Most of what works in the Star Trek movies evolve from what we know about the characters. Kirk’s love for his ship and history with the Klingons, Picard’s history with the Borg, Data’s struggle with emotions, that sort of thing.
What character threads from any of the series could have been picked up and expanded on in movies?
Section 31, the secretive illegitimate covert arm of Starfleet, had Sloan who really seemed like he’d done a lot in the name of the federation. He tells Bashir as much in Extreme Measures so it would be really cool to see some of the darker things the Federation disavowed or turned a blind eye to.
Very different tone to most trek probably but a whole different side of the federation, more of the unhappy side like the Maquis who don’t get explored much either.
Especially since they believe that the Federation doesn’t go far enough to maintain their peace and balance of power by being as moral as they are. Although I’m ambivalent about them needing to exist, since them succeeding at all would undermine the Federation being successful without having to compromise its morals.
Like how the
resolution to DS9
wasn’t entirely saving the day by convincing the Dominion to come to the table. The Federation effectively poisoned the Founders, forcing their hand that way
inadvertently implies that the Federation isn’t successful without their intervention and the whole dark underbelly.
Yeah DS9 was a bit more ‘real’ than the other seasons I think. Especially dealing with some pretty dark stuff like the war and how it was resolved, genocide was on the table like you say. Hmmm. Does make the federation look a bit different when you think about this shady stuff being allowed by the top brass because it works in their favour.
I’ve just seen in the sidebar there is already A Section 31 movie in production!