Section 31 Is Already Setting Up A Big Star Trek Disappointment

It looks like Star Trek: Section 31 is already setting up a big Star Trek disappointment. Star Trek: Section 31 is set to debut on Paramount+ on January 24, 2025, and stars Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh reprising her role as Star Trek: Discovery's Emperor Philippa Georgiou. Previously pitched as a new Star Trek series starring Yeoh, Star Trek: Section 31 has shifted scale to become Star Trek's first streaming movie. The Star Trek: Section 31 trailer hints at Georgiou returning to Starfleet's clandestine espionage division in a different era, while also promising action sequences aplenty, stunning set pieces, and gorgeous costumes.

Star Trek: Section 31 is set in the rarely-seen "Lost Era" of Star Trek's timeline, between Star Trek Generations' scenes in 2293 and the 2364 start of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Lost Era features Starfleet's longest-running uniform, the "Monster Maroon", which debuted in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. This red Starfleet uniform was in use from 2278 to 2349, changing only slightly over the years. The latest chronological Monster Maroon variant is seen on Captain Rachel Garrett's (Tricia O'Neil) USS Enterprise-C crew in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 15, "Yesterday's Enterprise".

Section 31 Doesn’t Include Star Trek’s “Lost Era” Starfleet Uniform

Section 31's Star Trek Disappointment Is Its Lack Of Familiar Starfleet Uniforms

Despite being set in the early 24th century, the trailer for Star Trek: Section 31 doesn't include a single look at Star Trek's iconic "Monster Maroon" Starfleet uniform. Its absence indicates that Star Trek: Section 31 isn't going to explore—or update—the aesthetics of Star Trek's "Lost Era", a time period that has seen precious little action throughout Star Trek's many new projects. While representing Starfleet, Section 31's younger Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl) should be wearing Captain Garrett's TNG Monster Maroon, or its slimmed-down predecessor with a collarless undershirt, but she isn't.

Star Trek's Lost Era is a time period ripe for further exploration and development. Star Trek: Section 31 is directed by Star Trek: Discovery's Olatunde Osunsanmi, so aesthetic similarities to Discovery make sense. Section 31 could have delivered a modern interpretation of Starfleet in Star Trek's Lost Era, the same way that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds updated the look of Star Trek's 23rd century. Instead of diving deeper into known elements of the Star Trek universe, Star Trek: Section 31 looks like it's trying something new. That doesn't have to be as disappointing as it might first seem.

Why Star Trek: Section 31 Looks To Be Leaning Away From TNG’s Starfleet Look

Section 31 Agents Don't Need Starfleet Uniforms

The Star Trek: Section 31 trailer leans away from the Starfleet look that was in Star Trek: The Next Generatiion's "Yesterday's Enterprise" and other TNG flashbacks, because Starfleet uniforms don't make sense for the plot of Star Trek: Section 31. Section 31 agents are spies, so they're not going to wear Starfleet uniforms while on undercover missions. Georgiou's Section 31 team are outside of Federation space fighting an unknown threat, and wearing Starfleet uniforms would give away the team's allegiances. Even Garrett would look woefully out of place in the Lost Era's Monster Maroon Starfleet uniform.

Even without a single instance of Starfleet's iconic look, Star Trek: Section 31 can recover from potential disappointment with expanded early 24th century world building. Section 31 will show life outside the Federation, which is another rarely seen part of the Star Trek universe that's worth exploring, especially if the rest of the galaxy is more in line with Georgiou's Mirror Universe tactics than with Garrett's Starfleet ideals. If Section 31's gray morality puts the Star Trek: Section 31 team at the center of a classic Star Trek moral dilemma with a good story, the lack of uniforms won't even matter.