Arena

Hi Rebecca – thank you for the comments! I also love “…Armageddon,” and I find it’s one of the episodes I quote most often. The “cleanliness” with which they carry out their war is disturbing and certainly harkens back to what we started to touch upon in “Arena.” Love this podcast! I “grew up” watching these episodes and since I didn’t have any siblings who were around and watching these…I had no one to talk to about them! Plus, now…I’ve been in the Navy and done a few things which gives me a much different perspective than a 12-13 year old. This is a good episode aside from the “Barney” costumed alien. Regarding, Rebecca’s comments is that I agree with her that it wasn’t the hand’s on fighting that was as big a factor as him processing all of the facts and then having position of being able to grant mercy when he obviously could have followed through with the act easily. Finally, it occurred to me that this episode could actually have a movie sequel where the Gorn don’t necessarily buy into any peace talks and continue to attack. Perhaps like some of our own US current challenges, dealing with an adversary that continually breaks promises and considers nearly everything as “aggression”. You could really improve the lizard look and make way more modern. Do you think that the Predator was loosely based on this monster? This seems to be one of those episodes that not only stands the test of time, but is even more relevant today than it was back then. Not only have we not learned the lessons of war from the past, but we are now “full-on” carrying out war acts via drones, exemplifying the whole disconnectedness that we see in this episode. I, of course, appreciate avoiding putting boots on the ground and putting Americans at risk, but isn’t it possible that the decision to kill is easier to make when you know that your side is not at the same level of risk as your opponent? Yeah, deep stuff….in any case, this episode sticks with you! Another fine episode recap and discussion, gentlemen (hope you didn’t get any hate mail like you joked in the broadcast!). Regarding the final speech from the Metron, they inform Kirk that, because he demonstrated mercy, he will not be destroyed. Initially, they said they planned to destroy the loser, “in the interests of peace”. In Gene Coon’s script, in dialogue not aired, the Metron admits that they had, all along, planned to actually destroy the ship of the winner of the personal combat, because that race would represent the greater danger to them (James Blish preserves this disclosure in his novelization).