Red Planet Mars 1952

Mars images spark a possibility of intelligent life

An American astronomer obtains images of Mars that suggest large-scale environmental changes, implying advanced intelligent life at work. The discovery hints that Mars may possess technology capable of influencing Earth. This sets the stage for contact between worlds.

Hydrogen transmitter enables first contact

Chris Cronyn and his wife Linda begin transmitting to Mars using a hydrogen-powered radio transmitter, building on Franz Calder's work. They initiate contact by exchanging mathematical concepts, establishing a nonverbal language as a bridge between species. The dialogue moves from numbers to more complex questions about Martian life.

Mars describes a utopian society

The Martian messages claim a utopia on Mars, where technological advancement has eliminated scarcity and fear of nuclear war. Earth is urged to learn from these Martians, who’ve achieved a conflict-free existence. The claim destabilizes Earth’s political and economic order as people weigh the possibility of change.

Earth reacts with a news blackout

The U.S. government imposes a news blackout and orders the transmissions to stop, fearing that the Soviet Union could intercept and decode the messages. Public fear and political risk push authorities to silence the extraordinary contact. The silence deepens as the world searches for meaning in the Martian revelations.

A second message warns of nuclear fear

A subsequent Martian transmission warns that Earth is condemned to constant fear of nuclear war for straying from biblical teachings. The tone shifts from wonder to warning, intensifying global anxiety. Religious and political factions interpret the message in divergent ways.

Revolution and theocracy rise abroad

Revolution sweeps the globe, including the Soviet Union, which is overthrown and replaced by a theocracy. In America, the upheaval is celebrated by some as a vindication of faith-based order. The Martian messages are blamed or praised depending on allegiance.

Transmissions cease

After the upheaval, the Martian transmissions abruptly stop. The world is left with fragments of the long-sought dialogue and the memory of a potentially transformative exchange. Uncertainty thins the air as nations recalibrate their ideologies around the unseen message.

Calder reveals the Andes transmitter

Calder confronts the Cronyns in their lab and claims that he has duped the world with false messages from a secret Soviet-funded radio transmitter high in the Andes. He asserts the transmitter has been destroyed by an avalanche, ending transmissions. His log is presented as the supposed evidence of his manipulation.

Calder alleges religious messages were staged

Calder contends that the religious messages were fabricated, designed to provoke fear and disorder, and that the government allowed them to spread for strategic reasons. He presents himself as the puppeteer behind the manipulation. The claim casts doubt on the very foundation of the Martian communication.

Cronyns recognize the messages were real

The Cronyns realize that the religious messages were not hoaxes, acknowledging the potential threat of Calder's claims being believed. They understand that the world’s faith and fear are at stake, and that deception could unleash disaster on an already unsettled Earth. Their awareness heightens the tension of the moment.

Hydrogen risk becomes lethally real

In a tense moment, Linda asks for a cigarette, and Chris contemplates triggering the hydrogen release as a last resort to expose Calder’s deception. The plan underscores the perilous stakes of the lab and the fragile balance between discovery and catastrophe. Their hesitation highlights the human cost of contact with another world.

The transmitter explodes; lives are lost

Before any ignition can occur, Calder fires into the screen, detonating the transmitter and killing himself along with the Cronyns. The lab is destroyed and the moment of contact collapses into tragedy. The attempted act of destruction prevents further revelations from Mars from reaching Earth.