Star Trek: Section 31 is a new intergalactic sci-fi action-adventure that premieres on Paramount+ on January 24. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi and written by Craig Sweeny, the movie is the first made-for-streaming Star Trek film and marks the return of Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery.
Section 31 is a Starfleet black ops division that was first introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The division has since appeared in Star Trek: Enterprise and J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness, but it was largely reimagined in Star Trek: Discovery. The division’s threat assessment A.I., Control, became sentient and tried to commit galactic genocide before it was stopped by the crews of the USS Enterprise and USS Discovery.
Michelle Yeoh’s Emperor Georgiou is a major character in Star Trek: Discovery, and she joins Section 31 in the show’s second season. However, after traveling to the 32nd century with the USS Discovery, Georgiou returns to the Mirror Universe, where she is judged by the Guardian of Forever to determine if she is deserving of her life being saved.
Star Trek: Section 31’s main story takes place in the early 24th century, a time period known as Star Trek’s “lost era.” The movie introduces Melle, a member of the Section 31 black ops team led by Alok Sahar, who recruits Emperor Georgiou. Melle is a Deltan, a race first introduced in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
The movie also features a Cheron character who works as a host in Emperor Georgiou’s nightclub, the Baraam. The Cheron species was first seen in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.” In the episode, the USS Enterprise becomes embroiled in a conflict between two Cheron, a political refugee named Lokai and his pursuer, Commissioner Bele.
Star Trek: Section 31 is a spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery, and it is made up of a group of rogues and scoundrels working outside Starfleet. The movie has a Cheron character who works for Emperor Georgiou, revealing that at least one Cheron now works for the black ops division.