Star Trek: Who Is Jaylah?

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Key Takeaways

  • Star Trek movies had an “odd numbers curse”, alternating successful even and less successful odd number films.
  • Jaylah, from Star Trek: Beyond, is a survivor of Krall, living on the USS Franklin.
  • Jaylah has a future in Starfleet, accepted into the academy at the end of Beyond.

As a die-hard Star Trek fan who’s been through the highs and lows of the Kelvin timeline films, I can confidently say that Jaylah from Beyond is one of my favorite characters! Her journey, from a survivor of Krall’s reign to an academy-bound Starfleet officer, is as thrilling as any interstellar adventure. The way her character balances tragedy with humor, resilience with friendship, and independence with vulnerability, is truly captivating.

Before the Kelvin timeline films, I’ve noticed that the Star Trek movies seemed to be afflicted by an “odd numbers curse.” This meant that every even number Star Trek film, like Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, was generally well-received. However, their odd-numbered counterparts, such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, didn’t fare quite as well. This trend continues with the TNG-era films, though opinions on Star Trek: Nemesis vary.

Boutella is primarily recognized for her performances in “Kingsman: Secret Service”, “Atomic Blonde”, and more recently as Kora in Zach Synder’s “Rebel Moon” series. But to “Star Trek” enthusiasts, she’s the comedic, orphaned scavenger Jaylah from “Beyond”. This character offered not just action and emotion, but a healthy dose of humor too.

She’s a Survivor of Krall

Initially, the antagonist from ‘Beyond’, known as Krall, was a Starfleet officer named Balthazar Edison who served as a human. As the Federation evolved into a more accepting and peaceful entity, Edison felt increasingly irrelevant. The turning point came when Edison, along with Anderson Le and Jessica Wolff, were stranded on Altamid. When their distress signal was ignored, Edison’s resentment towards the Federation grew profoundly. On Altamid, they discovered energy transference technology that extended their lives but transformed them to resemble their victims. With their humanity lost, Edison transformed into Krall, Le became Manas, and Wolff became Kalara. These three individuals stranded others on Altamid and used the energy transference technology to kill them. Before the events of ‘Beyond’, Jaylah and her father were captives. Upon hearing the cries of the trio’s victims, they attempted to flee. Tragically, Jaylah’s father gave up his life to save hers, leaving Jaylah alone in an alien world.

Jaylah’s “House” Was a Federation Ship

After the demise of her father, Jaylah moved into the USS Franklin, which had once belonged to Edison before he was stranded on Altamid. She spent her days scavenging for parts to fix the ship and escape Altamid as soon as possible. When Scotty arrived on Altamid, she protected him from rival scavengers and was intrigued by his Federation badge, recognizing it from her ship. In exchange for helping Scotty find his crewmates, she asked him to assist her in repairing the ship. The vessel was concealed using holographic technology, and Jaylah had become skilled enough to lay traps that ensnared both Kirk and Chekov.

She Has a Future in Starfleet

In the heartwarming climax of “Beyond”, I, Jaylah, was pleasantly surprised at Kirk’s birthday bash when Scotty broke the news that I had been accepted into Starfleet Academy. While the thought of donning a uniform didn’t exactly excite me, Kirk playfully hinted that I could bend some of the Academy’s rules. Since then, in the comic series “Star Trek: To Boldly Go” and the mobile game “Star Trek: Fleet Command”, my journey has continued, with the former exploring my experiences at Starfleet Academy and fleshing out my backstory, while the latter presents a chilling scenario of me being assimilated by the Borg, only to be freed from their grasp. Regrettably, given the lack of recent developments since 2016’s last film, it seems unlikely that I will reappear on the big screen for the fourth Kelvin movie.

One of the standout characters among those exclusive to Star Trek films is Jaylah. Her character bears a resemblance to Jennifer Lawrence’s role in Winter’s Bone, showcasing a strong sense of self-reliance. However, what truly sets her apart isn’t her heart-wrenching past or her prowess as a combatant and inventor. Instead, it’s the harmonious blend of these traits with her humor, affection for The Beastie Boys, and blossoming friendship with Scotty that makes her exceptional. Despite the uncertainty about Star Trek 4, let’s hope Beyond isn’t her final performance on screen.

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2024-10-02 04:03