Episode Guide

• Background
• Cast/Sets
• SFX
• Music
• Science
• Continuity
• Errors
• Observations
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• Transcript
• Images

Seed of Destruction

Year 2 - Episode 13 Writer John Goldsmith Director Kevin Connor

France/Canada Le secret de la caverne The Secret Of The Cavern Germany Das Spiegelwunder The Mirror Wonder Italy Kalthon Japan Planet KALTHON, Seed of Destruction Poland Ziarno zaglady Portugal Semente da Destruição Seed of Destruction Portugal A Semente da Destruição The Seed of Destruction Spain Semilla de destrucciòn

An ice-cold replica of Commander Koenig takes control of the moon -and orders its destruction.

Background

Shooting script dated 25th May 1976. Filmed 7th July- 23rd July 1976

Cast Commander John Koenig Martin Landau Doctor Helena Russell Barbara Bain Maya Catherine Schell Tony Verdeschi Tony Anholt Alan Carter Nick Tate Sandra Benes Zienia Merton Doctor Ben Vincent Jeffrey Kissoon Command Center operatives Robert Reeves, Pam Rose Cranston Martha Nairn Guard Jack Klaff Guard James Leith Other guards Quentin Pierre Astronaut 7 Unit 2 (VO) Unit 3 (VO) Voice of Kalthon Creature Albin Pahernik

Sets Int. Command Centre Int. Medical Centre Int. Maya's Quarters Int. Observation Int. Life Support Section (revamp of Weapons Section) Int. Alpha Corridor Int. Travel Tube Int. Eagle Pilot Section Int. Eagle Passenger Section Ext. Asteroid Cave Mouth Int. Hall Of Mirrors The "Observation" set is the first in Year Two to include windows to the surface (according to publicity the Moonbase had moved underground). There are also windows in the Recreation Center in The Lambda Factor and Seance Spectre.

SFX

The opticals from the firestorm in Catacombs Of The Moon are reused. The DVDs contain an interview from July 1976 with Brian Johnson, showing the storyboards and the setting up of one shot. The shot (scene 73, showing the Eagle from below illuminated green) is not in the final episode.

Music

Science

• The crystal asteroid is perhaps related to a white dwarf, where a small star has collapsed into an inert core of carbon and oxygen, about the size of the Earth but extremely dense. They are also extremely hot, although over time they cool into a black dwarf star. The carbon core of a white dwarf may be an enormous diamond. One variable white dwarf star, BPM 37093 is estimated to be 90% crystalised (of a mass 1.1 times that of the sun), making it the largest known diamond.
• The asteroid has Earth gravity and a "localised atmosphere", suggesting it is very dense. However, it seems unlikely the total power of Moonbase Alpha could regenerate an entire planet.
• The term "black sun" is used again. It is featured in the episode Black Sun and also mentioned in Dragon's Domain.

Continuity

Chronology:

1608 days after leaving Earth orbit (Sat 7 Feb 2004)

Alpha Personnel:

0 fatalities.

Alpha Technology: The fixed laser cannons are seen. They are also in The Metamorph, The Beta Cloud, Bringers Of Wonder part 1 and The Dorcons. The multi-function hatch is shown; here it fires the laser canon. There is a close-up shot of a computer panel clearly marked "Satellites".

Eagles:

Eagle 1 (Koenig, Tony)

• The forward view screen is seen. It is also seen in The A B Chrysalis, Seed Of Destruction, Space Warp, Bringers Of Wonder part 2, The Seance Spectre and Devil's Planet.

Maya transformations: lizard animal (as seen in The Beta Cloud), Cranston

Planets:

None (Kalthon asteroid)

Aliens:

Kalthon seed

Props:

Life Support Section is a minimally changed Weapons Section (among the red panels beyond are the "Life Support Systems Control" panels also seen in the Power Room in The Beta Cloud and Bringers Of Wonder part 1)

The first Moonbase window to be seen in Year 2. Note the gravity tower immediately outside. The dish is presumably the transmitter dish- although the model version does not have the number "3".

Errors

Koenig's Eagle has a booster pod when first seen, then a standard pod subsequently
	Koenig is in the Weapons Section when he calls Weapons.

Observations

The original script had an epilogue in which Koenig's crystal sample is projected into space. Martin Landau also played doppelgangers in the 1973 Columbo episode "Double Shock" (thanks to Chris Moore)

Unusually, Helena isn't wearing her long boots in this shot.

Merchandise:

• Novelised in The Space Jackers by Michael Butterworth published by Star (UK paperback), Warner (US), Bastei (Germany), Mikasa (Japan) and re-edited in Year Two (Powys, 2006).
• UK video: ITC volume 15 (1993)
• US video: Columbia House volume 10 (1997)
• US laserdisc: Image Entertainment volume 22 (1991)
• Japan DVD: Pioneer (2001)
• UK DVD: Carlton (2001)
• France DVD: TF1 (2002)
• Italy DVD: Pulp Video (2005)
• Italy DVD: Collector's Edition Mondo Home (2007)
• Australia DVD: Magna Pacific (2003)
• US DVD: A&E set 7 (2002)

Links

• Images
• Transcript Copyright Martin Willey
• Critics comments Chris Bentley, Anthony McKay, John Kenneth Muir et al
• More observations

External Links