrett, played originally by Tricia O’Neil, first appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” She was from an alternate dimension and was captain of the Enterprise-C. The next appearance we see of Garrett is as a statue in Star Trek: Picard season 3 episode 1, “The Next Generation.”
The conundrum here is, which Garrett are we getting? Is it the alternate universe Garrett from “Yesterday’s Enterprise” or is it the prime universe Garrett that would be immortalized in statue form in Star Trek: Picard? Because of Garrett’s presence, we can at least assume that the film is set in the 24th century. The key is figuring out which dimension. Kacey Rohl will play Garrett. You might know her better from her roles in Hannibal, Wayward Pines, Arrow, or The Magicians. Rohl is no stranger to genre or action work, and I look forward to her portrayal of Garrett in this film.
Final Thoughts
I hope this quick primer on what we do know about Star Trek: Section 31 gives you the backstory you need before watching. There’s a lot of Star Trek out there and it can be intimidating to know where to start. I came to the Star Trek fandom with the 2009 film, and I hope this film is an equally good jumping-in point for a new generation of fans. Plus, no one’s mad about a Michelle Yeoh action movie.
Are you excited about Star Trek: Section 31? Leave me a comment and let’s talk Trek.
Star Trek: Section 31 will premiere on January 24, 2025, on Paramount+.
