Arena
- Episode aired Jan 19, 1967
- TV-PG
- 50m
For bringing hostility into their solar system, a superior alien race brings Captain Kirk into mortal combat against the reptilian captain of an alien ship he was pursuing.For bringing hostility into their solar system, a superior alien race brings Captain Kirk into mortal combat against the reptilian captain of an alien ship he was pursuing.For bringing hostility into their solar system, a superior alien race brings Captain Kirk into mortal combat against the reptilian captain of an alien ship he was pursuing.
- Metron
- (as Carole Shelyne)
- Gorn
- (uncredited)
- Gorn
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Gorn
- (uncredited)
- Gorn
- (uncredited)
- Lt. Brent
- (uncredited)
- Lieutenant Leslie
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAlthough it was not intentional, Desilu's research department realized that Gene L. Coon's screenplay strongly resembled a novella of the same name by Fredric Brown. To deal with the difficulty, Brown was telephoned about the matter and he agreed to a writer's fee and an official credit for the story.
- GoofsGunpowder is a low explosive: it has to be contained to explode. Otherwise it simply burns. Even if Kirk had real gunpowder, it wouldn't have exploded.
- Quotes
Metron: You surprise me, Captain.
Captain James T. Kirk: How?
Metron: By sparing your helpless enemy, who surely would have destroyed you, you demonstrated the advanced trait of mercy. Something we hardly expected. We feel that there may be hope for your kind. Therefore, you will not be destroyed. It would not be... civilized.
Captain James T. Kirk: What happened to the Gorn?
Metron: I sent him back to his ship. If you like, I shall destroy him for you.
Captain James T. Kirk: No. That won't be necessary. We can talk. Maybe... reach an agreement.
Metron: Very good, Captain. There *is* hope for you. Perhaps, in several thousand years, your people and mine shall meet to reach an agreement. You're still half savage. But there is hope. We will contact you when we're ready.
- Crazy creditsThe closing credits are set against a combination background of stills from that episode, previous and future episodes - as per usual Star Trek: TOS practice.
- Alternate versionsSpecial Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song. Highlights include a wider angle on the Cestus outpost showing more destruction (and removing an oddly-placed chunk of metal in the foreground) and the never-before-seen Gorn ship.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)
- SoundtracksTheme From Star Trek
Written by and credited to Alexander Courage
The Arena begins with a landing party beaming down to the Cestus III Outpost only to find the place obliterated. After fending off an attack by an unseen enemy, Kirk and his crew beam back to The Enterprise, which is also under attack from an unknown vessel. A chase ensues, during which both spaceships are halted mid-flight by a powerful species called The Metrons, who decree that the battle be decided by a fight to the death between the captains of both ships.
The trial by combat that follows is hilarious, the Gorn (a man in a dreadful rubber costume) hurling rocks with ease but throwing punches in slow motion, and Kirk constructing a handy-dandy home-made cannon from objects and minerals that he finds scattered about the area. In the end, Kirk and his cannon win the day, the Enterprise's captain impressing the Metrons by sparing the Gorn's life.
7/10. It's all very daft, especially how Kirk builds his weapon with such ease, but it's also very entertaining.
- BA_Harrison
- May 19, 2022
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Filming locations
- Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA(Fight with the Gorn N34.486018 W118.313123)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro