Key Takeaways
- Section 31 is an elite unit of Starfleet with the authority to take “extraordinary measures” against extreme threats.
- The legality of Section 31 was debated in Starfleet as it transitioned from an intelligence unit to a rogue organization.
- Known agents such as Malcom Reed, Mike and Gabrielle Burnham, and Philippa Georgiou played key roles in Section 31.
Almost every governing body throughout history has acknowledged the need for a Black Ops organization to deal with problems that the government cannot handle directly or publicly. Even in star trek A world where peace rather than war is the norm, they have Section 31..
This elite branch of Starfleet is named after the section of the original Starfleet Charter that purportedly approved the organization's existence. Article 14, paragraph 31 of the document states that when Starfleet faces an “extreme threat,” the organization may authorize “extraordinary measures” to address the threat. Agents of Section 31 are probably star trek The universe takes care of such “special actions”.
relevant
Star Trek: Section 31 features the brave captain of the Enterprise-C, last seen in 1990.
The upcoming film Star Trek: Section 31 will feature a nearly forgotten character whose last appearance was 30 years ago.
However, the extent to which Section 31's actions actually have Starfleet or Federation support is debatable. In the 22nd and 23rd centuries, Section 31 operated as a legitimate branch of Starfleet Intelligence. By the 24th century, Section 31 was considered by many to be a rogue organization with its own purposes, although its agents insisted that their work still served Starfleet intelligence. Section 31's operations were a well-known secret; star trek Fans have met several known Section 31 agents.
22nd century
The Starfleet Charter officially established Section 31 in the early 22nd century. He then began operating and recruiting his first agents.
malcolm reed
Malcolm Reed was recruited into Section 31 when he was a second lieutenant and was proud to serve. He ceased to be a Section 31 agent in 2151, about a year before joining the crew of the Enterprise. But Reed found out the hard way that Section 31 always means Section 31. In 2154, his former charge, Harris, contacted him while investigating the kidnapping of Dr. Phlox. Harris informed Reed that Dr. Phlox had been kidnapped by the organization to develop a cure for the Klingon Augment virus.
Harris ordered Reed to manipulate the search for Phlox so he could complete the development of a cure. He did so, but was captured and thrown into a brig until his identity as a Section 31 agent was revealed.
23rd century
Before and during the Klingon War, Section 31 operated as a core part of Starfleet Intelligence with a special focus on time travel technology.
Mike Burnham and Gabriel Burnham
Michael Burnham's parents were both Section 31 agents in the decade before the Klingon War. Section 31 discovered that the Klingons were researching time travel and began conducting their own research. The result was a time travel suit named “The Red Angel”. Star Trek: Discovery. Burnhams led this project with another agent, Leland, until both were killed in a Klingon attack. Leland barely escaped.
Leland
After working with the Burnham family, Leland rose through the ranks in Section 31, becoming a senior officer. At this time, Section 31's actions were evaluated by an advanced computer program called Control.
Leland was heavily involved in Section 31 operations during and after the Klingon War. He recruited the Mirror Universe's version of Philippa Georgiou and served as her handler, and the two played a fundamental role in forming the Klingon government on Qo'noS after the war. When Section 31's headquarters was destroyed, Leland decided to brief the Discovery's crew on their work with the Burnhams and the Red Angel. He joined the Discovery team on a mission to capture the Red Angel.
Control, who gained sentience during that mission, killed Leland and used his body as a host. Control attempted to use Leland's body to access the Sphere data, but when unable to do so, he directed Section 31 to destroy Discovery and the Enterprise. Control was defeated by Georgiou and Ash Tyler and Leland's body was destroyed.
mirror philippa giorgio
After crossing over from the Mirror Universe, Georgiou was recruited into Section 31 by Leland. She played a key role in Section 31's operations against Qo'noS. She prevented Kol-Sha's coup, saved L'Rell and Tyler, and convinced them to send the baby to a monastery in Boreth to maintain stability in the new Klingon government. She was also the primary agent responsible for recruiting Tyler.
When Discovery traveled to the 32nd century, Giorgio went with them. When she arrived, she was interrogated by Kovich, a member of Starfleet Intelligence. Georgiou began experiencing painful symptoms due to the many changes between dimensions and timelines.
After testing her worthiness, the being known as the Guardian of Eternity sent her back to the Prime Universe at a point in the timeline before the Prime and Mirror Universes split. From there she continued her work in Section 31.
Ash Tyler/Bolk
Tyler is a Klingon agent named Voq, who was surgically transformed into a human and given a human personality and memories, allowing him to infiltrate the crew of the Discovery. While serving on the Discovery, Tyler suffered a mental breakdown, revealing his identity as Bork. L'Rell removed Voq's personality so Tyler could survive, but he still had Voq's memories.
Georgiou recruited Tyler into Section 31 and he was assigned to Discovery on a mission to investigate the Red Angel. Leland ordered him to download the Sphere Data to Control, but Tyler refused because Georgiou warned him that Control was using Leland's body. Tyler was instrumental in stopping Control by inflicting serious injuries on Leland's body.
Tyler stayed behind and took over as head of Section 31 when Discovery used Sphere Data to time travel to the 32nd century.
24th century
Although Section 31 appeared to be moving in the right direction under Tyler's command in the mid-2300s, in the 24th century, Section 31's agents acted without oversight from Starfleet or any other organization.
Luther Sloan
During the Dominion War, Luther Sloan was a Section 31 agent sent to Deep Space Nine to determine if any traitors were on board. It is unclear which organization authorized this mission. After interrogating Dr. Julian Bashir at length, Sloan attempted to recruit him to Section 31, but Bashir refused.
However, Sloan contacted Bashir a year later and claimed he had joined Section 31. He sent Bashir to the meeting to spy on Koval, the leader of the Romulan Tal Shiar. Sloan convinced Bashir that he would kill Koval, and Bashir recruited other Romulans to investigate the plot. When the investigation came to light, Sloan revealed that Koval was actually a Section 31 agent and that the entire mission was an attempt for Koval to gain a better position within the Romulan government.
Bashir and Sloan met again later that year. After Bashir discovered that Section 31 had engineered a virus that killed Great Link's changelings. Bashir lured Sloan to Deep Space Nine to reveal a cure for the virus, but Sloan committed suicide to protect the information. Bashir and Chief Engineer Miles O'Brien used a device called the Multitronic Engram Interpreter to enter Sloan's brain and retrieve information before his death.
William Boimler
A shipping accident on the USS Titan created a clone of Bradward Boimler, who decided to call himself William Boimler. William Boimler continued to serve on the Titans until he was recruited into Section 31. The organization faked his death and then resuscitated him. William Boimler was formally inducted and presented with a black Section 31 bar.
source: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Lower Dex