Rite of Passage (The Outer Limits)

Infobox Television episode
Title = Rite of Passage
Series = The Outer Limits


Caption =
Season = 4
Episode = 8
Airdate = March 13, 1998
Production = ?
Writer = Chris Dickie
Director = Jimmy Kaufman
Photographer =
Guests = Camille Mitchell, Emmanuelle Vaugier, James Marsden, Boyan Vukelic, Mark Gibbon
Episode list = List of "The Outer Limits" episodes
Prev = Josh
Next = Glyphic

" Rite of Passage" is an episode of "The Outer Limits" television show. It was first broadcast on March 13th, of 1998, during the fourth season.

Opening Narration

:"“Throughout history man has been driven to seek out his origins to determine whether he's the result of a divine plan or merely the sum of all his yesterdays. But what happens if, at the end of his search, he should discover he's neither?”"

Plot

The birth of a child is a joyful event, but for Shal and Brav, two young naive humans who live in a small commune in the woods, it is also a mystery and moment tinged with sadness. After Shal gives birth to a son, the first of the commune to do so, she and the baby are taken away by Mother, a wise alien who acts as a parent to the young people. When the aliens send Shal home without her baby, she asks Brav to help her to rescue the child. With the knowledge Shal has gained from her time with Mother, they break through the protective barrier set up by the aliens to discover a new and fascinating world. It is a dangerous trip, with stinging, snake-like crawlers lurking in the shadows. But, it is also a journey of discovery as Shal and Brav find evidence -- skeletons and body parts -- that lead them to believe that their real parents were killed by the aliens. They find their baby, and after a fight with an alien, escape into the forest. But, they must grapple with some haunting questions. Is Mother a monster or a savior? And, did the aliens destroy mankind or rescue it?

Closing Narration

:"“Every life is a destination unknown, a journey of tragedies and triumphs that ultimately allows us to discover not only our world, but more importantly, ourselves.”"