Gorn
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STGorn.jpg
In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Gorn are highly intelligent reptilians from the Gorn Hegemony.
The Gorn had contact with the Orion Syndicate as early as 2154. (ENT: "Bound") They made first contact with Starfleet at Cestus III in 2267 when a misunderstanding nearly led to war. (TOS: "Arena") Although the Gorn made territorial claims, the Federation had a settlement there in 2371, indicating tensions later softened. (DS9: "Family Business")
Despite limitations in make-up technology which made it obvious the Gorn Captain in "Arena" was simply an actor in a lizard suit (see picture), the Gorn have nonetheless become one of the most popular aliens to ever appear on Star Trek. "Arena" is also considered one of the series' classic episodes and was the template for a similar, critically acclaimed episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation entitled "Darmok".
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 was a leader of a group of slaves belonging to that universe's Tholians in an attempt to steal technology from the USS Defiant (NCC-1764) which had been discovered in the alternate universe. The Gorn hides out in the ship's corridors and kills several crewmembers until it is killed by Jonathan Archer. For this appearance, the Gorn was recreated using computer animation. Since "In a Mirror, Darkly" takes place entirely within the Mirror Universe, the contact seen between Starfleet and the creature does not contradict the first contact seen in "Arena".
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Non-canon appearances
- A Gorn appeared in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode "The Time Trap" (TAS is not considered canon by Paramount Pictures).
- Gorn burial practices were discussed in an issue of Marvel Comics' Star Trek Unlimited.
- 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.
Fanon speculation
As a result of the Gorn's limited exposure in canonical Star Trek, an extensive amount of non-canon, fanon, speculation exists as to Gorn history, biology, etc. What follows is a sampling of the speculations about this race that have been generated over the years.
According to fanon, the Gorn (whose homeworld is in Beta Quadrant) have a long history of war, art, culture, and pride. They have had many global governments on their planet of Gornniska, from the original Empire of Gornniska, to the Gorn Confederacy, to the Gorn Empire (separate entity from the Empire of Gornniska), to the Gorn Republic.
The average Gorn stands 2.7 meters tall and weighs 320 pounds (145 kg). They have compound eyes, cold blood, little sense of smell, bumpy skin, and an extremely high metabolism. They can heal injury at a rate of two pounds (1 kg) of flesh per hour, and knit bones in less than 15 minutes. The only way to kill a Gorn for good is to cut off its head.
They have had Warp Drive for as long as humans, but have been using particle weapons for only about half that time. They still use melee weapons and have a fondness for explosives and projectiles.
Gorn families are generally nuclear, with a mother, father, and children. But that family is a part of a larger extended family, the Clan. The Clan then belongs to an ever greater community, the Crest which is not only a collective of families but a political force behaving like a political party. There are ten active Crests on Gornniska, the most powerful being the Dragon Crest followed by the Phoenix Crest and then Red Crest.
The Gorn language, Gornouf, is a combination of guttural sounds and hissing, and some have no vowels in them at all. A good example is the Gorn Republic's creed:
"FOKHSS IP'KAKAROO OIIAASS'YU"
which means "Fight the weak".
The Gorn's region of space is referred to as the Gorn Hegemony, just rimward of the Klingon Empire, in the Star Trek: Star Charts set of maps.
The Gorn in the Star Fleet Universe
In the fictional Star Fleet Universe (which is also not considered canon with the Star Trek movies or series), the Gorn Confederation is comprised of three genetically related races, each from a neighbouring star system, knows as Ghdar I, Ghdar II and Ghdar III, are on the coreward border of the Romulan Star Empire and 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 United Federation of Planets and the Tholian Holdfast in the General War. The alliance between the Gorn and the Federation represents one of the only alliances that is based on mutual trust and desire for friendship as opposed to political convienence.
They also share a border with the Interstellar Concordium, and were among the first races to feel the effects of the ISC War of Pacification.