26th September 2006, 2:13 PM
haha that's not a formula, it's a vague idea. That description itself actually has no story. in "The Arena" the lizard man was also a captain, Enterprise was en route to capture lizardman's ship and have him tried for a massacre that we learn about earlier; a small earth colony presumabley wiped out by the lizard-like people for unknown reasons. Both ships while at warp 8 are stopped by a strange unknown race who has the ability to control the ships. He makes an offer that he will pit both captains in a fight to the death and the superior being and his ship will be let go while the loser's ship will be destroyed or stolen by the seemingly omnipotent aliens. The lizard-man captain is stronger and more fierce than Kirk, but of course they have no choice but to fight.
Obviously chaos and cheesey sci-fi fun ensues, the plot of the lizard men accused of slaughtering the earth colony, the fate of the enterprise held captive and Kirk's fight to the death with a physically superior being plays out. One of my top favorite ST episodes. That omnipotent alien race will eventually evolve in the production to The Next Generation where they're called the Q, an omnipotent race of aliens who practically test and torment other beings for reasons that aren't always clear and often times seem to be more of a parental nudge to aid the 'lower' beings, humans being the most facinating by a certain member of the Q that was a regular on TNG. These weren't fights or struggles for entertainment, though there were episodes where a king would take great facination by pitting friends and family against eachother for his amusement.
Of course in that episode the premise is only scratching the surface of the story.
Obviously chaos and cheesey sci-fi fun ensues, the plot of the lizard men accused of slaughtering the earth colony, the fate of the enterprise held captive and Kirk's fight to the death with a physically superior being plays out. One of my top favorite ST episodes. That omnipotent alien race will eventually evolve in the production to The Next Generation where they're called the Q, an omnipotent race of aliens who practically test and torment other beings for reasons that aren't always clear and often times seem to be more of a parental nudge to aid the 'lower' beings, humans being the most facinating by a certain member of the Q that was a regular on TNG. These weren't fights or struggles for entertainment, though there were episodes where a king would take great facination by pitting friends and family against eachother for his amusement.
Of course in that episode the premise is only scratching the surface of the story.