Star Trek: New Space Station Raises Questions About Section 31's 32nd Century Fate

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1, Episode 6, "Come, Let's Away"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduced a new top-secret space station that opens up questions about where Section 31 is in the 32nd century. Written by Kenneth Lin & Kiley Rossetter, and directed by Larry Teng, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 6 sees Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti) return to deal Starfleet a devastating defeat and ends in tragedy for Captain Nahla Ake's (Holly Hunter) cadets.

Nus Braka manufactured a hostage situation involving cannibalistic alien-human hybrids called the Furies attacking Starfleet Academy and War College cadets during a training mission on the derelict USS Miyazaki. Just as Nustopher planned, Starfleet recruited his aid to stop the Furies, but it was all a ruse and a decoy. Braka's true goal was the United Federation of Planets' top-secret black site space station, J19-Alpha.

At the end of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 6, Nus Braka and the Venari Ral ransacked J19-Alpha and killed thousands. Braka made off with secret weapons that the Federation developed. Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr) didn't reveal what technology Nus stole, but the situation is so serious that the Klingarite was declared the most wanted man in the galaxy.

What Happened To Daystrom Station In Star Trek's 32nd Century?

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 6's introduction of space station J19-Alpha echoes how Star Trek: Picard season 3 revealed the existence of a similar black site facility, Daystrom Station. Housing numerous secrets, creatures, and technology obtained by Starfleet over the previous 300 years, Daystrom Station even stored the remains of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner).

Nearly 800 years separate Star Trek: Picard's early 25th century and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's late 32nd century. It's likely that Daystrom Station was destroyed or fell into disuse and was abandoned at some point in the intervening centuries. However, it's also possible that Daystrom Station still exists, with its secrets intact and expanded upon in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's era.

After all, Star Trek: Discovery established that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's titular space station still exists near the planet Bajor. Daystrom Station may have followed suit, and the Fleet Museum near Athan Prime, also seen in Star Trek: Picard season 3, may also still be standing. Or, Daystrom Station is long gone, and perhaps its secrets were ported to J19-Alpha, and may now be in the hands of Nus Braka and the Venari Ral.

Does Section 31 Still Exist In Star Trek's 32nd Century?

The existence of J19-Alpha as a black site begs the question of where Section 31 is in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's late 32nd century. Section 31 was prominent in Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2, but, like Disco's controversial reimagined Klingons, Section 31 hasn't been mentioned in the post-Burn 32nd-century era.

It's possible that Section 31 was disbanded before Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's 32nd century, or the black badge organization went underground and strictly operates in the shadows, potentially forgotten. Section 31 was invented by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and was seen in Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, and Star Trek: Lower Decks.

In Star Trek's timeline, William Boimler's (Jack Quaid) recruitment to become Captain of the multiverse-exploring starship Anaximander was the last time Section 31 is known to have acted. Captain Worf (Michael Dorn) merely called Section 31 a division of Starfleet Intelligence in Star Trek: Picard season 3, which took place in 2401.

The failure of Michelle Yeoh's Star Trek: Section 31 streaming film, which was repurposed from a canceled ongoing spinoff series, is a likely factor in Star Trek on Paramount+ distancing itself from Section 31. In truth, Section 31 has been overused since Star Trek: Deep Space Nine introduced it, and its mysteries and any 'cool factor' are depleted.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's top-secret J19-Alpha is a successor to Star Trek: Picard's Daystrom Station and to Section 31's secrets, but J19-Alpha is better as background, rather than a focal point of a TV series about young Starfleet cadets.