Star Trek: Section 31 has been in development for over five years, as the franchise has seen expansive new growth on the Paramount+ platform. Now, the wait is finally over, as the film was finally released on Jan. 24. Like many adventures through the stars, Section 31 treats fans to a variety of new and returning characters, including Michelle Yeoh‘s Emperor Philippa Georgiou, who hails from the mysterious Mirror Universe. Fans who have tuned in to the new movie have shared a wide array of reactions and reviews online, resulting in some lively discussion regarding the future of the Star Trek franchise, the canon of events within the narrative and where exactly Section 31 fits into the existing timeline.

Since Star Trek has been running for so many decades, numerous projects have established different canon events, making it a fun yet daunting undertaking to organize each installment into a comprehensive timeline. Luckily, we’ve got you covered, with a full guide to Star Trek: Section 31‘s story, characters and chronology. Long-time Trekkies will be quick to tell you that the franchise operates within a timeline largely similar to our own, rather than relying on a separate dating system like Star Wars or Game of Thrones. Most of the franchise takes place from the mid-22nd century through the 32nd century, with projects such as Short Treks even veering into the 43rd century on rare occasions. Likewise, significant diversions have been shown to take Star Trek back into the 1990s, and on one occasion even before the birth of the known universe.

Where Does ‘Section 31’ Fit Into Star Trek Canon?

Though much of the film’s timeline is implied using familiar characters and settings, the bulk of the story takes place right in the middle of the so-called Lost Era, which was mainly explored in a series of novels throughout the early 2000s. At one point, the story is confirmed to take place on Stardate 1292.4, which would translate to mid-April of 2324 on a real-world calendar. The nearest benchmark familiar to casual Star Trek viewers would likely be Star Trek: The Next Generation, which takes place 40 years after the events of Section 31, beginning in 2364. Based on existing timeline models of the franchise, this means that future Starfleet Captain Jean-Luc Picard is roughly 19-year-old at the time Section 31 takes place. He’s likely training at Starfleet Academy as Omari Hardwick’s Alok Sahar is tasked with recruiting Emperor Georgiou in the new film.

Though the bulk of Section 31 takes place in a single 24-hour period, there are a handful of flashback sequences outlining Georgiou’s early life the 23rd century. These scenes can primarily be attributed to the late 2210s through the early 2220s when accounting for the Emperor’s current age, meaning Philippa’s rise to power is poised to kick off just 200 years from now. With any luck, die-hard Star Trek fans from several generations down the line will be able to have their own Back to the Future 2 experience with this narrative, once our own world progresses to the 23rd century and beyond.

What Happens in the New Paramount+ Film?

The primary plot of Star Trek: Section 31 centers on Philippa Georgiou as she attempts to join the shadowy and mysterious division, which protects the United Federation of Planets with a series of questionable actions. Though the team approaches their prime directive quite differently than a traditional Starfleet command, Section 31 are known to be highly effective, offering Georgiou a home and a shot at redemption after her time in the Mirror Universe came to an unceremonious end. We won’t dive into any major spoilers for the new Star Trek film here, but suffice is to say, the Emperor’s actions see her facing off against her former lover San, working to save the Prime Universe from threats foreign and domestic and fighting for moral redemption.

By the end of Section 31, it seems clear that Philippa and company are clear to explore additional black ops missions across the known galaxy, leaving the door open for a potential sequel. For now, there’s no way of knowing if such a sequel will materialize, though fans hoping to see more of this crew should be sure to stream the film on Paramount+ today. Those who have already watched and enjoyed hope the streamer will greenlight a follow up film or series and get production started quickly, so we won’t be stuck waiting another five years to see the finished product.

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