Difference between revisions of "Gorn"

Latest revision as of 18:12, 17 November 2023

No, thats not a lightsaber, honest.

The Gorn are a reptillian species appearing in the TOS episode "Arena". They are essentially bipedal humanoids.

Attributes

Gorn are physically much stronger and tougher than humans. A Gorn captain was able to shrug off a head-sized rock thrown into his torso, and a meter-plus boulder rolled off a cliff above him only stunned him for a minute. Similarly, he was able to lift a boulder nearly a meter in diameter and throw it at least several meters uphill.

While strong and durable, Gorn are not as agile or quick on their feet as humans; the Gorn captain's best speed was no faster than a brisk walk for a human, and Kirk was able to easily dodge most of the Gorn's strikes.

Organization

Nothing is known about the Gorn government save that it has the resources to construct powerful warships to defend the territory it claims.

Appearances

The Gorn initially appeared in the TOS episode "Arena", in which a Gorn starship attacked a Federation outpost that was supposedly set up in their territory. They lured Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the Enterprise's tactical officers to the surface of the destroyed colony, where they ambushed the landing party, and their starship attacked the Enterprise with it's key command staff down on the surface.

Kirk was able to drive off the Gorn ground party with photon grenades found in the colony's armory. The Gorn starship beamed up their wounded and retreated. Kirk and company returned to the Enterprise and gave chase. The alien Metrons, another one-episode super race, interrupted the chase and attempted to end the dispute by having Kirk and the Gorn captain resolve their issues in single combat on an unknown planet.

Another great way for ST: ENT to urinate on TOS continuity

This is the only time the Gorn appear in the main Star Trek universe, but another Gorn did appear in the evil mirror universe of the Terran Empire in Star Trek: Enterprise^[1], in spite of the race appearing to be completely unknown to the Federation until Kirk's time. Naturally this Gorn was quick and agile, despite the precedent set in TOS.

Threat assessment

The Gorn ship was able to withstand a full barrage of phasers and photon torpedos from the Constitution-class Enterprise, indicating defenses comparable to those of the Federation. The Enterprise needed to push its warp drive to its limits to overtake the ship during the chase.

Their infantry seems superior to that of the Federation (not exactly saying much), as they were able attack the Federation landing party from a distance of approximately 1200 yards. They were able to detect Spock's tricorder and use the signal to bracket the Federation position with explosive fire from a similar distance.

However, the lack of any subsequent appearances in TNG-era Star Trek indicates that their territory is either very minor or they were destroyed some time after the events of "Arena".

Notes

↑ ENT "In a Mirror, Darkly"

[1] ENT "In a Mirror, Darkly"

[1]

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-[[Image:Gorn.jpg|thumb|right|No, thats not a lightsaber, honest.]]The '''Gorn''' are a reptillian species appearing in the [[TOS]] episode "Arena".  They are essentially bipedal [[humanoid]]s.  They are much stronger than humans but not as agile or quick on their feet; they are apparently incapable of running.
+[[Image:Gorn.jpg|thumb|right|No, thats not a lightsaber, honest.]]The '''Gorn''' are a reptillian species appearing in the [[TOS]] episode "Arena".  They are essentially bipedal [[humanoid]]s.
+==Attributes==
+Gorn are physically much stronger and tougher than humans.  A Gorn captain was able to shrug off a head-sized rock thrown into his torso, and a meter-plus boulder rolled off a cliff above him only stunned him for a minute.  Similarly, he was able to lift a boulder nearly a meter in diameter and throw it at least several meters uphill.
+While strong and durable, Gorn are not as agile or quick on their feet as humans; the Gorn captain's best speed was no faster than a brisk walk for a human, and Kirk was able to easily dodge most of the Gorn's strikes.
+==Organization==
+Nothing is known about the Gorn government save that it has the resources to construct powerful [[warship]]s to defend the territory it claims.
 == Appearances ==
-A Gorn starship attacks a [[Federation]] outpost that was supposedly set up in their territory.  They lure [[Kirk]], [[Spock]], [[McCoy]] and the [[Enterprise (TOS)|Enterprise's]] tactical officers to the surface of the destroyed colony where they ambush the [[away team|landing party]] and their [[starship]] attacks the ''Enterprise'' with the majority of its combat personnel down on the surface.
+The Gorn initially appeared in the [[TOS]] episode "Arena", in which a Gorn starship attacked a [[Federation]] outpost that was supposedly set up in their territory.  They lured [[Kirk]], [[Spock]], [[McCoy]] and the [[Enterprise (TOS)|Enterprise's]] tactical officers to the surface of the destroyed colony, where they ambushed the [[away team|landing party]], and their [[starship]] attacked the ''Enterprise'' with it's key command staff down on the surface.
-Kirk is able to counter-attack the Gorn ground party with [[photon grenade]]s found in the colony's armory.  The Gorn starship [[transporter|beams up]] their wounded and retreats.  Kirk and company return to the ''Enterprise'' and give chase, Kirk enraged and demanding they pay for their attack on the colony.
+Kirk was able to drive off the Gorn ground party with [[photon grenade]]s found in the colony's armory.  The Gorn starship [[transporter|beamed up]] their wounded and retreated.  Kirk and company returned to the ''Enterprise'' and gave chase.  The alien [[Metron]]s, another [[alien of the week|one-episode]] [[super race]], interrupted the chase and attempted to end the dispute by having Kirk and the Gorn captain resolve their issues in single combat on an unknown [[planet]].
-After some time, both ships are held helpless by the [[Metron]]s, another allegedly non-violent [[super race]] that attempt to "solve" the problem by having Kirk and the Gorn captain resolve their issues in one-on-one combat on an unknown [[planet]]. However, to test their mental abilities, the Metrons place the raw materials for gunpowder on the planet.  Kirk assembles them into a primitive cannon and cripples the Gorn captain but refuses to kill him.  This impresses the Metrons, who spare both ships and return them to their own territory. Kirk realizes the Gorn may have actually been in the right, merely feeling they were defending themselves from invaders, and decides this disagreement would be a matter better left in the hands of the diplomats<ref>TOS "Arena"</ref>
+[[Image:ENT Gorn.jpg|thumb|right|Another great way for [[Star Trek: Enterprise|''ST: ENT'']] to urinate on TOS continuity]]This is the [[alien of the week|only time]] the Gorn appear in the main Star Trek universe, but another Gorn did appear in the [[Parallel universe|evil mirror universe]] of the [[Terran Empire]] in ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]''<ref>ENT "In a Mirror, Darkly"</ref>, in spite of the race appearing to be completely unknown to the Federation until Kirk's time. Naturally this Gorn was quick and agile, despite the precedent set in TOS.
-[[Image:ENT Gorn.jpg|thumb|right|Another great way for [[B&B]] to urinate on TOS continuity]]This is the only time the Gorn appear in the main Star Trek [[Parallel universe|universe]], although one did appear in the mirror universe in ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]''<ref>ENT "In a Mirror, Darkly"</ref>, in spite of the race appearing to be completely unknown to the Federation in Kirk's time.
+== Threat assessment ==
+The Gorn ship was able to withstand a full barrage of [[phaser]]s and [[photon torpedo]]s from the [[Constitution-class|''Constitution''-class]] ''Enterprise'', indicating defenses comparable to those of the Federation.  The ''Enterprise'' needed to push its [[warp drive]] to its limits to overtake the ship during the chase.
-== Threat assessment ==
+Their infantry seems superior to that of the [[Federation]] (not exactly saying much), as they were able attack the Federation landing party from a distance of approximately 1200 yards. They were able to detect Spock's [[tricorder]] and use the signal to bracket the Federation position with explosive fire from a similar distance.
-The Gorn ship was able to withstand a full barrage of [[phaser]]s and [[photon torpedo]]s from the ''[[Constitution-class]] Enterprise'' indicating defenses comparatel to those of the Federation.  The ''Enterprise'' needed to push its [[warp drive]] to its limits to overtake the ship during the chase.
-Their infantry seems superior to that of the [[Federation]] (not exactly saying much), as they were able attack the Federation landing party from a distance of approximately 1200 yards. They were also able to detect Spock's [[tricorder]] and use the signal to bracket the Federation position with explosive fire from a similar distance.
+However, the lack of any subsequent appearances in [[TNG]]-era [[Star Trek]] indicates that their territory is either very minor or they were destroyed some time after the events of "Arena".
-However, the utter lack of their appearance in [[TNG]] era [[Star Trek]] indicates their territory is either very minor or they were destroyed some time after the events of "Arena".
+==Notes==
+<references />
 [[Category: Star Trek]]
 [[Category: Factions]]
+[[Category: Alien of the Week]]