(covers information from several alternate timelines)
Kalara, formerly Jessica Wolff, was a Human female who served as a Federation Starfleet officer until she was stranded on the planet Altamid. She eventually gained an alien form and renamed herself "Kalara" after the use of energy transference technology as a means of prolonging her life severely mutated her body.
Early career[]
Wolff served as a sciences division Starfleet officer during the 22nd century, serving onboard the USS Franklin. In 2164, the Franklin was displaced by a wormhole while patrolling the Gagarin Radiation Belt. The ship crashed on the distant planet Altamid, with Captain Balthazar Edison, executive officer Anderson Le, and herself left as the only survivors while the rest of the crew were either killed on impact or died of their injuries. (Star Trek Beyond)
Stranded on Altamid[]
Becoming Kalara[]
On Altamid, Edison, Le, and Wolff found technology left behind by a previous civilization, including Swarm ships, a drone workforce, and an energy transference process used by the original inhabitants to artificially extend their lives. When it became clear that Starfleet had abandoned them, the three survivors resorted to capturing alien ships passing near the planet and absorbing the life energy of their crews to attain near-immortality.
Over time, the process slowly mutated them into different alien forms with biological characteristics taken from their victims. Wolff evolved into a pink-skinned humanoid with green eyes, human facial features, and external ridges covering the back of her head with holes where her ears had been; she renamed herself "Kalara". She also developed a distinct alien language for the survivors to converse in, as they felt uncomfortable continuing to speak English. (Star Trek Beyond)
Alternate reality[]
Kalara being scanned by the universal translator at Yorktown
In 2263 of the alternate reality, Kalara was sent, in an escape pod, to the Federation Starbase Yorktown to pose as an alien in distress, as Krall wanted her to lure the USS Enterprise to Altamid. As part of that ruse, she claimed she had been in a ship whose crew was now stranded on the planet. Her alien appearance and unfamiliar language convinced Starfleet that her story was true, and the Enterprise was ordered to conduct a rescue mission.
Searching for the Abronath[]
Though the Enterprise was subsequently attacked and destroyed by Krall's forces at Altamid, Kalara survived the ship's destruction aboard a Kelvin pod. She then joined Captain James T. Kirk and Ensign Pavel Chekov on the surface of Altamid, though Kirk realized she was complicit in the attack and became suspicious of her. Boarding the wreckage of the Enterprise's primary hull, Kalara hoped Kirk and Chekov would lead her to an artifact and weapon called the Abronath, but she was tricked by Kirk into sending a communications signal to Krall, thereby exposing his location on the planet.
Kalara's death by the saucer section
Reinforced by several Swarm soldiers, Kalara engaged Kirk and Chekov in a firefight, but was waylaid by the Starfleet officers when they engaged the crippled Enterprise's thrusters and escaped back to the surface of Altamid. Managing to escape the ship herself, Kalara gave pursuit but was killed when the Enterprise saucer section, propelled by the firing thrusters, flipped and crushed her. (Star Trek Beyond)
Memorable quotes[]
"Do you believe every sad story you hear?"
"Not every."
- - Kalara and James T. Kirk, about Kalara's motives (Star Trek Beyond)
"What did Krall want with this thing?"
"To save you... from yourselves."
- - James T. Kirk and Kalara, about Krall wanting the Abronath (Star Trek Beyond)
Appendices[]
Appearances[]
Background information[]
Kalara was played by actress Lydia Wilson. Her alien language voiceovers were provided by Sara Maria Forsberg.
The make-up for Kalara was designed by Joel Harlow. "Kalara was extremely difficult," he said, "because her face was so smooth. It had to be done in one piece – if I broke it anywhere you would see the edge. It was basically an entire face that had to be glued on." (Cinefex, No. 148, p. 85)
A pair of concept sketches of Kalara can be seen at TrekCore.
External link[]
- Kalara at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works