The Twilight Zone S04E16 On Thursday We Leave For Home Full Episode

The Twilight Zone S04E16 On Thursday We Leave For Home 16/18
Space colonists from Pilgrim I, Earth's first spaceship to colonize the outer regions, have spent 30 years in their new home. It's a lonely barren place and they are waiting for a ship from to arrive to transport them home. Some of the colonists are at their wits end and another one, the 9th in six months, commits suicide. They are led by William Benteen, who they call Captain, a tough no-nonsense type who does his best to keep the together. They rejoice when the ship arrives and are given three days to prepare for their departure. As the day approaches however, ...

You unlock this door
with the key of imagination.

Beyond it is another dimension-

a dimension of sound,

a dimension of sight,

a dimension of mind.

You're moving into a land of both
shadow and substance of things and ideas.

You've just crossed over
into the twilight zone.

Hank, anything?

Nothing yet, captain.

No sound at all.

Well, try it on. 402.

Probably coming
from that direction.

I had it on that
all morning, sir.

Oh.

Try it again.

Captain...

anything?

No, nothing yet, joan,

nothing yet.

They lost, you figure, captain?

They're not lost, George,

just takes time, that's all.

Takes time.

Julie, where's your husband?

In our bunker, captain.

Something wrong?

Go get him.

Something wrong?
- Something's wrong, julie.

Yes, sir.

How's the water, George?

Hot, flat and unforgettable.

But wet?

Well, bear with it,
folks, bear with it.

Six months' time,

we'll all be drinking
chocolate ice cream soda.

You want to see me, captain?

Man on the radar tower
like to see you, Al-

would've like to have seen you
two hours ago

when you were supposed
to relieve him.

I overslept,captain.

You tell that to Hank Parker
up there, will you?

You tell him that you overslept.

Then be good enough
to tell him

you'll take his entire
watch all day tomorrow.

That's not fair-
it doesn't happen often.

Once is often.

More than once is intolerable.

And many times more than once

is the case history
of a man named Albert Baines

who likes his sleep.

I prefer it to a stupid game
in the hot sun.

Game, Al?

What are we listening
for up there?

30 years, two watches a day,
what have we ever heard?

Wind noise.

What did we ever
pick up on radar?

Dust particles.

This is William Benteen

who officiates on a
disintegrating outpost in space.

The people
are a remnant society

who left the earth
looking for a millennium,

a place without war,
without jeopardy, without fear.

And what they found
was a lonely, barren place

whose only industry
was survival.

And this is what they've done
for three decades- survive-

until the memory
of the earth they came from

has become an indistinct,
shadowed recollection

of another time
and another place.

One month ago,
a signal from earth announced

a ship would be coming to
pick them up and take them home.

In just a moment,
we'll hear more of that ship,

more of that home
and what it takes

out of mind and body
to reach it.

This is the twilight zone.

That's all we got, captain.

None left?

That's all of it right there.

Main switch?

That's all gone, too.

We used it
on the converter pumps.

Well, we've got to get current.

Temperature will go up
50 degrees in those rooms

without refrigeration.

We could stop the
salt-water converter

for a day or two.

Switch the parts.

That's what we'll have to do.

You tell the people to fill up
all the jugs they've got.

We're going to turn off
the water in six hours.

Yes, sir.

Oh, captain.

What about the ship?

It's on the way, George.

We know it's on the way.

And when we get back,

it's going to be different.

Things that are old
and worn out,

we're just going to
throw them away.

Just throw them away.

Captain Benteen.

Cut her down.

Oh, no...

prepare her
for burial in an hour.

Say your farewells now.

And ask god's forgiveness
for what she has done.

Forgive her, lord.

Father, forgive her...

for what she's done.

She didn't know what
she was doing, lord.

She knew what she was doing.

Better and clearer
than any of the rest of us.

This is a funeral, Al.

The ninth in the
last six months,

the ninth!

This woman and the
others took their lives

because living
became intolerable.

And I say that dying
was their right.

That's a blasphemy!

It's the truth.

Isn't living
tough enough here

we shouldn't have
to go by the book?

Isn't it hot and
miserable enough

there shouldn't be rules?

We shouldn't have
to suffer by the numbers?

Will somebody please
make the simple comment

there's more happiness
going into that grave,

more peace of mind

than all mourners
put together?

Nothing but anguish here.

Captain Benteen, let us
live with it in our own way.

Or let us die from it...

in our own way!

Young mr. Baines...

would have us
lie down in the sun.

Young mr. Baines...

would have us give in to death,
while there is still life.

He'd end the rules.

Throw away the regulations.

No more standing
in line for water.

We'll let the strong
take away from the weak.

And no more food rationing.

Let the young
steal from the old.

And when that ship
does arrive...

it won't find a society.

Just a pack.

Not one human being left alive.

Only animals.

And there is a ship coming.

It's winging its way now.

It's on its way.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

Let me
hear you say it.

Say it out loud.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

There's a ship coming.

There is a ship coming.

There's a ship coming,
there's a ship coming...

meteor storm!

It's a meteor storm!

It's a meteor storm!

Get up to the compound.

Get up to the compound!

Get in the cave.

Get in the cave!

Get in the cave!

How's the arm, Al?

All right.

Everybody accounted for?

They're all here,
captain.

Nobody's missing.

Oh, thank god.

Everybody just stay
as quiet as you can.

I think the worst is over.

I think
the worst is over.

Quiet.

You're not scared,
are you, Jo-jo?

Kind of, captain.

Well, we can't
have you being scared.

Let's you and me
tAlk a bit, huh?

Pass the time.

Captain, tell us
about the earth.

Do that, captain, would you?

Tell us about the earth
as you remember it?

Again, Jerry?

All right,
i'll talk about it.

Fran...you and Hank

fill in any holes I leave.

If i'm wrong
about any of my recollections,

correct me, will you?

Jo-jo, I was just a boy
when we arrived here.

I was 15 years old,
but I remember the earth.

I remember it as a place...

a place of color.

I remember, Jo-jo,
that in the autumn...

Jo-jo?

In the autumn...

the leaves changed...

turned different colors.

Red, orange, gold.

I remember streams of water

that flowed down hillsides.

And the water
was sparkling and clear.

And I remember
clouds in the sky.

White...

billowy things...

floated like ships, like sails.

You see, in ancient times

that's the way men moved
their ships across the water.

They unfurled large sections
of canvas against the wind

and the wind moved them.

And I remember...

night skies.

Night skies...

like endless black velvet.

With stars...

sometimes a moon

hung as if suspended by wires...

lit from inside.

What's night, captain?

Night...

night was a quiet time, Jo-jo,

when the earth went to sleep.

Kind of like a cover
that it pulled over itself.

Not like here where
we have the two suns

Always shining,
Always burning.

It was darkness, Jo-jo.

Darkness that felt like...

...like a cool hand

just brushed past tired eyes.

And there was snow
on the winter nights-

gossamer stuff-

floated down

and covered the earth,

made it all white,
cool.

And in the mornings,

we could go out
and build a snowman.

See our breath in the air.

And it was good then.

It was right.

Captain, why did
you leave there?

Well, we thought
we could find

another place like earth

but with different
beauties, Jo-jo.

And we found this place.

We thought we
could escape war.

We thought we could...

well, we thought
that we could build

an even better place.

And it took us
30 years to find out

that we'd left our home
a billion miles away

to be only visitors here,
transients...

because you can't put down
roots in this ground.

But it was too late.

So we spent 30 years

watching a clock and a calendar.

And waiting.

But we're not going
to wait any longer, Jo-jo.

We can't wait another...

day...

not another hour.

We're going back to the earth...

right now.

Al Baines?

Al Baines!

Al!

You hear that noise?

All of you, do you hear that?

That's not a meteor.

That's not wishful thinking.

That's not...

make-believe or a phantom.

Those are rockets.

That's the ship.

The ship is here.

Mr. Benteen?

I'm Benteen.

Colonel Sloane,
commanding the galaxy vi.

Our orders are to transport
you all back to earth.

Oh, welcome, sir!

Colonel...

colonel, colonel,
what took you so long?

Well, we've been traveling
for six months...

oh, a hundred
times more.

We've waited 30 years.

We got your message
two months ago

then we listened
and listened...

we did it.

...then nothing more.

We tried to transmit to you,

but we simply
couldn't get through.

But when we heard
your acknowledgement,

we knew you'd received
the initial message.

Does it all look like this?

The whole place?

Yes, it all looks like this.

Craggy mountains,

salt flats, two suns,
perpetually shining.

Yes, it all looks like this.

30 years.

Yes, 30 years.

Some here have never
seen earth, colonel.

Some older people don't remember
what it looks like.

They'll see it now.

We are to get you on board
as soon as possible.

We figured you should be
ready to leave on Thursday.

That gives you three days
to arrange things.

Unfortunately, your people can
only take what they can carry.

There are over 150, right?

187- men, women and children.

But they'll travel
standing on their heads.

That won't be necessary,
mr. Benteen.

It'll be a little crowded,
but we'll fit you all in.

I can see
you're very used to

a great deal of space, sir.

Space... and heat!

Yes, I can believe it.

Captain, Jo-jo wants
to meet the colonel.

Colonel Sloane,
Jo-jo.

How do you do?

Can I give you
a kiss, captain?

You sure can.

Can Jo-jo inspect
the ship, colonel?

Certainly, take him
right up there.

The earth!

Colonel, has
the earth changed?

No, not too much.

Is it still green?

It's still green.

And the cities?

And the cities still stand.

And war?

One pops up here,
another dies out there,

but through a miracle
and the grace of god

we never had the hydrogen war.

Captain Benteen.

George, George.

Colonel Sloane,
this is George Morris.

How do you do?
It's a pleasure, colonel.

I think you'll find it

very much as you
left it, mr. Benteen.

Captain Benteen.
- Captain Benteen.

That's what people call me.

This place was my
responsibility for 30 years.

You've done quite a job,Captain Benteen

But you can rest easy now.

We'll handle the responsibility.

I've become
used to the functions.

Your quarters,
they're underground.

As I was-

cooler there,
mr. Benteen?

I... where?

I didn't hear what you said.

Your underground rooms,
are they cooler?

Yes. They're refrigerated.

But it's captainBenteen.

Captain Benteen's
kept us alive here.

I believe it, captain Benteen.

Can I show you
the ship, gentlemen?

Yes, yes.

Al...

Al Baines.

Where's your sling?

It's a magnesium band.

Colonel Sloane says my arm will be
perfect by the end of the week.

Look at Julie's cheek.

Isn't it
incredible, captain?

Look, colonel Sloane
gave it to me.

It's a medicinal bandage.

You wear it
for 24 hours...

it accelerates
the growth of new skin.

You can hardly see the bruise.

It really is incredible.

Looks like i've
lost my practice.

Al, do me a favor.

Put that in a sling.

I've treated hundreds
of broken arms

and the only way to cure them
is to keep them immobile.

As you all know, in less than
36 hours, we'll be departing.

Weight allowance has been
set at 14 pounds per person.

When we leave here, we'll
begin a process of notation

to establish what your
personal belongings will be

and what they will-

colonel Sloane.

Hope i'm not intruding, captain.

Of course not.

I was giving
the weight requirements.

We'll handle that tomorrow.

When I heard
you were meeting,

I brought engle and rafferty.

You've all been asking so
many questions about earth

I thought we'd
answer a few more.

The purpose of this meeting
is departure problems.

Colonel, my folks
were from san diego.

What's California like?

Sunny and warm,
most of the time.

Los angeles is the biggest
city in the world now.

I feel that these questions
can best be answered

at a later time.

Do they still
have public schools?

Oh, yes.

And they're pretty much
the same as they were.

Except they're larger,
better-equipped,

more adequately staffed.

There's a whole new
system of visual aids now.

Many classes are televised.

If a student is
learning about, oh...

we'll say the
Grand Canyon,

they do an actual program
right there on the scene

that's fed into the classroom
on a new tape device.

Colonel Sloane, are
there still major leagues?

My dad used to tell me
all about baseball

and the world series.

Two leagues, same as before.

American and national.

What city has the Dodgers now?

Still los angeles.

They came in tenth
last season.

After we're finished here,
let's improvise a ball and a bat

have ourselves a ball game.

It's much too hot
for that kind of activity.

We might sing here in the cave

we haven't done
that in some time.

Why don't we show the colonel
the music we can make?

Let's let him hear
some real harmony.

Two more.

Come on, baby, come on.

That is the universal
language, captain.

Baseball?

Mm-hmm.

You have a very limited
vocabulary, colonel.

Do you have any idea

what the temperature
is out here right now?

Well, not by degrees
but certainly by discomfort.

At this time of day
it's about 110.

Don't know about
your crew members

being able to stand
that heat,

but I do know
about my own people.

They're going to suffer
for this little athletic event.

For some of the older people,
it might be serious.

Aw, it's only
a game, Benteen.

If they're suffering,

my guess is that it
might be worth it.

Colonel, when we get aboard
your ship, you'll be in command.

You tell us what to do,
where to go,

and we'll fall
right into line.

But here, in this place,

i'm in command.

Now, mr. Benteen...

captain Ben...

i'm not trying to usurp
your authority, captain.

I just don't see what harm

a little baseball
game could be.

That's not your concern,
is it, colonel?

The well-being of
these people, their health...

That's my concern.

Galaxy crew members,
inside the ship.

Lower the port.

Now, my friends,
time to rest.

Go to your homes.

I'll announce
when the new day will begin.

Go to your homes.

Happy now, captain?

I was never unhappy.

I just know what's right
and what's wrong.

I see.

Colonel, I have to ask your men
to stay on the ship

during the rest period.

I don't want
the people distracted.

You do have
a weighty fist, captain.

Well, had it been one ounce
lighter, there'd be no one here

to go back with you, colonel.

I've held these people
together- by will.

Just by will.

They'd have died if they
hadn't had someone to hang onto.

They'd have withered away.

Hmm.

Well, they're not going
to wither away now, captain.

Why don't you just relax?

That's a luxury
i've never been able to afford.

I've never taken a wife.

I've never been able to think
only of myself.

I've...

i've been confessor, governor,

father figure, if you will.

And if I hadn't been,

there'd be no
life here today.

Those are my people, colonel.

Do you understand that?

My people.

What's with him, colonel?

What's his problem?

Oh, suffer him
a while longer.

He's really quite
a guy, you know.

Quite a guy.

He just has
one aberration:

He thinks he's a god.

And we're booting him
out of his heaven.

Colonel Sloane?

Yes.

Captain Benteen is here.

Oh, yes.

Oh, come in, captain.
Come in.

Colonel.

Well, how are you today?

Fine. Thank you.

I have a list
of your passengers,

and their
approximate weights.

Also, the weight
of their belongings

noted after each name.

We weighed on our scale,

and i'm afraid
it's an old-timer,

underweighs about
four or five pounds.

All I wanted was an
approximation, captain.

Oh, this will
do just fine.

We'll weigh them out
on our own equipment

before we blast off anyway.

Well, captain,
today's Wednesday.

Tomorrow we leave.

Tomorrow you go back
to mother earth.

Back to modern times.

Though I honestly wonder

whether it'll be to your liking.

Because the way
you'll be lionized

when you get
back to earth...

you know, you're
referred to in the press

as "the lost pioneers."

They'll make quite a thing
out of you when you land.

I suppose
it's inevitable.

I guess that seems
to be your fate.

And wherever
your people settle,

they'll be met
by brass bands,

welcoming committees,
keys to the city...

keys to the city.

Yeah, the government
has had inquiries

from literally
thousands of relatives.

They'll just have time to
look into a television camera

and then they'll scatter-

All over the 50 states.

They won't be scattered,
we'll go together.

I was talking about

when you get back
on earth, captain.

Well, so am I, colonel.

We won't be splitting up.

Not those people, not my people.

We'll stay together.

You mean this is
what you've all decided to do?

No decision was necessary.

You have asked them,
haven't you?

Colonel, asking them would be
exactly like asking a child

if he wants some more ice cream.

They're just like children, colonel.
They're like children.

The majority of them are adults.

Chronologically, yes.

They range in age
from six months to 60 years.

But psychologically and
socially, they're children.

I've kept these people alive
and together all these years.

When we get back to earth,

I will simply have to
continue the process.

Have you told them this?

There's no need to tell them,
they know it already.

You mean they know that
after 30 years of waiting,

after 30 years of
living in a compound,

that they're going to
travel a billion miles

just to walk single file
into another one.

They wouldn't have it
any other way.

Colonel, you don't understand,
and I don't blame you,

that these people are children.

And to transport them
a billion miles

and then land them in a
strange place and abandon them

would be an act of cruelty.

It would be a crime.

Would you do me
a small favor, captain?

Of course.

Ask them.

Outside the cities on earth,
there are suburban areas.

This was a major living change
that took place in the 1950s:

Decentralization
of the population area.

There's certain aspects
of earth living

we should touch on.

We naturally will not
concern ourselves

with colder areas,
the northeastern states

and some upper sections
of the great plains.

Captain, I want
to live in Wisconsin.

So you better tell us
about frostbite.

What about the state
of Oregon, captain?

That's where Betty and I
want to settle.

I can remember
the forests there.

What about the eastern
seaboard, captain?

The finger lake district

in upper New York
state, captain?

Is there still a New York City?

Wait. You don't understand.

Now, I'd like to make
one thing very clear.

You'll all be able
to meet your relatives

and possibly visit with them
for even a week or more.

Naturally, we'll stay
together as a community

in whatever
land grant we can get

or whatever prescribed area
can be arranged.

I'd also like
to assure you that-

and, I hope,
put all your fears to rest-

i'm going to continue
as your guide and consultant.

I guarantee none of you will
want for my help or advice.

Captain?

Julie and I...

Julie and I
were planning on farming.

That's a wonderful idea,
a fine idea.

Of course we'll farm.

As we farmed here,
only better there - more rainfall.

Remember, one sun, not two.

You don't have to shield
crops from the sun.

The sun helps them.

You'll farm, Al,
certainly we'll farm.

Julie has relatives
in the state of Washington.

We'll settle there.

It would be too cold
for you there, Al.

It would be too cold
for all of you.

Now, wherever we settle,

I guarantee
there will be good farming.

I'll see to that.

Well, now,
what's the matter with you?

What's the matter
with all of you?

You don't understand, captain.

We, uh...

we don't plan to stay together.

Well, you don't understand, Al.

You never did understand
much of anything.

Now, Al, if we did split up,
if we went our separate ways,

I seriously doubt
if we could survive.

Explain it to him,
Al, go ahead.

Yes, go on, tell him, Al.

We'll survive, captain.

If any of us want
to stay together,

that'll be their right.

If any of us want to go off
on their own,

that'll be their right, too.

Am I wrong, colonel?

No, you're not wrong.

Our orders are to take you
back to earth as a group.

Once on earth, you're free
to do what you please.

Colonel Sloane, I tell you now

to let us settle
our differences alone.

There are no differences,
captain.

There are differences!

There are changes
that have taken place on earth

that none of us
are prepared for.

Now, these... these people,

they make it seem
like a big holiday,

like everything's easy,
like the good life...

you can pluck it
off a tree!

Well, my people,

I don't want any one of you
to be disillusioned.

I tell you now

that wherever men live
they grub and they struggle.

They dig to stay alive.

This I know.

This is true, this is a fact.

But together-
that's the word, together-

we must stay together.

I want you to
think of that now

and I want you to
say it with me out loud.

All of you:

"Together."

Together.

Together.

Together

together... together.

Together.

Together.

Together.

Well, I figured out

the compartment
assignments, captain.

I'd like to go
over them with you.

The compartment assignments.

There's not much time.

We still have checking to do.

There's a decompression
problem

Also a moment
of weightlessness

after we leave the atmosphere...

colonel, do you know
what we called you?

The messiah.

We called you the messiah.

You did?

We said you'd bring...
freedom.

That's not
what you've brought at all.

What did we bring,
captain?

Selfishness.

Dissatisfaction,
divisiveness.

With all the misery
we've had here,

those were germs
we never suffered.

Captain Benteen, uh...

I brought nothing
but a ship and a crew-

uh, a means of escape.

You say you have
no diseases, no viruses.

Well, has it ever
occurred to you why?

It's because you live
in a test tube, captain.

Antiseptic
and germ-free.

And also sterile.

Oh, sure, you're a group,
sure, you're a cell,

but that's all over
with now, captain.

Now it's time to be
what god meant you to be-

individuals.

A man, a woman, a child,
a being.

It's time
to break that test tube.

It's time to rejoin the race
of men.

I remember
the race of men, colonel.

I remember the earth.

It's incredible.

Absolutely incredible.

For 30 years, i've been wrong.

30 years i've been lying
to my people.

I've told them about an earth
that doesn't exist.

I've told them
about an imaginary garden.

I've told them about
a planet a billion miles away

that has no more substance
than a wish.

We can't go back
to earth, colonel.

It's too late for us.

We cannot go back there.

Everybody?

Everybody!

Come, gather 'round.

Come.

Gather 'round, everybody.

I have something
I must tell you.

Now, listen.

I want to tell you things
about earth

that you haven't heard before.

Things that are ugly.

Things that are wrong.

Things that cannot
be lived with.

There is violence on earth.

There are hatreds.

And jealousy.

Now, listen to me, listen to me,

and listen carefully.

The earth is a place
we do not know.

The earth is a place
we have never lived in.

It is a society
we do not belong in.

If we leave here...

we will die, we will die!

We'll be committing suicide

if we go back to earth.

We will die

of a misery we have
never experienced before-

loneliness.

Loneliness,
like animals in a zoo.

We do not belong there.

We do not belong
to his kind.

We do not belong there.

We do not belong there.

Captain Benteen?

Why don't you
let your children vote on it?

Only if they know
what's waiting for them.

Only if they know
that the earth is not a garden.

Never was a garden!

And it never will be a garden.

Fair enough.

Fair enough.

Then I'll tell you
what earth is.

It's a race of men,
struggling for survival.

Just as you have survived.

And captain Benteen
is quite right

when he tells you

it isn't a place of all beauty.

We may yet have wars

and there still
remains prejudice.

And I suppose
as long as men walk

there will be angry men,
jealous men, unforgiving men.

But it has one thing
that you don't have.

One thing.

It lets every man
be his own master.

There won't be
any captain Benteens

there for you.

There won't be anybody
to tell you

when to eat,
when to sleep and when to meet.

There won't be anyone
to tell you

when to dance, what to sing,
or how to play.

Instead of thirst, you may feel
hunger;

instead of heat, you may feel cold.

But you'll be men
and women.

You won't be sheep.

You won't be a kindergarten.

And when you pray to god,

his name won't be Benteen.

A vote now, captain.

And the majority wins.

Those of you
who want to be

on board ten hours
from now

to head back to earth

raise your hands.

Let loose now, captain.

For everyone's sake,
let loose!

May god help you.

May god help you all.

Tomorrow you think
you'll be getting on a ship

on its way to... paradise.

Well, you'll be on your way
to hell!

What about you, captain?

I'll stay here.

I'll stay here, this is my home.

This is where I belong.

This is where you all belong.

Captain, we leave at 0800
tomorrow morning.

Don't wait for a fetching
committee.

0800- if you're not on board,

you'll never be on board.

If you take off at 0800,
you take off at 0800.

But as for the rest of you,

you can go on this ship

or you can remain here
with me.

Captain?

Benteen?

We know you can hear us.

We know you're
in here someplace.

Come out.

Please.

Let us talk to you.

We're leaving now, Benteen.

We have to take off
in five minutes

or we'll lose
our orbital position.

It'll be too late for us.

Benteen, it has to be now.

Captain, please.

Please come out.

If we leave without you,

there'll be no ships
returning here.

This is where you'll live
from this moment on.

And this is where you'll die.

All right, Benteen.

As you prefer.

Come on, let's go, Baines.

Good-bye...

captain Benteen.

Well, my friends...

any business to transact today?

No business?

Jo-jo.

Jo-jo...

nothing from you today?

Don't you want me to tell you
about the earth, Jo-jo?

Don't you want to hear
about the rivers and the seas,

the blue skies and night,
the stars and moon?

Don't you want to hear
about all those things today?

There's color on earth.

The change of the seasons,
the wind.

The wind brings the smell
of the ground-

the plants, the seeds,
the roots, the flower petals,

the sap from the trees.

The wind brings with it
the smell of the weather,

the rain, the mist, the fog...

and the earth is green, Jo-jo.

Green.

The color green.

The feeling green.

There's something
so fresh about it.

So alive about it.

So living about it.

It's the earth.

The earth.

Don't leave me here!

Don't leave me behind.

Don't leave me here!

Please...

please, I...

I want to go home.

William Benteen,
who had prerogatives.

He could lead, he could direct,
dictate, judge, legislate.

It became a habit,
then a pattern...

and finally a necessity.

William Benteen, once a god,
now a population of one.