Written by John Edward Betancourt Michelle Yeoh and Joe Pingue as Philippa Georgiou and Dada Noe in Olatunde Osunsanmi’s STAR TREK: SECTION 31. (Photo Courtesy of Jan Thijs/Paramount.)
There is but one word that every fan of popular culture associates with the Star Trek Universe, and that word is, utopia. Simply because Gene Roddenberry’s vision for the 23rd Century and beyond, through fifty-plus years of storytelling, has showcased just that. A future where humanity and the various species amongst the stars are unified as one, and have eliminated hunger and want, and poverty and suffering. All to usher in an era where a drive to obtain as much as possible is no longer the sole focus of society. It’s about being a better individual and leaving one’s mark in the history books as a contributor. Which is why fans both casual and hard are always shocked when the franchise throws us a curveball that showcases the fact that life isn’t perfect in the future.
Which the franchise has accomplished by giving the United Federation of Planet, enemies that truly despise what it stands for, by pitting the entirety of the Alpha Quadrant against stunning foes eager to conquer all, such as the Borg and the Dominion. And by even having Starfleet Command and the Federation Council make questionable decisions that don’t benefit the betterment of all but exist out of fear. But perhaps the biggest shocker of all in this future, is the sheer fact that Starfleet and the UFP have sanctioned an organization that handles the dirty work of the Federation. Those dark acts that would sow doubt in the UFP and Starfleet but is done off the books to keep the peace and keep a utopia running. Which has left many fans wondering if Section 31 has a place in this story, and if they are outright foes. Since they have done some horrible things in the name of peace. Well, after many years of featuring them in brief across various shows, the creatives behind the franchise decided now was the time to explore what Section 31 is all about, courtesy of a brand-new film on Paramount+ entitled, Star Trek: Section 31. Wherein we travel to the early 24th Century, far away from the frontier of the Federation to catch up with an old friend from Star Trek: Discovery, former Terran Emperor Philippa Georgiou. Who now lives in secrecy aboard a distant pleasure station, where she is keen to live out her days in that role, free from the trappings of being an emperor, and captain in Section 31. But soon, her old job catches up with her, since agents from Section 31 have arrived to enlist her help in an important mission. For someone is trying to smuggle a bioweapon into the Federation, and with her help, lives can be saved. But soon Philippa will come to learn that a return to Section 31 will entail more than just stopping another threat but facing a grand blast from her past that she thought she left behind. 
Which is, the perfect way to explore what Section 31 is really about and what it stands for. Since we are able to see through Philippa and her teammates eyes, the inner workings of their mission and why Starfleet lets them operate. Because as the mission rolls along and we see this group of stone-cold individuals struggle to battle a greater evil, and an outright mission of vengeance involving some fateful decisions Georgiou made as emperor, while risking everything to save the Alpha Quadrant from certain destruction, it becomes clear that Section 31 is less about evil, and more about the grey. Which the Federation doesn’t really display. It’s a place of absolutes and black and white, but the world has not and never will operate like that, so these heroes, and they are heroes… take the time to do what must be done to maintain a peace and engender hope.
A storytelling decision that really does present this secret organization in a new light, and while it doesn’t absolve Section 31 of some of the things they’ve done, or will do, courtesy of the timeline ahead… it does offer up a philosophical lesson regarding the dark acts they take part in. In that, we simply are not a perfect species, and likely never will be, and we will lose our way despite noble goals. The only question is how we atone for those weaker moments, because we can come back from them. As evidenced by Philippa’s journey here. Since she is lost when we find her, and not fully healed from her sordid past. But the chance to revisit it, resolve it and find newfound strength from it… speaks to that particular theme and gives fans hope that maybe… there will come a day when this secret organization can find a bit of balance and atone far faster for the difficult and ugly decisions they will have to make. If anything, all of these elements give rise to a unique adventure in this universe. One that will polarize fans for certain, since there are so many that truly want this franchise to hold to the Roddenberry vision as tightly as possible. But this really is a bold take on the STU, and it really is a bold story for certain. One that pushes the envelope of what the franchise stands for, courtesy of its stark messages about humanity. But that fits in with what this franchise does best. Which is to reflect us in our current state and right now… the world is indeed in the grey and nowhere near pushing forward and toward a utopia. But this reminds us that while things are dark now, there’s a chance that if we can come together, and find a way forward and fight real evil, we can start building toward a better tomorrow, and truly… it does not get more Star Trek than that. Watch ‘Star Trek: Section 31’
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