Which Star Trek Movies & Shows You Need To Watch Before Section 31

Star Trek: Section 31 is an intergalactic sci-fi action-adventure that can be enjoyed by general audiences, but an understanding of the film's Star Trek connections will enhance the experience. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanme and written by Craig Sweeny, Star Trek: Section 31 premieres on Paramount+ on Friday, January 24. Section 31 is the first made-for-streaming Star Trek movie, and it marks the return of Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery.

Section 31 is a Starfleet black ops division created in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Section 31 has since appeared in Star Trek: Enterprise and J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness. However, Section 31 was largely reimagined by Star Trek: Discovery. Less secretive but still insidious, Section 31 ended up creating Star Trek: Discovery season 2's villain, Control. Originally Section 31'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. Here are Star Trek: Section 31's other essential links to Star Trek's lore.

Emperor Georgiou Is A Major Character In Star Trek: Discovery

Georgiou Joined Section 31 In Star Trek: Discovery Season 2

Star Trek: Section 31 is a spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery, and Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Philippa Georgiou was a major character in the Sonequa Martin-Green-led series. In Star Trek: Discovery season 1, the USS Discovery traveled to the Mirror Universe, where they learned Philippa Georgiou was the Emperor of the fascist Terran Empire. Georgiou, who had an emotional bond with Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), returned to Star Trek's Prime timeline with the USS Discovery.

Emperor Georgiou joined Section 31 in Star Trek: Discovery season 2, so Phillipa is actually a former operative being recruited back into the organization in Star Trek: Section 31. However, after traveling to the 32nd century with the USS Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, crossing universes and time became lethal for Georgiou. The Guardian of Forever (Paul Guilfoyle) sent Georgiou back to the Mirror Universe to determine if she was deserving of her life being saved. After judging Georgiou sufficiently changed, the Guardian sent Philippa to a time and place where the Prime and Mirror Universe were closer aligned.

Michelle Yeoh also portrayed the Prime Universe's deceased Starfleet Captain Philippa Georgiou on Star Trek: Discovery, an identity Emperor Georgiou once usurped. Further, the Mirror Universe factors into Star Trek: Section 31 as there are flashbacks to the young Philippa Georgiou (Miku Martineau) in the alternate reality. The Mirror Universe originated in Star Trek: The Original Series and has been seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, and Star Trek: Prodigy.

Melle Is A Deltan In Star Trek: Section 31

Deltans First Appeared In Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Star Trek: Section 31 introduces Melle (Humberly Gonzalez), a member of the Section 31 black ops team led by Alok Sahar (Omari Hardwick) that recruits Emperor Philippa Georgiou. The bald, attractive Melle is a Deltan, a race first introduced in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Lt. Ilia (Persis Khambatta), the ill-fated navigator of the USS Enterprise, was the first Deltan seen in Star Trek.

Deltans are a sexually-charged species who must take an oath of celibacy to join Starfleet. This may not seem to be the case with Melle when she joined Section 31. More Deltans were seen on the planet Raritan IV in Star Trek: Picard season 2's premiere. Melle in Star Trek: Section 31 marks the third time Deltans will have appeared in Star Trek.

Quasi Is A Chameloid In Star Trek: Section 31

Chameloids First Appeared In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Quasi (Sam Richardson) is another Star Trek: Section 31 team member, and he is a Chameloid. Chameloids are a race of shapeshifters who were first introduced in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Martia (Iman), a prisoner of the Klingon penal planet Rura Penthe, was a Chameloid hired to help assassinate Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner).

After Star Trek VI, Chameloids vanished from Star Trek in part because Changelings were invented for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The shapeshifting Founders of the Dominion, and the species of Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois), the Changelings became major Star Trek villains and the primary shapeshifters in Star Trek. Quasi, who is a physicist and Section 31's Science Officer, will only be the second Chameloid seen in Star Trek.

Star Trek: Section 31 Has A Cheron

Loki & Commissioner Bele Are Cheron In Star Trek: The Original Series’ “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield”

Star Trek: Section 31 has a Cheron character who works as a host in Emperor Georgiou's nightclub, the Baraam. After arriving in the early 24th century, Georgiou set herself up outside of Federation space and opened the Baraam. One of the menagerie of aliens Georgiou employs is a Cheron, an alien race first seen in the memorable Star Trek: The Original Series season 3, episode 15, "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield."

In Star Trek: The Original Series, the USS Enterprise became embroiled in a conflict between two Cheron, a political refugee named Lokai (Lou Antonio) and his pursuer, Commissioner Bele (Frank Gorshin). The Cheron species are divided by their bodies being separated in black and white, and there is a cultural hatred between the Cheron who are white and black. The Cheron were believed to be extinct after Star Trek: The Original Series, but Star Trek: Section 31 reveals at least one Cheron now works for Emperor Georgiou.