The television series "Mythbusters" has aimed its inimitable skills at "Star Trek." With its exceptionally high signal to noise ratio, leavened by healthy yet entertaining skepticism, any subject they tackle accrues an entire new layer of nerd cred by virtue of their examination. And for this episode they've picked a doozy to examine. According to this the particular element drawing their focus is that makeshift bamboo cannon used by Kirk to fell his fearsome Gorn enemy in the classic TOS episode, "Arena."

Surprised by a sneak attack at the Cestus III outpost, Kirk and landing party repel their attackers back to a warp speed space chase. The chase comes to an abrupt end by superbeings annoyed at the intrusion. These Metrons pit Kirk and Gorn as captains of their ships to mortal combat mano y repto. After prolonged but inconclusive skirmishes Kirk takes advantage of the "arena" environment, scavenging raw materials for a primitive gunpowder weapon. The Mythbusters ask, could this Gorn cannon actually work?

"Recall your basic chemistry" is not something most could do, now or three centuries removed. It's not surprising Spock thinks of it (for sake of the audience) and Kirk too, well, because he's Kirk. "If he has the time" paces the tension to the final explosive encounter but of course there's no chance the cannon will not go off since it'd be a messy ending otherwise. (Assuming the goal of the Metrons was actually to destroy only the loser given the strange declaration Kirk will be spared even after winning the contest.)

Those giant crocodiles with bug eyes were never surpassed in their implacable, incommunicable, incessant nature until TNG and the Borg. (Though the highly technical nature of their ruse inviting Kirk and his senior officers says lots about sophistication of Gorn technology and psychology.) The Gorns are eventually revealed as defending their space from invaders, so one hopes their takeaway lesson for the future is: try the more peaceful options first. In many ways "Arena" set the tone for "Star Trek." The message of "Arena" comes not only at Kirk's moment of triumph, but also in that "he has reasoned it out" to achieve it.

Despite any real (or lucky) superiority the best course is to talk, to reach an agreement for peaceful coexistence guided by the advanced trait of mercy. (But wait! Did not the Gorn also profess mercy?) I hope the Mythbusters find, like the chance a half-savage (!) humanity in several thousand years may emerge civilized, that these chances are PLAUSIBLE.