The Outer Limits (1995–2002): Season 4, Episode 10 - Identity Crisis - full transcript

All right, Cotter,
that should do it.

We've proved our point.

Cotter, can you hear me?

Loud and clear, general.

Then what the hell ya doing?

Transformer
needs a little tweaking

as long as I'm up here.

Mother of god!

There.

He's out of his mind.

Not his mind,
colonel.



( applause )
Thank you.

That was a hell
of an exhibition
you put on.

How do you feel?

Like I could
do it again.

That won't be necessary.

You passed that test
with flying colors.

We're ready
for the transfer.

Looks like
we're all set.

See you
on the other side.

Beginning
transfer sequence,

code alpha-0019.

@
Somebody
get me out of this contraption.

I'm starving.

All clear.



Since our earliest beginnings,

we have always believed
in some form of transcendence.

But when we finally discover

how to transcend
our own biological bodies,

what exactly will we gain?

And what will we leave behind?

Hey, Greg.
How am I doing?

You're one magnificent creature.

Well, that goes without saying.

I meant how's
my alter ego doing?

Remarkably Well,

considering
what it's been through.

Our friend here managed

to deflect 50 kilowatts
of electricity

up on that tower today.

Know what that would do
to a normal human body?

Toasted
as a marshmallow.
Look at this.

Hardly a mark on him.

That's
pretty amazing.

We've shot it, froze it,

cooked it,
tried to electrocute it,

and it takes a licking,
it keeps on ticking.

Imagine a whole army
of these things.

We've done more than imagine it.

With next generation
commando group, a platoon

of these could get through

the most hostile
enemy environment.

Nuclear, biological, chemical,
you name it.

I won't pretend I'm not pleased
with our success,

with
your
--Success, Cotter.

Yeah, that's right.

It's not the machine,
it's the driver.

Now we're done
patting each other on the back,

let's talk about our glitch.

I'm halfway up that tower,
and the servo-Valve

in the left knee actuator
malfunctions again.

I thought
you fixed that.

I did fix it.

Mm-hmm.

That look like
an xt433 sub-Routine to you?

It sure does.

No, it can't be.

The xt433 was replaced
by the xt434,

or at least it should have been.

I'd hate to be
up to my ass in alligators

and have a bum leg.

I don't understand.

I was sure I inputted

the new sub-Routine
into the system.

It must have slipped past me.

That's what 36 hours
without sleep does to a man.

Come on, let's leave

the good doctor
alone with his guilt.

Thanks.

( romantic
classical music playing )

Cotter, dinner's ready.

Yeah,
I'll be right there.

What's all this?

What does it look like?

I thought we could
have dinner by candlelight.

A little romance
never hurt anybody.

So what else
do you

have planned
this evening?

Why, captain Mccoy,
I can assure you

that my intentions are
strictly dishonorable.

Lucky for me.

So did you miss me?

Terribly.

Did you miss me?

I couldn't think
of anything else.

Liar.

What? Me? A liar?

That's okay.
I love you anyway.

Not as much as I love you.

God, I am ravenous.

Oh, sorry.

Dinner first.

Fine.

You outdid yourself
as usual.

Something wrong, hon?

No, not really.

All right,
don't give me that.

Spit it out.

Okay,
what did you do today?

Sally--

I know. I'm not
supposed to ask.

So how's your steak?

Done just the way you like it?

Mmm, really tasty.

Sally, I know
that the last couple of months

have been hard on you.

Hard on me? I don't know
if I've married man or a rumor.

I'm sorry.
I didn't mean that.

I know how important
this work is to you.

Not just to me.

What I'm doing
is making the world

a better place, a safer place.

That sounds kind of corny,
doesn't it?

No, it doesn't sound corny.

I'm doing this for us too.

This is high profile.

This will get me
out of the trenches

and into the spotlight.

You wouldn't believe
the brass involved.

If I didn't love you so much,
this wouldn't be so awful.

Listen, we're entering
the final phase of testing.

It's going to be two more weeks.

When we're finished,
we'll get a bungalow

on the beach,
just the two of us.

I'm not worried
about a vacation, sweetie.

I'm worried about you.

I have never been more happy
in my entire life.

That's what scares me.

You're never happier

than when you're
living on the edge.

Whatever it is,
I'm sure risk is involved.

There's risk involved
in getting out of bed.

I'm okay, really.

Sally.

Hi, Pete.
You startled me.

Yeah, I have that
effect on women.

That bum of a husband
of yours around?

We just finished breakfast.
He'll be right out.

Sorry to keep
running off

with him like this.

Don't say it
if you don't mean it.

You think
I enjoy separating
you lovebirds?

Take care of him
for me.

Take care of yourself too.

Sally, this is nothing but
a series of training exercises.

You say that like

no soldier's ever been hurt
in a training exercise.

Don't worry.
He'll be fine.

Hey,
take your hands off my wife.

If I'd
seen her first--

Well, you didn't.

I, uh,
I'll be in the car.

Bye, Sally.

Bye, Pete.

Oh, come on.
No, it's okay.

I knew what I was getting
into when I married you.

Did you?

No...but you were damn handsome
in that uniform.

Okay, take care
of yourself.

I will.You too.

I'll see you
in a couple of days.

Every time
we finish

one of these
little exercises,

you're always
in a hurry

to get me
out of Cotter two.

What is
the margin exactly?

We don't like
keeping you in there.

How long
can your mind

safely reside
in the android's brain?

Let's just say it's not a limit
I'm anxious to test.

Any particular
reason?

You are
full of questions today.

Expect me to have my higher
Brain functions Deleted

Without knowing
everything you do?

Look, we're getting
these glitches

straightened out,
I promise.

Cotter, ready
for these last round of tests?

Yeah, zap me over there,
and turn me loose.

I flew down to
Washington last night.

The president is
Positively ecstatic

over the progress
we've been making.

He wants me
to tell you

that you're in line
for a promotion.

Don't expect me
to start saluting

and calling you sir.

We're ready, gentlemen.
Let's rock and roll.

You all set, Cotter?

Yeah, all set.

Last chance to abort.

I'm starting
to get used to this.

Let her rip.

Beginning
transfer sequence,

code alpha-0019.

What's happening?

( Greg )
the circuits are overloading.

Well, do something.

I'm trying.

What's happening?

I don't know...uh...

turn it off! Open the door!

I can't! I can't!

Indications of major
thermal trauma --

Several full thickness

or third degree burns
of the epidermal layer.

Each of these burns appears
to have a central charred zone

and a peripheral
Grey-White zone necrosis.

Tissue samples.

Get out of my way.

Stand back, sir.

They're working on me in there.

You'd better get in there

and try
and calm him down.

Let me in, Pete.

I can't.

That's my body, Pete.

I have a right
to see what's going on.

Whatever's happening in there,
there's nothing you can do.

How could this happen, Pete?

How?

I don't know, Cotter.

I understood
all systems were go.

It must
have been a freak malfunction

of some sort.

It's over, isn't it?

Leave us, gentlemen.

Tell me.

Cotter, your body suffered
extensive tissue degeneration.

We won't know
the full extent

of the damage till
after the autopsy.

This can't
be happening.

It can't be.

Do something!

You have
to bring me back!

Do you hear?
Bring me back!

we can't, Cotter.

No one...can.

I'm sorry.

I'd liketo think

this was
an accident.

Either that or...

or what?

As much as we've tried
to keep the screws tight,

it is possible that someone

may have slipped in,
committed an act of sabotage.

We know of
at least two other

military android programs
under development

in less than friendly countries.

The first coalition
to put android soldiers

onto the battlefield
will have a decided advantage.

Are you suggesting that
someone did this deliberately?

I'm just pointing out
some options we should consider

during the course
of our investigation.

I must be
part of that investigation.

Don't even think about
cutting me out of this one.

If somebody did kill me,

I want to be there
when we find out who.

It's what I was afraid of.

The electric current
passed into the brain itself.

There are lesions and
burnt tissue all they way down

the corpus callosum
into the cerebellum.

Even if I could have
started your heart again,

it wouldn't have done any good.

I'm sorry, Cotter.

What am I going to tell Sally?

How will I break it to her
that her husband,

the man that she loves, is dead?

But that his mind
is still alive inside a machine?

Cotter...

your...hand.

The interface between your mind

and your android body
is starting to break down.

Your android brain operates

on the same principles
as a human brain.

The synapses in the small
section of your motor cortex

are either misfiring
or not firing.
What's causing it?

We don't know.

You're certain It's a breakdown?

It could be isolated.

He's right.

My hand is fine now.

You knew this was going
to happen, didn't you?

During our initial testing phase
with other primate subjects,

the same degradation occurred.

Your android apes
had this problem?

Yes.

We think the stress you suffered
since the accident this morning

has speeded up the degradation.

How much time do I have?

12 hours
at the outside.

12 hours?
And then what?

My whole damn body
starts twitching?

The pattern of decay
varies,

but the end
is the same.

You'll gradually,
maybe not so gradually,

lose control
over your extremities,

and then ultimately
you'll be unable to speak

or move
or perform any other function.

Damn you, Greg.

You knew about this,
and you didn't tell me.

You knew there were risks
when you volunteered.

Things were going so well,

I didn't think
about the risks any more.

Sally knew, Pete.

Not the details,
but she knew it was dangerous.

I have to see her,
tell her What's happened.

That's not
a good idea.

How would you
tell her?

There are tests we can run,
Cotter.

Working together, we might be
able to slow the degradation.

If you don't know
how to stop it now,

you won't figure it out
in the next 12 hours.

General,
I request permission

to go see my wife.

I'm sorry, captain.

Let me get this straight.

Are you saying I'm a prisoner?

Cotter.

Follow my instructions,
and no one will get hurt.

You don't know
what you're doing.

Never argue with a man
who has nothing to lose.

In there.

We can't have
a $2-Billion weapon system

running around on the loose.

When we're out of here,
I must return to Washington

and brief
the president and the nsc.

That leaves
colonel Butler in Charge.

Colonel, you have express orders

to either
recapture captain MCCOY

or terminate him
by any means necessary.

With all due
respect, general,

as long as that android's alive,
so are Cotter's chances.

He'll listen to reason.

If you won't
take the necessary action,

I'll find someone who will.

( easy listening music playing )

( doorbell ringing )

Somebody there?

Sally.

Who is it?

Where are you?

It's me, Sally.

It's Cotter.

Cotter, what are you doing?

Turn off
the porchlight.

Why?

Just do it please.

Cotter?

You're scaring me.

I'm sorry.
I don't mean to.

Why are you
hiding from me?

Is everything all right?

For the moment.

Well, this is silly.

Come inside, honey.

I...I can't stay.

I just had to see you.

Come up onto
the porch.
No, stay there.

Are you all right?

I can call a doctor.

No.

Damn it.

Cotter, what is it?

What have they done?

Cotter?

I know it sounds incredible.

I'm the first human prototype.

The first human to be downloaded
into the prototype

to be more precise.

Why?

It was an experiment,

to fuse the electrical field
that made up my mind,

maybe even my soul

into
a synthetic body.

Oh, this can't be.

This is just...

look at me, Sally.

I'm trapped
inside this damn machine.

I didn't want you to see me
like this.

There was an accident
at the lab.

This is all that's left of me.

( doorhandle turning )

I have to
get out of here.

Well, I'm going
with you then.

No, it's too dangerous.

Don't argue with me, not now.

Hold it right there,
captain!

Cease fire, damn it!
Cease fire!

You two go!

Let's go!

Watch the girl!

Hold your fire!
Hold your fire!

( intercom )
Dr. Olander,
you have a call on line three.

This is Dr. Olander.

Nice place
you have here, Greg.

Cotter, is that you?

I just
met your father.

I didn't know he was in town.

You never tell me these things.

What are you doing in my house?

I want you here

alone.

And you better make it fast.

Isn't there something
that we can do?

Maybe Olander's
figured something out.

We'll know
soon enough.

What have you done
with my father?

He wanted
to lie down.

He's fine.
He's asleep.

He's old.

Even so,
he's going to live

a hell of a lot longer
than I'm going to.

Talk to me, Greg.

Tell me
what went wrong.

You must
have some idea,

some theory, some
possible scenarios.

I don't.

There hasn't
been enough time.

I'm losing
motor control.

The convulsions are
more frequent now.

I need your help,

and I'm going
to get it

one way or the other.

There's nothing I can do,
Cotter.

Cotter, don't.

Stay out of this,
Sally.

This is between

me...and the monster

who turned me
into this!

I'm on your side,
Cotter.

Don't you see that?

My heart and soul
are in this project.

Why would
I sabotage it?

Somebody did sabotage it,
didn't they?

I don't know.
Cotter, please.

Please, Cotter.

Cotter, stop it!

All right,
all right.

I'll tell you
what I know.

The accident was caused by
a missing feedback suppressor.

Somebody removed it

just before
the last transfer.

Who?

I don't know.

But you have...an idea.

( sighing )

I discovered
an anomalous pattern

in the software logs.

It appears
that someone removed the disk

with the operating code

and replaced it
with

an earlier generation
of the program.

One of your technicians?

No, not possible.

They're not allowed
into the transfer room

when we're not working.

They don't have access
to the entire operating system.

Only four people
have unlimited access

to the program
on disk.

You, me, general Chase...
and Pete.

But...

no, it can't be Pete,
Cotter.

Why not?

He's been feeling passed over

ever since we started with me
for the first downloading.

He even pushed
for a parallel program

and volunteered
to be next in line.

Maybe he couldn't wait.

But why? Why would he do it?

I thought of trying
to find a suitable donor.

A donor?

You can put my mind
into another man's body?

Theoretically.

Where we'd find such a donor,

one that would pass
compatibility requirements...

there
just isn't time.

Then
think of something else.

Well, there is one other option,

but it's really
a long shot.

I don't have
many options.

I don't know
if this would work.

It'll
only be temporary.

What? What is it?

It may be possible
to slow down

the degradation process
by using the Meg.

Meg? What is that?

The magneto-
Electro-Encephlograph

to incrementally realign
the spin axes

of the neural array.

That might
give us the time we need.

We can only try this
back at the lab.

The research center
is crawling with commandos.

General Chase gave out orders

that you're to be terminated
on sight.

Well, there's
got to be another way in.

There is.

There you go.

Unauthorized Visitors
are not permitted.

This is
Cotter Mccoy's wife.

( Sally )
I was taken
against my will,

but I got away
and called Dr. Olander here.

Listen,

okay, my husband
is no longer my husband.

He's crazy, out of control,
and he's got to be stopped.

She may be our best chance
of finding him.

I'm sorry, but I have my orders.

Look, you idiot,
I am the lead scientist

for a top classified project.

If you want to explain

to general Chase
why you were playing tin soldier

while a $2-Billion piece
of technology got destroyed,

good luck with
your new career as a dishwasher!

Thank you.

No.

Not yet.

I'll start preparing
the scanner beep.

Tell me the truth,
Greg.

Do you really think
This is going to work?

I don't know.
I've never tried it before.

Please.

Please.

Cotter!

Are you all right?

I'm all right,

but I...

don't think
I have much time left.

Let's get you into the chamber.

Don't worry.

He'll get you back.

And when he does,
I'll be here waiting.

Pete.

( Greg )
He's gone through
the transfer.

What do you think
of the new look, Cotter?

Be honest.

Is it really me?

What's wrong, Cotter?

Don't you recognize
your old Buddy, Pete?

Guess
you didn't know

that Greg
and his minions

built a second prototype,
a back-up,

in case you failed.

Let him go.

There'll be plenty of time

to deal with you later,

as soon as I take care
of my friend here.

It was jealousy,
wasn't it?

Don't flatter yourself.

That's why
you arranged to kill me.

You were in the way.

We were friends, Pete!

We'd been through
everything together.

With you
always in the lead.

Whenever we were up
for promotions,

they always
went to you.

You learned how
to play the game better.

With you around,
I'd be second best.

You're the one who's been
stealing the operating codes.

I knew someone
would start sniffing it out.

How is that bum knee, Cotter?

You betrayed
your best friend.

This was not
about friendship.

This was about all those years
of being ignored.

They can't
ignore me any more,

can they,
good Buddy?

Give it up, Cotter.

Your mind-Body Link's
nearing termination.

Your convulsions
are getting worse.

Cotter!

Code Alpha,

the red key.

Cotter! Cotter!

You did it...

Sally.

You did it.

No, Cotter, no.

I...

love...

you.

( warning buzzer Beeping )

Thank you, Murray.

Your husband was a True hero,
mrs. Mccoy.

The army
owes him a great debt.

Thank you,
general.

I'm terrible sorry
about Cotter, mrs. Mccoy.

Thank you,
doctor.

If anyone understands,
it would be you.

How are
you holding up?

I'm getting by,
I guess.

Pete here has been
a great comfort to me.

Yes, I imagine
he has been at that.

I love you.

Let's go home,
Cotter.

( car starting )

( control voice )
a great philosopher once said

the endeavor
to persist in its own being

is the essence
of the individual thing.

But when the day comes

that the mind and body
can be separated,

what will happen to the soul?

Captioning performed by

Western captioning service ltd.
Vancouver, B.C. 1998