‘Section 31’: Not ‘Star Trek’ Boldly Going Where It Hasn’t Gone Before

Star Trek is an age-old story about exploration, the good of human and alien-kind, and the future we want to see. As we all know, Star Trek has always boldly gone where no one has gone before. The new Paramount+ original film Section 31 is trying just that. Going somewhere that the Star Trek franchise has not necessarily gone, under-the-radar espionage missions across space…and dimensions.  Section 31 is a secret federation development that isn’t about science and exploration. Instead, this faction sets out to exact covert missions to stop intergalactic threats using a ragtag team of not-so-savory characters. If I were a Vulcan, I’d say this breaks several federation protocols. But clearly, breaking protocols is the purpose of the entire operation, which is all for the greater good. This is a big step for the federation, one that, if done well, would expand the Star Trek worlds. The department was first introduced in 1998 through Star Trek’s Deep Space Nine. Now, we’re seeing it resurface for modern audiences. I was beyond excited to see a more gritty side of the federation getting the main focus. I was the one who watched Star Trek (the Chris Pine arc) and got excited when they made a Star Fleet ship battle-ready. So, I sat down with some of the cast and crew to glean their ideas about this new direction, how the film influenced them, and the future of Star Trek narratives.  “I knew Star Wars, but now I know Star Trek.” Omari Hardwick (Power), a newcomer to the Sta…