who plays krall in star trek beyond

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Star Trek Beyond: Idris Elba is 'predatory' villain Krall

He's not a Gorn.

Alongside his critically acclaimed roles in Beasts of No Nation , Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom , and Luther , Idris Elba has spent the last few summers dropping charisma bombs in summer-blockbuster fare like Thor , Prometheus , and Pacific Rim . Now, in a busy year that includes voice roles in Finding Dory and The Jungle Book , Elba will take on the Starship Enterprise as the Big Bad in Star Trek Beyond . We talked to Elba about his character and the joys of claustrophobic prosthetics.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Your character has been shrouded in mystery. Please tell me everything about him.

I play Krall. This is a man with a definite purpose. I say a man, but he’s not a man. Or is he?

Everyone wants to know: Is he a Gorn?

Is he a new species in the Star Trek universe?

Yes. What’s interesting about him is that he has a real beef with what the Enterprise stands for. Krall’s a character who’s deeply steeped in hatred — in my opinion, a well-earned hatred — for the Federation. It felt quite political. There’s a relatability to what’s happening in our world. Not everybody’s happy with what everybody calls the good guys.

There’s that line in the trailer , “This is where the Frontier pushes back.” It feels like a refutation of the whole foundation for the Federation.

There’s some history that we explore, to understand why he feels the frontier needs to push back. There’s definitely an opposing argument to the good that the Federation think they do. There are purists that believe in independence, and believe that we’re all made differently for a reason, and will fight tooth and nail to defend that. There’s massive relatability to modern world politics in that sense.

Some Star Trek bad guys are physical threats, and then there are villains like Khan who give all kinds of great megalomaniacal speeches. Does Krall fall into one of those traditions?

Krall is predatory. He’s not one for big speeches. He is one for going to get what he wants. If that means having to do it himself, outside of his army, he is not afraid to do that.

What it like working under all that makeup?

Typically, my day would start at 4:15 in the morning. I’d be in the chair until around 7:30, shoot about 8:30. Shot ’til around 9 at night, maybe later. Get home, unwind, get to sleep, and then wake up in the morning and do the whole thing again. It was definitely an extensive process. I learned so much about working with prosthetics, and how that can influence the performance. I’m claustrophobic by the way; I don’t like rubber masks on my face.

Did you have a favorite Star Trek character growing up?

Honestly, my favorite character from the TV show was Clark Kent. Clark Kent? [ laughs ] Sorry, different show! Captain Kirk was my favorite. Kirk was just smooth, man! There was nothing fazing him. It was part of the DNA of the show that, in times of ridiculous peril, Mr. Kirk was the coolest actor on the set.

What is Krall’s relationship like with Kirk in Beyond ?

Working with Chris [Pine] was a good old laugh. He’s a funny boy, and a wicked professional. But in terms of Krall and Kirk… can we say, Jaws and Dory?

You’re attached to a few different franchises now, between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the upcoming Dark Tower adaptation . Is there a possibility that you will return for another round of Star Trek ?

I can’t imagine at this point what else could happen for this character. I think, after this film, you don’t want me to return.

Star Trek Beyond opens July 22.

To read more of our Summer Movie Preview, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on newsstands now, or buy your choice of four collectible covers here – and subscribe now for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

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Idris Elba's 'Star Trek Beyond' Character Krall Revealed, Justin Lin Gives Us The Details

The Star Trek Beyond teaser trailer leaked online on Monday right before I was set to have lunch with director Justin Lin . The new Trek filmmaker confirmed that Idris Elba 's character is indeed in the teaser trailer, even though most of you probably didn't notice him. In the film Elba plays the new villain, a character that Lin says is named Krall. Find out more details about the Idris Elba Star Trek character after the jump.

Who Is Krall?

Idris Elba's Star Trek character is name Krall , which almost sounds Klingon in origin– but the character is not a Klingon.

When [Idris] came in, he had a lot of [prospective] projects and when I talked to him about this character, it wasn't about this or that it was about building or having a philosophy or point of view. And I like his character because his character is really challenging the way of the Federation's philosophy and there are a lot of things that when I was growing up I wanted to see.

In the trailer, Elba's character Krall is seen and heard saying the line:

This is where it begins, Captain. This is where the frontier pushes back!

His slight reptilian look and dialogue calls back to the premise of the original series Arena episode, which has led some longtime Trek fans to believe he is playing a Gorn. Even the name Krall is registered in the Star Trek databank as "a Gorn assassin who later befriended Nox the Romulan commander of the USS Admonitor, and later became one of the founders of the Klingon Alliance."

But Lin dismisses any previous canon, insisting that Krall is of a "new species that we discover in this chapter."

The Federation and Krall's Motivations

Back to the character's motivations, Lin says that "he's a character that has a very distinct philosophy that's very different." He gives us a bit more insight into what might be at play:

I think it's great to be a fan and I watch utopian San Francisco and go, oh wow, when you're building this movie you think, they don't have money, how do they live? How do they compete? And those are things that his character, in a way, has a very distinct and valid point of view.

Later in our discussion, he revealed more of the inspiration of the film's plot, which gives us some clues about Krall:

It was just really embracing the idea that the Federation, what would happen if you were going on a five-year journey and you're trying to also not only explore, but also maybe introduce other people to this way of thinking. What would that mean? What are the consequences to that? I mean, spreading a philosophy that you believe in that you think is great, are there gonna be any other points of views that's gonna counter you? And I think that those are the things that I thought of as a kid. And also then as an adult when I watch Star Trek. And I think we got to kind of explore that a little bit.

Hit the jump to learn more about Idris Elba's Star Trek character, including how the attack on the Enterprise mirrors our modern world, how much time it took to apply the Krall makeup, and more.

The Attack on the USS Enterprise

As for the attack that brings down the USS Enterprise, Lin reveals that it isn't a typical huge ship vs. big ship encounter and instead about what we're dealing with today, small cells in great numbers:

I grew up and Star Trek has a very 1960s sensibility of who has the bigger ship usually wins, right? And if you look at it, the attack, these ships are 40 feet long. And but there's like 4,000 of them. And so I think even in the way they're being encountered and how people are coming is it's you can't help but, I mean, we live in a world that is ever evolving. And I think that that's always made Star Trek sci-fi great is when you're able to at least acknowledge what's happening today.

When asked if he was referring to attacks like the recent Paris attacks, Lin takes a step back and painted a more broad picture:

Well I'm just saying anything that comes, even in the way we are as a country and how people engage in conflict. That's something that I felt like in this Star Trek, you see that it's different. I feel like when I do think about Star Trek, a lot of times it is about the size, it has a very different sensibility. But at the same time, I think it's also, that's also part of moving it and taking risks and saying there's a lot of different ways people engage in the universe.

Four Hours in Makeup

As for Idris himself, the filmmaker praised the actor:

I've worked with some really great people and Idris immerses himself and I really enjoyed working with him because he's all about the character and what's best about the character's journey in the film. The only thing that sucked is it took four hours every time we needed to get him on set.

And judging from the brief appearance of Krall in the teaser trailer, that four hours in the makeup chair every morning was well worth it.

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Star trek beyond villain backstory & spoilers explained.

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8 Important Star Trek Events That Happened In The Badlands

Star trek prequel overtakes star trek 4, x-men producer simon kinberg taking over next movie [updated], star trek’s redshirt has a real world meaning.

NOTE: The following post contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Star Trek Beyond .

Three years after Star Trek Into Darkness hit theaters, the Enterprise crew (and Paramount Pictures) are back with another bold adventure into deep space:  Star Trek Beyond . The third film in Star Trek 's "Kelvin" timeline, Beyond sees Captain Kirk and his team in the third year of a five year mission. In the midst of going where no man has gone before, life in space has begun to take a toll on Kirk and his crew - as several members of the adopted family contemplate whether they're truly cut out for life in deep space.

Nevertheless, when Starfleet is asked to mount a rescue mission for a marooned crew, the Enterprise sets out to explore a nearby nebula - where they come into contact with a mysterious and powerful leader: Krall. TV spots for Beyond teased there would be more to Krall than some viewers might have expected (especially those who were hoping the character would have some connection to the Klingon race) but, even for those who know the film's "twist," Krall's backstory could still be a little confusing.

No doubt, some fans will have absorbed all the connections but, for those who were left wanting to know more or felt like certain details flew by too fast, we're breaking down Krall's origins - and explaining what, other than the destruction of Starfleet, the villain was attempting to accomplish in Beyond .

Who is Krall?

Kirk and his crew first encounter Krall after passing through the nebula and approaching an uncharted planet, Altamid, where they expect to find a marooned crew of space travelers. Armed with a fleet of pointy ships and nondescript humanoid soldiers, Krall strategically dismantles the Enterprise , boards the Starfleet vessel in search of an ancient alien relic, and captures the ship's crew as they attempt to escape - transporting the survivors down to a make-shift prison camp on Altamid. While much of the bridge crew is captured by Krall, Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, and Chekov manage to slip away - and eventually stumble upon a century old Starfleet ship, the  U.S.S. Franklin - which a fierce young warrior, Jayla, has been rebuilding (in the hopes of escaping Altamid). According to log files and archive footage, the Franklin and her crew (the first to explore deep space) landed on Altamid but was unable to unable to leave the planet or send a distress signal to Starfleet. While the crew and Captain Balthazar Edison were honored as heroes, the Franklin's fate was lost to history... until now.

On the planet's surface, in an exchange with Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, Krall makes reference to his age - and an unnatural means by which he has managed to survive beyond his years. Shortly after, the villain is shown entering an alien machine, through which he transfers the life-force energy from two Enterprise crew members into himself. The process restores his body and alters his alien-like appearance to look more "human." It's the first reveal that Krall's scaly look might not necessarily be what he has always looked like - and, instead, is simply the side effect of drawing bio-energy (and DNA) from alien prisoners he captured on Altamid.

As Krall becomes more human, Uhura notices the villain bears a likeness to the Franklin's old captain and investigates Edison's logs from his time commanding the Franklin . In the logs, Edison details his frustrations with commanding a starship. A former military commander, who battled the Romulans and Klingons for years, Edison was assigned to the  Franklin when Earth made peace with it's former enemies and, together, the civilizations formed Starfleet. As his time on the Franklin drug on, the soldier began to resent Starfleet's peaceful union with his former enemies - a bitterness that was calcified when Edison and the Franklin crew became stranded on Altamid (and Starfleet did not find them). In his final Captain's log, Edison makes it clear that he blames Starfleet for the fate of his ship, stating: " You'll probably never see me again, but if you do — be ready ."

Edison, along with two of his crew members, managed to survive on Altamid by harnessing technology that was left behind by an advanced extra terrestrial race - including a population of networked workers (and mining ships) as well as the machine that allowed Krall to extend his life by stealing energy from other beings. As a result, Krall and his lieutenants, Kalara and Manas, began enslaving other alien races that found their way to Altamid - using their prisoners as fuel to keep them alive in the hopes of one day escaping the planet and taking revenge against Starfleet (for abandoning the Franklin ). Over the years, as Edison and his crew mates drained others of their life, the Franklin survivors began to get lost in the monsters they were becoming - both physically and mentally, ultimately leading Edison to retire his birth name in favor of the moniker: Krall.

What is Krall's Plan?

During the decades Krall was stranded, he learned that the same alien race who left tech on Altamid had also developed a dangerous bio-weapon - one the beings deemed too dangerous for use (even by them). Instead, the aliens dismantled the weapon - and split the device into pieces that, through the years, came to be known as relics (their true use unknown to Starfleet).

After reengineering the alien swarm to serve as an army, rather than a workforce, Krall retrofits comm tech to spy on the nearby Starfleet space station, Yorktown, hacks into classified files, and discovers the Enterprise is holding one of the missing pieces. In order to draw Kirk and his crew through the nebula and to Altamid, Krall sends his second lieutenant, Kalara (also a Franklin survivor who had been consuming energy from Krall's prisoners) to Yorktown in a battle-damaged ship - under the pretense that she had escaped an attack on her crew and needed Starfleet's help rescuing them. When the Enterprise emerges from the nebula, Krall unleashes the swarm - disabling and then boarding the starship in search of the weapon.

Kirk manages to hide the artifact from Krall by sending it into space with one of his crew members; however, when Krall threatens to kill Sulu, imprisoned on Altamid, the crew member hands the artifact over. With every piece of the alien artifact in his possession, Krall reassembles the weapon, boards his command ship, and heads to Yorktown - unleashing the swarm onto the space station's defenses and making his way to Yorktown's air purification system where he intends to unleash the bio-weapon and kill everyone on the station.

While the film doesn't spend a lot of time unpacking Krall's motivation, beyond a relatively straightforward revenge mission, the former military commander makes it clear he believes humanity has become soft - and that Starfleet's peaceful collaboration with other alien races is a lingering betrayal to the men and women who fought to protect earth from malevolent extra terrestrials. To that end, Krall asserts that Kirk and his crew are weaker because of their reliance on each other, and that his actions are in service of saving humanity - by proving that humans will only become stronger through sheer will, difficulty, and heartbreak.

NEXT: Star Trek Beyond Review

Star Trek Beyond  hits U.S. theaters July 22, 2016.

Full Cast of Star Trek Beyond - Every Actor & Character In the Movie

With the future of Star Tr e k ’s Kelvin Timeline reboot movies in a seemingly-continuous limbo, here’s a list of every character who appeared in the most recent entry from 2016: Star Trek Beyond .

Around the early-to-mid 2000s, the Star Trek franchise was stagnating. Following Enterprise ’s cancellation and the box-office bombing of Paramount’s then-newest Trek film, Star Trek: Nemesis , the studio decided it was time for a change. 

A reboot was conceived under the leadership of J.J. Abrams who went on to direct two movies, 2009’s Star Trek and its 2013 sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness .

The third entry into this rebooted series, Star Trek Beyond , opened on July 22, 2016, to less-than-stellar financial results.

Every Character & Actor in Star Trek Beyond

Many fans argue that Star Trek Beyond is the strongest movie in the Kelvin Trilogy. It featured a quick-moving narrative, solid character beats, and even a Beastie Boys song or two. 

Here are all the characters that had a part to play in the threequel and their corresponding actor.

Chris Pine - Captain James T. Kirk

Chris Pine’s Jim Kirk opens the film feeling the weight of the mission. The USS Enterprise has been exploring deep space for two and a half years, and everything is starting to feel a bit rote for the Starfleet captain.

Little does he know that a trip beyond Starbase Yorktown will result in him and his crew getting way more than they bargained for.

Zachary Quinto - Commander Spock

Everybody’s favorite half-human, half-Vulcan science officer returns, marking Zachary Quinto’s third time in Spock’s pointy ears.

Gravely injured during the first act and stranded on an uncharted planet with the rest of the Enterprise Crew, Spock must rely on the medical expertise of Dr. McCoy to survive.

Karl Urban - Dr. Leonard McCoy

Karl Urban returns as the irascible Dr. McCoy, who is teamed with Spock for much of the film as they try to find a way to reunite with the crew in between sarcastic zingers.

During the final conflict of the film, Bones and Mr. Spock man the controls of one of Krall’s drone ships to help take out the rest of the villain’s massive fleet.

Zoe Saldana - Lt. Nyota Uhura

The Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy superstar Zoe Saldana comes back for another round as Lt. Uhura, who begins the film on the outs with her boyfriend, Spock.

After the Enterprise is destroyed and the crew is taken prisoner, Uhura must fight for her life against Krall and his forces, patching things up with her Vulcan suitor in the process.

Simon Pegg - Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott

In Star Trek Beyond , Simon Pegg’s Scotty uses his engineering genius to escape the crumbling Enterprise in a photon torpedo tube.

Once on the surface of the planet Altamid, Scott meets a fellow strandee named Jaylah, and the two join forces to help get the wreck of the long-lost USS Franklin up and running again.

John Cho - Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu

John Cho’s Lt. Sulu, the Enteprise ’s helmsman, shares the bulk of his screentime with Saldana’s Uhura as the two try and free themselves from their captivity.

Sulu gets to put his piloting skills to the test when he’s called upon to fly the outdated Franklin off of its resting place on Altamid.

Anton Yelchin - Ensign Pavel Chekov

By the time of Beyond , the wide-eyed whiz kid Chekov has developed into a highly competent Starfleet officer, who pairs up with Captain Kirk throughout the movie’s second act.

The film is dedicated to actor Anton Yelchin, who tragically lost his life in a freak accident shortly before the theatrical release. The cast has spoken on many an occasion about how difficult it would be to make a fourth movie without him.

Idris Elba - Captain Balthazar Edison/Krall

An ex-MACO for the United Earth Military, Idris Elba’s Captain Edison fought in multiple conflicts with the Romulans as well as the Xindi.

But when the Federation was founded, his military skills and knowledge had no further use, and he felt abandoned by the very governing body he used to fight for. 

When his ship, the USS Franklin, crash-landed on Altamid, Edison took control of the planet’s technology, becoming the devious and disfigured villain known as Krall.

Sofia Boutella - Jaylah

Sofia Boutella’s Jaylah became marooned on Altamid as a young girl after her parents were killed by Krall.

In Beyond , Jaylah has taken up residence in the hull of the USS Franklin , a Federation vessel that went missing around the time of Captain Jonathan Archer’s missions in the mid-2100s.

Joe Taslim - Anderson Le/Manas

Joe Taslim plays Anderson Le, one of Edison’s crewmembers who was mutated into the evil Manas by Altamid’s energy transference tech.

Lydia Wilson - Jessica Wolff/Kalara

Much like her crewmate Le, Lydia Wilson’s Jessica Wolff survived on Altamid by becoming Kalara and serving as one of Krall’s underlings.

Sara Maria Forsberg - Kalara’s Translated Voice

Upon arriving in Yorktown to lure the Enterprise into Krall’s trap, Kalara is fitted with a universal translator collar which converts her alien speech into something more understandable. Sara Maria Forsberg provides the voice of the universal translator.

Deep Roy - Keenser

Deep Roy plays Scotty’s pal and fellow engineer Keenser in all three Kelvin timeline films. In Beyond , a caustic sneeze from Keenser helps the crew melt a lock to get out of a jam.

Melissa Roxburgh - Ensign Syl

An Enterprise crewperson, Melissa Roxburgh’s Syl hides a deadly weapon called the Arbonath in her cranial cavity thanks to some quick thinking on the part of Jim Kirk.

Shohreh Aghdashloo - Commodore Paris

The commanding officer of StarBase Yorktown, Shohreh Aghdashloo‘s Paris was actually added to the movie during reshoots. Some fans have also theorized that she’s an ancestor of Tom Paris from Star Trek: Voyager . 

Greg Grunberg - Commander Finnegan

Greg Grunburg, a longtime staple of J.J. Abrams-affiliated productions, plays Finnegan, an officer stationed in Yorktown’s command center. Fun fact: Finnegan is the alternate reality version of the character by the same name from the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Shore Leave."

Danny Pudi - Fi’Ja

Community ’s Danny Pudi makes a cool (cool, cool, cool) cameo as Fi’Ja, a would-be assailant of Scotty’s who is put down by Jaylah.

Kim Kold - Zavanko

Savanko, another alien who tries to attack Mr. Scott on Altamid, is played by Danish bodybuilder Kim Kold.

Fraser Aitcheson - Hider

Fraser Aitcheson plays Hider, the third alien who comes after Scotty and is quickly dispatched by Jaylah.

Douglas Chapman - Sir Olden

Sir Olden, a Starfleet science officer portrayed by Douglas Chapman, is on the Enterprise when it’s brought down by Krall’s swarm ships.

Anita Brown - Tyvanna

One of the Enterprise ’s bridge officers, Anita Brown’s Tyvanna evacuated the ship once it was attacked.

Doug Jung - Ben

Doug Jung wrote Star Trek Beyond ’s screenplay alongside Simon Pegg. He also made a brief appearance in the movie as Ben, Lt. Sulu’s husband.

Dan Payne - Wadjet

A red-shirted Enterprise operations officer, Wadjet, was portrayed by Dan Payne.

Shea Whigham - Teenaxi Leader

Boardwalk Empire ’s Shea Whigam lent his voice to the Teenaxian who appeared in Star Trek Beyond ’s opening scene

Jeff Bezos - Alien Starfleet Official

Jeff Bezos (yeah, that Jeff Bezos) made an easy-to-miss cameo under heavy alien makeup as a Starfleet officer.

Carlo Ancelotti - Yorktown Doctor

Carlo Ancelotti, the Italian football manager, also made a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance as a doctor on Starbase Yorktown. He reportedly got the role because he’s friends with Zoe Saldana.

Will Star Trek Beyond Get a Sequel?

Ever since Beyond was released in cinemas in 2016, various attempts at making another sequel have been announced and subsequently shelved.

As the main cast members are typically quite busy, it would be something of a Herculean task to get all their schedules aligned so that they could work on a fourth Kelvin timeline film.

Anything’s possible, however, with Paramount's top brass claiming that they wish to move the Star Trek franchise back into features alongside its healthy TV presence.

Star Trek Beyond is available for purchase where ever movies are sold.

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• View history

Krall , formerly Balthazar M. Edison , was a Human male who served in the United Earth Military Assault Command Operations and later the Federation Starfleet , until he was stranded on the planet Altamid . Edison became the brutal warlord Krall after the use of energy transference technology severely mutated his body. As Krall, he despised the ideals of the Federation and sought its destruction.

• 1.1 United Earth Military career
• 1.2 Starfleet career
• 2.1 Becoming Krall
• 2.2 Searching for the Abronath
• 3.1 Raid and destruction of the Enterprise
• 3.2 Attack on Yorktown
• 4 Memorable quotes
• 5.1 Appearances
• 5.2 Background information
• 5.3 External link

Early life [ ]

Edison was born in Murrysville , Pennsylvania on Earth . ( Star Trek Beyond )

United Earth Military career [ ]

Edison's file in the USS Franklin database

Edison served in MACO , a branch of the United Earth Military , in the 22nd century . He began his military service history as a boot camp officer where, as a soldier , he was trained in survival strategies and tactical analysis. After he was promoted to major , he served in force command under Captain T. Ginwald . As an acting colonel , he served as a lieutenant under the command of Captain T. Pine . He fought in both the Xindi and the Romulan wars, during which he witnessed millions of Humans perish by alien hands. ( Star Trek Beyond )

Starfleet career [ ]

Following the founding of the Federation , MACO was dissolved. Edison became a Starfleet officer and was given command of the USS Franklin . However, Edison deeply resented what he saw as being put out to pasture, his perceived calling as a soldier rendered obsolete by the Federation's embrace of diplomacy and tolerance.

In 2164 , the Franklin was displaced by a wormhole while inside the Gagarin Radiation Belt . The ship crashed on the distant planet Altamid , with Edison, Anderson Le , and Jessica Wolff as the only survivors. Edison sent out a distress call but, receiving no response, he came to believe that he had been abandoned by the Federation. As his resentment festered into violent hatred, Edison resolved to destroy the Federation and prove that peaceful coexistence led only to weakness. ( Star Trek Beyond ) It was not until 2255 that Starfleet had him formally declared missing in action . ( Star Trek Beyond – database graphic)

Stranded on Altamid [ ]

Becoming krall [ ].

Edison recording his last "captain's log"

On Altamid, Edison found technology left behind by a previous civilization , including Swarm ships , a drone workforce , and an energy transference process that allowed him to "drain" other individuals to prolong his own life. Using their newly-acquired Swarm, Edison, Le, and Wolff captured scores of alien ships and drained their crews to survive, which also mutated their biology to resemble that of their victims. In time, Edison became "Krall", suppressing much of his Human identity and ceasing to speak in English .

Searching for the Abronath [ ]

Krall learned that the natives of Altamid once created a super-weapon called the Abronath , which they had split in two and launched into space. He located one piece after decades of work, but not the other. ( Star Trek Beyond )

Alternate reality [ ]

Raid and destruction of the enterprise [ ].

In 2263 in the alternate reality , Krall discovered from Starfleet logs, accessed through a captured Magellan probe , that the second piece of the Abronath had been placed into storage on the USS Enterprise . He dispatched Wolff, now "Kalara", to lure the Enterprise to him.

Krall – Human physiology reasserting itself – and Manas

Upon the arrival of the Enterprise at Altamid, Krall attacked with his Swarm. He destroyed the Enterprise , captured most of the crew, and eventually coerced Ensign Syl into relinquishing the second Abronath piece. His weapon complete, Krall departed Altamid with his Swarm to wipe out all life from the nearby Starbase Yorktown , whose multicultural population he saw as the epitome of the Federation's degeneracy. ( Star Trek Beyond )

Attack on Yorktown [ ]

Krall's Swarm overwhelmed Yorktown's defenses and was on the verge of breaking inside when he was engaged by the Franklin , commanded by the Enterprise 's former captain, Captain James T. Kirk . The Franklin , and later the starbase, used a VHF radio broadcast to disrupt the Swarm's internal communications network and destroyed most of the craft. Krall managed to enter Yorktown, but the Franklin physically stopped his ship short of his destination.

Krall confronted by Kirk at Yorktown

Having drained many Enterprise crew members before and after the battle, Krall had regained much of his Human physiology and was thus able to disguise himself as a Starfleet officer. This allowed him to make his way, unimpeded, to the central atmospheric processor on Yorktown, where the Abronath's effects would be disseminated throughout the station. He was intercepted by Kirk, and the two fought while Montgomery Scott redirected the processor to vent into space; Kirk then ejected both Krall and the Abronath out of Yorktown. Shortly after, Krall was consumed by the Abronath, leaving only the Starfleet insignia from his stolen uniform . ( Star Trek Beyond )

Shortly after Krall's death and the rediscovery of the USS Franklin , Commodore Paris closed the missing-in-action report of the ship and her crew. She mentioned that for a long time Edison was viewed as a war hero in the Federation, but noted that time could change people. Kirk lamented that Edison simply got lost - both as a soldier who lost his purpose, and as a captain who lost his way. Kirk's confrontation with Krall allowed him to gain new insight regarding himself and his goals, leading him to turn down a promotion to vice admiral on Yorktown in favor of taking command of the new USS Enterprise -A . ( Star Trek Beyond )

Memorable quotes [ ]

" I am Lieutenant Nyota Uhura of the USS Enterprise . And you have committed an act of war against the Federation . " " Federation?! Federation IS an act of war. "

" Your captain … Why did you sacrifice yourself for him? " " He would have done the same. And if he made it off that ship, he will come for us. " " I am counting on it, Lieutenant Uhura. "

" This is where the frontier pushes back. "

" My old friend . "

" Captain's log, I don't remember the stardate. All distress calls unanswered. Of the crew , only three remain . I WON'T ALLOW IT! The indigenous race abandoned this planet long ago. They left behind sophisticated mining equipment and a drone workforce . They have some sort of technology that prolongs life . I will do whatever it takes for me and my crew. The Fed-Federation do not care about us. You'll probably never see me again. But if you do… be ready. "

" What happened to you out there, Edison? " " Edison? I have to say, Kirk, I've missed being me. We lost ourselves but gained a purpose! A means to bring the galaxy back to the struggle that made Humanity strong. " " I think you underestimate Humanity. " " I fought for Humanity! Lost millions to the Xindi and Romulan wars , and for what? For the Federation to sit me in a captain's chair and break bread with the enemy! " " We change. We have to. Or we spend the rest of our lives fighting the same battles. "

" You lost. There's no way for you to make it back there! Give up! " " What, like you did?! I read your ship's log , Captain James T. Kirk. At least I know what I am! I'm a soldier!" " You won the war, Edison. You gave us peace! " " Peace… is not what I was born into. "

" You… can't stop it. You will die. " " Better to die saving lives, than to live with taking them. That's what I was born into. "

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• Star Trek Beyond

Background information [ ]

Krall actor Idris Elba with Director Justin Lin

Krall was portrayed by Idris Elba .

Precisely what the writers of Star Trek Beyond aimed to achieve by creating this character was one of the first discussions they had. Recalled co-writer Doug Jung , " We were trying to find something that felt it was worthy of the fifty-year anniversary [of Star Trek ] – so a character who could challenge the Roddenberry universe [was called for]. " [2] The writing team additionally "wanted to have a villain who felt bad and intimidating," stated Jung. ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 27) Another goal the writers had was differentiating Krall from the two main antagonists in the previous two films, Nero and Khan Noonien Singh , both of whom were driven by revenge. Regarding Krall, Simon Pegg explained, " The thing that we didn't want him to be was just out for revenge […] We wanted his motivation to be more complex, and more mysterious. " ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 184 , p. 14) Similarly, Star Trek Beyond Director Justin Lin wanted the character to have a legitimate reason for hating the Federation, which the filmmakers had decided they wanted to examine in the movie. " If we really want to deconstruct what the Federation means, we need to have an antagonist with a valid point of view, " Lin reasoned. " It can't just be someone twirling their moustache. For the audience, when they hear [Krall's reasons] they might not agree with them, but they have to accept it's a valid point of view. " ( Empire , issue 326, p. 71) Lin also stated, " Once I'd posed Simon and Doug that challenge, and we were trying to come up with ideas to deconstruct it, I thought they did a great job of writing and creating Krall. " ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 10) Having Krall be thematically tied to Kirk "made him more interesting," as Jung phrased it. ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 27) He elaborated that the character originated by paralleling Kirk's personal search for purpose in his own life with an alternate viewpoint of the Federation's purpose. [3]

Making Krall a former MACO seemed to work well for the character. " We knew what we wanted him to go through. We knew we wanted him to have this sort of idealistic, philosophical difference with Starfleet, " said Doug Jung, " but we didn't quite have why – so we were like, 'Maybe he came from this world that was taken over by the Federation,' but then we were sort of like, 'Well, why don't we wrap it back around in the mythology?' and we got to, 'Why don’t we make him a former member of MACO?' […] For him to be in that sort of precipice of [historical, political] change and to be a guy who is being asked to make a big change, and is unable to do it, that sort of just fit in thematically with everything we were sort of saying. So it was a gift of fifty years of Trek lore rising to the surface when we need it. " [4]

A challenge in writing the character was deciding how and when to reveal that Krall was sustaining himself with DNA harvested from his victims. The writers found that idea very easy to discuss, though quite difficult to establish in the film, so they had many different iterations of how the revelation was depicted. " There were ways we could have done it to demonstrate that he has this technology, " observed Doug Jung, " but again, if you get too into it you start to cast light on some of the things that might not be quite as believable – or, you just tip your hat too much that he's not who he is […] Ultimately we just sort of decided that we needed it to be part of the whole reveal package. It's a complex idea, if you really think about what he had to do and how he had to get there. " [5]

Another tough consideration regarding the writing of Krall was, in Doug Jung's words, " How do we portray this guy without giving away too much, to kind of make him interesting and try to make him seem like he's not just another dude with a beef. " As such, there was some question as to how Krall's true history would be revealed. " Because we were preserving that surprise, there was no other way to do it than to basically have him talk about it, " Jung continued. " And to have him talk about it in the past was much better than to have him talk about it in the future. There was one version where he was talking about [it] in the future, and he explained it all, and it leaves [the audience] wondering, 'Why are you explaining this to us? No one cares. We just want you dead.' " [6]

In backstory that was conceived for the movie but omitted from it, Krall's takeover of the alien society and technology on Altamid would have been portrayed as having been possible because the aliens were essentially mindless, weapon-less drones. " He took this energy source and perverted it in a particular way, and took over what was essentially a mining colony out there, " explained Doug Jung. " It was one of those things where we felt that he didn’t have an invading force, but he was taking his skills as an ex-soldier and applying them in a way that he probably never thought he would have to do. " [7]

Krall's make-up originally included a phase which looked particularly Human-looking. Because it was deemed too transparently Human, however, that phase of the make-up was deliberately discarded. [8]

The costume designed for Krall was intended to seem unique and merge with the alien's body. " Justin wanted you to look at Krall and not be sure whether its him or an armor, where the man within starts and stops, " reflected Costume Designer Sanja Hays , " and he wanted you to not be sure how he changed, and what really happened with him. Justin wanted us to create something you hadn't seen in previous Star Trek movies , or previous sci-fi movies. " ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 41)

A concept sketch of Krall can be found at TrekCore .

As Justin Lin saw it, there was only one real contender for the role of Krall. " Idris was my top choice by far, " the director said. " Because a lot of times antagonists don't really have a lot of screen time. So you need someone who can command a presence and be able to fully commit and carry that through very surgically. We had a great first conversation. " ( SFX , issue 276, p. 50) During that initial discussion, Elba and Lin conversed for about an hour. ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 10) " But at the very end he paused, " continued Lin. " I was like, 'Aw, shit.' He goes, 'It's gonna be four hours of make-up every morning, right?' I said, 'Yup…' It was four hours every morning, and he [did it]. " ( SFX , issue 276, p. 50) Elba collaborated with the writing staff on the minor facets of the character, the actor pitching small character details, which the writers managed to incorporate into the portrayal of the character. ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 184 , p. 14) Kirk actor Chris Pine remarked that, in his performance as Krall, Elba " was very alive and present, and changing stuff from one take to the next. " ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 21)

Justin Lin was delighted with Idris Elba's performance as Krall, enthusing, " He was awesome. He's delivering a 100% every time. " ( SFX , issue 276, p. 50) Noted Simon Pegg, " Our villain is a very interesting force. " Pegg commented, too, that working with Elba on the minor details of the character was "a really productive process" that Elba "was really good at." ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 184 , p. 14) Doug Jung said about Krall, " He's got the classic Star Trek villain qualities to him. " ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 27) Jung was pleased that the character's actual backstory was effective. " One thing that surprised me, " he admitted, " is that no one was saying 'Oh, there's Idris Elba in a lot of makeup; there's an NX ship that seems like it shouldn’t be there. He’s going to end up being the [captain.] " [9] In Chris Pine's opinion, Elba "came up with this really rather extraordinary character." ( SFX , issue 276, p. 55) Uhura actress Zoë Saldana offered, " I really liked this character, Krall. I like what he's about. He also represents a lot of individuals in the past 10 to 15 years […] [He's] a very lethal Big Bad – and, the make-up is astounding! " ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 46) Sulu actor John Cho remarked, " The composite [character design] I saw was incredibly frightening. " Cho also called Krall "an interesting bad guy." ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 67) McCoy actor Karl Urban agreed, " He's a worthy adversary because, like all good villains, he forces the protagonists to question themselves and to question their direction. " ( Star Trek Magazine Movie Special 2016 , p. 62)

External link [ ]

• Krall at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 Marlys Burdette

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Star Trek Beyond

The crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the te... Read all The crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the test. The crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the test.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Zachary Quinto
• 900 User reviews
• 496 Critic reviews
• 68 Metascore
• 3 wins & 29 nominations total

• Captain James T. Kirk

• Commander Spock

• Doctor 'Bones' McCoy

• Lieutenant Uhura

• Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia After production on the film was completed, and a month before the release, Anton Yelchin died in a freak vehicle accident at age 27. During the ending credits, there is a dedication that reads, "For Anton." J.J. Abrams announced that Chekov would not be recast, "I would say you can't replace him. There will be no new casting. I can't imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better."
• Goofs The amount of ships and soldiers that the enemy has in its swarm changes dramatically during the final battle, from a few thousand to tens/hundreds of thousands when they attack the station. However, previously in the film, it is stated that the planet has deep and large underground caverns so it is entirely possible that there were more ships underground. Also, the amount of soldiers that would be needed to pilot all the ships would be huge as it was shown that they contain at least one soldier in each ship. But when they were watching the video logs near the film's ending, Captain Edison clearly states that they found drones. It is quite possible that the bulk of the enemy fleet is made up of drones and controlled by the hive mind that the music disrupts.

Doctor 'Bones' McCoy : [after removing shrapnel from Spock] Yeah. They say it hurts less if it's a surprise.

Commander Spock : If I may adopt a parlance with which you are familiar, I can confirm your theory to be horseshit.

• Crazy credits There is a giant green energy-hand, in the closing credits, mentioned in the movie as one of the possibilities for a ship lost in space.
• Connections Featured in Nostalgia Critic: How Right Are Trailers? (2016)
• Soundtracks Theme from 'Star Trek' TV Series Written by Alexander Courage & Gene Roddenberry

User reviews 900

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• Aug 5, 2016
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• What happened to Carol Marcus from Star Trek Into Darkness?
• Why would Edison become captain of a warp-4 vessel if he had fought in the Xindi War (when ships were capable of warp 5)?
• July 22, 2016 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Official Site
• Star Trek: Beyond
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Paramount Pictures
• Skydance Media
• Alibaba Pictures Group
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $185,000,000 (estimated)
• $158,848,340
• $59,253,211
• Jul 24, 2016
• $343,471,816

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 2 minutes
• Dolby Atmos
• Dolby Surround 7.1
• Dolby Digital
• IMAX 6-Track
• 2.35 : 1 (original ratio)
• 2.39 : 1 (original ratio)

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Unraveling the Mysteries of Krall’s Unique Abilities in Star Trek Beyond

Directed by Justin Lin, “Star Trek Beyond” was introduced to audiences in 2016 during an interesting period of “Star Trek” history. Preceded by the successful “Star Trek” films of 2009 and 2013, which were directed by J.J. Abrams and transformed the normally cerebral franchise into a series of more visceral, action-oriented blockbusters, “Beyond” was met with high expectations. These revamped “Star Trek” entries even attracted comparisons to “Star Wars” in terms of their action-driven narratives. But with the release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in 2015, a thirst for intergalactic adventure films was rekindled by the venerable “Star Wars” brand itself – diminishing the novelty of the Abrams’ “Star Trek” films.

With the reemergence of actual “Star Wars” movies, interest waned in what some fans deridingly called the “fake ‘Star Wars’” provided by the new “Star Trek” adaptations. “Star Trek Beyond” didn’t achieve the same level of box office success, stalling further cinematic pursuits in the Kelvin timeline. The possibility of a fourth film exists but is taken with a grain of skepticism.

The narrative of the Kelvin timeline consistently features a vindictive villain seeking revenge, with “Beyond” focusing on Krall (portrayed by Idris Elba), an enigmatic alien with an arsenal of lethal space drones and the arcane ability to drain life force from beings, much like a vampire. After crash-landing on the planet Altamid a century prior, Krall utilized ancient Altamid tech to plot against the Federation.

The specifics around Krall’s “DNA vampire” skill set are not elaborated on in the film, prompting co-writer Doug Jung to provide insights in a 2016 interview with Trek Core.

The Secret Identity of Krall

As “Star Trek Beyond” progresses, a reveal comes to light: Krall was once Balthazar Edison, a human Starfleet officer of the U.S.S. Franklin. Having used the DNA vampire technology to prolong his life, Edison also became physically altered, taking on the form of a non-human entity. Edison’s bitterness towards the Federation’s diplomacy with former adversaries like the Xindi motivated his multi-year quest for a deadly artifact that he aimed to utilize as a biological weapon to annihilate the Federation and its principles of peace.

When Krall employs this vampiric technology on captured Starfleet personnel, his mutations begin to reverse, slowly restoring his human appearance. According to Jung, the transformation had to be carefully depicted to keep viewers unaware of Krall’s true human origins.

“We had a lot of different versions. We hinted at it a lot more at one point. We talked about it more at one point. And then ultimately we just sort of decided that we needed it to be part of the whole reveal package. It’s a complex idea […] [T]here was actually another phase that we took out, where Krall became too human-looking, and you would have connected the dots a little more.”

Jung expresses a sense of achievement in crafting a story where the audience remained oblivious to the connection between Krall and the derelict NX starship until the pivotal moment.

Understanding Krall’s Historical Context

“Star Trek Beyond” provides a backdrop that Edison’s ship, the U.S.S. Franklin, found itself on Altamid after flying through a wormhole. The film’s timeline places the original crash in the mid-2160s, following Archer’s adventures in the 2150s, shown in “Star Trek: Enterprise.” Thus, Edison (now Krall) transformed into an alien, renounced his human heritage by discarding human language, and assumed a new alien persona to spite the Federation’s ethos.

Having survived nearly a century through his vampiric practices, Krall’s encounter with the contemporary U.S.S. Enterprise and its predominantly human crew allows him to reintegrate human DNA, prompting a gradual reversion to his original form.

Although the film narrates these details somewhat implicitly, they enrich the character arc of Krall beyond a simple villain’s thirst for vengeance, contributing complexity to the Kelvin series’ narrative tapestry.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did Krall change his name from Balthazar Edison? Krall, originally Balthazar Edison, chose to abandon his human identity and adopt a new name to reflect his disdain for the Federation’s ideals and his transformation into a non-human species. How does Krall’s DNA vampire technology work? The technology enables Krall to absorb the life force of other beings, extending his lifespan and causing physical mutations which can be reversed when he absorbs DNA from humans. Are there plans for a fourth Star Trek film in the Kelvin timeline? Though there has been speculation about a fourth film, the status is uncertain, and no definitive plans have been confirmed. What was Krall’s plan in Star Trek Beyond? Krall intended to use a deadly relic as a biological weapon to obliterate the Federation, motivated by a grudge against its policy of peace with former enemies like the Xindi.

In Justin Lin’s “Star Trek Beyond”, the character of Krall, depicted by Idris Elba, offers a complex and elaborate backstory that enriches the Kelvin timeline’s lore. His unique vampiric powers, historical grievances, and transformative journey all coalesce to provide a compelling villainous presence in the franchise. The revelation of his human past as Balthazar Edison underscores the intricate storylines “Star Trek” is known for, even within the action-centric reimagining of its universe. While a fourth film remains uncertain, Krall’s legacy within “Star Trek” stands as a testament to the series’ dedication to deep character development and multi-layered storytelling.

This Is What The Actress Who Plays Jaylah In Star Trek Looks Like In Real Life

" Star Trek Beyond " wasn't quite the success that everyone involved in it likely hoped it would be. While the film received mostly positive reviews (it holds an 86% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes ), it failed to be a box office hit. "Beyond" only managed to gross a little over $343 million at the worldwide box office — falling short of the box office totals of the two previous "Star Trek" films . As a result, Paramount Pictures has yet to make a sequel to "Star Trek Beyond," though, a number of new "Star Trek" TV shows have premiered in the five years since its release.

However, despite the film's disappointing financial returns, there are actually a number of things that "Star Trek Beyond" does right. That includes the introduction and creation of some memorable new characters, like Idris Elba's villainous Krall and Sofia Boutella's likable alien scavenger, Jaylah . An escaped survivor of the camp run by Krall, "Beyond" shows Jaylah become a quick and helpful new ally for the Enterprise crew.

Boutella made an instant impression with her performance as the character, despite being covered in heavy makeup and facial prosthetics throughout the entirety of the film. Indeed, the actress is totally unrecognizable in the role, so much so that viewers may be surprised to learn not only what Boutella looks like in real life, but also that "Star Trek Beyond" is far from the only notable project that Boutella has starred in.

Jaylah is played by dancer-turned-actress Sofia Boutella

Sofia Boutella has been steadily carving out an impressive film and television career for herself over the past several years. Boutella got her start as a professional dancer, and many of her earliest credits are for music videos from notable musical artists like Madonna and Michael Jackson. Her first major film role came in 2012 when she appeared as Eva in " StreetDance 2 ," but she achieved breakthrough success with her performance as the deadly Gazelle in 2014's "Kingsman: The Secret Service." Two years later, she appeared as Jaylah in "Star Trek Beyond" and followed up that sci-fi blockbuster with her memorable turn as Delphine — the seductive-but-well-intentioned love interest of Charlize Theron's Lorraine — in 2017's "Atomic Blonde."

That same year, Boutella starred alongside Tom Cruise in a live-action reboot of " The Mummy ," where she played the film's titular character. Meanwhile, in 2018 she appeared as Clarisse McClellan in the Michael B. Jordan-led HBO film adaptation of Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451," and earned major acclaim for her performance as Selva in the trippy, dance-driven indie film, " Climax ."

On the smaller screen, Boutella has also appeared as Yasmine in two episodes of the Amazon anthology series, "Modern Love," and is currently set to star alongside Alfie Allen and Jack O'Connell in the upcoming historical miniseries, " SAS: Rogue Heroes ." In other words, not only has Boutella already amassed some truly impressive credits for herself, but she's also shown no signs of slowing down any time soon, either.

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Published Jul 13, 2016

Latest Beyond Clips Showcase Krall and Jaylah

Paramount Pictures has just released “Featurette: Krall” and "Scotty Meets Jaylah" which spotlights new characters portrayed by Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella. These character clips are in support of the upcoming Star Trek Beyond , giving viewers fresh glimpses of scenes and providing previously unheard snippets of dialogue.

Additionally, IMAX released new Beyond art. Check out the picture below.

Star Trek Beyond opens July 22.

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Star Trek Beyond is a stirring return to the big ideas that made the series great

After two disappointing entries in this rebooted film franchise, the new movie gets it right.

by Peter Suderman

There’s a lot to like about Star Trek Beyond — the stellar cast, all of whom have grown into their roles since the franchise rebooted in 2009; the exuberantly staged action scenes from first-time Trek director Justin Lin , who previously rebooted the Fast and the Furious franchise so effectively; the effortless way the script, by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung , balances character, comedy, and conflict.

But as a longtime fan of the Star Trek series, what I appreciated most about the new film was that it represented a return of sorts to the big ideas that drove the series in its earliest incarnations.

It’s the first Star Trek movie since that 2009 reboot that actually feels like Star Trek.

The original TV series was a stirring defense of 1960s political values

The original Star Trek TV series , which aired for three seasons on NBC starting in 1966, was a vehicle for social and political commentary, with many of its episodes working as overt metaphors for contemporary issues.

As Timothy Sandefur wrote last year in The Claremont Review of Books , series creator Gene Roddenberry was a World War II veteran deeply concerned about the rise of totalitarian governments. Thus, the series often functioned as a sci-fi-flavored defense of liberal internationalism and humanist individualism.

Those values were built into the show’s essential concept: Hundreds of years in the future, the galaxy is largely united under the banner of the United Federation of Planets, a kind of interstellar United Nations designed to unify human and alien species in a peaceful and prosperous order.

The Federation works through Starfleet, a spacefaring navy used for a combination of diplomacy, research, and — when necessary — defense against those that might threaten Federation values and interests. The series followed one of Starfleet’s starships, the Enterprise, and a diverse (especially for its time) crew that reflected the show’s commitment to inclusion, peace, and individualism.

Many of the series’ episodes pitted the crew of the Enterprise against groups and societies that didn’t share the Federation’s liberal values.

Often, those stories forced its characters to contend with twisted versions of themselves: In "Mirror, Mirror," one of the series’ best episodes, Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Uhura, and Scotty find themselves in a parallel timeline where the Federation is a cruel empire and the Enterprise is its enforcer. In "Balance of Terror," the crew encounters the Romulans — an alien race that began as a violent offshoot of the logical, peaceful Vulcans with whom the Federation is aligned. The show’s chief antagonist came in the form of the Klingons, a rival power that prioritizes strength and domination and is often presented as a negative image of the Federation.

Perhaps more than anything else, Star Trek was a show about the clash of cultures, an extended argument for individual diversity bound together by shared values. It was a spacefaring adventure, yes, with phaser weapons and aliens and starship shootouts. But it existed first and foremost as a forum for exploring big ideas about society and morality through science fiction metaphor.

Star Trek’ s values existed across its many different versions

It’s true, of course, that the series’ metaphors could sometimes be a little too obvious.

In the season three episode "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield," the crew of the Enterprise encountered the last two survivors of a civilization ravaged by a war fought between two peoples whose faces are split between black and white. The battle lines are drawn between those whose faces are black on the right side and white on the left, and those whose facial colors are reversed. In the end, after attempting to drag the crew of the Enterprise into their deadly squabble, the pair of warring aliens are doomed by their mutual, all-consuming hate.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, the whole thing was an extended, not-very-subtle riff on race relations. But even with stories this hokey, the series retained an essential charm, because of the durability of its cast and characters, and because both its head and its heart were always in the right place.

"Let That Be Your Battlefield," for example, includes a mini monologue by Kirk to the ship’s visitors warning that violence and the use of force are relics of the past and will not be tolerated aboard his ship.

"You’re new to this part of the galaxy," Kirk says , "which is governed by the United Federation of Planets. We live in peace, with full exercise of individual rights." The original was full of moments like this; it was a show that knew what it stood for, and it wore its values on its gold-ringed uniform sleeves.

Clashes of ideas and values remained part of the Star Trek franchise throughout its various incarnations.

Star Trek: The Next Generation forced its crew to face down out-of-control collectivism and capitalism, respectively, in the form of alien societies the Borg and the Ferengi. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine grappled with terrorism and religious fundamentalism. Star Trek: Voyager stranded its crew far from Federation space, challenging them to see how their ideals held up without a support network.

The movie versions of Star Trek were driven more by action spectacle than the TV shows but never lost sight of Roddenberry’s original vision. In 1991, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country gave the original crew a fitting sendoff with a story about the end of the Klingon empire that worked as a parallel to the end of the USSR and the Cold War.

Star Trek Beyond once again pits the Enterprise against those who oppose its values

But when the franchise rebooted in 2009 under director J.J. Abrams , that all went away. Abrams transformed Trek into a modern blockbuster franchise, rapid-fire and action-heavy, with little time for social and political engagement. His focus was on the characters themselves and their personal and emotional journeys, rather than on the context and ideology of the world in which they lived.

Abrams borrowed all the visual trappings of the franchise, and connected his films to the original series via a variety of fan-friendly Easter eggs — but stripped the story of its reason for being. Yes, his update was fast and frenetic and full of sci-fi spectacle in a way the series had never managed before, but it felt deeply hollow: The Abrams vision of Star Trek had no ideology except nostalgia.

It’s fitting, then, that as Star Trek Beyond opens, Captain Kirk (now played by Chris Pine ) and the crew of the Enterprise feel like they’re drifting, struggling to find a purpose. Life, Kirk says in a winking nod to the 50-year-old franchise’s history, has begun to feel "episodic."

Turns out that’s not such a bad thing: The movie feels more like an episode of the original Star Trek than either of Abrams’s outings, because it once again pits the crew of the Enterprise against a foe driven by a warped ideology that runs counter to their own.

(Warning: major plot spoilers ahead.)

The villain in Beyond is an outlaw alien named Krall ( Idris Elba ), who sets the action in motion when he uses a fantastically destructive swarm attack to chew apart the Enterprise and strand the crew on an alien planet.

Krall, a ridge-faced alien of a type the crew have never seen before, turns out to have a vendetta against the Federation and all it stands for. "Federation is an act of war," he barks at one point, "Federation has taught you that conflict should never exist." He boasts of having grown up in a place where he "knew pain" and where "struggle made us strong — not peace, not unity."

As it turns out, Krall is actually a former soldier and Federation ship captain whose body has been warped by alien technology. He grew up fighting the wars that led to the Federation’s creation and, after struggling to fit in to a peaceful era, eventually went insane.

"You won the war!" Kirk shouts during the movie’s climactic battle. "You gave us peace!" Krall, a soldier who never bought into the Federation’s ideals, was a victim of that peace — a person left without a purpose.

Krall’s motivation and background are not as fleshed out as they could be — it’s still a big summer action movie, after all — but they’re very much in keeping with the spirit of the original series , where the villains were often mirror images of the heroes who simply took a different path, and the Federation’s particular ideas were central to the conflict.

It’s a callback to classic Trek that’s far more effective than any of Abrams’s empty nostalgia ploys, because it delivers what both Kirk and Krall are searching for: a reason for being.

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Star Trek Beyond

Where to watch.

Watch Star Trek Beyond with a subscription on Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

Star Trek Beyond continues the franchise's post-reboot hot streak with an epic sci-fi adventure that honors the series' sci-fi roots without skimping on the blockbuster action.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Captain James T. Kirk

Zachary Quinto

Commander Spock

Doctor "Bones" McCoy

Zoe Saldana

Lieutenant Uhura

Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

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Entertainment

Krall Makes A Big Impact In 'Star Trek Beyond'

One look at Krall in Star Trek Beyond , it's clear that he's not someone you want to mess with. With his creepy, scale-like skin and striking bone structure, jagged teeth and intense glares, Krall is almost more monster than villain — forgive me, more alien than villain. When Krall makes his not so subtle debut in Star Trek Beyond , it's pretty obvious he's not human, at least not any kind of human the Enterprise crew has ever seen before. Appearance aside, he speaks an alien language and appears to have super human strength (i.e. he throws Captain Kirk into a wall), so it makes sense that he's been billed as a new Star Trek alien baddie. But, he's also not any kind of alien Trek fans have seen before. What kind of alien species is Krall , exactly?

After the first image of Idris Elba's Krall was released in early Star Trek Beyond trailers, fans went crazy trying to figure out what kind of alien Krall was, going through past Star Trek episodes, movies spinoffs — anything you could think of. The most popular theory: that Krall was a Gorn, a lizard-like alien species defeated by Kirk and the Enterprise crew in the original Star Trek series . Elba shut down those rumors in an interview with Entertainment Weekly , and, when asked if Krall was a brand new species, he answered clearly, "Yes." So, that's that? Wrong.

Saying that Krall is not exactly correct ( spoilers ahead ). In Star Trek Beyond , it's revealed that Krall wasn't born an alien — he's actually a human, and not just a human, a former Starfleet Captain. In the last act of the movie, it's revealed that Krall was actually Balthazar Edison, Captain of the USS Franklin , in the early years of Starfleet. Of course, by the time we meet him, Balthazar has become Krall. As Krall, his humanity is essentially lost, not unlike his human appearance, thanks, in part, to some ancient alien technology his crew stumbled upon after they were stranded on Altamid.

The alien technology changed Balthazar into Krall. The changes in his physical appearance appears to be a side-effect of the technology that helped prolong his life and gave him the ability to suck the life force out of people. (But that's a whole other story.) Technically, you could say that Krall, despite his human origins, has become the alien species that invented that technology. In that sense, Krall is a brand new Star Trek alien species, but, unfortunately for fans, that species is unnamed in the film. Referred to by Krall as "the Ancient Ones," the alien species that used to live on Altamid and supposedly created all this terrifying technology that turned Balthazar into Krall, appears to be nothing more than legend at this point in the Star Trek timeline.

It's unlikely we'll ever really know what species of alien Krall is (or became). Perhaps they left Altamid and populated another uncharted planet. Or, maybe they died out, went extinct before Balthazar and his crew crashed on their home planet. Whatever happened to the "Ancient Ones," if Krall is anything to go by, they definitely didn't disappear without a fight. Maybe not knowing exactly what species they are (or were) is for the best.

Images: Paramount Pictures; entertainmentweekly /tumblr