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Section 31, in the fictional universe of Star Trek, is an autonomous intelligence and defense organization that carries out covert operations for the United Federation of Planets. Created by Ira Steven Behr for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Inquisition", the organization was intended to act as a counterbalance to the utopian portrayal of the Federation.[1]
| Section 31 | |
|---|---|
| Universe | Star Trek |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | Autonomous intelligence and counter-intelligence agency |
| Founded | Prior to 2151 |
| Location | Alpha and Beta Quadrants |
| Leader | Unknown |
| Key people |
|
| Purpose | Defend the United Federation of Planets by any means necessary. |
| Technologies | Classified Federation technologies |
| Affiliations |
|
Section 31 settings and characters have appeared in dozens of episodes, novels and comics.[2]: 551 In 2019, CBS announced a new series was in development about Section 31, starring Michelle Yeoh.[3] However, this has since been changed to a movie to be streamed on Paramount+.[4][5]
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Ira Steven Behr was inspired by a line of dialogue from Deep Space Nine episode "The Maquis" spoken by Commander Benjamin Sisko: "It's easy to be a saint in paradise." Behr said in the 1999 reference companion to the series, "Why is Earth a paradise in the twenty-fourth century? Well, maybe it's because there's someone watching over it and doing the nasty stuff that no one wants to think about."[2]: 551 He expressed an interest of exploring what life was really like for those living the fictional 24th century, saying "Is it this paradise, or are there, as Harold Pinter said, 'Weasels under the coffee table'."
The name, Section 31, is explained in the story as being taken from the fictional Starfleet Charter: Article 14, Section 31. The article, according to agents, allowed for extraordinary measures to be taken in times of extreme threat.[6] Such measures included malicious sabotage of enemy installations and technology, biological warfare, and preemptive assassination.[7]
According to Ronald D. Moore there was considerable debate on the origin of the organization, in particular on how the organization was formed and how long ago.[8]
Costume designer Bob Blackman chose the black leather costumes worn by Section 31 agents to appear fascistic.[2]: 53 Behr had asked for dark black, severe, hostile looking costumes. In Star Trek: The Human Frontier, Michèle and Duncan Barrett explain that Section 31 agents not wearing Starfleet uniforms or dressing as Federation citizens further enhanced their role as an organization that is not constrained by ethics.[1]
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Writer David Weddle said many fans felt Section 31 betrayed the value system created by Gene Roddenberry, while others were indifferent or intrigued. "Fans would get into these long ethical and political arguments, really struggling with issues like that, which was great to see."[9]: 56 Moore replied to criticisms of betrayal saying, "The idea that there's a rogue element within the Federation doing dark deeds outside the normal chain of command is certainly a provocative one."[8]
Actor Jeffrey Combs, who portrayed numerous characters throughout Star Trek, enjoyed the appearances of Section 31, saying the stories "gave everything a real flair."[10]
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In order of appearance:
- ‡ First appearance as a Section 31 operative.
- κ Kelvin Universe film.
| Actor | Character | First appearance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Sadler | Luther Sloan | "Inquisition" |
|
| Dominic Keating | Malcolm Reed |
|
|
| Eric Pierpoint | Harris | "Affliction" ‡ |
|
| Noel Clarke | Thomas Harewood |
| |
| Benedict Cumberbatch | John Harrison |
| |
| Peter Weller | Alexander Marcus |
| |
| Shazad Latif | Ash Tyler (human) / Voq (Klingon) |
|
|
| Michelle Yeoh | Philippa Georgiou (alternate) |
|
|
| Jayne Brook | Katrina Cornwell |
|
|
| Alan van Sprang | Leland | "Will You Take My Hand?" ‡ (bonus scene) | |
| Control (artificial intelligence) | "If Memory Serves" |
| |
| Tara Nicodemo | Patar (Vulcan) |
| |
| Sonja Sohn | Gabrielle Burnham / Red Angel | "The Red Angel" |
|
| Jack Quaid | William Boimler (transporter duplicate) |
|
|
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Deep Space Nine (1998–99)
Enterprise (2005)
- "Affliction"
- "Divergence"
- "Demons"
- "Terra Prime"
Discovery (2018–19)
- "Will You Take My Hand?" (Season 1, bonus scene)
- "Point of Light"
- "Saints of Imperfection"
- "The Sounds of Thunder"
- "Light and Shadows"
- "If Memory Serves"
- "Project Daedalus"
- "The Red Angel"
- "Perpetual Infinity"
- "Through the Valley of Shadows"
- "Such Sweet Sorrow"
- "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2"
Lower Decks (2020–2024)
- "Envoys" (references to Section 31)
- "Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus"
- "Fissure Quest"
Picard (2023)
- "Disengage" (Raffi is working for Section 31)
- "The Bounty" (references to Section 31)
Films
- Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
- Star Trek: Section 31 (2025) – On April 18, 2023, Paramount+ announced that a Section 31 spin-off starring Michelle Yeoh had been officially greenlit, following her 2023 win of the Academy Award for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once. However, the project will be a film streaming on Paramount+ instead of the originally contemplated television series.[5][4]
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Novels
Section 31 characters appear in the following novels:
| Title | Author(s) | Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| What You Leave Behind (novelization) | Diane Carey | June 1999 | 0-671-03476-6 |
| Hollow Men | Una McCormack | April 26, 2005 | 0-7434-9151-3 |
| A Time to Kill | David Mack | July 27, 2004 | 0-7434-9177-7 |
| A Time to Heal | August 31, 2004 | 0-7434-9178-5 | |
| Collateral Damage | October 8, 2019 | 978-1-9821-1358-2 | |
| The Good That Men Do | Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin | February 27, 2007 | 978-0-7434-4001-1 |
| Kobayashi Maru | August 26, 2008 | 978-1-4165-5480-6 | |
| Beneath the Raptor's Wing | Michael A. Martin | October 20, 2009 | 978-1-4391-0798-0 |
| To Brave the Storm | October 25, 2011 | 978-1-4516-0715-4 | |
| A Choice of Futures | Christopher L. Bennett | June 25, 2013 | 978-1-4767-0674-0 |
| Patterns of Interference | August 29, 2017 | 978-1-5011-6570-2 | |
| Zero Sum Game | David Mack | October 26, 2010 | 978-1-4391-6079-4 |
| Raise the Dawn | David R. George III | June 26, 2012 | 978-1-4516-4956-7 |
| Plagues of Night | May 29, 2013 | 978-1-4516-4955-0 | |
Others | |||
| The Future Begins (Corps of Engineers, Book 62) |
Steve Mollmann and Michael Schuster | April 1, 2006 | 1-4165-2046-5 |
| A Ceremony of Losses (The Fall, Book 3) |
David Mack | October 29, 2013 | 978-1-4767-2224-5 |
| Elusive Salvation | Dayton Ward | April 26, 2016 | 978-1-5011-1129-7 |
Section 31 crossover series
Star Trek: Section 31 is a crossover miniseries that includes four thematically linked novels from each of the television series which had aired before 2001, excluding Enterprise.[24] The series was relaunched in 2014 as part of the Deep Space Nine book line.
| No. | Title | Author(s) | Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rogue (The Next Generation) |
Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin | May 22, 2001 | 0-671-77477-8 |
| 2 | Shadow (Voyager) |
Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch | 0-671-77478-6 | |
| 3 | Cloak | S. D. Perry | June 26, 2001 | 0-671-77471-9 |
| 4 | Abyss (Deep Space Nine) |
David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang | 0-671-77483-2 |
Section 31 relaunch series
Novels linked to Deep Space Nine and Next Generation relaunch book lines. The story continues in Collateral Damage (2019), also by David Mack.
| Title | Author(s) | Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disavowed | David Mack | October 28, 2014 | 978-1-4767-5308-9 |
| Control | March 28, 2017 | 978-1-5011-5170-5 |
Graphic novels
All comics published by IDW Publishing.
| Collection | Issue(s) | Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Space Between (The Next Generation) |
"An Inconvenient Truth" (Part 6) | September 25, 2007 | 978-1-60010-116-8 |
| Year Four: The Enterprise Experiment | Part 5 | November 18, 2008 | 978-1-60010-279-0 |
| Mission's End | Parts 1 – 5 | November 3, 2009 | 978-1-60010-540-1 |
| Star Trek, Vol. 3 | The Return of the Archons, Part 1 | November 27, 2012 | 978-1-61377-515-8 |
| Star Trek, Vol. 6 | After Darkness, Parts 1 – 3 | November 26, 2013 | 978-1-61377-796-1 |
| Star Trek, Vol. 7 | The Khitomer Conflict, Parts 1 – 4 | April 1, 2014 | 978-1-61377-882-1 |
| Khan | Parts 1, 4, and 5 | June 3, 2014 | 978-1-61377-895-1 |
Star Trek Online
Star Trek Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Cryptic Studios. The game has continued to receive updates which are organized into episodes containing five to seven missions each. All Section 31 missions are introduced by Franklin Drake, a character created for the game.
| Episode | Missions | Available |
|---|---|---|
| "Cardassian Struggle" | Suspect (removed from game) | February 2, 2010 – October 27, 2015 |
| "Specters" | Skirmish (Mission 1) | October 16, 2010 |
| Traelus System – Satellite Repair (locked mission) | ||
| Spin the Wheel (Mission 2) | October 23, 2010 | |
| What Lies Beneath (Mission 3) | October 30, 2010 | |
| Everything Old is New (Mission 4) | November 6, 2010 | |
| Night of the Comet (Mission 5) | November 13, 2010 | |
| — | Hearts and Minds (special mission) | April 12, 2012 |
| "Romulan Mystery" | Empress Sela (Mission 2) | January 29, 2015 |
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