Original artwork, not a still
Disputed attribution: Kirk
Set phasers to stun.
— Star Trek: The Original Series ‧ 1966
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The phrase is Star Trek compressed to a sentence: even in a ship of weapons, the first instinct is to disable and not to kill. It is a paraphrase that grew from many near-identical orders into the line everyone knows, and it now stands for any gentler setting, from pop songs to geek jokes about handling a difficult situation.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Star Trek: The Original SeriesShow the scene
Kirk never quite says "Set phasers to stun" in the original series. What he does say, again and again, is a command on the same pattern: "Phasers on stun", "Put your phasers on stun" or "Set your phasers on stun". An early one is in "The Man Trap" (1966), where he tells Spock he will leave his own phaser on stun while they try to take Crater alive. A clear one is in "Operation -- Annihilate!" (first aired 13 April 1967), where he orders the landing party to set their phasers on stun before beaming down to Deneva.
Sources (4)
- Star Trek transcripts: The Man TrapKirk and Spock on the planet, after Crater firesReference checked
- Star Trek transcripts: Operation -- Annihilate!Transporter room before beaming to DenevaReference checked
- Wikiquote: Star Trek: The Original SeriesCatchphrasesReference checked
- Memory Alpha: Operation -- Annihilate!Production notesReference checked
Context reviewed
