Talk:Laser cannon

Was it a laser cannon?
The device used on Talos IV against the knoll in and, is never directly referred to as either a laser or a cannon. Tyler stated that the entry had held up against "hand lasers", but then suggested that "the ship's power" be used against it. Further, there is no on-screen evidence of the method of power transmission. The terms "laser", "laser cannon" and "microwave" are speculative. --GNDN 19:29, 27 November 2006 (UTC)

Yes, but is it a canon laser?
I have no serious objection to Gvsualan's addition to the caption I wrote, except to say that that there is nothing heard or seen on-screen to suggest that this device is a laser cannon. If I'm wrong, I will either eat a bug or strike this comment. --GNDN 19:30, 29 March 2007 (UTC)
 * They utilized hand lasers, so what other kind could it be? This image already appears at that link, and that hasn't been disputed. --Alan del Beccio 19:34, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

Since the weapon was never identified, it could have been anything at all from a laser to an early phaser to whatever Harvey P. Lynn suggested in his (largely ignored) memos to Gene Roddenberry. After retconning, it could even be a heavy version of a phase pistol. It should also be noted that Lieutenant Kirk manned the phaser station aboard the USS Farragut in 2257, three years before this episode. (, see also laser pistol).

Your argument has some appeal, and I tried to use a variant to explain why I believe the pistols in were phasers and not lasers. (See the discussion under "Laser pistol"). Shran's position was "that the weapon was called a laser on-screen in The Cage & The Menagerie, and was never referred to as a phaser." The cannon, in this case, was never referred to as anything at all. The circumstantial evidence is there and we can infer that this device is a laser cannon, but there is no direct evidence. --GNDN 20:15, 29 March 2007 (UTC)
 * It is referenced as a "laser cannon" by Gene Roddenberry in the script, and interoffice memos, as recalled in The Making of Star Trek, pages 119-121. One such memo, entitled "SUBJECT: LASER CANNON EFFECT" (dated 1-5-65), discussed the laser cannon effects in Scenes 67 through 73 of "The Cage." Evidently in first outline draft (dated 6-29-64) it was referred to as "the vessel's huge matter-converters." --Alan del Beccio 23:57, 10 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Saved after edit conflict, written before reading Alan's comments above: I'm coming in on this a bit late, but I'll comment nonetheless. IIRC, the weapon is identified as a laser cannon in some behind-the-scenes notes, perhaps made available in The Making of Star Trek. The Star Trek Encyclopedia also states the cannon was a laser, but whether they based that on speculation or from some production source like a script is unknown. Since the cannon was in used while laser pistols were in use and before phasers were introduced, the safest assumption would be to call it a laser cannon. A possible alternative (though not one I'm necessarily fond of) is to simple call it an energy cannon. But if there exists some production notes or something specifically calling it a laser cannon then that would be enough to keep this where it is. --From Andoria with Love 00:02, 11 April 2007 (UTC)
 * Written after reading Alan's comments above: And I was right. So I guess it can stay at laser cannon. :) --From Andoria with Love 00:04, 11 April 2007 (UTC)