| 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 |
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In thefictional universe ofStar Trek,Section 31 is an autonomous intelligence and defense organization that carries outcovert operations for theUnited Federation of Planets. Created byIra Steven Behr for theStar 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 settings and characters have appeared in dozens of episodes, novels and comics,[2]: 551 including the 2025 television film,Star Trek: Section 31.
Ira Steven Behr was inspired by a line of dialogue fromDeep Space Nine episode "The Maquis" spoken by CommanderBenjamin Sisko: "It's easy to be a saint in paradise." Behr said in the 1999 reference companion to the series, "Whyis 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, asHarold Pinter said, 'Weasels under the coffee table'."
The name, Section 31, is explained in the story as being taken from the Starfleet Charter: Article 14, Section 31. The article, according to agents, allowed for extraordinary measures to be taken in times of extreme threat.[3] Such measures included malicious sabotage of enemy installations and technology, biological warfare, and preemptive assassination.[4]
According toRonald D. Moore there was considerable debate on the origin of the organization, in particular on how it was formed and how long ago.[5]
Costume designer Bob Blackman chose the black leather costumes worn by Section 31 agents to appearfascistic.[2]: 53 Behr had asked for dark black, severe, hostile-looking costumes. InStar 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]
WriterDavid Weddle said many fans felt Section 31 betrayed the value system intended byStar Trek creatorGene 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."[6]: 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."[5]
ActorJeffrey Combs, who portrayed numerous characters throughoutStar Trek, enjoyed the appearances of Section 31, saying the stories "gave everything a real flair."[7]
In order of appearance:
| Actor | Character | First appearance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Sadler | Luther Sloan | "Inquisition" |
|
| Dominic Keating | Malcolm Reed |
|
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| 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) |
|
|
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 |
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, excludingEnterprise.[22] The series was relaunched in 2014 as part of theDeep 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 andKristine 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 |
Novels linked toDeep Space Nine andNext Generation relaunch book lines. The story continues inCollateral Damage (2019), also by David Mack.
| Title | Author | Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disavowed | David Mack | October 28, 2014 | 978-1-4767-5308-9 |
| Control | March 28, 2017 | 978-1-5011-5170-5 |
All comics published byIDW 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 is amassively multiplayer online role-playing game developed byCryptic 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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