Star Trek (1966) 1.18

Arena

The Enterprise travels to Cestus III. Captain Kirk, Mister Spock, Doctor McCoy and three other members of the crew (O'Herlihy, Kelowitz, Lang) beam down to the surface of the planet. They immediately discover that the outpost they were supposed to be visiting has been almost completely obliterated. There is only one person left alive.

The Enterprise and the landing party come under attack. O'Herlihy and Lang are killed. The Enterprise is unable to beam anyone back up while they are fighting off an unknown enemy. The enemy takes off after several exchanges of fire. The Enterprise beams the landing party back up and then takes off after the enemy ship.

The Enterprise catches up to the enemy ship but then both ships are taken captive by a third party, the Metrons. Captain Kirk and the leader of the Gorn, the people of the enemy ship, are then transported to the surface of a planet.

The Metrons explain to them that because the humans and the Gorn are both war like peoples, the two captain are to battle to the death. The winner and his ship will be allowed to leave. The loser's ship and its crew will be destroyed.

Kirk and the unnamed Gorn leader battle amidst a rocky formation in a desert like setting. Kirk eventually wins by building a primitive cannon with which he blasts the Gorn leader. Kirk refuses to finish off the Gorn leader, which pleases the Metrons despite what they explained as the rules of the game.

Thoughts

I know I've seen this episode before but I don't have any strong memories of it. The only part I remember is the fight that takes up most of the second half of the episode.

The first member of the crew to die in this episode was wearing a red shirt.

The Enterprise once again encounters a being with god-like powers.

The fight scenes between Kirk and the Gorn leader were filmed at Vasquez Rocks. This is the second of four episodes of this series to be partially filmed at Vasquez Rocks.

This episode includes the first and only appearance of the Gorn during this series. They return in later series but were only seen once during the next 30 years and that was in an episode of the animated series.

This is a fun episode but it isn't terribly memorable. Maybe if I has seen some episodes of later series that featured the Gorn then I might feel differently.