Section 31 is one of the most mysterious and enduring ideas that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine added to Star Trek canon. This network of spies and secret agents does the dirty work of the United Federation of Planets, eliminating any threats to Earth's perfect paradise. The next Star Trek: Section 31 film promises to fill in details about the beginning of the history of Section 31, among Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The next generationbut audiences first encountered Section 31 on Deep Space Nine from the perspective of Doctor Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig).
The second episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine the established Doctor Bashir loves mysteries and espionage. He trades barbs and innuendos with Elim Garak (Andrew J. Robinson), plays a James Bond-style spy in the holosuite, and is even initially accused of being a Dominion spy during Section 31's first appearance. Doctor Bashir was prepared to be a secret agentand, if he had had the chance, he could have been the ultimate Section 31 spy.
Doctor Bashir would have been the perfect Section 31 agent in Star Trek: DS9
Bashir was the perfect combination of skills, affinities and alliances
Doctor Bashir had all the skills and talents to become a great agent if he had joined Section 31. As a child, Bashir's parents genetically modified him, leaving him with superhuman intelligence and reflexes. In DS9, we see how these talents make Bashir one of the Federation's best doctors and an integral part of the space station crew. It's easy to imagine how those same talents would have served Section 31.
In addition to his abilities, Doctor Bashir also repeatedly shows that he is interested in espionage. For example, he regularly has lunch with Garak for the pure pleasure of playing mind games. When Garak or Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) need to communicate secretly, they know Bashir can be an intermediary. Even in your free time, Bashir loves to play spy, including playing a holonovela as a 20th century international spy based on James Bond.
Bashir also shows empathy for the ailing Jem'Hadar and gains the trust of his captors in more than one episode.
Finally, even outside of Section 31, Doctor Bashir forms easy and natural alliances. He is friends with not only Garak, but also Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) and Lieutenant Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer). Bashir also shows empathy for the ailing Jem'Hadar and gains the trust of his captors in more than one episode. This natural charisma would have allowed Bashir to easily infiltrate complex situations as a Section 31 spy.
Star Trek: DS9 Writers Would Have Created Bashir's Section 31 in Season 8
As seen in the documentary “What We Left Behind”
Despite all the reasons he would have been an effective secret agent Doctor Bashir never accepted the offer to join the ranks of Section 31. Although he expresses fascination with the agency, Bashir ultimately rejects Section 31 and its methods because he does not believe in Section 31's cause. DS9 Had it reached Season 8, the writers would have had Bashir join Section 31.
It seems that the writers of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine were as aware as the audience that, given the opportunity, Doctor Bashir would have been an unstoppable agent for Section 31.
In the documentary What We Left Behind: A Look Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The show's writers discussed a vision for the eighth season's pilot episode, set 20 years after the events of DS9. In this hypothetical eighth season, Doctor Bashir would have taken on the antagonist role as head of Section 31. It seems that the writers of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine were as aware as the public that, given the opportunity, Doctor Bashir would have been an unstoppable agent for Section 31.