Summary
- Michelle Yeoh returns as Emperor Philippa Georgiou in Star Trek: Section 31, exploring a new era of the Star Trek universe.
- Humberly Gonzalez portrays a Deltan character, introducing this classic alien race to a new generation of Star Trek fans.
- Sam Richardson takes on the role of a Chameloid, reviving a forgotten alien changeling species from Star Trek VI.
An exciting aspect of Star Trek: Section 31 is how Paramount+'s first Star Trek streaming movie brings back two largely forgotten classic aliens. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi and written by Craig Sweeny, Star Trek: Section 31 marks the return of Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou. As Yeoh reprises her iconic antiheroine from Star Trek: Discovery, Georgiou is joined by a new cast of characters whose names are yet unknown. However, a couple of Section 31's characters' species have been revealed, and they are updating aliens Star Trek hasn't used in years.
Star Trek: Section 31 involves time travel that lands Emperor Georgiou in the early 24th century of Star Trek's "lost era". The time period between the end of Star Trek: The Original Series in the late 23rd century and the mid-24th century that launched with Star Trek: The Next Generation has only been fleetingly depicted, mostly through flashbacks. Georgiou arriving in Star Trek's "lost era" offers an intriguing opportunity to explore classic characters, such as Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl), the younger version of the doomed Captain of the USS Enterprise-C seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Fascinatingly, Star Trek: Section 31 brings back these two classic aliens as well.
Humberly Gonzalez Is A Deltan In Star Trek: Section 31
Persis Khambatta played the first Deltan in Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Humberly Gonzalez plays a Deltan in Star Trek: Section 31. Star Trek's original Deltan, Lieutenant Ilia, was played by the late Persis Khambatta in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Lt. Ilia was the navigator of the USS Enterprise under the command of Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) when they intercepted the massive spacecraft called V'Ger. Ilia was killed by V'Ger and replaced with an identical, artificial version of the Deltan. The Ilia probe and the Deltan's human lover, Captain Willard Decker (Stephen Collins), merged with V'Ger and ascended to become a higher life form.
Deltans became the prototype for the Betazoids.
Deltans are known for being bald and for being a sexually charged culture. In fact, Ilia pledged an oath of celibacy upon joining Starfleet. Deltans became the prototype for the Betazoids, the species Star Trek: The Next Generation's Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) hails from. Although Lt. Ilia was the best-known Deltan from the first Star Trek movie in 1979, but Deltans did briefly return in Star Trek: Picard season 2's premiere, when Soji (Isa Briones) and Dr. Agnes Jurati (Allison Pill) met with Deltans on Raritan IV. Humberly Gonzalez's Deltan in Star Trek: Section 31 will introduce Deltans to a new Star Trek audience.
Sam Richardson Is A Chameloid In Star Trek: Section 31
Iman played the first Chameloid in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Sam Richardson plays a Chameloid in Star Trek: Section 31. The lone Chameloid in Star Trek before Sam Richardson's shapeshifter is Martia, played by Iman in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Martia was among the prisoners of the frozen Klingon penal planet Rura Penthe, where Captain James T. Kirk and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) were sentenced. Martia conspired with the Klingons to have Kirk murdered while trying to escape, but the Chameoid was disintegrated by the Klingon warden.
Martia shapeshifted into Kirk and fought the real Enterprise Captain before she was killed by her Klingon conspirator.
Iman made a striking impression in Star Trek VI, but Chameloids were backburned by the introduction of Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Odo was from a race of liquid-based shapeshifters called the Founders, who ruled the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant. The prominence of the villainous Dominion in DS9 and Star Trek: Picard season 3 meant Chameloids were forgotten for decades, but Sam Richardson will bring the classic changeling back in Star Trek: Section 31.
