‘Star Trek’ Retro Recap: ‘Arena’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

I think what I love the most about ‘iconic’ moments in television, is that the people behind the scenes and the audience watching the show in question, haven’t a clue that a historic and franchise establishing moment is taking place. After all, the cast and crew were just doing their job, and the folks at home were or are just enjoying another tale, meaning that it is history and time that in essence creates those all-important moments since it is the viewers that talk about that particular tale nonstop and sell its wonder to others and really, the power of the iconic moment and its genesis in general is on my mind today, simply because the next episode of Star Trek on my series re-watch, is one that meets the criteria we just discussed. For it is one we look back fondly upon and one that in many ways put the series on the map since so many remember this one fondly for its incredible showdown on a remote alien world.
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For ‘Arena’ is the tale that everyone knows, even if they haven’t seen it, all because this is the story where Captain Kirk and the Gorn duked it out in a desert that oddly resembles Vasquez Rock just outside of Los Angeles and well, once I realized what I had stumbled upon, a smile crossed my face that didn’t leave until the episode ended because I truly see why so many people continue to love this tale and perhaps see it as a fundamental story for the franchise. Because it does happen to feature quite the mystery, since you haven’t a clue who attacked that remote Starfleet outpost, or who is bombarding the crew when they beam down and that instantly sucks you into this story and keeps you hungry to know more and the wonder of this story only grows from there.

Because the life and death struggle that Kirk finds himself in the midst of is pretty intense, far more than modern pop-culture has presented it at times since the captain does find himself pinned beneath a rock and desperate for a break when death seemingly comes calling. But what matters most during this segment is that Kirk is able to demonstrate our better side, by not killing the Gorn captain, and there is something supremely noble and powerful about seeing the duality of man in this tale since both our savagery and our ability to offer great beauty and mercy is on display over the course of the hour. If anything, that’s really the simplest path to explain what Starfleet and the Federation stand for if you’re new to the franchise, and if you’re already a fan, revisiting this particular story just reinforces the saga’s wonder and hopeful tone.

Yet, it wouldn’t be right to talk about this episode and not point out why it is also lampooned in pop-culture in this day and age. Because despite the remastering of the external effects, there is definitely a sense of dating that comes forth when we get to the planet in question. For the Gorn is clearly a dude in a giant green suit, and that comes off in hammy and silly fashion from time to time, and some of the feats of strength he is able to accomplish, clearly involve Styrofoam. Plus, Shatner hams it up a plenty in this tale, offering his trademark Shatner-gasp whenever possible. However, let’s be honest, the cheese is also part of the charm of this episode because the combination of hokeyness and the underlying message present here, somehow makes this story supremely endearing and truly, I love how much this tale means to the fanbase.

For it’s made Vazquez Rock a mecca for the fans and it’s inspired other stories to be told in this wondrous place since Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey made this location central to its plot and the upcoming Star Trek: Picard filmed there, and that show’s showrunner, Michael Chabon, recently posted a picture of his time there on social media. Meaning that this episode made The Original Series tangible, and it’s so cool to see this story 53 years after it first debuted and reflect upon its progression and its impact. But, I suppose if I have any complaint about this tale, it’s that the mysterious aliens that pitted man against Gorn were never mentioned again in the saga, making me wonder if Star Trek: Discovery will find a way to sneak them in since they’re so close the thousand year mark set forth in this story. But I digress, because in the here and the now, we just need to bask in this glorious and somewhat hokey tale, and relish in the fact that this one helped to put a stellar series on the map and I cannot wait to settle in to watch more quality stories from a show that changed the face of science fiction forever. Until next time. 

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