- Dr. Russell's presumed-dead husband mysteriously reappears on a reconnaissance mission to a nearby planet.
- While returning from a reconnaissance mission to a nearby planet which appears to be capable of sustaining life, an Eagle team pass out and the ship is brought back under remote control. Upon arrival a passenger is found aboard the Eagle, who appears to be Dr. Helena Russell's husband, long presumed dead after a failed mission to Jupiter five years prior. The Moon Base Alpha crew must determine how this seemingly impossible situation occurred, all the while slowly drifting out of range of the planet which has offered the promise of a new home. Koenig must decide whether to go ahead with the evacuation to the planet before time runs out, but questions remain about the true nature of Dr. Russell's "late" husband, and whether the planet is truly safe.—Clay Daniel
- Returning from a seemingly Earth-like world, the ebullient pilots of a reconnaissance mission are suddenly incapacitated when their ship is engulfed in electrical charges. When the Eagle is brought back to Alpha by remote control, in addition to pilots Parks and Bannion (Stuart Damon, John Oxley), an unfamiliar man is found aboard wearing a uniform not of Alpha design. This stranger is quickly identified when Helena (Barbara Bain) announces that it's her husband Lee (Richard Johnson), who has been presumed dead since his spaceship had disintegrated in Jupiter's gravity five years before the moon left Earth.
The three occupants of the reconnaissance ship have been placed in Alpha's care unit, hooked up to medical monitors. All three remain unconscious, but unlike Parks and Bannion, the medical instruments are failing to record Russell's life signs. Dr. Mathias (Anton Phillips) is baffled, and Helena has no answers.
In the meantime, Alpha's personnel are becoming impatient with the sudden delay in investigating the planet for possible colonization. Commander Koenig (Martin Landau) insists that their first priority at this point is to try and come up with answers as to what happened with the reconnaissance Eagle, as well as Lee Russell's inexplicable appearance.
While Helena tends to Lee alone, he partially revives, struggling to get something out. However, he remains too weak to speak.
Prof. Bergman (Barry Morse) speculates that Lee's physical nature has undergone a radical change since presumably residing on the planet for the past five years, resulting in their instruments being unable to record his vital signs. Desperate for answers, Koenig convinces Helena to administer Lee with a powerful stimulant to revive him for interrogation. Once awakened, Russell insists on speaking with his wife alone. After the others depart, Helena gives Lee an update on their travels through space and current hope of settling on the planet. Lee suddenly becomes alarmed to hear this, and finally seems eager to provide information, placing his hands on her shoulders. However, the physical contact between the two causes an electrical discharge which throws Helena across the room, rendering her unconscious.
As Helena lay in bed, recovering in her quarters, Bergman brings Koenig into his quarters for a private discussion. He shows the Commander the results of three thermographic scans he's taken of Lee Russell; two of which display the thermal image of a normal living person, that had been taken when Helena was present. But the third scan, taken in Helena's absence, shows the image of a dead person, lacking any body heat. Victor concludes that Lee seems to be drawing his life force from Helena.
Meanwhile, in the care unit, as Parks and Bannion continue to lay unconscious, Lee insists on talking with Helena, violently throwing Dr. Mathias into a display of medical supplies while trying to restrain him. Security then holds him down.
Koenig had ordered Helena to stay away from her husband, so now he finally has the opportunity to question the man with no distractions. Lee warns the Alphans to avoid the planet or face annihilation. Koenig insists on knowing what the danger is and Lee simply answers "your opposite". Koenig expresses his insistence on sending down a landing party to determine whether the planet can support them. Lee realizes his warnings will not be heeded, and loses all of his energy, slumping into a chair. Dr. Mathias announces that he's dead.
Koenig's gung-ho with assembling the landing party, believing Lee Russell's presence no longer has any bearing on them now. However, Victor forcefully persuades the Commander to hold off on the launch until after he's had time to perform some skin tests on Russell's body.
With time suddenly on his hands, Koenig visits Helena to see how Russell's death has affected her. She calmly states that she's just "numb", as though she never really had him back.
The results of Lee Russell's skin tests, according to the particle analyzer, indicates that since his death, his cells have been changing, reversing polarity. Victor believes that his body is transforming into antimatter, which will lead to annihilation once completed. Koenig stresses that these are just theories and is insistent on seeing with his own eyes whether that planet is habitable.
Commander Koenig conducts a base-wide announcement informing the Alphans that the landing party is about to depart and to prepare for evacuation once he gives the word. Victor is left in command of the Moonbase, with instructions to retain command if for some reason the landing party doesn't make it back. As the countdown to launch is under way, Victor worriedly informs the Commander that as Lee Russell's autopsy was being prepared, his body suddenly vanished. Bergman urges Koenig to abort the launch due to Lee Russell's warning, but the Commander remains determined to follow through with the probe of the planet.
The Eagle lands, containing the Commander, Helena, Alan Carter, Paul Morrow (Prentis Hancock), and Sandra (Zienia Merton). The planet appears as a paradise, with breathable air, trees, grass, and animal life in the form of docile parrots. Koenig orders Carter to remain on the ship while the others split into two pairs to conduct surveys.
The Commander and Dr. Russell come across a large orange-colored water hole and set up their testing equipment. When the water, as well as some nearby fruit, pass the tests with flying colors, Koenig and Helena send a live video to the elated Alphans in Main Mission of the two sampling the planet's spoils. Koenig contacts Paul and Sandra for an update, and they report not finding any dangerous elements so far.
As John and Helena continue to pack away collected plant samples, Victor interrupts their bliss with grim news; all of Alpha's atmosphere seals are weakening (apparently, the planet has a very extended atmosphere), and the plastics aboard their Eagle are being affected. Koenig contacts Carter for an update, who reports that the ship's insulation is beginning to act up a bit.
As Koenig abruptly recalls the landing party, Victor reports that Alpha's situation continues to worsen. After Koenig urges Paul and Sandra to join he and Helena, his comm-lock view screen shows Carter trapped in the ship's pilot section surrounded in smoke. Alan urgently reports that the ship's systems are failing. As Koenig informs him they're on their way, a nearby explosion occurs. It turns out that Paul's holstered laser has exploded. Koenig hastily disposes of the rest of their lasers, then Helena informs him that Paul is dead. As they both react with shock, Sandra hysterically announces that she's blind. They're within view of the Eagle, which Koenig observes to be billowing in smoke. The ship explodes.
While Koenig attempts to achieve contact with Alpha; receiving distorted sound and visuals on his comm-lock, Helena frantically tries to draw his attention to the sky. The moon, which seems to be engulfed by the planet's orange atmosphere, is being shrouded by a white energy field. This leads to their moon violently exploding.
When the shock wave from the moon's demise reaches the planet's surface, a fierce dust storm ensues. Helena and Koenig lose sight of Sandra while attempting to seek shelter, but their cries are drowned out by the wind. They then stumble up to a cliff-side, and become victim to a rock-slide. Koenig protects Helena and ends up getting pummeled. Finally, as the storm subsided, Koenig lay on the ground and perishes.
As Helena sits on a rock sobbing, in utter anguish, Lee suddenly appears. He explains to the distraught Helena how he had originally arrived here, as well as what he has become; his material "opposite". He states that she cannot survive here and must leave. Obviously she can't under the current circumstances, so he endows her with the power to "see what she wants to see". Lee then disappears and the planet returns to the paradise it had been when the Eagle landed. Koenig approaches Helena, alive and well. They both possess the memory of the horrifying events. Koenig recalls the landing party.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content