Episode no. Season 7
Episode 21 | Original air date 11 January 2002 | |
Directed by Steve Aspis
Robert Habros Written by Grady Hall
A.E. van Vogt (story) | ||
"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.
Contents
Introduction
This episode is a clip show. Clips appear from the following episodes: "Phobos Rising", "Hearts and Minds", "Manifest Destiny", "Something About Harry", "The Haven", "Final Exam", "Final Appeal", "The Vaccine", and "Replica".
Plot
Jupiter'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 Ward (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, Ward's officers attempt to reach the manual override at the same time as trying to get over bitter distrust. Link tries to convince Ward 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, Ward is informed by the United States President that the US launched a preemptive strike against the Eastern Coalition, starting a nuclear war, which along with the underestimated retaliation killed almost all of the human race (including Ward's wife and daughter). The US President's spaceship, with the few remaining people, will arrive in several months. At this point Ward, having lost faith in life and his humanity, reactivates both Link and the self-destruct sequence and starts his last game of chess. When Link asks what has happened, Ward replies: "It was... human error."