It was always clearStar Trek: Section 31would stand apart from the rest ofTrek. A defining aspect ofStar Trekis the way captains and crews work within and around the rules of Starfleet and the Federation. But Section 31, the secret branch of Starfleet that does the Federation’s dirty work, has never played by the rules. As thecast ofStar Trek:Section 31revealed their distinctly un-Federation-like backgrounds, from a brutal emperor to a genetically modified super soldier, it was clear that this movie wanted to push the limits of Starfleet.
Part of what madeSection 31different from the rest ofStar Trekis the time period when it’s set. Prior to the release ofSection 31, there was a 70-year gap in theStar Trektimeline, rightbetweenStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,set in 2293, andStar Trek: The Next Generation,set in 2364.SinceSection 31is set in 2334, we get a peek at that dark age. In that 70-year gap, a pair of the most iconic characters fromStar Trek: The Original Serieswere missing and presumed dead.
Starfleet Thinks Captain Kirk Died 31 Years Before Star Trek: Section 31
Kirk Sacrificed Himself To Save The USS Enterprise-B
Although Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) had a reputation for defying death inStar Trek: The Original Series, he appeared to meet his final demise at the start ofStar Trek Generations.Captain Kirk sacrificed himself to save the crew of the USS Enterprise-B from the energy wave known as the Nexus.Unbeknownst to Starfleet, however,Star Trek’s Nexus was an extra-dimensional paradisewhere time and space had no meaning and what passed for reality was shaped by thoughts.
Star Trek Generations Ending & Kirk’s Death Explained
Star Trek Generations not only passed the torch to the cast of The Next Generation, it also revealed the ultimate fate of Captain James T. Kirk.
Captain Kirk’s presumed death at the start of Star Trek Generationshappened in 2293, or 31 years beforeStar Trek:Section 31.For Kirk, only minutes had passed in the Nexus, and the Captain of the Enterprise was blissfully aware of the 78 years that had elapsed, and all the Federation history that transpired.Captain Kirk’s death left the Federation bereft of one of its greatest heroes, and it is against this grim backdrop thatSection 31takes place.
Starfleet Also Thinks Scotty Died 30 Years Before Star Trek: Section 31
Scotty’s “Death” Helped End An Era
Just like Captain Kirk, Captain Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), better known as “Scotty,” was also missing-presumed-dead during the events ofStar Trek: Section 31. He was aboard the USS Jenolan when it crash-landed on a Dyson Sphere, andScotty was only able to survive by storing himself in the transporter’s pattern buffer.75 years later, the crew of the USS Enterprise-D found and re-materialized Scotty. Unlike Captain Kirk, however, Scotty went on to presumably have many more adventures. Captain Picard gave him a shuttle, and he flew out to see the galaxy again.
Star Trek: Section 31 Movie Ending & All Twists Explained
Star Trek: Section 31 introduces a new threat to the Federation Emperor Georgiou must defeat. Here’s what Section 31’s ending means.
Because the USS Enterprise-D wouldn’t even find the Jenolan’s wreckage until 2369, it is pretty clear that Scotty was also assumed to be dead during Star Trek:Section 31. Scotty’s loss, along with that of Captain Kirk, would almost certainly have been devastating for Starfleet, and marked the end of an era.With any luck, a potential sequel toStar Trek: Section 31will be a further window into a forgotten era ofStarTrek.
