Warning: SPOILERS For Star Trek: Section 31Star Trek: Section 31 shockingly rehashed Spock (Zachary Quinto) vs. Khan Noonien Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch) from Star Trek Into Darkness with a new spin. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi and written by Craig Sweeny, Section 31 is the first Star Trek movie since the theatrical trilogy produced by J.J. Abrams, and Section 31 is Paramount+’s first Star Trek streaming movie. Star Trek Into Darkness was released in 2013, and J.J. Abrams’ sophomore Star Trek movie was a funhouse mirror remake of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Star Trek: Section 31‘s ending hinges on a pair of climactic fight scenes waged over the Godsend, a galaxy-destroying super weapon from Star Trek‘s Mirror Universe. As Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) battled San (James Hiroyuki Liao), her teenage flame from the Terran Empire who came back to haunt her, Alok Sahar (Omari Hardwick) went mano e mano with Fuzz (Sven Ruygrok). Star Trek: Section 31 revealed Alok is actually a genetically engineered augment from the 20th century while Fuzz was a Nanokin, a microscopic organism controlling a Vulcan robot.
Section 31’s Alok Vs. Fuzz Fight Rehashes Spock Vs. Khan From Star Trek Into Darkness
Vulcan Vs. Augment Gets A Section 31 Spin
Incredibly, Star Trek: Section 31‘s Fuzz vs. Alok Sahar fight is a twisted remake of Spock vs. Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness, with another Vulcan exchanging fisticuffs with an Augment. Of course, there are differences: Alok is one of Section 31’s heroes while Fuzz is revealed to be a mole working with San to conquer the United Federation of Planets. This is the inverse of the heroic Spock battling Khan in Star Trek‘s alternate Kelvin timeline 23rd-century San Francisco to apprehend the genetically engineered criminal.
Still, the vengeful Fuzz is as ferocious and emotional as Spock was in Star Trek Into Darkness. Unlike Khan, however, Alok Sahar was fighting to protect the Federation. The Vulcan-shaped machine and Section 31’s superpowered human leader were as evenly matched as Spock vs. Khan were in Star Trek Into Darkness. Unlike Spock, however, Alok ultimately ‘killed’ Fuzz’s Vulcan form, and the Section 31 operative did it on his own, whereas Spock had the help of Lieutenant Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana) to beat Khan.
Why Spock Vs. Khan In Star Trek Into Darkness Was Controversial
Audiences Rejected Spock Slugging It Out With Khan
Star Trek Into Darkness ending with a brawl between Spock vs. Khan was the final straw for many Star Trek fans who took issue with J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek sequel. Zachary Quinto’s enraged Spock, who wanted to avenge the death of Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), was a bridge too far from the cool and logical Vulcan originated by Leonard Nimoy. Spock throwing punches and trying to beat Khan to a pulp was a gruesome spectacle that was wildly out of character for Spock, even if it was because Kirk died.
Captain Kirk was quickly resurrected after Khan was apprehended thanks to the Augment’s “super blood.”
In Star Trek Into Darkness‘ defense, Spock vs. Khan made sense, logically. The Vulcan’s strength and endurance are a better match for Khan’s superhuman brawn than Captain Kirk, who fought the Augment in Star Trek: The Original Series. There was, indeed, a novelty to Spock vs. Khan. Still, audiences balked at Star Trek Into Darkness’ marketing outright lying that Benedict Cumberbatch was playing Khan, and the Star Trek faithful groaned when it turned out J.J. Abrams remade the beloved Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Section 31’s Alok Could Be An Interesting Spin On Khan
Alok Sahar Is An Augment Protecting The Federation
If Star Trek: Section 31 gets a sequel, it will hopefully further develop Alok Sahar’s backstory and motivations for leading Section 31 Alpha Team. Alok told Emperor Georgiou that he was born in the 20th century and was turned into an Augment by Giri the Marked, one of the genetically engineered warlords of the Eugenics Wars. Alok fled Earth with most of the Augments after the Eugenics Wars, and he was in cryosleep until he was awakened sometime before Star Trek: Section 31‘s 24th century.
Alok Sahar is as if Khan Noonien Singh himself were seeking redemption for his past sins.
Star Trek has a few heroic Augments, like Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Alok, however, is from Khan’s era in Earth’s brutal past but chose to protect the Federation with Section 31. Alok Sahar is as if Khan Noonien Singh himself were seeking redemption for his past sins, which is something he has in common with Emperor Georgiou, and this is a Star Trek: Section 31 story worth exploring further.
