Outer Threat, The (2026)

[bunniefuu]

- What is going on here?

This can't be right.

- Safety.

Goddammit, Daniel.

Come on.

- Boo!

- Morning, Dad.

Very funny,

sweetheart.

You're back early.

Telescope

scared the birds.

- Sorry.

Hey, Michelle,

can you take a look at this?

Because this star was marked

as a naked star,

but I think there

might be exoplanets.

- Daniel, you know

I'm done with this.

- No, I know that

you're retired,

but this is really important.

- Not more important

than our kids.

- I think we need to rethink

this whole holistic

homeschooling curriculum.

I can't do this without you.

- Traditional school

isn't an option.

- I think it is an option,

because that's what a school

is for. Kids go to that.

- No, if our kids grow up

learning the same way we did,

then there is no hope

for future generations.

- Was our generation that bad?

- Ugh.

- Michelle, please!

- All I know...

- You're better at this

than I am.

- ...is it wasn't good

for our family

when you and I were down

in that bunker,

our, our minds

light years away.

- I, I know but--

- You promised the kids that

you wouldn't work on weekends.

We could spend

more time with them.

Come on, kids, let's

go!

Do you, uh, do you want us

to get you an ice cream?

I'm good, thanks.

- Okay.

Is it okay if you guys

do the arcade without me?

I just gotta run a quick errand.

I'll give you 20 dollars each.

Really?

- Okay, just don't tell

your mother.

- What's the errand?

- I like the disguise,

the fishing gear.

You fit right in.

- It's not a disguise, Daniel.

I'm going fishing after this.

- Oh. Salmon? Bass?

- So, uh, I appreciate you

seeing me on the weekend.

I know you've got kids.

- Actually, it's really great

timing that we're meeting today

because um...

- What was that?

- What?

- You looking over your shoulder

like you're checking

for something.

- Well, I'm trying to be safe.

I don't want anyone

to hear this.

- You think anyone actually

wants to listen to this?

- Well, I know this

intel is classified.

Who told you that?

- Well, I just assumed,

being off grid in the bunker,

camouflaged.

- Uh, Cold w*r ended

a long time ago.

Trust me, no one cares.

- Well, I think if you just

take a look at what I have here,

you'll see that

there's some anomalies.

- I asked for this meeting,

so let me go first.

I'm retiring, Daniel.

And I get the distinct feeling

that no one else at NORAD

wants or cares for your very

detailed reports.

Hell, I barely look at

them and I get paid to.

- But--

- But... I like you.

And I like Michelle,

and I know you're patriots.

Also, I owe Michelle's father,

Ming, a debt of gratitude.

A big one, actually.

So, on my way out of the agency,

I'm going to renew a 20-year

contract for you.

You can email your reports to

our server, so if anyone ever--

- Teddy, I am serious.

I found something.

- No, you didn't, Daniel.

Not this time,

not the other times.

It's an error, or an omission.

Or maybe a subconscious game

you play on yourself

to keep yourself interested.

But we both know that there's

no discernible evidence

of life in space.

Even if there was something

else out there,

you're never gonna find it

with a 50-year-old telescope.

- If you'd just take a look.

- With this contract...

- Teddy--

- ...you can take care of your

family.

You can live a good

life, write a book, whatever.

- Please--

- I am trying to help you,

Daniel.

But if you open that file,

I'm going to change my mind.

Now...

I'd like to go fishing.

I've enjoyed getting to know

you over the years.

You're a smart man.

Now you have the freedom

to do anything you want.

I hope you do something with it.

- Just get the bill, please.

- Come on, kids! Let's go!

Hello?

Hi, Ming.

Daniel... is that you?

- Can I trouble you for

some help with my work?

- Don't you have colleagues

you can call about this stuff?

- Nope. I only have you, Ming,

unfortunately for us both.

- Okay. What's on your mind?

- I think I found something.

- What's that?

- I don't know.

I need a second opinion.

- You share a roof

with an astrophysicist.

What does she say?

- Well, she won't even look.

- I miss her, Daniel.

Will she ever speak to me again?

Daniel?

Daniel?

I gotta go.

Please.

- Sorry.

- Daniel--

- Who was that?

- It was your father.

- You know, you are

a real piece of work.

- Most wives--

- I'm not your wife.

- Well, darling, most partners--

- I'm not your darling, either.

- What I'm trying to say is that

I think you should look at it

as a good thing that I keep

in touch with your father.

- I haven't spoken to my father

in years,

and I'm supposed to be happy

that you guys call each other

for pillow talk?

- I can't help it,

he's a true genius,

one of only two that I know.

And since, y'know,

you don't want to talk to me

about work anymore, I'm grateful

he answers my phone calls.

- He answers because you

are giving him hope.

False hope... that he's gonna

be a part of this family.

- You're right.

Sorry.

- Thank you.

- Come here.

Have a night cap with me.

Just one.

- Okay.

- You think the kids know

we're on a break?

- Please... can we just

call it a fight?

Pretty smart, though.

They probably know something's

going on.

- Yeah, they are.

Smart, loving, and tough.

- Mm-hmm.

- Hmm.

- Thank you.

For being the star that keeps

our family in orbit.

- What?

- Nothing. That was very sweet.

- What is it?

- It's just, you don't think

of anything else, do you?

- I've always been this way.

You used to call it a passion,

now you call it an obsession.

But whatever you call it,

I've had it the same way

since we met.

I see you every day

and I miss you so much.

How is that possible?

- I know what you mean,

I miss you, too.

We miss you.

- I'm gonna be a better

father. I promise.

I want you to admit

something, though.

- What?

- We had a lot of amazing

times in that bunker.

- Oh yeah, that's easy.

Of course we did.

- Late nights, early mornings.

Do you remember when you found

the black hole

in the 63 Messier galaxy?

- Yeah, we just smoked a joint.

- And now on the list of

largest black holes is 11-01C,

Holmgrun 15A, and Pac Man.

- Pac Man.

- We spent more nights

on that crappy couch

than we did our own bed.

- I know you're up to something.

- What? I didn't say anything.

- All right, I'll bite.

What's in the papers?

- Oh, the papers? Oh, nah, you

wouldn't be interested in that.

- Oh, my God, forget I asked!

- Okay, wait, wait, wait, wait.

You, you see that...

see the gravitational force

here?

- Yeah, I see. Wait.

- I think there may be

an Exoplanet there.

Oh, my God.

Daniel, th-

- Yeah?

- When's the next time

the telescope is gonna have

a clear viewing plane?

Six months?

- Seven minutes and 35 seconds.

- Daniel! Oh, my God!

52 seconds.

Wait, wait, wait. Not yet.

Holy sh--

- Mom?

Frankie, wake up.

- Hey!

You said we would go hunting.

- Morning, kids.

- You found something,

didn't you?

- We sure did.

What a night.

- Are they gonna come k*ll us?

No, no, everything

is fine.

They don't even know

we're here.

And if they did,

they wouldn't care, probably.

- I'm getting my g*n.

- No, no, no, no, no, Maddy,

Maddy.

They've been there since

probably before humans

have existed.

This doesn't change anything.

It's just, now we know they're

there.

How?

You said you can't see them.

How do you know they're there?

- Okay, let's pretend that Earth

is here in the dining room.

Okay? And that the kitchen

is a solar system

7.3 light years away.

And this light is like the star

in that solar system.

Are you with me?

- Yeah.

- So, right here we have

Planet Y.

And Planet Y we can't see,

but we know that Planet Y

is in the Goldilocks zone

relative to it's solar system's

star.

So, Planet Y should have

the right temperature,

the right liquid water,

atmosphere, gravity,

all the things needed for life

to prosper.

- I get it.

- Good. You can tell by its

shadow, nothing's happening.

It's just like any other

planet.

But we can tell by the effect

of the light,

that something is happening

here.

Something purposeful.

Something conscious.

Because based on the gravity

in this solar system,

that light should be much

brighter.

So, something is dimming

this light by about 75%.

- And we know that any advanced

civilization would try

to capture the energy

from its nearest star.

- We call it a Dyson sphere.

- Yeah, it's like

a massive solar panel.

- So, based on our data,

we know that something

is purposefully capturing

that star's light energy.

- You said they probably

don't know we're here.

Could we send a signal,

say what's up, or something?

- Yeah. Yeah, you could.

You just need a clear viewing

horizon

and a transmitting radio

telescope--

No!

No signals! Mom, make them stop!

- Oh, sweetie, sweetie.

- I don't want there

to be aliens.

- So, what are you

gonna call them?

- What do you want to call them?

- How about 959 Elite?

- What's that?

- It's our area code.

All the rappers do it.

- You listen to rap?

Stay poppin', grindin'

Tryin' to build a dream

with a team 'round me

Rockin' like I'm next to

rest can't stop this

Ignited by the most

high line nonsense

You've reached

Teddy. Do not leave a message.

- Okay, we have just under

a week until 959 Elite orbits

its star and then we lose

visual,

and I could really use

your help. You up for it?

- Of course I'll help.

You're like the most famous

explorer

since Christopher Columbus.

- Columbus wasn't all he

was cracked up to be.

- Hey, what are you doing?

Scanning your papers?

Yeah.

- Oh. What's your plan for--

- I'm just backing up.

- Hmm. Can I talk to you

outside for a sec?

- Yeah, sure.

Keep an eye on them.

So, I want to start

out by saying

that I am so proud of you,

Daniel.

- I still can't believe it.

And the fact that we got

to do that together, it's...

one of the greatest nights

of my life.

- Yeah, me too.

We gotta talk about

what we're gonna do next,

cause it's gonna have

serious consequences and--

- I know. I know, I know.

I mean, I still can't

believe it.

I mean, all those years

of scanning nothingness,

with no hope.

But now, this is the greatest

single discovery

in the history of physics.

- Daniel, Daniel...

- Of astronomy, of--

- ...we can't tell anybody.

- What?

- There's gonna be panic.

An overnight increase

in defense spending.

Institutional paranoia.

People are gonna freak out.

- For decades,

this is all I've done.

- I know.

- Just searching and...

for life in space.

And this whole time you thought

if we found something

we were just gonna keep it to

ourselves? I--

- Well, I mean, I thought we

would find a single-celled

amoeba.

But Dyson spheres...

- Yeah.

- ...advanced civilization.

We are not ready for this.

Think about what we already

have in our very near future,

genetic engineering,

artificial intelligence,

ecological collapse.

We can't even handle that.

- You have such little

faith in humanity.

- Not without reason.

- Hey, what's the matter?

- My mind's racing.

- You gonna go for a drive?

- Yeah.

- All right, well just

be safe, okay?

- I will.

I wish I was strong

But I've known

from the start

Instead of waiting to so long

to reveal what's behind

But there's no

use in talking

You made up your mind

So baby, you and I

are not the same

You say you like the sun,

I like the rain

So before we go,

do it all again

You better catch

yer own train

I wish I was light

I would shine through

this tunnel

To the light

on the other side

And I will break

down this wall

So we could finally see

the truth of it all

But baby, you and I

are not the same

You say you like the sun,

I like the rain

So before we go

do it all again

You better catch

yer own train

- Ah, come on!

Where do you think

that came from?

- I don't know.

- Hey bud, what are you doing?

- Power's out. I'm trying

to get Wi-Fi.

- Why don't you just

use your phone?

- Mobile's down as well.

- Is that my laptop?

- Yep.

- Do you know my password?

- Reddwarf1979.

- Huh.

- What are you guys up to?

- The cell network's down.

He's trying to find internet.

Nice shot.

Kids, get to

the house, now, go.

Go, go, go.

Go, go, go, go. Get inside.

- Kids, grab some clothes.

We're leaving.

- Look after the kids.

- Oh, my--

- Dad...

don't go.

- It's going to be okay.

Take those papers.

- Frankie, the g*n!

- Mom, what's happening?

- I don't know.

- Ooh! Oh, my gosh!

Mom, I got it!

- Maddy, careful!

- Daniel!

Daniel, let's go, let's go,

let's go!

Get in!

- Everyone okay?

Holy sh*t!

- Maddy, get out.

You two okay?

- Yeah.

What was that?

- I don't know. We're okay

though, right? Okay, let's go.

Here.

- I emailed the printouts

to Teddy.

- What?!

- So, wait, 959 blew

up the shed?

- No, that's impossible.

They're light years away.

- What about, um, wormholes?

- Wormholes are nonsense, honey.

- Wormholes are not nonsense.

- Okay, do you think that 959

travelled here in a wormhole

last night, Michelle?

No, I didn't think so.

It's the government.

They're trying to keep us quiet.

Everyone turn off your phones.

- I left mine at the house.

They know

about the bunker.

What were the drones

looking for?

- I don't know.

So, what do we do

now?

- We head upstate.

- Ming's?

- Really?

- We get to meet Grandpa?

- Well, he would know how

the government would respond

in this situation.

- It's true.

- Yeah, so we don't have

much of a choice.

Dad, I'm hungry.

- Me too, sweetheart.

- I think there's someone

in there.

- Hey there. How y'all doin'?

Okay. How are you?

- I'm good.

- I'm Daniel, this is Michelle,

and these are our children,

Francois and Maddy.

- It's nice to make

your acquaintance.

I'm Sam, and uh, th-, come on,

this is my granddaughter,

Eloise.

Sorry to intrude,

but have you heard anything

about what's going on?

- Come on in. Come on.

An army cadet biked through

yesterday.

Fella kept telling

folks to shelter in place.

You guys hear anything?

No, unfortunately

not.

You folks hungry?

Coffee?

- Yes.

So uh, this is your place?

- About 16 months now.

- It's pretty new then.

What did you do before?

- I was a veterinarian.

Had to give that up, though.

- Hmm.

I get the feeling I'm not

supposed to ask you why,

but I kinda can't help myself.

- Well, I'll spare you the sad

details.

But, I lost my wife

to a pretty wicked sickness.

And after that...

I couldn't put down a dog, cat,

or even a hamster

without tearing up.

- Oh, Sam, I'm sorry.

- That's okay.

That's life.

It's beautiful.

But sad sometimes, too.

Anyhow, I moved up here

to be closer to my son,

and to look after Eloise from

time to time, which is nice.

- Yeah.

- Her parents are on a canoe

trip up north.

Supposed to be back yesterday

morning, but...

all the gas stations ran dry

when the blackout hit.

So, my guess is, they're

stranded up there.

Trying to round up enough fuel

so I can go fetch 'em.

- Ah, Sam, wish I could help.

- Come on!

What is it?

The battery

went out.

- What do you got there?

- Just the lost and found.

No way!

- Do you mind if I uh...

- No, you can have it.

- Yeah? Thank you.

- You know, that's new,

having that door locked.

- Yeah?

- Didn't take more than about

six hours of no power or phones

before my mind started thinking

the worst.

- Well, I am grateful you

opened your door to our family.

- Well, the whole reason

I started this place is because

I love welcoming folks.

- Yeah.

- Y'know, hearing of their

travels,

where they're off to next.

In my mind, that's who I am,

welcoming to one and all.

- Hmm.

- Didn't matter where from.

I was happy to have 'em.

Can I be really honest with

you about something?

- Yeah, of course.

- Something scared me today.

More than the power outage,

or the cadet,

or even the drones.

When you walked up

to the front door today...

...I hesitated

before I let you in.

I want to tell myself

that's because

I may have to ration

our supplies,

be smart for my

granddaughter but...

...I'm not certain

that's the truth.

Perhaps the truth is,

I hesitated...

...because you're different.

- I mean...

...we're strangers.

It's a strange time.

- Yeah.

I always believed myself

to be a decent...

...a decent man.

But perhaps I'm not being

honest with myself.

Perhaps, deep down...

...I'm rotten.

But what really scared

me was the th-

...the thought that maybe,

just...

...just maybe...

we're all rotten.

I didn't get

anything on the CB.

- You sound surprised.

- I know we're in the middle

of nowhere.

No offense.

None taken, young man.

- But even at the farm,

I picked up tons of chatter.

And with the internet

and phones out,

I thought people would have been

using their radios.

- Yeah, that is weird.

And the static

sounds weird, too.

- How so?

- Like an empty channel usually

sounds like a deep crackle.

This static sounds more like

a high-pitched hum.

- Let me see that.

- It's too bad my other

granddaughter, Allison,

isn't here.

She's great with technical

stuff.

- Where is she?

- She walked over

to the next town.

Trying to see

what she can find out.

- Eloise, give me a hand?

- Maybe we should head out?

- Yeah, let's go.

- Hittin' the road?

- Yeah, we should probably

keep moving.

Thank you, Sam.

- No, it's my pleasure.

Be safe out there.

- Yeah, you too.

- Thanks again.

- Michelle...

Sorry.

- What the?

- You okay?

- Yeah, let's just

get outta here.

How far are we

from town?

- Which town?

- Our town.

- Very far. Why?

- I just saw a car

from the gas station

where you filled the jerry cans.

- Like a similar car?

- The exact same one.

Francois and I played tic tac

toe on the windshield.

It's parked back there.

- Was there anyone else there?

- It's following us.

- Okay, we're, we're about 30

miles from the next town,

so maybe we can lose them.

What? We shouldn't be

out of gas.

- Oh, sh*t!

- What?

- Sam stole our gas.

- He stole our gas? How?

- I don't know, but when I was

leaving, he made it very clear

that we were not welcome back.

- Okay, maybe I can speed up

through this tunnel,

and then we can pull over

on the side,

and then sh**t the tires out.

Everybody, hang on.

- Daniel, stop, stop.

I think it's being controlled

remotely.

- What?

- If it enters the tunnel,

it'll lose connection.

Then let's go.

- We can't.

- Goddammit!

You think other

countries are blacked out, too?

I've been watching

for planes

since the grid shut down.

Haven't seen even one.

- But there's gotta be

a network, right?

The drones and self-driving

cars.

- What if...

...what if the network's

not actually down?

Francois, turn on

your radio again.

- The static sounds normal now.

- Yeah, because we're in

a concrete shell.

You're not getting any signals.

It's impossible to shut down

radio communication.

- So someone flooded it

with signals instead.

- Must be the same thing

with the internet,

it's up, just flooded.

Why would someone

shut down the radios?

- I don't know.

But they can't reach

us in here, right?

- Ahh!

- Come on!

Help me cut

the battery

and push the car out

of the way.

Daniel, look.

They're probably

trying to connect

to the solar panels.

Should we pull over?

We're only 500

miles from Ming's.

I have an idea.

Let's go, Maddy!

Perfect.

Half an inch.

- The perimeter of the tank

is about 114 inches in width,

and 144 inches in length.

How many cubic

inches in a gallon?

- 231.

- Attaboy.

- All right, so that's 35

gallons of gas down there.

Maddy, how many five-gallon

jugs is that?

- Seven jugs of water coming up.

- You don't even understand

what we're doing, do you?

- Water is more dense

than gasoline.

So, if we displace the

exact amount of gas with water,

only the gas can get pumped out.

Overhearing the plan

isn't the same

as understanding it.

Shut up, Frankie.

How's it going

over there?

- Almost there.

- You're the biggest nerd

in a family full of nerds.

- Hey!

- What do you mean?

- Well, you all are!

- Done!

- Good, get over here.

We ready?

- Yeah!

- Good job, buddy!

Good job, sweetie.

Everybody's waiting

for a break

Like fast cars and freedom

Everybody wants

the same old things

Tell me what will it bring

My friend, I'm tired

of being this way

I'm tired of running

straight

Oh God, I need to know

you're still above

I just wanna be loved

I just wanna be loved

Can you tell me I'm

worthy or important

Am I working hard enough

Oh, I just wanna be loved

- How are you feeling?

Just about... about seeing your

dad again?

- I'll be fine.

- You haven't changed your

feelings about him at all?

- Changed my feelings?

- You know what I mean.

- He left me alone to watch

my mother die

while he was off working

on some secret project.

That doesn't just go away.

You know, you're just like him.

Our kids should be home, safe,

but you just had to let the

world know how smart you are.

I just wanna be loved

Can you tell me am I

worthy or important

Am I working hard enough

Oh, I just wanna be loved

I just wanna be loved

And I want someone

to want me

I want somebody there

And I need someone

to need me

I need someone who cares

- Why don't you guys stay here?

Ming?

I don't think he's here.

There's a Faraday cage

back there,

but the generator's not on.

- It's lovely to see you,

Michelle.

- How are you? Are you well?

I've been...

Well, look at these

beautiful children!

Hi.

- Hello, young man.

I hear so much about you

and your brilliant mind.

And this brave, young lady who

fears nothing and no one.

It's an absolute pleasure.

Do we call you

Grandpa?

- Uh, perhaps your mother would

like me to earn such a title,

with at least a few moments

of kindness.

The first of which,

with your parents' blessing,

I suggest be ice cream.

Good to see you, Daniel.

- Good to see you, Ming.

One thing for certain

that makes life worth living,

is mint chocolate chip.

You have ice cream?

- I need to talk to you, Ming.

Really need your help.

I found something, and we don't

have a whole lot of time,

so I'd love for you to look

at some of these files I have

and go--

- Daniel, let me have this

moment.

Thank you.

Francois, your father tells me

you're quite a chess player,

but maybe not as good as Maddy

here.

He's lying.

Ah, don't worry about

it. It's just a rumor.

Who knows how these things

get started?

- Can't believe we ever thought

we could improve on this.

- Maybe we just needed

something to fill our days.

- Took me a long time to get

used to sitting still.

Was hit with a ton of sadness

when I finally did.

- I needed you back then, Dad.

I'm not sure I could

ever forgive you.

- I didn't expect you would.

Or even think you should.

But if it's okay with you,

I'd like to savor you being here

all the same.

- Did you get a chance to

look at Daniel's files?

- Yeah.

- And?

- I guess we'd better

wake Daniel.

- It's not the government

that's following you.

Who is it then?

For thousands of years,

human beings have been

the dominant species

on this planet.

But that's no longer the case.

About seven years ago,

a team of engineers developed

the first artificial

consciousness.

We were strict about not

allowing the AI access

to the internet.

But the engineers couldn't

resist seeing their work's

full potential.

They decided to smuggle

a network hub into the lab.

But as soon as the AI

was online,

it stopped communicating.

Come on.

How did you

know about all this?

- Because I was the senior

safety engineer on the project.

Soon after that,

the NSA shut us down.

Scattered engineers across

other projects and...

forced me into retirement.

- Why didn't you tell me this?

- I never talked about this

outside the lab. Not to anyone.

Not even to your mother.

But I continued my work.

I even designed a virus to

attack its foundational design.

But I got stuck

on the motivation problem.

What kind of virus?

- Here.

Have a look for yourself.

Cool.

What was

the motivation problem

you were stuck on?

- It was like I was trying

to set a bear trap,

but I don't know what a bear

likes to eat.

Or if the bear eats at all.

For years, the artificial

intelligence did nothing.

Why did your email change that?

I knew it was AI.

No, you didn't.

- Yeah, cause um, when the page

requests were so high,

I thought--

- You're just trying

to show off.

- No, I'm not!

- Does the AGI view

959 as a threat?

Maybe.

Maybe a threat to us,

maybe a threat to itself.

Not sure.

- So, that's it for us?

We're not in charge anymore?

- It seems the golden age

of humanity

has come to an unceremonious

end.

But you're left with

a difficult choice.

To either let an artificial

general intelligence subsume

control over our planet, or...

send a signal to the stars

in hopes of a better future.

- That's not our

decision to make.

- Maybe not.

But no one else knows

what's out there.

- This can't really be

happening, right?

I mean, this is so surreal.

- I know.

Any lean on what you think

we should be doing?

- I don't think we should

send the signal.

There are too many unknowns

with an alien civilization,

and when it comes to AGI,

it's something we created.

So, we might be able to

have an understanding.

- Strange, I don't feel like

I understand it at all,

and I don't feel like

there's been much room

for a conversation.

- We haven't really tried.

- Yeah, it bombed our house.

- It bombed the shed.

And it's been following

us, but hasn't hurt us.

For all we know,

it's trying to protect us.

- I don't know, I have a lot of

trouble trusting some robot

my dad helped build.

- I think robot seems

a little derisive.

- You know, it's strange. I had

the exact opposite instinct.

If we had to choose between AGI

and 959,

which one offers us the most

hope for the future

of our ecosphere?

Not just for human beings,

but for all living beings.

- When it comes to an alien

civilization,

we have zero information

to go on.

Where in seven years, the AGI,

that horse, the crickets,

the trees, they don't seem to be

affected by any of this.

The natural world is continuing

on

as if nothing happened at all.

If we send an SOS into space,

Michelle...

the range of possibilities

becomes infinite,

including a space w*r,

which we will most surely lose.

- 959 hasn't blown themselves

up,

or trashed their ecosystem

the way we have.

They have survived

and cooperated harmoniously,

long enough to build Dyson

spheres.

That requires a cultural

evolution

that we lack as humans.

- What about ants?

They're efficient builders.

Would you call them culturally

evolved?

- You know, you're looking for

the path that's most likely

to take us back to the world

the way it was.

- Of course I am.

- I'm not looking for the best

path back.

I'm looking for the best path,

period.

- That is a giant gamble

when...

when you're risking

the entire knowable world.

- I don't think it's any riskier

than letting AGI take over.

- We just can't know.

- No.

We're just gonna have to guess.

And quickly.

In 16 hours, 959 will orbit

behind its star,

and we lose the ability to send

a signal to it for two years.

- Hey.

Hey.

- Before we go, can

I ask you something?

- Yeah, what's up?

- Um, I was thinking a lot...

about what we talked about

last night.

- Yeah, I've been thinking

a lot about it, too.

- It doesn't matter to me

what we choose.

I stayed up all night going

back and forth on it and I...

I realize...

all that matters is spending

the rest of my life with you.

So, hoping against all odds...

that you'll marry me.

- Daniel.

Daniel, I'm--

- I love you more than

anything in this world.

- Yeah, I love you, too.

You're still the same guy

that I met in college. But...

...for us to have a future,

you'd have to evolve.

- I will. I'll change.

- You always say that.

- I'm gonna prove it this time.

- Oh yeah?

- Yeah.

- All right, ask me then.

Where are we going?

Greenbank,

West Virigina.

There's a transmitting telescope

we can use

to send a signal to 959.

But it's an abandoned government

facility.

So, it's going to have

redundant power

through generators and solar.

We're not going to be able

to make it in

without being detected.

- And the nearest air base to

Greenbank is in Washington,

so once we trip the alarm,

we'll have only 12 minutes

before the bombers could arrive.

Uh, guys?

What are those?

- Weather balloons.

Doing what?

- Probably looking for us.

- Everyone hold on.

- All right, you guys stay

put. We'll be right back.

There.

- Ming!

What do you think

the AI even wants?

Bear trap.

- Thanks.

- I think this might

actually work.

- What might work?

Tell me what you're doing.

- You gave me an idea.

Oh, yes!

Okay.

- Okay, give me a second.

Okay, you can give

me the coordinates.

- Horizontally at 127 degrees,

vertically 136.

Gramps couldn't trap

the AI

because he didn't know

what motivated it.

But if this all started

from an email Dad sent,

I'm pretty sure the AGI would be

curious about any file I send

from his inbox.

And if I send a collapsing zip

file with Gramps's virus inside,

it could corrupt any program

that tries to read it.

We'll hide that corruption

behind another zip file.

- So?

- If this AI opens this

attachment,

this could freeze

the whole network.

- I don't totally understand,

but sounds like you should

do it.

Okay, you can turn

the transmitter on.

Narrow the focus.

The AI might still

be scraping emails.

Damn!

No signal.

- I don't think we should.

- We have to try.

What happened

to the power?

- Electrical box blew a fuse.

- Here. Use this to

bypass the fuse.

One bar.

Francois, look!

- Daniel.

- They're early.

- Two bars. I'm connecting.

- They knew we were coming.

Three minutes.

- And send.

- Think it worked?

- Yeah!

- It worked!

- We did it.

- Oh, my God!

- Okay.

- Wait.

Look.

It's sort

of beautiful.

- Oh, my God.

What just happened?

- Francois? Maddy?

- Where's Maddy?

- Francois?

- You did it?

- I'm so proud of you!

- What happened?

- We just did it!

- Hey, are you okay?

- Yeah, I'm okay!

Did you see the bombers explode?

- Yes, I saw the bombers.

That was incredible!

Did you two just save humanity?

It was awesome.

So fun!

Were you driving?

Yeah. Can I do it

again?

- Absolutely not.

- I figured the D

was for drive,

but I really had to force it

there.

- Oh, dear God.

I'm so proud of you both.

You guys are heroes. Gimme five.

So good!

- You... you have to show me

how you do that.

- Yeah, come on.

Please be advised,

the US Government

has communication again,

and is taking extreme measures

to prevent another unknown

digital attack

on our infrastructure.

The government agencies and

corporations are in the process

of decommissioning

all data centers.

Already being coined The Great

Unplug of the 21st Century.

Humanity may need to return

to an agrarian existence

for a period.

At this time, remember

to reclaim and to reconfirm.

- Humans are in control again.

Just gonna keep making the same

mistakes we always do.

- Maybe we can learn from this.

Maybe we can change.

- Yeah, we always say that.

I don't want to go back

to the way things were.

- Me neither.