The Light Brigade (The Outer Limits)

Infobox Television episode
Title = The Light Brigade
Series = The Outer Limits


Caption =
Season = 2
Episode = 18
Airdate = 23 June, 1996
Production = 40
Writer = Brad Wright
Director = Michael Keusch
Photographer =
Guests = Robert Patrick as John Skokes, Wil Wheaton as Young Cadet, Graham Greene as Weapons Chief, Adrian Hughes
Episode list = List of "The Outer Limits" episodes
Prev = Paradise
Next = Falling Star

"The Light Brigade" is an episode of "The Outer Limits" television series. It first aired on 23 June, 1996, during the second season.

Introduction

Three soldiers, including repatriated prisoner of war Major John Skokes, are the last survivors of a space battle. Onboard a crippled cruiser they are slowly dying of radiation poisoning... but they are the only remaining chance to launch a strike against the alien enemy.

Opening narration

"Warriors may be forged in the fires of battle but heroes are discovered in the most unlikely of places."

Plot

In this episode, "The Light Brigade" refers to the ship on which the story takes place. This leads the captain of the vessel to read a verse of the original poem to the men before the commencing of their mission. This ship is the last hope of humanity in a war against an alien race. In an attempt to turn the tide of the war, humanity is resorting to a Hiroshima type strike. The "Light Brigade" carries a new bomb to be delivered to the enemy homeworld. This bomb works by breaking down the forces which hold subatomic particles together to form an atom. As with the original atomic bomb, a very limited number were made. The first was tested on one of the Martian moons, and created an explosion of such power that it was daylight on earth for several days.

The "Light Brigade"'s purpose is to deliver this powerful weapon to destroy the enemy homeworld. Unfortunately the aliens ambush the ship, and use their unique methods to trick the survivors of the "Light Brigade" into failing their mission. This feat is achieved by Robert Patrick's character, John Skokes, whose physical likeness has been assumed by an alien spy, leading one to believe the real Skokes died in captivity.

In the closing scene, at huge personal cost, the bomb is released over what the crew believe to be the alien homeworld. It is in fact Earth, and the mission is not only a failure, but the unleashing of the doomsday weapon on an already crippled humanity.

Closing narration

"The greatest horror of war is the fateful transformation of our children into heroes."

Trivia

* The episode is a sequel to the season one episode "Quality of Mercy". Robert Patrick reprises his role as Major John Skokes.

External links

*
* [http://www.scifi.com/outerlimits/episodes/season2/218brigade.html "The Light Brigade (The Outer Limits)"] at Sci Fi