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Star Trek

Arena

Season 1, Episode 19, Aired Jan 19, 1967

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8.5

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When a mysterious alien race destroys an Earth colony, the Enterprise pursues. However, powerful aliens soon immobilize both ships and force Kirk and the alien captain to fight each other to the death.

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR Jerry Ayres

Lt. O'Herlihy
GUEST STAR Grant Woods

Lt. Cmdr. Kelowitz
GUEST STAR Tom Troupe

Lt. Harold

Leonard Nimoy

Mr. Spock
William Shatner

Captain James T...

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Fan Episode Reviews (9)

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Kirk and a green lizard creature are forced to fight each other.

7.5

"Good"

By Celedorian, Nov 20, 2010

This is an unusual Star Trek episode in that it has some twists and turns in the plot. But that's not a bad thing. And like many of the Star Trek episodes, it does rely on the intelligence of the characters and it counts on the intelligence of the viewer to follow along. Unfortunately, while this was a favorite episode back in the 70s when the series was wildly popular, I don't think it has aged as well as others. The Gorn, in particular, looks like a bad costume now, and his fight with Kirk, while legendary, looks a bit hokey today. Still, it's a classic.moreless
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The Gorn!!!!

8.0

"Great"

By GameraTrekkie, Nov 20, 2010

'Arena' is definitely a classic moment in Trek history because we see the dinosaur like alien known as the Gorn. I was disappointed, however, with the monster itself. It is obvious that the actor in the Gorn costume couldn't see a thing because the monster was very slowly stumbling every where and was slow to attack. Kirk had to wait for it's arms to come down before he made the next move which looks very fake compared to today's standards. This episode was also seen in the movie "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey", they are watching this episode when they are in their apartment.moreless
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It is learned that dudes from intelligent, superior races are known to where dresses

7.0

"Good"

By hrtonslv, Nov 20, 2010

Despite dragging on, the episode held together for me. It almost went sour when right before a commercial break the Gorn has Captain Kirk trapped under a huge rock and when we come back from the commercial break Kirk escapes by getting up and running away after the Gorn pushes the boulder out of the way to stab at Kirk. I thought the attack scene in the beginning of the episode was the most exciting action scene of the entire series. I read how Kirk and Spock (Shatner and Nimoy) had some hearing damage during the shooting.moreless
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You are still half savage, but there is hope

7.0

"Good"

By amazingwebhead, Nov 20, 2010

Definitely an action-packed Trek episode if there ever was one, 'Arena' has some of the best effects, sets and action of the Original Series, but fails to deliver anything substantially satisfying.

Before we even get to all the drama and fighting however, 'Arena' opens up with some brilliant dialogue between the Trio that I absolutely loved. Actually, for such a small moment it is actually one my favourite scenes of the episode and uses the character's personalities well. Particularly amusing was the following: Spock-"Doctor, you are a sensualist."; McCoy-"you bet your pointed ears I am!". Ah, as scarily racist as old man McCoy can be, you can't doubt his southern charm.

Following this, we're taken down onto a federation planet which has been attacked by unknown aliens. And boy does this planet look good! It's not often that you get such an elaborate set such as this on Trek, and it really has an impact on the episode's tone and those explosions! Real fire and explosions! I know, I know, I'm getting excited over some silly effects that really aren't that special. For 60's Trek however, these are special. In fact I loved this entire setup of the landing party being down on the surface and being targeted by missiles. There is always an imminent sense of threat and danger present and it is well created through the effects, sound and set design. What we end up with essentially is one of the most exciting ten minutes of the entire Original Series. Oh there's also the joy of watching Shatner run around like a chicken; would it ever get old? And please note I am referring to his commando run, and not his 'running' that he does for the majority of the latter parts of 'Arena' snore.

The next ten minutes maybe aren't quite as suspenseful as the previous but nonetheless I enjoyed the use of the warp drive as a build up of tension. Very little do we know of the engines that power the Enterprise, but enough is done here to create a sense of danger along with the thrill of the chase.

Eventually we end up down on an asteroid where Kirk has to do battle with a giant lizard-like creature named the 'Gorn'. Now a lot of people have problems with the Gorn costume, but I'm on the other side of the fence. I don't have that much of a problem with the suit. It's the person inside the suit, or more accurately, the director who told the guy in the suit to move like he was underwater, that I have a problem with. I can understand that it needed to be established that the Gorn were far less agile than Kirk, but the movement used just never comes off as natural or anywhere near convincing.

Perhaps one of the most interesting themes that I picked up on was of humanity becoming out of touch with our primal instincts and intuition; becoming too reliant on our advanced forms of weaponry. Kirk, stranded on this barren planet certainly wants to kill the Gorn but he does not posses the knowledge -or at least cannot remember how- to do so without technology. Bare in mind that he cannot do the obvious (strangulation or physical force) because the Gorn would simply tear him to shreds if he got close enough. Well, that's at least what we're set up to believe. The reptile never really comes across as being that powerful, but hey, Kirk says so, so that's all that matters right? No, afraid not, major flaw number one.

My second problem comes from the episode's stalling nature after the first 25 minutes, right up until the last few scenes. What we have is essentially twenty minutes or so of Kirk running around, annoyingly ignorant to the materials around him. I accepted it the first time he stopped near diamonds and announced that he could find 'no weapon that the Metrons talked of', but after so many repeated scenes such as these, I got tired, and quite bored. Kirk's interspersed 'diary' recordings did offer some relief at times, but not much. This is really a shame because the action of the first twenty minutes is top-notch and the finale to the episode is a great morally focused ending; great bookends, terrible books.

And as if the pace couldn't be killed any more, we get a series of sequences where the crew aboard the Enterprise are forced to watch Kirk down on the planet. Frankly, I didn't see the point in this. It simply doesn't work as well as it could have and doesn't have as much character reaction to make it worth while. If anything it dims the drama and brings down the tension even more.

What I did enjoy was the analysis of Kirk and his sudden disregard for alien life. This is well contrasted with Spock's opinion that the Enterprise should not seek vengeance, and not destroy the enemy's ship. Of course, Kirk doesn't take heed to his first officer's advice and goes forward anyway, with a smile on his face that only a wild predator tasting the blood of his enemy could possess. Fast forward to the end of the episode, after battling with the Gorn (and almost losing) on a level playing field, Kirk, at the very edge of satisfying his thirst for revenge, puts down his weapon and refuses to kill. It may come off as a little sudden and contrived but it sets up the final conclusion to the episode well.

A Metron finally appears to Kirk and congratulates him on his success. However the success is not from having the knife at his opponent's throat, but for taking the knife away. The Metron then goes on to speak a statement that I believe just about sums up the main jist of Trek's moral ideology: "You are still half savage, but there is hope". Hope, that's exactly it. If ever there was a key theme underlying every single Star Trek production, it is exactly that: Hope. We acknowledge our past, we resent our misgivings and our savagery, but we also seek to rid ourselves of such traits. Star Trek is such a vision of this future humanity, and 'Arena' although definitely flawed as a piece of television, is a good example of the Trek ideas.moreless
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An unknown enemy has attacked a Federation outpost, seemingly unprovoked. As the Enterprise pursues the attackers, powerful entities transport Kirk and the leader of the enemy down to a baron planet to battle it out. Classic 'Star Trek'...moreless

9.5

"Superb"

By Jay-Spacedust, Nov 20, 2010

The run of great first season episodes continues; I really like this story.

It is in some ways a story of three parts: The opening section with the destroyed outpost, the pursuit of the unknown enemy, and, longest of all, the battle between Captain Kirk and the Gorn on the baron planet.

The section on the bombed outpost is very exciting, and amongst 'Star Trek's best action moments. William Shatner suffers tinnitus (constant ringing in the ears) after being caught too near to an explosion during the filming of an episode, and I think this may well be the one.

The space pursuit is more average 'Trek', but soon leads on to the main bulk of the episode, when the powerful Metrons transport Kirk and the head of the Gorn down to the planet to battle it out. This section in particular is classic 'Star Trek', and is one of my earliest 'Trek' memories as a child, from when I very first saw the series in one of it's (many) repeats when I was a child.

As I've commented on other episodes, the location work really helps this episode come alive. Some episodes are let down a bit by not-very-convincing studio sets, and it definitely would have hampered this one; but the decent location work thankfully saves it.

Some people don't like this episode because the Gorn is (clearly) someone in a rubber lizard suit. In particular, it moves awkwardly and slowly, as the person inside seemingly can't see or move around very well. Well, yes it is the case, but I find that much about enjoying original 'Star Trek' is imagination. Don't nitpick the limitations of the time, and just enjoy the adventure. I'd much rather watch something exciting like this that some of the dull stories in later 'Trek' incarnations!

There are (as with many original 'Star Trek' episodes) some plot holes to be found in this story. In particular, as several others have commented, why did the Federation set up a colony in Cestus III in the first place, if it was unexplored?

In many ways, this episode is similar to the first season 'Next Generation' episode "The Last Outpost", which sees an unknown force setting the Enterprise crew and their opponents (in that case, the Ferengi, who at that stage were designed as enemies) on a planet to battle it out.

Also to note regarding this story is that it was reworked for the second season episode "The Arena" (1985) of the popular 1980s cartoon series 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe' of which I am a huge (unashamed) fan. The story was scaled down and adapted for that series, but is very much the same plot. (The series was produced by Filmation, who also produced the 1970s 'Star Trek: The Animated Series', and both make use of many of the same sound effects and similar designs).

Anyway, back to this actual episode... there are a couple of very small niggles which knock this down from being a perfect 10 (on the old, more flexible TV.com rating, I'd probably give it about a 9.8), but it still stands as a classic 'Star Trek' episode, and one of my favourites of the first season.moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Trivia: This is the first episode to make mention of the Federation.
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- The Metrons pronounce their name with a short "o" sound, as in the name "Ron." Spock pronounces the name in the same manner. Captain Kirk, however, pronounces the name with a long "o" sound, as if it were spelled "Metrones."
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- After Kirk accidentally trips over the Gorn's trap, watch the Gorn's right leg. There is a noticeable rip right above the knee, and in later scenes the rip is bigger. But there's no blood, and no indication it was wounded.
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Quotes
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- Metron: Your captain is losing his battle. We would suggest you make whatever memorial arrangements, if any, which are customary in your culture. We believe you have very little time left. McCoy: We appeal to you in the name of civilization. Put a stop to this! Metron: Your violent intent and actions demonstrate that you are not civilized.
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- Kirk: (to the helpless Gorn) No I won't kill you. Maybe you thought you were protecting yourselves when you attacked the outpost. (louder, to the Metrons) No I won't kill him! Do you hear? You'll have to get your entertainment someplace else!
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- Kirk: (speaking into his recorder-translator) I am in personal combat with the creature the Metrons call a Gorn. Immensely strong, he has already withstood attacks from me that would have killed a human being. Fortunately though strong, he's not agile. The agility, and I hope the cleverness, is mine.
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Notes
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- The outdoor scene was filmed on an old 30's studio that was used for filming Westerns. Perhaps the best known movie associated with it is John Wayne's The Alamo.
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- The outdoor filming for this episode takes place near Vasquez Rocks in Bronson Canyon, perhaps one of the best-known pieces of outdoor scenery in science fiction, Western, and fantasy films and TV shows because of its alien-looking landscape. The setting was used again in the episodes "Shore Leave" and "Friday's Child." It was also used in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Who Watches the Watchers," and has been used in the movies Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, The Flintstones, and The Scorpion King. William Shatner himself returned to Vasquez Rocks to film a humorous segment for his 2006 History Channel special How William Shatner Changed the World.
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- This was the first episode to establish that the ship's cruising speed was warp 6 and the top speed was warp 8 (attainable at considerable danger to the ship and crew).
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