History Recap / TheTwilightZone1985S1E20

-->'''Norma''': Wait, someone ''else?''.

Dr. Joseph Fitzgerald is a historian from the year 2172 who has traveled back in time and assumed the identity of an instructor at Harvard from 1960 to 1963 to study the times of the UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy administration. In the privacy of his office, he is visited by his colleague Dr. Kate Wang, where they discuss his mission. Fitzgerald is somewhat disturbed at the thought of witnessing Kennedy's assassination which will take place the following day, especially since not only has he researched him in detail (even getting to meet him once) but Kennedy is also his ancestor. Kate then notices Fitzgerald's "good luck charm", a half dollar coin with Kennedy's profile marked 1964, and rightfully points out its anachronistic nature, which Fitzgerald dismisses. Kate then returns to the future while saying something in Chinese which Fitzgerald doesn't understand.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy is a major character while UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson appears briefly. Nikita Krushchev plays an important off-screen role.

One clean background check later, Livingstone takes Fitzgeral to meet Kennedy himself. Kennedy expresses his gratitude to Fitzgerald and invites him over to dinner at the White House. UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson arrives to say he'll stay behind to deal with a crisis caused by two tornadoes that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Kennedy and Fitzgerald have a nice chat in Air Force One where Kennedy reminisces about his life and what he learned, which causes Fitzgerald to comment on how the former is ahead of his time. They are then interrupted by a call from Secretary [=MacNamara=] and the information that Oswald has been captured by Dallas Police. Fitzgerald starts fiddling with his coin which he then absentmindedly drops and it rolls towards Livingstone, who picks it up and looks at it with suspicion. Kennedy returns and informs Fitzgerald that Soviet forces have captured West Berlin and are demanding that the U.S. pull out from the rest of Germany. Fitzgerald remarks that [[UsefulNotes/NikitaKhrushchev Khrushchev]] would never do such a thing and Kennedy replies that Khrushchev was assassinated earlier in the day, shocking Fitzgerald.

-->'''Fitzgerald''': Oh dear God...WhatHaveIDone?

They summon Fitzgerald and Kennedy angrily demands to know where he got the coin. Fitzgerald explains it's been in his family for 200 years and demonstrates his camera's use to prove he's a historian from the future. Kennedy then guesses Fitzgerald is a descendant of his, which he admits. Kennedy asks why choose this period in particular, was it to observe his reaction to the crisis? Fitzgerald replies he didn't know about it which stumps Kennedy until he looks at the coin again and notices the year: 1964. He then figures out the truth: Kennedy was supposed to die, none of the subsequent events were supposed to happen and the current crisis will lead to the end of the world. He also guesses that the only way to fix this is to go back and get shot. Kennedy begs Fitzgerald to send him back and the latter tearfully prepares to give Kennedy the time travel watch...but then changes his mind and gives him his emergency recall ring, which sends Kennedy to Fitzgerald's time period. He explains to Ray that they are going back...but they're going to make a few changes. We then cut back to Dealey Plaza... only now Fitzgerald beams to Kennedy's place in the motorcade at the last minute, and is fatally shot by Oswald.

MeanwhileInTheFuture of 2172, a Harvard instructor is shown giving a speech implicitly lauding Fitzgerald's sacrifice and the sacrifices of other honorable men like him. The camera pans to the instructor, revealing him to be none other than John F. Kennedy.

Arthur arrives late at night and Norma, who has stayed awake all this time, fills him in. Naturally they find the situation absurd, and wonder if it's some sort of survey to see who will and who won't push it. However, Norma then suggests they push the button since they need the money while Arthur is against it. Norma argues that thousands die every day all over the world and that the person who dies can be some random Chinese peasant or a cancer patient. Arthur points out it could be someone's new born baby. He then takes apart the bottom of the box and they find that the inside is completely empty. Arthur throws the box in a dumpster.

Mr. Steward later arrives to retrieve the box, and gives the Lewises a briefcase with the money. He also confirms that yes, someone did die. Norma then asks what's going to happen now...

The episode ends with a close up on Norma's terrified face as Steward walks away.

* LaserGuidedKarma: Norma pushes the button, causing the death of somebody she doesn't know...and then Steward tells her that the button will be offered next to someone ''she'' doesn't know.

* SadisticChoice: Be responsible for someone's death, or lose out on a briefcase full of money that you could definitely use.

Dr. Joseph Fitzgerald is a historian from the year 2172 who has traveled back in time and assumed the identity of an instructor at Harvard from 1960 to 1963 to study the times of the UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy administration. In the privacy of his office, he is visited by his colleague Dr. Kate Wang, where they discuss his mission. Fitzgerald is somewhat disturbed at the thought of witnessing Kennedy's assassination which will take place the following day, especially since not only has he researched him in detail (even getting to meet him once) but Kennedy is also his ancestor. Kate remarks that Fitzgerald doesn't have to go to Dallas but he is committed to seeing the project through. Kate then notices Fitzgerald's "good luck charm", a half dollar coin with Kennedy's profile marked 1964, and rightfully points out its anachronistic nature, which Fitzgerald dismisses. Kate then says goodbye to Fitzgerald and returns to the future while saying something in Chinese which Fitzgerald doesn't understand. Fitzgerald decides to get it over with and uses his wrist mounted time machine to transport himself to Dealey Plaza the following day.

Fitzgerald films the President's arrival with his future holographic camera (disguised as a regular camera of the time period). When he films the upper floor of the Dallas Book Repository and spots Lee Harvey Oswald getting ready to take the shot, Fitzgerald cannot contain himself and screams at Kennedy to get down. Kennedy and the First Lady do so, causing Oswald to miss. A Secret Service Agent takes Fitzgerald into custody while the latter recoils in horror over what he just did.

The agent, Ray Livingstone, informs Fitzgerald that his background check is clean (apparently Robert [=MacNamara=] is a fan of his articles) and that they are going to meet Kennedy himself. Kennedy expresses his gratitude to Fitzgerald and invites him over to dinner at the White House. UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson arrives to say he'll stay behind to deal with a crisis caused by two tornadoes that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Kennedy and Fitzgerald have a nice chat in Air Force One where Kennedy reminisces about his life and what he learned, which causes Fitzgerald to comment on how the former is ahead of his time. They are then interrupted by a call from Secretary [=MacNamara=] and the information that Oswald has been captured by Dallas Police. Fitzgerald starts fiddling with his coin which he then absentmindedly drops and it rolls towards Livingstone, who picks it up and looks at it with suspicion. Kennedy returns and informs Fitzgerald that Soviet forces have captured West Berlin and are demanding that the U.S. pull out from the rest of Germany. Fitzgerald remarks that [[UsefulNotes/NikitaKhrushchev Khrushchev]] would never do such a thing and Kennedy replies that Khrushchev was assassinated earlier in the day, shocking Fitzgerald.

Meanwhile, Livingstone has taken Fitzgerald's coin to an expert who remarks it's the most perfect counterfeit he has ever seen. And it HAS to be a counterfeit since it's illegal under U.S. law to depict a living person in currency. Livingstone also remarks that despite Fitzgerald having "all the right papers in all the right places", the latter couldn't find anyone who knew the former before he started teaching at Harvard. Adding that to the fact that he was in the right place at the right time, has three of the President's family names and even looks like he could be a relative of Kennedy, Livingstone strongly suspects Fitzgerald to be a Soviet sleeper agent.

Fitzgerald's body is then examined by Dr. Kate, who reveals to Ray that she's also from the future... even farther than Fitzgerald's, and that she knew that he would sacrifice himself. Ray expresses concern that his memories might change the future but she assures him that "[[YouAlreadyChangedThePast Even the act of traveling in time is part of history]]" and that everything is OK. She also repeats the sentence in Chinese she told Fitzgerald at the beginning and translates it: "Goodbye, old friend... Goodbye."

Arthur arrives late at night and Norma, who has stayed awake all this time, fills him in. Naturally they find the situation absurd, and wonder if it's some sort of survey to see who will and who won't push it. However, Norma then suggests they push the button since they need the money while Arthur is against it. Norma argues that thousands die every day all over the world and that the person who dies can be some random Chinese peasant or a cancer patient. Arthur points out it could be someone's new born baby. He then takes apart the bottom of the box and they find that the inside is completely empty. He then throws the box in a dumpster.

* AdaptationExpansion: This story would be later adapted into the full length feature film ''Film/TheBox'' in 2009.

Dr. Joseph Fitzgerald is an historian from the year 2172 who has traveled back in time and assumed the identity of an instructor at Harvard from 1960 to 1963 to study the times of the UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy administration. In the privacy of his office, he is visited by his colleague Dr. Kate Wang, where they discuss his mission. Fitzgerald is somewhat disturbed at the thought of witnessing Kennedy's assassination which will take place the following day, especially since not only has he researched him in detail (even getting to meet him once) but Kennedy is also his ancestor. Kate remarks that Fitzgerald doesn't have to go to Dallas but he is committed to seeing the project through. Kate then notices Fitzgerald's "good luck charm", a half dollar coin with Kennedy's profile marked 1964, and rightfully points out its anachronistic nature, which Fitzgerald dismisses. Kate then says goodbye to Fitzgerald and returns to the future while saying something in Chinese which Fitzgerald doesn't understand. Fitzgerald decides to get it over with and uses his wrist mounted time machine to transport himself to Dealey Plaza the following day.

They summon Fitzgerald and Kennedy angrily demands to know where he got the coin. Fitzgerald explains it's been in his family for 200 years and demonstrates his camera's use to prove he's an historian from the future. Kennedy then guesses Fitzgerald is a descendant of his, which he admits. Kennedy asks why choose this period in particular, was it to observe his reaction to the crisis? Fitzgerald replies he didn't know about it which stumps Kennedy until he looks at the coin again and notices the year: 1964. He then figures out the truth: Kennedy was supposed to die, none of the subsequent events were supposed to happen and the current crisis will lead to the end of the world. He also guesses that the only way to fix this is to go back and get shot. Kennedy begs Fitzgerald to send him back and the latter tearfully prepares to give Kennedy the time travel watch...but then changes his mind and gives him his emergency recall ring, which sends Kennedy to Fitzgerald's time period. He explains to Ray that they are going back...but they're going to make a few changes. We then cut back to Dealey Plaza... only now Fitzgerald beams to Kennedy's place in the motorcade at the last minute, and is fatally shot by Oswald.

Dr. Joseph Fitzgerald is an historian from the year 2172 who has traveled back in time and assumed the identity of an instructor at Harvard from 1960 to 1963 to study the times of the UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy administration. In the privacy of his office, he is visited by his colleague Dr. Kate Wang, where they discuss his mission. Fitzgerald is somewhat disturbed at the thought of witnessing Kennedy's assassination which will take place the following day, especially since not only has he researched him in detail (even getting to meet him once) but Kennedy is also his ancestor. Kate remarks that Fitzgerald doesn't have to go to Dallas but he is committed on seeing the project through. Kate then notices Fitzgerald's "good luck charm", a half dollar coin with Kennedy's profile marked 1964, and rightfully points out its anachronisticity, which Fitzgerald dismisses. Kate then says goodbye to Fitzgerald and returns to the future while saying something in Chinese which Fitzgerald doesn't understand. Fitzgerald decides to get it over with and uses his wrist mounted time machine to transport himself to Dealey Plaza the following day.

The agent, Ray Livingstone, informs Fitzgerald that his background check is clean (apparently Robert [=MacNamara=] is a fan of his articles) and that they are going to meet Kennedy himself. Kennedy expresses his gratitude to Fitzgerald and invites him over to dinner at the White House. UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson arrives to say he'll stay behind to deal with a crisis caused by two tornadoes that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Kennedy and Fitzgerald have a nice chat in Air Force One where Kennedy reminisces about his life and what he learned, which causes Fitzgerald to comment on how the former is ahead of his time. They are then interrupted by a call from Secretary [=MacNamara=] and the information that Oswald has been captured by Dallas Police. Fitzgerald starts fiddling with his coin which he then absentmindedly drops and it rolls towards Livingstone, who picks it up and looks at it with suspicion. Kennedy returns and informs Fitzgerald that Soviet forces have captured West Berlin and are demanding that the U.S. pull out from the rest of Germany. Fitzgerald remarks that [[HistoryOfTheUSSR Khrushchev]] would never do such a thing and Kennedy replies that Khrushchev was assassinated earlier in the day, shocking Fitzgerald.

Arthur arrives late at night and Norma, who has stayed awake all this time, fills him in. Naturally they the situation absurd, and wonder if it's some sort of survey to see who will and who won't push it. However, Norma then suggests they push the button since they need the money while Arthur is against it. Norma argues that thousands die every day all over the world and that the person who dies can be some random Chinese peasant or a cancer patient. Arthur points out it could be someone's new born baby. He then takes apart the bottom of the box and they find that the inside is completely empty. He then throws the box in a dumpster.

Even though the dinner is obviously cancelled, Kennedy insists that Fitzgerald stay at the White House overnight as a security precaution. Fitzgerald asks about his camera and Livingstone claims Fitzgerald must have left it on Air Force One but it will be returned to him. Fitzgerald consults his time machine computer who relates that the tornadoes and Khrushchev's assassination were caused by the timeline futile attempts to undo the "massive rips in spacetime" caused by Fitzgerald's intervention. Fitzgerald asks for a "best and worse case scenario" for the timeline and the results are grim:

!!''Button, Button'' contains the following tropes:

* SchmuckBait: A couple is given a box with a button on it. They're warned that if they push the button they'll receive $200,000, and a person they don't know will die. They finally push the button and receive the money. Then they're told that the box will be re-programmed and given to someone they don't know.

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This episode contains the following tropes:

Dr. Joseph Fitzgerald is an historian from the year 2172 who has traveled back in time and assumed the identity of an instructor at Harvard from 1960 to 1963 to study the times of the JohnFKennedy administration. In the privacy of his office, he is visited by his colleague Dr. Kate Wang, where they discuss his mission. Fitzgerald is somewhat disturbed at the thought of witnessing Kennedy's assassination which will take place the following day, especially since not only has he researched him in detail (even getting to meet him once) but Kennedy is also his ancestor. Kate remarks that Fitzgerald doesn't have to go to Dallas but he is committed on seeing the project through. Kate then notices Fitzgerald's "good luck charm", a half dollar coin with Kennedy's profile marked 1964, and rightfully points out its anachronisticity, which Fitzgerald dismisses. Kate then says goodbye to Fitzgerald and returns to the future while saying something in Chinese which Fitzgerald doesn't understand. Fitzgerald decides to get it over with and uses his wrist mounted time machine to transport himself to Dealey Plaza the following day.

The agent, Ray Livingstone, informs Fitzgerald that his background check is clean (apparently Robert [=MacNamara=] is a fan of his articles) and that they are going to meet Kennedy himself. Kennedy expresses his gratitude to Fitzgerald and invites him over to dinner at the White House. LyndonJohnson arrives to say he'll stay behind to deal with a crisis caused by two tornadoes that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Kennedy and Fitzgerald have a nice chat in Air Force One where Kennedy reminisces about his life and what he learned, which causes Fitzgerald to comment on how the former is ahead of his time. They are then interrupted by a call from Secretary [=MacNamara=] and the information that Oswald has been captured by Dallas Police. Fitzgerald starts fiddling with his coin which he then absentmindedly drops and it rolls towards Livingstone, who picks it up and looks at it with suspicion. Kennedy returns and informs Fitzgerald that Soviet forces have captured West Berlin and are demanding that the U.S. pull out from the rest of Germany. Fitzgerald remarks that [[HistoryOfTheUSSR Khrushchev]] would never do such a thing and Kennedy replies that Khrushchev was assassinated earlier in the day, shocking Fitzgerald.

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* HenpeckedHusband: Arthur.

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* SadisticChoice: Be responsible for someone's death, or lose out on a briefcase full of money that you could definitely use.

!! This episode contains the following tropes:

The episode ends with a close up on Norma's terrified face as Steward walks away.

-->'''Fitzgerald''': ...[[MortonsFork total annihilation of biosphere]]. Since timeline is not viable, give me all options for repairing the original timeline.

They summon Fitzgerald and Kennedy angrily demands to know where he got the coin. Fitzgerald explains it's been in his family for 200 years and demonstrates his camera's use to prove he's an historian from the future. Kennedy then guesses Fitzgerald is a descendant of his, which he admits. Kennedy asks why choose this period in particular, was it to observe his reaction to the crisis? Fitzgerald replies he didn't know about it which stumps Kennedy until he looks at the coin again and notices the year: 1964. He then figures out the truth: Kennedy was supposed to die, none of the subsequent events were supposed to happen and the current crisis will lead to the end of the world. He also guesses that the only way to fix this is to go back and get shot. Kennedy begs Fitzgerald to send him back and the latter tearfully prepares to give Kennedy the time travel watch...but then changes his mind and gives him his emergency recall ring, which sends Kennedy to Fitzgerald's time period. He explains to Ray that they are going back...but they're going to make a few changes. We then cut back to Dealey Plaza... only now Fitzgerald takes Kennedy's place in the motorcade, and is killed by Oswald.

Livingstone takes these suspicions to Kennedy who is skeptical, pointing out that it doesn't make sense for a Soviet agent to carry around a coin with Kennedy's face on it. Livingstone adds that Fitzgerald's camera was inspected by metallurgists who discovered that it's made of some unknown alloy stronger than steel and impervious to X-Rays. They summon Fitzgerald and

Kennedy angrily demands to know where he got the coin. Fitzgerald explains it's been in his family for 200 years and demonstrates his camera's use to prove he's an historian from the future. Kennedy then guesses Fitzgerald is a descendant of his, which he admits. Kennedy asks why choose this period in particular, was it to observe his reaction to the crisis? Fitzgerald replies he didn't know about it which stumps Kennedy until he looks at the coin again and notices the year: 1964. He then figures out the truth: Kennedy was supposed to die, none of the subsequent events were supposed to happen and the current crisis will lead to the end of the world. He also guesses that the only way to fix this is to go back and get shot. Kennedy begs Fitzgerald to send him back and the latter tearfully prepares to give Kennedy the time travel watch...but then changes his mind and gives him his emergency recall ring, which sends Kennedy to Fitzgerald's time period. He explains to Ray that they are going back...but they're going to make a few changes. We then cut back to Dealey Plaza... only now Fitzgerald takes Kennedy's place in the motorcade, and is killed by Oswald.

Mr. Steward later arrives to retrieve the box, and gives the Lewis' a briefcase with the money. He also confirms that yes, someone did die. Norma then asks what's going to happen now...

Meanwhile, Livingstone has taken Fitzgerald's coin to an expert who remarks it's the most perfect counterfeit he has ever seen. And it HAS to be a counterfeit since it's illegal under U.S. law to depict a living person in currency. Livingstone also remarks that despite Fitzgerald having "all the right papers in all the right places", the latter couldn't find anyone who knew the former before he started teaching at Harvard. Adding that to the fact that he was in the right place at the right time, has three of the President's family names and even looks like he could be a relative of Kennedy, Livingstone strongly suspects Fitzgerald could be a Soviet sleeper agent.