I think the point of the episode was that the Gorn know full well how black holes work, they are just so full of hatred for their prey that they don't care about following them into one.
Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 1x04 - "Memento Mori"
- Thread starter Commander Richard
- Start date
Even experienced military commanders can be fooled by simple tactics, sometimes.
The Xindi responsible for the killings were not the ones to join the Federation
Actually, I'm wondering if the Gorn has some kind of crisis that would make them risk an close encounter with a black hole for a few hundred folks, when they probably could find an undefended world with millions or billions of inhabitants. Hell, they could just find a M-Class planet with no humanoids, and great megafauna roaming across the landmasses, and in the seas.
I know...plot
I know...plot
https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-gorn-canon-explained
“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.”
I think this probably only works if the audience doesn't already know what the Gorn look like. Except most Trek fans do. I guess they want to save on expensive CGI budget but honestly they probably should've just shown the Gorn on their ship when the main characters weren't around, similar to how Romulans were shown to the audience on Enterprise.
“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.”
I think this probably only works if the audience doesn't already know what the Gorn look like. Except most Trek fans do. I guess they want to save on expensive CGI budget but honestly they probably should've just shown the Gorn on their ship when the main characters weren't around, similar to how Romulans were shown to the audience on Enterprise.
I'm well aware.
They didn't join until decades or centuries later. My point stands. Mortal enemies sometimes become close allies and memories are long. That still doesn't stop them.
It was a good episode. Not as good as Balance of Terror but good. I wished the effects weren't so darn dark. I know its a tv budget but I think they can lighten things a bit. Overall a good ep. I wished we could have seen the gorn but I believe that maybe I canon they hadn't seen it actual horn until TOS.
It works if you empathize with the characters and share in their fear.
Otherwise, no, it doesn't work.
Their sensors saw the human starship go into a black hole and go boom...
They had no idea it was a trick.
...in addition ...
This episode may give us another tid-bit as to why the Gorn specifically enticed the Enterprise to Cestus III in "ARENA" many years later... for revenge.
The Gorn ships were listening in on the communication between Pike and the colony ship, he told them it was the USS Enterprise.
This episode may give us another tid-bit as to why the Gorn specifically enticed the Enterprise to Cestus III in "ARENA" many years later... for revenge.
The Gorn ships were listening in on the communication between Pike and the colony ship, he told them it was the USS Enterprise.
I forgot to add... the Gorn weren't using 'cloaking'.
Spock said that they were using Hologram Tech to hide their ships.
OOps... sorry, didn't mean to post so many in a row.
I thought other's would be adding their thoughts as well.
Finally, the cargo hold interior shown!
Really enjoyed this episode.
This series is shaping up to be the best live-action of new Trek. So glad we have this, especially after a terrible couple seasons of Discovery and a lackluster season from Picard.
This series is shaping up to be the best live-action of new Trek. So glad we have this, especially after a terrible couple seasons of Discovery and a lackluster season from Picard.
Good interview with one of the writers of this episode:
https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-gorn-canon-explained
Sheds light on how they decided to handle the Gorn and confirms they took inspiration from Balance of Terror.
https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-gorn-canon-explained
Sheds light on how they decided to handle the Gorn and confirms they took inspiration from Balance of Terror.
I feel like SNW is easily the best (so far) when it comes to the character writing, and I agree it's refreshing.
I feel like DIS was blessed with a good cast but often suffered from terrible writing, which prevented the characters from being utilized better. PIC is somewhat hit or miss on that aspect. But for SNW, I think the show is treating the characters better as both individuals and within story context. Uhura helping Hemmer keep the warp core stable in this ep (and building some personal bridges) is one example, and as you said they seem far more professional.
Nice to see Aenar blood is still blue. 
It showed they were calculating hunters. They analyzed evaluated and TESTED their prey. It also showed they were not interested in peaceful diplomacy. In TOS S1 - "Arena" it's abundantly clear they have A LOT of info about the Federation; and understand Federation language to the point that they not only send a convincing signal to the 1701 - which they seem to know is the main patrol ship as they sent the signal directly to the ship when it's two days away and convincingly faked the personality of Starfleet Commodore Travers, right up to the point Kirk and Co. beam down to find the base obliterated...
In fact (and remember Commodore Traver's dialogue is ALL Gorn created):
http://www.chakoteya.net/StarTrek/19.htm
^^^
So yeah, calculating hunters appraising prey.
In the episode the Gorn also respond to the Cestus III base's offer of surrender (including being informed that the base has women and children by "pouring it on", per the one survivor's own account; and destroying the base - THEN luring the 1701 to the base to further test their military capabilities.
^^^
Which also shows that even after having all that info regarding the Federation and Starfleet and full contextual understanding of Federation language - the Gorn still choose to hunt and kill prey rather then inform Starfleet that they consider this area of space Gorn territory and pursue some form a non aggressive diplomacy.
A big highlighted difference is that it appears the Gorn do not attempt diplomacy even if they have the knowledge needed to do so. Their first response seems to be to hunt and kill intruders.
That's a HUGE difference between the Gorn and the Federation as even in TOS the Federation is consistently shown always trying to use peaceful diplomacy first; and its members only resorts to force if diplomacy fails/is refused; and force is always their last option.
That said, I had no issue with Kirk's reply as the Gorn did keenly demonstrate they DID know how to communicate; refused an offer of surrender even after being told women and children were on the base, and instead COMPLETELY wiped out said base. Then afterwards they went out of their way to lay a trap to test Federation military capability.
^^^
So yeah, they do not come across here as just a peaceful race who misunderstood Federation intentions and reacted poorly. They were truly just cold blooded hunters (in more ways than one
) out to eliminate what they saw as prey entering their territory.
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Lots of loud, brash TOS beats and callbacks in the new music for this series. I love it.
Next week's episode has very familiar music based on the teaser clip at the end of the Ready Room.