10 Most Satisfying Star Trek Moments

Any excuse for some gladiatorial combat! Kirk, Uhura and Chekov are captured by the Thralls of the Providers, who are looking for fresh meat in their blood-sport games. Kirk uses his masculine charm to convince his trainer to inform him about as much of the Providers as she is able and he utilises this knowledge to wager the freedom of himself and his shipmates in a fight to the death.

Of course, when he's victorious, Kirk refuses to kill, sparing the life of his opponent. Kirk demands of the three glowing brains (which are the Providers) that a free and fair society is the only way forwards. All of this is well and good, but the really, really satisfying moment of this episode is the theme music as the battle between a bare-chest Kirk and his numerous opponents gets underway.

This sequence almost perfectly encapsulates what Gene Rodenberry was trying to achieve in many ways. He wanted us to see that we have to strive for equality and knowledge, we have to know that there will be opposition, there will be violence, there will be struggle to get there. While Kirk has to demonstrate his impressive physical skills, it's his compassion for Shahna that wins out the day for him.

It's so stirring that it'll have you betting five quatloos on the newcomer in no-time.