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14				  ARENA
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WRITER: Gene L. Coon (from a story by Fredric Brown)

GUESTS: Carole Shelyne
	Jerry Ayres
	Grant Woods
	Tom Troupe
	James Farley
	Sean Kenney

AIRED:	January 19, 1967

HACK-MAN rating: .660
Usenet rating:   .652

QUOTES:
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 - "Gravity is down to .8" --Background voice
 - "Yes... yeeeesssss...." --Spock
 - "A sustained warp seven will be dangerous." --Spock
 - "Diamond is the hardest known substance. --Spock
 - "It's impossible." --Sulu
 - "[You have displayed] the advanced [trait] of mercy." --Metron
 - "He knows, doctor. He has reason[ed it out| to doubt]." --Spock
 - "They've locked on to my tricorder!" --Spock (how *dare* they!)


				  ARENA

PLOT:
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The Gorns (a race of lizard-like beings) destroyed  the Federation's Cestus
3 outpost.  The Enterprise is in pursuit, when Kirk and  the Gorn commander
are transported to a planet by the Metrons (a highly advanced race who live
1500+ year lives) for a duel to the death, winner is allowed  to leave with
his ship.  The two ships are allowed to view the battle  on viewer screens.
Kirk wins, but refuses to kill the Gorn, saying that they can probably talk
out their differences.

FACTS:
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 - The Enterprise is moved 500 parsecs instantly at the end of the show.
 - When Kirk finally manages to build a cannon to shoot the Gorn, the scene
   is strikingly similar to the beginning of the episode.
 - The Metron says that the loser's  ship will be destroyed,  but then when
   Kirk wins,  the metron acts as if letting Kirk live was an afterthought.
   The book version clarifies this by saying the Metron lied; he'd intended
   to destroy the winner's ship all along.

OPINIONS:
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 - Why does long life imply intelligence?  There are quite a few species on
   the Earth that live longer than humans.
 - The Gorn commander  was foolish to attempt to kill  Kirk *after* lifting
   the rock off him (since Kirk has the speed/maneuverability advantage).