Krall (played by Idris Elba) is obviously central to the plot of Star Trek Beyond, but it's his true identity that elevates him from a typical baddie into a mythical figure in Trek lore. We learn the evil Swarm leader used to be Balthazar Edison, long-lost captain of the USS Franklin. A former military commander who had battled the Romulans and Klingons for years, he grew to resent Starfleet's mission of peace. When the Franklin became stranded on Altamid (and Starfleet didn't find them), Edison turned to alien technology to prolong his life, which transformed him into Krall. In his final Captain's log, Edison warns, "You'll probably never see me again. But if you do, be ready."
