The Metamorph
Encyclopedia
"The Metamorph" is the first episode of the second series of Space: 1999
(and
the twenty-fifth overall episode of the programme). The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was Charles Crichton
. Previous titles were 'The Biological Soul' and 'The Biological Computer'. The final shooting script is dated 19 January 1976. Live-action filming took place Monday 26 January 1976 through Monday 16 February 1976.
is recovering after a recent encounter with a space warp. Without warning, the Moon
was catapulted six light-years across space. Though there were no casualties, one life-support system was critically damaged. A quantity of titanium
is required to complete repairs on the unit. Commander John Koenig
dispatches a survey Eagle to reconnoitre a nearby solar system for the rare mineral. From the new, underground Command Centre, the staff tracks Eagle One as it approaches a near-habitable planet. Possessing a breathable atmosphere, the barren surface is covered with active volcano
es and temperatures average 180° Fahrenheit.
Analysing the telemetry, scientific officer Lew Picard locates deposits of titanium. Mission accomplished, Astronauts Bill Fraser and Ray Torens are recalled. Unseen by the pilots, a boulder inexplicably changes into a large sphere of green light—which then follows Eagle One. Moonbase sensors detect the mysterious pursuer and Koenig warns Fraser. Despite rigorous evasive manoeuvres, the sphere effortlessly follows the ship. Among the Command Centre staff is Fraser's wife of two months, Annette. She faints as the ball of light engulfs the ship and carries it back to the planet.
Following the abduction, Alpha goes to alert status. Tony Verdeschi
, head of Security and recently-appointed second-in-command, mobilises the defences—which now include large-scale laser batteries. Koenig insists there must be intelligent life on the planet. Picard declares no life as they know it could exist in that environment—just as a middle-aged alien man appears on the big screen, introducing himself as Mentor of the planet Psychon.
When Koenig accuses him of attacking their unarmed survey ship, the alien reminds him the craft was trespassing. In the interest of peace, Mentor will release the pilots, but their vessel is damaged; another Eagle must be sent to collect them. He will also give them the necessary mineral, asking that a science specialist be sent to discuss the details. They should also bring a physician, as one of the astronauts was injured. Koenig, suspicious of the alien's generosity, agrees to a rendezvous in space; he orders the excursion Eagle fitted with two booster units—in case there is reason to hurry home.
In a subterranean complex on Psychon, Mentor turns to his companion—a lion
ess lying across a console—and asks her opinion. The animal transforms into an exotically beautiful young woman: his daughter Maya. The girl is a metamorph, trained by her father in the Psychon art of molecular transformation, able to assume the form of any living organism at will. Well disposed toward the Alphans, she finds them more attractive and agreeable than past alien visitors. When she playfully metamorphoses into Koenig, Mentor scolds her for frivolously misusing her abilities. With work to be done, he shoos her out of the Grove, then orders one of the guards to prepare the Alphan pilots.
With booster units affixed to its fuselage, Eagle Four lifts off, crewed by Koenig, Picard, Helena Russell
and Alan Carter
. After they arrive at the rendezvous point, an alien ship ascends from Psychon. Sensors reveal the silent ship is under remote control, is radiating magnetic energy—and contains no life-forms. (Unknown to them, it was created out of rock by Mentor's power of matter transmutation.) Acting like an electromagnet
, it drags the Eagle downward. Unable to break free on main power, Koenig orders the booster rockets fired. When the Eagle escapes this trap, Mentor's ship becomes a ball of light and captures it. Whisked down to the planet, Eagle Four is deposited in a volcanic crater, surrounded by a wrecked Eagle One and a jumble of alien vessels.
Mentor contacts the Alphan party, ignoring their protests as he welcomes them. During the exchange, the captive astronauts are marched into the Grove. Seeing Koenig's image on the screen, Fraser tries to warn him of something, but is stunned by a guard. Mentor tries to pass off his outburst as delirium
, then tells Koenig to stay put until contacted again. Distrustful of their ‘host’, the Alphans disembark into the spaceship graveyard. As Fraser is taken away, Mentor turns to Torens. The pilot is strapped in a seat behind a glass partition and a futuristic skull-fitting dome descends over his head. The alien scientist touches a panel and Torens arches in agony, mouth opening in a silent scream.
Koeing and party enter a tunnel, following it underground. Picard spies titanium ore among the loose gravel littering the ground; Helena pockets the nuggets to take back to Alpha. Rounding a bend, the four enter a large cavern inhabited by a diverse collection of aliens. Guarded by Mentor's Overseers, they are engaged in mining activities. From their mindless behaviour, Helena recognises they are suffering from a form of brain damage
. They are shocked by the discovery that one of the zombie
-like miners is Torens. Reaching out to him, Koenig is repelled by force-field.
An Overseer approaches the party. When shot with a stun-blast, the man becomes a stone slab; Picard concludes the guard was created from inert matter by molecular transformation. An image of Mentor suddenly blocks the tunnel, the alien warning them the hologram is surrounded by an impenetrable barrier. Hoping to overload the force-field, Picard fires his laser rifle—but the beam ricochets back to atomise the Frenchman. With their stun-guns transformed into molten rocks, Koenig and company retreat, but are captured by a sphere of light.
Koenig regains consciousness alone in a cell, startled at the sight of a lioness guarding the open doorway. The beast transforms into Maya. Living a sheltered life alone with her father, she is eager to meet the alien commander. When attempting to exit the cell, he is thrust back by another force-field. Though her apology is earnest, Koenig is enraged by this latest Psychon trick. Completely ignorant of her father's actions, she is shocked as Koenig attacks Mentor's character with a list of malicious offences. Thinking him disoriented, Maya releases Koenig for a meeting with her father.
At the Grove, Koenig is admitted, but Mentor prevents Maya from joining them. The room is dominated by a surreal artefact: a hexagonal dais from which dozens of glass conduits rise to penetrate the rocky ceiling. The conduits contain bubbling organic fluids of every colour, and the object hums and pulses with energy. With affection, Mentor introduces it as Psyche
, a biological computer. Using its ability to manipulate matter, he plans to transform this world from a volcanic wasteland back to its former splendour.
The alien scientist makes a gruesome revelation: Psyche derives its energy from the minds of intelligent beings—the brain-dead slaves in the pits have all been in ‘rapport’ with the machine. Koenig is appalled as the madman states the arrival of the Moon and its 297 human inhabitants should provide enough energy to make his world live again. When Koenig refuses to hand over the Alpha people, Mentor demonstrates his power by detonating a lunar mountain close to Moonbase. Koenig ignores the threat, preferring the Alphans be destroyed than condemned to this obscenity.
The wily alien then reveals Koenig's missing comrades—strapped down in the brain transfer unit. Unless Koenig submits, their minds will be given to Psyche. Koenig stands firm, and the process begins. As his people writhe in agony under the glass domes, Mentor taunts Koenig with how little time remains to them. Apparently unable to stand their torment, Koenig surrenders.
On Alpha, the mood is sombre; there has been no contact with either Eagle crew and Mentor's complex is shielded against their scanners. The staff is excited by a signal from Koenig; more so when he informs them the people of Psychon have granted the Alphans permission to settle on their planet. When Verdeschi questions the abruptness of events, the Commander sternly informs him the operation is covered under ‘directive four’ and to proceed immediately. Verdeschi is silent, but visibly upset by the order.
Bewildered by his apparent willingness to sacrifice the people of Alpha, Helena and company confront Koenig. After the Commander justifies his decision in the name of self-preservation, he is shunned for this reprehensible act. On Moonbase, a brooding Verdeschi puzzles the staff by not starting the Operation Exodus evacuation protocol. Sandra Benes
consults Computer for the meaning of the unfamiliar ‘directive four’; Computer denies access due to her insufficient security clearance. Asking Verdeschi in private, she is told it is a code signal between Koenig and himself—an irrevocable order to destroy the place from which it is issued.
To her horror, the security chief orders a remote-controlled Eagle equipped with a maximum load of nuclear ordnance. When the Weapons Section operative comments how this will utterly devastate Psychon, Annette overhears and demands an explanation. Verdeschi tries to convey the severity of the situation, then orders the ship launched. As the ten-minute countdown to detonation begins, Annette becomes hysterical at the thought of her husband dying.
Watching the lone Eagle approach, Mentor has his daughter to scan it, revealing its true nature. As an indignant Maya leaves to confront the treacherous Alphans, Mentor contacts the prisoners in their cell. The scientist berates Koenig for this foolish attempt to deceive him with a kamikaze
Eagle. Ashamed of their assumption, Helena and the others realise the Commander's ‘traitorous’ actions were a ruse. Enraged, Mentor signs off, vowing to first destroy the Eagle—then the Moon.
Maya arrives to tell Koenig what she thinks of his deceitful ways. She is appalled when he reveals Mentor's horrific agenda—especially the fate of those unfortunate to enter into ‘rapport’ with Psyche. She protests, but Koenig verbally batters her, demanding she go to the pits and see for herself. Branding him a liar, she flees...but finds herself running to the entrance to the tunnels. Koenig's tirade has exposed her inner doubts regarding Mentor's often secretive and condescending manner. Bracing herself, she transforms into a bird and flies on. Discovering the mindless slave workers, Maya's faith in her father is crushed.
After destroying the remote-controlled Eagle, Mentor turns his wrath on the Alphans. Via holographic projection, Koenig and company watch as explosions rip through the Alpha complex. A distraught Maya returns to the cell in time to hear her father gloat how he will destroy Moonbase piece by piece. Koenig implores her to release them and help prevent the slaughter of three hundred more people. She does, after Koenig promises to stop Mentor without harming him. As the others make for the Eagle, Maya leads Koenig to the Grove.
On entering, Koenig acts fast. He bashes Psyche's controls with a stalactite
ripped from the ceiling. Mentor grabs him, shouting that the resulting energy release could destroy the planet; Koenig throws off the older man and continues his reckless vandalism. The floor heaves and fractures, flames bursting through the cracks. Psyche's ‘death’ is apocalyptic: all across Psychon volcanoes begin erupting in a chain reaction. Wounded, Mentor asks for Maya to stop Koenig. Sobbing, she reveals to him her knowledge of his nefarious deeds. In the caves, Helena and Fraser try to retrieve Torens, but the unfortunate pilot is buried alive when the ceiling collapses on the miners.
Mentor is trapped behind a wall of flame. Utterly defeated, he begs for his daughter's understanding. He shouts for Koenig and Maya to save themselves, but she refuses to abandon him. Koenig tries to restrain her as she transforms into one animal after another in an attempt to break free. He drags Maya away from the Grove as it and Mentor are consumed by the inferno. Running for their lives, they navigate the quaking tunnels leading to Eagle Four. They board and the ship takes off—just as the volcanic crater
erupts beneath it. Carter fights for control as the growing tectonic
stresses tear the planet apart.
Eagle Four makes contact with Moonbase, and the Frasers enjoy a sweet reunion over the TV monitor. During this, Koenig and Helena comfort Maya. The girl is inconsolable, devastated by the loss of her entire existence. They invite her to make a new life for herself on Alpha. Maya believes anywhere but on Psychon she will be an alien. Koenig replies, ‘We're all aliens...until we get to know one another.’
. Wadsworth, a jazz trombonist and composer, had been engaged to compose the score for the Gerry Anderson
live-action television special The Day After Tomorrow
. (Also known as Into Infinity, it was intended as a back door pilot episode for a new science-fiction series and was filmed after the first Space: 1999 series had been completed.) As Wadsworth's modern style, with its strong beat, would complement the new Space: 1999′s action-adventure format, he was chosen as the composer for the second series.
, published in 1977. It uses the original character names of Hays, Macinlock and Jameson. Oddly, the author has Tony Verdeschi in command of Alpha while Simon Hays accompanies Koenig to Psychon (and sometimes being forgotten during the course of the narrative). The dialogue detailing Bergman's fate is included.
In the 2003 novel The Forsaken written by John Kenneth Muir
, it is stated the events of this story were one of the consequences of the death of the eponymous intelligence depicted in ‘Space Brain’. The Brain controlled the space warps within its influence; after its death, they would become unpredictable and unstable. This would allow the Moon to be flung within range of Psychon immediately before the episode.
Space: 1999
Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran for two seasons and originally aired from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon's far side explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the Moon out of orbit and...
(and
the twenty-fifth overall episode of the programme). The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was Charles Crichton
Charles Crichton
Charles Crichton was an English film director and film editor. He became best known for directing comedies produced at Ealing Studios...
. Previous titles were 'The Biological Soul' and 'The Biological Computer'. The final shooting script is dated 19 January 1976. Live-action filming took place Monday 26 January 1976 through Monday 16 February 1976.
Story
It is 342 days after leaving Earth orbit, and Moonbase AlphaMoonbase Alpha
Moonbase Alpha is a fictional moon base and the main setting in the science fiction television series Space: 1999.-Moonbase Alpha:Located in the Moon crater Plato and constructed out of quarried rock and ores, Moonbase Alpha is four kilometres in diameter and extends up to one kilometre in areas...
is recovering after a recent encounter with a space warp. Without warning, the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
was catapulted six light-years across space. Though there were no casualties, one life-support system was critically damaged. A quantity of titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
is required to complete repairs on the unit. Commander John Koenig
John Koenig
John Koenig is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Martin Landau. He is American, apparently in his early forties.-Character Biography:...
dispatches a survey Eagle to reconnoitre a nearby solar system for the rare mineral. From the new, underground Command Centre, the staff tracks Eagle One as it approaches a near-habitable planet. Possessing a breathable atmosphere, the barren surface is covered with active volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es and temperatures average 180° Fahrenheit.
Analysing the telemetry, scientific officer Lew Picard locates deposits of titanium. Mission accomplished, Astronauts Bill Fraser and Ray Torens are recalled. Unseen by the pilots, a boulder inexplicably changes into a large sphere of green light—which then follows Eagle One. Moonbase sensors detect the mysterious pursuer and Koenig warns Fraser. Despite rigorous evasive manoeuvres, the sphere effortlessly follows the ship. Among the Command Centre staff is Fraser's wife of two months, Annette. She faints as the ball of light engulfs the ship and carries it back to the planet.
Following the abduction, Alpha goes to alert status. Tony Verdeschi
Tony Verdeschi
Tony Verdeschi is a fictional character who first appeared in the second series of the science fiction television series Space: 1999. He is in his early thirties....
, head of Security and recently-appointed second-in-command, mobilises the defences—which now include large-scale laser batteries. Koenig insists there must be intelligent life on the planet. Picard declares no life as they know it could exist in that environment—just as a middle-aged alien man appears on the big screen, introducing himself as Mentor of the planet Psychon.
When Koenig accuses him of attacking their unarmed survey ship, the alien reminds him the craft was trespassing. In the interest of peace, Mentor will release the pilots, but their vessel is damaged; another Eagle must be sent to collect them. He will also give them the necessary mineral, asking that a science specialist be sent to discuss the details. They should also bring a physician, as one of the astronauts was injured. Koenig, suspicious of the alien's generosity, agrees to a rendezvous in space; he orders the excursion Eagle fitted with two booster units—in case there is reason to hurry home.
In a subterranean complex on Psychon, Mentor turns to his companion—a lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
ess lying across a console—and asks her opinion. The animal transforms into an exotically beautiful young woman: his daughter Maya. The girl is a metamorph, trained by her father in the Psychon art of molecular transformation, able to assume the form of any living organism at will. Well disposed toward the Alphans, she finds them more attractive and agreeable than past alien visitors. When she playfully metamorphoses into Koenig, Mentor scolds her for frivolously misusing her abilities. With work to be done, he shoos her out of the Grove, then orders one of the guards to prepare the Alphan pilots.
With booster units affixed to its fuselage, Eagle Four lifts off, crewed by Koenig, Picard, Helena Russell
Helena Russell
Helena Russell is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. She was played by Barbara Bain. She is American and apparently in her mid-thirties....
and Alan Carter
Alan Carter (Space 1999)
Alan Carter is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Nick Tate. He is of Australian origin and is in his early thirties.-Character biography:...
. After they arrive at the rendezvous point, an alien ship ascends from Psychon. Sensors reveal the silent ship is under remote control, is radiating magnetic energy—and contains no life-forms. (Unknown to them, it was created out of rock by Mentor's power of matter transmutation.) Acting like an electromagnet
Electromagnet
An electromagnet is a type of magnet in which the magnetic field is produced by the flow of electric current. The magnetic field disappears when the current is turned off...
, it drags the Eagle downward. Unable to break free on main power, Koenig orders the booster rockets fired. When the Eagle escapes this trap, Mentor's ship becomes a ball of light and captures it. Whisked down to the planet, Eagle Four is deposited in a volcanic crater, surrounded by a wrecked Eagle One and a jumble of alien vessels.
Mentor contacts the Alphan party, ignoring their protests as he welcomes them. During the exchange, the captive astronauts are marched into the Grove. Seeing Koenig's image on the screen, Fraser tries to warn him of something, but is stunned by a guard. Mentor tries to pass off his outburst as delirium
Delirium
Delirium or acute confusional state is a common and severe neuropsychiatric syndrome with core features of acute onset and fluctuating course, attentional deficits and generalized severe disorganization of behavior...
, then tells Koenig to stay put until contacted again. Distrustful of their ‘host’, the Alphans disembark into the spaceship graveyard. As Fraser is taken away, Mentor turns to Torens. The pilot is strapped in a seat behind a glass partition and a futuristic skull-fitting dome descends over his head. The alien scientist touches a panel and Torens arches in agony, mouth opening in a silent scream.
Koeing and party enter a tunnel, following it underground. Picard spies titanium ore among the loose gravel littering the ground; Helena pockets the nuggets to take back to Alpha. Rounding a bend, the four enter a large cavern inhabited by a diverse collection of aliens. Guarded by Mentor's Overseers, they are engaged in mining activities. From their mindless behaviour, Helena recognises they are suffering from a form of brain damage
Brain damage
"Brain damage" or "brain injury" is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors...
. They are shocked by the discovery that one of the zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
-like miners is Torens. Reaching out to him, Koenig is repelled by force-field.
An Overseer approaches the party. When shot with a stun-blast, the man becomes a stone slab; Picard concludes the guard was created from inert matter by molecular transformation. An image of Mentor suddenly blocks the tunnel, the alien warning them the hologram is surrounded by an impenetrable barrier. Hoping to overload the force-field, Picard fires his laser rifle—but the beam ricochets back to atomise the Frenchman. With their stun-guns transformed into molten rocks, Koenig and company retreat, but are captured by a sphere of light.
Koenig regains consciousness alone in a cell, startled at the sight of a lioness guarding the open doorway. The beast transforms into Maya. Living a sheltered life alone with her father, she is eager to meet the alien commander. When attempting to exit the cell, he is thrust back by another force-field. Though her apology is earnest, Koenig is enraged by this latest Psychon trick. Completely ignorant of her father's actions, she is shocked as Koenig attacks Mentor's character with a list of malicious offences. Thinking him disoriented, Maya releases Koenig for a meeting with her father.
At the Grove, Koenig is admitted, but Mentor prevents Maya from joining them. The room is dominated by a surreal artefact: a hexagonal dais from which dozens of glass conduits rise to penetrate the rocky ceiling. The conduits contain bubbling organic fluids of every colour, and the object hums and pulses with energy. With affection, Mentor introduces it as Psyche
Psyche (psychology)
The word psyche has a long history of use in psychology and philosophy, dating back to ancient times, and has been one of the fundamental concepts for understanding human nature from a scientific point of view. The English word soul is sometimes used synonymously, especially in older...
, a biological computer. Using its ability to manipulate matter, he plans to transform this world from a volcanic wasteland back to its former splendour.
The alien scientist makes a gruesome revelation: Psyche derives its energy from the minds of intelligent beings—the brain-dead slaves in the pits have all been in ‘rapport’ with the machine. Koenig is appalled as the madman states the arrival of the Moon and its 297 human inhabitants should provide enough energy to make his world live again. When Koenig refuses to hand over the Alpha people, Mentor demonstrates his power by detonating a lunar mountain close to Moonbase. Koenig ignores the threat, preferring the Alphans be destroyed than condemned to this obscenity.
The wily alien then reveals Koenig's missing comrades—strapped down in the brain transfer unit. Unless Koenig submits, their minds will be given to Psyche. Koenig stands firm, and the process begins. As his people writhe in agony under the glass domes, Mentor taunts Koenig with how little time remains to them. Apparently unable to stand their torment, Koenig surrenders.
On Alpha, the mood is sombre; there has been no contact with either Eagle crew and Mentor's complex is shielded against their scanners. The staff is excited by a signal from Koenig; more so when he informs them the people of Psychon have granted the Alphans permission to settle on their planet. When Verdeschi questions the abruptness of events, the Commander sternly informs him the operation is covered under ‘directive four’ and to proceed immediately. Verdeschi is silent, but visibly upset by the order.
Bewildered by his apparent willingness to sacrifice the people of Alpha, Helena and company confront Koenig. After the Commander justifies his decision in the name of self-preservation, he is shunned for this reprehensible act. On Moonbase, a brooding Verdeschi puzzles the staff by not starting the Operation Exodus evacuation protocol. Sandra Benes
Sandra Benes
Sandra Benes is a recurring character in the British science-fiction television series Space: 1999. She is of Western European/Burmese origin and is in her late twenties. Her role was played by actress Zienia Merton.-Character Biography:...
consults Computer for the meaning of the unfamiliar ‘directive four’; Computer denies access due to her insufficient security clearance. Asking Verdeschi in private, she is told it is a code signal between Koenig and himself—an irrevocable order to destroy the place from which it is issued.
To her horror, the security chief orders a remote-controlled Eagle equipped with a maximum load of nuclear ordnance. When the Weapons Section operative comments how this will utterly devastate Psychon, Annette overhears and demands an explanation. Verdeschi tries to convey the severity of the situation, then orders the ship launched. As the ten-minute countdown to detonation begins, Annette becomes hysterical at the thought of her husband dying.
Watching the lone Eagle approach, Mentor has his daughter to scan it, revealing its true nature. As an indignant Maya leaves to confront the treacherous Alphans, Mentor contacts the prisoners in their cell. The scientist berates Koenig for this foolish attempt to deceive him with a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
Eagle. Ashamed of their assumption, Helena and the others realise the Commander's ‘traitorous’ actions were a ruse. Enraged, Mentor signs off, vowing to first destroy the Eagle—then the Moon.
Maya arrives to tell Koenig what she thinks of his deceitful ways. She is appalled when he reveals Mentor's horrific agenda—especially the fate of those unfortunate to enter into ‘rapport’ with Psyche. She protests, but Koenig verbally batters her, demanding she go to the pits and see for herself. Branding him a liar, she flees...but finds herself running to the entrance to the tunnels. Koenig's tirade has exposed her inner doubts regarding Mentor's often secretive and condescending manner. Bracing herself, she transforms into a bird and flies on. Discovering the mindless slave workers, Maya's faith in her father is crushed.
After destroying the remote-controlled Eagle, Mentor turns his wrath on the Alphans. Via holographic projection, Koenig and company watch as explosions rip through the Alpha complex. A distraught Maya returns to the cell in time to hear her father gloat how he will destroy Moonbase piece by piece. Koenig implores her to release them and help prevent the slaughter of three hundred more people. She does, after Koenig promises to stop Mentor without harming him. As the others make for the Eagle, Maya leads Koenig to the Grove.
On entering, Koenig acts fast. He bashes Psyche's controls with a stalactite
Stalactite
A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone...
ripped from the ceiling. Mentor grabs him, shouting that the resulting energy release could destroy the planet; Koenig throws off the older man and continues his reckless vandalism. The floor heaves and fractures, flames bursting through the cracks. Psyche's ‘death’ is apocalyptic: all across Psychon volcanoes begin erupting in a chain reaction. Wounded, Mentor asks for Maya to stop Koenig. Sobbing, she reveals to him her knowledge of his nefarious deeds. In the caves, Helena and Fraser try to retrieve Torens, but the unfortunate pilot is buried alive when the ceiling collapses on the miners.
Mentor is trapped behind a wall of flame. Utterly defeated, he begs for his daughter's understanding. He shouts for Koenig and Maya to save themselves, but she refuses to abandon him. Koenig tries to restrain her as she transforms into one animal after another in an attempt to break free. He drags Maya away from the Grove as it and Mentor are consumed by the inferno. Running for their lives, they navigate the quaking tunnels leading to Eagle Four. They board and the ship takes off—just as the volcanic crater
Volcanic crater
A volcanic crater is a circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity. It is typically a basin, circular in form within which occurs a vent from which magma erupts as gases, lava, and ejecta. A crater can be of large dimensions, and sometimes of great depth...
erupts beneath it. Carter fights for control as the growing tectonic
Tectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
stresses tear the planet apart.
Eagle Four makes contact with Moonbase, and the Frasers enjoy a sweet reunion over the TV monitor. During this, Koenig and Helena comfort Maya. The girl is inconsolable, devastated by the loss of her entire existence. They invite her to make a new life for herself on Alpha. Maya believes anywhere but on Psychon she will be an alien. Koenig replies, ‘We're all aliens...until we get to know one another.’
Starring
- Martin LandauMartin LandauMartin Landau is an American film and television actor. Landau began his career in the 1950s. His early films include a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest . He played continuing roles in the television series Mission: Impossible and Space:1999...
— Commander John KoenigJohn KoenigJohn Koenig is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Martin Landau. He is American, apparently in his early forties.-Character Biography:... - Barbara BainBarbara BainMillicent Fogel , known professionally as Barbara Bain, is an American actress.-Early life:Bain was born in Chicago. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in sociology. She moved to New York City, where she was a dancer and high fashion model. Bain studied with...
— Doctor Helena RussellHelena RussellHelena Russell is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. She was played by Barbara Bain. She is American and apparently in her mid-thirties....
Featuring
- Tony AnholtTony AnholtAnthony "Tony" Anholt was a British actor best known for his roles as Security Chief Tony Verdeschi in the second season of Gerry Anderson's television series Space: 1999 , Paul Buchet in The Protectors and as Charles Frere in the highly-successful BBC drama series Howards' Way .Anholt was...
— Tony VerdeschiTony VerdeschiTony Verdeschi is a fictional character who first appeared in the second series of the science fiction television series Space: 1999. He is in his early thirties.... - Nick TateNick TateNicholas John "Nick" Tate is an Australian actor best known for his role as Eagle pilot Alan Carter in both seasons of the 1970s science fiction television series Space: 1999, as well as for playing the role of Gordon Hamilton's errant brother James in the 1980's soap opera "Sons and...
— Captain Alan CarterAlan Carter (Space 1999)Alan Carter is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Nick Tate. He is of Australian origin and is in his early thirties.-Character biography:... - Zienia MertonZienia MertonZienia Merton is a British actress born in Burma. Her mother was Burmese, and her father half English, half French. She was raised in Singapore, Borneo, Portugal, and England....
— Sandra BenesSandra BenesSandra Benes is a recurring character in the British science-fiction television series Space: 1999. She is of Western European/Burmese origin and is in her late twenties. Her role was played by actress Zienia Merton.-Character Biography:...
Also Featuring
- John Hug — Astronaut Bill Fraser
- Gerard Paquis — Lew Picard
- Peter Porteous — Petrov
- Nick BrimbleNick BrimbleNick Brimble , is an English actor known for his performance as Little John in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and his appearances on various television shows....
— Astronaut Ray Torens - Anton PhillipsAnton PhillipsAnton Phillips is an actor who found success appearing in British television. He remains best known for his role as Dr. Bob Mathias in the science fiction series Space 1999.-Early life and education:...
— Doctor Bob MathiasBob Mathias (Space: 1999)Bob Mathias is a fictional character from the British science-fiction television series Space: 1999. He is played by actor Anton Phillips.-Character Biography:...
Uncredited Artists
- Robert Reeves — Peter
- Sarah Bullen — Kate
- George Lane Cooper — First Overseer
- Alf JointAlf JointAlf Joint was a British movie and television stunt performer, stunt coordinator and arranger....
— Second Overseer - Reuben Martin — Maya/Gorilla
- Roy StewartRoy StewartRoy Stewart , originally from Jamaica, began his career as a stuntman and went on to work in film and television, at a time when there were few working black actors....
- Tall alien in cave
Music
An original score was composed for this episode by Derek WadsworthDerek Wadsworth
Derek Wadsworth was a British jazz trombonist, session musician, composer and arranger....
. Wadsworth, a jazz trombonist and composer, had been engaged to compose the score for the Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
live-action television special The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow (TV special)
The Day After Tomorrow is a 1975 British science-fiction television drama produced by Gerry Anderson between the two series of Space: 1999. Written by Johnny Byrne and directed by Charles Crichton, it stars Brian Blessed, Joanna Dunham and Nick Tate, and is narrated by Ed Bishop...
. (Also known as Into Infinity, it was intended as a back door pilot episode for a new science-fiction series and was filmed after the first Space: 1999 series had been completed.) As Wadsworth's modern style, with its strong beat, would complement the new Space: 1999′s action-adventure format, he was chosen as the composer for the second series.
Production Notes
- In October of 1975, in the midst of pre-production on its second series, Sir Lew GradeLew GradeLew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Russian-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
informed executive producer Gerry AndersonGerry AndersonGerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
that Space: 1999 would be cancelled unless extensive changes in form and content were made. Anderson and new producer Fred FreibergerFred FreibergerFred Freiberger was an American film and television screenwriter and television producer, with a career spanning four decades including The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Star Trek, and Space: 1999...
brainstormed, proposing a drastic retooling to broaden its appeal to the American audience (and hopefully win an American network sale). The show would become more action-oriented and present a dynamic new cast of younger, sexier regulars to join Martin LandauMartin LandauMartin Landau is an American film and television actor. Landau began his career in the 1950s. His early films include a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest . He played continuing roles in the television series Mission: Impossible and Space:1999...
and Barbara BainBarbara BainMillicent Fogel , known professionally as Barbara Bain, is an American actress.-Early life:Bain was born in Chicago. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in sociology. She moved to New York City, where she was a dancer and high fashion model. Bain studied with...
. At the forefront of these new characters would be an alien girl whose power of 'molecular transformation' would give the show a science-fiction 'wow factor'. Abe Mandell, Grade's number two in New York, approved of the format change, and production resumed on the new second series.
- As a result of the cancellation crisis, production resumed behind schedule. With no time to spare, the script for Johnny Byrne's intended second-series premiere, 'The Biological Soul', was quickly pressed into service. As in the final story, it told of the Alphans' encounter with the unbalanced Mentor of the planet Psycho and his biological computer, Psyche. In this version, the solitary Mentor and the sentient Psyche share an affection for one another. When it/she becomes aware of her master's nefarious deeds and the suffering she has caused, she elects to destroy them both. It was extensively re-written to reflect the new format and characters.
- Freiberger had judged the first-series' supporting cast as ‘unlikeable’; considered expendable, no attempt was ever made to explain their absence. The new characters were originally named Simon Hays (second-in-command), Mark Macinlock (head of Reconnaissance) and Jameson (head of Weapons Section); at the time of filming, they became Tony VerdeschiTony VerdeschiTony Verdeschi is a fictional character who first appeared in the second series of the science fiction television series Space: 1999. He is in his early thirties....
, Alan CarterAlan Carter (Space 1999)Alan Carter is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Nick Tate. He is of Australian origin and is in his early thirties.-Character biography:...
(as Freiberger had invited Nick TateNick TateNicholas John "Nick" Tate is an Australian actor best known for his role as Eagle pilot Alan Carter in both seasons of the 1970s science fiction television series Space: 1999, as well as for playing the role of Gordon Hamilton's errant brother James in the 1980's soap opera "Sons and...
to rejoin the cast when learning of his popularity) and Petrov. The revised script contained a conversation between Verdeschi and Sandra wherein Victor BergmanVictor BergmanProfessor Victor Bergman is the name of a recurring character on the UK science fiction television series Space: 1999. The role was portrayed by actor Barry Morse.-Character Biography:...
's fate was mentioned. The professor's death was attributed to a spacesuit with a faulty helmet. Though filmed, this sequence was not included in the final cut.
- Under Mentor's make-up, viewers will recognise Brian BlessedBrian BlessedBrian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
, famous for his sonorous voice and ‘hearty, king-sized portrayals’; Blessed had appeared in the first-series episode ‘Death's Other Dominion’ as Doctor Cabot Rowland. Before joining the programme as MayaMaya (Space: 1999)Maya is a fictional character who appeared in the second series of the science fiction television program Space: 1999. Played by actress Catherine Schell , Maya was introduced in the second series opener 'The Metamorph'...
, Catherine SchellCatherine SchellKatherina Freiin Schell von Bauschlott is an Hungarian-born actress best known for her work on British televison.Schell rose to fame in various British film and television productions in the 1960s and 1970s...
had also guest-starred in the previous series, portraying an android temptress, the Servant of the Guardian, in ‘Guardian of Piri’.
- The date of Helena's status report—342 days after leaving orbit—contradicts previous information. In ‘Dragon's DomainDragon's Domain"Dragon's Domain" is the twenty-third episode of the first series of Space: 1999. The screenplay was written by Christopher Penfold; the director was Charles Crichton. The final shooting script dated 21 January 1975, with blue-page amendments dated 29 January 1975 and yellow-page amendments dated...
’, the date was established as 877 days after leaving orbit. Many attribute this continuity breach to Freiberger as, purportedly, the producer had only screened eight first-series episodes after joining the production. (Fans also balked at the absurd inference that the entire first series took place in less than eleven months' time.) The final shooting script listed the date as 108 days; this was changed in post production. It also stated the mineral the Alphans required was ‘tiranium’ (a fictional material), not titanium. This was altered shortly before shooting. The term tiranium would be used in the subsequent episode ‘Catacombs of the MoonCatacombs of the Moon"Catacombs of the Moon" is the eleventh episode of the second series of Space: 1999 . The screenplay was written by Anthony Terpiloff; the director was Robert Lynn. The original title was 'The Catacombs of the Moon'. The final shooting script is dated 18 May 1976, with amendments dated 26 May, 9...
’, also as a rare and vital mineral essential to the life-support system.
Novelisation
The episode was adapted in the first Year Two Space: 1999 novel Planets of Peril by Michael ButterworthMichael Butterworth
Michael Butterworth is a British author and publisher who has written many novels and short stories, particularly in the genre of science fiction...
, published in 1977. It uses the original character names of Hays, Macinlock and Jameson. Oddly, the author has Tony Verdeschi in command of Alpha while Simon Hays accompanies Koenig to Psychon (and sometimes being forgotten during the course of the narrative). The dialogue detailing Bergman's fate is included.
In the 2003 novel The Forsaken written by John Kenneth Muir
John Kenneth Muir
John Kenneth Muir is an American literary critic. He has written twenty-one reference books in the fields of film and television, with a particular accent on the horror and science fiction genres....
, it is stated the events of this story were one of the consequences of the death of the eponymous intelligence depicted in ‘Space Brain’. The Brain controlled the space warps within its influence; after its death, they would become unpredictable and unstable. This would allow the Moon to be flung within range of Psychon immediately before the episode.
External links
- Space: 1999 - 'The Metamorph' - The Catacombs episode guide
- Space: 1999 - 'The Metamorph' - Moonbase Alpha's Space 1999 page
| Last produced: "The Testament of Arkadia The Testament of Arkadia "The Testament of Arkadia" is the twenty-fourth and final episode of the first series of Space: 1999. The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was David Tomblin. The final shooting script is dated 5 February 1975, with a revised final shooting script dated 25 February 1975... " |
List of Space: 1999 episodes | Next produced: "The Exiles" |
| Last broadcast: "The Last Enemy" |
Next broadcast: "The Exiles" |