seaQuest DSV episode
"Splashdown"
Captain Bridger and the crew of the seaQuest are taken against their will to the far distant planet Hyperion and face their toughest challenge yet in "Splashdown."
Episode no.	45
Prod. code	221
Airdate	May 21, 1995
Writer(s)	Carelton Eastlake
Director	Anson Williams
Guest star(s)	Mark Hamill Kent McCord
Year	2022
Episode chronology
Previous episode	"Blindsided"
Next episode	"Brave New World"

"Splashdown" was the final episode of seaQuest DSV`s second season. It was originally shown on May 21, 1995, however, due to a preemption by NBC, it was not aired as the final episode of the season. The preceding episode, "Blindsided", was later aired on September 13, 1995, which makes for severe continuity gaffes. This is the complete list of seaQuest DSV episodes. ... Image File history File links Seaquest221. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Screenwriters, scenarists or script writers, are authors who write the screenplays from which movies and television programs are made. ... A television director is usually responsible for directing the actors and other taped aspects of a television production. ... Anson Williams is an actor and director born on September 25, 1952 in Los Angeles, California. ... Mark Richard Hamill (born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and voice actor. ... Kent McCord (born Kent Franklin McWhirter on September 26, 1942 in Los Angeles, California) is an American actor. ... A year is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... Brave New World was the first episode of seaQuest DSV`s third season, now under the new title of It was originally shown on September 20, 1995. ... seaQuest DSV was an American science fiction television series created by Rockne S. OBannon. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... NBC, (Formerly an acronym for the National Broadcasting Company until 2004), is an American television and radio network based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

This episode is one of the most notorious of the entire series. Among other things, it features the final regular appearances of Dr. Wendy Smith, Sensor Chief Miguel Ortiz, and Captain Nathan Bridger as Rosalind Allen (Smith) had been released from her contract after her character proved unpopular with viewers. Marco Sanchez (Ortiz) was released because NBC wished to reduce the number of cast members for the following season. Roy Scheider had been very vocal about his displeasure with the show's new direction in the second season and requested to exit the show. This episode also features the (apparent) destruction of the seaQuest DSV II; with the first ship having been destroyed in the first season finale. This is also the only cliffhanger in the series. Rosalind Allen as Dr. Wendy Smith Dr. Wendy Smith was a character on the television series seaQuest DSV, played by Rosalind Allen. ... Roy Scheider as Captain Nathan Bridger Captain Nathan Hale Bridger was a character on the television series seaQuest DSV and was played by Roy Scheider. ... Marco Sanchez (born January 9, 1970) is an American actor of Cuban descent. ... Roy Richard Scheider (born November 10, 1932) is an American actor. ... UEO seaQuest DSV 4600 The UEO seaQuest DSV 4600 and the UEO seaQuest DSV 4600-II are the two titular submarines featured in the science fiction television series seaQuest DSV, which ran for three seasons on NBC from 1993-1996. ... A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in which a movie, novel, or other work of fiction contains an abrupt ending, often leaving the main characters in a precarious or difficult situation. ...

Quick Overview: When the image of Commander Scott Keller pleads with the seaQuest to meet him at the "Christmas Tree Trench", an enormous alien starship draws the boat from the water with a tractor beam and transports the crew millions of light years away to the planet Hyperion; a planet consumed in civil war; a war that may result in the destruction of the seaQuest and the death of the entire crew.

Overview

Previously on "seaQuest DSV", while investigating a mysterious comet that crashed into the sea, the seaQuest was impregnated by a vicious alien that attacked the crew. Impersonating Lieutenant Henderson, the alien stole a sea launch and took it to find Professor Tobias LeConte, a blind genius who taught at a university and a personal friend of Captain Bridger and Commander Scott Keller. When Commander Ford and Lieutenant Brody caught up with the Henderson alien trying to kill Tobias, they are shocked to find that Tobias is an alien in disguise as well. Tobias claims he comes from the planet Hyperion, a planet forever at war with itself and its neighbours; a planet of conquest. Tobias' anti-expansion philosophies branded him a traitor, for which he was sentenced to death. The Stormer, the alien that impregnated the seaQuest was in fact a bounty hunter sent to kill him. Tobias is able to kill the Stormer, but realizes that others will be sent after him and must leave Earth to protect the human race. Before departing, he asks that Scott accompany him to find new worlds. Scott agrees and the two set off into interstellar space, leaving Captain Bridger and Lucas to wonder if they'll ever come back. seaQuest DSV was an American science fiction television series created by Rockne S. OBannon. ... Jonathan Brandis as Lucas Wolenczak Lucas Wolenczak (later Ensign Lucas Wolenczak) was a character on the television series seaQuest DSV, played by the late Jonathan Brandis. ...

While trying to get Darwin to identify some unknown fish, Lucas is stunned to see the image of Scott Keller appear before him. Scott pleads with the crew for help and requests that they meet him at the "Christmas Tree" as fast as they can.

Captain Bridger orders the seaQuest to the right location, that being the Tonga Trench; Ford and Keller having nicknamed it the "Christmas Tree" the previous year when the original seaQuest rescued Scott's Mars probe. Upon arrival, Lieutenant O'Neill reports that no signal can be sent out; as if the ship's communication system was being jammed. Before the crew can investigate, it is suddenly rocked. With the ship's systems crashing, the WSKRS reveal that an enormous alien starship has locked onto the seaQuest with a tractor beam which draws the UEO flagship from the sea and into their ship. With the boat in their clutches, the aliens warp away from Earth. The Tonga Trench is located in the Pacific ocean and is 32,000 ft (9,900 m) deep. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... WSKRS (pronounced whiskers) is an acronym which stands for Wireless Seeing Knowledge Retrieval Satellites. They are submerged mobile sensor probes used by the SeaQuest DSV in the science-fiction series SeaQuest DSV. ... The fictional starship Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) from Star Trek: The Next Generation. ... A tractor beam is a hypothetical device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance. ...

On the seaQuest bridge, O'Neill receives a signal. When he puts it on the viewscreen, the crew is stunned at what they see; that of an alien world and the alien ship taking them into it. The aliens deposit seaQuest into the alien water and Bridger orders the boat to dive to the bottom. But, before the seaQuest can get their bearings, an alien submarine docks with their launch bay.

Rushing to the launch bay, Bridger and the crew are relieved to see the face of Tobias LeConte, the university professor who was in fact an alien in disguise who helped the crew fight an alien invader earlier in the year. Tobias welcomes the crew to the planet Hyperion and introduces them to some of the planet's natives, who beg for the crew's help.

Tobias explains that Hyperion is in a state of civil war, with the ruling party, the KrayTaks planning to wipe out the rebels with the use of a comet that they plan to crash into their colony. Bridger wonders why they could possibly need the seaQuest's help, seeing as how the Hyperion natives clearly have more advanced technology, however, the natives explain that Hyperion was formerly a desert world with no underwater technology; which makes seaQuest as alien to them as their ship is to the seaQuest crew. Comet Hale-Bopp For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ...

The crew is not entirely sure of what to make of the situation, but they quickly come under attack by a ship that Tobias calls a "Kaden"; a warrior submarine. Bridger declares the ship hostile and seaQuest destroys them. A message is sent to the boat with a Stormer claiming that he has a gift for the crew; that being Scott, held hostage. Before Bridger can bargain for his release, the Stormer executes Scott.

Bridger is crushed and feels obligated to help Tobias' rebellion. The Hyperion natives claim they want seaQuest to defend their starship against underwater attack while they use their tractor beams on their ship to tear the comet apart; the debris would scatter the KrayTak space station out of orbit and destroy their hold over the planet.

Lucas is not entirely convinced, however, feeling that everything looks "improvised, but not quite fitting together"; as if everything was more alien than it appears to be. Bridger orders Piccolo and Darwin to investigate the wreckage of the Kaden ship they torpedoed earlier to find some kind of communications device. However, Piccolo and Darwin find more than they bargained for; they find Scott, the real Scott, among the wreckage, running out of air in an environmental suit.

Dr. Smith scans him and finds that he's the real Scott; the execution tape having been faked. Scott explains that seaQuest has been fighting for the wrong side; the Hyperion natives they met earlier were in fact the KrayTaks themselves and they've been using the seaQuest to help them unwittingly crush the rebellion. Scott claims that once the KrayTaks destroy the rebels, they intend to come after Earth. He also claims that the real Tobias has been captured by the KrayTaks and that a Stormer has been impersonating him all along.

The Tobias-clone discovers the real Scott aboard and reverts to his true Stormer appearance. The crew attack him and render him unconscious. They find his communicator and learn that he's been checking in every hour with the KrayTaks. Bridger realizes they must destroy the KrayTaks before they destroy the rebels and seaQuest. He hands over his arming key to Commander Ford and orders him not to surrender the ship.

An away team consisting of Captain Bridger, Scott, Brody, Dr. Smith, Ortiz, Henderson and Piccolo break aboard the KrayTak starship and find the real Tobias held hostage. Tobias claims that there is no time anymore to simply stop the ship; it has become too powerful, and must be destroyed. However, it's destruction would mean that seaQuest would be stranded on Hyperion forever. Bridger puts it to a vote and everyone agrees that the ship must be destroyed.

The team sets explosive charges on the ship's power core and heads back to their shuttle. However, they are ambushed by a group of Stormers and KrayTaks, who open fire on the away team. The crew returns fire, but, in doing-so, they give the Stormers the opportunity to toss explosives into their shuttle, which destroys it, cutting the team off from the seaQuest.

Bridger contacts Ford and orders him to stop the KrayTak ship at all costs. Ford orders Darwin, Lucas and Dagwood to abandon ship in The Stinger. Lucas is reluctant, but Ford begs him to go. Lucas agrees and leaves the bridge. The commander inserts the launch keys and arms the lasers, the torpedoes and the nuclear weapons. As seaQuest heads for the starship, the WSKRS detect a massive barrier mine aiming for them. The weapon is launched and the seaQuest cannot evade it; it takes a direct hit in the forward ventral and does down hard and fast. The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the epicenter. ...

Bridger tries to regain contact with his ship, but there is no response. In a last hope, he calls out to Lucas who responds. Lucas wants to come back to save Bridger, but the captain tells him there's nothing he can do. When he inquires as to seaQuest's fate, Lucas sadly informs him that the ship has been destroyed. Knowing that the away team is doomed, he says his farewells to Lucas and requests that he tell those who will listen the fate of their crew and ship. Bridger pulls out the detonator and activates the charges; destroying the ship's core and taking the ship with it. Lucas watches on from The Stinger in horror and disbelief; his home and his captain are gone.

On the Hyperion surface, Dagwood and Lucas sit in a lifeboat as Darwin swims beside them. Lucas realizes that since the comet passed over Hyperion without hitting the planet, it means that the rebels have won. Dagwood is uncertain as to what all this means, but Lucas knows; however, he reassures Dagwood that the entire crew of the seaQuest can't be dead. He intends to find fuel for The Stinger and search the sea for survivors. Dagwood wonders what will happen if they don't find any of their crew. All Lucas can suggest is that they help the rebels rebuild their world with the hope that someday they'll be able to return to Earth.

Trivia

• Lucas guesses that seaQuest makes a "hyperspace jump"; the mode of transportation used in the Star Wars movies, and the "Babylon 5" TV series.
• Once again, with the seaQuest destroyed, The Stinger is the only remnant of the ship to survive its destruction. Captain Bridger survived with The Stinger in "Higher Power."
• When the Stormer ends the execution tape being sent to seaQuest, the traditional UEO logo doesn't appear on the screen, reinforcing the fact that the seaQuest isn't on Earth anymore.

The cover of the 2004 DVD widescreen release of the revamped original Star Wars Trilogy. ... Babylon 5 is an epic American science fiction television series created, produced, and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. ... Higher Power was the final episode of seaQuest DSV`s first season. ...

Quotes

• Tony Piccolo: That's fascinating, Lucas. I'll try to remember that the next time I date an ickyologist.
  Lucas: That's icktheologist, Tony.
  Tony Piccolo: Not where I'm from.

• Captain Bridger: Whatever you do, don't surrender the seaQuest.

• Lieutenant Brody: You're putting this to a vote? In the navy?
  Captain Bridger: You're not in the navy now.

• Captain Bridger: Lucas, Lucas can you hear me?
  Lucas: I hear you, Captain. I'm coming back.
  Captain Bridger: No, no, there's nothing you can do for us. What's happened to the seaQuest?
  Lucas: (sadly) She's down, Captain. She's been hulled.
  Captain Bridger: (in shock) We've had it, kiddo. You're on your own now, Lucas. Just don't let them take away what you believe. Do you understand me? Not what you believe! You tell them what's happened here today!

• Lucas: They can't all be dead, Dagwood, okay? They can't be dead. We'll find them. I swear to God, we'll find them.
  Dagwood: And if we don't?
  Lucas: Then we'll rebuild here. Someday we'll carry their story back to Earth.