Summary
- Star Trek: Section 31 is set in the "lost era" of the early 24th century, featuring Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Georgiou.
- A young Rachel Garrett, Captain of the Enterprise-C, is confirmed to appear, hinting at a possible young Jean-Luc Picard cameo.
- The film may explore Section 31's role in the Star Trek timeline, potentially shedding light on characters from the past, like young Picard.
Could a young Jean-Luc Picard could appear in Star Trek's next film, Star Trek: Section 31? Introduced in Star Trek: Discovery season 1, Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Philippa Georgiou became one of Star Trek's best new characters. After Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery traveled to the far future in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, Georgiou experienced debilitating flashbacks due to being displaced in both time and dimension. The Guardian of Forever (Paul Guilfoyle) eventually sent Georigou to a period in history "when the Mirror Universe and the Prime Universe were still aligned."
Although the synopsis for Star Trek: Section 31 remains unknown, Paramount+'s first-ever Star Trek streaming movie has been confirmed to take place in Star Trek's "lost era" of the early 24th century. Section 31's has been announced, but not who they are playing. Besides Georgiou, the only Section 31 character confirmed to appear is a young Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl). Captain Garrett (Tricia O'Neil) made her first and only appearance in the iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Yesterday's Enterprise." She sacrificed her life and her ship, the USS Enterprise-C, to restore the proper version of the future. Based on what has been revealed about Section 31's place in the Star Trek timeline, it's possible a young Jean-Luc Picard could make an appearance.
How Jean-Luc Picard Could Appear In Star Trek’s Next Movie
Throughout Star Trek's "lost era," Picard was attending Starfleet Academy & serving on the USS Stargazer.
Born in 2305, Jean-Luc Picard entered Starfleet Academy in 2323, eventually graduating at the top of his class in 2327. Although it has not been confirmed when exactly in the 24th century Star Trek: Section 31 takes place, it could be set while Picard is serving as a cadet at the Academy. Picard did well academically while at the Academy, which made him brash and cocky. Soon after graduating, Jean-Luc was nearly killed after getting into a bar fight with a group of Nausicaans. Considering Captain Picard has changed and matured by the time of Star Trek: The Next Generation, it would be interesting to see a glimpse of his life as a cadet.
Jean-Luc Picard became Captain of the USS Stargazer in 2333 and commanded that ship for 22 years, before taking over command of the USS Enterprise-D in 2363.
Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Picard remained closed off from most of his crew members, only occasionally revealing personal aspects of his past. Jean-Luc was 58 years old when he took over command of the USS Enterprise-D in 2363, meaning a lot of his life remains unexplored on screen. Of course, Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Georgiou is the star of Star Trek: Section 31, so the film will presumably focus on her past, present, and future. Still, it would be fun to see a young Picard pop up, if only for a brief cameo appearance.
When In Star Trek’s Lost Era Section 31 Could Be Set
Star Trek's "lost era" spans from the end of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country to the beginning of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Rachel Garrett appears to be in her 20s during Section 31, and she is younger than Picard, despite becoming Captain of the Enterprise before him. By 2344, Garrett is Captain of the Enterprise-C, but her age at that time remains unknown, making exact dates and timelines difficult to pin down. Still, it seems likely Star Trek: Section 31 will take place around the 2320s or a bit later, although time travel and alternate universes could always complicate matters. In only one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Rachel Garrett made a lasting impression, and it's about time Star Trek revealed more about this fascinating character.
Actress Tricia O'Neil was around the age of 45 while filming "Yesterday's Enterprise," meaning Rachel Garrett's age is likely somewhere around that number.
As Starfleet's top-secret intelligence organization, Section 31 has been depicted in different ways since its introduction in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. While the organization is more widely known in the 2250s of Star Trek: Discovery's early seasons, very few knew about Section 31 by the time of DS9. Star Trek: Section 31 will bridge this gap, while also filling in the backstory of Rachel Garret and perhaps some other legacy characters. Whether or not Emperor Georgiou has a run-in with a young Jean-Luc in Star Trek: Section 31 remains to be seen, but perhaps Cadet Picard will get a shoutout.
