Everything to Remember Before Star Trek: Section 31

this week Star Trek Boldly goes with the first major film of its streaming era: Section 31A long in-the-works Former series has become a streaming movie vehicle for Michelle Yeoh, returning to the franchise for the first time since then departure discovery In 2020. But aside from the controversial spy agency that gives the film its name, here’s what else you need to know coming into the film.

What is Section 31?

It first launched in its sixth season Star Trek: Deep Space NineSection 31 a Secret Intelligence Branch The Federation – separate from Starfleet’s public-facing intelligence arm – is intended to function as a black ops organization with a remit to act against threats to the Federation’s existence. Named for a clause in Starfleet’s charter that allows for “extraordinary measures” in the face of extreme threats, Section 31 operates without official knowledge or direction from the Federation or Starfleet, performing wetwork, subterfuge and counterintelligence operations throughout Starfleet’s history. .

Although launched Deep Space Nine Appears in section 31, at the height of the Dominion War arc enterprise And discovery First to establish their roots Star TrekIts initial timeline, however, shows the group since its debut Deeply controversial by Star Trek The existence of the secret police within the utopian setting of the franchise has fans for what it means for the idealistic nature of that utopia.

A brief, universe-hopping history of Philippa Georgiou

discovery Michelle Yeoh’s Philippa Georgiou is first introduced as the captain of the USS ShenzhouOnly to be killed during the outbreak of the Klingon-Federation war depicted throughout the show’s first season. However, Yeh would return to portray the character during a plotline set later that same season Star TrekIts infamous parallel reality, Mirror Universe. There, Georgiou was not an officer of the Terran Empire, but its Emperor – and after surviving a coup attempt, he was brought back with the crew. discovery from Star TrekIts main universe is under the command of Michael Burnham, who was a guardian and first officer of Prime Georgiou Shenzhou.

Mirror Georgiou was assigned to Section 31 after the end of the war, initially serving as an agent tasked with maintaining the stability of the Klingon Empire’s post-war Chancellor Laurel. But he eventually made his way back to the ship discovery Section 31, was forced to send the ship thousands of years into the future of the 32nd century to destroy a rogue artificial intelligence developed by Control. However, the temporal distance from both his home reality and his home timeline began to destabilize Georgiou on a molecular level. After encountering Eternal guardianwho tested Georgiou to see if his time in the Prime Universe had changed him as a person, sending him back to an undisclosed timeline (more on that later) where the Mirror and Prime universes were still aligned, allowing him to exist in the next universe without the threat of instability.

Who else is there? Section 31?

Giorgio from Yes is the primary returning character Section 31But he’s not the only familiar character among a cast of mostly new characters. Here’s a brief rundown of the main Section 31 agents we’re set to meet in the movie:

• Starring Omari Hardwicke the lightLeader of a Section 31 cell on a covert mission that recruits Georgiou as Terran Emperor in an attempt to pay for his past crimes.
• Starring Robert Kaczynski jeffAlok’s right-hand man who lives inside a mechanical exoskeleton.
• Starring Sam Richardson semiAnother agent of Alok’s team, and a Cameloid, a shape-shifting race are first seen Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
• Played by Humberly Gonzalez honeyA Deltan agent on Alok’s team, who, like the Deltans before he joined Starfleet, had not taken a vow of celibacy, allowed him to use the natural beauty of his species for the benefit of Section 31.
• Sven Ruygrok plays the most mysterious member of Alok’s team, known only by name fudge. Described as a “fun-loving” character with anger issues, her pointed ears suggest she may be a surprisingly emotional Vulcan or perhaps one of their sister species, the Romulans.
• Rounding out the main cast is Kacey Rohl Rachel GarrettA young Starfleet officer is assigned to Alok’s squadron for surveillance purposes, despite classified official knowledge of the division’s existence. Garrett has appeared before Star Trek before that next generation episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” in which he played Tricia O’Neill, and was captain of the U.S.S. enterprise-Until it was destroyed in 2344 defending a Klingon outpost from Romulan forces.

when is Section 31 Set?

Although we don’t have an exact setting for the movie beyond what it’s set in Star TrekIn its prime, the existence of Rachel Garrett in the cast indicates that the series must be set sometime in the early 24th century, as she has not yet ascended to the rank of captain or taken over as captain. enterprise-C. This will be set Section 31 Originally uncovered by a period Star Trek on the small screen, which is commonly known as the “Lost Era”. The original series was set in the late 2260s, with its successor films taking place from the 2270s to the 2290s, when The Next Generation Began in 2364, shortly after its commissioning enterprise-D almost 20 years after the destruction of its predecessor.

D enterprise-C itself was set during a period where relations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire were still relatively tense following the signing of the Khitomer Accords peace treaty in the late 23rd century. It took the sacrifice of the Federation flagship to protect the Klingon forces to strengthen the relationship between the two factions, eventually leading to the formal treaty of the alliance established sometime between the events of 2344 and its aftermath. The Next Generation—which can give us some indication of what the state of the universe will be like in the long run Section 31.

Section 31 Paramount+ hits from January 24.

Want more io9 news? See when the latest is expected Marvel, Star WarsAnd Star Trek What’s next for the release? The DC Universe in Film and TVAnd everything you need to know about its future Who is the doctor?.