Gorn
Encyclopedia
In Star Trek
, the Gorn are humanoid reptiles from the Gorn Hegemony
.
episode "Bound" although, in the games "Star Trek: Starfleet Command
" and "Star Trek: Starfleet Command II: Empires at War" The Gorn's government was referred to as the "Gorn Confederation".
The Gorn made first contact
with the Federation
at Cestus III in 2267 when a misunderstanding nearly led to war (original series episode "Arena", the Gorn (Captain Agave) played by Bobby Clark
). Although the Gorn made territorial claims, the Federation had a settlement there in 2371, indicating tension later softened.
, and the Gorn's memorable personality. A hissing, slow-moving, but lethal beast, the Gorn captain is also shown to be quite cunning and devious; chuckling wickedly to himself as he sets a trap for Kirk, and later promising that if the captain gives himself up, the Gorn will make his death "merciful and quick". "Arena" is also considered one of the series' classic episodes.
For years, "Arena" marked the only live action appearance of the Gorn, although the race was "name dropped" from time to time. In 2005, an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise
featured a Gorn (albeit in the Mirror Universe) in the episode "In a Mirror, Darkly Part II". In that episode, the Gorn (whose name was Slar) was an overseer of a group of slaves belonging to the Mirror Universe's Tholian
s in an attempt to steal technology from the Constitution-class NCC-1764 Defiant which had been lured into the Mirror Universe from ours. Slar hid in the ship's corridors and killed several crewmembers until it was killed by Jonathan Archer
. For this appearance, Slar was designed using computer animation
, and looked different from the original appearance. Since "In a Mirror, Darkly" takes place entirely within the Mirror Universe, the contact seen between the Earth Empire and the creature does not contradict the first contact seen in "Arena".
Gorn action figures have been available over the years including the famed Meego line from the 1970s and of course appeared in that lines television commercials. A gorn was slated to appear in Star Trek Nemesis as a friend of Worf.
The Gorn race appears in the alternate Star Fleet Universe, represented in the range of games from Amarillo Design Bureau Inc.
as well as the first two Star Fleet Command
games (and the Orion Pirates stand-alone addon for Starfleet Command II) from Taldren. These are not considered canon with the Star Trek movies or series. In this continuum, the Gorn Confederation is a powerful empire located coreward of the Romulan Star Empire
, also bordering the United Federation of Planets and the Interstellar Concordium. It comprises three genetically related races, each from a neighboring star system, known as Ghdar I, Ghdar II and Ghdar III. They are portrayed as a more civilized and cultured race than as referenced in the Paramount
Star Trek universe.
They ally in Y174 with the Kzinti Hegemony, the Hydran Kingdoms, the Federation and the Tholian Holdfast
in the General War. The alliance between the Gorns and the Federation - following a brief conflict over a misunderstanding regarding the Federation colony on Cestus III, a Gorn world - represents one of the few alliances that is based on mutual trust and desire for friendship as opposed to political convenience.
They are mutually antagonistic with the Romulans, with whom they share a border with the Interstellar Concordium, and were among the first races to feel the effects of the ISC War of Pacification.
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, the Gorn are humanoid reptiles from the Gorn Hegemony
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
.
Fictional history
The Gorn had contact with the Orion Syndicate as early as 2154. The name of their government was established as the Gorn Hegemony in the Star Trek: EnterpriseStar Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
episode "Bound" although, in the games "Star Trek: Starfleet Command
Star Trek: Starfleet Command
Star Trek: Starfleet Command is a computer game based on the table-top wargame Star Fleet Battles. It simulates starship operations, and ship-to-ship combat and fleet warfare in the Star Trek universe....
" and "Star Trek: Starfleet Command II: Empires at War" The Gorn's government was referred to as the "Gorn Confederation".
The Gorn made first contact
First contact (science fiction)
First contact is a common science fiction theme about the first meeting between humans and extraterrestrial life, or of any sentient race's first encounter with another one....
with the Federation
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
at Cestus III in 2267 when a misunderstanding nearly led to war (original series episode "Arena", the Gorn (Captain Agave) played by Bobby Clark
Bobby Clark (actor)
Bobby Clark is an American film, TV and stage actor.Probably his longest lasting role was Casey Junior in Casey Jones ....
). Although the Gorn made territorial claims, the Federation had a settlement there in 2371, indicating tension later softened.
Depictions
The Gorn have become one of the most popular hypothetical bioforms to appear on Star Trek, due to the striking design by artist Wah ChangWah Chang
Wah Ming Chang was a Chinese American designer, sculptor, and artist. He is known primarily for his sculpture and the props he designed for Star Trek , including the tricorder, and communicator...
, and the Gorn's memorable personality. A hissing, slow-moving, but lethal beast, the Gorn captain is also shown to be quite cunning and devious; chuckling wickedly to himself as he sets a trap for Kirk, and later promising that if the captain gives himself up, the Gorn will make his death "merciful and quick". "Arena" is also considered one of the series' classic episodes.
For years, "Arena" marked the only live action appearance of the Gorn, although the race was "name dropped" from time to time. In 2005, an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
featured a Gorn (albeit in the Mirror Universe) in the episode "In a Mirror, Darkly Part II". In that episode, the Gorn (whose name was Slar) was an overseer of a group of slaves belonging to the Mirror Universe's Tholian
Tholian
Tholians are a fictional starfaring and extremely territorial race in the Star Trek fictional universe. The Tholian home nation is the Tholian Assembly, which inhabits an area of space in the Alpha Quadrant, near the Cardassian Union and the Badlands....
s in an attempt to steal technology from the Constitution-class NCC-1764 Defiant which had been lured into the Mirror Universe from ours. Slar hid in the ship's corridors and killed several crewmembers until it was killed by Jonathan Archer
Jonathan Archer
Jonathan Archer is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. He is the protagonist of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, where he is played by Scott Bakula...
. For this appearance, Slar was designed using computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
, and looked different from the original appearance. Since "In a Mirror, Darkly" takes place entirely within the Mirror Universe, the contact seen between the Earth Empire and the creature does not contradict the first contact seen in "Arena".
Other appearances
- A Gorn appeared in the Star Trek: The Animated SeriesStar Trek: The Animated SeriesStar Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...
episode The Time Trap. - Gorn burial practices were discussed in an issue of Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' Star Trek Unlimited. - A Gorn appeared in the first DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
run of Star Trek, in 1982. BonesLeonard McCoyLeonard "Bones" McCoy is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by DeForest Kelley in the original Star Trek series, McCoy also appears in the animated Star Trek series, seven Star Trek movies, the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and in numerous books,...
comments that he doesn't have any tranquilizerTranquilizerA tranquilizer, or tranquilliser , is a drug that induces tranquility in an individual.The term "tranquilizer" is imprecise, and is usually qualified, or replaced with more precise terms:...
strong enough to knock out a Gorn. - A mini-campaign with a Gorn enemy and ally appear in the SNESSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
game and PC game Starfleet AcademyStarfleet AcademyIn the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet Academy is where the future's recruits to Starfleet will be trained. It was created in the year 2161, when the United Federation of Planets was founded...
. There are video cutscenes featuring a Gorn. The ships are also playable in skirmish mode, and multiplayer games. - Gorn appear in the 2005 novel STAR TREK - Starfleet Corps of Engineers #44: Where Time Stands Still, a sequel to the animated episode mentioned above.
- Gorn appear in the PC game Starfleet Command.
- Gorn ships appear in the PC game Klingon Academy. They are also playable in skirmish mode.
- Gorn ships appeared in the FASA Starship Combat Simulator. Lead alloy versions of the MA-12 and the BH-2 were available in the late 1980s.
- Gorn appear in the NintendoNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game Star Trek: 25th AnniversaryStar Trek: 25th Anniversary (video game)Star Trek: 25th Anniversary is a 1992 adventure game developed by Interplay and published by Ultra Games for the Nintendo Entertainment System and later a different version was made with the same name on the Game Boy.-Synopsis:...
. - Gorn appear in Star Trek: The Next Generation book #32, Requiem.
- The Gorn homeworld and government chamber are shown in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation trade paperback comic book "The Gorn Crisis"
- A Gorn, with a name that sounds like "Rrrk", manages a bar in Arcturus (a city, planet and star all with the same name) in the novel The Lost Years.
- Gorn are available as one of the playable races for the Klingon Empire in the PCPersonal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
game Star Trek OnlineStar Trek OnlineStar Trek Online, often abbreviated as STO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Cryptic Studios based on the popular Star Trek series created by Gene Roddenberry. The game is set in the 25th century, 30 years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis...
. - A life size Gorn statue was on exhibit at the Las Vegas Hilton's Star Trek museum. Its current whereabouts are unknown.
Gorn action figures have been available over the years including the famed Meego line from the 1970s and of course appeared in that lines television commercials. A gorn was slated to appear in Star Trek Nemesis as a friend of Worf.
- A Gorn is shown reading "Gorn" magazine and sitting in SheldonSheldon CooperSheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D. is a fictional character from Texas on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Jim Parsons...
's spot on S04e07 of "The Big Bang TheoryThe Big Bang TheoryThe Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
". - In the film PaulPaul (film)Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy film directed by Greg Mottola, written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It stars Pegg, Frost, and the voice of Seth Rogen as the title character...
, the protagonists are shown playing with a gorn mask. - One single Gorn named Lizorr appeared in the "The New Adventures of He-Man" Series The New Adventures of He-ManThe New Adventures of He-ManThe New Adventures of He-Man is an animated series which ran in syndication in the fall of 1990 while Mattel released the toy line He-Man, an update of their successful Masters of the Universe line...
, in the Comics and as an Action-figure
The Gorn in the Star Fleet Universe
Note that in the Star Fleet Universe, there is a distinction between Gorn (singular) and Gorns (plural).The Gorn race appears in the alternate Star Fleet Universe, represented in the range of games from Amarillo Design Bureau Inc.
Amarillo Design Bureau Inc.
Amarillo Design Bureau is a company which specializes in tactical and strategic board wargames. The company is a successor to Task Force Games, and is owned and operated by Steve and Leanna Cole, with partner Steve Petrick, and based in Amarillo, Texas...
as well as the first two Star Fleet Command
Star Trek: Starfleet Command
Star Trek: Starfleet Command is a computer game based on the table-top wargame Star Fleet Battles. It simulates starship operations, and ship-to-ship combat and fleet warfare in the Star Trek universe....
games (and the Orion Pirates stand-alone addon for Starfleet Command II) from Taldren. These are not considered canon with the Star Trek movies or series. In this continuum, the Gorn Confederation is a powerful empire located coreward of the Romulan Star Empire
Romulan
The Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...
, also bordering the United Federation of Planets and the Interstellar Concordium. It comprises three genetically related races, each from a neighboring star system, known as Ghdar I, Ghdar II and Ghdar III. They are portrayed as a more civilized and cultured race than as referenced in the Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
Star Trek universe.
They ally in Y174 with the Kzinti Hegemony, the Hydran Kingdoms, the Federation and the Tholian Holdfast
Tholian
Tholians are a fictional starfaring and extremely territorial race in the Star Trek fictional universe. The Tholian home nation is the Tholian Assembly, which inhabits an area of space in the Alpha Quadrant, near the Cardassian Union and the Badlands....
in the General War. The alliance between the Gorns and the Federation - following a brief conflict over a misunderstanding regarding the Federation colony on Cestus III, a Gorn world - represents one of the few alliances that is based on mutual trust and desire for friendship as opposed to political convenience.
They are mutually antagonistic with the Romulans, with whom they share a border with the Interstellar Concordium, and were among the first races to feel the effects of the ISC War of Pacification.