So what's up with the black badges?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Discovery' started by Mr. Laser Beam, Oct 3, 2017.

  1. Shamrock Holmes

    Shamrock Holmes Commodore Commodore

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    Given that IIRC, the "black badge" didn't join on the boarding party, I'd favour them being Starfleet Intelligence rather than commandos or marines.
     
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  2. Longinus

    Longinus Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Yes, but Into Darkness is a burning pile of stupid, so let's hope that's not repeated here.
     
  3. Serveaux

    Serveaux Fleet Admiral Premium Member

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    Somebody thought the black badges were kewl. The end.
     
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  4. Charles Phipps

    Charles Phipps Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Well, it's obviously Section 31. There's a 31 on the ship for Q's sake.
     
  5. Longinus

    Longinus Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Following that logic they should have named the ship USS Top Secret.
     
  6. rhllot

    rhllot Captain Captain

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    USS "vengeance" :P
     
  7. Charles Phipps

    Charles Phipps Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I used to live near Fort Meade and you can't keep some things secret.

    Well four points:

    1. There's a certain level of dumbing down for general audiences which is always going to be in place.

    2. If you're in a CIA facility, it may surprise you not to try and disguise you're part of the CIA.

    3. *WE* the audience know about Section 31 but Michael and the general public and most of Starfleet do not.

    4. Section 31 is an actually pretty awful intelligence organization due to the fact they're a bunch of smug fascists.
     
  8. Longinus

    Longinus Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    They're not an intelligence organisation, they're a terrorist group.
     
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  9. Charles Phipps

    Charles Phipps Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I really hope they define what the hell their relationship is to Starfleet in this universe. They were a bunch of terrorists in DS9 then we had Admirals using them then we had hints that they actually had some official-unofficial sanction. I get it might just be as simple as, "Deniable Assets" but I'd love some explanations.

    My current mind is they WERE sanctioned then went rogue with their own resource sources.
     
  10. Albinator

    Albinator Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I do not buy that it's section 31. To me it just looked like a different division of Starfleet Security. I'm sure we'll get into it in time, we just didn't need to find out right away.

    But I don't think it's some kind of mystery, is what I'm getting at. If it was, I doubt they'd have openly displayed the badges that clearly mark them as whatever clandestine organization some fans are postulating.
     
  11. Longinus

    Longinus Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    If they define it, I hope the relationship is this: Section 31 is a terrorist organisation that the Starfleet hates, though occasionally some officers have been corrupted and have had dealings with S31. Those officers of course have been court martialed and punished accordingly.
     
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  12. Jayson1

    Jayson1 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Well we don't know those answers but I think it comes down to the issue that I don't think we can trust anything Lorca says or maybe we can see it as him only telling part of the truth. As for DS9 not knowing about them that could be for many reasons. The ship and the events we will see has been declared top secret or we are in alternate timeline were events are slightly different.

    I got to admit I am kind of expecting a Vulcan being destroyed moment or Hitler being killed in "Inglorus Basterds" type of moment that will be used to shock the audience. That's why I think this new way of space travel might not be destined to fail like we might expect since we haven't seen it in the future. I actually think it might be the thing that makes them travel to alternate worlds instead. A theory I got to admit I have bought into, partly because I recall them talking about timelines in the plural when talking about the show's setting but also because I just think it is a cool idea. I love alternate timelines. I even stuck with "Sliders" during the bad years.

    Jason
     
  13. Charles Phipps

    Charles Phipps Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Alternatively, there is no Section 31 and it's actually Starfleet Projects which have been approved under the order. It's not, "The CIA", it's "Omega Directive."
     
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  14. Longinus

    Longinus Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Yes, but that would mean Starfleet would be evil, which would suck.

    Seriously, why so many people want the Federation to be evil?
     
  15. Charles Phipps

    Charles Phipps Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Eh, the Federation is never evil but we all know a requirement for becoming an admiral is to be insane and corrupt.

    I mean, look, they made Janeway one.
     
  16. Longinus

    Longinus Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Right, so that's why individuals being evil works, but the organisation as whole condoning that evil doesn't.
    Well, better her than than Sisko.
     
  17. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Unless your name is Maxwell Forrest, because we all know Forrest (like all characters played by Vaughn Armstrong) is awesome. :)

    srsly, Forrest is a genuinely good man. I think we all know this by now. He has never been evil or antagonistic in any way. Even his mirror universe counterpart was, in the end, a decent sort - sacrificed himself to save others, just like his prime universe version did.

    Now I'm just waiting for Vaughn Armstrong to turn up on DSC!
     
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  18. Charles Phipps

    Charles Phipps Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Hey, the evil of Admirality worked on Kirk.

    He was a dick in TMP.

    :)
     
  19. bookworm8571

    bookworm8571 Commander Red Shirt

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    May 10, 2009
    Captain Lorca’s hand picked private militia, tasked with doing his top secret, underhanded and occasionally murderous bidding for the war effort. Some of it involves science experiments with the spore engine, maybe to other times or dimensions. I think he’s Section 31. I don’t know if all the black badges are aware that he’s Section 31 or know what Section 31 is. I would guess many of them have a personal loyalty to Lorca, like Burnham soon will.
     
  20. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Lorca has not murdered anyone, or caused anyone to BE murdered.
     
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