Gravity Storm

"Gravity Storm" is the sixth episode of the second season of the 1970s American television series Land of the Lost. Written by Dick Morgan and directed by Gordon Wiles, it first aired in the United States on October 11, 1975 on NBC. Marvin Miller guest-starred as the Zarn.

Plot

A strange sound causes the Marshalls, the Pakuni, and even the dinosaurs to seize up and collapse in the middle of their activities. Although they quickly recover, the sound strikes again, dragging everyone to the ground as though their weight has increased substantially.

Supposing a connection with the pylons, the Marshalls head in their direction, on the way suffering another attack. The Pakuni run to the Marshalls for an explanation, but another bout floors them and even begins to bend down the trees.

Within the Pylon, the fourth dimensional nodes are flashing unusually actively, and the group is again hit by the force, this time accompanied by flashes of lightning. Will and Rick see that the Skylons are hovering over the Mist Marsh, leading them to suspect the Zarn.

Will and Rick head for the marsh, while the Pakuni take Holly, who has sprained her ankle, back to High Bluff. When the two arrive at the marsh, the Zarn explains that the occurrences have been caused by his faulty gravity drive, which is malfunctioning because of the lightning. When the Marshalls refuse to leave, believing that the amount of energy it would take to physically leave the Land of the Lost would destroy the Land of the Lost itself, the Zarn sends a robotic dinosaur named Fred to chase them off.

Will and Rick head for high ground, where they are again pulled down by the force of gravity. Fred, unaffected, continues after them, but is struck by lightning. The Marshalls return to the Zarn, and concentrate on angry thoughts to debilitate him. In agony, the Zarn fails to control his gravity drive, causing trees to fall to the ground, rocks to fall, and his own ship to crumble.

The Marshalls apologize to the Zarn, but he unhappily tells them to leave him alone, citing pity as the most painful emotion for him to receive. Rick suggests to Will that the Land of the Lost would have destroyed itself in its efforts to prevent the Zarn from leaving, resulting in the Zarn's death as well as their own.

References