star trek gorn map

'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds': Who Are the Gorn?

Who are the mystery aliens pursuing the Enterprise?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds recently released its fourth episode, "Memento Mori," and with it, used its prequel status to return to an iconic piece of Star Trek lore dating back to 1967. This episode doesn't shy away from saying the infamous species' name, either. However, revisiting the Gorn isn't all that surprising, considering Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh ( Christina Chong ) revealed the heartbreaking backstory that found her a victim of the ruthless species, even if that wasn't quite the lore the audience was expecting based on the character's name. But fifty-five years is a long time, so if you don't remember everything about the antagonistic species, nobody would blame you. So, who are the Gorn?

The Gorn are an intelligent, bipedal, and reptilian species that are incredibly hostile and unfortunately warp-capable with technology on par with The Federation's. Thanks to Lower Decks , the assumption can be made that they have at least two genders and that marriage is a part of their reptilian culture. The species are very durable, strong, and have incredible stamina, however, this also makes them slower and less agile creatures. While the eye appearance of the reptiles' eyes varied among the species, they had razor-sharp teeth, holes on the side of their heads for ears, and claws on their hands and feet. The Gorn are carnivores.

RELATED: How ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Perfectly Balances Classic and New Trek

Until Strange New Worlds , it was assumed that the first contact with the Gorn was with Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ), but we now know of at least two previous interactions. The first occurred in the 2200s when the reptilians captured a human colony ship and transferred the entire complement to a facility where they were used as live food or breeding sacks. According to the Gorn's culture, the last surviving person is jettisoned into space aboard a life raft, allowing for Lt. Noonien-Singh's survival and rescue by Una Chin-Riley ( Rebecca Romijn ). Later, the Gorn attempt to lure The USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ) into a trap, but thanks to the previous experience of Lt. Noonien-Singh, the Enterprise is able to evade capture, destroy one of the ships, and escape.

The Federation made contact with the species when they attack a colony/outpost on Cestus III, a system in what the Gorn considered their territory, in Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "Arena." When USS Enterprise pursues a Gorn vessel, another alien, a Metron, transports both Kirk and the Gorn Captain to a deserted planet where the iconic fight scene takes place. Kirk eventually wins, but instead spares the Gorn. The Metron is surprised but impressed, deciding to spare The Enterprise while still sending them thousands of light-years away from that sector of space.

A Gorn was next seen on The Animated Series episode, "The Time Trap." He was seen on a ruling council of a pocket reality, implying that some of the species became separated from the whole. It's important to note that generally The Animated Series isn't included in the recognized Star Trek canon. The Gorn are also in several Lower Decks episodes. In addition to the huge marriage revelation, the series also gives fans an amazing tidbit of information: A Gorn resides on Starbase 25 and is a chef at 'Mr. Krada Leg'.

Finally, a Gorn named Slar is also used in Enterprise 's "In A Mirror Darkly, Part 2" to help contextualize the mirror universe and show how brutal and violent the alternate reality is. Slar is a slavemaster for the Tholian Assembly, leading a salvage mission of the USS Defiant (NCC-1764), a ship from the prime universe, stuck in the mirroring one. When Terrans also board the ship, Slar attempts to keep control of the ship but is killed by Captain Jonathan Archer ( Scott Bakula ) in the process. Star Trek: Discovery also shows that because of the size and might of the species, it isn't unusual for members of The Terran Empire to take their skeletal remains as trophies, as seen on Georgiou's ( Michelle Yeoh ) ISS Shenzou.

The Gorn may not have a history as complex as the Andorians or Bajorans, but the Gorn rightfully earned their place in Trek lore even just by being the first thing that comes to many people's minds when mentioning Star Trek or Captain Kirk. The inclusion of this species in La'an's backstory gives the opportunity to flesh out this species even more in Strange New Worlds , potentially providing more context for the goofy fight that aired over 5 decades ago.

Screen Rant

Complete history of the gorn in star trek.

The Gorn have become one of the Federation's most formidable foes in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Here's everything we know about them.

• The Gorn Hegemony is a powerful and mysterious governing body of cold-blooded reptilians with advanced technology and superior physical capabilities. They communicate through light and are difficult to track.
• In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, tensions between the Federation and the Gorn escalate when the Gorn attack a Federation colony. Captain Pike and his crew face off against Gorn forces, leaving them at a disadvantage.
• While the Gorn were initially portrayed as aggressive and territorial in their first appearance in Star Trek: TOS, later appearances and Strange New Worlds indicate the possibility for peace between the Federation and the Gorn, suggesting a potential shift in their behavior.

The Gorn made their first appearance in the iconic Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Arena," but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has introduced a whole new version of the vicious reptilians. After Starfleet learns of the existence of the Gorn in Strange New Worlds , they begin developing weapons and technology to defend against them. As the tensions between the Federation and the Gorn increase, Starfleet begins to fear that war looms on the horizon. The Gorn have proven to be a formidable opponent for the Federation, but not much is known about their lifestyle and culture.

The Strange New Worlds season 2 finale, "Hegemony," adds fuel to the fire when the Gorn attack a Federation colony on the planet Parnassus Beta. The Gorn claim that Parnassus Beta is in their territory, and they send Starfleet a communication establishing a demarcation line. Despite Starfleet's orders to remain on their side of the line, Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and a landing party slip past the Gorn to rescue the survivors trapped on the planet. "Hegemony" ends with the USS Enterprise facing off against a Gorn destroyer and three Gorn hunters, leaving Captain Pike outgunned and unsure about his next moves.

Everything Known About The Gorn Hegemony's History In Star Trek

Not much is known about the Gorn, but their governing body is referred to as the Gorn Hegemony, which was known to the Orion Syndicate as early as 2154. The technology of the Gorn seems to be similar to that of Starfleet and the Gorn themselves are stronger, faster, and more resilient than humans. Neither Gorn eggs nor hatchlings appear on sensors, making them nearly impossible to track. While the Gorn's method of communication is not yet fully understood, they seem to communicate with one another using light. Because the Gorn rarely leave survivors, their earliest encounters with the Federation have gone largely unrecorded.

Related: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Gorn Explained By Legacy Effects Co-Founder

The Gorn are cold-blooded lizard-like reptiles who originated in the Beta Quadrant. They reproduce by laying eggs within a humanoid host. To maintain a steady supply of hosts, the Gorn establish breeding planets where they deposit captured humanoids to hunt for sport and to be used as incubators. Even from a young age, Gorn can spray venom that infects a host with eggs. After a host becomes infected, Gorn hatchlings will soon burst from their body, killing them instantly. Vicious and territorial, Gorn hatchlings begin competing for dominance soon after they are born.

The Gorn's First Appearance In Star Trek: TOS

In the Prime timeline, the Federation does not officially encounter the Gorn until 2267 as depicted in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Arena." When Captain Kirk and his landing party arrive on the planet Cestus III, they discover that the Federation colony there has been completely destroyed and the Gorn lie in wait. As the Enterprise pursues the Gorn ship, they enter an uncharted area of space and encounter an advanced species called the Metrons. The Metrons deposit Captain Kirk and the Gorn Captain on a planet, saying that they will destroy the ship of whichever Captain loses the fight. Kirk eventually defeats the Gorn by creating gunpowder with materials found on the planet. Because Kirk stops short of killing the Gorn Captain, the Metrons return the Gorn to his ship and praise Kirk's mercy.

Interestingly, when Kirk confronts the Gorn Captain, the Gorn maintain that they only attacked Cestus III because it was in their territory. From the Gorn's perspective, it looked as though the Federation was invading. Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) both acknowledge that the Federation may have been the one in the wrong. Not only does this suggest these particular Gorn to be less vicious than the ones in Strange New Worlds , it also suggests that peace between the Federation and the Gorn may be possible.

The Gorn's Other Star Trek Appearances

After their first appearance in Star Trek: The Original Series , the Gorn show up on several different Star Trek series. A Gorn named Slar appears in one episode of Star Trek: Enterprise , "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II," but this entire episode occurs within the Mirror Universe. Slar kills several members of the ISS Enterprise crew, before eventually being killed by the Mirror Universe version of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) . A Gorn skeleton appears in the menagerie of Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) on Star Trek: Discovery, establishing, again, that some Starfleet officers knew of the Gorn before Captain Kirk's famous encounter.

The Gorn appear briefly in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 1, episode 8, when Ensign Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) inadvertently ends up on a desert planet in the middle of a Gorn wedding ceremony. This scene is shown in a flashback as Rutherford recounts a particular day's events, so it's unclear how much of it is accurate. A couple of different Gorn can be seen on a Starbase in the background of the Lower Decks episode "An Embarrassment Of Dooplers," suggesting that relations between the Gorn and the Federation will not always be hostile.

The Gorn's Retcons In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Aside from a few brief appearances across other shows, the Gorn do not make a major return to the Star Trek franchise until Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Strange New Worlds has given more information about the Gorn's history and biology than any other Star Trek show. Despite the fact that the official first contact with the Gorn did not occur until the events of TOS' "Arena," Strange New Worlds establishes that the Federation knew of the Gorn long before that.

In Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 4, "Memento Mori," Enterprise Security Chief La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) reveals that she was the only survivor of a Gorn attack. When she was a child living on the colony ship the SS Puget Sound, Gorn invaded the ship, eventually killing everyone on board aside from La'an. After the Gorn had killed the other passengers, La'an was sent into space on a raft as part of a Gorn ritual. She was then rescued by the Federation starship USS Martin Luther King Jr.

In "Arena," it seemed as though none of the Enterprise crew members were familiar with the Gorn, but Spock (Ethan Peck) goes up against Gorn in both "All Those Who Wander" and "Hegemony." Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) and Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) also aid in the fight against Gorn. "Hegemony" introduces the young Montgomery Scott (Martin Quinn), who not only builds a trap to catch Gorn, but also figures out how to sneak past their ships. All of these characters would be on the USS Enterprise in "Arena," but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can still offer an explanation for this apparent canon discrepancy.

Star Trek writer explains a big Gorn canon twist in Strange New Worlds

Your favorite lizard people are back. Or are they? SNW w riter Davy Perez explains all things Gorn.

The Gorn are back! In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 4, “Memento Mori,” Starfleet begins believing the myth of the Gorn is real, and the species of lizard aliens who fought Captain Kirk in The Original Series suddenly just got a lot more fleshed-out in Star Trek canon. Yet, Strange New Worlds also created several new mysteries and continuity twists about the Gorn.

Inverse caught up with Episode 4 co-writer Davy Perez to get all the scaly details about the Gorn and why he and (Episode 4’s other co-writer) Beau DeMayo made a very specific decision on whether to show the lizard aliens onscreen. Spoilers ahead.

The mystery of the Gorn

Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and Spock (Ethan Peck) try to outwit the Gorn spaceships.

Other than the famous appearance of a Gorn captain in The Original Series episode “Arena,” the only other times we see Gorns in Trek canon are in:

• The Animated Series episode “The Time Trap” (1973)
• Lower Decks episode “Veritas” (2020)
• Enterprise episode “In a Mirror, Darkly Part II” (2005)
• Discovery season 1 as a skeleton kept by Captain Lorca (2017)

Because the Enterprise Gorn is from the Mirror Universe , and the other non- TOS appearances are either animated or skeletal, actual flesh-and-blood Gorn sightings in the Prime Universe of Trek canon are extremely rare.

“We discussed this quite a bit, how to honor the idea that people either haven't seen [the Gorn] and in some cases might not even believe they exist,” writer Davy Perez tells Inverse. “ There is a lot we still don’t know about the Gorn. What was fun for me was using parts from ‘Arena’ we do know to inform some of their behavior.”

Perez points out that in “Arena,” Kirk is told by the Metrons that the creature he fights is a Gorn, which gave the writers “room to play” while making sure the moment for Kirk still made sense.

“Our goal is never to undo people’s experience with The Original Series, ” Perez explains. “But if we can manage it, perhaps to give us an interesting perspective to consider that lines up with the original stories.”

Why Strange New Worlds didn’t show the Gorn

La’an (Christina Chong) and Ortegas (Melissa Navia) in a tense moment on the bridge of the Enterprise .

Because Kirk had never seen a Gorn before “Arena,” some fans might be worried that Strange New Worlds flies very close to violating canon in “Memento Mori.” How can the Enterprise encounter the Gorn in roughly 2259 if Kirk doesn’t see the Gorn for the first time until 2267?

The answer is simple: At no point in this episode do we ever see a Gorn. And Perez reveals this decision was crucial.

“I think there were some early ideas floating around where we might have caught a glimpse of one,” Perez says. “But there was always the idea that we should hear about them and begin to dread the Gorn without ever actually seeing them. Once we decided not to see them at all, the episode sprang to life.”

Because “Memento Mori” doesn’t feature Pike wrestling with a guy in a lizard suit, it doesn’t reference “Arena” all that much. Instead, the structure of “Memento Mori” refers to a different Original Series episode, “Balance of Terror,” in which the Enterprise plays cat-and-mouse with a Romulan ship.

“It was 100 percent an inspiration,” Perez says. “I did a deep dive on submarine movies when I was researching this episode. I wanted to emulate that same feeling as ‘Balance of Terror.’ We put the focus on our crew working together and dealing with their respective problems all over the ship.”

Strange New Worlds ’ “Easter egg basket”

Although Pike, Spock, and most of Starfleet have never seen a Gorn, Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) very much has. As revealed in this episode, La’an’s family was murdered by the Gorn when she was a small child on a Federation colony ship, the S.S. Puget Sound . As La’an says in the episode, “plenty of people have seen the Gorn,” they just don’t live to tell the tale.

In this way, La’an has hidden canon knowledge about the Gorn that even Spock and Kirk won’t have until after the events of “Arena” in The Original Series . Notably, this is also the second bit of classic Trek canon that La’an has access to because of her unique background. In “Ghosts of Illyria,” we learn she’s the descendent of the villainous Khan Noonien Singh from TOS and The Wrath of Khan . So, in the ‘60s show, the crew doesn’t know much about the Gorn and has spotty knowledge of Khan, but in Strange New Worlds , La’an has secret knowledge of both.

“I haven’t thought her that way, but I can see how she is sort of the ‘Easter Egg basket’ for our show,” Perez says with a laugh. “She’s an outsider and new character, and she also gets to be an audience surrogate. A lot of La’an’s back story is going to be new information to existing fans as well. That’s what is fun about playing in this era [of Star Trek canon]. There are a lot of stories and ideas that have been touched on in the past but still have lots of potential to explore.”

Captain Kirk (William Shatner) refuses to murder the Gorn Captain in “Arena.”

Perez also notes that La’an’s feelings about the Gorn are intended to reference Kirk’s actions in “Arena,” albeit in a roundabout way. In “Memento Mori,” La’an says, “The Federation teaches that if we can find a way to empathize with an enemy, they can one day become our friends. They’re wrong . Some things in this universe are just plain evil.”

And yet, in “Arena,” Kirk famously refuses to murder a Gorn, proving to the Metrons that human beings are capable of incredible empathy. It’s a classic Trek moment that gets an interesting twist in Strange New Worlds .

“It’s a nice bookend thematically with ‘Arena,’” Perez explains. “La’an says this because of her history with the Gorn. We’re a long way from that lesson right now.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds airs new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays.

This article was originally published on May 26, 2022

• Science Fiction

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Memory Beta articles sourced from comics
• Memory Beta articles sourced from novels
• Memory Beta articles sourced from episodes and movies
• Memory Beta articles sourced from video games
• Memory Beta articles sourced from Starfleet Command II
• Memory Beta articles sourced from Star Trek Online
• Memory Beta articles sourced from novelizations
• Memory Beta articles sourced from websites
• Memory Beta articles sourced from Starfleet Command
• Memory Beta articles sourced from Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates
• Memory Beta articles sourced from short stories
• Humanoid species
• Races and cultures
• Beta Quadrant races and cultures
• Reptilian races and cultures
• Klingon servitor species
• View history
• 1.1 Subsidiary species
• 1.2 Biology
• 1.3 History
• 1.4 Food and drink
• 1.5.1 Beliefs, religion and mythology
• 1.5.2 Psychology, society and interactions with others
• 2 Gallery of Gorn subspecies
• 3 Known individuals
• 4.1 Background
• 4.2.1 Appearances
• 4.2.2 References
• 4.3 External link

History and specifics [ ]

Subsidiary species [ ].

Unknown to most outsiders, the Gorn were not one but several distinct cold-blooded, reptilian species, all of whom evolved on the same homeworld . All Gorn species enjoyed an extremely long lifespan of approx. 300 years . Each species had their own language , and thus their own name for their joint homeworld Gornar.

By 2371 , Federation xenobiologists had identified two species - the Ssessekh and the Russth , and had anecdotal evidence of four others. Starfleet Intelligence analysts concluded in 2382 that Gorn society might comprise members of as many as a dozen species, all of which were thought to be humanoid , and which appeared to be of typical humanoid height and build. ( Adventures RPG module : Beta Quadrant Sourcebook )

Another species within the Hegemony were the Lath . ( TOS - The Return of the Worthy comic : " Great Expectations! ")

Among themselves, the Gorn distinguished between castes. Procreation or intercouse betweeen different castes was sacrilegious. ( TTN - Typhon Pact novel : Seize the Fire )

Biology [ ]

A Gorn skull

Gorn are a cold-blooded reptilian species with green, leathery skin and an average height of approximately 2 meters. They tend to be stronger than most humanoids. Their ears are simple holes on the sides of their skulls. Their mouths boast an impressive array of sharp, carnivorous teeth, and their hands and feet have vicious claws. Phlox stated that they had a size and bite radius similar to the now-extinct velociraptors of Earth . Like most cold-blooded lifeforms, the Gorn are known to prefer warm temperatures. ( ENT episode : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ")

Gorn are born from specialized eggs that belong to the different castes of Gorn society. Among the hardest to produce eggs were those of the military branches as their biology required specific environmental factors that were very hard to find naturally. ( TTN novel : Seize the Fire )

An average Gorn male weighs about 215 kilograms. Their leathery hides is naturally strong which serves as natural armor. Their physical strength is even greater than their appearance suggests as they possess a great deal of muscle mass. Though this is impressive among the males, the female Gorns are even more fearsome as they can average around 2.5 meters high and typically are 250 kilograms. As such, the females tend to be the stronger gender among the Gorn race. Due to this, it is not uncommon to see a large number of female marines and officers within the Gorn military.

Due to their high degree of muscle, the Gorn tend not to be as dexterous as Humans , however, this did not mean they were slow witted. ( ST video game : Starfleet Command II: Empires at War )

In addition, they were also a cold-blooded species which meant that they were not picked up on infrared scopes. ( TOS novel : Catalyst of Sorrows )

Gorn cells regenerate at an amazing rate. The Gorn laser scalpel has a biograft spray option that would assist the regeneration and the closing of wounds. ( ST - Alien Spotlight comic : " Alien Spotlight: The Gorn ")

Those of the technical castes have multiple stomachs. ( TTN novel : Seize the Fire )

History [ ]

A Gorn male in the mirror universe.

The Gorn race was actually three species who were genetically identical and lived on three separate worlds. After they achieved space travel, the three Gorn races discovered one another and learnt of their similarity whereupon it was discovered, through fossil records, that none of their planets was their races true homeworld. Seeing the similarity, the three races joined one another in a single political unit. ( ST video game : Starfleet Command II: Empires at War )

The Gorn achieved interstellar travel at least millions of years ago . 500 million years ago, they visited the planet Cenotaph in the Lotora star group . ( TOS - Unlimited comic : " Dying of the Light ")

According to findings of the Federation Science Council , the Kassae II and Kassae IV worlds received interstellar visitors 15,000 years ago, and that the civilization there may be ancestors of the Gorn and Saurian species. Following an attack on the ruins by Gorn rebels in 2409 , Admiral Jorel Quinn considered whether the Kassae system had been home to a proto-Gorn culture. ( STO - Klingon War mission : " Researcher Rescue ")

Early in their history, the Gorn had hostile encounters with the Paravian and Romulan Star Empire . ( ST video game : Starfleet Command II: Empires at War )

The Gorn made first contact with the Federation in 2267 when a Gorn vessel attacked a Human colony on Cestus III interpreting the colonization as in invasion into Gorn Space. The vessel was pursued by the USS Enterprise until the Metrons , a non-corporeal species intervened and eventually awarded the planet to the Federation. ( TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization : Arena )

A period of strained but generally peaceful relations followed. ( TOS - Fortunes of War novel : Dreadnought! ; TOS comic : " Dying of the Light "; ST video game : Starfleet Command II: Empires at War )

In 2319 the Gorn attended a trade summit that took place on Helaspont Station . ( ST - The Lost Era novel : One Constant Star )

In 2374 , after decades of peaceful relations with the Federation, the Gorn government was toppled by a coup d'etat , and a new offensive was launched against Cestus III. A halt to these hostilities was negotiated by the crew of the USS Enterprise -E , who also managed to persuade the Gorn to join the Federation Alliance in the war against the Dominion . ( TNG comic : " The Gorn Crisis ")

At some point during the 2380s the Gorn government and military became heavily infiltrated by Species 8472 . Acting against orders, in 2384 a Gorn starship attacked the IKS Quv in the neutral space between the Hegemony and the Klingon Empire , killing 207 Klingons and capturing others. When the Gorn refused to hand over their prisoners, Chancellor Martok broke off diplomatic relations, expelled their diplomats and ordered Klingon Defense Force ships to the border. ( ST website  : The Path to 2409 )

War broke out in 2386 when the Klingons attacked and captured Gila IV , a Gorn colony. Over the next three years hostilities quieted as the Federation attempted to mediate between the two powers, but the negotiations failed and in 2389 captured the Gamma Orionis system from them. King Slathis hired the Nausicaans to help them fight. Despite this, the Gorn were slowly driven back, and Gornar eventually fell in 2403 . Slathis agreed to swear fealty to the Empire and was given a non-voting seat on the High Council . ( ST website  : The Path to 2409 )

Gorn soldiers in 2410 .

In their capacity as a client state, the Gorn took part in the Federation-Klingon War of 2405-2410 on the side of the Klingon Empire. By 2409 , however, some Gorn rebelled against their overlords, staging attacks on Klingon starbases . Another group of Gorn settled in with the Orion Syndicate on Nimbus III . ( ST video game : Star Trek Online )

Food and drink [ ]

Culture [ ], beliefs, religion and mythology [ ].

Gorn mythology states that the founders of their species consists of the Mistress of Fertility S'Yahazah and a figure known as the "Great Father" . Emphasis would be placed on the Great Egg Bringer S'Yahazah for she saved the young Gorn eggs from being devoured by their father. The Great Father would be banished into space and never be worshiped again.

Among Gorn, there exists a scale coloration which is blue-yellowish. These Gorn are believed to be protected by the Mistress of Fertility for they are nobles and spiritually pure. Those hereditary families that have a large number of blue-yellow scaled Gorn are considered blessed with a symbol of Gorn strength. ( ST video game : Starfleet Command )

Ussegssirr was a concept of manifest destiny, one of the basic tenets of the Gorn philosophy. It combined with Gessegrissgir to form the base line of Gorn honor. ( FASA RPG module : Demand of Honor )

Psychology, society and interactions with others [ ]

The Gorn race are known to be somewhat xenophobic due to the initial encounters they made with other races. Gorn starships are created to reflect the attitude of the Gorn race which is straight forward and to the point. ( ST video game : Starfleet Command II: Empires at War )

What little contact the Federation had with this reptilian race lead most to think of it as an aggressive species, dominated by warriors. Further observation both reinforced and contradicted this. Individual Gorn exhibit aggressive, assertive and determined behavior. They seem set in their ways, and it's difficult to get them to deviate from their planned courses of action. While interaction between Humans and Gorn remains limited, they now work together on Cestus III,and Federation xenologists hotly debate what they observe.

Some individual Gorn get the creeps when around some mammals like Humans . ( ST - Alien Spotlight comic : " Alien Spotlight: The Gorn ")

No one denies that getting between a Gorn and his objective can prove hazardous to one's health. When on a mission, be it battling an arch-foe or slaughtering cattle for food, the Gorn pursue their goals with a single-mindedness second to none. Anything that tries to interfere with their duty is ignored, brushed aside, moved out of the way or destroyed. Humans on Cestus III contend that such actions rarely interfere with life there and that the Gorn have proven themselves considerate neighbors. Thanks to the Metrons; Humans and Gorn have never had problems communicating. As a result, they managed to coexist on Cestus III after the Gorn made restitution for the settlers they killed during an early misunderstanding. Since then, the Gorn remained on their part of the world, and physical conflict between the races rarely occurs.

No Human believes the Gorn suddenly became pacifistic, however, instead they seem to have taken a long time to make up their minds, almost ignoring a situation until they decide what they consider the best course of action. A Gorn does little until he believes he knows the right course - and then he lets nothing stand in his way. First contact with the Gorn came after they discovered a Human encroachment into what they saw as their space. Following a long debate, the Gorn leadership decided to exterminate the new threat. The Gorn sent to carry out this decision devoted themselves wholeheartedly to this endeavor, only stopping when an outside force made it impossible to continue. This sums up much of Gorn behavior: Don't act until you're sure that you're right, and then let nothing stop you. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

Some humanoids underestimate Gorn because of an opinion that reptiles are somehow less evolved than mammals. This would be unwise; the Gorn are at least as intelligent as humans. ( TOS episode : " Arena ")

According to Orion privateer Harrad-Sar in 2154 , the Gorn "brew the finest Meridor in the five systems." ( ENT episode : " Bound ")

There exist certain groups within the Hegemony which include King's Fleet Guard , Guardians Errant and the Defenders of the Egg . ( ST video game : Starfleet Command )

Executions on Gorn starships are carried out by spacing. ( TTN novel : Seize the Fire )

Gallery of Gorn subspecies [ ]

Known individuals [ ]

Appendices [ ], background [ ].

The novellization of the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode The Time Trap names the Gorn "Gorin" instead.Other Alien species names, such as the Kzinti ("Berikazin"), Tellarite ("Tellarine") and Andorians ("Edoan") names were altered as well for reasons unknown.

Appearances and references [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• TOS episode : " Arena "
• SNW episode : " All Those Who Wander "
• ENT episode : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "
• ST video game : Starfleet Command
• ST video game : Starfleet Command II: Empires at War
• ST video game : Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates
• TNG novel : Requiem
• TNG - Cold Equations novel : Silent Weapons
• TNG comic : " The Gorn Crisis "
• DS9 novel : Highest Score
• DS9 short story : " Where I Fell Before My Enemy "
• DS9 comic : " Star Trek: Ferengi "
• ST - Typhon Pact novel : Seize the Fire
• ST - Typhon Pact novel : Rough Beasts of Empire
• ST - Typhon Pact novel : Plagues of Night
• ST - Typhon Pact novel : Raise the Dawn
• ST - The Fall novel : Revelation and Dust

References [ ]

• FASA RPG module : Demand of Honor

External link [ ]

• Gorn article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
• 3 Odyssey class

Brilliant Maps

Making Sense Of The World, One Map At A Time

Star Trek Map Of The Alpha & Beta Quadrants

The map above is Shakaar’s Alpha/Beta map v3.3; a fan-made creation showing the Alpha and Beta quadrants of the Star Trek universe.

The map shows both major and minor powers that have appeared in the various series over the years.

At the centre is the United Federation of Planets, which borders the major power of the Klingon Empire, Roman Star Empire and the Cardassian Union. More minor powers include the Breen, Ferengi Alliance, Tholian Assembly, Sheliak Corporate and the Gorn Hegemony among many, many others.

The map highlights:

• Principal Systems
• Minor Systems
• Non-Aligned Systems
• Dead Systems
• Government Borders
• Points of Interest
• Navigation Hazards
• Star Clusters
• Stations or Starbases

For more Star Trek maps see:

• Star Trek Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library
• Star Trek Star Charts: The Complete Atlas of Star Trek
• Star Trek Maps

Enjoy this map? Please help us by sharing it:

Get Our Latest Brilliant Maps Weekly:

Other popular maps.

Syrian Refugees Per Capita: Who’s Been The Most & Least Generous

Population of the Metro Tokyo Area Compared To US Cities

World Toilet Paper Map Showing Spending On Tissue & Hygiene

Why The United States Is A ‘-Stan’ Country Like Kyrgyzstan

The 28 Best Map Based Strategy Board Games You’ve Probably Never Played

Scratch Map Giveaway: Win 1 of 3 Scratch Off World Maps From Landmass

Average Colour Hue of Country & US State Flags

How To Write The Date In Different Countries

December 13, 2017 at 8:14 pm

I know that: a) it’s a bit of fun b) it’s hard to make a 2d map of 3d space and c) there no official maps to go off

But Christ, there’s a lot of stuff on here which makes no sense.

Justin Spaulding says

September 7, 2019 at 2:36 am

Isn’t gamma haromi 2 supposed to be in the haromi cluster…. Good effort though! S3. E8 I think. The “gatherers”

Danny Beans says

November 11, 2019 at 11:18 pm

Why are Ceti Alpha V and Ceti Alpha VI in completely different sectors? I mean, okay, Chekov can be a little dumb sometimes, but that’s one helluva mistake to make.

Jadziah Dax says

April 7, 2021 at 6:03 pm

Can’t wait to see the one you do!

petewinsemiusyahoocom says

November 23, 2022 at 3:47 pm

I agree, several planets said to be in the alpha quadrant are in the beta quadrant and vice versa or not listed at all.

Resolute_Phoenix says

February 8, 2018 at 11:41 pm

Okay so Xindus by Vulcan…. kys I’m not even gona bother looking further don’t make a map if you don’t know what your talking about

February 18, 2019 at 9:03 pm

Romulons should have Dyson sphere (at least at Romulus and Remus). Their ship tech is based on creating black holes which will give a ship a reactor core with a life of a handful of years BUT it’s just like an inefficient battery because it takes way more energy to initially create it then it will give off over its life BUT it’s portable. Sure beats light sails if your depending on home system energy and way more flexible too. This was their tech wheelhouse, and was their interstellar travel energy source instead of antimatter. It makes total sense for them to have harnessed the majority of their native suns energy to create reactor cores wherever they needed a portable energy that couldn’t tap into the system wide grid.

February 22, 2019 at 9:26 pm

A few questions… 1) Why are there several Indus VIII on the map?, 2) I do not see the First Federation on this map — they should be near the Ferengi!, 3) Where is the Kelvin planet? (The planet colonized by the Kelvins from “By Any Other Name”), 4) Maybe I’m wrong, but I do not see the Dyson Sphere that TNG crew ran into?

Shane Montgomery says

March 4, 2020 at 10:25 pm

I don’t see Barzan II or the Barzan Wormhole here?

Pickard says

January 23, 2021 at 3:39 pm

They are there. Literally the only Dyson sphere symbol near the bottom.

August 6, 2019 at 5:03 pm

Spock: He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking.

Glenn Bryson says

November 15, 2019 at 6:52 pm

Not your fault, I know;

Vulcan is “Supposed” to be “A little over sixteen” light years from earth. Yet the map has it at around 1000. That’s one of my biggest gripes about Star Trek (I absolutely love Star Trek, don’t get me wrong). Distances and travel times are so inconsistent and unrealistic based on the documented scales, maps, etc.

March 14, 2020 at 11:46 pm

Did you mean Starbase 375 instead of 395? As in the starbase from S6 of DS9 after the Dominion took over the station?

Avro Arrow says

March 24, 2020 at 7:04 pm

I love this map, especially how you have the Hydran Kingdom, the Lyran Star Empire and the Kzinti Hegemony are listed (where is the Interstellar Concordium?). I have one small nit-pick to make and that is you have two systems named “Nelvana III”. They’re both in the upspin Beta quadrant but one is in the Romulan Neutral Zone and the other is further upspin and outward (left). I think that you might consider making most of the empty space that is coreward of Klingon and Romulan space into the ISC. They were referred to as being a Galactic Superpower residing on the far side of both those Empires (so, coreward).

Gray.Elton says

May 19, 2020 at 3:21 am

If we do or don’t do it, someone will laugh

July 15, 2020 at 1:53 am

I dont understand how this can be called a map of the star trek galaxy when there isnt even a spot or indication of where earth is. Who makes a map without earth when you have a series where its location is based on earth. In the series they refer to Earth as Earth. Yet the closes thing to it is on the map is Volcan. Y not add Earth as well? If there is an alternative name how come it’s never mentioned in the shows and a secret for fans?

Brandon says

August 15, 2020 at 4:14 pm

Earth is 100 percent there. It’s Sol. It’s a common alternate name for our star system and has been used in Trek.

February 8, 2021 at 3:26 pm

Sol system. The Greek word for sun. Follow the bold line and look for the team Terran and Vulcan sectors. Sol is on the 4 corners there

May 23, 2021 at 11:35 pm

Cheron is not in the Romulan sphere of influence. It is located in the “Southern most part of the Galaxy”, Captain Kirk. Episode “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield”

That dude says

September 6, 2021 at 5:31 am

Issues: Tykens rift, not Titans. Starbase 47 is about 10 sectors off as memory Beta says it is located between the Tholian assembly and the Klingon empire. Prophets Landing is in the gamma quadrant.

That’s all for now!

That Guy says

May 17, 2022 at 11:20 pm

Alpha Onias III is on here multiple times

John S says

November 16, 2022 at 4:31 am

Don’t the Klingon and Cardassian Empires border each other? A lot of DS9 s4 doesn’t make sense if they don’t…

martijn says

March 18, 2023 at 11:16 pm

where is earth ?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Beta Quadrant planets
• Season Nine: A New Accord
• Klingon planets
• VisualEditor
• View history

Gornar is the homeworld of the Gorn , the capital of the Hegemony . It is located in the Tau Lacertae System in the Beta Quadrant and has two moons, as well as three Klingon space stations in orbit.

In 2403 , following the Klingon-Gorn War , the Klingon Empire annexed Gornar and the rest of the Hegemony. The initial occupation was overseen by General Klag . As the Klingon's main purpose was to expose the Gorn leadership as Undine infiltrators and not the subjection of the Gorn people, the Klingon rule over the planet has been mostly respectful.

Missions involved [ | ]

• “Undine Assault” : In early 2410 , Gornar is one of several worlds targeted for destruction by the Undine , who deploy a Planet Killer in orbit. Assisted by a player task force, Gorn vessels are able to thwart the attack and destroy the planet killer.

Gallery [ | ]

One of Gornar's moons.

Gornar's second moon.

One of three Klingon space stations in orbit.

External links [ | ]

• Gornar at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek Wiki.
• 2 Playable starship
• 3 Infinity Prize Pack - T6 Ship

Strange New Worlds Has Established The Gorn As The Next Great Star Trek Villain

Set phasers to spoilers : This article discusses events from the season 2 finale of "Strange New Worlds."

If it seems like every generation of "Star Trek" must always contend with their own unique existential threat, that's because they do. For James T. Kirk in "The Original Series," real-world Cold War anxieties manifested themselves through the fearsome Klingon Empire and their numerous skirmishes with Starfleet as the two galactic powers constantly stood on the brink of all-out war. For Jean-Luc Picard in "The Next Generation," the horrifying Borg Collective instantly became the franchise's most iconic villain — not only as a physical threat, but one that channeled technological fears of the 21st Century by stripping away our very identities through their assimilation tactics. And for Benjamin Sisko in "Deep Space Nine," no greater threat than the Dominion would eventually land on Federation borders, bringing a darker and more paranoia-driven flavor to "Trek" that allowed for some of the most complex and nuanced storytelling the franchise has ever seen.

Despite two excellent seasons under its belt, "Strange New Worlds" is probably still a few years away from being spoken of in the same breath as these other shows ... but as of the season 2 finale, titled "Hegemony," Anson Mount's Captain Pike has come face-to-fangs with the most unexpected nemesis of them all: the lizard-like Gorn. They've been carefully threaded throughout the series as a steadily building threat and come loaded with intensely personal connections to much of the crew, from Christina Chong's Gorn attack survivor La'an Noonien Singh to Celia Rose Gooding's Uhura, still mourning the death of her mentor Hemmer (Bruce Horak) upon being infected by Gorn eggs back in season 1.

Now, they've stepped up as a series-defining big bad — and there's more to them than meets the eye.

Here today, Gorn tomorrow

At this point, Trekkies need no reminder of how the Gorn were first introduced to "Trek" — as a man in a woefully unconvincing rubber suit beating up William Shatner's Kirk at the famous Vasquez rocks in southern California in the Original Series episode "Arena." (For more casual fans, we've got the history of the Gorn covered right here! ) To say that any future installment of the franchise would have its work cut out for it in trying to reshape our conception of this particularly barbaric alien species is putting it mildly, but "Strange New Worlds" managed to crack the code — and, against all odds, make them feel genuinely scary.

The season 1 episode "All Those Who Wander" finally brought the Gorn back into the spotlight after only teasing them through La'an's traumatic backstory in previous episodes, reconfiguring them into a Xenomorph-like threat that was far deadlier than we'd ever seen before. But even as Trekkies wrapped their minds around this downright horrific take on the classic creatures, we weren't fully prepared for just how much "Strange New Worlds" would be playing the long game. The Gorn, as it turns out, would inevitably come back to threaten the entire Federation as we know it.

In the season 2 finale, the episode begins with extremely high stakes when the Cayuga, the Starfleet vessel crewed by Pike's lover Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) and Spock's love interest Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush), comes under attack by the Gorn outside of Federation space. But the scope of the conflict remains fairly limited to our immediate supporting characters ... in the early going, at least. The fraught political climate between the Federation and the Gorn soon comes into play when the latter enact a blockade of sorts, leading to the threat of all-out war .

The next great Trek villain

In the span of one hair-raisingly tense hour, "Strange New Worlds" positions the Gorn as the next major threat to Starfleet overall. After our heroes slip behind enemy lines to rescue their trapped comrades planet-side, disobeying Federation orders to maintain their side of the demarcation line and avoid the outbreak of war at all costs, their actions in surreptitiously destroying a communications jammer set up by the Gorn leads to the aliens kidnapping many of the remaining survivors (including multiple crewmembers of the Enterprise) and launching an attack on Pike's starship as the captain faces the most difficult scenario of his Starfleet career.

As with many of the greatest villains in past "Star Trek" history, the Gorn simply have to offer something we've never experienced before. Luckily, the season 2 finale includes several hints that the Gorn are much more complicated than Starfleet ever realized. On different occasions, Pike confronts evidence that the Gorn aren't quite the instinctive, low-IQ animals they had always assumed. Nurse Chapel directly observes one individual struggling to access core ship systems, while Pike and Batel can only watch in shock when a young Gorn decides not to attack — a result of perceiving the Gorn eggs already incubating inside her. Still, their tactical methods on the ground suggest a more evolved and intelligent species that is more than capable of destroying our heroes one by one while dismantling Starfleet on a galactic scale.

The Klingons represent a relentlessly brute force. The Borg symbolized advanced technology far beyond Starfleet's own. The Dominion could attack either through strength of arms or by hiding in plain sight. Now the Gorn embody all of these qualities and more. Going into season 3, it's clear the Gorn have everything they need to become the next great "Trek" villain.

Where are the Gorns?

I’m planning a campaign based in an area near (but obviously not within) Gorn space, having their presence be a continuing source of tension. Problem: While the Beta Quadrant sourcebook mentions the Gorn and gives some of their ships, Gorn space is apparently not on any of the maps. So where is Gorn space meant to be?

Several possible answers:

• Startrek standard answer: where ever you need them to be
• fan answer: in the SFX trash bin of TOS
• memory alpha: Gorn Hegemony | Memory Alpha | Fandom beta quadrant or another galaxy
• Earth answer: Vasquez Rocks, Californie
• Modiphius Answer: page 70 of the beta quadrant supplement
• South in beta quadrant
• south west of Klingon empire
• in the far south part of the Federation space
• Near the Tholian Assembly (sometimes south, sometimes north)

On the maps from Star Trek Star Charts and Star Trek Stellar Cartography that the ones in the game books are based on, Gorn space is a small region that lies “south” (i.e., rimward) of the part of Beta Quadrant shown on the maps, not very far from the Alpha Quadrant line, and close to the Klingon border. Modiphius hasn’t included that section in any of the maps in its books, but if you have some money looking for a home, I think Star Trek Stellar Cartography is still in print and has a lot that you would find familiar from Modiphius’ presentation.

Check this link from StarTrekMap.com out. It’s not “official” as it has a fanmade area for the Sheliak between Tholian space and Breen space, but all the canon areas depicted seem accurate.

Gorn space is in the southeast, the darker of the two small gray areas and the one that touches Federation space at the Cestus system. The Klingon Corebook also has a similar map on p.15 that depicts Gorn space in the same place. With Gorn space so close to Klingon space, this informs the raids between the Gorn and the Klingons, with the aftermath of one Klingon raid on the Gorns depicted in the Klingon Corebook artwork on p.5.

(Just FYI, according to Star Trek Star Charts , the light gray area next to Gorn space is the Metron Consortium.)

The Star Trek Star Charts maps seem to be used commonly by in episodes, most prominently in the first season of Discovery. So I agree, this is probably the closest you can get to canon.

Discovery also finally canonized that the Klingons are in the Beta Quadrant. Also, it is canon that Earth is not on on the edge of four different sectors and not right on the border of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Earth is now located in the same sector as Vulcan and Andor and that sector is firmly in the Alpha Quadrant.

Here’s some other info.

Thanks, guys. This has been really helpful!

Related Topics

RoadsideAmerica.com Your Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions

Attraction:

Santa Clarita, California : Star Trek Gorn Battle Rocks - Vasquez Rocks

Familiar craggy location for the original Star Trek "Gorn" episode, and Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey in tribute years later. It was also used as Vulcan on the Star Trek movie reboot.

Vasquez Rocks County Park

Results 1 to 5 of 7... Page of 2 [Next 2 items]

Visitor Tips and News About Star Trek Gorn Battle Rocks - Vasquez Rocks

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters . Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip .

As a Trekkie, I knew I had to climb the rocks in proper gear. Excellent destination!

Make sure you stop in the Visitor's Center for maps. There are live snakes, scorpions, and tarantulas behind glass on display so you can learn to ID them. There is a nice gift shop there as well.

If you're in a hurry and don't have time to stop, the Vasquez Rocks can easily be seen on the west side of Highway 14, which runs between Santa Clarita and Palmdale.

In the early 1990s, we were able to tour the set of the Flintstones movie at this site.

This was also a hideout in the 1870's for the infamous California outlaw Tiburcio Vasquez...hence the name of the rocks!

Page of 2 [Next 2 items]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road .

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

Map and Plan Your Own Roadside Adventure ... Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

California Latest Tips and Stories

• Luffa Farm , Nipomo, California
• Moo with a View: Cow , San Luis Obispo, California
• Madonna Inn , San Luis Obispo, California
• Rocky Bal-Boulder , Santee, California
• Sticky USA Candy Demos , Pasa Robles, California

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Classical Gas Museum , Embudo, New Mexico (Apr 29-May 5, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

• Sgt Stubby: World War I Hero Dog , Middletown, Connecticut
• Abandoned Bridge to Nowhere , Live Oak, Florida
• Giant Bat House , Live Oak, Florida
• Bread and Puppet Museum - Creepy Giant Puppets , Glover, Vermont
• Feature: Classical Gas Museum , Embudo, New Mexico

More Sightings

Favorite Quirky City Sights

• Bakersfield Attractions
• Eureka Attractions
• Hollywood Attractions
• Los Angeles Attractions
• Sacramento Attractions
• San Bernardino Attractions
• San Diego Attractions
• San Francisco Attractions
• Santa Cruz Attractions

Miscellaneous

• Submit a Tip
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions

Trip Planning Caution : RoadsideAmerica.com offers maps, directions and attraction details as a convenience, providing all information as is. Attraction status, hours and prices change without notice; call ahead!

Credits, Media/Business Inquiries © Copyright 1996-2024 Doug Kirby, Ken Smith, Mike Wilkins. All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the authors.

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published Feb 25, 2013

Meet The Gorns: Commander and Sentinel

Are you ready for your Monday Gorns? Well, ready or not, they’re coming your way. Each Monday for the next several weeks, the developers of STAR TREK The Video Game will preview Gorn characters that will be featured in the game. Today’s Gorns are the Gorn Commander and Gorn Sentinal.

The Commander is the leader of the Gorn “race” that has invaded New Vulcan. The Commander is ruthless; he engages in torture and takes great pleasure from seeing “lower species” suffer, including pitting them against other Gorn – and each other – for his amusement. At almost 10 feet tall, the Commander is the largest and most imposing of the Gorn seen in STAR TREK The Video Game .

The Sentinel is in the same Gorn class as the Gorn Commander. The Sentinel is one of the largest, strongest and most vicious of the Gorn. Their weapon of choice is the Arc Driver, the most powerful handheld weapon that the Gorn use; its primary fire is a bold of energy that disintegrates all organic matter. Sentinels are visually imposing, towering over all other Gorn except the Commander, as they stand upright at slightly more than nine feet high. They are highly intelligent and strategic and, as one of the elite Gorn, the Sentinels are among the masterminds of the plot players will encounter in STAR TREK The Video Game.

Get Updates By Email

Vasquez Rocks

• View history

Vasquez Rocks was a location on the planet Earth .

In 2399 , Raffaela Musiker was living there when Jean-Luc Picard came to pay her a visit. ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ", " The End is the Beginning ")

• 1.1.1 History
• 1.1.2 Star Trek
• 1.1.3 Appearances in Star Trek
• 1.1.4 Other related appearances
• 1.2 External links

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Vasquez Rocks in southern California

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a county park in Agua Dulce, California, roughly thirty miles north of Los Angeles. The area has been used in the filming of numerous Star Trek productions, including at least ten television episodes and two movies.

History [ ]

The familiar jagged rock face from "Arena", where Captain Kirk fought the Gorn

Vasquez rocks in "The Alternative Factor"

Filming "Who Watches The Watchers" at Vasquez Rocks

Vasquez Rocks is named after notorious bandit Tiburcio Vásquez , who used the rocky region to elude capture from California law enforcement in 1873 and 1874. On the television series Stories of the Century , Vasquez was portrayed by Anthony Caruso . Since 1928, nearly two hundred other film and television productions have been shot at Vasquez Rocks, including many westerns. The park was acquired by Los Angeles County in 1970.

Classic television shows such as Gunsmoke , Maverick , Bonanza , The Wild Wild West , and Kung Fu have all utilized Vasquez Rocks for filming, as have more contemporary hit shows like Airwolf , Alien Nation , Sliders , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (the rocks were used for the location of the Power Rangers' Command Center, which was in fact the House of the Book at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute used for Camp Khitomer in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ), Roswell , 24 , and CSI .

Films that have been shot at the region include the 1931 classic Dracula , Blazing Saddles (1974), Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991), Army of Darkness' (1992), Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), Planet of the Apes , and Alpha Dog (2006).

Star Trek [ ]

The first episode to be partially filmed at Vasquez was " Shore Leave " (in which it depicted the Shore Leave Planet along with, Africa, USA ), spending two and half days on location, on Monday 24 October 1966 , Tuesday 25 October 1966 and Wednesday 26 October 1966 . In the next month, another two Star Trek episodes were shot there, " Arena ", spending two days at Vasquez, on Wednesday 9 November 1966 and Thursday 10 November 1966 , and " The Alternative Factor ". The latter also spent two days filming on location, on Tuesday 22 November 1966 and Wednesday 23 November 1966 . Star Trek returned to Vasquez for the second season , to film " Friday's Child ", which also spent two days on location, on Wednesday 24 May 1967 and Thursday 25 May 1967 .

For " Arena ", the destroyed colony at Cestus III was also filmed near Vasquez, at an outdoor fortress set, originally built by Screen Gems for the series Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers . Filming there took place on Friday 11 November 1966 .

Vasquez was seen again almost twenty years later in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , when some of the Vulcan scenes were filmed there. Three years later, in August 1989 , the Star Trek: The Next Generation third season episode " Who Watches The Watchers " was also located at Vasquez. Star Trek: Voyager also filmed scenes at Vasquez, including the barren moon surface for " Initiations " in July 1995 and the desert for " Gravity " in September 1998 . In late- July 2001 , Vasquez portrayed the Xyrillian homeworld in the Star Trek: Enterprise first season episode " Unexpected ".

In late- 2007 , director J.J. Abrams shot the Vulcan scenes of 2009 's Star Trek at Vasquez Rocks as an homage to its use in previous Trek productions. [1]

In January 2012 , Abrams filmed some scenes at Vasquez for Star Trek Into Darkness . [2]

Star Trek: Picard also used Vasquez as a location, filming the exteriors of Raffi Musiker 's home there for " Maps and Legends " and " The End is the Beginning " in early- May 2019 . For the first time, the Vasquez Rocks were portrayed as themselves instead of as a stand-in for a different location.

Appearances in Star Trek [ ]

• " Shore Leave " (as the Shore Leave Planet )
• " Arena " as (as the Metron planet )
• " The Alternative Factor " (as Lazarus' planet )
• " Friday's Child " (as Capella IV )
• " Who Watches The Watchers " (as Mintaka III )
• " Initiations " (as Tarok )
• " Gravity " (as Subspace sinkhole planet)
• " Unexpected " (as Xyrillian homeworld )
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (as Vulcan )
• Star Trek (as Vulcan)
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• " Maps and Legends " (as Vasquez Rocks, Earth )
• " The End is the Beginning " (as Vasquez Rocks, Earth)

Other related appearances [ ]

• Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
• Free Enterprise
• Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (A diner in a scene filmed at the location was named "The Arena Diner", as an homage to the episode "Arena").
• Brandeis-Bardin Institute's House of the Book, digitally edited atop, to create the Command Center/Power Chamber for the first five seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
• The Big Bang Theory , Episode "The Bakersfield Expedition".
• Monk , Episode "Mr. Monk and the UFO".
• Bring Back... Star Trek
• How William Shatner Changed the World
• Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

External links [ ]

• Vasquez Rocks at SantaClaritaGuide.com
• Vasquez Rocks at Wikipedia
• Re-Uses of the Vasquez Rocks Location  at Ex Astris Scientia
• List of productions filmed at Vasquez Rocks at the Internet Movie Database
• 3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Update 65: Gorn Invasion, Pt 1

By rebekah 9 April 2024

For the first time since it’s initial appearance in 2022, Strange New Worlds is making a comeback in Star Trek Fleet Command. This month’s content focuses on the benefits of PvP engagement, alliance cooperation, and new PvE challenges.

Update 65 Includes:

• New Building: The War Room
• New Gorn Hunter Hostiles
• New Officers
• New Missions
• New Refits, Forbidden Tech, and Artifacts
• New Cosmetics
• New Battle Pass

The War Room

Following the Mission chain: Show Us Your Mettle , this Klingon themed “War Room” aims to reward players for Alliance PvP engagement. By unlocking Milestones, players will receive keys to unlock “Warchests” and earn great rewards. The rewards increase permanently by upgrading the building Level!

PvP Points are rewarded for battles (won or lost) and materials stolen. A 2 time multiplier will be added for actions in Territory Systems, and 3 times as many for Infinite Incursions. As you progress through the milestones, you’ll claim keys to unlock Warchests, and within them you’ll find the upgrade tokens ( Emblems of Honor ) needed to continue upgrading.

Rewards can include:

• Basic and Σ Resources
• Emblems of Honor
• Seals of Ko’tal (unlocks the exclusive Tactical Warmonger Research Node)

In addition, the building provides the following Buffs:

• War Room Shield Health: 20% -> 3200%
• War Room Officer Stats: 10% -> 2250%
• War Room Isolytic Damage: 0.50% -> 50%

The War Room is meant to help players receive additional resources in game, and it will continue to be updated over time to keep rewards relevant.

Check out this video about the War Room from Logan Starks, Product Manager, as well as this blog for more information.

Gorn Hunter Hostiles

In the vast expanse of the Star Trek universe, the Gorn have shown time and time again that they are beings not easily trifled with.

In “Strange New Worlds,” the crew of the USS Enterprise have found themselves face-to-face with these creatures on more than one account, proving that they are not merely adversaries to be overcome, but also provide a glimpse into the complexities of interspecies relations.

These Gorn Hunter Hostiles deal Isolytic damage and are immune to all non-Isolytic sources of damage, resulting in great rewards. We know PvP is not for everyone, so the team has approached these hostiles a bit differently. These hostiles provide players with a new way to use Isolytic damage and gain Artifacts, Officers, faction credits, and more. This includes the new artifacts launched last month in Update 64 and officers from both Voyager and Ent E. 

To read more about these hostiles and where to find them, check out this separate article here.

In addition, the payout for six of the exBorg bundles increased significantly. Check out the new values below.

D’Vor Feesha: T0: no change T4: X2 raw lat X5 conc lat T7: X2 raw lat X10 conc lat T12: X3 raw lat X10 conc lat

Monaveen: T0: no change T4: X5 Neural Net X10 Active Net T7: X6 Neural Net X15 Active Net T12: X7 Neural Net X20 Active Net

Stella: no changes to codes and particles T0: no change T4: X3 reputation T7: X5 reputation T9: X10 reputation

Mantis: T0: no change T4: X5 Venom T7: X8 Venom T12: X10 Venom

Defiant: T0: no change T4: X5 Antimatter T7: X5 Antimatter T12: X5 Antimatter

Talios: T0: no change T4: no change T7: X2 Inert Nanos T12: X3 Inert Nanos

Three new officers will be joining the ranks and filling out more of our SNW crews in Star Trek Fleet Command. 

Epic SNW M’Benga

Captain’s Maneuver: Butcher of J’Gal

• Increases a percentage of Officer Health as Mitigation vs Hostiles
• 1500/2500/1500%

Officer Ability: Fight for Peace

• Adds an increase of X% to SHP every round vs Hostiles.
• 2/4/6/8/15%

Use code: JGAL for 5 free M’Benga shards will be available for Ops 20+ players, 30min after event reset. This offer is available until April 19, 2024.

Epic snw sam kirk.

Captain’s Maneuver: Applied Xenoanthropology

• Decreases a percentage of enemy SHP vs Hostiles every round.

Officer Ability: Phaser-Based Study

• Increases Critical Damage by X% vs non-armada hostiles
• 40/90/150/230/350%

Rare SNW Nurse Chapel

 Officer Ability: Archaeological Medicine

• Increases loot gained from Gorn Hunter Hostiles
• 25/50/90/140/200%

Below Deck Ability: Protocol 12

• Increases Isolytic Damage vs Hostiles
• 5/10/15/25/40%

Note: Following player feedback, we are adding officers to the Ultra Recruit this month:

• Beckett Mariner
• D’Vana Tendi
• SNW Nyota Uhura
• SNW Ortegas
• Sam Rutherford

Galactic Recruit Assimilation Arc officers (Hugh, Ghalenar, Borg Queen, Dezoc, Gossa) are now replaced by Lower Decks 2 officers.

Following the structure of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the missions will be “episodic,” each having their own self-contained story. Our narrative team is looking forward to sharing these stories with you in 25 new missions, including 4 sets of Core Missions released weekly, encompassing 5 episodic stories, and 5 missions to introduce the War Room.

Core SNW: The Meaning in the Message

5 Missions | Level 34+

The Fay (Q’nuz) – an alien race resembling elves – live to sow confusion between races, seeding space with beacons that flood planetary media systems with incendiary propaganda. 

Core SNW: More Than Flying

An Andorian ambassador on route to rendezvous with the Enterprise has been kidnapped by a group of Klingons in an effort to destabilize the Federation. 

Core SNW: Slay It Again, Sam

When the Gorn have a scent, they do not let it go. That’s bad enough if just one of them has it, but if you’ve caught the attention of an entire nest, you can pretty much kiss your existence goodbye. So when Sam Kirk finds himself cut off from the Enterprise and hunted by a group of five Gorn, he’s as sure as anyone can be that he’s a dead man. Fortunately for him, the Independent Commander is in the area and ready to lend a hand. They offer to return Sam to the Enterprise, but Sam doesn’t want to endanger the rest of his crew. Maia works out that if they can deal with each Gorn one by one, Sam Kirk might live to see another day.

Core SNW: Red Tape

The Enterprise crew’s diplomacy skills are requested in a system where bureaucracy is valued above all else. What begins as a simple mission snowballs into a series of comical hoops that the crew must jump through. The mission is put in jeopardy when La’an inadvertently insults the culture’s bureaucratic process, and the crew must de-escalate the situation before it turns into an all-out conflict.

Warchest Introduction: Show Us Your Mettle

The Commander hears about an exclusive Klingon society that runs tournaments and provides hefty rewards for the most honorable – and fearsome – of warriors. Unlock the War Room by completing these missions!

Refits, Forbidden Tech, and Artifacts

Borg cube transwarp drive.

Adds Transwarp to the Borg Cube, allowing for INSTANT travel across the galaxy, as well as increasing Borg Cube HHP by 350%.

Additionally, we are pleased to update you with a Quality of Life adjustment that we have made to the Borg Cube’s Warp Core , effectively increasing the base warp range for G5 and G6 players. In addition, adjustments have been made to some of the research requirements.

Voyager Astrometric Sensor Unlock

Adds peace shield expiration time information to the existing Astrometric Scan Ability, as well as increases the Voyager’s max cargo by 300%.

New Forbidden Tech: Tarka’s Isolytic Weapon :

• Increased base Isolytic Damage vs Gorn Hunters
• Increased base Hull Health for all ships
• Increased Isolytic Defense vs all hostiles
• Increased Damage vs all hostiles

In addition to these buffs, it’ll also provide a daily source of Isolytic Artifact Tokens that increase with each tier.

New Artifact: Kir’Shara :

Kir’Shara is a new artifact that increases the number of sequential commands a Commander is able to issue to a ship. Acquiring it allows a Commander to select one hostile to attack, followed by another, and have the responding captain execute the attacks one after the other.

Four new primes are being introduced in this update: Prime Hull Breach Resilience,  Prime Mining Rate,  Prime Borg Cube Isolytic Damage, and  Prime PvP Damage Resilience.

Prime Hull Breach Resilience

• Decreases enemy players’ Critical Hit Damage by 150% for 3 rounds up to 450% when your ship is Hull Breached at the beginning of any combat round

Prime Mining rate

• Increases base Mining Rate by 500% for all mineable resources.

Prime Borg Cube Isolytic Damage

• Increases the Borg Cube’s Isolytic Damage by 15% .

Prime PvP Damage Resistance

• Decreases enemy player’s base Weapon Damage up to 450% (does not apply during Station defense).

Battle Pass and Cosmetics

A brand new Territory Capture Season Pass with 30 free and 30 elite milestones will be available towards the end of the month.

Throughout the month, you also can earn five new avatars and three new frames.

Additionally, Deep Space Nine Part 4, and Assimilation Part 1 and 2 Missions are returning to the Holodeck.

Territory Capture Season 3

A few improvements are being made to TC season 3! Players may notice the following adjustments:

Improved Nodes and Services

• Parsteel, Tritanium, and Dilithium have been changed to Materials (G3 in T1, G4 in T2)
• Monaveen BP and Chronometric Particles can now be found in All T3 Territories

Boosted Particle Output

– Boost to All Particle Generators (2x)

Increase the Subspace Relay buffs by ~500%

Bug Fixes & Improvements

• Fixed an issue with Battle Reports and Officer Abilities – If two ships triggered their captain ability/officer ability at the same time, only one of them was visible in the battlelog
• Fixed an issue with store Exocomps: Pips for the Exocomp store would still remain visible even after purchasing or claiming all available Exocomp options
• Fixed an issue with Mantis’ ability not work against T14 Borg Cube
• Fixed an issue with Armada Directives: The tooltip description of the Uncommon armada directives was inconsistent with that of the Rare and Epic ones
• Fixed an issue with the stars achievements not working properly in the Battle Simulator
• Fixed an issue with mining nodes failing to reset after depleting on getting hit by a Borg Cutting Beam
• Fixed an issue with the “Paid Debts” mission: Officer “Spock” art appeared instead of the character “Warlord Prohk” in 2nd objective
• Fixed an issue with Battle Reports and Forbidden Tech – Forbidden Tech ability would fail to display correctly inside the battle logs
• Fixed an issue with the “House of Martok”, “Avenge Them” and “Broccoli” missions – the level indicator was missing from the Holodeck screen; instead, it showed the quantity
• Fixed an issue with unlocking Ex-Borg “Lucky Miner” favors that would causes minus & inconsistent resource values on nodes
• Fixed an issue with prime nodes packs where players were not redirected back to the node after a successful purchase
• Fixed an issue with Formation Armadas where a “Victory” battle report would appear instead of the “Partial” battle report after defeating a formation armada
• Fixed an issue with the corrupted fleetbar art on iOS devices when the NX-01 was swapped with any other ship on Drydock A
• Fixed an issue with the activate ability icon and tooltip that were missing in the object viewer
• Fixed an issue with the alliance leaderboard failing to update when players would change alliances
• Fixed an issue with the system Toll: The route button would fail to respond when the player changed ships
• Fixed an issue with the “Connivance Part 2” mission, where the “officer Passerby1” mission character’s name appeared as “The Broadcaster”
• Fixed an issue with Silent Hostiles appearing in Q’s Trials
• Fixed an issue with the Faction store where chests with multiple items were showing placeholder art instead of the usual chest icon
• Fixed an issue with the Formation Armada button being active on the second formation armada when it shouldn’t
• Fixed an issue with the “The Recesses of the Mind” mission failing to complete even after upgrading or completing the “Survival Cell Containment” research
• Fixed an issue with the  Prime Fleet Commander Gift research node having placeholder art
• Fixed an issue with Uncommon Xindi Final Weapon, Rare Xindi Final Weapon & Rare Xindi Supreme Weapon power value overlapping with the text
• Fixed an issue with Uncommon Xindi Final Weapon, Rare Xindi Final Weapon & Rare Xindi Supreme Weapon directive icon overlapping with the “ARMADA” text
• Fixed an issue with the mission “They Have Adapted” not surfacing in the Holodeck
• Updated Phlox’s officer ability short description for consistency reasons
• Fixed an issue with the alliance stats button missing from the events’ screen

Full Patch Notes Video here.

The Star Trek Team

DON’t miss THESE from AROUND THE GALAXY

Update 65.2 patch notes, update 65 mid-month news, battle tactics: introducing the kir'shara artifact and tarka's isolytic weapon, war room's warchest rewards tables, take the conn, download star trek fleet command today.

- AVAILABLE FOR -

STAY INFORMED AND DON’T LOSE YOUR PROGRESS!

Subscribe for exclusive updates on our launches & more! Sync your progress across platforms and devices