END OF THE WORLD
by William Welch & Peter Germano
Tony and Doug land in an American town at the time of Halley's
Comet, then have to convince a panicked populace that the world is
not coming to an end.
Tony and Doug spin out of the time vortex into a mine shaft just at the moment
when an explosion collapses part of the mine - the year is 1910. Tony, caught
between cave-ins, is sealed into a short length of the tunnel, while dirt and
debris trap two hundred miners beyond. Doug rushes to the mining
superintendent for help only to be greeted by a dour Mr. Henderson
who says it doesn’t matter anyway, as he points to a giant comet, seemingly
headed straight for the earth. Back at the Time Tunnel, Ann and Dr. Swain
confirm the object as being Halley's Comet, but that means nothing to
Henderson who's convinced the world is coming to an end. Doug digs Tony out
himself, as a rumbling shake announces further collapse inside. Going again to
Henderson for help, the mining superintendent can not be shaken from his
doomed forecast, saying the famed astronomer, Ainsley, has predicted the Comet
will hit. While Tony goes into town to round up men, Doug visits Ainsley. The
town is deserted and Ainsley refuses to reconsider until Doug begins going
over figures with him. At the Time Tunnel, the scientists try to send Doug a
radarscope to help him convince Ainsley; but, the Comet blasts the radarscope
out of the Tunnel. Finding a primitive radioscope, Doug is able to show the
astronomer the otherwise invisible object that will draw the Comet away from
its collision course with earth. By now, Tony, Henderson and the Sheriff are
trying to dig out the trapped miners themselves, as the rest of the
townspeople are gathered on the hillside praying. When Ainsley shows them
his remarkable discovery, demonstrating how the Comet will not hit the
earth, everyone runs to help dig out the miners.
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