William Shatner Says Shooting Star Trek's Worst-Ever Fight Scene Was Also Incredibly Painful

William Shatner, the iconic actor behind Captain Kirk in Star Trek, revealed during New York Comic Con 2026 that one of the show's least memorable fight scenes was also incredibly painful. The episode in question, "Arena," saw Kirk grapple with the Gorn, a rubbery alien creature that featured a costume more reminiscent of a dusty desert terrain than a high-budget alien adversary.

The Gorn's makeup was a far cry from the advanced alien aesthetics seen in later Star Trek series, with its rubber suit causing considerable discomfort for Shatner as he rolled around in abrasive regolith. Bobby Clark, who played the Gorn, faced his own physical challenges, including limited access to water and a non-breathable scuba suit that added to the difficulty of navigating through sagebrush and bushes.

Despite the rough conditions, the fight scene's anticlimactic nature stemmed largely from the limitations of the Gorn's costume, which could not manipulate its mouth. Clark noted that even the Gorn's visible teeth, though prominent, failed to deliver a biting attack, leaving the scene feeling more rehearsed than dramatic. The director's instructions for Clark to portray the Gorn as cumbersome, awkward, and slow contributed to the scene's overall corniness.

However, the episode ultimately earned its place in Star Trek history through Kirk's decision to show mercy to the Gorn, serving as the episode's moral lesson. While the fight scene may have been a low point for special effects, it paved the way for other Star Trek innovations, such as the transporter, which compensated for the show's budget constraints.