The Outer Limits (1963–1965): Season 2, Episode 13 - The Duplicate Man - full transcript

When a dangerous alien creature called a Megasoid escapes, the scientist who smuggled him to Earth creates an illegal clone of himself to hunt it down. But his plan is complicated when his neglected wife begins to fall in love with his duplicate.

Since the first day
that man stared up at the stars.

And saw other worlds,

there has been no more
haunting question than this:

What will we find there?
Will there be other creatures?

And will they be like us?

Or when that ancient dream
comes true,

will it turn
into a nightmare?

Will we find,
on some distant, frozen planet.

An alien life
of unimaginable horror?

If I may have
your attention, please.

We have now come
to that part of the tour



which is most interesting
for our student groups.

You are about to enter
the Cygnus IV division,

which contains
no live animals.

Instead, you will see
recreated models

of the different forms of life
inhabiting our alien planets.

All the animals
depicted here

were brought to earth
some 30 years ago

in the early space exploratory
days of the 1980s and '90s.

They found our planet a hostile
environment and could not survive.

And now,
welcome to the Cygnian world.

First we have the Immwarf.

The force of gravity
on its world

is 66 times greater
than that of earth.

The Immwarf has the perfect
structure for such pressure.



On earth,
it simply went to pieces.

Here we have the puudly.

It inhales methane gas
through its pores

and its life's fluid
is in perpetual stasis.

A puudly cannot retain its
physical shape in our atmosphere.

"Structural fatigue,"
we call it in Metalogy.

Our next visitor
from other planets,

is the Megasoid.

It is the highest form of life
ever discovered in space.

It has been said the Megasoid,
despite its physique

is farther along
the evolution scale than man.

And has demonstrably proved
its superior intelligence.

It communicates and has no trouble
learning earthly languages.

However, it is a creature

with one all consuming
impulse: To kill.

For this reason,
the last living specimen

was destroyed in the late 1980s.

And now, let us move to the next
period of the Yupaarterian section.

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 mind to...

The outer limits.

Merdock?

Merdock!

Yes, Mr. James.

Did you open
the cellar door?

I heard a strange
and frightening sound.

I told you I didn't want you
to ever go in there.

I just thought that...

You're not supposed
to think.

You're supposed to obey
my orders.

Yes, sir.

Now get back
to the cottage.

Yes, sir.

And Merdock,

remember you heard
and saw nothing.

Yes, sir.

Hello?

I'm trying to reach
a Mr. Jerichau.

Mr. Basil Jerichau.

He used to be
associated with you.

Henderson?

What is it, Laura?

It's about
the dinner tonight.

Oh!

We got a dinner tonight?

At the Merivailes.
You knew about it.

It slipped my mind.

We may be delayed.

Send my regrets.
Well, you can go.

Hello? yes?

My records show that
Basil Jerichau was discharged.

From the center,
almost 8 months ago.

We have no phone listing, but
I can give you the address.

Uh-huh.

His address is
417 Greenway Avenue.

Thank you.

Henderson,
what's the matter?

Nothing to worry you.

And who's Mr. Jerichau?

Henderson, when you
get upset like this,

it must have something to do
with that awful creature.

It's gone.

And I have to try
and find it,

and destroy it,
if I can.

A Megasoid?

I told you, I never wanted to
even hear you say that word.

My smuggling it to earth
is a capital offense, Laura.

I know.

It was a calculated risk

with tremendous
scientific potential

of being able to study that beast
on my own, without interference.

It's probably on a killer
rampage right now.

No, no, no. It's entering
a reproductive cycle.

Oh, Henderson.

Oh, if it reproduces,

our whole world
is in danger.

I'll be back
as soon as I can.

I don't think
you ought to leave the house.

What is it?

I'm Henderson James.

I met you
about a year ago

at a symposium
on Cygnian psychology.

Oh, yes, Mr. James.

The one with
the brilliant work

on universal communications.

What do you want,
Mr. James?

Do you have access
to the duplication center?

What?

You worked there
for many years.

I helped to originate
the duplication process.

Why?

I need a duplicate.

You want to bootleg one?

A respectable, outstanding,
scientific brain like you?

Are you serious?
It's a prime felony.

Automatic life.

How much do you need
to give yourself a new start?

You must want it
awful bad.

Do you know anything
about duplicates?

How much?

$100,000.

It is my neck, too.

Whatever you have
in mind, Mr. James.

All right.

What is it?
What's the job?

I want him programmed
to find and kill a Megasoid.

A Megasoid?

Uh-huh.

Here, on earth?

And in its
reproductive cycle.

It's got to be alone.

There's just one place
it can hide.

Unnoticed.

Good evening.
My name is Henderson James.

I, uh...

I know the general public
are not encouraged

to inquire into the matter and
method of duplication but, uh...

Not since tight federal
regulations went into effect.

Mr. James,
what can I do for you?

A few elementary questions
in connection with my studies

in universal communication.

I'll be glad to help
if I can.

How long...

How long are duplicates
permitted to live?

Suppose one is created,

say at, uh, 7:00?

Midnight. Whether it's mission
has been completed or not.

It can be programmed to return
to its original in less time

but in any case it must
be destroyed within 5 hours.

The reason,
as I understand it,

is the possibility of the
duplicate becoming too aware...

Of what he is?

Reconstitution of memory.

Contacts, association,
stimuli.

Every experience
triggers more memories.

And the more people
he talks to, the more...

Aware he, uh, becomes.

Exactly.

In time, the memory will
be fully reestablished,

as in the original.

He becomes human.
And aware.

Conditions,
then become chaotic.

There have been
several cases

where it was not the duplicate
who was destroyed.

I see.

Thank you.

He is telepathic.

Has a lightning mind.

A Megasoid has no compunction
about killing.

I must not let it
talk to me.

I must not talk to it.

Hey, there.

You can't sleep in here
like that. We're closing up.

What was that you were saying?
A Megasoid?

Do you know where it is?

Back on its own planet,
I hope.

There's a replica of one
in there you can look at

if you want to.
That's frightening enough.

Oh.

You've been drinking?

I'm thirsty.

Maybe we better
call your home.

Have them come after you.

What's your name,
mister?

My name?

My name is Henderson James.

Where do you live,
Mr. James?

Summit Avenue.

My name is Henderson James
and I live on summit Avenue.

Uh-huh.

And when did you
get here?

I don't know.

I better call
the police.

No.

I haven't been injured.

Why don't you see
if you've been robbed?

No billfold?

Keys?

Money?

Nothing?

I must have
changed my clothes

and forgotten to take
my billfold and keys along.

If you're closing up,
I'd better go.

You're sure
you're all right now?

Yes, thank you.
I'm all right now.

That's what the gun is for,

to kill the Megasoid.

Don't shoot.
I won't harm you.

You've been waiting
for me.

With your telepathic powers,
you've been in contact with me

ever since you escaped.

Not with you.
With Henderson James.

You're a shadow.
A temporary Henderson James.

Created to do one special job
and then be done away with.

I'm flesh and blood.

A temporary. No existence.
No memory.

You are a duplicate.

Sure you're going
to be all right?

Yes. Thank you.

You don't have to bother
yourself anymore.

Oh, Mr. James.
Well, how nice to see...

Oh. Hello? Why?

They wanted
to take me home,

but I had them
bring me here instead.

I think they want to make sure
that you know me.

Oh.

Ah, how nice to see you.
Come on in, Mr. James.

I can't come in.
There's no time.

I think you better
until our friends go.

Now, come on in,
Mr. James.

So good to see you,
Mr. James.

I've got to make sure
that I kill the Megasoid.

I wounded it, I know.

Good, they're gone.
Now, what is it?

The Megasoid.

What are you
talking about?

Are you drunk?

But the Megasoid...

Forget it, will you?

Let's not have anymore talk
about Megasoids.

There aren't any left,
Mr. James. Remember?

They haven't been permitted
since 1986.

It would be possible
to smuggle one in.

For the right price, the space
captain could bring one in,

couldn't he,
captain Emmet?

The price was paid, Mr. James,
by you and by me.

Now, l-let's not have anymore talk
about these Megasoids, please.

We both took
a terrible risk.

Are you cracking up?

I... I... I've never seen you
like this before.

Am I different?

Well, no, it's... it's just that
you talk rather strangely.

It's most important
that we find out

all we can
about alien behaviorism,

alien communication.

So much to learn
from the higher forms of life.

Megasoid is the most
intelligent

of all space creatures.

Telepathic.

Natural 6th sense.

The ability to rationate.

So much I know, and...

I can't publish
because it would reveal

my having had my own Megasoid
for the past 2 years.

Look here, would you mind
telling me something?

What is the matter with you?
What is wrong with you?

Wrong?
What could be wrong?

You find something unusual?
Something strange?

No, no. It's just that we've
been over all of this years ago.

What is it you want
right now?

I want...
I want to find...

I'm trying
to remember.

Remember what?

Oh, look, this whole thing
is asinine.

Come on,
I'm taking you home.

I gave the gardener
strict orders

never to go
in the cottage cellar.

He left the door open.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.
Are you trying to tell me

that thing escaped,
is that it?

Answer me.

I found it in the space zoo.

It was hiding there. I tried to kill it.
I wounded it.

And it escaped.

You must have
laid it low,

or we would have
heard of it by now.

It would have
killed half the city.

Just you remember, Mr. James,
that you promised to protect me

and you're hardly doing that
by coming here.

Yes, and if you got any ideas about
me going out and killing that thing,

well, you really must be
out of your mind.

Now, listen, I wouldn't tangle
with that thing again

for all the money
in the world.

It's not thinking
of killing now.

What do you mean? It's... it's
always thinking of killing. It's...

Unless it's in
the reproductive stage, is it?

Yes.

That's why I have to be sure
it's dead before day break.

Are you bereft of
all of your senses?

Look, you can't treat
a thing like this so lightly.

You've got to report it to
the police, and right now.

No!

What do you mean, no? You've
no choice in the matter.

If this thing is
bearing young,

there'll be hundreds of them
loose in no time at all.

Now look, either you do it
or I'm going to do it.

Look, I... I'll tell them that
we saw one.

Did I forget my
home number before?

Or am I remembering, as a duplicate
would accumulate memory.

Hello?

Hello?

Hello, Laura.

Where are you, Henderson?

Did you take care
of what you had to do?

Yes.

Yes, I... I think so.

What do you mean,
you think so, Henderson?

When are you coming home?

Henderson!

Yes, Princess.

I'll be home as soon as I can.

Did you say, "Princess"?

Who is it?

Just a minute.

Hello? Who is this? This is
Henderson James here speaking.

Whoever it was hung up.

It was Henderson James.

What?

That's what he said.

A fraud.

He called me, "Princess."

You haven't called
me that in years.

I, uh...

I had to have
a duplicate made.

How could you?

Why, they wouldn't
give you a permit.

Not for a thing like this.

I bootlegged one, just for the
purpose of killing a Megasoid.

He must have done it.

But he didn't say
he killed it.

Only that he
thought he had.

Then why did he call here?

Maybe...

Maybe he found
out he's a duplicate.

Maybe...

Maybe he doesn't want to die.

What right did you have to take
creation in your own hands?

Oh, what a mess
you've gotten yourself into.

Thanks for the sympathy,
my loyal wife.

Oh, Henderson!

Henderson, do you know who
he sounded like on the phone?

No, tell me.

Like you, many years ago.

Well...

I hope I'm not intruding,
but I want to see you.

Surely. Come in.

Well, have you come to apologize
for the crack on the head

or merely to tell me that you
finished off the Megasoid?

Well, how did you know
it escaped?

You yourself told me
a little earlier.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I forgot.

I was so upset
when it got away.

Upset? You were
out of your mind.

You didn't know if you killed
it or merely wounded it.

Oh, yes, and that bit about me
smuggling it in for you.

Repeating the same
thing all over again.

Like I said, I'm sorry.
Everything is all right,

now that the Megasoid
is dead.

Oh, then you did go back
and kill it, eh?

But you can't be sure, can you, Mr. James?
Because you didn't kill it.

Although it probably is dead or we
would've heard something about it by now.

Who else
would have done it?

Yes.

That is the question
I've been asking myself.

Who else, indeed?

Who was that other man that
was here a little while ago?

Where is your other self, Mr. James?
Where is your duplicate?

I didn't hear you come in.

Hello, Princess.

You know...

I think I like your hair
better the other way.

How was that?

Long and casual.

I haven't worn it
that way in 5 years.

It was a nice time
in our marriage.

Before ambition consumed you.

I'm thinking about
how it was before,

when we first
came to this house.

My excitement,
knowing you were going

to have all the things
I dreamed for you.

Are you going to
be working now?

A few details to clean up.

It will be all right?

It is all right.

All right.

All right.

How did you suspect?

Hmm.

Well, I... I know you pretty
well after all these years.

You're a man who likes a good laugh
and you got the money to buy it.

But you don't have
enough courage, Mr. James.

Not nearly enough to take on
a Megasoid single-handedly.

Uh, tell me, how did you swing
that duplication permit?

The usual way, I presume?

I knew a scientist
at the center.

Ah!

Well, he won't have to worry
about his future, will he?

When it comes to bribes,
you were never cheap.

Of course, I could be trusted
with a secret, too, you know.

You're in no position
for blackmail.

Illegal Megasoids, illegal
duplicates, what's the difference?

I don't know about that,
you know?

I... I figured I'm
entitled to something

for this crack in
the back of the head.

The question is, now,
who do I collect it from?

You or your duplicate?

Or is he already destroyed?

No, he's not destroyed and
it's not gonna be easy now.

He's talked to too
many people,

my wife, you, and I don't
know how many others.

He's probably
filled in a great deal

of information
about me already.

And if somebody told him
he's a duplicate...

I see, and he may want
to destroy you instead, eh?

He's programmed to return
to my home at midnight.

Oh?

Well, that's 45 minutes
from now.

I see, you want somebody to do that
job for you as well, eh, Mr. James?

That's the real reason why you
came here tonight, isn't it?

I can't do it.

Be like killing
a twin brother.

Yes, I... I imagine it would.

You, uh,

you do remember the price you paid
me for the Megasoid job, I hope.

Yeah.

Yes, I remember.

What else can I do?

You wait at the cottage, Emmet.
You can see the gate from there.

I'll go up to the house.

11:40.

He'll be here in 20 minutes.

You're here, aren't you?

What are you waiting for? Why don't
you shoot and get it over with?

I don't know.

It would have been easier than
shooting the Megasoid.

May I turn around?

Of course.

If you held it,
would you shoot me?

I'd have to.

I suppose that sounds cruel.

The cruelty was giving me the
privilege of knowing what life is.

But you're a duplicate.
You were created

just for the purpose
of killing a Megasoid.

Did you?

I don't know.

Then you failed in your purpose.
You have no place here.

You should have made sure that I
didn't accumulate your memories.

You should have arranged
it, so it would have been

quick and painless.

I couldn't govern that.

A man has to be responsible
for what he does.

You can't kill me.

No.

I came because you have me
programmed to return.

And because my mind
had started to become

crowded with
your life and memories.

Those that I've seen,
have great promise.

Well...

I'm sorry for that.

Why must I die?

Not die. You'll just
go back to nothingness.

Must I?

Now that I know
what living is,

why can't I have the same
rights as other human beings?

The same dreams.

You poor fool,
you still don't see, do you?

In time you'd catch up.
You'd be just like I am now.

You think you'd find
that attractive?

Would I despise myself then?

You didn't answer me.

Would I despise myself when I
accumulate all your memories?

Don't try and find the answer.

Could it be worse
than nothingness?

I almost guessed.

It simply wasn't

possible for one man
to have 2 personalities.

Or I should say...

For 2 men to have
one personality.

Even that isn't
quite right, is it?

Laura.

Am I supposed to guess
which one is the duplicate?

We're identical.

Except that I haven't reached his
point of mental development or age.

Isn't so much that I'm a
duplicate, as a ghost.

The ghost of his past.

Perhaps you'd
prefer that past.

Strange.

One of you is
the man I married.

And the other,
the man I love.

And you should both be one.

Either way, all you
got to look forward to...

Is me.

But I don't have
to follow the path you set.

Now that you know
your mistakes.

If you can change the future,

I can change the past.

If that were possible

Laura wouldn't have to choose
between the man she married

and the man she loves.

Yes?

Mr. James, there's
a thing out on the grounds.

Someone is lying there
in the bushes.

Emmet.

Captain Emmet,
what's he doing here?

You don't have
to tell me. I know.

He was supposed to transfer
me to nothingness.

Your memory is
accumulating rapidly.

You've almost caught up to me.

I better go out there
and make sure that it's dead.

To accomplish my purpose.

How could you

let him go out there alone?

That's his only purpose
for staying alive.

Is that the truth, Henderson?

Or this your way
of having him destroyed?

You said, "if he could
change the future",

"why couldn't you
change the past?"

It's not a very good start.

Henderson?

Hello?

I want to speak to Mr. James.
Henderson James.

Who is this, please?

Mrs. James?

Yes.

Just give him a message.

Tell him if he hasn't
had a visitor yet,

there's nothing
to worry about.

The duplicate?

He told you?

What about the duplicate?

Tell him that I have
taken care of that.

I took extra precautions.

I put control poison
in the bloodstream.

Poison?

That's right.

It's set for 5 hours.

He'll be dead,
midnight, tonight.

Mrs. James?

Dead.

Both dead.

The Megasoid
and the other one.

It's really all
over now, Laura.

Is it too late?

Is it, Princess?

Who are you?

I don't know even know
which one you are.

They were both me.

And we both loved you.

A man phoned.

He left a message.

He took a special precaution.

He put a slow...

Poison in
the duplicates bloodstream.

In 5 hours...

Henderson?

All the while he was coming
to life, he was dying

and not knowing it.

I love you, Princess.

In all the
universe, can there be creatures.

More strange than
the species called man?

He creates and destroys.

He fumbles and makes mistakes.

But the thing which
distinguishes him.

Is his ability to learn
from his mistakes.

We now return control
of your television set to you.

Until next week
at the same time.

When the control
voice will take you to...

The outer limits.