Why Star Trek Has Section 31 & Starfleet Intelligence (What’s The Difference?)

In Star Trek, both Section 31 and Starfleet Intelligence are intelligence agencies linked to Starfleet, but they have different histories within the Star Trek timeline, and serve different narrative purposes. Before the formation of Star Trek's United Federation of Planets, Starfleet existed as an Earth-based paramilitary organization with the primary function of exploration. As humans became major players in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, Starfleet's secondary mission of preserving peace became much more relevant, especially after Star Trek: Enterprise's Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) made contact with hostile species like the Klingons and Xindi.

In Star Trek, Starfleet and the Federation aren't the same thing. The Federation is the governing body that unites allied member worlds, and Starfleet is technically Earth's exploratory and peacekeeping organization, which expanded its reach to serve the entire Federation. To protect the Federation's members and borders, Starfleet must gather information about enemies of the Federation. In Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation, this task fell solely to Starfleet Intelligence, but Star Trek: Deep Space Nine introduced Section 31 as Starfleet's secret, independently-operating, special intelligence division.

What Is Starfleet Intelligence In Star Trek

Starfleet Intelligence Carries Out Espionage To Serve Starfleet

As Starfleet's espionage division, Starfleet Intelligence gathers intel to aid Starfleet's military and political operations. Starfleet Intelligence provides an invaluable service during Star Trek's wars. Information gained by Starfleet Intelligence can be disseminated to command-level officers and others on a need-to-know basis in order to engage with hostile alien species or to broker peace, in service of Starfleet Intelligence's ultimate goal to protect the Federation's borders and member worlds. Sometimes, Starfleet Intelligence uses their knowledge to develop new technology, or partners with allied intelligence agencies to share information that creates a net benefit for the Federation.

Starfleet Intelligence employs operatives who are trusted to protect Starfleet's secrets. Dedicated career officers oversee their operations, but Starfleet Intelligence may also assign special missions to temporary operatives, like Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) when he was tasked with infiltrating the Orion Syndicate in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 6, episode 15, "Honor Among Thieves". Former officers, like Star Trek: Picard's Commander Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) and Commander Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), make great undercover intelligence agents or informants. As Starfleet officers, intelligence agents are expected to operate according to Federation values, with conflict arising when they don't.

What Is Section 31 In Star Trek

The Morally Gray Section 31 Does Starfleet's Dirty Work

Star Trek's Section 31 operates independently of Starfleet Intelligence, more akin to the Romulan Tal Shi'ar or Cardassian Obsidian Order. Section 31 isn't beholden to the values of the United Federation of Planets, so its operatives are allowed—some might say encouraged—to use any means necessary to accomplish their goals. Without any oversight, Section 31 does the dirty work that Starfleet can't officially have on record. Section 31 is responsible for unethical operations like Star Trek: Discovery's Control, planting minefields in Star Trek: Enterprise, and the morphogenic virus that destabilized Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Changelings.

Despite being invented for DS9, Star Trek prequels show that Section 31 has always existed. Star Trek: Enterprise retconned Section 31's existence to before the Federation's founding, creating a loophole that lets Section 31 operate outside Federation law. Star Trek Into Darkness revealed Section 31 existed in J.J. Abrams' Kelvin Timeline. In Star Trek: Discovery, Section 31 was more of an open secret, since its existence was freely discussed, and Section 31 agents were identified with black Starfleet badges. Paramount+'s upcoming movie, Star Trek: Section 31 , may address why Section 31 became more secretive between the 23rd and 24th centuries.

Why Starfleet Has 2 Intelligence Divisions & Why Section 31 Is Different

Section 31 Can Take Drastic Measures To Protect Starfleet

Starfleet's two intelligence divisions have different roles to play in Star Trek's greater narrative. Starfleet Intelligence is the aboveboard espionage division of Starfleet, intended to uphold the United Federation of Planets' values. Section 31 is in charge of missions that require agents to operate with dirtier hands; as such, Section 31 agents have free rein to commit crimes in order to preserve the Federation's peace. Section 31 may be distasteful, but Section 31 is necessary because the high road is not always the victorious one when the rest of the galaxy doesn't operate according to Federation law.

More than an idealistic vision of the future, Star Trek also reflects the political stage when each Star Trek show is produced. Just like Star Trek: The Original Series compared Starfleet's Klingon conflicts to the Cold War, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine used Section 31 to comment on 1990s-era conspiracy theories. The darker edge of the Dominion War played into that paranoia to build a story arc that took Star Trek to new heights. Section 31 does not replace Starfleet Intelligence; instead, it continues to represent distrust in institutions in Star Trek: Discovery and the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31.