star trek arena transcript

Star Trek (1966–1969): Season 1, Episode 18 - Arena - full transcript

When an alien race known as the Gorn destroys an Earth colony, the Enterprise pursues the fleeing Gorn vessel until another race of powerful aliens called the Metrons intervenes and forces Captain Kirk and the Gorn captain to face off in one-on-one combat in which the winner will be released and the loser destroyed along with his ship and crew.

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Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcripts

Discussion in ' Web Sites/Design ' started by dxdydxdy , Mar 29, 2015 .

dxdydxdy Guest

Christopher Writer Admiral

Re: Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcrip This is very handy. I often do a Google search of Chakoteya's transcripts for dialogue, but it can be inconvenient. This tool looks like it could be very useful. One glitch, though: It doesn't seem to list different series in chronological order relative to each other. When I looked up "Andorian," the series were listed in the order DS9, TNG, VOY, TOS, Movies, TAS, ENT. Looking up "James T. Kirk" spoken by Kirk also gives a list with the movies between TOS and TAS. Another potential issue that occurs to me is that the transcripts on Chakoteya's site tend to use British spellings, and sometimes don't use accurate spellings for alien terms or names. So some results will occasionally be missed because the searcher hasn't anticipated the site's spelling choices. I'm not sure there's a way to program the search engine to deal with those issues, though. (Do people still say "program?") There's also the fact that Chakoteya's page is missing an Into Darkness transcript, but I suppose that's something to take up with her.

Alidar Jarok Everything in moderation but moderation Moderator

Re: Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcrip Regarding order, if you go with TOS TNG DS9 VOY ENT, it'll both go with general familiarity and with series order (TOS and TNG might be interchangeable, but it wouldn't be controversial to list TOS first). Obviously, TAS is a bit more complicated. With familiarity, it's last. With chronology, it's second. The movies also complicate things. But I think that rough order for the main shows is the best way.

Re: Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcrip This recent article points out that, to the new generation of fans, all the Trek series are equally accessible through online streaming. Go to the Netflix page for, say, TOS, TNG, VGR, or ENT (though not DS9, for some reason), scroll down to the "More Like X" section at the bottom, and TAS is right there in plain view (even though TOS isn't!). TAS is also treated equally to the other series on Memory Alpha and on StarTrek.com's database. So I'm not sure that differential in familiarity is all that big an issue these days. The Internet has made all of Trek available at a moment's notice. Besides, "familiarity" is a subjective assessment. How do you measure it? Unless you've taken actual surveys to determine what series are more familiar with the general public, you're just imposing your own assumptions on the data. A chronological ordering would be more objective.

Re: Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcrip Equal accessibility and being treated as canon on a website don't mean they're all valued equally. I agree that chronological order (while having the TOS movies together before TNG) is ideal, though.

Re: Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcrip Alidar Jarok said: ↑ Equal accessibility and being treated as canon on a website don't mean they're all valued equally. Click to expand...

CaliburnCY Ensign Newbie

Re: Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcrip Awesome search tool. Nice work!

KiazisChildren Ensign Newbie

dxdydxdy said: ↑ Check it out at http://scriptsearch.dxdy.name In short, it allows you to search chakoteya.net's transcripts by lines, locations, speakers, the people present and much more! Why is this better than using a normal search engine? Only the results that precisely match what you’re looking for are displayed. The full line plus its immediate context is displayed, saving you the trouble of having to go on each and every page to find out how a sentence ends. Instead, you can simply have a look at the results and then decide to go to the relevant transcripts for further context. The results are displayed in the same order their episodes aired. That way, you won’t have to manually re-order them if you’re interested in how a character’s views developed over time. You can restrict your search to specific shows or episodes. So far, I've used it to research how a certain subject is portrayed, or how a character's view on a subject evolved over time. The ability to separate results by author also allows for a convenient analysis on how two character's takes on the same philosophy might differ. Also, it's handy to simply find long-forgotten scenes like that scene where Vash, Picard and Q were discussing in the ready room. Giving the tool that information will quickly point you to the scene in question. If you've got any suggestions for improvement, be sure to let me know. Click to expand...

dxdydxdy This tool you've created is outstanding, thank you so much. I was using it a few months ago, then it suddenly stopped. It fails to connect to the site or server, do you know why or how I can connect to use it again please?

Kor Fleet Admiral Admiral

KiazisChildren said: ↑ dxdydxdy This tool you've created is outstanding, thank you so much. I was using it a few months ago, then it suddenly stopped. It fails to connect to the site or server, do you know why or how I can connect to use it again please? Click to expand...

ChallengerHK Captain Captain

Is the tool still active? It won't load for me.

No, as @KiazisChildren notes above, it stopped working a few months ago. Maybe somebody could try contacting the webmaster via the info on the "about" page, still available through the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20191229234220/http://scriptsearch.dxdy.name/?page=about Kor

Email sent. I'll let you know if I get any response.

Response received. The site owner says that they're down for technological reasons and that it will return.

ChallengerHK said: ↑ Response received. The site owner says that they're down for technological reasons and that it will return. Click to expand...

okonaisthefather Cadet Newbie

Since dxdy's long time search engine is down, I thought I'd share my dump of Star Trek transcripts and some example commands for searching them: [Link Removed] Though actually searching those transcripts requires some command line familiarity, so it's far less accessible. I loved dxdy's online tool and am sad to see it's gone. Though I can empathize with the pains of maintaining a service like that for many years. I might try to put together a much easier to use web interface for Star Trek script searching in the future. Moderator Action - Link removed because it appears the work was obtained without permission

Chakoteya Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

@okonaisthefather I don't recall you asking if you could take all my Trek work and post it on GitHub for any one to download. Or perhaps you did but I don't know your name? At least dxdy approached me first for permission to use the site for his proof of concept.

NCC-73515 Vice Admiral Admiral

Just use google like this: "beam me up" site:chakoteya.net

Chakoteya said: ↑ @okonaisthefather I don't recall you asking if you could take all my Trek work and post it on GitHub for any one to download. Or perhaps you did but I don't know your name? At least dxdy approached me first for permission to use the site for his proof of concept. Click to expand...

Jinn Mistress of the Chaotic Energies Rear Admiral

Alidar Jarok said: ↑ I removed the link based on this post. okonaisthefather , if you disagree with this action, please PM me. If you are not able to do that yet, please either post in this thread and I'll sort it out from there. Click to expand...

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Arena (Star Trek: The Original Series)

" Arena " is the eighteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek . Written by Gene L. Coon (based on a 1944 short story of the same name by Fredric Brown ) [1] and directed by Joseph Pevney , the episode was first broadcast on January 19, 1967.

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In the episode, while pursuing a Gorn vessel for an apparently unprovoked attack on a Federation outpost, Captain Kirk is forced by powerful entities to battle the opposing captain.

The USS Enterprise arrives at the Cestus III Outpost by invitation of its commanding officer, but the crew find the outpost obliterated. Captain Kirk , First Officer Spock , Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy , and a security force beam down to find one survivor who says the base came under heavy bombardment from an unknown enemy. The landing party find themselves under fire from nearby, with two of the security team killed in the initial volley. The Enterprise is also under attack from an unknown vessel, preventing the crew from beaming up the landing party. On the surface, Kirk finds a grenade launcher from the outpost's stores, and uses it to scatter the alien forces. The alien ship recovers its crew from the surface and begins to retreat. The landing party is beamed back aboard Enterprise before they give chase.

Both ships enter an unexplored sector of space, and shortly thereafter, lose all propulsion power. Enterprise is contacted by a species calling themselves the Metrons, who zealously guard their sector of space from intrusion. They announce that they will pit the respective captains against each other in " trial by combat ", a one-to-one battle to the death, with the ship of the losing captain to be destroyed and the other ship free to leave. Captain Kirk is suddenly transported to the surface of a rocky, barren asteroid along with the captain of the other ship, who is of a reptilian species known as the Gorn . The Metrons speak to Kirk, explaining that while neither captain has communication with his ship, each has been given a vocal recording device that will transmit their words to their ships; however, they are unaware that they also translate their words to the opposing captain as well. Kirk is told that the asteroid has numerous resources either captain can use to defeat the other. Aboard Enterprise , the crew are allowed to watch Kirk's actions.

Kirk attempts to communicate with the Gorn, but receives no response. The Gorn tracks down Kirk, and Kirk realizes he is outmatched physically and relies on his speed and agility to outrun the Gorn. Kirk gets caught in a rope trap set by the Gorn that injures his leg and slows him down. The Gorn finally communicates with Kirk via the translation device and offers to put him out of his misery. Kirk accuses the Gorns of being butchers, but the alien defends their attack on Cestus III, stating the outpost had been built in what the Gorns considered to be their territory. They viewed the Federation's presence in this part of space as an intrusion and a possible prelude to full-scale invasion.

Trying to stay ahead of the Gorn, Kirk discovers numerous valuable minerals and resources on the asteroid, seemingly useless at this point. He is inspired upon finding stalks of bamboo and raw chemicals that can be mixed into a black powder formula. He constructs a makeshift weapon, using chunks of diamond as ammunition. Kirk barely completes the assembly as the Gorn arrives and fires it, severely wounding the Gorn. As Kirk prepares to deal a death blow, he considers the Gorn's claims that the attack on Cestus III was only in self-defense, and allows him to live. Suddenly, the Gorn disappears, and a Metron appears to Kirk, congratulating him on not only winning the battle but showing the advanced trait of mercy for one's enemy. Kirk declines the Metrons' offer to destroy the Gorn ship, leading the Metron to comment that "you are still half savage, but there is hope", and that the Federation should seek out the Metrons again in several thousand years time. Suddenly Kirk finds himself back aboard Enterprise , his injuries healed, and the crew finds itself 500 parsecs from Metron space, the Gorn ship nowhere in range.

The episode was filmed in part on location at Vasquez Rocks , which was subsequently used as a shooting location in other Star Trek episodes and films. [2] [3]

The episode marked the directorial debut of Joseph Pevney, who was hired by Gene L. Coon. [4]

The Gorn captain's vocalizations were provided by actor Ted Cassidy , who also appeared in person in the Star Trek episode " What Are Little Girls Made Of? " and provided the menacing voice of Balok in the episode " The Corbomite Maneuver ". The Gorn was portrayed by stuntmen Bobby Clark and Gary Combs and by extra Bill Blackburn in close-ups. [5]

William Shatner recalls standing too close to a stage prop explosion during the filming of the episode, causing tinnitus , which became chronic. [6] Leonard Nimoy was also afflicted. Shatner has it in his left ear and Nimoy had it in his right ear. [7]

"Arena" was the first episode of Star Trek to be broadcast in colour in the UK ( BBC , November 1969).

"Arena" was the first episode scripted by Gene L Coon. [4] According to an account by Herbert F. Solow in the book Inside Star Trek, The Real Story, [1] the episode's similarity to the often-reprinted Fredric Brown original short story may have come from a subconscious inspiration . After Coon had written what he believed to be an entirely original script, Desilu 's research department, headed by Kellam de Forest, noted the similarity. It was therefore agreed that Desilu's Business Affairs office would call Brown and offer a fair price for the story, before it was shot and broadcast. Brown, not knowing that the script had already been written; was granted screen credit for the story.

This episode introduced elements to the Star Trek canon, including the Gorn species, the Metron species and the planet Cestus III. Cestus III is mentioned later as the home planet of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character Kasidy Yates , and is referenced in non-canonical Star Trek novels. [4]

In the 2010s, actor William Shatner re-enacted his battle fighting the Gorn, for an advertisement for the 2013 Star Trek video game (Kelvin timeline). [8] In the spot they have a similar fight, but it takes place in a modern-day living room and starts with the two playing a console video game together in co-op mode . [9]

In 2009, Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club gave the episode an 'A−' rating, noting the episode's influence and noting the use of a theme of Star Trek , the "uncertainty of exploration". [10]

In 2010, SciFiNow ranked this in the Top 10 episodes of the original series. [11]

In 2013, The Hollywood Reporter , ranked the Kirk vs. Gorn fight as one of the top 15 key moments of the original series. [12]

In 2016, Newsweek ranked "Arena" as one of the best episodes of the original series, and they note it was a popular episode. [13]

In 2016, Empire ranked this the 41st best out of the top 50 episodes of all the 700 plus Star Trek television episodes. [14] They note that Kirk wins in this episode, not by killing a dangerous alien, called the Gorn, but by showing mercy which impresses the powerful aliens that pitted them against each other. [14]

In 2016, IGN ranked "Arena" number 10 in a top ten list of the original series episodes. [15]

In 2016, Radio Times ranked the battle between Kirk and the Gorn, as the seventh best moment of all Star Trek film and television. [3] They note that the action scene was filmed at the Vasquez rocks in southern California, USA. [3] They also praised Shatner's unique acting style in his mission logs, and noted how many aspects of this episode are great examples of the science fiction genre in this period. [3]

In 2017, Business Insider ranked "Arena" the 12th best episode of the original series. [16]

In 2017, ahead of the debut of Star Trek: Discovery , Patrick Cooley of The Plain Dealer ranked "Arena" as the 6th best episode in the first 50 years of the Star Trek franchise. [17]

In 2018, Collider ranked this episode the 7th best original series episode. [18] They praised the Gorn costume and noted that this episode introduces the powerful Metron aliens. [18]

In 2019, Nerdist included this episode on their "Best of Kirk" binge-watching guide. [19]

In 2019, Comic Book Resources ranked "Arena" as one of the top eight most memorable episodes of the original Star Trek . [20]

In 2020, PopMatters ranked this the 6th best episode of the original series. [21]

Into the Forest I Go

The Enterprise is on course for the planet Cestus III to investigate why a landing party has not been heard from since their arrival when they are suddenly intercepted by an unknown spacecraft. The alien commander, a creature known as the “Metron” orders Kirk and his crew to stand down and prepare for battle. Though reluctant to engage in violence, Kirk eventually agrees to the Metron’s demands and a battle ensues.

Kirk and the alien commander soon find that they are actually evenly matched in terms of weapons and tactics. It appears that the Metron is testing the abilities of the Enterprise’s crew, but to what end? Anxious to find out the reason behind the Metron’s behavior, Kirk and his crew are soon beamed down to an alien planet with a mysterious arena.

It is soon revealed that the Metron is testing Kirk to see if he is capable of defeating the Gorn, a powerful alien race that is threatening to take over the galaxy. Kirk is warned that if he is not successful in his mission, the Enterprise will be destroyed.

Kirk is then pitted against the Gorn in a battle to the death. Outnumbered and outgunned, Kirk must use all of his wit and cunning to survive. Through a combination of quick thinking and daring tactics, Kirk manages to defeat the Gorn and save the galaxy. However, the cost of his victory is too great, and Kirk is forced to leave the arena and the planet with a heavy heart.

Back aboard the Enterprise, Kirk and his crew ponder the events that have just taken place and what they might mean for the future. With the Gorn threat now eliminated, the Federation is free to explore the galaxy and bring peace and prosperity to a war-torn universe.

The conscience of the king, a piece of the action, assignment: earth.

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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.
When a reptilian alien race known as the Gorn destroys an Earth colony, the Enterprise comes under attack by the Gorn vessel. Captain Kirk soon gives chase to the Gorn ship, leading them to an unexplored solar system, gradually (and dangerously) increasing speed. Kirk prepares to destroy the Gorn ship until another race of powerful aliens called the Metrons stops them and forces both captains to face off in mortal combat. The main purpose of this one-on-one duel is to solve their dispute, the winner will be released and the loser will be destroyed along with his ship and crew. — Anonymous
After an alien vessel attacks the Federation outpost, Kirk goes in hot pursuit with every intent of destroying the attacker. Spock advises moderation, but Kirk is dogged in his determination to teach them a lesson. When they enter an uncharted solar system, a superior being stops them and transports both captains to a planet where they are to engage in mortal combat. The reward for the winner is to have his ship go free while the loser will have his ship destroyed. Kirk's opponent, a Gorn, is a large lizard-like creature and much stronger than Kirk who must use his wits to defeat this new enemy. — garykmcd
Cestus III sends a message to welcome Kirk. Cestus III is a remote earth outpost but well stocked with friends and other things, so Kirk is happy to beam down with Spock, and some others to enjoy the hospitality. But, They have beamed into a trap. An alien race, the Gorn, a reptilian species who resemble large crocodiles with sharp fangs and beehive eyes, have completely destroyed every living thing. Kirk's friends are all dead. During a shootout, Kirk and the five crewmen try to plan strategy. They attack Gorn formations with mortar fire and force them to withdraw. Meanwhile the Gorn ship attacks the Enterprise in orbit. Sulu is in command and attacks the Gorn ship with Photon torpedoes. The Gorn have fled in their ship. Kirk is angry. His friends and his men are dead. "We will chase them" Kirk says. The Enterprise chases the Gorn ship, after beaming Kirk and his team from the surface, to an uncharted section of the galaxy. Kirk wants revenge for the loss of life of his crew. Both the Enterprise and the Gorn ship are frozen in space. A powerful voice comes on the loudspeaker while an eerie light is throbbing. It says "we cannot allow violence in our sector. we are the Metrons." Kirk debates this until he is gone. The Metron voice explains. "The two captains will fight and decide the fate of their ships." Spock and everyone are stunned. Kirk and the Gorn ship captain are transported to an Asteroid, which has materials to build a weapon and attack each other. But they cannot communicate with their ships. The Gorn is over 7 feet tall and powerful. Now Kirk fears for his life. He tries to set a trap for the Gorn by throwing rocks on him and trying to stab him, but this is a monster. Kirk hesitates a moment before killing him. The Gorn hurts Kirk's leg and Kirk is limping. Because the Metrons are powerful and civilized, they allow the rest of the crew to see Kirk die and to prepare themselves as well for death. But Kirk is not out of ideas. And Spock sees it too on the video monitor. The Gorn calls Kirk on the communicator and says that humans were intruding in their space by building a colony on Cestus III. McCoy is intrigued to learn that humans may be in the wrong in this situation. Kirk finds sulfur, diamonds, coal and other things to make gunpowder and a missile launcher. Now Kirk is about to die and he lights a piece of his uniform on fire as a match and uses his translator as a flint. The cannon goes off, the video goes blank on the ship. Kirk's cannon worked and the Gorn is almost completely unconscious. Kirk grabs the Gorn's knife and is ready to thrust it into its neck. Then Kirk throws away the knife and says to himself "I won't kill you." Then he yells at the sky. "I won't kill him. The Gorn thought they were defending their sector. I won't kill him for you". The Gorn of course is almost dead anyway. Now Kirk relaxes waiting for the Metrons to kill them all. But they do not. A Metron appears in a glistening shimmer. A young man, with blond hair, wearing a thin wispy robe, appears. He says "Why didn't you kill the Gorn?" And Kirk says "Maybe he was right in the fight. I don't know," The Metron says "You showed mercy. maybe you are worth having in the universe." Kirk smiles. The Metron says "In all honesty, I will kill the Gorn and his ship if you wish." Kirk says "No, we will work it out." Then Kirk is back on the ship. Spock says "What did the Metron say?" And Kirk says to Spock "He said we were a very promising species. Did you know that?" Spock says "I had my doubts." Then Kirk and all the human crew begin laughing including the yeomen.

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Star Trek: Season 1, Episode Eighteen “Arena”

Stardate: 3045.6 (2267) original air date: january 19, 1967 writer: gene l. coon/frederic brown director: joseph pevney.

<<< “The Squire of Gothos”

“Tomorrow Is Yesterday” >>>

“We’re a most promising species, Mr. Spock, as far as predators go…”

This legendary episode will always be remembered for its lengthy and campy battle scene between Capt. Kirk and the Gorn creature. It begins when the Enterprise pays a visit to a remote Federation outpost called Cestus III. The crew is eager to see Commodore Travers and his reputation for hospitality, particularly Commodore Travers’s personal chef, however once they beam down it is revealed that Cestus III has been reduced to little more than rubble. Kirk announces a red alert.

After a battle on Cestus III, in which the crew rescues an injured man named Lt. Harold (Tom Troupe, born in 1928 and still alive to this day), Kirk makes use of a discarded grenade launcher, and while on a tricorder Spock identifies the shelling aliens as cold-blooded and non-human. Meanwhile, the Enterprise is also attacked in orbit. Sulu guides the ship away from Cestus III before quickly returning to rescue Kirk and the remaining crew on the surface.

In sickbay, Lt. Harold reveals details of the surprise invasion –the attack was likely a trap to lure the Enterprise to Cestus III. Thus Kirk orders a risky chase of the alien ship at “Warp 7” and then “Warp 8” into an unexplored region of the galaxy. Soon however, the ship’s sensors reveal that the Enterprise is being scanned by an unknown planet in a nearby solar system. Both the Enterprise and the pursued alien ship are then slowed to a sub-light stop in dead space –they have been paused by an unknown third party: a powerful god-like race of extraterrestrials known as “Metrons.” The Metrons scold humanity for being calloused and violent, and they declare a battle of hand-to-hand combat between Kirk and the opposing captain (who is actually a reptilian creature known as a “Gorn”) in order to settle the dispute in a faux arena, a suitable planet fashioned by the Metrons.

Kirk and the Gorn engage in a melee while the Enterprise crew watch on the screen and appeal to the Metrons in the name of civilization to stop this duel –but to no avail. The Metrons are convinced that humans are a savage, brutal race. The fight between Kirk and the Gorn is terribly dated and downright silly, the combat sequences are just painfully bad, and it lasts for half the episode’s run-time. Eventually, Kirk hides in some rocks and he gathers potassium nitrate, diamonds, and a lump of coal to create a rudimentary form of gunpowder (good thing this planet is a “mineralogist’s dream!”) After a lengthy scene with minimal tension, Kirk builds a makeshift cannon and blasts the Gorn, but when given the chance he refuses to kill the creature, demonstrating his charitable, merciful, and civilized disposition to the Metrons. A Metron then appears in the form of a 1,500 year old angelic figure (played by Carolyne Barry, a trained dancer who also appears as an engineer in the TNG episode “Home Soil” and voiced by Vic Perrin, the famous radio personality who provided the “control voice” for the opening of The Outer Limits ). Kirk elects to take the path of diplomacy with both the Metron as well as the Gorn. Perhaps there is hope to reach an agreement with the Gorn in the future. The Metron, impressed by Kirk, claims their species will contact humanity whenever the time is right in the future (though they do not return in TOS ). This may take thousands of years for humanity to fully shed its evolutionary cloak of barbarism. Kirk is returned to the Enterprise which has been placed about 500 parsecs away from the Metron solar system. The Enterprise make way for Cestus III ostensibly to begin peace talks with the Gorn.

My Thoughts on “Arena”

While this is an absolutely essential, iconic episode, it does not rank among my favorite episodes of Star Trek . Or at least, it is not an episode I might fondly revisit. One question from this episode concerns the possible missteps made by the Federation –was the Gorn justified in its attack on Cestus III? Did the Federation arrogantly or perhaps ignorantly overstep its boundaries and place a colony directly inside the Gorn’s region? To what extent do the fundamentals of politics remain the same in this futuristic space world?

Writer/Director

This episode was written by producer/writer Gene L. Coon (1924-1973), a key member of the creative team in the first and second seasons, though this episode was actually based on a 1944 short story of the same name by versatile 20th century writer Fredric Brown (1906-1972).

Director Joseph Pevney (1911-2008) is tied with Marc Daniels for most TOS episodes directed. This was his first directed episode in the series after being brought onboard by Gene Coon. He completed the episode in six days, one day ahead of schedule, and as a result he earned a $500 bonus.

Star Trek Trivia:

Gene L. Coon wrote this script thinking it came from his own imagination, however the Business Department at Desilu noted the striking similarity between this story and another script idea submitted by Frederic Brown, so Desilu offered Mr. Brown a fair price for the story and he was ultimately given credit for the episode.
Several key ideas for the Trek franchise were first introduced in this episode: the Federation (later the “United Federation of Planets”), photon torpedoes, and the Gorn species.
This episode was filmed at the Vazquez rocks location in Southern California where other episodes were also filmed, including “Shore Leave.”
Standing too close to an explosion during the filming of this episode caused William Shatner and also Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley to contract tinnitus in their ears.
The plot for this episode bears similarity to an Outer Limits episode entitled “Fun and Games” in which advanced aliens known as Anderrans “electro-transport” humans and other intelligent beings to a moon called “Arena” in order to do battle with one another.
The recording/translating device Kirk and the Gorn were given in this episode later appeared as a universal translator.
Wah Chang designed and built the Gorn suit; but the Gorn’s clothing was designed by William Ware Theiss.
Technically four different men played the Gorn: stuntmen Bobby Clark and Gary Combs, William Blackburn wore the Gorn head for close-up shots, and Ted Cassidy provided the voice dubbing throughout. Ted Cassidy (Lurch on The Addams Family) previously appeared as the voice of Balok in “The Corbomite Maneuver” and the ancient android Ruk in “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” This episode was his final Star Trek appearance.
After production finished on this episode, the two Gorn costumes were placed in Robert Justman’s office to frighten newcomers.
The Metrons were named after Metatron, a high-ranking military solder in Michael’s army according Biblical mythology.
A “Cestus” was a Roman glove used as a weapon, and an “Arena” was a Roman word referring to sand on the floor of gladiatorial games such as the Coliseum.
Apparently, Ben Stiller is a big Star Trek fan and currently owns the original Gorn costume head.

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Star Trek – Arena (Review)

To celebrate the release of Star Trek: Into Darkness this month, we’ll be running through the first season of the classic Star Trek all this month. Check back daily to get ready to boldly go. It’s only logical.

Arena is a fascinating piece of Star Trek , because it’s such an iconic and important piece of franchise history, despite the fact that it’s far from the best that the show has to offer. Indeed, the basic premise of the show is rather generic science-fiction B-movie stuff. Kirk is forced to compete against a lizard-like alien by some god-like beings to ensure the survival of his crew. The script, by producer Gene L. Coon, is credited to a story written by Fredric Brown. Despite its similarities to Brown’s short story of the same name, Arena also shares quite a few plot points with a 1964 episode of The Outer Limits , Fun & Games . None of this is to suggest that Coon was consciously channelling these sources when he wrote the teleplay, just to illustrate how generic the basic plot is.

However, despite (or perhaps because of) this rather straightforward and familiar set-up, Arena is a truly memorable episode of Star Trek . Like quite a few other episodes of the original Star Trek , the episode produced images and concepts that have resonated well outside Star Trek fandom, to the point where elements like the Gorn or Kirk’s highly dubious improvised weapon will be recognisable to people who have never actually seen the episode. However, the episode is also vitally important to the Star Trek franchise itself, as it offers a more thorough expansion and exploration of the back story that has been inconsistently hinted at throughout this first season. Arena is really the first episode to feature a fully-formed framework for the internal logic of the Star Trek universe, one that has informed half-a-century of the franchise.

Plus, you know, Kirk wrestles a lizard man.

Don’t pretend you aren’t loving every minute of this, Shatner!

I’m quite prone to pointing out the people working behind the scenes on Star Trek that never get enough credit. Gene Roddenberry is the creator of the show, and an incredible visionary, but it’s easy to overlook the skill of the people who shaped and crafted that idea into an iconic television show. I’ve already talked quite a bit about Dorothy Fontana, and I’ll undoubtedly come back to talking about her place in the pantheon of “great people who worked on Star Trek.” However, let’s share the love a bit here. Let’s talk about Gene L. Coon.

Coon died relatively young, at the age of 49. However, he made a lasting impression. His distinguished writing career included the script The Killers , Ronald Reagan’s last acting job before moving into the world of politics. When it comes to Star Trek , however, Coon was one of the defining influences. The writer was credited with eight scripts under his own name, and four more scripts under the pseudonym Lee Cronin in the third season. Given the production difficulties facing the third season (and the use of a pseudonym), it’s hard to blame Coon for how Spock’s Brain turned out.

A red-hot red shirt…

Coon worked uncredited on a lot of other scripts during his tenure on Star Trek , much like did working on The Wild Wild West . However, even restricting our discussion to the scripts credited to his name, it’s clear that Coon was a massive influence in defining and shaping Star Trek . Arena is the writer’s first credit for the show, and it’s quite clear that – as soon as Coon started writing for the show consistently – the mythology and the back story of Star Trek became a lot firmer and more rigidly defined.

He was responsible for turning Space Seed from a mess of a story ( featuring a revived Aryan gangster ) into a Star Trek masterpiece. For those interested in Coon’s development of the shared universe, that episode established the Eugenics Wars and offered a justification for the franchise’s relatively subtle distaste for trans-humanism, a science-fiction staple. He apparently wrote The Devil in the Dark in four days, which is another classic of this pretty solid first season. He also created the Klingons in Errand of Mercy , and added a bit of history to the development of faster-than-light technology in Metamorphisis .

Solid like a rock…

Outside of Coon’s credited Star Trek episodes, it has also been suggested that the lead character from his aborted television show The Questor Tapes may have inspired the creation of Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation . That’s a fairly impressive resume, if you choose to measure a writer’s success by their lasting contribution to canon. More than that, though, Coon had a wonderful grasp of the sort of the B-movie mentality that made the classic Star Trek so charming, and arguably the aspect of the show most sorely missing from the misguided attempt to imitate the original series during the first couple of years of The Next Generation .

Coon is, after all, the writer who gave us the Gorn – a species with remarkable pop cultural awareness, given their next on-screen appearance would occur in In a Mirror, Darkly in 2005. He’s also responsible for both the space! Romans (in Bread & Circuses , co-written with Roddenberry) and space! gangsters (in A Piece of the Action ). Even in the third season, writing under a pseudonym, Coon gave us the wonderfully eerie space! western vibe of Spectre of the Gun and the cautionary space! racism morality tale of Let That Be Your Last Battlefield .

It’s the sixties all right…

Apparently, Coon wrote Arena without realising that he was drawing on Fredric Brown’s short story. As discussed in Great Birds of the Galaxy :

According to the on-air credits, the script for “Arena” was based on the Fredric Brown short story of the same name. “What happened,” says Dorothy Fontana, “is that Gene wrote the script as an original. When it was read by research, they said, ‘Oh, this is very much like the Fredric Brown story.’ Gene said, ‘Yes, you’re right. I must have read it and just didn’t realize it.'” So he instantly gave story credit to Fredric Brown and Mr. Brown was properly paid.

It’s a nice story, and – based on Coon’s delightfully pulpy aesthetic – it’s not too hard to believe that he’d stumbled across the idea of Kirk fighting an alien to the death without realising that he was drawing on a short story from 1944.

Been and Gorn…

Despite the somewhat basic premise and set-up, there’s a lot to like here. The Gorn, for example, is an absolutely wonderful creation. It’s one of the few Star Trek aliens that wouldn’t look out of place in a schlock horror film. It’s very clearly just a guy in a suit, but the up-front absurdity of it all is hard to resist. We are discussing space! dinosaurs who can fly space craft while wearing loinclothes.

It’s hard to ignore the B-movie appeal of that image, and it’s probably a reason why the Gorn have become such an iconic alien despite only appearing once during the entire original Star Trek run. (Okay, and briefly in an episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series ). Still, the Gorn stand among the most distinctive and recognisable of the classic Star Trek aliens, to the point where a trailer for the 2013 Star Trek game even features an affectionate reunion of William Shatner and the Gorn .

Talk about scorched earth…

The Gorn have featured quite heavily in spin-off media, with The Gorn Crisis exploring the obviously pressing question of what the Gorn were doing during the Dominion War at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . They’ve played a crucial part in the expanded universe, as part of the Typhon Pact series of novels by Pocket Books. They feature heavily in one line of Star Trek video games, the Star Fleet Universe strategy games. They’ve even cameoed in a scene cut from the 2009 Star Trek reboot. Not bad at all, eh?

Of course, the fight itself is part of pop culture history. Even the filming location has become a piece of pop geography, with Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back celebrating the use of the same location by setting a scene at the “Arena” diner. In Galaxy Quest , the script can incorporate a shout-out to Arena without even naming the episode. When the movie’s Shatner-esque lead finds himself confronting a monster in a desert locale, the only member of the team to have watched the show offers sage advice. “Look around, can you form some sort of rudimentary lathe?” The lathe itself has been the subject of a Mythbusters episode .

Gorn, you will go on my first whistle…

And, despite the fact that the villain is an extra wandering around in a lizard suit, Arena still manages to stay true to Roddenberry’s Star Trek ideals, by allowing Kirk to refuse to kill his defeated opponent and by making it clear that the Gorn is not a monster. Coon’s script is careful to justify the Gorn aggression, rather than presenting the creature as a mindless brute. While massacring an entire colony without warning is hardly a civilised act, Arena does offer some excuse for the atrocity, with McCoy observing, “Then we could be in the wrong.”

That said, the massacre of innocent colonists without any warning or prior contact is hard to justify no matter what external factors are at play. It seems like Kirk and McCoy are too easy to forgive the brutal attack made on a base that welcomed the Gorn ship with open arms. Still, it’s nice that Arena makes some effort (however small) to humanise the Gorn and to clarify that they aren’t mindless killing machines. This would become something of a speciality for Coon, with The Devil in the Dark revolving around the revelation that the Horta is not – despite its appearance – a monster.

Dagger of the… chest, I guess…

Kirk’s refusal to kill the Gorn is also a nice moment, even if forgiving the creature seems a little too much to ask. Kirk’s decision not to kill the alien would have carried more weight had the show acknowledged that – whatever their justifications – the Gorn were still mass-murderers. Given Kirk’s earlier emotional response to the atrocity, it would be nice if he’d seemed more conflicted, or if the show made it clear that he was unwilling to commit cold-blooded murder in any circumstance, rather than because this alien had a valid excuse for his violence.

Interestingly, the final scene omits an interesting piece of plot, which is included in James Blish’s Star Trek episode novelisations, after Kirk spares the life of the Gorn:

Then there was a humming, much like that he had heard so long ago aboard ship, when the screen had been scrambled. He turned. A figure was materializing under the overhang. It was not very formidable — certainly nothing so ominous, so awe-inspiring as its voice had suggested. Also, it was very beautiful. It looked like a boy of perhaps eighteen. “You’re a Metron,” Kirk said listlessly. “True,” said the figure. “And you have surprised us, Captain.” “How?” Kirk said, not much interested. “By winning?” “No. We had no preconceptions as to which of you would win. You surprised us by refusing to kill, although you had pursued the Gorn craft into our space with the intention of destroying it.” “That was different,” Kirk said. “That was necessary.” “Perhaps it was. It is a new thought. Under the circumstances, it is only fair to tell you that we lied to you.” “In what way?” “We said that the ship of the loser of this personal combat would be destroyed,” said the Metron. “After all, it would be the winner— the stronger, the more resourceful race— who would pose the greatest threat to us. It was the winner we planned to destroy.” Kirk lurched to his feet. “Not my ship,” he said dangerously. “No, Captain. We have changed our minds. By sparing your helpless enemy — who would surely have killed you in like circumstances — you demonstrated the advanced trait of mercy. This we hardly expected — and it leaves us with no clear winner.”

It’s a nice, nuanced touch which suggests that there’s more going on here than might first appear, and the episode feels a little bit simpler for the fact that the scene was cut.

No comment.

Arena is also the first episode to establish the Federation. Early on, episodes like Where No Man Has Gone Before , Mudd’s Women , The Corbomite Manoeuvre , What Are Little Girls Made Of? and The Man Trap painted space as this large and empty void. Even the previous episode, The Squire of Gothos , featured a desolate “star desert.” In those episodes, space seemed inherently hostile and mostly empty.

Only with episodes like The Conscience of a King and Court Martial did we begin to get a sense that Kirk and his crew were actually part of a much larger framework, and weren’t really that isolated and alone in the cosmos. Indeed, Court Martial was the first episode to mention “Starfleet.” The authority that Kirk reported to had been somewhat ambiguous throughout the season, with quite a few episodes suggesting that the Enterprise was an “Earth” ship. That creates the impression of one solitary planet reaching out into an impossible expanse of space.

A cold-blooded killer…

Arena expands on the idea of a large centralised authority from episodes like Court Martial and The Menagerie . The Federation is one of the core ideas of the Star Trek franchise, and it feels strange that it would only appear so late in a season that established so much so quickly. More than many earlier episodes, Arena seems to reflect the mood and atmosphere that would become prevalent throughout the rest of the franchise.

For the first time, space is presented as something that really shouldn’t be a hostile environment occupied by god-like beings and monsters. The Federation, it seems, is taming the frontier. The colony here seems to be completely surprised by the ambush, as if this sort of behaviour is completely alien to Federation values. “Scanners reported a ship approaching,” the survivor tells Kirk. “We get them now and then. They’re all welcome to use our facilities. You know that.” It suggests a measure of blind trust which seems out of place in the generally hostile wilderness we’ve seen in other adventures.

A net loss?

In contrast, the Gorn seem to come from that hostile darkness we saw in earlier episodes. “We have beamed back to the Enterprise and immediately set out in pursuit of the alien vessel,” Kirk reports in his log. “It appears to be headed toward a largely unexplored section of the galaxy.” This suggests that there is in fact a great deal of explored space, space that has been claimed and charted and researched. This seems more in keeping with the depiction of space seen in the Star Trek films and in The Next Generation than with some of the earlier episodes.

Indeed, Arena sees a bit of a subtle shift in the Enterprise’s role. The crew are no longer cowboys exploring a brave new frontier. Instead, they are police men trying to impose order on a part of the universe that they have claimed and tamed. “Out here,” Kirk explains at one point, “we’re the only policemen around. And a crime has been committed.” There’s fear of “invasion” , which relies on the idea that the Enterprise is part of some relatively large galactic power, rather than a few scattered colonies dotted throughout the cosmos.

No time for a love bite…

This might have been implicit in stories like The Conscience of a King , Court Martial or even Dagger of the Mind , but it’s explicit here. In fact, much like Dagger of the Mind and Shore Leave , Arena seems somewhat critical of these institutions. The script’s sympathy for the extreme actions of the Gorn suggests that the Federation’s actions should be read as imperialist – albeit accidentally. “Was Cestus III an intrusion on their space?” McCoy asks, with the episode suggesting that the Federation’s expansion had been rushed and ill-advised.

After all, the fact that the Federation seemed so comfortable and so secure on Cestus III suggests a certain amount of arrogance, and a clear lack of consideration. It isn’t that the Federation laid claim to something which didn’t belong to them, it’s that they never stopped to think that it could belong to anybody else. The Federation didn’t annex or invade Cestus III, but they still behaved like a colonial power, with little regard for what nearby civilisations might make of their colonies.

James Kirk: fighting aliens through the power of applied chemistry!

In fact, it has been argued that the depiction of the Federation in Arena is a criticism of colonial values :

Arena raises questions that depict the underlying shadow of the colonial period in which indigenous populations attack invaders in response to colonial encroachment. In the episode Captain Kirk faces a member of the alien species, Gorn, a bipedal reptilian humanoid from a technologically advanced race, in a battle to the death as imposed by the seemingly supernatural, advanced Metron race. In the case of the Enterprise/Gorn dispute, it is noteworthy that the Federation (Kirk and his Crew), are portrayed as transgressors by attempting to encroach into a Gorn planet. As is implied by the name, Arena brings forth the primal concept of survival amongst two captains, battling on apparently equal grounds. In the process of battling the Gorn, Kirk’s aside acknowledges the Gorn’s contemporaneous equality and concedes that he is a powerful adversary, acknowledging his own bias by saying: “I find it hard to conceive that this reptilian creature so different from me, is also an educated captain of a starship, not inferior but technologically advanced as well” (Coon & Pevney, 1967). In the end, Kirk is victorious after fashioning a rudimentary cannon and gunpowder from the resources made available to him on the planet’s surface and his use of modern natural science. Similarly, though ultimately defeated (but not killed), the Gorn manages to create an Oldowan-like axe made of stone. In this respect, Kirk is portrayed as superior due to his use of modern science by creating a projectile weapon as opposed to the Gorn, who is placed in a more primitive state by his use of a stone axe, a symbol of the premodern human state of evolution.

It’s fascinating that so many of these sixties episodes are so clearly critical of these future institutions, another sign that Star Trek was channelling the growing discomfort with authority that was a massive part of late-sixties counter-culture.

A glowing review…

In Court Martial , Starfleet was presented as institutionally corrupt, willing to cover up the death of an officer to avoid embarrassment. In Dagger of the Mind , Earth was implicitly responsible for allowing Doctor Adams to abuse those in his care. Here, the Federation is shown to be imperialist and expansionist. It’s a portrayal that Roddenberry would shy away from while producing The Next Generation , but it’s also something that writers like Ronald D. Moore and Ira Steven Behr would develop further while working on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

It’s also worth noting that Arena represents the first time that Star Trek has really tackled the implications of using a “space western” to explore Roddenberry’s futuristic ideals. After all, the western is an American mythology that is built around some morally questionable practices – the brutal subjugation of the native people by European settlers chief among them, with institutionalised and systemic attempts to displace and to marginalise those cultures. Arena hinges on that often-overlooked piece of history, the reality that is glossed over with romanticism.

He’s dead, Jim…

Early episodes of Star Trek had avoided the colonial subtext of the western genre by suggesting that the universe was a big empty place – that mankind was only really strolling in the ruins of long-dead societies and civilisation. It’s worth noting that the first half of the first season features relatively few alien civilisations. From here on out, alien cultures become a lot more common, so the issue of the Enterprise’s potential imperialist attitudes needs to be tackled head-on.

While The Man Trap alluded to the near-extinction of the buffalo, that episode ended with the death of the buffalo analogue. It’s hard to read it is an explicit criticism of that sort of colonial attitude, as Kirk goes out of his way to dismiss the person making the comparison as insane. As such, Arena is the first time the show really grapples with that idea, and it does so remarkably well. While the episode probably lets the Gorn off relatively easily for mass slaughter, it accepts that sometimes humanity’s self-centred view of the universe can allow us to overlook acts that undermine or damage other cultures.

Kirk smash!

Arena is a wonderful piece of Star Trek , despite the fact that its plot is something out of a cheesy science-fiction B-movie. There’s a lot of charm to the idea of Kirk and an alien captain resolving their differences mano-a-mano , and it demonstrates the wonderful way that sixties Star Trek could have its cake and eat it too. A criticism of colonial values, Arena also works as a visceral pulpy action adventure. It’s a testament to the show, and also a triumph for writer Gene L. Coon.

You might be interested in our other reviews from the first season of the classic Star Tre k :

Supplemental: Vulcan’s Glory by D.C. Fontana
Supplemental: Early Voyages #1 – Flesh of my Flesh
Supplemental: Crew by John Byrne
Where No Man Has Gone Before
The Corbomite Manoeuvre
Mudd’s Women
The Enemy Within
The Man Trap
The Naked Time
Supplemental: My Enemy, My Ally by Diane Duane
Supplemental: Romulans: Pawns of War by John Byrne
Supplemental: Errand of Vengeance: The Edge of the Sword by Kevin Ryan
Dagger of the Mind
The Conscience of a King
The Galileo Seven
Court Martial
Supplemental: Early Voyages #12-15 – Futures
Supplemental: Burning Dreams by Margaret Wander Bonanno
Shore Leave
The Squire of Gothos
Supplemental: Requiem by Michael Jan Friedman & Kevin Ryan
Supplemental: The Fantastic Four #108 – The Monstrous Mystery of the Nega-Man
Tomorrow is Yesterday
The Return of the Archons
A Taste of Armageddon
Supplemental: The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volumes I & II by Greg Cox
This Side of Paradise
The Devil in the Dark
Supplemental: Spock Must Die! by James Blish
Supplemental: The Final Reflection by John M. Ford
Supplemental: The City on the Edge of Forever by Harlan Ellison/Cordwainer Bird
Supplemental: Crucible: McCoy – Provenance of Shadows by David R. George III
Supplemental: Star Trek (Gold Key) #56 – No Time Like the Past
Operation — Annihilate!

8 Responses

I once had a mind to create a short film about a university student who’s so utterly obsessed with this episode that he becomes convinced he’s in a life or death struggle with his roommate. He, of course, then proceeds to create weaponry from his dorm room surroundings.

It’s just a classic piece of pulpy sci-fi, isn’t it? I mean, it’s instantly recognisable under any circumstance. Just drop that guy into anything, especially a desert, and people will go “huh, that’s familiar.”

Late response… sorry… but, as always, this was a superb analysis. A agree with you about Gene L. Coon. His contributions to the Star Trek mythos, and to the moral complexity of the series (along with its spin-offs) are unfortunately all too often underrated. He did a fantastic job of universe-building utilizing the basic foundation set down by Gene Roddenberry.

It’s never too late! I can see all the comments, so I can respond to them whenever and wherever they are.

I agree Coon is horribly, horribly underrated. (See also, to a lesser degree, if only because they lived longer and thus stayed involved longer: D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold.)

I really feel that you’re building far too much on one unsubstantiated statement by the Gorn captain. Imperialism on Earth has always involved conquest and oppression of native populations, but it’s difficult to believe that there were any Gorn living on Cestus III, or that the Gorn had made their claim to the planet clear, considering that the crew didn’t recognize either the Gorn ship or the Gorn themselves and the attack seemed to have come as a complete surprise. Even if the Gorn claim is legitimate, which, again, we don’t know for sure, the Federation offense is more like trespassing on unmarked property than outright imperialism, given which I feel that your criticism is unduly harsh.

I definitely think that it is intentional, even just looking at Gene L. Coon’s other work in contemporary episodes like The Devil in the Dark and Errand of Mercy, and even the General Order mentioned in A Taste of Armageddon.

Kirk’s Federation was an extension of Kennedy’s American. Gene Roddenberry seemed to think that this was the coolest thing ever, while Coon was more skeptical. I think, given all of that context, and the fact that if you have a character on sixties television lie then you generally make that explicit, it’s fair to suppose that the Gorn have a reasonable and legitimate claim and that the Federation was… at best careless and at worst indifferent to their colonialism.

What always seemed weird to me isn’t how the episode handles the potential culpability of the Gorn, but rather that of the Metrons.

These incredibly powerful beings pitting the two ships’ captains against each other in a brutal life-and-death conflict on a planet the Metrons control, for any reason offered or concealed, seems like the amoral experimentation of “The Savage Curtain” at best, the childish torture from “The Squire of Gothos” at worst. It appears to demand the same sort of critique from Kirk that those other episodes’ vaguely powerful beings prompted, and that recurs all over this series: what exactly is superior, or even worth respecting, about employing barbarous methods for dubious ends?

When Kirk calls out to the Metrons at the end, and one appears, it seems for a few moments that we might get that story; Kirk shouts that the Metrons will “have to get [their] entertainment somewhere else” and remarks that the Metron looks like a child to his eyes. But instead we get a not-very-twisty twist about the supposed purpose of the Metrons kidnapping two people for a pit fight on a planet, which does nothing at all to justify it, and suddenly Kirk seems to believe the Metrons had good reason to do what they were doing. None of that seems remotely justified by what we see or hear.

I remember having a similar issue with the end of the Survivors, when Picard is similarly wishy-washy on a man who committed genocide.

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Star Trek : "The Squire Of Gothos" / "Arena"

There's the universe, and the universe is basically everything. Inside the universe are things called galaxies—and there are a ton of these, probably around a 100 billion. And inside each galaxy are suns and around those suns are planets. Some of those planets can support life. Hopefully, some of those planets already do. And if we go by Star Trek , at least two-thirds of that life consists of godlike-beings who want nothing more than to screw around with James T. Kirk. The first time I went through this set (a year or two back, I think), I was amazed by two things: the shows held up much better than I was expecting, and the writers used the "like flies to wanton boys" plot, on average, at least six times per episode. Okay, so my math wasn't very good back then (I'd invented a drink that mixed Wild Turkey, Benadryl, and some pink stuff my dad bought me for my car that I think was supposed to be windshield wiper fluid. Most of what I remember of the past five years is in black and white and has subtitles), but whatever the actual numbers are, the god-plot happens a lot in TOS. It's the kind of mechanic that allows for a lot of fluidity in story-telling; the "science" of Trek is already loose enough to allow some breathing room, but an all-powerful alien force makes anything possible. The reason we're frightened of the unknown is that we can't predict it, but from a story-telling perspective, that's actually a benefit. You can have, say, a spoiled brat conjuring castles and planets out of the void, or a man-child in a silver dress freezing a star-ship, and because we don't know that these things are impossible, we accept it. Of course, that sort of thing can get old—you keep taking away the rules, eventually your audience is going to get bored. Because if anything can happen, when it does, there's no reason to be surprised or delighted or engaged. The trick is to use the ability sparingly, and either have it be a means to an end, or else make sure the being with the magical powers has a distinctive enough personality that their abilities are less of interest then they are. The latter is the tack that "Squire of Gothos" takes, and it works beautifully; while the episode is in some way reminiscent of "Charlie X," all the way down to the ending, "Squire" is by far the superior, enough to make any familiarity seem irrelevant, and to earn it a place as one of TOS 's most deservedly iconic hours. Both eps this week are wonderfully structured; in "Squire," we open with the Enterprise finding an uncharted planet seemingly incapable of supporting life. Before anyone can do much about it, Sulu and Kirk disappear from the bridge, and we get to watch Spock and the crew trying to figure out what's going on. Kirk's gone adventuring before, but this is a rare case where we don't actually follow him on the trip, and that change, though small, does a nice job of setting the hook. It gets weirder when one of the screens on the bridge displays the words, "Greetings and Felicitations," followed by "Hip-Hip-Hoorah. Tallyho!" (Nimoy's reaction here is hilarious.) The message appears to be coming from the one spot on the planet below with life forms, so Spock sends McCoy and two men, Jaeger and DeSalle, down to investigate. For once, we get a sense of a landing party being selected rather than assumed, as Scotty volunteers, but Spock, wisely enough, says it's more important he stays on the ship. Instead of the hellscape they were expecting (for once, they even wore air-masks!), McCoy and the others find an environment remarkably like Earth's, with breathable air, plant-life, and your standard-issue castle. Inside the castle is a drawing room with a number of trophies on display, including the salt monster from "The Man Trap," what appears to be a crocodile head over the mantle, and, most importantly, the frozen forms of Kirk and Sulu. McCoy takes a reading and can't make heads or tails of it, but just when things couldn't get anymore confusing, a stranger appears in period garb, does a few riffs on a harpsichord, and sets Kirk and Sulu free. The stranger introduces himself as General Trelane, now retired, and informs the puzzled crewmen that they are guests on planet Gothos. Trelane's been observing Earth for some time, and, apparently, he wants some friends. Well, maybe not friends; friendship implies roughly equal status. This is more like a Elmyra from Tiny Toons getting a home delivery from the pet store. Squire Trelane is that most terrifying of creatures, a brat who expects to get exactly what he wants with the power to make that expectation a reality. Like Charlie X, he can do just about anything, but unlike Charlie, there's not an emo bone in the twerp's body. It makes the episode a lot more fun to watch; in the title role, William Campbell is demanding, energetic, and endlessly delighted with himself. The serious captain/whimsical threat dynamic is one that Trek would return to again and again, and while it would get more dramatically complex over the years, there's something pure right here at the source. Campbell hits the ideal funny/annoying balance, and the dynamic between him and the various crew-members he torments is terrific. Of special note is the way the Enterprise's resident straight man (in comedy terms, not sexuality; Kirk'd screw anything if it took the time to put on a mini-skirt, but McCoy's just a pipe and smoking jacket away from hitting a 0 on the Kinsey Scale), Mr. Spock, handles the crisis. After the first group to encounter Trelane makes a brief escape back to the ship, the squire magicks himself onto the bridge and steals away most everyone there, including the first group, the Yeoman of the Week, Uhura, and Spock. Unsurprisingly, the half-Vulcan takes an instant dislike to His Twerpishness, and when Trelane calls him on it, Spock responds with the best line of the episode: "I object to you. I object to intellect without discipline. I object to power without constructive purpose." It's simple, straightforward, and all kinds of bad-ass. Nimoy delivers it without ornamentation, and the dignity he conveys without just a few calm sentences makes Trelane seem about as impressive as a five year-old with a box of matches. Which is appropriate, given how things wind up. We've got another deus ex machine, but while that's usually death to good writing, it works here because it feels like an organic plot development; in one sense, the writers put themselves in an impossible spot, but once you've seen how they choose to get out of that spot, you can't imagine it going anywhere else. In terms of build-up, "Squire" never feels like a series of fake-outs in order to pull us through to the last five minutes, although that's what it is—the crew never gives up on defeating Trelane, despite the hopelessness of it, so we never give up ourselves. For example, there's the business with a mirror that may or may not conceal a device Trelane may or may not be using to do all the crazy things he does; Kirk takes a risk and manages to manipulate the situation to a point where he can shoot the mirror out. There is a machine behind it, and that machine is wrecked, but it's all for naught, since Trelane didn't really need it. (I suppose Tommy will be pleased, at least.) In a way that's sort of a cheat, but given that we never really know exactly how Trelane operates, I'd argue that it's an acceptable cheat. And since we're all trained to expect magic bullet solutions in situations like these, it's a decent twist to have someone succeed at something only to find that the success doesn't work out quite the way they'd hoped. In the end, Kirk is left in a one-on-one fight against a creature who can do whatever he wants and can't stand losing; but just when things are at there darkest, two blobs of colored light appear in the sky and tell Trelane it's time to put away his toys and come home. Again, this is a lot like "Charlie X," but while Charlie's predicament was played for pathos, this one is done largely for laughs. It works, too; even knowing what's coming, I still get a kick out hearing Trelane's mom tell him to go to his room. (There are a lot of nice visual effects in this episode; I loved how the spotlight on Trelane gradually tightens until both it and he disappear.) There's something terrifying in the idea that a race of beings with the power to warp space and time might have kids running around, but I guess when you have all of cosmos and eternity to play in, it's important to find ways to keep yourself occupied. Some folks create new versions of themselves to instruct, while others prefer to out-source the whole parenting thing by interfering in the lives of significantly less powerful alien races. Such is the case of our second episode this week, "Arena." Here's another one you've probably heard referenced, even if you haven't seen the original—it introduces us to a race of irritable space lizards (aka, the Gorn), and the second half features Kirk struggling against one of the Gorn in a duel that will determine the fate of the Enterprise. If your wondering where Guy's "rudimentary lathe" line in Galaxy Quest came from, look no further. Our heroes have just gotten an invite from Commodore Travers of Cestus III; he wants everybody to come down for a meal and chit-chat, and, given past experience, Kirk can tell you that the Commodore's meals are very much worth the time. (I love the nice touch here that McCoy et al are really jonesing for a "home-cooked" meal. Makes you wonder what synthesized food tastes like. Is there that much of a difference, or is the good doctor just hungry for a change in atmosphere?) Weirdly enough, Travers makes a special point of requesting Kirk bring his tactical crew with him. This sets off a few alarm bells for Spock, but everyone still beams down to the planet as planned; there they find that Cestus III has been laid to waste, and whoever did the waste-laying immediately sets to work bumping off Kirk and his men. It's a trap, and soon the Enterprise is under attack as well. As with "Squire," the hook is set fast in "Arena"; but unlike "Squire," we get two premises combined instead of just having one develop over time. The first premise has the landing party fighting against an unseen (and clearly well-armed) enemy. We actually don't find out who the opponent is until well into the episode—before then, all we have to go on is that they're cold-blooded, and there's a lot of them. Oh, and they got some nasty guns, that's probably relevant. The sequence planetside is effectively tense; that tenseness generally translates as Kirk running around and the occasional red-shirt getting toasted (we even get a classic "Captain, I see somethiZAP" moment), but it works. Shatner gets in a tuck and roll and some serpentine running action, so I'm sure it was a happy day of filming for him. We're reminded of James T.'s love of his ship, as he orders Sulu to make an escape even though the Enterprise can't beam the landing party back aboard through their defense screens. We lose a couple crewmen, and find a survivor near death, before Kirk remembers the planet's arsenal, and manages to launch a missle at where he and Spock presume the enemy to be. The attack works—maybe a little too well, really—and the aliens flee, allowing everyone planetside to escape to the ship. Kirk has his blood up now; as we've seen in "Balance of Terror," an attack on an Earth outpost is never a good sign, and the most obvious conclusion to make here is that whoever blew up Cestus III is prepping for a full-scale invasion. This is supported by the fact that the Enterprise was lured in—apparently, they're the only ship in the quadrant capable of defending against an outside force. (Which is interesting; I guess the Enterprise does policing duty in between its more scholarly pursuits?) The lone survivor of the attack describes a slaughter, and Kirk makes the decision: pursuit, and destruction. It's the only way to be sure. Really, a lot of the set-up of "Arena" matches "Balance," which makes it even more of a surprise when things make a sharp veer left to our other premise in the second act. (Or is it third? I can never remember if hour-long shows are considered five acts or three.) As Kirk grows more anxious to catch-up with the enemy, the enemy suddenly comes to a dead stop; and when the Enterprise moves to engage, they find themselves caught as well. There's a light show on the monitor, and a booming voice informs the crew that they've just stumbled into the Metrons' neighborhood, and the Metrons are not pleased. Like nearly ever super-intelligent race, the Metrons have decided that humans are too warlike and savage to be trusted (it's funny how such a huge chunk of sci-fi seems structured as an apology for war and the atom bomb; maybe in the absence of a God who'll listen, we find it necessary to create substitutes that we can beg for forgiveness), so it's time for some Reality TV, space-style. Kirk gets snagged from the bridge and finds himself on the standard "rock and dirt" planet, and along with him is the captain of the alien ship. The Metrons named the other race the "Gorn," which is as much name as we ever get, but really, all you need to know is that it's a SPACE LIZARD. Wearing a rather fetching cave-man outfit, as well. The Kirk/Gorn fight is one for the ages; the combat on Trek isn't really up to modern standards in terms of pacing or choreography, but there's a certain charm to it nonetheless. The Gorn movies very slowly, but it's a strong mofo—the initial wrestling convinces Kirk that his best bet is to try and construct the weapon that the Metrons promised would be available. (This promise calls their motives into question; they claim, in that infuriatingly snooty manner that these things always use, to look down on humankind's violence, but all this seems like the perfect excuse to get some hand-to-hand action in without having to get their own hands dirty in the process. It would've been awesome to learn that the whole set-up was the space equivalent of a wrestling match on Pay-Per-View.) Kirk dictates his plans into the "recorder" the Metrons provided, but what he doesn't realize is that the recorder, which looks suspiciously like an electric razor, is actually a direct communicator to the Gorn, who listens to Kirk's plans and moves accordingly. It puts a hilarious spin on things when Kirk talks about how he hopes he's got cleverness on his side. While the Gorn constructs an elaborate rope and rock trap, Kirk comments on the scenery (Kirk on diamonds: "Perhaps the hardest substance known in the universe." Is he speaking for the benefit of Ms. Johnson's third grade class?), and does some rock throwing of his own. The battle weighs heavy on him and his opponent, and once the Gorn lets Kirk know about the whole communicator/recorder thing, Kirk learns that the Gorns attacked Cestus III because it was an intrusion into their territory. In their eyes, it was the Earthmen who were invading, and they responded accordingly. This doesn't erase the fact that the Gorns went on a massacre without bothering to make their problems known to anyone, nor does it fully explain why they were so eager to get the Enterprise involved, but it does make the previously black-and-white situation a lot more gray. (Shades of cowboys and indians here, as well.) Just when things are at there darkest, Kirk manages to construct a handmade gun out of found deposits of nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal, and shoot the Gorn captain in the chest. It isn't a killing shot, though, and when it comes time for Kirk to finish the job, he demurs; given what he's learned of the Gorn's actions, he'd rather take his chances negotiating with the other race, rather than continue with the killing. The Metrons, impressed by Kirk's maturity, let him and the alien go, but not before revealing themselves to our hero, and telling him that, maybe in a thousand years or so, everybody can sit down for a chit-chat. Apparently, the human race is a promising "predator," and, given time, we may develop into someone worth knowing. As always, we're left to peice together our own motives from the information given. The aliens in "Squire" and "Arena" are, by turns, fickle, arrogant, and uncompromising, and it's hard to take much comfort in their seeming omnipotence, even when that omnipotence appears just. If one of the main themes of TOS is the uncertainty of exploration, with that uncertainty comes the possibility that there are others out there, waiting between the stars, with far more experience and wisdom—and you have to wonder, given their love of screwing around with the humans they run across, who's pulling their strings? Grades: "Squire Of Gothos": A "Arena": A- Stray Observations:

The dialogue in "Squire" is exceptionally good. I loved McCoy's "Straw would taste better than his meat, water would taste a hundred times better than his brandy."
What's a Nubian?
Watch Nimoy's expression when McCoy appeals to the Metrons in "the name of civilization." It's as close to an eye roll as one can get without actually rolling one's eyes.
Next week: "Tomorrow Is Yesterday" and "Court Martial"

79 Years Ago, A Classic Star Trek Villain Was Created — Before Star Trek Even Existed

The Gorn are back in the Strange New Worlds Season 2 finale, but their origins go all the way back to 1944.

Everyone knows Captain Kirk first fought the Gorn in the classic Star Trek episode “Arena,” which aired on January 19, 1967. But when you do a deep dive into the origins of this episode, the bizarre truth is “Arena” and the Gorn predate the TV show. As Strange New Worlds continues to reinvent the Gorn and put the canon of “Arena” in a new light, it’s time to revisit a story that existed two decades before Star Trek even existed.

The storyline of “Arena” is familiar even to casual sci-fi fans: after chasing a Gorn spaceship that attacked a human colony, Kirk and the Gorn Captain are whisked to a “suitably prepared world” by a super-powered alien species called The Metrons. They want Kirk and the Gorn to duke it out hand-to-hand and settle their conflict forever. Kirk eventually cobbles together a working cannon using DIY gunpowder and wounds the Gorn. However, Kirk famously refuses to deliver a fatal blow, professing his desire to let his enemy live. This gesture of mercy makes the Metrons believe humans aren’t so bad, and everyone lives happily ever after.

This endpoint with the Gorn is in the future for Pike and his Strange New Worlds crew, but the sci-fi concept of “Arena” actually predates Star Trek . In 1967, Original Series producer Gene Coon shared writing credit with author Fredric Brown on “Arena,” because Coon accidentally ripped Brown off when he wrote the script.

“Arena” Before Star Trek

Both the original 1944 "Arena," and the 1967 Star Trek version of "Arena."

Fredric Brown’s “Arena” in 1944 and the Star Trek “Arena” in 1967.

Because Gene L. Coon was essentially what we’d now call a showrunner, he often wrote scripts when the show ran low on new stories. “Arena” was an example of a script Coon wrote very quickly to get Star Trek back on track. When script researcher Joan Pearce gave “Arena” its legal review, she noticed it was very similar to a 1944 short story by Fredric Brown, also called “Arena.” Coon accidentally plagiarized chunks of Brown’s story, so Brown was offered a story credit.

Just how similar are the stories? In the June 1944 issue of Astounding , “Arena” opens with a space pilot named Carson who’s found himself on an alien world covered in blue sand. Carson is naked and has to quickly figure out how to survive, all while battling an alien from a group called the Outsiders. Carson’s adversary is something he calls a Roller because it’s a metal ball with tentacles. At one point, the Roller throws a lizard creature at Carson, which makes the story seem similar to Trek’s “Arena.”

An interior illustration for “Arena” in Astounding.

If you squint, Carson is similar to Captain Kirk, and his ingenuity and ability to adapt allows him to defeat the Roller and the Outsiders. In the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s, this type of story was common in Astounding . Influential editor John Campbell favored stories in which men defeated impossible odds simply because they were smarter and stronger. Had Campbell been in charge of shepherding the Trek version of “Arena,” you can bet it would have ended with Kirk slaying the Gorn, not sparing him.

Gorn, but not forgotten

While the original “Arena” has a bit of 1940s machismo, it’s a fun, fascinating read outside of its relationship to the much more famous Star Trek episode . Brown’s action is quick, the world-building is nimble, and there’s something legitimately gripping about the story that the Trek “Arena” lacks.

In Brown’s “Arena,” you’ll find yourself frightened by the fight-or-flight reality of Carson’s battle with the Roller. When we watch the 1967 Star Trek “Arena” today, we’re more impressed with the philosophy than the action. While the design of Way Chang’s Gorn costume is amazing, it’s not like anyone can really watch Kirk fight the Gorn with a straight face. The best way to enjoy “Arena” is to enjoy the brazenness of the themes that classic Star Trek often presented. The best Original Series scripts are like this; they feel like pulpy sci-fi stories from decades prior, but with a humanist twist.

Kirk versus the Gorn in “Arena.”

In the 1944 “Arena,” Carson brutally stabs the Roller, and we learn this was kind of a Matrix-ish battle in which the physical combat was a metaphysical representation of an entire conflict between space fleets. Carson later awakens and realizes his actions have caused the entire Outsider fleet to be turned to dust.

The stakes in Trek’s “Arena” are way more literal, as the Metrons have told Kirk and the Gorn that the outcome of their fight will resolve the overall conflict between their people. What makes “Arena” so special is that it’s an episode about a physical fight that ends with Kirk laying down his weapons. And so, while it has the trappings of the 1944 “Arena,” its message is the opposite.

In a way, the conflict with the Gorn on Strange New Worlds is closer to the 1944 “Arena” than the Star Trek “Arena.” Strange New Worlds presents a battle with the Gorn that feels dangerous and frightening, and at this point in the Trek timeline, the idea of showing the Gorn mercy feels foolish. When Spock and Chapel fight a Gorn in zero gravity amid the wreckage of the USS Cayuga , they’re not thinking about making peace with it. Spock taking out the Gorn in “Hegemony” makes him more like Carson than Kirk.

In the final pages of James Blish’s novelization of Star Trek’s “Arena” (a third version of the story!) Kirk feels like he’s not ready to talk to Spock about his experience fighting the Gorn. In all three versions, the hero keeps some of the experience to himself. In the 1944 version, Carson stays quiet out of self-preservation. But for Kirk, there’s a sense of sanctification, of knowing he did the right thing and not needing to brag about it. And in that small, specific way, the Trek “Arena” is still the best version of the story, because it does something sci-fi couldn’t in 1944; let the hero be kind and humble.

Phasers on Stun!: How the Making — and Remaking — of Star Trek Changed the World

Ryan Britt's new book on the history of Star Trek's biggest changes. From the '60s show to the movies to 'TNG,' to 'Discovery,' 'Picard,' Strange New Worlds,' and beyond!

This article was originally published on Aug. 12, 2023

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Trivia / Star Trek S1 E18 "Arena"

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On-Set Injury : William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy both suffered permanent hearing damage and tinnitus from a special effects explosion that they were too close to.
Cestus III was a globe of the Earth previously seen in " Miri ", printed backwards and tinted a hazy orange.
Harold, the outpost's only survivor, wears the recycled uniform worn by Commander Hansen in " Balance of Terror ".
Recycled Set : Cestus III was a reused Alamo set from the 1930s; it was later demolished for being unsafe.
Recycled Script : The plot bears some similarity to The Outer Limits (1963) episode " Fun and Games ", in which advanced aliens known as Anderrans "electro-transport" humans and other intelligent beings to do battle with one another on the moon known as "Arena". The Anderrans see Humanity as violent, and the losers of the battles are supposed to forfeit the lives of all the inhabitants of their own planet, and they are only allowed to use primitive technology. The mask of the aliens in that episode appeared in " The Cage ". Both series give credit to Fredric Brown , whose short story, "Arena" is very similar.
What Could Have Been : In the original script, Kirk and the alien captain's battleground had translucent walls, making it seem as though they were in a giant terrarium.
Writing by the Seat of Your Pants : This was new showrunner Gene L. Coon's first script for the series, and he wrote the first draft in one weekend when it was determined that none of the other stories in the pipeline were ready to be put into production.
You Sound Familiar : Ted Cassidy has his final Star Trek role as the voice of the Gorn. Cassidy had also voiced the antagonist in " The Corbomite Maneuver " and appeared as Ruk in " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ".
Star Trek S1 E17 "The Squire of Gothos"
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Fredric Brown

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Fredric Brown ( 29 October 1906 – 11 March 1972 ; age 65) was an influential science fiction and mystery writer. He is credited with writing the story for the Star Trek: The Original Series first season episode " Arena ".

Gene L. Coon wrote the "Arena" script over the course of a weekend. When he brought it for approval on Monday morning, Joan Pearce , a Desilu research assistant, reviewed the script and discovered that it bore similarities to Brown's 1945 short story, also called "Arena." Coon and Desilu executives decided to buy Brown's story to be able to film the script, resulting in Brown receiving story credit. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story pp. 206-207)

Brown wrote the novel The Screaming Mimi , which John Peel paid tribute to in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel Field Trip . ( Voyages of Imagination [ page number? • edit ] )

External links [ ]

Fredric Brown at the Internet Movie Database
Fredric Brown at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
Fredric Brown at Wikipedia
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Steve Yockey to Pen ‘Star Trek 4’ Script

‘The Flight Attendant’ creator has taken control of the wayward film, which most recently lost director Matt Shakman as well as screenwriters Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet.

Is Sulu finally going to take us out of orbit? Steve Yockey, creator of the Max series The Flight Attendant , is set to pen Star Trek 4 , according to Variety . The fourth franchise installment, which will serve as the final chapter of the film series, has been in development limbo with Paramount and Bad Robot for years. Star Trek Beyond , the most recent film in the series, came out back in 2016.

The project was most recently slated for a late 2023 release before losing director Matt Shakman ( WandaVision ) and screenwriters Lindsey Beer ( Sierra Burgess Is a Loser ) and Geneva Robertson-Dworet ( Captain Marvel ).

While plot details for the film are still steeped in mystery, the original cast is expected to return, including Chris Pine (as Capt. James T. Kirk), Zachary Quinto (as Cmdr. Spock), Zoe Saldaña (as Lt. Nyota Uhura), Karl Urban (as Dr. Leonard McCoy), John Cho (as Lt. Hikaru Sulu), and Simon Pegg (as chief engineer Montgomery Scott).

On the other side of the universe, a Star Trek prequel film is also in development with J.J. Abrams producing and Toby Haynes ( Andor ) set to direct from a script by Seth Grahame-Smith ( The Lego Batman Movie, It ).

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'Wait Wait' for April 6, 2024: With Not My Job guest Chris Pine

T his week's show was recorded at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, with host Peter Sagal, judge and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, Not My Job guest Chris Pine and panelists Emmy Blotnick, Adam Burke, and Alonzo Bodden. Click the audio link above to hear the whole show.

Chris Pine attends Amazon Studios' "All The Old Knives" Los Angeles Special Screening at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills

Who's Bill This Time The Sun Takes 5; Google's Sketchy Secret-Keeper; Science Confirms Something Stinky

Panel Questions A Capital Offense

Bluff The Listener Our panelists read three stories about someone with good intentions, only one of which is true.

Not My Job: We quiz Chris Pine of crisp pine air fresheners Chris Pine has done it all, from Star Trek to Wonder Woman to The Princess Diaries. Now, he's written and directed his own movie, Poolman, but can he answer our questions about crisp pine air fresheners?

Panel Questions The Room We Clean The Least; "Did All the Planes..." Game; We Remember A Lobster Lover

Limericks Bill Kurtis reads three news-related limericks: A Workplace Sandal Scandal; Space Trash Returns; Accounting Trauma

Lightning Fill In The Blank All the news we couldn't fit anywhere else

Predictions Our panelists predict, now that we know Google's Incognito Mode isn't really incognito, what'll be the next thing that turns out to be a lie?

Alice Eve Redid Her Star Trek Into Darkness Audition Almost 20 Times

J.J. Abrams' 2013 film "Star Trek Into Darkness" was a parallel universe retread of Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." In Abrams' movie, the central villain, Khan Noonien Singh, was played by Benedict Cumberbatch, while in Meyer's film, Khan was played by Ricardo Montalbán. Both films feature the death of Kirk and/or Spock, and both films feature the survivor yelling "Khaaaaan!" The plots of the films differ, however, as Khan remains the central villain of the 1982 film, while he was supplanted by a vengeful Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) in "Into Darkness."

Both films also feature Dr. Carol Marcus, a paramour of Captain Kirk (Chris Pine in "Into Darkness" and William Shatner in "Wrath of Khan"). In "Star Trek Into Darkness," Dr. Marcus was played by Alice Eve, taking over for Bibi Besch in "Wrath of Khan." Because the characters in "Into Darkness" are younger than they were in "Wrath of Khan," Kirk and Dr. Marcus don't yet have their son, David. Dr. Marcus was also transformed from a benevolent scientist into a Starfleet officer proficient in weapons technology.

Eve was happy to audition for the role of Carol Marcus, although it seems her audition was a wonderful yet harrowing experience. During a Build Series interview in 2019 , Eve revealed that she received the call to play Dr. Marcus while she was driving in her car and that she had to pull over. When it came time to actually audition, however, Eve said she was heavily directed by Abrams, explaining that she had to read certain sections over and over and over again.

Read more: Why Khan Noonien Singh Casts A Shadow Over The Entire Star Trek Universe

Getting The Call

Eve said that she received a frantic call from her agent revealing that Abrams was about to call. Sure enough, two minutes later, Abrams called her directly. Eve knew that "Star Trek" was a big deal and safely pulled her car off the road to talk to him. The next step was the audition and boy, did it seem difficult. According to Eve:

"I must have done it 17 times in a row in the room with J.J. Like, various different ways. I was heavily auditioned for that role, yeah. But [I] really enjoyed auditioning for him. Sometimes it's not fun to audition, but with J.J it felt a little bit more like a workshop and a work in progress rather than a test. [...H]e's always doing that and he's very amenable. And so in the middle of it, if I didn't like it, I'd be like, 'No, no, I want to go again.' 'Yeah, yeah, go again! Yeah, yeah, yeah, go again! Yeah, yeah, yeah.' It was very kind of [inter]active, the process."

The Dr. Marcus in "Into Darkness," as noted, is a wholly different character from the one seen in "Wrath of Khan," so Abrams and Eve were able to, essentially, create her from scratch. This also allowed Dr. Marcus' father to play a major part in the film despite not being mentioned in "Wrath of Khan."

Sadly, just as Carol Marcus didn't appear in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," nor did she appear in the "Into Darkness" sequel "Star Trek Beyond." A pity; Eve did an exemplary job in the role, even if it was only a small one.

The Underwear Controversy

There was some controversy to the Dr. Marcus character as she was depicted in "Into Darkness," specifically in a scene wherein she had to change uniforms in Kirk's presence, with the camera being careful to catch a glimpse of her in her underthings. (Strangely, it seems brassiere technology won't change much from the 21st to the 23rd centuries.) The shot was clearly included for mere titillation's sake, and there was criticism of it upon the release of "Into Darkness." Abrams admitted he understood the criticism, and co-writer/producer Damon Lindelof even apologized for it .

Eve, however, did not feel exploited in any way, and she was happy to shoot the underwear scene. Speaking to Inverse in 2021 , she explained:

"It was something I voluntarily worked with a trainer to be fit for, was very much prepared for, and very much enjoyed [doing] — filming, executing, promoting. [...] The feeling I shouldn't have done it, or that it was exploitation, was confusing to me. [...] There are many things in the world that are confusing. I put it down to one of those anomalies. I'm proud of that scene, and all the work I did."

Despite the cheesecake moment, Dr. Marcus was still presented in "Into Darkness" as expert, professional, and capable. She's not hung up on Kirk and doesn't define herself by her relationship with a man. "Sci-fi is cool because it shows powerful women," Eve said. " They're working for their passion." Dr. Marcus was, to her, a powerful woman whom she got to workshop with her director. There was, it seems, nothing to regret.

Read the original article on SlashFilm

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"Arena" (S1:E18) Star Trek: The Original Series Screencaps
Arena (1967)
Arena (1967)
Star Trek Episode 18: Arena
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The Star Trek: The Original Series Episodes That Best Define the

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Arena
William Shatner Star Trek Speech
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The Star Trek Transcripts
The Star Trek Transcripts - Arena. Arena Stardate: 3045.6 Original Airdate: 19 Jan, 1967. [Transporter room] (Enterprise is in orbit of a planet) KIRK: You'll enjoy Commodore Travers. He sets a good table. MCCOY: I wonder if he brought his personal chef along with him to Cestus Three. KIRK: Probably.
Arena (episode)
Kirk battles an alien captain who has destroyed a Federation outpost. Captain Kirk and a landing party - Spock, Dr. McCoy, O'Herlihy, Kelowitz, and Lang - beam down to the Federation observation outpost on Cestus III at the invitation of its commander, Commodore Travers, who has received quite the reputation for setting a fine table with his personal head chef. When the away team arrives ...
Arena (Star Trek: The Original Series)
"Arena" is the eighteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Gene L. Coon (based on a 1944 short story of the same name by Fredric Brown) and directed by Joseph Pevney, the episode was first broadcast on January 19, 1967.. In the episode, while pursuing a Gorn vessel for an apparently unprovoked attack on a Federation outpost ...
Star Trek: Season 1, Episode 18 script
Star Trek (1966-1969): Season 1, Episode 18 - Arena - full transcript. When an alien race known as the Gorn destroys an Earth colony, the Enterprise pursues the fleeing Gorn vessel until another race of powerful aliens called the Metrons intervenes and forces Captain Kirk and the Gorn captain to face off in one-on-one combat in which the winner will be released and the loser destroyed along ...
"Star Trek" Arena (TV Episode 1967)
Arena: Directed by Joseph Pevney. With William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei. 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.
Star Trek Transcripts
The Star Trek Transcripts - Episode Listings : Season One : Episode Name: Production: Airdate: The Cage: 1: unaired: The Man Trap: 6: ... Arena: 19: 19 Jan, 1967: Tomorrow is Yesterday: 21: 26 Jan, 1967: Court Martial: 15: ... The Star Trek web pages on this site are for educational and entertainment purposes only. All other copyrights property ...
Star Trek S1 E18 "Arena" / Recap
Recap /. Star Trek S1 E18 "Arena". You might have heard of this one. Original air date: January 20, 1967. The Enterprise is invited to visit an outpost near the edge of Federation space; Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and three Redshirts beam down at the outpost commander's behest — only to discover that the invitation is a pre-recorded ruse; the ...
"Arena"
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new Battlestar Galactica, and The Orville.
Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcripts
Mar 15, 2001. Re: Online tool to conveniently search through the Star Trek transcrip. This recent article points out that, to the new generation of fans, all the Trek series are equally accessible through online streaming. Go to the Netflix page for, say, TOS, TNG, VGR, or ENT (though not DS9, for some reason), scroll down to the "More Like X ...
Arena (Star Trek: The Original Series)
Arena is the eighteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Gene L. Coon (based on a 1944 short story of the same name by Fredric Brown) and directed by Joseph Pevney, the episode was first broadcast on January 19, 1967. Arena (Star Tre
The Star Trek Transcripts
Movies 1979- 2003. Andromeda. Doctor Who franchise. 47 in Enterprise. Discovery is only available via paid streaming services. List of episode titles only - and very Andromeda-esque they are too. Picard is only available via paid streaming services. List of episode titles only.
Arena
Arena The Enterprise is on course for the planet Cestus III to investigate why a landing party has not been heard from since their arrival when they are suddenl ... Choose Your Star Trek Series. The Original Series; The Next Generation; Deep Space Nine; Voyager; Enterprise; Discovery; Picard; Strange New Worlds; Choose By Year. 1966; 1967; 1968 ...
"Star Trek" Arena (TV Episode 1967)
An alien race, the Gorn, a reptilian species who resemble large crocodiles with sharp fangs and beehive eyes, have completely destroyed every living thing. Kirk's friends are all dead. During a shootout, Kirk and the five crewmen try to plan strategy. They attack Gorn formations with mortar fire and force them to withdraw.
Star Trek: Season 1, Episode Eighteen "Arena"
Star Trek Trivia: Gene L. Coon wrote this script thinking it came from his own imagination, however the Business Department at Desilu noted the striking similarity between this story and another script idea submitted by Frederic Brown, so Desilu offered Mr. Brown a fair price for the story and he was ultimately given credit for the episode.
Arena
To settle a skirmish between the Enterprise and a Gorn ship, a powerful race calling itself the Metrons force Kirk and the Gorn captain to fight to th…
TOS Original Scripts
The script was bound in a yellow cardstock cover using two brads. (A picture of the cover of a first draft script is presented towards the end of this article.) ... Curt and David work on startrekhistory.com. Their Star Trek work has appeared in the Star Trek Magazine and Star Trek: The Original Series 365 by Paula M. Block with Terry J ...
Star Trek
It's only logical. Arena is a fascinating piece of Star Trek, because it's such an iconic and important piece of franchise history, despite the fact that it's far from the best that the show has to offer. Indeed, the basic premise of the show is rather generic science-fiction B-movie stuff. Kirk is forced to compete against a lizard-like ...
Star Trek: "The Squire Of Gothos" / "Arena"
Title. "The Squire Of Gothos" / "Arena". Score. A. Episode. 18. There's the universe, and the universe is basically everything. Inside the universe are things called galaxies—and there are a ton ...
79 Years Ago, A Classic Star Trek Villain Was Created
"Arena" was an example of a script Coon wrote very quickly to get Star Trek back on track. When script researcher Joan Pearce gave "Arena" its legal review, she noticed it was very similar ...
Star Trek S1 E18 "Arena" / Trivia
Trivia /. Star Trek S1 E18 "Arena". On-Set Injury: William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy both suffered permanent hearing damage and tinnitus from a special effects explosion that they were too close to. Cestus III was a globe of the Earth previously seen in "Miri", printed backwards and tinted a hazy orange. Harold, the outpost's only survivor ...
Fredric Brown
Fredric Brown (29 October 1906 - 11 March 1972; age 65) was an influential science fiction and mystery writer. He is credited with writing the story for the Star Trek: The Original Series first season episode "Arena". Gene L. Coon wrote the "Arena" script over the course of a weekend. When he brought it for approval on Monday morning, Joan Pearce, a Desilu research assistant, reviewed the ...
Star Trek History: Arena
On this day in 1967, the iconic 'The Original Series' episode premiered. On this day in S tar Trek history, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "Arena" premiered. Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Episode Preview: Arena
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Steve Yockey to Pen 'Star Trek 4' Script
Steve Yockey, creator of the Max series The Flight Attendant, is set to pen Star Trek 4, according to Variety. The fourth franchise installment, which will serve as the final chapter of the film series, has been in development limbo with Paramount and Bad Robot for years. Star Trek Beyond, the most recent film in the series, came out back in ...
'Wait Wait' for April 6, 2024: With Not My Job guest Chris Pine
Transcript T his week's show was recorded at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, with host Peter Sagal, judge and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, Not My Job guest Chris Pine and panelists Emmy Blotnick ...
Alice Eve Redid Her Star Trek Into Darkness Audition Almost 20 Times
J.J. Abrams' 2013 film "Star Trek Into Darkness" was a parallel universe retread of Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." In Abrams' movie, the central villain, Khan ...