star trek the gorn episode

'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds': Who Are the Gorn?

Who are the mystery aliens pursuing the Enterprise?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds recently released its fourth episode, "Memento Mori," and with it, used its prequel status to return to an iconic piece of Star Trek lore dating back to 1967. This episode doesn't shy away from saying the infamous species' name, either. However, revisiting the Gorn isn't all that surprising, considering Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh ( Christina Chong ) revealed the heartbreaking backstory that found her a victim of the ruthless species, even if that wasn't quite the lore the audience was expecting based on the character's name. But fifty-five years is a long time, so if you don't remember everything about the antagonistic species, nobody would blame you. So, who are the Gorn?

The Gorn are an intelligent, bipedal, and reptilian species that are incredibly hostile and unfortunately warp-capable with technology on par with The Federation's. Thanks to Lower Decks , the assumption can be made that they have at least two genders and that marriage is a part of their reptilian culture. The species are very durable, strong, and have incredible stamina, however, this also makes them slower and less agile creatures. While the eye appearance of the reptiles' eyes varied among the species, they had razor-sharp teeth, holes on the side of their heads for ears, and claws on their hands and feet. The Gorn are carnivores.

RELATED: How ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Perfectly Balances Classic and New Trek

Until Strange New Worlds , it was assumed that the first contact with the Gorn was with Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ), but we now know of at least two previous interactions. The first occurred in the 2200s when the reptilians captured a human colony ship and transferred the entire complement to a facility where they were used as live food or breeding sacks. According to the Gorn's culture, the last surviving person is jettisoned into space aboard a life raft, allowing for Lt. Noonien-Singh's survival and rescue by Una Chin-Riley ( Rebecca Romijn ). Later, the Gorn attempt to lure The USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ) into a trap, but thanks to the previous experience of Lt. Noonien-Singh, the Enterprise is able to evade capture, destroy one of the ships, and escape.

The Federation made contact with the species when they attack a colony/outpost on Cestus III, a system in what the Gorn considered their territory, in Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "Arena." When USS Enterprise pursues a Gorn vessel, another alien, a Metron, transports both Kirk and the Gorn Captain to a deserted planet where the iconic fight scene takes place. Kirk eventually wins, but instead spares the Gorn. The Metron is surprised but impressed, deciding to spare The Enterprise while still sending them thousands of light-years away from that sector of space.

A Gorn was next seen on The Animated Series episode, "The Time Trap." He was seen on a ruling council of a pocket reality, implying that some of the species became separated from the whole. It's important to note that generally The Animated Series isn't included in the recognized Star Trek canon. The Gorn are also in several Lower Decks episodes. In addition to the huge marriage revelation, the series also gives fans an amazing tidbit of information: A Gorn resides on Starbase 25 and is a chef at 'Mr. Krada Leg'.

Finally, a Gorn named Slar is also used in Enterprise 's "In A Mirror Darkly, Part 2" to help contextualize the mirror universe and show how brutal and violent the alternate reality is. Slar is a slavemaster for the Tholian Assembly, leading a salvage mission of the USS Defiant (NCC-1764), a ship from the prime universe, stuck in the mirroring one. When Terrans also board the ship, Slar attempts to keep control of the ship but is killed by Captain Jonathan Archer ( Scott Bakula ) in the process. Star Trek: Discovery also shows that because of the size and might of the species, it isn't unusual for members of The Terran Empire to take their skeletal remains as trophies, as seen on Georgiou's ( Michelle Yeoh ) ISS Shenzou.

The Gorn may not have a history as complex as the Andorians or Bajorans, but the Gorn rightfully earned their place in Trek lore even just by being the first thing that comes to many people's minds when mentioning Star Trek or Captain Kirk. The inclusion of this species in La'an's backstory gives the opportunity to flesh out this species even more in Strange New Worlds , potentially providing more context for the goofy fight that aired over 5 decades ago.

A Short History Of The Gorn In The Star Trek Universe

This episode contains minor  spoilers ahead for episode 4 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

Canon is a funny thing in the world of "Star Trek." The franchise, which has churned out 12 criss-crossing series (and just as many movies) in its 56-year history, has to tread carefully where continuity is concerned. If first contact with an alien species is said to occur in one series, it's difficult to feature them in others that occur earlier — tempting as the concept might be. It's a rule that's made certain "Trek" villains, like the Gorn, off-limits for certain eras. Since the Gorn "officially" made first contact with Starfleet in "The Original Series," they can't "officially" appear in any prequels. But as we've seen with shows like "Enterprise," " Star Trek: Discovery ," and now " Strange New Worlds ," it's still possible to make use of the classic villains without disturbing the canon.

The Gorn identity

The Gorn first appeared in the original series episode "Arena," and even then their mystique was a huge part of their appeal. Kirk, Spock and McCoy run into the Gorn on a Federation outpost on Cestus III — and the aliens ruthlessly attack before the bridge crew even catches a glimpse of them. The Gorn had even lured the Enterprise to Cestus III with a fabricated invitation; by the time Kirk and Spock realize that they've been deceived, the colony on Cestus had already been destroyed.

Kirk later sets off to avenge the colony's untimely destruction, pursuing the Gorn ship into unknown space. There, both the Enterprise and the Gorn are apprehended by a highly-advanced alien species called the Metrons. This third party has absolutely no taste for violence, but they recognize that both humans and Gorn share a primitive inclination for it. Their solution is to drop Kirk onto a nearby planet with the captain of the Gorn ship, and allow them to sort out their issues the old-fashioned way: A fight to the death.

It's on this planet that Kirk gets a good look at the Gorn for the very first time. They're essentially just giant, sentient lizards, but even without their formidable technology, the Gorn captain possesses a brute strength that nearly kills Kirk. Fortunately, Kirk still does have his wits — as well as a trove of raw minerals, which he uses to fashion a cannon that takes the Gorn out of commission. Kirk eventually decides to spare the captain's life, with the hopes that the Federation can one day appeal to this alien race — but it'd be some time before the Gorn were used in the Prime timeline once more.

Mirror, mirror

Since the Gorn were so rarely seen in Federation space, they were reduced to legend in other stories that followed the original series. The species is mentioned on and off throughout the franchise, and even appear briefly in the animated series " Star Trek: Lower Decks ," but their second most prominent role in the "Trek" canon actually takes place in the Mirror universe.

The Mirror universe is essentially an alternate reality where everyone is evil ( and/or horny ) all the time, so there's not technically a need for an alien species that most consider inherently evil. However, introducing the Gorn to an alternate timeline was the perfect way for original series prequels like " Enterprise " to reimagine first contact with the species. "Enterprise" takes place approximately 100 years before the events of the original series, and follows the crew of the very first U.S.S. Enterprise, captained by Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). But in the Mirror dimension — as explored in the fourth season arc " In a Mirror Darkly " — Archer is the mutinous first officer of the I.S.S. Enterprise. In a dizzying turn of events, Archer gets his hands on a Federation ship from the Prime timeline: The U.S.S. Defiant.

Archer intends to use this advanced ship to quell the rebellion against the Terran Empire, but he has to contend with a few stowaways before bringing his plans to fruition, namely a murderous Gorn named Slar. Fittingly, Archer is forced into a little hand to hand combat with the Gorn, just like Kirk — but he also has the resources of his super-advanced ship at his disposal, and he uses them well. Since this is the Mirror dimension, the mercy that Kirk extended to his Gorn adversary is nowhere to be found. Archer kills Slar without thinking twice, making for another short-lived appearance for the species.

The menagerie

The Mirror universe would become a clever loophole for "Trek" writers to explore — or at least reference — the Gorn in prequels to the original series. "Discovery" made use of this same conceit in its first season. The first captain of the titular vessel, Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs), displayed a Gorn skeleton one of his many offices ... but seeing as Lorca was actually from the Mirror universe , that Easter egg doesn't necessarily have to be explained. Plus, the Gorn in question wasn't exactly alive, so it couldn't really count as first contact.

In truth, the mere presence of a Gorn, however brief, is usually enough to excite longtime fans of the "Trek" franchise. They're an utterly classic villain, as much for their mystique as for their capacity for cruelty. It's the latter that makes the Gorn so interesting to writer and producer Akiva Goldsman, who's been helping to shape the world of "Trek" in recent years on shows like "Picard" and "Strange New Worlds." 

"I have this long-standing love for the Gorn," Goldsman told /Film . Though "Trek" series have always "generated empathy" for alien species, Goldsman has always "yearned a little bit" for a truly evil adversary. "It's been a while since we've had that, and the Gorn sort of presented themselves as such."

Children of the Gorn

Obsessed as Goldsman may be with the Gorn, it's taken a while for the showrunner to bring them back to "Trek" in a larger capacity. That opportunity finally presented itself in "Strange New Worlds," primarily through Enterprise security officer La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong). Though the Federation can't physically meet the Gorn before the events of the original series, La'an has some firsthand experience with the species: Her entire family was once captured and imprisoned by the Gorn, and she was the sole survivor of the tragedy.

"Strange New Worlds" treats La'an's account as a report of "unconfirmed" first contact, but that doesn't make it any less terrifying. It's a brilliant way to capitalize on the potential of the Gorn, especially since it doesn't really break canon. After the Enterprise's run-in with a Gorn ship in the latest episode, titled "Momento Mori," it's clear that there's tons of potential for the Gorn as a seriously-formidable adversary moving forward. It's just a question of how far the "Strange New Worlds" team can push the limits of canon. But if the popularity of the Gorn is any indication, there's certainly an appetite for more of the alien species moving forward.

"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is currently streaming on Paramount+.

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The Gorn were a warp-capable , bipedal reptilian species from the Beta Quadrant . Their interstellar government was known as the Gorn Hegemony .

• 1.1 Life cycle
• 2.1 Mirror universe
• 2.2 Alternate reality
• 3.1 Starship classes
• 5.1 Appearances
• 5.2 Background information
• 5.3.1 Video games
• 5.4 External links

Biology [ ]

A Gorn skeleton

Gorn were a cold-blooded species, with green , rubbery skin , red blood , and an average height of approximately two meters . They tended to be many times stronger than most humanoids . While young Gorn were very agile and fast, adults tended to be slower and less agile but with greater stamina. Nonetheless, a single adult Gorn was able to dispatch a fully armed Starfleet landing party with ease. They, like most cold-blooded species, preferred warmer temperatures and hated the cold. The Gorn had at least two genders : male and female . Despite being reptilian , Gorn females appeared to have breasts , which were generally found on mammals . ( TOS : " Arena "; ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "; LD : " Veritas "; SNW : " All Those Who Wander "; et al. )

Some Humans had an instinctive revulsion to the Gorn, as they were a type of reptile , and thought them primitive or unintelligent. This was unwise, as the Gorn were at least as intelligent as Humans.

Through the eyes of a Gorn

Gorn ears were simple holes on the sides of their skulls , while their mouths boasted an impressive array of sharp teeth and their hands and feet possessed vicious claws . In the mirror universe , Phlox quipped that the Gorn were comparable to that of the extinct Velociraptor , based on one Gorn's size and bite radius . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ") Some Gorn displayed eyes that were silvery and faceted, much like the compound eyes of insects , while others had typical humanoid eyes complete with pupils.

They also possessed incredible durability and were able to take an extreme amount of punishment. During a skirmish between Captain James T. Kirk and a Gorn captain , Kirk hurled a boulder at his opponent, only for it to bounce off the Gorn's skin. Later, he caused a giant boulder to roll down a mountain and hit the Gorn captain. Though this temporarily stunned him, he was not injured. Kirk finally managed to wound and disable the Gorn with a primitive cannon comprised of rope -wrapped bamboo as a barrel , with raw diamonds as projectiles and a homemade gunpowder mixture as propellant. ( TOS : " Arena ")

Life cycle [ ]

External effects of parasitic Gorn eggs

The Gorn hatched from parasitic eggs that incubated inside humanoid hosts. The maturation cycle varied depending on the species of the host, lasting months within an Orion but days within a Human . When ready, the hatchlings or younglings would rip their way violently from the body of their host.

A Gorn youngling

Newly emerged Gorn were white in color; they became green as they fed voraciously and grew rapidly in size, molting their skin in the process. The hatchlings were quadrupedal and exceptionally fast and strong, and possessed prehensile tails . They were uncontrollably aggressive toward other lifeforms and even members of their own species, fighting each other for dominance, which ensured that only the strongest and smartest survived. Even before they were fully mature, the hatchlings developed ducts by their mouths that enabled them to spit venom , which not only blinded their prey but also infected additional hosts with eggs. Because of their biological makeup both eggs and hatchlings were invisible to sensors . Despite their bestial nature, the hatchlings were highly intelligent and could prevent themselves from being sensed telepathically – evolutionary advantages that made them dangerous hunters.

The Gorn maintained breeding planets where they deposited sentient beings to be used as breeding sacs or hunted as food by the hatchlings. Adult Gorn periodically returned to the planets to harvest their young. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ", " All Those Who Wander ")

The Gorn could also become pregnant with live young, and Caesarean sections might be indicated. Births of eight children were known. The infants were apparently highly aggressive even when born in this manner. ( Star Trek Into Darkness )

History and culture [ ]

A Gorn wedding ( 2380 )

Like many humanoid species , Gorn got married as well, as they had weddings , just as Humans and Vulcans did. ( LD : " Veritas ")

Of the Gorn, Orion privateer Harrad-Sar said in 2154 , " The less said about them, the better ". However, he did concede that the Gorn brewed the finest meridor in the five systems . ( ENT : " Bound ")

In 2256 , Captain Gabriel Lorca had a Gorn skeleton in a USS Discovery laboratory . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Unconfirmed First Contact report for the Gorn in the personnel file of La'an Noonien-Singh

Although unconfirmed at the time, the first encounter between the Humans and the Gorn occurred in the 2230s or 2240s , when the colony ship SS Puget Sound was captured and the entire ship's complement was deposited on a planetary nursery . According to La'an Noonien-Singh 's accounts, the Gorn would eat some of their captives alive, while other captives would have their bodies slit open and used as "breeding sacks,” and some captives would be hunted as a sport before being fed to infant Gorn. In accordance with some sort of ritual , the final survivor would be spared, only to be placed in a life raft and abandoned in space. The survivor was not expected to live. ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

La'an explained to Captain Pike that there had in fact been multiple contacts with the Gorn by 2259 – including the attack on Finibus III that the USS Enterprise dealt with in that year – but they hardly ever left survivors and were therefore still listed as never officially encountered. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ") That same year, the USS Peregrine fell victim to Gorn hatchlings that unexpectedly emerged from refugees rescued by the crew. The hatchlings were neutralized by a landing party from the Enterprise . ( SNW : " All Those Who Wander ")

La'an, who had survived being hunted on one of their planetary nurseries, described the Gorn as "plain evil" and impossible to empathize with or come to an understanding with them, unrelenting when they hunt. Gorn considered warm-blooded species their prey. They employed ambush tactics and used injured prey as bait to lure in more. For example, they would allow a group of survivors to escape while attacking a Federation colony so they would call for help and bring in more prospective prey. They were even willing to sacrifice one of their own (or even one of their ships) to force their prey to reveal itself while it was hiding from them. Gorn were also willing to kill their own if they became weak or one of their ships became compromised by an enemy, making sure only the strongest survived. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")

A Gorn in an EV suit battles Lt. Spock aboard the USS Cayuga

Later that year, a Gorn attack ship was identified near the Galdonterre system , causing Admiral Robert April to fear that a war between the Federation and the Gorn was coming. ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ") This was part of a larger buildup of Gorn forces on their border with the Federation as tensions increased between the Federation and the Gorn Hegemony . In response, the Federation developed better weapons and technology to combat the Gorn and the Gorn protocols which Lieutenant Erica Ortegas dubbed "break in case of Gorn." ( SNW : " Hegemony ")

Eventually, the Gorn attacked the colony of Parnassus Beta which was just outside of Federation space, destroying the USS Cayuga in the process, although most of the crew were on the planet's surface at the time. The Gorn Hegemony then sent a message to Starfleet Command with a demarcation line through the system, placing Parnassus Beta on their side of the line. With Starfleet wanting to avoid possibly triggering a war over a planet that was out of their jurisdiction, the Enterprise snuck a landing party down by having it play dead amongst the Cayuga 's debris field. On the surface, La'an noticed that the Gorn were exhibiting strange behavior such as their juveniles cooperating instead of fighting each other for dominance, suggesting that something else was going on beyond usual Gorn activities. The landing party encountered Lieutenant junior grade Montgomery Scott who had been aboard the USS Stardiver one system over studying solar flares when the Gorn had attacked and destroyed the ship. As the system's red supergiant had begun emitting coronal mass ejections right before the Gorn had attacked, Scott suspected that something about the flares had lured them out while Sam Kirk compared it to locusts having their swarming instincts triggered by environmental factors. With the Gorn communicating through light, Kirk suggested that they had some kind of an ingrained sensitivity to it that somehow triggered their actions.

Eventually, Lieutenant Spock and Nurse Christine Chapel were able to restore comms and transporters by crashing the wrecked saucer section of the Cayuga into the Gorn tower . However, a Gorn destroyer and several hunters attacked the Enterprise with more ships on the way. Although the Enterprise tried to beam out the surviving colonists and the landing party, the Gorn got to them first, leaving Pike with a tough choice as Starfleet ordered the Enterprise to withdraw immediately. ( SNW : " Hegemony ")

Kirk fighting the Gorn captain

In 2267 , the Gorn attacked, with impunity , the Federation colony and outpost on Cestus III . The Gorn saw the strike as a preemptive move, since they regarded the Cestus system as part of their territory. The Enterprise pursued a Gorn starship from Cestus III into a previously unexplored region of the galaxy, near 2466 PM . There, both starships were immobilized by the Metrons , who transported Captain Kirk and the Gorn captain to a planet's surface where the two captains were instructed to settle their differences in a "contest… of ingenuity against ingenuity, brute strength against brute strength." Although the Gorn captain was physically stronger than Kirk, Kirk was able to construct a makeshift cannon out of materials on the planet's surface and defeat the Gorn. When Kirk showed mercy to his defeated opponent, the Metrons sent both captains back to their respective ships and transported the Enterprise out of the area. ( TOS : " Arena ")

While on the Enterprise in 2268 , Benjamin Sisko admitted to Jadzia Dax that he would like to ask Kirk about the fight with the Gorn captain during this encounter. ( DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations ")

A Gorn served on the ruling council of the pocket dimension Elysia , in the late 23rd century . It is unknown how long members of his species had been trapped in that universe . ( TAS : " The Time Trap ")

A Gorn chef on Starbase 25

By the 2380s , relations between the Federation and Gorn had seemingly improved. By 2381 , some Gorn resided on Federation Starbase 25 , including a Gorn chef who operated the restaurant Mr. Krada Leg . ( LD : " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers ") In 2384 , a Gorn starship was among those that came to the aid of Federation vessels hijacked by the living construct . ( PRO : " Supernova, Part 1 ")

In the wake of The Burn , the Gorn attempted to artificially create a wormhole , resulting in the destruction of two light years of subspace . ( DIS : " That Hope Is You, Part 1 ")

Mirror universe [ ]

In the mirror universe , a Gorn named Slar was a slave master working for the Tholian Assembly in 2155 . He was in charge of the workers assigned aboard the USS Defiant until the crew of the ISS Enterprise took it over following the Battle of Vintaak . Slar was suspicious of Terrans and vicious when it came to dealing with them. He was ultimately killed by Jonathan Archer . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ")

A century later, in 2257 , a Gorn skull was on display aboard the ISS Shenzhou . ( DIS : " The Wolf Inside ")

Alternate reality [ ]

In the alternate reality , first contact between the Gorn and the Federation had taken place prior to 2259 , as Dr. Leonard McCoy recalled having performed a Caesarean section on a pregnant Gorn. ( Star Trek Into Darkness )

Technology [ ]

As of the late 23rd century , much of Gorn technology was on par with that of Starfleet . A Gorn ship was almost as fast as a Constitution -class starship , which would have to push its engines to a dangerous point to overtake a Gorn ship.

Their weapons were described as "like phasers , only worse" by a survivor of the Cestus attack. This description may have been colored by fear, as they were later described as disruptors .

Gorn ship-to-ship communication

Gorn ships would employ visual communication in the form of light signals when in visual range of each other. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")

Gorn shields were capable of enduring an initial full barrage of phaser and photon torpedo fire, with little or no appreciable damage.

They had transporter technology, and possessed voice duplicator equipment that was at least good enough to fool a casual listener.

Gorn ground tactical units utilized powerful disruptors, capable of completely disintegrating targets at ranges of between 1,200 and 1,500 yards . Their sensor technology may have been less effective than that of the Federation, as they had some difficulty targeting a landing party during their ambush at Cestus III.

The Gorn were able to home in on signals from a tricorder , allowing them to "bracket" the user with fire. ( TOS : " Arena "; SNW : " Memento Mori ")

Starship classes [ ]

• Gorn destroyer
• Gorn hunter
• Gorn starship
• Gorn warship ( mirror universe )
• Slar ( mirror universe )
• Unnamed Gorn

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• TOS : " Arena "
• TAS : " The Time Trap "
• ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "
• " Context Is for Kings " (skeleton only)
• " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry " (skeleton only)
• " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad " (skeleton only)
• " Much Ado About Boimler " (model only)
• " Veritas "
• " No Small Parts " (model only)
• " Mugato, Gumato " (model only)
• " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers "
• " The Inner Fight "
• " Memento Mori " (ships only; no visual contact)
• " All Those Who Wander "
• " Hegemony "

Background information [ ]

The original Gorn without its outer costume

The cast list in the final draft script of "Arena" described the Gorn as " a large (six foot four) lizard-like creature, well-muscled, very strong. " When the Gorn first appeared in the scripted events of the episode, the description of the alien read, " It is a lizard, who walks like a man… two-legged, two-armed, a thick glistening scaly hide, the size of a man with outstanding musculature… a wide mouth full of sharp teeth, a ridge of hard plate running down his back, even a prehensile, thick, strong tail. He is wearing a garment like a short robe [....] He does not wear shoes of any sort. " Detailing other aspects of the Gorn's anatomy, the script later referred to the creature as having shoulder blades as well as eyes that at one point "glitter[ed]" and the script further stated, " He has two tiny earholes on his head, where a Human being's ears would be. " The script also described the Gorn's voice, as heard through his Metron communicator , as "harsh, whistling, hissing" and deemed his strength to be comparable to that of a grizzly bear .

The original Gorn was played by several people, including Bobby Clark , Gary Combs , and Bill Blackburn . The voice was provided by Ted Cassidy .

The Gorn's costume was designed by Wah Chang , who also created the M-113 creature (aka the "salt vampire"). ( The Art of Star Trek , p. 34; et al. ) The Gorn captain in "Arena" was intended to not be particularly agile, with the episode's script stating about the Gorn, " It moves slowly, awkwardly, " and referring to the creature as "sluggish" and "lumbering". " He's big and awkward… That all fits the costume, " said Bobby Clark , who wore the reptilian suit. " Because the costume was thick rubber, it had big muscles – you couldn't bend your arms. You couldn't walk fast because the feet would hold you back. You couldn't run, because you'd be walking like you had two swimming fins on your feet. And we were walking in brush a lot, so that was tough… [The producers have] said several times that, in their estimation, it was the slowest fight they'd ever seen. Well, yes, it was slow. If it was fast, it would've been the funniest fight they'd ever seen. " ( SFX , issue #200, p. 135) Michael Westmore attributed the slowness of the alien to the makeup design for what he termed "the lumbering Gorn." Westmore commented, " For all his mobility in Wah's costume and props, the Gorn, because of the heavy rubber appliances and the thick wet suit, is relatively slow and cumbersome […] even though the Gorn was a very advanced creation for his time. " ( Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts , p. 43) Dan Curry agreed that the Gorn suit "was very bulky and very hard for the actor to move around in." ( Inside the Mirror Episodes , ENT Season 4 DVD special features)

A Gorn appears on the cover of A Child's Garden of Lifeforms in Our Galaxy , a book that was designed by Doug Drexler for DS9 : " Time's Orphan ". ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 579))

One day shortly before 14 May 2001 , someone asked Archer actor Scott Bakula about the Gorn. " I hadn't thought about him in a long time, but oh, my gosh, it was just so terrible, " said Bakula, remembering the relatively primitive special effects used to depict the alien in "Arena". ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 135 , p. 25)

The Gorn were originally planned to be featured as the villains in the 2001 Star Trek: Enterprise first season episode " The Andorian Incident ". One reason why their role in the story was replaced with the Andorians was that the Gorn, unlike the Andorians, were considered to be unable to talk. ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 136 , p. 37) Near the end of Enterprise 's first season , staff writer Michael Sussman offered, " Before we decided to have the Andorians, we all talked about doing the Gorn [....] But when we looked at the show, it was decided by Rick [Berman] and Brannon [Braga] that it was pretty clear that Captain Kirk's run-in was the first time anyone had seen a Gorn. So, as much as we would love to use them, it doesn't fit with what's been established, so they're kind of off the table for us. " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 11 , pp. 48-49) Subsequently, Berman didn't, however, completely rule out the possibility of including the Gorn in Enterprise . On the contrary, he declared, " The Gorn are certainly a possibility. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 101 , p. 18) In fact, prior to the Gorn's appearance in " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ", Enterprise 's writing staff spent much time trying to find some means of including the Gorn into the series without violating continuity. ("In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" audio commentary , ENT Season 4 DVD ) David A. Goodman was one production staffer who spent a lot of time developing a Gorn episode of Enterprise . ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 118 , p. 15)

The mirror universe setting of the "In a Mirror, Darkly" two-parter finally allowed for the Gorn's inclusion in ENT. ("In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" audio commentary , ENT Season 4 DVD ) " Yeah, we had to get a Gorn in there, " noted Manny Coto . " I always wanted to do a Gorn. " ("Before Her Time: Decommissioning Enterprise , Part Two: Memorable Voyages", ENT Season 4 Blu-ray special features) On the other hand, Garfield Reeves-Stevens remembered, " The Gorn is the one [alien] they almost didn't have [in the 'In a Mirror, Darkly' two-parter] and we put on an impassioned plea to have it and Manny capitulated. Manny wondered if it was integral to the story and we mounted a defense for it. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 37, No. 2, p. 69)

As described in the final draft script of "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II", the Gorn were "giant reptiles" with three clawed fingers and "razor-sharp teeth." Slar was also scripted to be wearing "the Gorn equivalent of an EV undersuit." As for Gorn language, the script commented that, immediately before being shot by Archer, Slar was "cursing at Archer in his own tongue."

Initially, the production crew were perplexed as to how they would create the Gorn required for "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II". Michael Westmore explained, " With the Gorn… in the beginning, they didn't know what direction we were gonna go in. Are you going to put a man in a suit? And if we do, what modifications are you going to make, so it doesn't look like the original one […] which was very bulky and very hard for the actor to move around in? We played around with the idea, and we all came… Basically, all of us came to the same conclusion. If we want to do something that's new and that's still à la Gorn, it's going to have to be an optical – not a man in a suit. " ( Inside the Mirror Episodes , ENT Season 4 DVD special features) This method of creating the modernized Gorn would allow it to have much more freedom of movement than had been possible with its predecessor in the original series. ( ENT Season 4 DVD text commentary )

A starting point for creating the ENT Gorn was concept artwork by Dan Curry. " We looked at the Gorn from the original series, " he explained, " and then I did some sketches on how the Gorn might look more reptilian and made anatomical changes in the skin [....] After I did the sketches we turned that over to the makeup department under Mike Westmore's supervision and Earl Ellis sculpted a maquette of the Gorn. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 37, No. 2, p. 69) The maquette created by Ellis – a sculptor in Westmore's makeup department – measured eighteen inches and was made from clay. This potential Gorn design was further developed with input from producers Manny Coto, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga . Westmore later echoed their advice, saying, " 'Well, maybe it should be a little bit more of this. The shoulders should be a little bigger. Maybe the chest should be a little bigger. It looks too much like a Human. Can you extend the torso?' " As the final maquette was a very useful starting point for the creation of a digital model, the maquette was given to Dan Curry who, in turn, gave it to digital effects supervisor John Teska at Eden FX . Teska was then able to transform the design into a fully animated computer-generated Gorn. ( Inside the Mirror Episodes , ENT Season 4 DVD special features)

Meanwhile, footage of Stunt Coordinator Vince Deadrick, Jr. , playing the Gorn – dressed in a fitted black leotard outfit that had white grid marks on – and acting alongside Scott Bakula , was filmed. ( Inside the Mirror Episodes , ENT Season 4 DVD special features) After the same shots were repeated without Deadrick playing the Gorn, the computer-generated version of the alien was added into the shots, replacing Deadrick's movements. ( ENT Season 4 DVD audio commentary ; Inside the Mirror Episodes , ENT Season 4 DVD special features)

For close-up shots of the Gorn's alien hands, a pair of Gorn gloves were especially designed by Michael Westmore's makeup effects department. ( Inside the Mirror Episodes , ENT Season 4 DVD special features)

Ultimately, Manny Coto had mixed feelings about how successful the Gorn in "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" had been. " I wish our little Gorn had looked a little better than it did, " he critiqued, " but I would have loved to have done more Gorn stuff in season five, which would have been fun to explore [....] I think we had talked about doing Mirror-Universe Gorns. Uh, you know, expand that whole thing. " ("Before Her Time: Decommissioning Enterprise , Part Two: Memorable Voyages", ENT Season 4 Blu-ray special features)

The Gorn were referenced in an ultimately omitted line of dialogue from the first draft script of Star Trek Nemesis , in which Picard, delivering his best man's speech at the wedding of Riker and Troi , recalled that Riker's bachelor party had included "three Andorians, two Tellarites and a Gorn." According to an interview given by John Logan to Star Trek Communicator ( citation needed • edit ) in 2003, the scene was not in the final version of the film.

The Gorn prisoner cut from Star Trek

A Gorn was among multiple individuals Barney Burman and his company, Proteus Make-up FX Team , created for Rura Penthe prison scenes in the film Star Trek , footage that was ultimately cut from the movie's final release . Including the Gorn was the idea of Sculptor Don Lanning , who had spent the past year and a half sculpting surgeries for television series Nip/Tuck . " I immediately wanted to revisit the Gorn from 'Arena', " he said, " because I had just spent a lot of time sculpting realistic stuff, so I was ready for some hard-core fantasy! " Hired onto the production in the role of key sculptor, Lanning was permitted his wish of furthering a redesign of the Gorn. This developed into one of two sculptures which he worked on whenever he got some down time, the other being the M-113 creature . " The Gorn was our best effort to revisit the original material, " observed Lanning, " and I think it was very successful. " Lanning was left with the impression that the Gorn was removed from the film because Director J.J. Abrams and others on the production staff wanted the upcoming film to concentrate on newer aliens. ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2014 , pp. 135 & 137)

Gorn EV suit

The Gorn EV suit was also discussed in TRR : " Hegemony ".

Apocrypha [ ]

The Star Fleet Battles and Federation Space board games, published by Task Force Games , indicated that a Gorn confederation formed when three separate but nearly identical sentient species, each having developed on a different planet (Gdhar I, Gdhar II, and Gdhar III, presumably in the Gdhar system) joined into a single political entity. The Gorn are a civilized and cultured race. The Star Fleet Battles game universe refers to an initial brief conflict between two hotheaded starship captains over what was then considered a misunderstanding (an indirect reference to the events in "Arena"). This conflict was resolved peacefully and led to the Gorn being a close ally of the Federation. It is said to be one of the few alliances in the SFU that is apparently based on mutual trust, respect, and desire for friendship as opposed to political convenience (see also Star Fleet Universe ).

The graphic novel The Gorn Crisis is the story of Jean-Luc Picard 's attempt to ally with the Gorn in the Dominion War despite a Gorn civil war . The novel Articles of the Federation followed up on this and stated that the Gorn fought in the Dominion War on the Federation's side. The crew of the USS Enterprise -E helped to convince them to join the fight against the Dominion . In A Singular Destiny , the Gorn joined the Typhon Pact ( β ) – an alliance including the Romulan Star Empire , the Breen Confederacy , the Tholian Assembly , the Tzenkethi , and the Kinshaya ( β ) which was set up in competition with the powers of the Khitomer Accords .

Sisko gets to meet the Gorn captain from "Arena" in the short story "Where I Fell Before My Enemy" that was published in the first Strange New Worlds anthology.

According to The Worlds of the Federation reference book, the Gorn homeworld is called Gornar, also known as Tau Lacertae IX.

The Gorn appear in the FASA RPG adventure book Demand of Honor , where their government is called the Gorn Alliance and their homeworld is called S'sgaron.

In the Star Trek: The Original Series - Core Game Book , the Gorn homeworld was called Agornu.

In the twenty-fourth issue of the Star Trek: Ongoing comic series set in the alternate reality , the Gorn return following the events of the 2013 game. The Gorn featured were a more peaceful faction who separated from the Armada during the Milky Way invasion where they settled on the planet Parthenon 559, but came into conflict with a Federation mining team there. After learning the settlers attacked first and that the Gorn only attacked in self-defense, Kirk placed the planet under quarantine , deciding it was best to leave the Gorn alone.

According to the Star Trek Adventures - Beta Quadrant sourcebook, there are multiple species of Gorn. The Ssessekh are the Gorn seen in The Original Series and the Russth are the Gorn seen in Enterprise . Agornu, Garag, Gornar, Koreb, Shekkis and S'sgaron are all names for the Gorn homeworld used by different Gorn species.

Video games [ ]

The Gorn are playable races in several Star Trek video games. These include Star Trek: Starfleet Command , Star Trek: Tactical Assault , Star Trek: Klingon Academy , and Star Trek Online . The game manual for Star Trek: Bridge Commander mentions the Gorn were allied with the Dominion during the Dominion War.

In Star Trek: Klingon Academy , the Gorn are available as a playable race in Skirmish and Multiplayer modes. According to the game's manual, their government is referred to as the "Gorn Kingdom", rather than the more common Gorn Confederation. They are engaged in a mutual exchange agreement with the Federation, and as such their vessels are equipped with similar technologies, such as phasers and tractor beam weapons. Like the other non-campaign races in the game, the Gorn possess fewer ship classes than the Klingons or the Federation.

The Gorn are also a playable race, and allies of the Klingon Empire , in Star Trek Online . When designing a Gorn character, only the male gender is selectable. Gorn are also the enemies faced during many Federation missions, and some employ a rock-throwing attack reminiscent of the battle between Kirk and the Gorn captain in "Arena". Furthermore, in Star Trek Online , the Gorn engaged in late- 24th century war against the Klingon Empire. The Klingons eventually prevailed – allowing the Gorn to maintain their rule over their space – but, in exchange, made allies. In this continuity, the insect-like eyes seen on the Gorn captain from "Arena" are explained as a set of eyepieces that give a tactical heads-up display. The tie-in novel The Needs of the Many reveals that the difference between the Gorn seen in The Original Series and Enterprise is part of a caste system; the silver-eyed, five-fingered Gorn are from a warrior caste, while the gold-eyed, three-fingered Gorn are members of a technological caste.

The Gorn of the alternate reality

The Gorn are the villains of the 2013 Star Trek game set before Star Trek Into Darkness , featuring fifteen varieties of male and female Gorn ranging in size, intelligence, and color, designed by Neville Page . [1] They are depicted as originating from another galaxy which they have conquered by the time they reach the Milky Way Galaxy via a wormhole created by a terraforming device on New Vulcan . The Gorn utilize a mind controlling virus to turn enemies on each other, practice bio-enhancement , and just as in the film, McCoy mentions they are viviparous . He recounts Hikaru Sulu having stunned a pregnant female while on the surface of the Lymax planet, necessitating McCoy's medical intervention to deliver the babies.

External links [ ]

• Gorn at StarTrek.com
• Gorn at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Gorn at Wikipedia

Star Trek writer explains a big Gorn canon twist in Strange New Worlds

Your favorite lizard people are back. Or are they? SNW w riter Davy Perez explains all things Gorn.

The Gorn are back! In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 4, “Memento Mori,” Starfleet begins believing the myth of the Gorn is real, and the species of lizard aliens who fought Captain Kirk in The Original Series suddenly just got a lot more fleshed-out in Star Trek canon. Yet, Strange New Worlds also created several new mysteries and continuity twists about the Gorn.

Inverse caught up with Episode 4 co-writer Davy Perez to get all the scaly details about the Gorn and why he and (Episode 4’s other co-writer) Beau DeMayo made a very specific decision on whether to show the lizard aliens onscreen. Spoilers ahead.

The mystery of the Gorn

Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and Spock (Ethan Peck) try to outwit the Gorn spaceships.

Other than the famous appearance of a Gorn captain in The Original Series episode “Arena,” the only other times we see Gorns in Trek canon are in:

• The Animated Series episode “The Time Trap” (1973)
• Lower Decks episode “Veritas” (2020)
• Enterprise episode “In a Mirror, Darkly Part II” (2005)
• Discovery season 1 as a skeleton kept by Captain Lorca (2017)

Because the Enterprise Gorn is from the Mirror Universe , and the other non- TOS appearances are either animated or skeletal, actual flesh-and-blood Gorn sightings in the Prime Universe of Trek canon are extremely rare.

“We discussed this quite a bit, how to honor the idea that people either haven't seen [the Gorn] and in some cases might not even believe they exist,” writer Davy Perez tells Inverse. “ There is a lot we still don’t know about the Gorn. What was fun for me was using parts from ‘Arena’ we do know to inform some of their behavior.”

Perez points out that in “Arena,” Kirk is told by the Metrons that the creature he fights is a Gorn, which gave the writers “room to play” while making sure the moment for Kirk still made sense.

“Our goal is never to undo people’s experience with The Original Series, ” Perez explains. “But if we can manage it, perhaps to give us an interesting perspective to consider that lines up with the original stories.”

Why Strange New Worlds didn’t show the Gorn

La’an (Christina Chong) and Ortegas (Melissa Navia) in a tense moment on the bridge of the Enterprise .

Because Kirk had never seen a Gorn before “Arena,” some fans might be worried that Strange New Worlds flies very close to violating canon in “Memento Mori.” How can the Enterprise encounter the Gorn in roughly 2259 if Kirk doesn’t see the Gorn for the first time until 2267?

The answer is simple: At no point in this episode do we ever see a Gorn. And Perez reveals this decision was crucial.

“I think there were some early ideas floating around where we might have caught a glimpse of one,” Perez says. “But there was always the idea that we should hear about them and begin to dread the Gorn without ever actually seeing them. Once we decided not to see them at all, the episode sprang to life.”

Because “Memento Mori” doesn’t feature Pike wrestling with a guy in a lizard suit, it doesn’t reference “Arena” all that much. Instead, the structure of “Memento Mori” refers to a different Original Series episode, “Balance of Terror,” in which the Enterprise plays cat-and-mouse with a Romulan ship.

“It was 100 percent an inspiration,” Perez says. “I did a deep dive on submarine movies when I was researching this episode. I wanted to emulate that same feeling as ‘Balance of Terror.’ We put the focus on our crew working together and dealing with their respective problems all over the ship.”

Strange New Worlds ’ “Easter egg basket”

Although Pike, Spock, and most of Starfleet have never seen a Gorn, Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) very much has. As revealed in this episode, La’an’s family was murdered by the Gorn when she was a small child on a Federation colony ship, the S.S. Puget Sound . As La’an says in the episode, “plenty of people have seen the Gorn,” they just don’t live to tell the tale.

In this way, La’an has hidden canon knowledge about the Gorn that even Spock and Kirk won’t have until after the events of “Arena” in The Original Series . Notably, this is also the second bit of classic Trek canon that La’an has access to because of her unique background. In “Ghosts of Illyria,” we learn she’s the descendent of the villainous Khan Noonien Singh from TOS and The Wrath of Khan . So, in the ‘60s show, the crew doesn’t know much about the Gorn and has spotty knowledge of Khan, but in Strange New Worlds , La’an has secret knowledge of both.

“I haven’t thought her that way, but I can see how she is sort of the ‘Easter Egg basket’ for our show,” Perez says with a laugh. “She’s an outsider and new character, and she also gets to be an audience surrogate. A lot of La’an’s back story is going to be new information to existing fans as well. That’s what is fun about playing in this era [of Star Trek canon]. There are a lot of stories and ideas that have been touched on in the past but still have lots of potential to explore.”

Captain Kirk (William Shatner) refuses to murder the Gorn Captain in “Arena.”

Perez also notes that La’an’s feelings about the Gorn are intended to reference Kirk’s actions in “Arena,” albeit in a roundabout way. In “Memento Mori,” La’an says, “The Federation teaches that if we can find a way to empathize with an enemy, they can one day become our friends. They’re wrong . Some things in this universe are just plain evil.”

And yet, in “Arena,” Kirk famously refuses to murder a Gorn, proving to the Metrons that human beings are capable of incredible empathy. It’s a classic Trek moment that gets an interesting twist in Strange New Worlds .

“It’s a nice bookend thematically with ‘Arena,’” Perez explains. “La’an says this because of her history with the Gorn. We’re a long way from that lesson right now.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds airs new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays.

This article was originally published on May 26, 2022

• Science Fiction

Screen Rant

Strange new worlds just solved a 56-year-old star trek gorn question.

In Star Trek: TOS, the Gorn lure the Enterprise into an ambush, but Kirk can't figure out why. Now it seems that Strange New Worlds has an answer.

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' Season 2 finale.

• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 finale provides an answer to the question of why the Gorn lured the USS Enterprise to Cestus 3 in the original series episode "Arena."
• The Gorn attacked Cestus 3 in retaliation for Captain Pike's betrayal, which explains their motive for luring the Enterprise back into their territory in TOS.
• The events in Strange New Worlds season 2 may lead to a temporary agreement between Starfleet and the Gorn Hegemony, potentially ending the conflict.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' season 2 finale may have just solved a 56-year-old question about Star Trek 's Gorn. First introduced in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Arena", the reptilian Gorn had never ascended into the higher tiers of Star Trek aliens until recently. Strange New Worlds season 1 reimagined the classic aliens as terrifying invaders that, to reproduce, required organic hosts for their parasitic eggs. Drawing comparisons with Ridley Scott's Alien , the new Gorn are a horrifying species that have given Strange New Worlds some of its best and most terrifying episodes to date.

While there are concerns that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds breaks Gorn canon with these new revelations, it's making sense of an unanswered question from their first appearance. In "Arena", the USS Enterprise arrives at Cestus 3, only to find that it's been decimated by unseen attackers. Just barely escaping the planet with his life, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) orders the Enterprise to give chase, all the while pondering why they were lured to the planet to begin with. The events following the Gorn attack on Parnassus Beta in Strange New Worlds ' season 2 finale may finally provide an answer to that question.

Was Star Trek's Cestus 3 Attack Revenge By The Gorn?

Pondering why the Gorn lured the Enterprise to Cestus 3, Kirk suggested that it was because they wanted to destroy the only protection in that particular region of space. Later in the episode, when Kirk fights the Gorn at the behest of the Metrons, the reptile explains that the colony was an encroachment on their territory. It doesn't, however, explain why it needed to lure the USS Enterprise to the planet. It's possible, therefore, that the Gorn were seeking revenge for what happened on Parnassus Beta several years previously.

Parnassus Beta is also in Gorn territory, which is why they attacked the planet in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' season 2 finale. If Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) ends up negotiating a retreat from Gorn space, then this agreement will be rendered null and void by the founding of the Earth observation outpost on Cestus 3. Angered at Pike's betrayal, it would make sense for the Gorn to lure the Enterprise back into their space to seek vengeance for him going back on his word. The only problem is that it's Kirk, not Pike, who is now Captain of the USS Enterprise.

How Strange New Worlds' Gorn Story Changes TOS' Arena

If the Gorn were seeking revenge for a perceived betrayal by Captain Pike, then it would make sense for the Metrons to pit Kirk and the Gorn Captain against each other. Kirk's obsessive pursuit of the Gorn ship is driven by his own bloodthirsty desire to avenge the brutal deaths of all those on Cestus 3. In forcing the two Captains to face each other in primitive combat, the Metrons would be showing both species the futility of revenge. It will be interesting to see how Strange New Worlds season 3 further sets up this classic Star Trek: The Original Series episode.

In "Arena", Lt. Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy) states that not much is known about the region of space that has been claimed by the Gorn. This is presumably because the events on Parnassus Beta will lead to a temporary agreement between Starfleet and the Gorn Hegemony. Such an agreement would presumably see Starfleet withdraw from exploring beyond Parnassus Beta in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. Reflecting on the contested borders in "Arena", Spock notes that it's something best decided by diplomats, which suggests that Kirk's fight with the Gorn will finally end what Captain Pike's fight began.

All episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 are streaming now on Paramount+.

Giant Freakin Robot

Star Trek's Most Underrated Show Almost Lost Its Best Character

Posted: April 24, 2024 | Last updated: April 24, 2024

Star Trek’s Most Underrated Show Almost Lost Its Best Character

Captain Kirk’s fight against the Gorn in The Original Series episode “Arena” transformed that alien into Star Trek’s most recognizable creature, which is why it’s so surprising we didn’t get any other major Gorn storylines until Strange New Worlds. As it turns out, there were plans among the Enterprise writers to make the Gorn more of a going concern by making them the villains in the episode that became “The Andorian Incident.” That might sound cool, but here’s the thing: if the writers had gone with this idea, we would likely have never gotten the fan-favorite Andorian character Shran.

The Andorian Incident Almost Looked Very Different

To help you understand why it would have been so bad if Enterprise replaced the Andorians with the Gorn in this episode, we need to revisit what “The Andorian Incident” was all about. The ep (which was directed by Star Trek: Voyager legend Roxann Dawson) featured the Enterprise crew visiting a Vulcan monastery, but Andorians led by Commander Shran quickly captured an away team. The Andorians are suspicious that the Vulcans are using this monastery to spy on their interstellar neighbor, and in an incredible plot twist, it turns out the Vulcans really are spying on the Andorians with a high-tech sensor array.

Since he is a man of honor, Archer (after getting dramatically rescued by his crew) lets Shran go with firm evidence of the Vulcan espionage. Shran, also a man of honor, tells Archer that he is now in the Starfleet captain’s debt. He soon pays that debt back in “The Shadows of P’Jem” by rescuing Archer, kicking off a bromance between the two characters that would last through the very end of the show.

Jeffrey Combs Greatest Star Trek Character

Had the Enterprise writers made the Gorn the villains of “The Andorian Incident” instead of the titular blue meanies, we might never have been introduced to Commander Shran. That would have done more than robbed us of a few cool stories; it would also have kept us from getting a Jeffrey Combs performance that many fans believe is his very best in the franchise. Fortunately, the Enterprise writers quickly gave up on the idea of using the Gorn for a hilariously simple reason.

Going back to their first appearance, the Gorn didn’t speak, at least not in any way that Starfleet could understand. That’s part of why Kirk had to go toe-to-claw with a Gorn captain so viciously in “Arena:” he really did try some Picard-style diplomacy with the creature, and they only began fighting because there was no real way to communicate. 

Considering how much the plot of the Enterprise episode “The Andorian Incident” relied on communication between Archer and Shran, the writers of the episode ditched the idea of using the Gorn because there was no canonical way for Archer (who had much less knowledge and much more primitive technology than Kirk) to talk to this alien creature. Another compelling reason they didn’t use the Gorn is because “Arena” makes it clear Kirk is the first officer to encounter one of these reptilian villains. Strange New Worlds would retcon this in a big way in “Memento Mori” while also revealing the Gorn do communicate, at least ship-to-ship, via light signals.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Use The Gorn Correctly

As a fan of both Enterprise and Strange New Worlds, I have mixed feelings about the abandoned idea of replacing the Gorn with the Andorians. Part of me wouldn’t trade Jeffrey Combs’ Shran character for the world, but part of me would love to have seen Captain Archer and crew fighting off some SNW-style Gorn. Still, these scaly scumbags eventually got their day in the sun by becoming the Big Bads of Strange New Worlds. 

It ultimately took over two decades since “The Andorian Incident” for the franchise to really focus on the Gorn again. As Enterprise fans might say, it’s been a long road, getting from there to here, for Star Trek’s most iconic alien.

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Star Trek Confirms The Return Of Kirks Greatest Enemy

They're back!

By Michileen Martin | Published 2 years ago

Of all the villains the heroes of the various Star Trek heroes have faced, the Gorn hold a singular place in the mythos. Introduced in the 1967 Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Arena,” the Gorn are reptilian humanoids who historically don’t get along with outsiders. In spite of remaining one of the most memorable bad guys in Trek, the Gorn have hardly shown up. While Romulans and Klingons have popped up all over the place since they were introduced in TOS; except for a brief CGI appearance in Enterprise, the Gorn were canonical no-shows as villains until they locked horns with Captain Pike’s crew in the fourth episode of Strange New Worlds. Now, the creators have confirmed the Gorn are on their way back.

As reported by Trek Movie , Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was the final topic of discussion in the Hall H Trek panel over the weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, and among other things Alex Kurtzman talked about the future of the Gorn. “Early on when [Akiva Goldsman] and I were breaking the story for the pilot, we wanted the Gorn to be the big bad of the season,” Kurtzman recalled. “And obviously, the Gorn holds a very special place in our hearts from TOS. But the idea of what we could do with the Gorn now given technology and where it’s at felt like a really amazing opportunity… So I don’t think it’s going to be the only time you see the Gorn. The lore of them and the way they were presented, they’re just too exciting and too interesting.”

The Gorn gave the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds heroes a difficult time in two episodes in its inaugural season. In the fourth episode, “Memento Mori,” the Enterprise and her crew barely survives an encounter with a veritable fleet of Gorn ships waiting to destroy the heroes. We only see the aliens’ ships in that episode rather than the creatures themselves. We get a much closer and more terrifying look at the Gorn in the season’s penultimate episode, “All Those Who Wander.” A squad of trapped Starfleet officers find themselves in a situation right out of Predator or Alien, stalked by ravenous infant Gorn, and one of the senior crew — Bruce Horak’s Hemmer, the Aenar chief engineer — sacrifices himself to save his friends.

While Kurtzman stops short of confirming the Gorn will once again be facing the heroes in season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, it certainly seems likely, Few established, well-known alien species in Trek have as much potential for a newer series. With very few canonical appearances, the lore of the Gorn is rich enough to be familiar, and spare enough to build new stories on. 

The Gorn are also integral to the backstory of one of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ main characters. In “Memento Mori” we learn that La’an ( Christina Chong ) was captured by the Gorn as a child and dropped on one of the race’s breeding planets, where she was meant to serve as food and hunting practice for younger Gorn. The experience did not leave her with fond memories of the lizard men.

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Fans on mission. To seek out autographs from Star Trek icon William Shatner

LAKE TWP. − For many, it was a final frontier.

To boldly go where they had never gone before — into the presence of Star Trek actor William Shatner .

Several hundred people flocked Saturday to Hartville MarketPlace & Flea Market to get autographs and pictures with the 93-year-old man known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the original 1960s television series Star Trek. Those 79 episodes spawned a decades-long influential cultural franchise and phenomenon.

The crowd loudly cheered when Shatner appeared at 10:50 a.m. in an area by the food court cordoned off for his appearance that was arranged by Prime Time Sports and Framing of Kent. Fans, several arriving in wheelchairs, brought Star Trek uniforms, promotional pictures from the TV series and Star Trek films, a model of the U.S.S. Enterprise and sketches to be marked with his coveted signature.

Related: 'Star Trek' legend William Shatner to appear at Hartville MarketPlace

The cost of each autograph or picture with him was $149. If you wanted both, the cost was $275. For him to write three words or less with the autograph cost $79 more. Several also paid $100 for a VIP pass to skip the line.

Shatner could be seen for the next 74 minutes signing autographs, smiling and engaging in light banter with fans. After everyone who had paid for an autograph had been served, he got onto a scooter with balloons tied to it and going nowhere close to as fast as warp speed went to All Star Sports Gallery.

Someone wearing an elaborate costume as Bumblebee the Transformer led the procession. Then, Shatner switched from the scooter to sitting on a stool to take pictures with people, with the line of those waiting for pictures stretching back to the food court area.

Dave Bell, 74, of Lake Township, who watches the classic Star Trek episodes every night, said he wasn't willing to pay $149 for an autograph. But he came to Hartville Marketplace to get a glimpse and picture of Shatner.

"I'm a Trekkie. But this is ridiculous," Bell said about the crowd. "I'm not surprised. He's a very popular guy."

Jann Henthorn drove an hour from Orrville to see the man who played the beloved Star Trek captain.

"Is William Shatner here?" she said as she tried to spot him through the autograph seekers blocking her view. "I see him! ... All of us baby boomers are all excited!"

Henthorn recalled watching Star Trek when it first aired in the 1960s long before it achieved massive cult status in syndication.

"He looks good," she said about Shatner.

Cassedy Brennan, 28, of Wadsworth stood by one of the barricades snapping pictures of Shatner. Her father, a big Star Trek fan, was in line waiting for an autograph on a poster.

"He is like a kid in a candy store today. He is so excited. It's like Star Wars, Star Trek paraphernalia in the basement. ... Unopen toys. This is his jam," she said. "I think it's cool. Not exactly my thing. But here to support my dad. It's cool to see, too."

Brennan was one of the few people in their 20s in the crowd.

"I probably wouldn't know William Shatner out of context if it weren't for my dad," she said, adding that she saw classic Star Trek episodes with her father. "There's probably some millennials that are fans. But I'm not a sci-fi kind of girl."

Michael Rothman, 38, of Lake Township said Shatner autographed his set of Star Trek DVDs.

He said the actor said to him, "'Thank you very much.' That's all he said."

His wife Shandi Rothman clarified that, "He (also) said, 'Pleasure to see you.'"

Stacy Klotz of Massillon got Shatner to autograph her Captain James T. Kirk poster. She considered the $149 cost a "once in a lifetime type of thing." A sci-fi fan, she first started seeing Star Trek in syndication in the late 1970s.

Matt Merew, 56, of Zanesville got Shatner to sign his model of the Enterprise and his picture depicting the scene where Captain Kirk fights an alien captain known as a Gorn. The picture already had the autograph of the actor who played the Gorn that Merew got at a past Star Trek convention.

Cameron Blakey, 46, of Mogadore, who watched Star Trek in the 1980s with his uncle and mother, got Shatner to autograph his sketch of Captain Kirk that Blakey drew.

"He asked me how I was. And he asked me if I drew this. I told him I did. And I told him that we basically thank you for everything and he made my day," he said. "He made my life. Awesome, awesome experience!"

Karen Isaiah of Mogadore said she watched the original Star Trek in 1967.

"I'm ecstatic. I didn't want to miss him for anything," she said. "I met (singer) Johnny Mathis. I talked to William Shatner. My life is complete."

Reach Robert at [email protected]. X formerly Twitter: @rwangREP.

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Podcast: Armin Shimerman, Kitty Swink, Jonathan Frakes & Juan Carlos Coto—Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer

| April 22, 2024 | By: All Access Star Trek Pod Team 1 comments so far

In this supplemental edition of  All Access Star Trek , Anthony and Laurie are joined by Armin Shimerman, Kitty Swink, Jonathan Frakes, and Juan Carlos Coto (Manny Coto’s brother) to talk about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the Purple Stride walk on April 27th, the importance of early detection and family support, the improvements in detection and symptoms to watch out for, why there’s hope for the future, and the power of Star Trek fans to do good in the world as a group. They also talk Trek, covering topics like Ferengi makeup new and old, the cancellation of Lower Decks , the definition of “filler episodes,” the differences on set between Star Trek in the ’80s and ’90s vs. now, and more.

John Billingsley was going to join the group, but was unable to make it at the last minute. He will be at the Purple Stride walk!

If you can, please join Purple Stride, donate to the cause, or both. If you can’t, please spread the word via social media and word of mouth.

Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer participation and donation page

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Purple Stride

Pancreatic Cancer symptoms and diagnosis

Getting support

Manny Coto Remembrance By Brian Helgeland: “We Were Best Friends After All; We Wrote Together To Be Together” [Deadline]

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, South Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In addition, the series airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada and on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.