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https://blacknerdproblems.com/section-31-interview-review/
Star Trek is an age-old story about exploration, the good of human and alien-kind, and the future we want to see. As we all know, Star Trek has always boldly gone where no one has gone before. The new Paramount+ original film Section 31 is trying just that. Going somewhere that the Star Trek franchise has not necessarily gone, under-the-radar espionage missions across space…and dimensions.
Section 31 is a secret federation development that isn’t about science and exploration. Instead, this faction sets out to exact covert missions to stop intergalactic threats using a ragtag team of not-so-savory characters. If I were a Vulcan, I’d say this breaks several federation protocols. But clearly, breaking protocols is the purpose of the entire operation, which is all for the greater good. This is a big step for the federation, one that, if done well, would expand the Star Trek worlds. The department was first introduced in 1998 through Star Trek’s Deep Space Nine. Now, we’re seeing it resurface for modern audiences. I was beyond excited to see a more gritty side of the federation getting the main focus. I was the one who watched Star Trek (the Chris Pine arc) and got excited when they made a Star Fleet ship battle-ready. So, I sat down with some of the cast and crew to glean their ideas about this new direction, how the film influenced them, and the future of Star Trek narratives.
“I knew Star Wars, but now I know Star Trek.”
Omari Hardwick (Power), a newcomer to the Star Trek universe, spoke about being a Black nerd and being introduced to a whole new space.
Black Nerd Problems (BNP – Aisha): You both worked on some very epic, you know, projects in the past. In varying genres. Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is your first kind of Star Trek introduction. What was it like getting immersed in this world?
Omari Hardwick: So I…it’s funny. Yesterday, I got to the hotel and on TNT, which was my first TV network I was on (was) Saved. And my first Vancouver or Canada, Canadian job was, um, Saved, which shot in Vancouver. Get to the hotel on is Return of the Jedi… No, Empire Strikes Back.
And I’m looking at it. And all I could think is I knew every single beat that was about to take place. And so it was a very interesting thing to come to the hotel room, knowing that I’m in town where, to your point, one of the epic jobs that I was humbled to be able to have is Power shot in New York, as you know.
And I get in the hotel room and learned within some hours that Rob had not really necessarily done New York and known it the way I know it. But I knew Star Wars while knowing Star Trek. I knew Star Wars like the back of my hand. What was it like for me to join Star Trek? It was such an incredible reality.
And I guess, along to the point, I’m making that while sitting with my dear brother last night and he goes, I don’t know New York like that. And in my mind, I’m like, it’s similar to when I came to the Star Trek family.
At that moment, he motioned to his partner in crime, Robert Kazinsky, who plays the mec (mechanically enhanced) character Zeph. The bromance between these two is palpable. They give praise back and forth and blush with compliment acceptance. Every once in a while, cracking the sly joke. I smiled from ear to ear. What is this? It made me want to watch the show even more.
Hardwick: I didn’t know Star Trek like that. I knew Roddenberry. I knew Desi. I knew that it connected itself to Lucy and Desi. I knew that it was the first interracial kiss, right? It was the home of the first interracial kiss. I knew all of these incredible actors who were a part of it all, but I didn’t know it know it. And so because our characters [Alok,(Hardwick) Zeph, (Kazinsky)] are so close, I probably got the greatest cliff notes of all time, because Rob [Kazinsky] came in knowing what my character needed to be, and in many ways, Alok was aided in being constructed by this gentleman, because he knew so much about Star Trek. So that’s what it was like for me. It was like really grabbing onto his coattail and going, just help me out with this. You know, cause I knew Star Wars, but now I know Star Trek. And it’s really humbling to be able to say.
“The Next Generation has taught me more about morality, kindness, and how to walk.”
Kazinsky corroborated Hardwick’s statements and told his own origin story that could have melted the hearts of every press person at that table.
Robert Kazinsky: Yeah, Star Trek‘s my thing. Uh, it has been. I was raised on the original series movies. Um, not the original series. I was raised on the original series movies. I was obsessed with them. I loved them. And TNG [The Next Generation] has taught me more about morality, kindness, and how to walk [the talk and do] the right things. I mean, there’s an episode of TNG. I can never remember what it’s called. And I should just commit it to memory one day. But it’s where Riker meets Thomas for the first time, who’s been left at the space station.
It’s the finest example of what Star Trek‘s about for me, because they present Thomas’s position, Will’s position, Deanna’s position, everyone’s position, what everyone’s position is, and at no point are you told what is the correct side to be on, what is the correct answer, what is morally correct in this incredibly grey situation. The episode finishes with nobody in there being in the right, nobody being in the wrong. When did we lose the ability to do that? I know when – it was about 2016. But that way to approach morality, all of that kind of stuff, that informed the person I am for my entire life. And when I got the chance to be part of this, this is my dream job.
“And That’s My Bargaining Power”
Aside from the obvious bond between the two main characters, I was intrigued by every word they had to say. Both Hardwick and Kazinksky spoke with such respect and reverence for the fandom and were so honored to be a part of the new world. Hardwick made an effort to be as inclusive as he could while talking about his character Alok, which gave me reassurance he was properly cast for the Star Trek Universe.
Hardwick: When I looked at Alok, trying to figure them out, I don’t think an actor, and I’m being politically correct to state it’s female and or male, or any other gender for that matter. I don’t find that an actor is where they need, he or she needs to be or they need to be, when they know: you shouldn’t figure that character out ’til like 10 years after that project is done. The character’s got to take you to places you can’t control, you know. So I loved Tunde [Director Olatunde], Alex Kurtzman, Craig Sweeney, and Star Trek the franchise, even if fans aren’t aware that they were a part of it.
They threw me a lob. And the lob was, I’ll give you leverage, and I’ll give you that, which you’re allowed to go to Michelle’s character [Phillpa Georgiou] and say, these are the things we’re going to do. There is a scene where she’s got to sit and look at all of the people that I’ve put together. And she’s got to decide her collective bargain.
And/or decide whether there’s leverage enough for her still by joining forces. You know, they say, meet a person’s friends, you know the person. Look at somebody’s bedroom, you know the person. Guilty by association is something else. And guilty sometimes is sexy versus innocent by association. So, if Alock [my character] is guilty by association, it’s that I’ve collectively put together quite the group. And that’s my bargaining power.
“This is another flavor, another color in the rainbow, but it’s still Star Trek.”
While Star Trek continues to carry out its mission of inclusion, equity, and representation, the story of exploration takes a turn in Section 31. I spoke with Director Olatunde Osunsanmi (Executive Producer, Star Trek Discovery and Falling Skies) and actor Kacey Rohl, who plays Starfleet’s Rachel Garrett, about this new direction for the franchise.
Osunsanmi spoke about the show’s collaborative nature and how he relied on the writers and actors to fortify his decisions in this new territory.
BNP: In the feel of this film, it feels very different than the traditional Star Trek, for lack of a better term, vibes. How did you all approach that in directing and in acting, that different feel of Star Trek?
Olatunde Osunsanmi: Yeah, I think the wonderful thing about what Alex has done, Alex Kurtzman has done with this modern-day Star Trek, is he’s tried to have different flavors and different colors of the rainbow to appeal to different segments of the population, while all still trying to keep it all Star Trek. So that was really important. This is another flavor, another color in the rainbow but it’s still Star Trek. And, I think what’s wonderful over the years, we’ve seen this amazing expansion of Star Trek. You also see other franchises trying to do it, like Star Wars.
Being a part of the Star Trek franchise, I would argue that maybe we’re doing it better – No, just kidding. Don’t want to get into that (Osunsanmi laughs.) It is a very difficult thing that takes a lot of thought. It’s a team effort. Fortunately, we have a wonderful leader at the top doing it, and Alex, who cares tremendously about getting it right. And so we’re, you know, we all try to get it right.
“There’s a lot of twists and turns.”
At the time, we all waited with bated breath to hear just a bit more about what we were to expect in this new film.
Kacey Rohl: Well, yeah, full of surprises. Truly, I mean, I remember first reading the script and being like, What? What? What? Uh, so, strap in for that. In terms of Rachel [my character], I mean, it’s a very interesting journey to put a tightly wound Starfleet officer in that world. And so we do get to go on a little bit of a journey with her through that, uh, of self-discovery.
Olatunde Osunsanmi: There’s a lot of twists and turns. You’re right about that. We [cast and crew] get desensitized to it because we watch it over and over again, you know, and we read the scripts. But there are a lot of twists and turns. So, hopefully, there’s a lot of open-mouth moments that really throw everybody for a loop.
Kacey Rohl: I hope the experience of watching this movie is like when we got to shoot, um, things where we had to do this [throws her body around while seated] in the chair a lot. That’s what I hope the experience is of.
The interviews concluded, and I made my way to a pretty thrilling panel on the current Star Trek lineup. The cast and director took the stage, mirroring much of what we had heard in the interviews. This time, accompanied by the fabulous Michelle Yeoh! Although on screen, she still emanated the radiance we all have seen in her many works. Missing from the panel and interviews was actor Sam Richardson (VEEP, Detroiters), who played the Quasi, the shapeshifting Chameloid who operates as the team’s science officer and physicist. Sven Ruygrok, who played Fuzz, an organism living in the mechanical body of a Vulcan seated as the team’s hacker and cover intelligence expert. Also absent from the day was Humberly González (Ginny & Georgia), who played Melle, the Deltan who used her powers of seduction to leverage information and access for the team’s missions. All of this was unknown to NYCC goers this past fall since very little was given to reveal the plot or characters.
The Next Frontier
After watching the full film, I was left wanting, and that new direction for the federation was not on a great course.
Be aware spoilers for the Star Trek Paramount+ Original film and Star Trek Discovery are to follow!!
Section 31… it’s giving Ocean’s Eleven meets Suicide Squad. Which, at first glance, sounds like a blend of two flavors you wouldn’t think work, but you taste it, and it surprises you. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t surprise you with how well those two genres meld, but how unfit they are for this world. The film had so much potential, but the writing fell short, the characterizations were confusing and disjointed, and the shots were too stylized and melodramatic. Now that last part – melodramatic camera angles and shots- feels like it fits in the Star Trek world and absolutely does. The way Star Trek uses camera angles to emphasize action scenes and drama has always been a part of the aesthetic. Sadly, with all the other components missing the mark, the cinematography just added a cornyness you could not see past.
Taking a step back and looking at the positive side of the show. The character Philippa Georgiou, played by Michelle Yeoh, gets even more of a back story than seen in the character’s debut series, Star Trek Discovery. The film opens with a flashback where we see a young Philippa returning to her home village after what can only be described as that dimension’s hunger games – only to carry out the final devastating task of the games to claim the throne. We see her making many enemies and followers that day, which obviously come back to bite her.
Cut to – and if you’ve seen Star Trek Discovery (spoilers for seasons two and three!), you know this Phillipa is not our Phillipa but one that crossed over from an alternate dimension and was released after helping Michael on a very important mission. Where is she now? Running a bar on the outskirts of space that resembles a station stop in the open-world game Mass Effect. It seems there’s entertainment, criminals, gambling, and a hotel. We’re here because our suicide squad needs one more member, and of course, it is Phillipa Georgiou.
The story unfolds as a buyer is said to be arriving at the hotel/bar to buy a weapon of mass destruction. When Phillipa agrees to join Section 31 (on the spot), it is revealed that this weapon is one of her design, which then drudges up characters and demons from her past.
The disjointed storytelling is the part of the movie that falls short for me. The characters are given heist film intros but not much else to go on. Once the mission begins, you are not quite sure who, where, or why anything is happening. The fight scenes are all right, but each scene is more confusing than the next. There is a parasite who lives inside a mechanical Vulcan body yet has wildly uncontrollable emotions. On paper, that sounds pretty funny. In action, it’s rather annoying and frivolous. I may be really harsh, but as someone whose mother is an avid Trekkie, it was hard to give grace to this film.
To include a Black / Latiné problem. *BIG SPOILER* They kill off the character Melle very quickly, unceremoniously, and well before we even get to see her skills or backstory. This continues throughout the film as the story becomes finding a mole within the group and stopping a menace hell-bent on destroying the link between dimensions and committing mass murder.
I genuinely wish this film had been written, shot, and edited better. There is so much potential for a Section 31 team and the missions they might take on. The idea that the federation has entered into not just reactionary missions, not simply being the peacemakers in policy, but seeking out threats to prevent wrongdoing, is a whole new world of exploration. This film was rightfully straight to streaming and could have been an ancillary episode of a Star Trek series. If they want to pursue this sort of narrative for the future, it really needs to be as clever and well thought out as Strange New Worlds or Lower Decks, in my opinion.
If you want to see it all for yourself, check it out now, streaming on Paramount+.
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The post ‘Section 31’: Not ‘Star Trek’ Boldly Going Where It Hasn’t Gone Before appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Star Trek is an age-old story about exploration, the good of human and alien-kind, and the future we want to see. As we all know, Star Trek has always boldly gone where no one has gone before. The new Paramount+ original film Section 31 is trying just that. Going somewhere that the Star Trek franchise has not necessarily gone, under-the-radar espionage missions across space…and dimensions.
Section 31 is a secret federation development that isn’t about science and exploration. Instead, this faction sets out to exact covert missions to stop intergalactic threats using a ragtag team of not-so-savory characters. If I were a Vulcan, I’d say this breaks several federation protocols. But clearly, breaking protocols is the purpose of the entire operation, which is all for the greater good. This is a big step for the federation, one that, if done well, would expand the Star Trek worlds. The department was first introduced in 1998 through Star Trek’s Deep Space Nine. Now, we’re seeing it resurface for modern audiences. I was beyond excited to see a more gritty side of the federation getting the main focus. I was the one who watched Star Trek (the Chris Pine arc) and got excited when they made a Star Fleet ship battle-ready. So, I sat down with some of the cast and crew to glean their ideas about this new direction, how the film influenced them, and the future of Star Trek narratives.
“I knew Star Wars, but now I know Star Trek.”
Omari Hardwick (Power), a newcomer to the Star Trek universe, spoke about being a Black nerd and being introduced to a whole new space.
Black Nerd Problems (BNP – Aisha): You both worked on some very epic, you know, projects in the past. In varying genres. Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is your first kind of Star Trek introduction. What was it like getting immersed in this world?
Omari Hardwick: So I…it’s funny. Yesterday, I got to the hotel and on TNT, which was my first TV network I was on (was) Saved. And my first Vancouver or Canada, Canadian job was, um, Saved, which shot in Vancouver. Get to the hotel on is Return of the Jedi… No, Empire Strikes Back.
And I’m looking at it. And all I could think is I knew every single beat that was about to take place. And so it was a very interesting thing to come to the hotel room, knowing that I’m in town where, to your point, one of the epic jobs that I was humbled to be able to have is Power shot in New York, as you know.
And I get in the hotel room and learned within some hours that Rob had not really necessarily done New York and known it the way I know it. But I knew Star Wars while knowing Star Trek. I knew Star Wars like the back of my hand. What was it like for me to join Star Trek? It was such an incredible reality.
And I guess, along to the point, I’m making that while sitting with my dear brother last night and he goes, I don’t know New York like that. And in my mind, I’m like, it’s similar to when I came to the Star Trek family.
At that moment, he motioned to his partner in crime, Robert Kazinsky, who plays the mec (mechanically enhanced) character Zeph. The bromance between these two is palpable. They give praise back and forth and blush with compliment acceptance. Every once in a while, cracking the sly joke. I smiled from ear to ear. What is this? It made me want to watch the show even more.
Hardwick: I didn’t know Star Trek like that. I knew Roddenberry. I knew Desi. I knew that it connected itself to Lucy and Desi. I knew that it was the first interracial kiss, right? It was the home of the first interracial kiss. I knew all of these incredible actors who were a part of it all, but I didn’t know it know it. And so because our characters [Alok,(Hardwick) Zeph, (Kazinsky)] are so close, I probably got the greatest cliff notes of all time, because Rob [Kazinsky] came in knowing what my character needed to be, and in many ways, Alok was aided in being constructed by this gentleman, because he knew so much about Star Trek. So that’s what it was like for me. It was like really grabbing onto his coattail and going, just help me out with this. You know, cause I knew Star Wars, but now I know Star Trek. And it’s really humbling to be able to say.
“The Next Generation has taught me more about morality, kindness, and how to walk.”
Kazinsky corroborated Hardwick’s statements and told his own origin story that could have melted the hearts of every press person at that table.
Robert Kazinsky: Yeah, Star Trek‘s my thing. Uh, it has been. I was raised on the original series movies. Um, not the original series. I was raised on the original series movies. I was obsessed with them. I loved them. And TNG [The Next Generation] has taught me more about morality, kindness, and how to walk [the talk and do] the right things. I mean, there’s an episode of TNG. I can never remember what it’s called. And I should just commit it to memory one day. But it’s where Riker meets Thomas for the first time, who’s been left at the space station.
It’s the finest example of what Star Trek‘s about for me, because they present Thomas’s position, Will’s position, Deanna’s position, everyone’s position, what everyone’s position is, and at no point are you told what is the correct side to be on, what is the correct answer, what is morally correct in this incredibly grey situation. The episode finishes with nobody in there being in the right, nobody being in the wrong. When did we lose the ability to do that? I know when – it was about 2016. But that way to approach morality, all of that kind of stuff, that informed the person I am for my entire life. And when I got the chance to be part of this, this is my dream job.
“And That’s My Bargaining Power”
Aside from the obvious bond between the two main characters, I was intrigued by every word they had to say. Both Hardwick and Kazinksky spoke with such respect and reverence for the fandom and were so honored to be a part of the new world. Hardwick made an effort to be as inclusive as he could while talking about his character Alok, which gave me reassurance he was properly cast for the Star Trek Universe.
Hardwick: When I looked at Alok, trying to figure them out, I don’t think an actor, and I’m being politically correct to state it’s female and or male, or any other gender for that matter. I don’t find that an actor is where they need, he or she needs to be or they need to be, when they know: you shouldn’t figure that character out ’til like 10 years after that project is done. The character’s got to take you to places you can’t control, you know. So I loved Tunde [Director Olatunde], Alex Kurtzman, Craig Sweeney, and Star Trek the franchise, even if fans aren’t aware that they were a part of it.
They threw me a lob. And the lob was, I’ll give you leverage, and I’ll give you that, which you’re allowed to go to Michelle’s character [Phillpa Georgiou] and say, these are the things we’re going to do. There is a scene where she’s got to sit and look at all of the people that I’ve put together. And she’s got to decide her collective bargain.
And/or decide whether there’s leverage enough for her still by joining forces. You know, they say, meet a person’s friends, you know the person. Look at somebody’s bedroom, you know the person. Guilty by association is something else. And guilty sometimes is sexy versus innocent by association. So, if Alock [my character] is guilty by association, it’s that I’ve collectively put together quite the group. And that’s my bargaining power.
“This is another flavor, another color in the rainbow, but it’s still Star Trek.”
While Star Trek continues to carry out its mission of inclusion, equity, and representation, the story of exploration takes a turn in Section 31. I spoke with Director Olatunde Osunsanmi (Executive Producer, Star Trek Discovery and Falling Skies) and actor Kacey Rohl, who plays Starfleet’s Rachel Garrett, about this new direction for the franchise.
Osunsanmi spoke about the show’s collaborative nature and how he relied on the writers and actors to fortify his decisions in this new territory.
BNP: In the feel of this film, it feels very different than the traditional Star Trek, for lack of a better term, vibes. How did you all approach that in directing and in acting, that different feel of Star Trek?
Olatunde Osunsanmi: Yeah, I think the wonderful thing about what Alex has done, Alex Kurtzman has done with this modern-day Star Trek, is he’s tried to have different flavors and different colors of the rainbow to appeal to different segments of the population, while all still trying to keep it all Star Trek. So that was really important. This is another flavor, another color in the rainbow but it’s still Star Trek. And, I think what’s wonderful over the years, we’ve seen this amazing expansion of Star Trek. You also see other franchises trying to do it, like Star Wars.
Being a part of the Star Trek franchise, I would argue that maybe we’re doing it better – No, just kidding. Don’t want to get into that (Osunsanmi laughs.) It is a very difficult thing that takes a lot of thought. It’s a team effort. Fortunately, we have a wonderful leader at the top doing it, and Alex, who cares tremendously about getting it right. And so we’re, you know, we all try to get it right.
“There’s a lot of twists and turns.”
At the time, we all waited with bated breath to hear just a bit more about what we were to expect in this new film.
Kacey Rohl: Well, yeah, full of surprises. Truly, I mean, I remember first reading the script and being like, What? What? What? Uh, so, strap in for that. In terms of Rachel [my character], I mean, it’s a very interesting journey to put a tightly wound Starfleet officer in that world. And so we do get to go on a little bit of a journey with her through that, uh, of self-discovery.
Olatunde Osunsanmi: There’s a lot of twists and turns. You’re right about that. We [cast and crew] get desensitized to it because we watch it over and over again, you know, and we read the scripts. But there are a lot of twists and turns. So, hopefully, there’s a lot of open-mouth moments that really throw everybody for a loop.
Kacey Rohl: I hope the experience of watching this movie is like when we got to shoot, um, things where we had to do this [throws her body around while seated] in the chair a lot. That’s what I hope the experience is of.
The interviews concluded, and I made my way to a pretty thrilling panel on the current Star Trek lineup. The cast and director took the stage, mirroring much of what we had heard in the interviews. This time, accompanied by the fabulous Michelle Yeoh! Although on screen, she still emanated the radiance we all have seen in her many works. Missing from the panel and interviews was actor Sam Richardson (VEEP, Detroiters), who played the Quasi, the shapeshifting Chameloid who operates as the team’s science officer and physicist. Sven Ruygrok, who played Fuzz, an organism living in the mechanical body of a Vulcan seated as the team’s hacker and cover intelligence expert. Also absent from the day was Humberly González (Ginny & Georgia), who played Melle, the Deltan who used her powers of seduction to leverage information and access for the team’s missions. All of this was unknown to NYCC goers this past fall since very little was given to reveal the plot or characters.
The Next Frontier
After watching the full film, I was left wanting, and that new direction for the federation was not on a great course.
Be aware spoilers for the Star Trek Paramount+ Original film and Star Trek Discovery are to follow!!
Section 31… it’s giving Ocean’s Eleven meets Suicide Squad. Which, at first glance, sounds like a blend of two flavors you wouldn’t think work, but you taste it, and it surprises you. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t surprise you with how well those two genres meld, but how unfit they are for this world. The film had so much potential, but the writing fell short, the characterizations were confusing and disjointed, and the shots were too stylized and melodramatic. Now that last part – melodramatic camera angles and shots- feels like it fits in the Star Trek world and absolutely does. The way Star Trek uses camera angles to emphasize action scenes and drama has always been a part of the aesthetic. Sadly, with all the other components missing the mark, the cinematography just added a cornyness you could not see past.
Taking a step back and looking at the positive side of the show. The character Philippa Georgiou, played by Michelle Yeoh, gets even more of a back story than seen in the character’s debut series, Star Trek Discovery. The film opens with a flashback where we see a young Philippa returning to her home village after what can only be described as that dimension’s hunger games – only to carry out the final devastating task of the games to claim the throne. We see her making many enemies and followers that day, which obviously come back to bite her.
Cut to – and if you’ve seen Star Trek Discovery (spoilers for seasons two and three!), you know this Phillipa is not our Phillipa but one that crossed over from an alternate dimension and was released after helping Michael on a very important mission. Where is she now? Running a bar on the outskirts of space that resembles a station stop in the open-world game Mass Effect. It seems there’s entertainment, criminals, gambling, and a hotel. We’re here because our suicide squad needs one more member, and of course, it is Phillipa Georgiou.
The story unfolds as a buyer is said to be arriving at the hotel/bar to buy a weapon of mass destruction. When Phillipa agrees to join Section 31 (on the spot), it is revealed that this weapon is one of her design, which then drudges up characters and demons from her past.
The disjointed storytelling is the part of the movie that falls short for me. The characters are given heist film intros but not much else to go on. Once the mission begins, you are not quite sure who, where, or why anything is happening. The fight scenes are all right, but each scene is more confusing than the next. There is a parasite who lives inside a mechanical Vulcan body yet has wildly uncontrollable emotions. On paper, that sounds pretty funny. In action, it’s rather annoying and frivolous. I may be really harsh, but as someone whose mother is an avid Trekkie, it was hard to give grace to this film.
To include a Black / Latiné problem. *BIG SPOILER* They kill off the character Melle very quickly, unceremoniously, and well before we even get to see her skills or backstory. This continues throughout the film as the story becomes finding a mole within the group and stopping a menace hell-bent on destroying the link between dimensions and committing mass murder.
I genuinely wish this film had been written, shot, and edited better. There is so much potential for a Section 31 team and the missions they might take on. The idea that the federation has entered into not just reactionary missions, not simply being the peacemakers in policy, but seeking out threats to prevent wrongdoing, is a whole new world of exploration. This film was rightfully straight to streaming and could have been an ancillary episode of a Star Trek series. If they want to pursue this sort of narrative for the future, it really needs to be as clever and well thought out as Strange New Worlds or Lower Decks, in my opinion.
If you want to see it all for yourself, check it out now, streaming on Paramount+.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram!
The post ‘Section 31’: Not ‘Star Trek’ Boldly Going Where It Hasn’t Gone Before appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
At a time when Black and marginalized groups are under attack, Adiba Nelson drops a children’s book that reinforces Black aesthetics and identity. The Afro-Latina author does this through the eyes of Yadira, a young girl who invites young readers along on a natural hair journey in Oshun and Me: A Story Of Love Snd Braids. It begins with the ritual of having her hair braided and bedazzled on a Sunday. Yadira lays out the process and becomes curious about a cowrie shell her mother uses as adornment. What unfolds is a cultural and historical dialogue between mother and daughter. The conversation beautifully maps the mythology of African traditional religion practiced within Black Latin culture—against the backdrop of equally beautiful illustrations created by Alleanna Harris.
The story continues with Yadira heading to school. The young girl is beautifully braided and beaded but wonders if she’ll fit in and make friends.
The thoughtfulness and inclusivity displayed in this text cannot be ignored.
A muted but visual theme in the book is Yadira’s disability—she sits in a wheelchair as she gets her hair braided and uses a walker when she arrives at school.
According to research by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, a mere 3.4% of children’s books feature a child with a disability as the primary character. That number sharply contrasts with the 29.2% of children’s books with animals as main characters.
Weaving in this often overlooked reality, in such a way, shows young readers who are navigating disabilities that they are seen, that they matter, they are indeed normal. Oshun and Me is sure to spark conversation among and around children with disabilities and children curious about disabilities.
Yadira goes on to tackle school and make several discoveries. She is filled with the confidence her mom has bestowed on her and armed with the Afro-Latina pride that runs through her heritage.
Oshun And Me ends with a letter from the author and a diagram of braided hairstyles.
This tale is a great read for children three and up. It was released on Jan. 25 and can be found on the shelves of your favorite Black bookstores and online from Black booksellers.
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Even casual Marvel fans know that Magneto is X-Men’s primary villain, as he’s often portrayed as their most formidable adversary. However, his storylines in the comics actually reveal a far more nuanced character who’s more morally complex rather than outright evil. While his methods clash with the ideals of Professor X and his X-Men, his commitment to protecting mutant-kind highlights his moral complexity.
In fact, we’d go as far as to call him Marvel’s most layered supervillain, if not the most complex out of the entire superhero comics category. The movies really do the character justice; Ian McKellen’s iteration highlighted a character driven by a tragic past and grim worldview, while Michael Fassbender’s version dives even deeper into his moral ambiguity, exploring his transformation from a victim of persecution to a militant extremist trying to end mutant subjugation by any means necessary.
However, the movies can’t really capture the entirety of Magneto, so here are 5 times Magneto’s morality in comics was more complex than evil.
Headmaster of the New Mutants
In the opening episode of the first season of X-Men ’97, we see Magneto assuming leadership of the X-Men and Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters — much to the surprise of both the X-Men and the audience. However, the story draws its roots from Uncanny X-Men #200 and New Mutants #35-75, in which he not only reconciles with the dying Charles Xavier but also becomes the school’s headmaster at Charles’ request.
He genuinely tries to guide and protect young mutants while seeking redemption and aligning himself with Xavier’s dreams of coexistence. He also questions his own worthiness for the role he’s been asked to assume. This highlights his struggles between his ideals and his violent history.
He Helped Stop Apocalypse
In the “Age of Apocalypse“ storyline, David Haller goes back in time to kill Magneto but accidentally kills Professor Charles Xavier instead, which leads to Apocalypse attacking the Earth a whole decade sooner compared to the original timeline. Following his conquest of Earth, Apocalypse is then opposed by several mutant resistance factions, including a group of mutants led by Magneto.
Grieved by Charles’s death, Magneto vows to continue his friend’s life work in bringing humanity and mutants together despite the horrible experiences of his youth. In this timeline, he even founded the X-Men, naming them in memory of Charles.
Defending Genosha from the Sentinels
While his reign on Genosha was controversial even in the eyes of mutants, Magneto only ever wanted to safeguard mutants from persecution and extinction. He officially took Genosha from its human oppressors and turned it into a mutant haven. But, in the “E is for Extinction” storyline, Genosha was attacked by Wild Sentinels in what’s described as one of the worst acts of genocide in history.
Magneto took a valiant stand to protect the mutant population of Genosha and fought to save his people, underscoring his commitment to mutant survival, even at great personal cost. Sadly, nearly 95% of the mutant population on Earth was killed in the Genosha genocide.
His Role in House of X/Powers of X
While he fosters great animosity towards humans, Magneto’s primary goal is the well-being of his fellow mutants. In the “House of X/Powers of X” storyline, Magneto works together with Xavier and Moira MacTaggert to create a new mutant nation on Krakoa, where he acts as an ambassador. While his rhetoric remains militant, his commitment to ensuring mutant safety transcends the villainy he’s often associated with.
In these issues, Magneto becomes a statesman and a political protector, proving that his actions aren’t driven by the dreams of power, conquest, or the destruction of humanity but rather by the desire for mutant survival.
God Loves, Man Kills
In this story, Magneto comes across the aftermath of a hate crime during which two mutant children are killed and their bodies are strung on a swing set as an example. The sheer sincerity of his sorrow can be discerned from the pages alone, and after mourning the children, he went to the X-Men, this time as an ally.
He helped them rescue Professor X from a militant religious extremist organization led by William Stryker, the Purifiers, who are also responsible for the deaths of mutant children at the beginning of the story. However, his ideological differences with X-Men meant that the alliance was over once the Purifiers had been dealt with.
Final Thoughts
These instances show that Magneto, though often portrayed as a villain, isn’t truly an evil character. In fact, despite his animosity towards humans, he had gone out of his way to save even innocent human lives. However, it’s the brutish nature of humanity and its persecution of those deemed “other” that constantly forces Magneto to assume a villainous role; a moral standpoint where his ruthlessness replaces his compassion. He will do anything to protect mutants from other humans — including going against those mutants who oppose him.
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A lot of classic movie memorabilia goes up for auction these days. Yet few ever get as much attention as props originating from the Star Wars films. Especially if we’re talking about screen-used pieces from the original trilogy. Now, via Gizmodo, we’ve learned that a very significant piece from A New Hope is up for sale, as Luke Skywalker’s medal, awarded to him on Yavin IV by Princess Leia, is going up for auction via the Propstore this March. It’s expected to sell for $300,000-$600,000. You can check out an image of this iconic piece of Star Wars history down below:
Here’s the official description of Luke Skywalker’s Star Wars: A New Hope medal from the Propstore:
This medal originates from the collection of prop man Gerard Bourke. This and Harrison Ford’s medal, held in a private collection, are the only two examples of this prop known to exist and presumably the only two made for the film. This is the first and only medal to be offered for public sale.
Some slight wear in the upper corner confirms this medal is Luke’s, and not Han’s. Quite famously, only Mark Hamill as Luke and Harrison Ford as Han received medals after the Death Star’s destruction. Chewbacca honored Princess Leia in the throne room, but his noble acts did not earn him a medal. (Who did they think convinced Han to go back and help Luke?) Sure, he finally got a medal in The Rise of Skywalker, but that was Han’s old one. It’s just not the same. Speaking of Chewie, the iconic Wookiee’s bowcaster from the original trilogy is also going up for sale during this auction, for a hefty $250,000-$300,000.
To see these and other iconic movie props that are a part of this auction, head over to the Propstore official site for details.
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