4 Ups & 4 Downs For Star Trek: Section 31 – WhatCulture

In Star Trek: Section 31, Philippa Georgiou returns to slay another day.The wait is over, and we’ve waited longer than expected. Star Trek: Section 31 was officially announced as a standalone series in January 2019, going through perpetual development and the pandemic before being revealed as a “Special Movie Event” in April 2023. In that time, Michelle Yeoh won an Oscar, but her dedication to Star Trek, to the role of Philippa Georgiou, remained steadfast. That should be lauded.On the whole, as the ‘Long Trek’ it now is, Star Trek: Section 31 is a pretty enjoyable, pretty watchable romp. As the Up & Down counter for this piece would tend to indicate, the movie is neither great, nor bad by any means. There is argument to say that it is lacking in some of the underlying substance of Star Trek, or, at least, it lacks in the way of the detail on the Lost Era we were hoping for. Nevertheless, there is a boldness to trying such a new approach. That should be applauded.Perhaps the film’s biggest failing is not to be what it says on the tin. The name of the clandestine organisation is in the title, but this is very much the ex-emperor’s story. That might not have posed much of an issue, had the movie been a series as initially planned. Over the course of a season or so, there would have been time to (re-)introduce and to (re-)merge the two. As it stands, Star Trek: Section 31 is really Star Trek: Philippa Georgiou.

On the whole, as the ‘Long Trek’ it now is, Star Trek: Section 31 is a pretty enjoyable, pretty watchable romp. As the Up & Down counter for this piece would tend to indicate, the movie is neither great, nor bad by any means. There is argument to say that it is lacking in some of the underlying substance of Star Trek, or, at least, it lacks in the way of the detail on the Lost Era we were hoping for. Nevertheless, there is a boldness to trying such a new approach. That should be applauded.Perhaps the film’s biggest failing is not to be what it says on the tin. The name of the clandestine organisation is in the title, but this is very much the ex-emperor’s story. That might not have posed much of an issue, had the movie been a series as initially planned. Over the course of a season or so, there would have been time to (re-)introduce and to (re-)merge the two. As it stands, Star Trek: Section 31 is really Star Trek: Philippa Georgiou.

Perhaps the film’s biggest failing is not to be what it says on the tin. The name of the clandestine organisation is in the title, but this is very much the ex-emperor’s story. That might not have posed much of an issue, had the movie been a series as initially planned. Over the course of a season or so, there would have been time to (re-)introduce and to (re-)merge the two. As it stands, Star Trek: Section 31 is really Star Trek: Philippa Georgiou.

Let’s not mince words. Her most Imperial Majesty, Mother of the Fatherland, Overlord of Vulcan, Dominus of Qo’noS, Regina Andor, Philippa Georgiou Augustus Iaponius Centarius is not a “badass” or a “bad bitch”. She was, and hence always is, a genocidal dictator. That is never to be treated so brazenly. That is never a person to be redeemed. Georgiou says it herself, “There are no benevolent dictators”. There can be no benevolence in return.The issue is by no means specific to the film. The rehabilitation of Mirror Georgiou began, of course, in Star Trek: Discovery. By the time of the ex-emperor’s precipitated departure in Terra Firma, Part 2, her former colleagues aboard the titular ship were raising glasses (to toast in her honour, that is). “She was a pain in the ass. And she meant more to me than I could ever put in words,” Michael Burnham noted. Georgiou’s victims no longer have the luxury of such moral ambiguity.Star Trek: Section 31 does delve into the “sins of the past,” as the promotional material put it. The problem is that “sins” are destined to be pardoned. Georgiou’s are the worst crimes deserving justice under law. There is no courtroom in the Prime universe that could try her, but Georgiou belongs behind bars, not sipping cocktails. If we don’t have the moral conviction to recognise that, things aren’t “badass,” they’re just plain bad.

The issue is by no means specific to the film. The rehabilitation of Mirror Georgiou began, of course, in Star Trek: Discovery. By the time of the ex-emperor’s precipitated departure in Terra Firma, Part 2, her former colleagues aboard the titular ship were raising glasses (to toast in her honour, that is). “She was a pain in the ass. And she meant more to me than I could ever put in words,” Michael Burnham noted. Georgiou’s victims no longer have the luxury of such moral ambiguity.Star Trek: Section 31 does delve into the “sins of the past,” as the promotional material put it. The problem is that “sins” are destined to be pardoned. Georgiou’s are the worst crimes deserving justice under law. There is no courtroom in the Prime universe that could try her, but Georgiou belongs behind bars, not sipping cocktails. If we don’t have the moral conviction to recognise that, things aren’t “badass,” they’re just plain bad.

Star Trek: Section 31 does delve into the “sins of the past,” as the promotional material put it. The problem is that “sins” are destined to be pardoned. Georgiou’s are the worst crimes deserving justice under law. There is no courtroom in the Prime universe that could try her, but Georgiou belongs behind bars, not sipping cocktails. If we don’t have the moral conviction to recognise that, things aren’t “badass,” they’re just plain bad.

Jack Kiely is a writer with a PhD in French and almost certainly an unhealthy obsession with Star Trek. 10 Movie “Ripoffs” That Actually Weren’t

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