Warning: contains spoilers forStar Trek: Defiant#19!
Star Trekis makingSection 31somehow even more evil, putting creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision for the future in jeopardy. For 26 years, Section 31 has pushed Roddenberry’s utopian ideals to their extreme. Working in secrecy, Section 31 safeguards the Federation’s safety–no matter the cost. Now, inStar Trek: Defiant#19,new and disturbing details about the organization come to light, showing just how terrible they are.
Section 31 first appeared in an episode titled “Inquistion.” It was written by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle.
Star Trek: Defiant#19 was written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. Chief O’Brien is working furiously to stop a Romulan invasion, working on a tip from his old friend Doctor Bashir. Bashir arrives, telling O’Brien to stand down, and that he (Bashir) was in error.
Bashir was working on information from Section 31,and a text piece, made to resemble an official memo to Bashir, threatened O’Brien with both indefinite detainment and a trip to a “reeducation” center.
The piece concludes ambiguously, as its writer challenges Bashir to call his bluff.
Star Trek’sSection 31, Explained
Section 31 Has Been Controversial Since Its Debut Over 25 Years Ago
Section 31, introduced inStar Trek: Deep Space Nine’ssixth season, has become one of the show’s lasting contributions to the overallTrekmythos.A rough equivalent to the Romulan’s Tal Shiar, Section 31 regularly employs brutal tactics and lethal force in keeping the Federation safe from harm. Section 31 possess technology beyond that of Starfleet, and their ships regularly use cloaking devices–which are banned in normal circumstances. The agency has since appeared in some form in nearly everyTrekshow since their first appearance, and will star in their own movie, streaming on Paramount +.
Fans felt Section 31’s existence ran counter to the humanist and utopian visionStar Trekcreator Gene Roddenberry mandated for the show.
Section 31 was controversial amongStar Trekfans from the get-go, and remains so to this day. Fans felt Section 31’s existence ran counter to the humanist and utopian visionStar Trekcreator Gene Roddenberry mandated for the show. Roddenberry believed that humanity would evolve beyond such duplicitous tactics and tricks. He envisioned Starfleet as a highly moral organization, one that took the high road every time. InStar Trek: The Next Generation’sfirst season,Wesley Crusher famously declared: “Starfleet doesn’t lie.” Yet lies and subterfuge form the foundation for Section 31’s methods.
Star Trek’s Section 31 Are Becoming a Literal God-Level Villain - Theory Explained
As IDW’s flagship Star Trek book heads into its third year, the villainous Section 31 may become a god-level threat to the franchise.
Section 31’s Shady Methods Include Torture and Sabotage
Section 31 Seems to Run Counter toStar TrekCreator Gene Roddenberry’s Hopeful Vision
Section 31’s various appearances in theStar Trekuniverse have painted a horrifying picture of the agency. While the full extent of Section 31’s actions across its 300 years of existence may never be fully known, so far they have been blamed for assassinations and acts of sabotage. InDiscovery’ssecond season,Section 31’s AI CONTROL tried to killall sentient life in the galaxy, andPicard’sthird season showed one of the group’s storage facilities, which was a virtual chamber ofStar Trekhorrors, including a second, more efficient Genesis device as well as genetically modified Changelings.
The text piece mentions that O’Brien could possibly be shipped away to an unspecified location, for “reeducation.” The piece’s writer does not clarify what this means, but the implication is terrifying for O’Brien. It is possible he was bluffing, but given what fans have seen of Section 31 thus far, it is not outside the realm of possibility. Indefinite containment and conditioning violates numerous galactic treaties, as well as the Federation’s utopian ethos. It also seemingly violates the UtopiaStar Trek’screator Gene Roddenberry envisioned for humanity’s future.
