Summary
Star Trek Beyondintroduces a brand-newStar Trekcharacter, the alien scavenger Jaylah, played byRebel Moonactress Sofia Boutella.Stranded on the planet Altamid after losing her family to a deadly attack byStar Trek Beyondvillain Krall (Idris Elba), Jaylah makes a living in the crashed remains of the USS Franklin, a Federation starship from about 100 years earlier in theStar Trektimeline. When the USS Enterprise is lured into Krall’s trap and the crew is separated on Altamid, Lt. Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg) encounters Jaylah, who defends Scotty from opportunistic scavengers.
Originally envisioned byStar Trek Beyondwriters Doug Jung and Simon Pegg as a way of bringing more female representation to the largely maleStar Trekcast,Jung and Pegg looked at actress Jennifer Lawrence’s character inWinter’s Bone, Ree Dolly, as an inspiration for Jaylah. Taking the connection a step further,Star Trek Beyond’sJaylah was named after Jennifer Lawrence, as a sound-alike to Lawrence’s nickname of"J-Law". Jaylah’s circumstances differ from Ree Dolly’s, but the characters share similar qualities, strength and independence.
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Sofia Boutella’s Jaylah In Star Trek Beyond Explained
Jaylah is the newest member of the Starship Enterprise’s crew
Sofia Boutella’s Jaylah inStar Trek Beyondis an orphaned and independent survivalist stranded on the planet Altamid who becomes a scavenger to source parts to repair thedowned starship USS Franklin. With the Franklin’s computer, Jaylah learns about the existence of the Federation, and how to speak English. When Scotty, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), and Ensign Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) are similarly trapped on Altamid,Jaylah teams up with the Starfleet officers to fight Krall and fix the Franklin. By the end ofStar Trek Beyond, the Enterprise crew and Jaylah leave Altamid on the repaired Franklin, with a bright future among the stars promised to her.
Originally from Algiers, Sofia Boutella was trained as a gymnast and dancer in France. Boutella’s early roles included acting in French-language productions and dancing in music videos in the mid-2000s. Notable roles include Gazelle inKingsman: The Secret Service(2014), Sofia Boutella’s breakout role as Jaylah inStar Trek Beyond,and she followed up as Ahmanet inThe Mummy(2017).Most recently, Sofia Boutella made an impression starring as lead character Kora in director Zack Snyder’sRebel Moon - Part One: A Child of FireandRebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver.The success ofRebel Moonproves Boutella’s star power and bankability, so where does that leave Boutella as Jaylah?
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Sofia Boutella Wants To Return As Jaylah In Star Trek 4
Jaylah needs to make another Star Trek appearance
Sofia Boutella would love to return asJaylah inStar Trek 4, the long-delayed sequel toStar Trek Beyond. When asked about a potential appearance in the untitledStar Trek 4, Sofia Boutella said that she"would do it in a heartbeat." Star Trek Beyondleft the possibility for a continuation wide open, andJaylah would almost certainly be a part of the USS Enterprise’s continuing adventures, not least because Jaylah fit in so well with the existing Enterprise crew members. Jaylah’s perspective as a newcomer to the Federation makes her a fresh addition to theStar TrekKelvin Timeline cast.
IDW’s Kelvin Timeline comics,Star Trek: Boldy Go, depicted Jaylah as a Starfleet Academy cadet following the events ofStar Trek Beyond.Star Trekhas certainly pulled from non-canonical books and comics in the past, so the Academy remains one possibility for Jaylah’s future inStar Trek.
Just what formStar Trek 4will take remains to be seen. Various attempts have been made at aStar Trek 4script, with none yet coming to fruition. Vetoed directions forStar Trek 4have included a timeline-hopping story that reunites Chris Pine’s Kirk with his father, Chris Hemsworth’s Lt. George Kirk; a scrapped Quentin Tarantino outing; and an abandoned version byWandaVision’s director, Matt Shakman. WriterSteve Yockey is attached to the current version ofStar Trek 4,which is said to be the final chapter, so it’s likely to be the last film starringStar Trek’s Kelvin Timeline cast, including Sofia Boutella’s Jaylah.
Jaylah Can Replace Chekov In Star Trek 4
Jaylah has yet to step foot on the Starship Enterprise
One possible future for Jaylah inStar Trek 4is taking up the position on the USS Enterprise formerly filled by Ensign Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin). Chekov joined the Enterprise crew as a cadet in 2009’sStar Trek, assigned to the role of navigator, and quickly displayed an aptitude for multiple disciplines when Chekov replaced Lt. Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg) as Chief Engineer.Anton Yelchin’s tragic death in 2016meant thatStar Trek Beyondwas Yelchin’s lastStar Trekfilm. Rather than recast Chekov to maintain continuity with the Prime Timeline,it would be far better to allow the Kelvin Timeline’s Pavel Chekov to rest in peacealong with Yelchin.
Anton Yelchin can’t be replaced, butStar Trekalready has the perfect replacement for Chekov’s job on the USS Enterprise lined up with Sofia Boutella’s Jaylah. Even though Jaylah enlisted Scotty’s help with repairing the Franklin, Jaylah proved her strength as an on-the-fly engineer capable of cobbling solutions together in the fight against Krall, so she could fill in for Scotty as needed. Moreover,Jaylah is clearly a quick study, capable of technical expertise as well as combat skill. With that kind of resourcefulness, Jaylah could have easily attended Starfleet Academy in the time that passed sinceStar Trek Beyondand become a delightful part of the USS Enterprise crew.
