Vedek Dukat (talk | contribs) (→Background: re-added aurelius' info but phrased to proper POV) |
m (→Background: 2155 is the 22nd century ;)) |
||
| Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
*The Gorn's ability to destroy a Federation outpost without raising alarm, drawing in Kirk and the ''Enterprise'' into an ambush, and quickly fashioning sophisticated weighted-net traps from available plant fibers and boulders, all proved he was a sophisticated, critically-thinking being on par with the most advanced [[humanoid|humanoids]]. But his Gorn senses, technological history, or a small gap in his education left him unaware or unable to exploit the unique combination of minerals ([[sulfur]], [[coal]], [[potassium nitrate]] and [[diamond|diamonds]]) and materials that littered the planetoid surface. |
*The Gorn's ability to destroy a Federation outpost without raising alarm, drawing in Kirk and the ''Enterprise'' into an ambush, and quickly fashioning sophisticated weighted-net traps from available plant fibers and boulders, all proved he was a sophisticated, critically-thinking being on par with the most advanced [[humanoid|humanoids]]. But his Gorn senses, technological history, or a small gap in his education left him unaware or unable to exploit the unique combination of minerals ([[sulfur]], [[coal]], [[potassium nitrate]] and [[diamond|diamonds]]) and materials that littered the planetoid surface. |
||
| − | * The [[ |
+ | * The [[22nd century]] [[mirror universe]] Gorn [[Slar]] was dramatically more agile than the wily Gorn captain. One could speculate as to why the "mirror" Gorn was so much more agile, although, like the [[Klingon augment virus]], the 35-year difference in special-effects technology is probably best left without a "canonical" explanation. |
===Councilor=== |
===Councilor=== |
||
Revision as of 01:40, 2 February 2006
The following is a list of Gorn:
Named Gorn
Unnamed Gorn
Captain
The Gorn Captain in 2267.
The Gorn Captain was an officer of the Gorn Hegemony military in 2267. He commanded a Gorn starship comparable to the Federation's Constitution-class vessels, as well as a detachment of ground assault forces.
Assault on Cestus III
The Federation's establishment of an outpost colony on Cestus III, was regarded as an invasion of Gorn territory by the Hegemony, and the Gorn Captain was tasked to respond to the threat. Approaching at space-normal speed in the manner of a friendly vessel, the Captain opened fire at close range, taking out the enemy phaser batteries. Defenseless, the outpost offered to surrender, but the plea went unheeded or unheard. The enemy installation was promptly destroyed, resulting in the death of nearly all inhabitants. He remained in the system after the assault, and monitored the approach of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), the Federation's key military asset in the sector.
The Gorn Captain's ability to mimic Starfleet communications fooled his new opponent, James T. Kirk. Expecting a warm welcome from the Cestus III base commander, Commodore Travers, Kirk's landing party beamed into an ambush, surrounded by Gorn ground forces and pelted by disruptor artillery fire. Simultaneously, the Gorn starship quartered-in on the Enterprise while she was locked in orbit. The ships were evenly matched for firepower and defensive screens, but the Enterprise, now under the command of Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, was forced to break orbit in order to manuever, temporarily stranding the landing party.
His ingenious counterstrike to the Federation's (perceived) invasion was foiled by the inability to secure or destroy the Cestus III armory. Kirk, after liberating a photon grenade mortar, pushed back the Gorn ground forces, forcing them to retreat to their ship. With the Enterprise now free to maneuver with Kirk back in command, the Gorn's early advantage evaporated. The Gorn Captain set his ship on a course for home at high warp, followed by the Enterprise in hot pursuit.
Battle with Kirk
The chase brought the vessels through space overseen by the Metrons, an advanced and powerful species that abhorred violence. The Federation was unaware of the Metron Consortium at the time. Whether the Gorn Hegemony, a stellar neighbor, was aware of the Metrons and their likely response to belligerents in their territory, is unknown. Offended by the incursion, the Metrons disabled both the Gorn starship and the Enterprise.
The Metrons declared the two commanders would face each other in single combat, rather than wreak havoc in a space battle. The surviving Captain and ship would be allowed to depart, and the dead Captain's vessel and crew would be forfiet. In a blink, both captains were transported, disarmed, to the surface of a desert planetoid for their appointed battle -- the first known face-to-face contact between Human and Gorn.
After a brief initial grappling that proved the Gorn Captain's physical superiority and Kirk's relative agility, the conflict escalated into a battle of wits. As they jockeyed for position around their rocky arena, both captains fashioned traps from available materials that countered their opponent's advantages. In pauses between attacks, the Gorn eavesdropped on his enemy's reflective monologues, via the recording-translating device provided by the Metrons.
Eventually, the Gorn Captain tired of tracking the human's scurrying. back-and-forth movements, and he implored his prey to give up. He was a merciful Gorn, and insisted the killing blow would be a quick one. At last, the human lingered in one spot, frantically working on a hollowed log that would make a poor club. The Gorn approached, oblivious to the the coming explosion and the diamond projectiles that would imbed themselves in his chest.
Kirk moved in to finish the job, but coming to understand that the Gorn was merely acting in the defense of his territory, he protested the rules of the Metrons's bloodthirsty game and refused to kill his erstwhile enemy. Recognizing Kirk's act of mercy, the Metrons returned the Gorn Captain to his ship and allowed him to live. (TOS: "Arena")
Background
- The Gorn Captain (the "Gorn") was played by Bobby Clark and Gary Coombs (uncredited in the rubber suit), and voiced by Ted Cassidy. The Gorn's costume was designed by Wah Chang, who also created the M-113 creature (aka the Salt Vampire).
- The Gorn's ability to destroy a Federation outpost without raising alarm, drawing in Kirk and the Enterprise into an ambush, and quickly fashioning sophisticated weighted-net traps from available plant fibers and boulders, all proved he was a sophisticated, critically-thinking being on par with the most advanced humanoids. But his Gorn senses, technological history, or a small gap in his education left him unaware or unable to exploit the unique combination of minerals (sulfur, coal, potassium nitrate and diamonds) and materials that littered the planetoid surface.
- The 22nd century mirror universe Gorn Slar was dramatically more agile than the wily Gorn captain. One could speculate as to why the "mirror" Gorn was so much more agile, although, like the Klingon augment virus, the 35-year difference in special-effects technology is probably best left without a "canonical" explanation.
Councilor
Tellarite councilor (2269)
This Gorn served as an Elysian Councilmember on Elysia in 2269. (TAS: "The Time Trap")