star trek beyond where did krall get his army

Star Trek Beyond Had A Deeper Backstory For Krall's Army That Fans Never Got To See

Director Justin Lin wanted to dig deeper into the origins of Krall's army in Star Trek Beyond, but these 'loftier ambitions' had to be set aside.

• This Star Wars: The Clone Wars Character Is Based On A Marvel Villain
• Al Pacino's 8 Best Screaming Scenes, Ranked
• Now You See Me 3: What We Know So Far
• The Simpsons Considered Two Separate Krusty Spinoffs – But We Got The Critic Instead
• 25 Years Ago, Brendan Fraser's The Mummy Was A Box Office Smash (And The End Of An Era)
• Dune's Denis Villeneuve Used The Film's Opening Quote To 'Hijack' The Franchise
• Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes And X-Men '97 Have One Unexpected Similarity
• After The Met Gala, Rita Ora Took A Break And Rocked Not One But Two Sheer Looks On Vacation
• Star Trek's Doug Jones Pulled Off A Disgusting Practical Effect For Hocus Pocus
• Kurt Russell Has One Requirement For A Big Trouble In Little China Remake

News provider

• Cinema Blend

TvProfil uses cookies to provide better user experience and functionality of the site. More information about cookies can be found here: privacy policy .

Accept and close Find out more

In order to ensure the proper functioning of these websites, we sometimes store small data files known as cookies on your devices.

Read more about the Privacy Policy and the use of cookies here: privacy policy .

You can edit and/or update or delete your cookie settings each time you visit our site. For more information, read our Cookie Policy.

Google analytics Facebook pixel

Den of Geek

Star Trek Beyond: 12 questions answered

A few spoiler-filled questions from Star Trek Beyond, and thoughts on their answers...

• Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Linkedin (opens in a new tab)
• Share on email (opens in a new tab)

This article first appeared on Den of Geek UK . It is FULL of nothing but spoilers.

Like all blockbuster movies, some of Star Trek Beyond sometimes leaves you with questions. Occasionally they have answers that are implied, or stated so quickly you might miss them, and occasionally they just don’t give you much to go on and you have to make up your own mind. As ever, we’ve tried to anticipate what questions you might have after seeing the movie and then answer them. Spoilers for Star Trek Beyond , quite naturally, follow.

Why did Edison change his name to Krall?

Well, using a fake name got Khan pretty far in the last film, so…

In this case, though: maybe he was trying to further disguise or distance himself from his humanity and the Federation. Maybe he just needed something that everyone could say. Judging on previous form, they’ll presumably do a tie-in comic that explains this so if you genuinely want to know, keep an eye on the racks.

Ad – content continues below

Where did Old Spock get a photo of the original TOS crew?

Well, when he was flying the jellyfish in the first movie, there was plenty of room in his robes for him to be carrying who knows what under there. It’s not inconceivable that he carries that photo around with him at all times, the big softie.

Why did Krall/Edison’s face keep changing?

It looks like the alien machines he used to prolong his life (which he found on Altamid after the Franklin crashed there) gave him the appearance of whichever alien/aliens he absorbed life-force from. By the end of the film he’s absorbed a bunch of human life energy, which is why he looked more like himself.

Who was Kalara really, then?

Kalara (the alien woman who asked the Enterprise for help to lure them into a trap) was presumably someone who was working with Krall/Edison as part of a general movement against the expansion of the Federation. It’s possible Krall/Edison did lure her ship to Altamid and kill her crew like she said, but maybe she was convinced to join him. Either way, this is another one of those questions you’ll probably discover the answer to when they do the prequel comic that I’m sure will be out within the year.

How did the Franklin get to Altamid, if it’s only on the fringes of the Federation a century later?

Well, given that it really was only a Warp 4 vessel, the “unstable wormhole” theory mentioned in the film seems correct. If you’re not familiar with the Trek -science, that means a wormhole (a direct link between two distant points in space) where one or both ends appear and disappear randomly, meaning once you go through you can’t get back the same way, because the exit you came through has already disappeared.

Why did the Enterprise need to separate its saucer section if it was already cut to bits?

The saucer section was still trying to draw power from the warp core, which was housed in the (severed) stardrive section. Since no saucer separation had been initiated, the impulse engines in the saucer couldn’t be engaged, which is why Kirk (and eventually Uhuru) had to manually jettison what was left of the stardrive section.

Where did Krall’s swarm of drones come from?

In his final log, Edison mentions finding “mining drones” of some kind. Over the next hundred years he presumably used the knowledge of his allies/prisoners and the resources on Altamid to turn them into a larger weapon – assuming he didn’t just steal it outright, that is.

How come the USS Franklin was still operational after 100 years crashed on Altamid?

Well, Jaylah seems to have patched it up for the most part with a view to getting it space-bourne again. But that’s why she needed Scotty – to help her through the last few steps so that she could actually get the ship working.

Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

Why did the Beastie Boys make the swarm ships blow up again?

It interrupted their communications, causing them to crash into one another and explode.

How come no-one else was able to help stop Krall on the Yorktown?

I think we can chalk this up to a combination of several things. First, Krall sent the rescue vessels to completely the wrong place by intercepting Sulu and Uhura’s transmission and changing the co-ordinates. Second, the drones probably did quite a fair bit of damage to any ships in the area at the time anyway. And finally we imagine there was some pretty serious evacuation going on behind the scenes of that last action segment, so maybe that was keeping them occupied.

Why did they get Jaylah a place at Starfleet Academy?

It just seemed like a natural end (at least for now) to her narrative arc in the movie.

What’s so tough about crossing a nebula such that Kirk is pleased they now know a route through it?

Well this one appeared to be full of very dangerous asteroids, and, well… the thing is… space is… it’s… I mean… Best we just go with this one…!

• The Original Series
• The Animated Series
• The Next Generation
• Deep Space Nine
• Strange New Worlds
• Lower Decks
• Star Trek Movies
• TrekCore on Twitter
• TrekCore on Facebook

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.

Related Articles

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

What That ‘Star Trek Beyond’ Plot Twist Reveals About Krall, Kirk and the Kelvin Timeline (Spoilers!)

Idris Elba as ‘Star Trek Beyond’ villain, Krall (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

(Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Star Trek Beyond. )

You don’t have to be a Trekkie to be excited by the thought of Idris Elba playing James T. Kirk’s latest nemesis in Star Trek Beyond . But in the run-up to movie’s release, many people expressed disappointment , and even outright befuddlement, that director Justin Lin opted to bury the charismatic actor under layers of make-up in order to portray Krall, the despotic warlord who brings the Enterprise crashing down to the surface of an uncharted alien planet. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that all that latex isn’t just covering up Elba’s handsome face…it’s also masking Beyond ’s big plot twist: Krall may look like an extraterrestrial, but human blood is coursing through his veins.

Related: Red Carpet Flashback! 40 Years of ‘Star Trek’ Premieres

And that’s not all! As Kirk (Chris Pine) comes to discover, his enemy is also an insignia-wearing Starfleet officer, one that’s nursing a serious grudge against his former employers. Before he transformed into Krall, he was Balthazar Edison, a decorated soldier that joined the fledgling Federation a century ago and was given his own starship, the USS Franklin , to command. He piloted the vessel right into a patch of uncharted space, eventually landing on the planet that Kirk and his surviving crew members are struggling to escape from. Cut off from Starfleet, Edison grew increasingly bitter about his accidental exile, and his fury continued to curdle over the passing decades — an extended existence made possible by technology the planet’s previous inhabitants left behind.

Kirk prepares to take the fight to Krall (Photo: Everett Collection)

But immortality comes with a price, which in this case happens to be a severe facial makeover, coupled with a twisted sense of justice. Krall’s master plan is to strike back at the Federation by destroying the nearby starbase, the Yorktown , with the help of an artifact currently aboard the Enterprise . The big climax takes place aboard that base, where Krall — whose features are steadily becoming more Elba-like now that he’s off his resurrection juice — has a gravity-defying battle with Kirk.

Related: Karl Urban Thinks He’d Be Friends With Bones From ‘Star Trek’

As many reviews have pointed out , with Furious 7 veteran Lin at the helm, Star Trek Beyond is heavy on action and a little light on theme. But the Krall/Edison revelation does point to a bigger idea that screenwriters Simon Pegg and Doug Jung raise in the script, namely what an extended tour in deep space might do to a person’s psyche. Early on in the film, we hear a weary Kirk expressing frustration with the daily grind of exploring the final frontier, and his serious reservations about Starfleet’s mission to seek out new life and new civilizations. In fact, after docking at Yorktown , we learn that he’s considering giving up a captain’s life for a desk job as a Vice Admiral…a career track that William Shatner’s Kirk had grudgingly followed in the gap between the original Star Trek series and Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

In that context, Edison represents a kind of cautionary tale, and his metamorphosis into Krall makes him the literal manifestation of the fears and frustrations that run through the mind of a starship captain far away from the safe confines of Earth. That’s probably not a development that Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry, would have been pleased with. After all, in his near-utopian future, mankind had largely evolved beyond petty internal and external conflicts .

But the rebooted film franchise overseen by J.J. Abrams has tended to defy that rule, most notably in the last film Into Darkness , when Starfleet is almost brought down from within by the corrupt Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) and his designated enforcer John Harrison a.k.a. Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch). Krall is another example of how the version of the Federation that exists in the so-called “ Kelvin Timeline ” (the name that’s been given to the pocket universe where the new film series takes place) has noble ambitions that exceed its grasp.

Related: Why the ‘Star Trek Beyond’ Cast Thinks the Series Is More Relevant Than Ever

Paramount has made it clear there will be more adventures to come; Abrams recently let it slip that the next Star Trek feature will reunite Pine with Chris Hemsworth, who played his onscreen father in the opening sequence of the 2009 reboot. Hemsworth’s presence is felt, but not seen, in Beyond , when Kirk marks his birthday — which also happens to coincide with the anniversary of his dad’s death — by pouring an extra shot of bourbon for George Kirk. That moment clearly lays the groundwork for the story that lies beyond Star Trek Beyond . Here’s hoping it doesn’t involve Kirk coming face-to-face with a false God .

Watch the ‘Star Trek’ cast on what the series still means:

Recommended Stories

Former mlb infielder, little league world series star sean burroughs dies at 43.

The seven-year major leaguer collapsed while coaching his son's Little League game on Thursday.

The best RBs for 2024 fantasy football, according to our experts

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first running back rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

Juan Soto’s unapologetic intensity and showmanship are captivating the Bronx and rubbing off on teammates: ‘Literally every pitch is theater’

The 2024 Yankees have rediscovered their bravado and hold the second-best record in the AL, thanks in large part to the superstar outfielder.

The FDIC change that leaves wealthy bank depositors with less protection

Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.

How rich homebuyers are avoiding high mortgage rates

Homebuyers with means are turning to an old strategy to get around a new crop of high mortgage rates: all-cash deals.

Which pickup trucks get the best fuel economy? Here are the tops for gas mileage (or diesel)

Trucks aren't known for being fuel efficient, though times are changing. These are the trucks with the best gas mileage in various segments.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reportedly declined $10 billion for team, stadium and F1 race

The value of the Dolphins and Formula One racing is enormous.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch calls Jamal Murray's heat-pack toss on court 'inexcusable and dangerous'

Murray made a bad night on the court worse during a moment of frustration on the bench.

Tight end rankings for fantasy football 2024

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first tight end rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

Golf’s moment of truth is here, and the sport is badly flailing

Nonexistent negotiations and missed opportunities for reconciliation between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have the sport stuck in place.

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.

The Ending Of Star Trek Beyond Explained

Star Trek Beyond has landed in theaters, and the crew of the USS Enterprise have endured another ordeal in space while averting yet another world-ending disaster. There aren't too many loose ends left to tie up after Beyond 's final act, but there are certainly some things that seem like they might carry over into the next Trek movie. Let's take a look at what the ending of Beyond mean for the future for Kirk and the crew—and as always, be warned that there are SPOILERS AHEAD .

The crew will pilot the new Enterprise into unknown territory

Thankfully, the Federation works quickly and gets started on building the USS Enterprise-A at the end of the film, while Kirk and the crew look on. They still have two more years in their five-year mission, so you can bet they'll get some mileage out of the new ship. And since Chris Hemsworth is set to return as Kirk's late father George, we might see some time travel or wormhole action to allow for a reunion between father and son.

Jaylah might join the crew after her Academy training

Newcomer Jaylah quickly becomes one of the more interesting characters in Beyond . Her friendship with Scotty is entertaining, and their back-and-forth interplay is fun to watch. Thanks to this friendship, Jaylah gets accepted to Starfleet Academy on Scotty's recommendation; we're not sure how long she'll train, but it's not entirely out of the question that we might ultimately see her join the crew of the Enterprise. She's a skilled fighter, which is always useful, and she kept the USS Franklin running for a while, so she can be handy with repairs. We'd say she probably has a bright future in the Federation.

Kirk and Spock will return, but the crew might change

In the real world, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto have signed contracts to return for a fourth movie , so we can count on seeing these two again. Whether or not they'll be joined by Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, and John Cho remains to be seen, but we're glad we're getting at least another movie out of Trek 's rebooted odd couple.

Chekov will not return

Anton Yelchin's character, Pavel Chekov, will not return in the fourth film. Yelchin tragically passed away just a month before Star Trek Beyond 's release, and it has been reported that his character, who serves as the ship's main navigator, will not be recast . The film is dedicated to both Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy, with a message for these actors during the credits. We might see Sofia Boutella's Jaylah return and take over as the Enterprise-A 's main navigator, but we certainly won't see a different actor as Chekov.

Krall's weapon is still floating in space

It's easy to forget in all the action of the final act, but after the credits, you might want to stop and consider that Krall was jettisoned into space with his bioweapon, which tears biological material apart. The starbase Yorktown might have been spared, but shouldn't we be worried about the floating clouds of doom that are now hurtling through space? Sure, it's probably a long shot that the bioweapon will hit a populated planet, but the possibility isn't nil. They'll just have to hope that this particular baddie doesn't come back (although we're always happy to see Elba on screen).

Spock and Uhura will rekindle their romance

It might not seem like anything major, but being imprisoned on Altimad and almost dying helped Spock and Uhura get their groove back. We're going to gloss over the fact that the necklace Spock gave Uhura is a radioactive tracking device, and just say we're relieved they're back together. The warp-speed turbulence the characters have endured over the span of three movies has probably solidified their relationship, so we don't think it's out of the question for them to take it to the next step in the fourth film. Might we see Kirk officiating a wedding on the bridge of the Enterprise-A ?

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.

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

Screen Rant

Star trek beyond: idris elba on playing the villain krall.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

5 Star Trek Actors With Real-Life Children In TV & Movies

Star trek returns to a ds9 & voyager location for the first time in 25 years, star trek actors & executive producers react to peabody award.

Following the departure of J.J. Abrams from the director's chair after the theatrical release of  Star Trek Into Darkness   in 2013, all Trekkie eyes are on celebrated filmmaker Justin Lin of the  Fast & Furious   franchise as the impending release of his Star Trek Beyond   looms ever closer. As evidenced by the film's initial teaser trailer , Lin and company appear primed to deliver a more loose and fun take on the Gene Roddenberry science-fiction property than either of the two preceding entries in the rebooted  Star Trek movie continuity.

Despite whatever misgivings some die-hard fans of the series might still hold against the featured tone represented by all of the footage that has been released thus far, the cast and crew behind Star Trek Beyond  look ready to stand-up for Lin's latest entry in the long-running science-fiction genre favorite. On that note, actor Idris Elba ( The Jungle Book ) has recently come forward to discuss his role in the new movie as the central antagonist: Krall.

In a recent interview with EW , Elba went at length in a discussion of his personal favorite aspects of the larger  Star Trek  franchise, including his favorite character (Captain James Tiberius Kirk), in addition to his less than enthusiastic time spent in the make-up chair to don prosthetics that exacerbated his own susceptibility towards claustrophobia. As for the nature of the new character Krall that Elba plays in Star Trek Beyond , the actor was quick to note that the villain is not a Gorn, but a new species made up for the film of a particularly, " Predatory, " nature. In conversation, Elba described Krall and his specific character motivations as follows:

"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 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."

You can check out a new image featuring Krall from Star Trek Beyond that debuted with EW 's article, below:

It would have no doubt been of some interest to fans of the original 1960s Star Trek TV series if Krall were in fact a Gorn, as that would have given rise to an updated Kirk versus Gorn battle sure to bring a smile to many an aging Trekkie's face. However, the invention of an entirely novel alien race for Lin and company to explore in Star Trek Beyond  might yet yield an even greater end result, as such an inventiveness could very well prove fruitful in the making of a contemporary genre satire of the present political climate (both domestically and abroad), as Elba so incisively points out.

Until Star Trek Beyond  sees theatrical release later this July, Trekkies and casual science-fiction moviegoers will just have to wait and bide their time until the Starship Enterprise re-enters the public consciousness in theaters worldwide. For now, viewers can count down the days until the release of the film's next theatrical trailer - which, as it were, may be arriving sooner than later now...

NEXT: Star Trek Beyond Trailer #2 Next Month?

Star Trek Beyond will open in U.S. theaters on July 22nd, 2016.

• 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 test.
• After stopping off at Starbase Yorktown, a remote outpost on the fringes of Federation space, the USS Enterprise, halfway into their five-year mission, is destroyed by an unstoppable wave of unknown aliens. With the crew stranded on an unknown planet and with no apparent means of rescue, they find themselves fighting against a ruthless enemy with a well-earned hatred of the Federation and everything it stands for. Only a rebellious alien warrior can help them reunite and leave the planet to stop this deadly menace from beginning a possible galactic war. — Paramount Pictures
• Getting through the first half of their five-year mission, Captain Kirk and the USS Enterprise crew now venture into uncharted territories. They arrive at Starbase Yorktown for shore leave, Kirk intends to be promoted to Vice Admiral to remain there and has recommended Spock for his present position as ship's captain. After a devastating attack by a massive army of unknown aliens, Kirk and his crew find themselves stranded on an unknown planet with no means of contacting the Federation or each other. The alien warlord Krall seeks an ancient weapon called the Abronath that Kirk has kept after an unsuccessful diplomatic mission. Reunited and aided by the alien warrior Jaylah, Kirk and crew must fight to survive and take on this deadly menace with a strong hatred for the Federation. Will they be able to destroy the new danger before it's too late? — Blazer346
• In the opening scene, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is meeting with the Teenaxi people to make a treaty between them and their enemies, the Fenopians. Kirk is holding an artifact that he claims is a gift of peace from the Fenopians, but the Teenaxi leader considers this a threat. He rolls down to confront Kirk, where we see that the leader and the rest of his people are small creatures. However, they gang up on Kirk and attack him. Kirk calls for Scotty (Simon Pegg) to beam him back up to the USS Enterprise. Kirk records a log, stating that they are now about three years into their five-year mission to explore the ends of the universe. Kirk has become rather bored by this point, and he wonders what else there is to see out there. Kirk is joined by Dr. Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban) with a bottle of scotch that he took out of Mr. Chekov's (Anton Yelchin) locker. Bones notes that Kirk's birthday is coming up, which Kirk isn't looking forward to since it reminds him of how his father died on the same day, and how Kirk will be a year older than his father when he died. Bones states that Kirk has spent all this time figuring out who his father was in his life, and now he is wondering what it means to be Kirk himself. The crew descends onto Starbase Yorktown to replenish their supplies. Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Uhura (Zoe Saldana) appear to be going through a rough patch in their relationship. She is ready to hand him back a necklace that he gave her, but he refuses to take it back. Mr. Sulu (John Cho) reunites with his life partner and their daughter. Spock is then called aside by two Vulcans ambassadors. He is informed that his older self from the prime timeline, Ambassador Spock, has died. Meanwhile, a distress signal is picked up by the Federation from an alien named Kalara (Lydia Wilson), who claims to have been part of a crew whose ship suffered a critical malfunction. She asks for help in rescuing her crew on the far side of the nebula. Kirk meets with Commodore Paris (Shohreh Aghdashloo) to apply for a position as Vice Admiral. He requests that Spock be made captain of the Enterprise in his place. The Enterprise sets off on the rescue mission. As they proceed through the nebula, they approach a Class M planet, and are suddenly attacked by a massive cluster of ships that move like a swarm of insects. The swarm quickly causes heavy damage to the Enterprise, the aliens riding the small ships breaching the hull in a matter of minutes. The crew tries fighting back, but their weapons are not strong enough, and when Sulu tries to warp them out of there, Scotty reports that the ship's nacelles have been sheered off by the enemy. The aliens then allow their leader, Krall (Idris Elba), to board the ship. His soldiers find the artifact that Kirk possessed earlier, a bioweapon called the Abronath. However, when Krall tries to get his hands on it, he finds that its container is empty. With the damage to the Enterprise critical, Kirk orders a general evacuation. Spock and Bones get in an escape pod that heads down to the planet. Krall battles with Kirk, winning the upper hand until Uhura separates the saucer from the engineering section of the ship, taking Krall with her. Kirk then goes with Chekov and Kalara as they make their escape. As the escape pod is ejected, Kirk watches the Enterprise crash to the ground. Meanwhile, Scotty's escape pod nearly flies into a vast canyon, but he jumps out in time. He is cornered in the forest by the planet's savage inhabitants. Before they can attack him, a scavenger named Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) shows up and beats the savages. Scotty introduces himself to her as an engineer. They agree to work together, with Scotty helping repair something of Jaylah's, and she will help him find the rest of the crew. Jaylah takes Scotty to her home, which happens to be a long-lost Federation starship, the USS Franklin. Spock and Bones have also crash-landed, with Spock impaled by a chunk of metal in his abdomen. Bones manages to pull out the metal and stop the bleeding. The two navigate the area, but they must slow down since Spock is still badly wounded. As they sit down, Spock informs Bones about Ambassador Spock's death. He feels that he must continue carrying out his older self's work on New Vulcan, and he wanted to inform Kirk, but Bones says he probably would not like that. After landing on the planet, Kirk confronts Kalara, thinking she knew what was coming. She defends herself, saying this was to help save her crew. With Chekov, they rush to find the Abronath on the saucer. Kalara then turns on Kirk, confirming she led them to a trap and that she was working with Krall the whole time. She finds that the Abronath is not where Kirk claimed to have left it. Moments later, the three are ambushed by drones. Kirk and Chekov manage to activate the saucer's thrusters, which lift the saucer high enough until it crashes down hard, killing Kalara. Krall captures Uhura, along with Sulu and the rest of the crew. He and his soldiers take them to his base of operations. It is shown that Krall is able to drain people of their lifeforce to rejuvenate himself, as well as change his appearance. He threatens to kill Sulu for the Abronath, but an Ensign named Syl gives up the weapon, having kept it hidden in the back of her head. He brings Uhura and Syl into a chamber where he demonstrates the use of the weapon. He locks Syl in the chamber and activates the Abronath, releasing a black cloud that envelopes Syl causing her to decompose. Krall intends to use this against the Federation. Kirk and Chekov run into a perimeter trap that Jaylah has arranged, encasing them in a crystallized shell. Scotty and Jaylah find them, and she breaks them free when Scotty says they are part of his crew. They team up to rescue the rest of the crew. Scotty repairs the Franklin's transporter pad to teleport people onto the ship. They start with Spock and Bones, who are about to be killed by more drones until they are both beamed onto the Franklin. On the computer, they receive a signal on Uhura's location since the necklace Spock gave her is also a tracking device. They see she is with the rest of the crew at Krall's hideout, but Chekov says they are unable to beam everyone up from there. Kirk figures they need to head in there and come up with their own rescue plan. Jaylah wants no part of this since she knows people who go near Krall's camp never come back alive. Her father fought Krall's right-hand man Manas and was killed during her escape. Scotty says she is not alone and can work with the others to save the crew. Kirk creates a diversion with a motorcycle he found on the Franklin while Spock and Bones sneak around to take a number of crew members at a time onto a pad and use a beacon to beam them onto the Franklin. Krall's men attack, leading to Jaylah fighting Manas one-on-one. Kirk protects the crew by spreading the crystallizing material to shield them from Krall's army. As the rest of the crew is saved, only Kirk and Jaylah remain. Jaylah pushes Manas off the pad to his death and jumps to reach Kirk as he activates his beacon, sending them back to the Franklin. Krall and his army fly toward Yorktown so he can activate the Abronath and kill everyone. The Enterprise crew follows. Spock and Bones beam onto a drone ship and figure out that they need to use a distraction to get by the other drones. Scotty uses Jaylah's music system to create discordant noise with The Beastie Boys' song "Sabotage". The drones are obliterated, leaving only Krall's ship plus two others. The Franklin manages to stop Krall's ship, causing her to crash into a fountain. The crew goes off to find Krall and make sure he is dead. They find two dead bodies drained of their lifeforce. As they continue making their way, they notice a video of the original crew of the Franklin from a century ago. Uhura spots a familiar face among everyone else. The man she sees is Balthazar Edison, the captain of the Franklin, but he is now Krall. Kirk asks to see Edison's old logs, skipping to the last one to see Edison having become jaded and angry with the Federation after his ship was stranded with no help, following his crew's own series of missions. Edison mentioned discovering a life-sustaining force that he intended to use to keep himself alive. A major in the United Earth Military Assault Command Operations (MACO), he became disillusioned with the Federation, rejecting its principles of unity and cooperation with former enemies. Now looking slightly more like his former self, Krall takes the Abronath to Yorktown's life support hub, which would allow the black cloud to spread through the entire starbase. Kirk finds Krall and starts fighting him to take the Abronath away from him. Kirk attempts to reason with Krall, but he is no longer the same captain he once was. Kirk's crew attempts to open the doors into space to pull out Krall. Krall activates the Abronath, which starts releasing the black cloud. However, Kirk avoids getting killed and pushes Krall into the path of the cloud. The doors open and sucks Krall into space with the Abronath, where he is consumed by the cloud and is thus disintegrated. Kirk gets sucked into space as well, but Spock and Bones fly near the doors and pull him to safety. In the aftermath, Commodore Paris closes the unsolved cases of Captain Edison and the USS Franklin crew. She offers Kirk the position of Vice Admiral, but he chooses to remain a captain since he chooses to fly. Meanwhile, Spock goes through Ambassador Spock's old materials as he chooses to remain in Starfleet. Among them is a picture of the Enterprise crew in the prime timeline right before they retired. Bones then brings Kirk to a surprise birthday party with the whole crew there to celebrate. Spock and Uhura reconcile their relationship. Kirk and Scotty pull some strings and get Jaylah into Starfleet Academy. The main crew then sees the USS Enterprise-A is being constructed. With that, the crew recites the original final frontier monologue as they resume their mission. The film closes with the words "In loving memory of Leonard Nimoy" (who had passed away in 2015) and "For Anton", a dedication to Anton Yelchin who passed away shortly before the film's premiere in 2016.

Contribute to this page

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More from this title

More to explore.

Recently viewed

Swarm drone

• View history
• 1.1 Alternate reality
• 2 Technical data
• 3.1 Background information

History [ ]

Following the crash of the USS Franklin on Altamid in 2164 , Starfleet Captain Balthazar Edison discovered technology abandoned by the planet's previous inhabitants – among them advanced mining equipment and a sizable drone workforce. As he transformed into the despot known as Krall, Edison adopted the drones to serve as his personal military force, using them and their ships to capture other alien vessels and imprison them on Altamid.

Alternate reality [ ]

In 2263 of the alternate reality , Krall and his fellow Franklin survivor Manas attacked the USS Enterprise , using these drones to board the ship and kill many members of its crew, though some of them were cut down in return by the Enterprise 's security forces. As she attempted to help Captain James T. Kirk save his ship, Lieutenant Nyota Uhura engaged in hand-to-hand combat with drone soldiers.

Following the destruction of the Enterprise and the capture of much of its crew, Krall and Manas used the drone force to corral dozens of Starfleet crew – including Uhura and Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu – into prison cells at Krall's base of operations. During this time, Krall's other cohort Kalara was accompanied by several drone soldiers to retrieve the super weapon Abronath from the remains of Enterprise , crashed on the surface of Altamid.

Krall later led his force of drones to the Federation Starbase Yorktown where they attacked the outpost, but were defeated by the former crew of the Enterprise , who used a specifically calibrated radio broadcast from the Franklin to disrupt the swarm's communications and ultimately destroy them. ( Star Trek Beyond )

Technical data [ ]

Resembling insect -like humanoids , these drones were equipped with arm-mounted particle weapons and were heavily armored. They were capable of piloting small spacecraft to perform complicated attack maneuvers as demonstrated in their attack on the USS Enterprise .

Despite their skill in warfare, these drones were incapable of working independently, relying on networked cyberpathic communication. This proved to be their Achilles' heel, as loud, blaring music broadcast over a VHF channel was sufficient to disrupt communications to the point of ruining any semblance of cooperation between the drones. ( Star Trek Beyond )

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Krall's Swarm drones, identified as "Swarm Soldiers", were portrayed by several uncredited actors, including Justin Anthony , Eric Banerd , Jonathan Buckhouse , Justin Fortier , Sorena Khanlou , James Lawson , Richard David Lecoin , Kane Nelson , Jeff Reyes , Jaewon Suh , Alan Yu , and Sam Yunussov . The drones were digital creations, using stunt men as stand-ins before being rendered in CGI and placed into the finished film . [1]

Multiple concept sketches of "Swarm Soldiers" can be found at Trekcore. [2] [3] Early computer-generated versions of the Swarm drones can be seen in the film's first trailer, which was released on 14 December 2015 . [4]

Discussing the Swarm drones and their relationship to Krall, Beyond co-writer Doug Jung stated, " Justin 's idea was that [the soldiers] were sort of like drones in a way, and that they don't actually have a lot [of] conscious thought of their own. That sort of answers how Krall would be able to come in and take all this stuff [....] They weren't a society that had weaponized anything. " [5]