The Outer Limits (1963–1965): Season 2, Episode 12 - Keeper of the Purple Twilight - full transcript

There is no limit.

To the extension
of the curious mind.

It reaches to the end
of the imagination,

then beyond,
into the mysteries of dreams,

hoping always to convert
even the dreams into reality.

For the greater
well-being of all mankind.

Franklin Karlin, 3-6-Q-2-1.

Ah!
There you are.

Working late, again.

Obviously.

How's it going?



I don't know.

You've been on it
over a year, Eric.

This is a research laboratory
not a sausage factory.

1 more equation.
Maybe 2.

Get off it for a while.
Give your mind a...

I know what I'm doing.
Will you leave me alone?

Hunt's going out tomorrow.

What's it got to do with me?

He's not happy about the money
we're spending on your project.

I've got to tell him
something encouraging.

Well, then you tell him...

You tell him this.

Tell him I'm 2 equations
away from a power source

infinitely beyond atomic energy.



That ought to be good for a
few more dollars from him.

Eric...

There is nothing
wrong with your television set.

Do not attempt
to adjust the picture.

We are controlling transmission.

For the next hour,

we will control
all that you see and hear.

You are about to experience
the awe and mystery.

Which reaches
from the inner minds to...

The outer limits.

You gain nothing by suicide.

I'm tired.
Too tired.

I can't...

Phew!

Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy!

Hi!

Hi, Janet.
What are you doing here?

I'm just showing you how
nice I am to come home to,

after a hard day's work
at the office.

Thank you.

The complete wife, huh?

When you find
the time to marry me.

This is bait.

Are you expecting someone?

My lover.

Are you jealous?

I'll kill him.

Oh, no, please
don't kill him, Eric.

I hardly ever see him anymore.

He's busy doing brilliant things

that I just don't
understand at all.

Having a little difficulty
understanding them himself.

Oh, Eric!

Why, I was talking
to myself out loud.

Well, you're tired.
You're worn out.

Now, come on.
Try to relax.

Stop it.

Well, you're probably
beginning to imagine things.

You know what you should do?
You should take about a week...

Will you please stop it!

You and Karlin
and all the others.

Always telling me what to do!

I know what I'm doing.
I'm a grown man!

Good night.

Eric?

I'm sorry.

Why are you so tired, Mr. Plummer?
You're a young man.

Of all the stupid senseless...

How did you get in here?

It's not important.

Ask me why.

Because I'm losing
my mind, that's why.

Unless you were in the room
before me.

I drove here
from the lab with you.

You gain nothing by suicide,
remember?

I thought I was talking
to myself.

Which is probably
what I'm doing right now.

Look, whatever you are,

and you're probably something
right out of my own sick mind,

just go away. Go on.
Get out of here!

You heard me,
I said get out of here!

You human beings are all alike.

Disorganized, undisciplined,
wasteful of time and energy.

Who the devil do you...

Disorderly, illogical...

Eric, are you all right?

Eric?

Open the door.

Eric? Eric?

Eric, I heard you shouting,

and I knew
that you were all alone.

And you thought I was talking
to myself... out loud.

Oh, Eric, I don't
know what I thought.

I was just worried about you.

Well, I'm not alone.

I'm not talking to myself.

I'm with, uh,
an old friend. See?

Oh, I'm so sorry.

I... I didn't mean
to interfere.

You do see him.

My name is Ikar.

Hello, I'm Janet Lane.

I know.

All right.

Now, will the two of you

please get out of here
and leave me alone?

You're wasting energy,
Mr. Plummer.

Relax.

What did you do to him?

He's a scientist. He knows
energy must not be wasted.

And time.

Energy and time, our 2
most precious possessions.

You don't have to worry about me, Janet.
I'm fine now.

Oh!

Well, are you hungry?

Would you like me to bring in
sandwiches that I made for you earlier?

We're not hungry.

Good night, Janet.

I don't think I like you
very much, Mr. Ikar.

I don't live to be liked
or disliked.

Oh!

Who is this man, Eric?

This gentlemen is...

We have some business
to talk over.

Look, I'll be perfectly
all right now, Janet.

You, uh, go on home.
I'm sorry I lost my temper.

I'll call you
in the morning, hmm?

Good night.
Love you.

All right.

She saw you.

Wait.

In an orderly society,
Mr. Plummer,

women have but one function:
To produce children.

In your society?

Those who do not fulfill
their function are eliminated.

Where is your society?

Each has a job.
Each has a place.

For the love of heaven, whatever
you are, where are you from?

That's the 2nd time you've used that word.
What does it mean?

Love.

You don't know?

It's a new word to me.

Well,

it's the opposite of hate.

That is also a new word.

Oh, these are the 2 most profound
emotions of all mankind.

Emotions?

Don't tell me
you don't know that.

In heaven's name,
what do you live for?

Accomplishment.

Without satisfaction?

Knowledge.

Without pleasure?
Conquest.

Without hate?
Energy.

For what?

For control.

How did you do that?

You may know
in a thousand years.

Please, I am working right now

on a theory of
antimagnetic disintegration.

I need 2 more equations.

What would you give me for them?

What could I give?
My... my life?

Understanding.

Of what?

Your probes into space
are coming closer everyday.

Soon we'll make contact.

We must be prepared for you.

You see, to us, there's no
pattern to your thinking.

You act without reason.

You seem to be driven
by impulse rather than logic.

We must understand why.

Could it be because of that...

Thing you were
talking about, emotion?

Probably.

I am so sick of hate and fear
and anger and frustration,

all the things
that grab at my stomach.

I don't even know happiness anymore,
without wondering if it's true.

Why don't you give them to me?

Them?

Your emotions.

Gladly, if I could.

You can.

And you'll give me the 2
equations I need, in return?

I will.

It's a deal.

When do we begin?

We have already begun.

The equations?

They are waiting for you
on your office desk.

I will also give you
the information you will need

to construct the disintegrator.

Thank you.
Good night.

The woman who was here,

you said you loved her.

I have no more love to give her.

How much did she take from you?

I have no way of measuring.

Then you can't say that you
gave me all this emotion.

I cannot say yes or no.

You will make no noise.

You will listen and answer,
for Eric's sake.

Now, try to understand what
I'm going to say to you.

I have taken possession
of all of Eric's emotions,

except one.

The one he calls love.
He said he gave it to you.

If you have it or any part
of it, give it to me.

What do you think love is?

I don't know.
Tell me.

Um, may I get out of bed?

May I have my robe, please?

Thank you.

How many children
have you produced?

None.

I'm not married yet, you see?

In an orderly society, woman
only serves one purpose:

To produce children.

Wh-what happens to love?

That word again. Please
define it for me.

But there are very many
different kinds of love.

There is the love of... of a
man and woman, of course,

and there's love of children,

and god and nature,

and all sorts
of beautiful things.

There are so many
different kinds of love.

It will take me a very long time

to... to show them
all to you.

Well, I want only that love
which belongs to Eric plummer.

Oh.

Well, I've, uh...

I've given that away to others.

Why?

Because that's what love is for.

Then we must get it back now.

Oh, no.

It's impossible.

The others are asleep.

That's true.

Now, all good people
are asleep and dreaming.

Then I will come back
in the morning.

You will be here.

You will tell no one you've
seen me, not even Eric.

Even the science barrel
has a bottom, frank.

And you've gotten there, as far
as Eric's project is concerned.

He claims he's almost
got it licked.

Frank, you're the director
of this laboratory.

We depend on you to see to it

that the money isn't wasted
on wild goose chases.

Good morning, gentlemen.

Eric, I don't want you to
misunderstand what I'm about to say.

I'm on your side,
and I want to do all I can

to help keep you keep going with this
project. And maybe I can if you'll...

I have the other
2 equations, frank.

After you've checked them over,

I'd like to talk to you about
a construction appropriation.

How much would you need?

Roughly about $50 million.

$50 million?

It may run up to another $50
million before I'm through.

If you have any questions,
frank, call me at home.

6 months, he's been beating his
brains out to complete this theory.

I thought he was losing
his mind.

Now he completes it, and he hands
it to me like, uh, like, uh...

A dead salmon.

I'd be climbing the walls. Calling
for drinks for everybody.

What's gotten into him?

He's in shock.
That's what I think.

I hope it's worth the agony
it's cost him.

I've been looking
all day at this love

you've been telling me about,
and I find it very dangerous.

I would be afraid of it.

I didn't think
you knew the word afraid.

I learned it
from you last night.

I don't remember saying
that I was afraid.

But you were.

Hmm.

Tell me about hate.

No.

Why not?

Because you will learn about
that soon enough yourself.

Excuse me.

Eric?

I'm so glad you came home early.

I came over
to fix dinner for you.

I fixed a marvelous...

Eric?

Where have you been all day?

With her.

We have no time to waste.

Karlin and Hunt
have been together all day.

Karlin will give us no trouble,

but hunt is only money.
Nothing else.

I want you to build me a practical model
of the antimagnetic disintegrator.

Just large enough
for demonstration purposes.

He'll put up the money
when he sees it work.

And you take credit
for Ikar's work?

Janet, you're interfering.

Did he do the equations
for you, too?

Are you gonna let him
win the Nobel prize for you?

Janet, go home.

No. Not until you answer me.
I love you, Eric.

You serve no purpose, Janet.

I have no use for you.

Look at me.

What's happened
to the gentle, good man

that I fell in love with?

Eric, look at me.

I love you.

Look at me.
Listen to me, I...

Eric?

Oh! My god!
He's got...

Don't just stand there,
come and help me!

How did you do that?

Enough.
It is done.

We'll go
to my lab now.

What happened to him?

Ikar, no.

Tell me what's happened
to him. You know.

You wanted him to live even
though he tried to kill you.

What purpose
does he serve you?

I never thought of him
as a purpose.

Then why do you
want him to live?

Because I love him.

What happened to it?

It no longer exists.

Why not?
What did you do to it?

You aren't a scientist,
Mr. Hunt.

You wouldn't understand.

But Mr. Karlin does.

Perhaps he'll explain it
to you.

It's big, frank.
Really big.

We'll talk
in my office.

I want no part of it.

Why?

It must be destroyed.

What are you
talking about?

This horrendous,
diabolical thing.

That's rough talk.

I won't approve of one cent more
being spent on this monstrosity.

Why not?

It destroys the magnetic
forces that hold matter,

any matter, together.

You saw with your own eyes what
that small instrument did.

This pile of papers, covered
with neat, harmless writing,

if built into the size
it calls for,

would evaporate
in one second.

Everything it took god and the rest
of us millions of years to build.

Frank, I'm not defending it,

but I'm not
knocking it, either.

How do we know somebody else
doesn't have it?

And if they know we also have
it, it becomes a standoff.

Maybe we need it to save
the world, not destroy it.

Hunt, try to understand.

Release this
and it destroys everything.

Our side, their side,
everybody's side.

It can't be controlled.

You scientists
are all the same.

First you figure out
how to make these things,

then you call them monsters
and don't want them made.

Because fools use them
to destroy instead of build.

It's a good thing

there are practical people
around to make final decisions.

Otherwise there'd
never be any progress.

Frank, you worry too much.

You've got to learn
to take it easy.

I'll call you tomorrow.
Good night.

Lunch is ready.

There's no activity. No purpose.
There's nothing here.

But it's beautiful.

Well, I get a feeling
of wasted time.

Why did you
bring me here?

Because it's peaceful
and beautiful.

To get away from
people and things.

Here, try a piece of this.

What is it?

Chicken.
I fixed it myself.

Do you like it?

It's a new taste to me.

I don't understand
you people.

You all eat
different food,

you wear
different clothes,

you live in
different kinds of houses.

We don't all have
the same tastes.

But that's wasteful.

It's unintelligent.
Unscientific.

It's all so very human.

Yes, that's why...

Why what?

In an orderly society,
each individual...

Oh, Ikar,

your orderly society begins
to sound more and more dull.

Next, you'll be telling me

that people there dress and
think and look exactly alike.

No, not exactly.

We are different
in size and color,

according to our
accomplishment classification.

You say "we are" as though
the society already existed.

If I were to go there,

would I see

thousands or millions
of men exactly like you?

No, not exactly.
We are different,

according to our
accomplishment classification.

A scientist
for greater brain.

A laborer for strength.

A soldier for killing.

Um, different and yet
basically the same.

And women?

What about women?

Are there thousands, millions of
women who look exactly alike?

It takes thousands of years of
controlled breeding to produce a body

that is capable of doing
what the brain tells it to.

Intelligent beings do not
deviate from perfection.

A- and this brain,

does it do exactly what
other brains tell it to do?

The brain is one cell of many
cells of the control brain.

It's activated
by collective impulse.

Well, you must be joking.

What is joking?

Oh, Ikar,

just when I think I'm
beginning to understand you,

you say something like,
"what is joking?"

You say so many
strange things.

Like orderly society,
perfect body,

same brain.

What are you trying
to make of us?

A race of insects,
like those?

They're ugly creatures.

Mindless and soulless,

rushing about moving dirt
from one place to another.

They serve a purpose.

Well, true.
But whose?

Certainly not their own,

since they don't accomplish
anything to help themselves.

Year and years
of industry,

and they're
still insects.

Well, surely you wouldn't like
to see us like that, would you?

Ikar, you're angry.

Oh, I could kill you for
what you've done to me.

Do you hate me?

You're the enemy,
and you must...

I think you're beginning
to feel love.

I don't want
to feel this love.

I don't want to feel
what's happening to me.

I don't understand,
something's changing me,

something's taking
possession of me.

Just as you took possession
of Eric's emotions.

To serve a purpose.

Do you think you can have
emotions without feeling them?

Emotions are feelings.

You have to feel
in your life,

with your whole heart.

But they're dangerous.

I have to stop
what they're doing to me.

You can't do that as long
as you have emotions.

There's only one thing
that you can do.

Give them back to Eric.

No, he has work
to do for us.

What kind of work?

Go away.
You interfere.

What kind of a job, Ikar?

Where are you from?

Who are you?

What are you?

This is what I am.

I've always believed
in your genius, Eric.

That's why I brought you
here with me.

We're more than
just colleagues.

I almost feel
as if you were my son.

I'm not your son.

What is it you want?

I want you to withdraw
your paper.

No.

Eric,

those last 2 equations...

They're the keys that release
this fantastic energy.

For the sake of humanity,
throw them away.

Find a way to control
this energy,

so that it may be
used usefully.

Take a year, 5 years,
10 years, a lifetime.

Find this, and you'll sit with
the great heroes of science.

Has hunt approved
my appropriation?

He will.

How soon can we start?

You didn't hear
what I said, Eric.

I will need...

Don't disregard me, Eric.

Listen closely.

I am still the director
of this laboratory.

I will make them
listen to me.

If they fire me,
I'll go to the press.

I'll appeal to the world.

I'll warn them, this is
total destruction.

This is suicide.
There is...

Eric, what...

What is it?

Ikar, don't kill him.

We may need him.
Just take his mind.

Go back
to the planet now.

Go.

I don't need
soldiers anymore.

Get me Mr. Hunt's
hotel, please.

Hunt.

Well, hello, Eric.

No, not at all.

No. When?

Overworked,
that's what I say.

Get him to a hospital
right away.

A great man, Karlin.

Takes everything
to heart.

I must have told him
a thousand times, I said...

Will we go ahead
with my project, Mr. Hunt?

Yes, of course.

Thank you, sir.

Yes, sir.
I understand.

I'm not questioning
your truthfulness.

But you think that
I'm sick or drunk or insane.

Mr. Eric Plummer, please.

Hello?

Hello.

Hello, Eric, are you there?
This is hunt.

Whoever picked up that phone,
answer it.

This is hunt speaking, answer the
telephone, or I'll have you fired.

Somebody picked up
the receiver.

Mr. Hunt,
call the police.

Police?
We don't need police.

We've got security guards
all over the place.

Please,
call the police.

Look, young lady,

I tell the police
the story you told me,

we both end up
in straitjackets.

I don't believe it anyhow.

Well, then why are you
going out there?

To find out why Eric
wouldn't answer the telephone.

Please, let me drive you.

Someone's coming.

Eric.

Good evening, Mr. Hunt.
Good evening.

Eric, listen to me.

I didn't expect you
this evening, Mr. Hunt.

Eric, I know about Ikar.
I saw it myself.

Aren't you
feeling well, Janet?

You're possessed.

Mr. Hunt,
he's possessed.

Please, miss Lane, control yourself.
Let me handle this.

I telephoned tonight.

Someone lifted the receiver off
the hook but no one answered.

I had lot a lot
of work to do,

I didn't want
to be disturbed.

Even by me?

I didn't know
it was you.

You heard my voice.

I didn't listen.

Eric, tell the truth.

Please tell the truth.
It was Ikar, wasn't it?

He wouldn't let you
answer the phone.

Would you mind waiting
in the outer office, please,

Mr. Hunt and I
have some business.

No.

I won't be alone.

Mr. Hunt, you mustn't
be alone, either.

Please, miss Lane, I'm... I'm
afraid you need a doctor.

No, please,
you must believe me.

Ikar!

I'm afraid the young lady
is quite ill.

Take her
to the infirmary.

I never saw him before.

I just engaged him yesterday.

You're involved
in top secret work here,

has he been through
a security clearance?

My project hasn't
been classified yet.

Oh, that's right.

Well, the faster we go,
the more money we save.

But keep him away from any of the
other projects we're working on.

And get that girl a doctor as soon
as possible, she's very sick.

Yes.

I'll be running along.

Keep up the good work.

And keep the budget down.

Good night.

Good night.

All the horror
has gone out of me, Ikar.

It's better for you.

Are you going
to kill me now?

You'll all die soon.

Why?

We need your world for the millions
of us that overpopulate my planet.

Another world of ants?

Cells in
an interplanetary brain.

Is that what
Eric has become?

What is he doing
for you?

He's building
a weapon for us.

Using his genius
to destroy his own kind?

We gave him that genius.

Why?

The weapon's too big
to transport from our planet.

We had to have someone here
to build it for us.

Oh, poor monster.

You've learned nothing
from our earth.

I learned too much.

I'm going to the place
that you took me to now,

to say goodbye
to all I learned from you.

Ikar, you can help us.

Ikar, you can help us.

Ikar!

Ikar, it's not too late.

Please help us.

Ikar?

Before you go,
set Eric free.

I can't.

Please, Ikar.
Love, fear, joy,

you know
what they are now.

No human being
can live without them.

Well, I'm not
a human being.

You've broken
your pattern.

You know
what love is now.

Yes, and the unhappiness
it brought.

And the compassion.

And the hate for the
confusion it brought me.

What did you have before?

Accomplishment.

What did it bring you?

You're nothing.
You're like a link.

Like any other link
in a chain.

And you're bound together
endlessly like...

Like slaves.

We have perfection.

No, you have nothing.

Not even a face that's
different from any other face.

We will be the rulers
of the universe.

Without the freedom
to rule yourselves?

You have no use for the emotions
that you took from Eric.

Please give them back
to him.

So that when we die,

he can love me
as much as I love him.

That's all I ask.

Would there be pity for me
when I die?

Yes, there would be pity...

And love.

Get in your car.
Go on.

There's nothing
more to say, go.

Appear and say
what you have to say.

You've broken away
from the planetary brain.

That's true.

You will return
to the planet immediately.

I'll go when I'm ready.

Then we must
take you back. Now.

Not until I'm ready.

You're no longer
a part of us, Ikar.

You've taken back
the perfection of unity.

Your body will no longer
obey your brain.

You will remain as you are, visible
at all times, until you die.

Eric, listen to me.

I tricked you
out of your emotions.

Not for your purposes,
or even mine,

but for control
and destruction.

I tricked you
out of your emotions.

I thought I was
immune to them,

but I was wrong.

They've become
a part of me.

Now, because of the way I feel,
I must give them back to you.

Stand up.

I give you back
that which I took from you.

Behind you!

The curious
mind cannot be chained.

It is a free mind,

endlessly searching
for the greater freedom.

That must eventually
make every living being.

Joyfully complete
within himself.

Therefore,
at peace with himself.

And his neighbors.

We now return control
of your television set to you.

Until next week,
at this same time,

when the control voice
will take you to...

The outer limits.