The Human Factor (2002 The Outer Limits)
Encyclopedia
"The Human Factor" is an episode of the television show The Outer Limits
. It first aired January 11, 2002, in the show's seventh season.
's moon Ganymede
is now the only hope for the human race in 2084 as overpopulation and constant warring has left much of earth uninhabitable. Space Commander Ellis Grover (Robert Duncan McNeill
) must convince android assistant Link (Zack Ward
) that humanity is worthy of existence over a game of chess
. As Link activates the station's self-destruct sequence, Grover's officers attempt to reach the manual override at the same time as trying to get over bitter distrust. Link tries to convince Grover that the world's governments do not care about peace but only want to extend power. In the end, after shutting down Link and the countdown, Grover is informed by the United States President
that the US launched a pre-emptive strike against the "Eastern Coalition", starting a nuclear war
, which along with the underestimated retaliation killed almost all of the human race (including Grover's wife and daughter). The US President's spaceship, with the few remaining people, will arrive in several months. At this point Grover, having lost faith in life and his humanity, reactivates both Link and the self-destruct sequence and starts his last game of chess. Link asks about what had happened to which Grover replies: "Oh, just a human error."
The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002...
. It first aired January 11, 2002, in the show's seventh season.
Opening narration
Plot
JupiterJupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
's moon Ganymede
Ganymede (moon)
Ganymede is a satellite of Jupiter and the largest moon in the Solar System. It is the seventh moon and third Galilean satellite outward from Jupiter. Completing an orbit in roughly seven days, Ganymede participates in a 1:2:4 orbital resonance with the moons Europa and Io, respectively...
is now the only hope for the human race in 2084 as overpopulation and constant warring has left much of earth uninhabitable. Space Commander Ellis Grover (Robert Duncan McNeill
Robert Duncan McNeill
Robert Duncan McNeill is an American actor, producer, movie director, and television director who is best known for his role as Lieutenant Tom Paris on the television show Star Trek: Voyager.-Acting:...
) must convince android assistant Link (Zack Ward
Zack Ward
Zack Ward is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:Ward was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the son of actress Pam Hyatt and the brother of Carson Foster....
) that humanity is worthy of existence over a game of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. As Link activates the station's self-destruct sequence, Grover's officers attempt to reach the manual override at the same time as trying to get over bitter distrust. Link tries to convince Grover that the world's governments do not care about peace but only want to extend power. In the end, after shutting down Link and the countdown, Grover is informed by the United States President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
that the US launched a pre-emptive strike against the "Eastern Coalition", starting a nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
, which along with the underestimated retaliation killed almost all of the human race (including Grover's wife and daughter). The US President's spaceship, with the few remaining people, will arrive in several months. At this point Grover, having lost faith in life and his humanity, reactivates both Link and the self-destruct sequence and starts his last game of chess. Link asks about what had happened to which Grover replies: "Oh, just a human error."