TNG’s Rachel Garrett will appear alongside Michelle Yeoh’s Georgiou in Star Trek: Section 31. What does this mean for the heroine’s Starfleet legacy?

The inclusion of a younger version of Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s Captain Rachel Garrett in Star Trek: Section 31 could mean a big change for her Starfleet legacy. Since the character’s single appearance in TNG season 3, episode 15, “Yesterday’s Enterprise”, fans have only known how Captain Rachel Garrett died, not how she lived. Now that The Magicians‘ Kacey Rohl will play the future captain of the USS Enterprise-C in Michelle Yeoh’s Section 31 movie, it provides a chance to learn more about this important figure in Starfleet history.

Star Trek‘s most tragic Enterprise captain died a hero, bravely defending the Klingon colony on Narendra III from an attack by the Romulan Star Empire. The loss of Garrett and the entire crew of the USS Enterprise-C made such an impact that it would be another 20 years before Starfleet launched its successor at the start of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Garrett’s heroic sacrifice even resulted in a statue being erected on M’Talas Prime in Star Trek: Picard season 3. However, revelations that she was involved with the shady Starfleet intelligence organization Section 31 could now complicate the legacy of Captain Rachel Garrett.

Rachel Garrett May Be A Section 31 Agent – What This Means

The Variety report that broke the news about Rachel Garrett in Star Trek: Section 31 didn’t confirm that the character was a member of Starfleet’s intelligence organization. However, it was revealed that Kacey Rohl’s younger Rachel Garrett shared a scene in an alien nightclub with Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou. At the very least, this means that Rachel Garrett had some tangential links to Section 31 in her past. Alternatively, Rachel Garrett is now a confirmed member of Section 31, which has interesting implications for the character going forward.

First introduced during Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Dominion War, Section 31 has never been presented as a heroic organization. Section 31’s methodology is in direct opposition to the values and ideals of Starfleet and the Federation, even if they were set up to protect those very things. Section 31’s crimes in Star Trek include attempted genocide, political assassination, and torture of prisoners. If Rachel Garrett is a member of Section 31, then she could be guilty of similar crimes, drastically changing how the captain of the USS Enterprise-C is viewed in the wider Star Trek timeline.

How Rachel Garrett In Section 31 Could Change Her Star Trek Legacy

Rachel Garrett being a Section 31 agent could change her Star Trek legacy in some interesting ways. Firstly, it’s not unknown for Section 31 members to become Star Trek heroes. For example, Star Trek: Enterprise‘s Lt. Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating) was a member of Section 31, but redeemed himself through his service aboard the Enterprise NX-01. Leading her crew into a no-win situation against the Romulans to preserve peace with the Klingon Empire is a heroic sacrifice that could redeem most crimes Garrett may commit as a member of Section 31.

The fact that Starfleet gave Rachel Garrett the Red Lady statue in Star Trek: Picard season 3 does suggest that her work with Section 31 was either redacted, or redeemed by Narendra III. Interestingly, Star Trek: Section 31‘s synopsis describes Georgiou atoning for the sins of her past. This could mean that the former Terran Emperor is instead trying to bring down the organization. In that context, Rachel Garrett helping to destroy an organization that is in direct opposition to the ideals of Starfleet and the Federation could make the Star Trek: The Next Generation character an even bigger hero than before.