Why Star Trek's "Arena" is Still Peak Sci-Fi Star Trek TOS 1x19

Added: 2026-05-07

[00:00:13]Hi guys, I'm Ray and I'm here guys to do something special. I want to catch up to Star Trek. Something that we stopped doing two years ago as a group. Uh, I gave up on Star Trek because every single time I was working on it to edit, we were constantly being hit with uh with copyright, you know, and I not a fan not a fan of spending hours doing editing a video and then it was copyright. But anyway, here we are. Uh, I kind of sad that we only saw for two hours uh uh up to episode 18 and it's been two years since. So, I'm looking forward to watching this. We're going to start this today with Arena. So, uh, we picking up from where we left off at. We left, we left with our 18. We're going to continue on at on 19. So, with that said, let's do this. This is Star Trek the original series, season 1, episode 19, Arena. Let's do this.

[00:01:02]>> You'll enjoy Comet of Travers. He sets a good table. I wonder if he brought his personal chef along with him to Sustice 3.

[00:01:09]>> Probably. Frank has its privileges.

[00:01:11]>> Oh, well, we both know that, huh? Does it mean visited?

[00:01:14]>> I wonder why he's so insistent that our tactical aids come down. This colony is isolated, exposed, out on the edge of nowhere. He probably wants additional advice.

[00:01:23]>> I doubt that. I doubt that. This is always a problem here.

[00:01:26]>> Tooted me. Doctor, you are a sensualist.

[00:01:29]You bet your pointed ear as I am. Ready whenever you are, Captain.

[00:01:32]>> The bandages too. I I missed it. It's been so long. Bones and and Spock, they seem to have got pretty uh uh like minor beef or always constantly jabbing at each other. It was pretty cool.

[00:01:48]That was a battlefield.

[00:01:49]>> Red alert. Cesus 3 has been destroyed.

[00:01:53]>> Holy. Kind of knew something was wrong from the get-go when the guy was uh saying something was wrong. But anyway, here we are. Look, I'm actually excited about this.

[00:02:02]>> These are the voyages of the >> I'm actually really excited about this.

[00:02:04]I'm enjoying this way too much already.

[00:02:06]It hasn't even started yet. I'm already enjoying this. Just hearing the intro.

[00:02:08]I'm already getting goosebumps.

[00:02:09]>> To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before.

[00:02:18]I found out that there was lyrics to this song. Um, I can't say it was recent, but I don't know if it was also while we were on the channel. Was this, >> but I need to hear it >> early. Hey, stick with me.

[00:02:31]>> Captain impulses that direction. Very weak. Possibly a survivor.

[00:02:35]>> Everybody he sent out is probably going to come back dead.

[00:02:37]>> Radiation burns, internal injuries for certain. He's in a bad way. Keep him alive. Bones. I want to know what's been happening here.

[00:02:42]>> Getting another life reading. Captain, >> can he cure radiation with a little kit he got there?

[00:02:48]>> Azmouth 93° range 1570 yards.

[00:02:55]>> Really?

[00:02:55]>> That's not that far.

[00:02:58]>> Captain, I see something.

[00:03:01]>> Charactive Enterprise lock on.

[00:03:02]>> Scotty, beam me out of here. Scotty, get me out of here.

[00:03:04]>> We can't beam you up. I've just rigged up defensive screens.

[00:03:06]>> Keep those screens up. Fire all phases.

[00:03:11]This episode's coming out. Guns blazing.

[00:03:16]>> What are we shooting at?

[00:03:17]>> If they lower those screens to beam us up, they'll be open to phaser attack.

[00:03:24]>> They're in the Yeah, I better run. Not a good position to be in.

[00:03:28]>> We're stuck with it, Mr. Spark. I'll have to make do with what we've got.

[00:03:34]>> Holy [ __ ] Yo, this is frightening. Can you imagine me in this position? We haven't even seen the enemy yet.

[00:03:45]>> Even if you don't see them, keep your heads down.

[00:03:48]>> That ordinance is being dropped in just for seven people.

[00:03:50]>> You remember the layout of this place?

[00:03:51]The arsenal?

[00:03:52]>> About 100 yards in that direction after an attack as thorough as this one.

[00:03:56]>> I'll risk it.

[00:03:59]>> Kirk. Kirk's a madman.

[00:04:05]>> Jesus Christ. Oh, but they got him. Fire all banks.

[00:04:10]>> All banks. Fire sir.

[00:04:11]>> Sulu. Sulu. Our communications are being interfered with.

[00:04:19]>> I get the straight.

[00:04:19]>> Did he do his own stunt there?

[00:04:21]>> I'm working out of work. Good. Contact me when you can. Kirk out.

[00:04:26]>> I don't know if it's a budget thing and maybe they spent their money on the explosives, but not seeing the enemy is actually like it's making it even scarier.

[00:04:37]is is is turning up the anxiety behind this episode.

[00:04:41]>> He'll be dead in half an hour if we don't get him some decent care.

[00:04:46]>> I don't know. Should we say that in front of him like that?

[00:04:47]>> I've got to get to the captain.

[00:04:54]>> I'm not going to lie. These guys got balls cuz these things are dropping like within 3 ft of them.

[00:05:01]Me, >> Captain, they're moving toward the high ground. They've locked onto my triord.

[00:05:10]>> What technology they have they going to lock in on you like that?

[00:05:12]>> My own impulses and build up an overload.

[00:05:14]>> We'll see how ingenious they are. Hey, give me a hand this grenade launcher.

[00:05:18]>> Hacking back in the 60s.

[00:05:20]>> I make it 1200 yd. Hasmouth 87. It's pretty close for uh one of these little jewels. Captain just fly over them. I just saw a shadow.

[00:05:33]What the hell did we just drop on them?

[00:05:39]>> Just dropped a nuke.

[00:05:40]>> I want a search party of 30 medical personnel. Beam down immediately to search for survivors. Notify the transporter room. Lock on to us. We're beaming up.

[00:05:47]>> I don't know. I I think I fully I don't think it's fully clear yet to be sending people down.

[00:05:51]>> From then on, we were helpless. WE WEREN'T EXPECTING ANYTHING. WHY SHOULD WE? WE didn't have anything anyone would want.

[00:05:57]>> Easy.

[00:05:58]>> That you aware of. tried to signal them.

[00:06:01]WE CALLED UP. TRIED TO SURRENDER. Had women and children. I told them that. I begged them. They wouldn't listen.

[00:06:07]Didn't let up for a moment.

[00:06:09]>> Is this a problem of communication issue? They >> hit us a full day before you got there.

[00:06:14]Captain, no messages came from us, Captain. Why did they do it? Why? Why did they do it?

[00:06:23]>> And the the episode's called Arena, so I'm assuming it's maybe some type of >> You have positive proof as >> I have all the proof I need. Not necessarily. You don't know who explanations come.

[00:06:32]>> How can you explain a massacre? No, Mr. Spark.

[00:06:34]>> By who, though? Who are you going to accuse?

[00:06:36]>> Captain Dems.

[00:06:37]>> Affirmative, sir. Overtake. Laser banks.

[00:06:39]Mark lock onto the enemy vessel. Stand by for firing orders.

[00:06:43]>> This is still I mean, don't get me wrong, he's thinking the way I think people should react to, but at the same time, we don't know for sure. There's an invasion. He's just an assumption.

[00:06:53]>> This is no drill.

[00:06:55]>> But it's Captain Kirk, so he could be right. Nothing specific, Captain.

[00:06:59]Unscientific rumors only. More like space legends.

[00:07:04]>> Space legends.

[00:07:06]>> Mr. Sudu. Status. Alien vessel.

[00:07:08]>> They must be aware we're after this.

[00:07:09]They've gone to warp six also. Warp factor 7. I I sir.

[00:07:14]>> Ludicrous speed. We'll either catch them or we'll blow up. Captain, they may be faster than we are.

[00:07:19]>> They'll have to prove it.

[00:07:22]>> This kind of smacks a bit of pride though a little bit. No. Colony Cestus 3 has been obliterated. Mr. Spark, >> the destruction of the alien vessel will not help that colony. Jim, >> if the aliens go unpunished, they'll be back attacking other Federation installations.

[00:07:36]>> Oh, they come back with strength.

[00:07:38]>> I have regard for sensient.

[00:07:39]>> There's no time for that.

[00:07:42]>> But this is Isn't this first contact with another alien race?

[00:07:45]>> And a crime has been committed. Do I make myself clear? Very clear, Captain.

[00:07:49]I'm delighted, Mr. Spark.

[00:07:51]>> Report, Mr. Salute.

[00:07:52]>> Alien ship maintaining captain. Now I have more seven.

[00:07:57]>> He's not catching it. Is this why we left it all unknown? We didn't see the enemy. We didn't see the ship because we're not going to catch him. I mean, if it is is really good storytelling because the mystery is making it warp eight.

[00:08:10]All right. Seeing the way they reacted to warp 7. Warp eight sounds insane.

[00:08:16]How far? Let me guys let me know guys how how many phases we have. Warp how many warps we have.

[00:08:21]>> Half phaser to bridge alert status. All weapons and operational ready.

[00:08:26]>> Can we go to warp 10 if you wanted to?

[00:08:29]And then how does that affect you? Do you age as you're going?

[00:08:34]>> Good. Mr. Depal.

[00:08:36]>> Yes, sir.

[00:08:36]>> Our position >> 2279, sir. Uncharted solar system at 2466 p.m.

[00:08:44]>> Dude, we might be going to >> No, sir.

[00:08:48]>> They might appear in the middle of like this alien world area.

[00:08:52]>> No, sir. It's from that solar system ahead.

[00:08:55]>> Yeah. Back up. Back up. Stop.

[00:08:57]>> It's slowing down. Warp 5 4 2. It's going sublight, sir. Sir, >> the captain stopped.

[00:09:05]>> It stopped dead in space. It may be turning to fight. No, sir. They're just dead out there. Are you sure? Yes, sir.

[00:09:12]Unmoving.

[00:09:13]>> Did they catch him? They did. Are there a third party that caught them?

[00:09:18]>> 150 and closing, sir.

[00:09:20]6 5 4 warp 3 warp one captain.

[00:09:26]>> You know, after just watching the expanse of being stopped like that, uh it was a very different uh uh uh outcome.

[00:09:34]>> We're reading only 4.5 here. Can you confirm?

[00:09:38]>> It's impossible.

[00:09:39]>> They were stopped by a third party.

[00:09:40]>> Mr. Scott, report. Dead captain locked up, frozen titan. All propulsion systems read zero. Life systems, they're all normal. Who the hell has that type of power or technology?

[00:09:49]>> In hopes that a chronicle of this contest will serve to dissuade others of your kind from entering our >> permitted to communicate with your ship.

[00:09:59]You will each be totally alone.

[00:10:02]>> All right. Ready?

[00:10:03]>> The loser along with his ship shall be destroyed in the interests of peace.

[00:10:08]>> Jesus.

[00:10:09]>> Against ingenuity, brute strength against brute strength, the results will be final.

[00:10:14]>> What about now? How about No, >> it is done.

[00:10:19]>> Oh, he just took his ass.

[00:10:20]>> He's gone.

[00:10:25]>> That's a Gorn. I've heard of this creature I mentioned a couple times in passing. Look at this.

[00:10:35]That's pretty dope. Pretty dope for back then. I know maybe you might think it was campy now, but I think it's fantastic. to remember that this is an intelligent, highly advanced individual.

[00:10:46]The captain of a >> just snap that branch right off.

[00:10:49]>> Undoubtedly a dangerously >> Yeah, he looks like you may be not as strong. That's not going to That's not going to do [ __ ] Kirk. Kirk, try again.

[00:11:00]Get the rock.

[00:11:05]probably could have broke broken scrolls that all right not the greatest Friday choreography. I mean things have improved over the years but name me an episode in season one that Kirk is not on the floor rolling around somewhere.

[00:11:29]I don't think Kirk could beat this man on a brutal oneonone like this.

[00:11:43]Damn. He took that to the chest like that.

[00:11:48]I would have folded immediately had you thrown that boulder at me like that.

[00:11:51]That big stone.

[00:11:56]Kurt. Kurt, you got to go.

[00:12:00]What the? These gorns are that strong.

[00:12:03]Do we see them again?

[00:12:06]We have to, right? Jesus Christ.

[00:12:12]I would have been me running and probably crying.

[00:12:16]>> You tried overload.

[00:12:17]>> Nice, sir. It does no good.

[00:12:19]>> How about bypassing the transformer banks?

[00:12:21]>> Was not aware that we're going to see him again. Cool, cool, cool, cool.

[00:12:24]Looking for a xenum.

[00:12:25]>> Nothing, sir.

[00:12:30]This is Captain James Kirk of the >> You can't communicate back with them. Is that right? He said he can't communicate with them.

[00:12:35]>> Provides the raw material to construct weapons. There's very little here.

[00:12:40]Scrub, brush, rocks.

[00:12:42]>> Yeah, I was thinking that. And I just said rocks and and trees, branches.

[00:12:46]>> Sense.

[00:12:49]>> Uh because he's calling you primitive, I guess, cuz the people who got them are thinking that they're primitive and just giving primitive tools.

[00:12:55]>> Now you're the one that's always talking about logic. What about some logic now?

[00:12:59]Where is the captain, Mr. Spock?

[00:13:02]>> Why are you giving him beef over it?

[00:13:03]>> Par sex of space and there is absolutely nothing we can do to help him.

[00:13:09]>> I mean, I understand the frustration on Bones, you know? I mean, it's your best man. You your best, your best buddy.

[00:13:16]And there's nothing you can do being helpless.

[00:13:21]I got to say, this episode has been one of the most entertaining episodes I've seen of Star Trek ever. I mean, they've been good though, but this is like really, really good.

[00:13:32]That's pretty odd. They So, they used it in they the Gorn has appeared in Strange New Worlds. And you say that the appearance is terrifying appearance.

[00:13:41]This is already terrifying. I mean, I'm sure back in 60s is considered terrifying and them being the strongest.

[00:13:46]I could only imagine with today's technology what they made these guys look like now. Did they keep the scorpion? Not scorpion, the the red pillion look to them because if they didn't, that would be an injustice.

[00:13:55]Honestly, that's pretty cool. Um, dude, these things are terrifying.

[00:14:06]He just threw a boulder at Kirk and missed him by like he overshot by two feet.

[00:14:17]You know, they kind of reminiscent in some ways, not like not not in appearance, but what they doing and what this Gorn is doing. It's reminiscent to me of a Predator. What a Predator would do. If he had to fight a Predator 101 as would you say a Gorn can take a Predator on, that would be dope. I wouldn't mind watching that.

[00:14:43]How strong is Kirk?

[00:14:50]Well, the good thing is the Gorn is kind of slow, right? So, it's probably going to take a long time for him get out of the way. If he he lifted that rock, I mean, that was a big ass boulder. If this if this [ __ ] survived this, I'm going to be [ __ ] shocked, honestly. Cuz you thought high that rock that boulder was.

[00:15:15]Get out of here.

[00:15:17]That's it. It's over.

[00:15:20]I will go with him and snap my own neck if this is the problem.

[00:15:26]Oh, did he make that trap? Did the corn make that trap on him?

[00:15:34]Oh, was that just an accident?

[00:15:38]Jesus Christ. These gorns are trouble.

[00:15:42]ALL RIGHT, THIS GOING IN PARTICULAR is kind of dumb. He had him pinned and tangled and misses thrust.

[00:15:56]>> That was awesome.

[00:15:58]>> Calling the metronomes. Our channels are open. Come in, please.

[00:16:02]>> They ain't going to listen. They said no more discussions.

[00:16:04]>> Native sulfur diamonds. This place is a minologist's dream. Yet, there is something about sulfur. something very old. Something >> unless you can make a bomb with sulfur, you can mgyver that. Good on you.

[00:16:19]>> If any which are customary in your culture, we believe you have very little time left.

[00:16:25]>> But why would they bother with a with a with a >> It is possible you may have feelings toward your captain so that you will be able to prepare yourself. We will allow you to see and hear what is now transpiring.

[00:16:39]>> Great. So you can see your boss get killed. Perfect.

[00:16:46]>> Who knew that back then they had Twitch to go live on? Perhaps everything nitrate. Is that flammable? Is that something flammable?

[00:17:04]>> All right. What do you want?

[00:17:06]>> I'm weary of the chase.

[00:17:09]Wait for me. I shall be merciful and quick.

[00:17:15]>> Why would I even stop?

[00:17:17]>> That is something best decided by diplomats. The Gorn simply might have been trying to protect themselves.

[00:17:23]>> Yes.

[00:17:25]>> Huh? How interesting.

[00:17:32]>> It's good to know they they feel that there's a possibility that they messed up.

[00:17:38]I don't know if you ever hear that today in uh in today's leadership as uh being able to accept the fact that you messed up.

[00:17:50]He's making the cannon.

[00:17:54]Good. Are we going to see one of those um what he did earlier?

[00:18:06]Is Kirk about to make a giant pipe bomb?

[00:18:11]>> Or is he making a mortar?

[00:18:12]>> First potassium nitrate. And now if he can find some sulfur and a charcoal deposit or ordinary coal.

[00:18:20]>> Are are the metron testing him to see how smart he is? Is that part of the the the fight?

[00:18:29]>> A part of why why they're doing this?

[00:18:31]Diamonds, the hardest known substance.

[00:18:33]Impelled by sufficient force, they would make formidable projectiles.

[00:18:38]>> What force?

[00:18:39]>> Dude, imagine being hit with bunch of diamonds.

[00:18:43]>> Let us be reasonable.

[00:18:45]>> Oh, now be reasonable.

[00:18:54]This is going as slow as as f.

[00:19:01]This man invented a whole new weapon while you were just taking a a stroll to get to me.

[00:19:15]God damn.

[00:19:19]Did he hit him? All right, got him this time.

[00:19:25]>> Dude, double tap. You got to do double tap. We got another one, refill it, and shoot him again.

[00:19:29]>> Perhaps in several thousand years, your people and mine shall meet to reach an agreement. You are still half savage, but there is hope. We will contact you when we are ready.

[00:19:41]>> That's pretty cool. A little sense of hope that things could be better in the future.

[00:19:46]They meet up with him another franch.

[00:19:48]You know what? I'll figure it out. I'll find out.

[00:19:50]>> I don't know. All right, everybody. Back to your posts. Let's get out of here.

[00:19:56]>> No talk. We're not going to talk about this. Just get back to work, dude.

[00:20:00]Everybody has questions.

[00:20:01]>> Just plot a course for us. Back to CES 3. I I >> would had tons of questions.

[00:20:12]>> Never mind, Mr. Spock. Doesn't make much sense to me either.

[00:20:15]>> Take us back to where we're supposed to be, Mr. Sulu. Wolf factor one.

[00:20:18]>> Warp factor one.

[00:20:19]>> Thousand years, Captain.

[00:20:21]>> Well, that gives us a little time.

[00:20:25]>> Wow, that was excellent. That was an incredible episode. You know what? I'm going to tell you, uh, after two-year hiatus of not watching Star Trek and going back and then getting this episode off the bat, wow, was that a great episode. I'm sure you guys, you know, I'm going to assume you guys feel the same way about this episode. Those who have seen it, this episode was excellent. Uh, the Gorn. I'm so interested in knowing more about the Gorn. Uh, and chat's telling me that they bring him back in and in another Star Trek show is it academy or New World, right? What an episode, bro. Um, this one and don't get me wrong, I think my favorite episode so far has been the one where it seems like it's like two submarines. Uh uh this when they first meet up with um the people that look like Spock, but they're not Spock. Um I I remember I love that episode so much.

[00:21:16]It was such a great episode. This was up there, was it? This is one of the best episodes I've seen so far from Star Wars, Star Trek, excuse me. And the way Captain Kirk handled it, the way his crew could not help or interfere. Uh even with the Gorn's crew, they couldn't interfere. We got to see what Kirk can do and how smart he is, how brave he is, you know. And I mean, he he had more hits on the Gorn than the Gorn had on him. But the Gorn didn't need much of it, you know. But I did find it too slow. Like the Gorn was too slow for me.

[00:21:48]But I'm assuming that was probably a costume issue. There's probably there's no way you could have had a good fight with that costume on. There's no way. So we have to give credit where it belongs.

[00:21:59]Then, you know, we have to let we have to have some sort of disbelief. But I want to say something now that I'm watching this and and the feeling I'm currently feeling right now about watching this episode. So, I've seen Firefly. I've seen Battle Star Galactica, you know, completely watching Babylon 5, watching Expanse right now.

[00:22:18]There's something uniquely special about Starh Star Trek. Something really, really special about this, you know, cuz you watch it and I'm not I'm not going to lie to you. As soon as I see Captain Kirk or I see any crew member for that matter, there's something really homey, maybe nostalgia. I guess obviously nostalgia, but there's something else in it about what this show represents and and why today is still is still going strong, you know? Uh maybe not as strong as maybe when this started or people got into this, but you can see why the attraction for this show. uh you you had your you had your fight, you had your science, you know, great acting, uh great conflict, and all a sudden you had this superpower, this unknown thing from space called the Met Metrones, I think they're called. Uh and you're not getting that as much maybe because there journey you're out there searching and and looking for more stuff. uh in the other show the product like everything's already kind of like found and maybe the journey of going and looking and finding and and a new experience coming on it is it was just a good feeling this this is a really good feeling show and it doesn't feel dark like today we watching a lot of shows when it comes to sci-fi and this is this dark overtone right and I I want to say a lot of it probably start with Game of Thrones like there was this dark feeling about it and every everybody ever since then people seem to be kind of following that. No, this was not dark. It was very classical heroic hero versus a villain type thing. But at the same time, you find out that they're not a villain.

[00:23:50]They might not have been the villain. We might be the villain. What a mindb blownh.

[00:23:57]Incredible writing for the 60s. And of course, those who who were able to watch it back then, I get it. I get it. Even today, even today, 2026, I get this episode felt impactful for the genre, you know. So, hats off. Hats off. And so happy to be back watching this. I I'm excited about watching this, especially this kicking off an episode like this.

[00:24:19]It was fun. It's fun to be back, guys.

[00:24:21]Fun to be back watching this. I'm going to have to get a uniform. I'm going to have to get myself a nice uh Captain Kirk outfit and uh and just embrace it cuz I guess deep down inside of me, I'm a Treky. I'm trying to get out and and get more into this. But anyway, guys, um I want to know more. Uh I mean, I know there's a lot of Star Trek stuff that's out there. So, finding out that the Gorn does come back and it comes back in uh the the Strange New Worlds. Um I I can't imagine I want to go watch it right now to see how the Gorn looks now, but I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to I'm going to wait. I let I let that build up. But I can see why the original series is like I it has to be tops. Honestly, how can you beat that? You know, I had a friend of mine who uh Brian, if you watch and haven't seen in a while, hello. My buddy Brian was always defending Star Trek.

[00:25:16]Like that's the greatest. And I'll tell him, oh, you haven't watched Battle Galactica. Then he was like, I can't stand the new Stars. I can't don't care about Firefly. and he was just this like he was just like and to me at the time I felt like he was just ultra focused on the Star Trek and not open-minded about watching other things which I still feel that way but don't get me wrong I I I like the idea of you know being able to see different things and open your horizon but this in particular is absolutely a master a master class in terms of sci-fi writing sci-fi acting uh and keeping the science somewhat hard in this situation but still fantasy let's just do it so well let's just do a sw.

[00:25:54]With that said, guys, listen. Uh if you like what we're doing or what I'm doing, hit the like button, subscribe button, guys. I really appreciate you guys hanging out with me and watching this, especially all you old Trekies out there. Uh you guys always been really cool, very uh embracing to new people watching the show, and I appreciate that 100%. Well, anyway guys, listen, uh again, leave your likes in the comment se likes, subscribe, give me your comments. I want to know what you thought about this show, you know, especially this episode. This episode was great. And the if they appear again anytime the Goran appears anytime during uh the the the original series, I'm gonna be super happy. But anyway, guys, listen. With that said, thanks for hanging out with me. I am Ray. We're Rice. I'll see you soon. Take care.