The Twilight Zone The Deep

Oh, I want to touch it!

Whoa, so this is what bioluminescent bacteria feels like.

Amazing! I've never seen them in these concentrations before.

And they go on for miles and miles.

They glow and they feel like slime.

-I love them!

-Strange.

Ant, totally, but what can you do?

Argh!

Sorry! Slipped.

Normally, all of this would be eaten.

Eurgh, not by me!

No, no, no, no, no!

-Argh!

-Slipped!

-Eugh!

Let's go see why the fish in Taiwan aren't hungry.

Take us forward slowly, Fontaine.

-Huh, no fish.

-You mean there are low concentrations?

He means none.

There are no fish on sonar within 5km.

Well, the smaller ones wouldn't show up on sonar.

No, the fish, all the fish are just gone.

The ocean is...

empty.

My family are explorers, we have been for generations.

While others look up to the stars, we know there are

an infinite number of things that shine in the darkness below.

There are things lurking in the seas that long ago vanished into myth.

My family are explorers and we explore...

the deep.

ROAR!

The Taiwanese fishermen sound frustrated.

There are no fish to catch.

Very unusual.

Our instruments show volcanic activity on the seabed, Ant.

Maybe that's producing poisonous gases.

Hmm, I'm not reading any toxins.

Theory number one just crashed and burned.

And I don't have a theory number two.

I can see algae, larval shrimp, the occasional nematodes.

It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet here, just no fish to eat it.

It's OK, Jeffery, come on in.

The water's fine.

Right, let's see how deep this problem goes.

-I'll take us down.

-It's OK, Mom, I've got this.

Are you sure? You've never piloted below 1,000 metres before.

You said I needed more piloting hours.

The depth should be a part of my practice.

Mom, if Fontaine is driving, could you get Jeffery

and maybe make him a little seat belt?

Bye, Ant.

Hey, wait for me!

Most fish live in the top sunlight zone, so let's try below 200 metres.

What if the twilight zone is empty too?

Then we're in very strange territory indeed.

Ant, you should be able to see fish here that have adapted to low light.

Nope, they're staying away.

Maybe they just don't like you.

Or there's some major fish party that we haven't been invited to

and everyone else has tickets! I'll admit, it's a long shot.

Come back inside, Ant.

We're going deeper.

WHOOSH!

OK, we're below 1,000 metres.

Welcome to the midnight zone.

Around 180 atmospheres of pressure are squeezing against

the Aronnax right now.

Fontaine, slow, steady moves, please.

Keep your eyes peeled.

Oh, come to port, three degrees, Fontaine.

I saw it too, look!

Kill the interior lights.

-Anglerfish?

-It's possible, but many species use

bioluminescence down here.

At least it's something.

Nice to see you, guys!

So, we do have fish in the midnight zone.

RUMBLING, SIREN SOUNDS

Argh!

Ah! What happened?

Outside temperature rising. Volcanic thermal vents!

-Stay clear.

-I'm trying!

RUMBLING

Gently.

Nektons, my remote diagnostics picked up multiple alarms.

It's OK, Professor, we're handling it.

Are you really at 190 atmospheres?!

Boiling water rising fast enough to pick up pieces of seabed.

I've never seen vertical currents this strong.

-Mom!

-It's OK, Fontaine, I've got this.

Thermal vents in the midnight zone are no place for a driving lesson.

Thanks.

RUMBLING

So, if all the fish seem normal down deep,

then the problem is up here, right?

BEEP

I've got something on sonar.

A large object.

Another submarine?

No, it's not solid, but what is it?

You're the marine biologist, you tell us.

Is that every fish in the area altogether?

I told you there was a fish party we weren't invited to!

Coming to full stop. I need pictures here.

WHOOSH!

Totally bizarre. What are they all looking at?

I have to see this up close.

Fontaine, take over, you'll be fine.

Very, very strange.

They don't even notice me.

They're turning to port now.

What's glowing?

I'm not sure.

-Moving closer.

-Just be very careful, Kaiko.

The fish are letting me brush them aside, like they don't care.

There's something moving in the centre.

A creature about half the size of the Rover.

But so pretty.

Oh, so pretty.

What a pretty, widdy creature.

-This cuddly-wuddly...

-SHE COOS

OK, that's uncomfortable.

Mom, can you hear me?

Kaiko, um, you OK?

-Pretty, widdy, cuddly-wuddly...

-SHE COOS

Mom, talk like an adult if you can hear me, OK?

Oh, pretty!

Her vital signs are fine, pulse, normal, blood pressure, normal,

but she's not responding to us.

It's like she's in a trance.

Are you reading me, Kaiko?

WHITE NOISE

Mom's still controlling her Knight.

That's good, I suppose.

Fish keep getting drawn to the light, like they're hypnotised.

Nektons, I've checked everything in our database.

Nothing matches this.

Bioluminescent lures are used to attract prey, to eat, right?

Well...

yes.

Right now, Kaiko is prey.

I'm going to get her.

Dad, hey! You might need these.

Mom's welding goggles. They'll cut out most of the creature's light.

Good thinking.

Hey.

I'll bring her back.

Don't worry.

ENGINE REVS

WHOOSH!

Is it possible that those geysers of warm water forced this thing up from

the midnight zone without it disintegrating?

It's not unprecedented.

For example, sperm whales go down and back.

They're strong enough to withstand the pressure difference.

BEEP BEEP

It's changing course.

Fish up here have never seen a bioluminescent lure.

It doesn't need to hunt.

Fish come to it and, Professor,

bioluminescence attracts fish, not people.

Oh, but light affects people too, Fontaine.

We get vitamin D from sunlight,

there's sunburn and strobe lights can make people ill.

I still think it's hypnotism. Remember when I put you under?

For five minutes you thought you were a penguin! Ha!

-What?

-You will forget I said anything.

Switching on the Rover's infrared camera.

Good, we can't afford to see the creature's visible light spectrum.

Will to Kaiko, can you hear me?

Got her!

-Yes! Good job, Dad!

-All right!

Hmm.

I...

I can see.

Dad?

Dad, what's happening?

No, no, no, don't do it!

Who's the pretty one?

Yeah, it's you. It's not me.

It's you who's the pretty one.

No, Dad!

-Oh.

-Ant, no!

What? Whoa, that felt good.

If we can't get Mom and Dad away from that glow,

they're never coming back.

Dad, talk to us.

Coochy-coochy-coo!

The Rover's remote control system!

We can bring it back!

Yes! I love it when a plan comes...

HE GASPS

-No!

-Dad just overrode the remote.

Do you really think this is a good idea?

Two Neks are stronger than one.

Maybe we can grab Mom and drag her back.

And then worry about the Rover.

-How do we see?

-We don't, we can't afford to.

We'll rely on instruments.

You know how I'm often critical of your harebrained ideas?

So often.

SHE SIGHS

I've got nothing better.

I'll take that.

Jeffrey, I'm leaving you in charge.

I have complete faith in you, Captain.

Argh!

-Turn on your sonar.

-I knew that.

Activating stealth mode too.

I'm keeping a low profile.

Only for radar. He can still see you.

OK, the fish just changed direction...

again.

Is it lost? Is that what's going on?

Dad, can you see us?

Dad!

I don't think he's even looking at us.

Wait. The cloud has stopped moving.

-Something's happening.

-The creature's coming!

It's a gigantic anglerfish.

What's it doing up here?

It's heading towards you.

But I'm undercover! I'm in stealth mode.

-Why me?

-Am I the fish mind-reader?

I don't know!

OK, staying calm.

You're my backup if it tries to eat me.

You've got me, right, Fontaine?

Kind of.

Just don't move.

What do you think it's doing?

It seemed to be lost, but now it's staring at you,

like it's found something.

Well, I am very charismatic.

-To a fish?

-Jeffrey thinks so.

Of course he does. Just don't move a muscle, Mr Charisma.

-HE WHISPERS: Am I allowed to breathe?

-I'd prefer you didn't.

ANGLERFISH GROWLS

HE GASPS

I can't stand this!

It's like it's sizing me up, thinking,

"Will I take a bite of arm or leg? They both look so good."

Oh, why was I cursed with being so appealing to fish?!

One of the world's great mysteries.

OK, I'm going to move aside slowly.

Not smart. But that's so you.

It's moving with you.

But why?

Ah, just go away! You shouldn't even be here!

Go home!

Wait a minute.

Ant, disengage stealth mode.

Are you crazy?! What for?

-Just trust me.

-I hope you know what you're doing.

I hope so too.

It's swimming away.

But why? I'm still food.

It was attracted to the Shadow Knight stealth glow.

It's almost identical to its own.

Maybe it thinks you're related.

That's it! Come on!

Ant?

WHOOSH!

-Mom loves that mirror.

-Ah, she won't mind.

Now, I need you to follow behind me in the Aronnax.

We'll use the claw arm to grab Mom and Dad.

Great idea, except I can barely see anything on the infrared monitors

for all those fish. It would be like picking a needle out of a haystack.

Just follow me. I'll start leading that thing down

back to where it belongs.

Once we get deeper, some of those fish won't be able

to take the pressure and they'll start to back off.

That's when you grab the Rover with the claw.

At those depths, it'll be harder for me to steer the ship

and manoeuvre the arm.

I know, but it's the best harebrained idea I've got.

-Are you up to it?

-As long as it gets Mom and Dad back.

That's all I care about.

Me too.

Stay close to me.

I'll try.

Hang in there, Dad.

This will work, Mom, trust me.

Hey, slow drivers, move!

Coming through! Veer left.

Look out!

OK, there you are.

All right, fish, who is this?

Like what you see?

So far so good, Fontaine.

Keep it smooth.

Come on. That's it, let's just get you home.

Come deeper.

OK, entering the midnight zone.

A lot of these fish won't be able to handle the pressure here.

They're leaving.

But you keep coming, big guy.

I've got a clean visual.

Erm, Ant, how deep are you going?

As deep as I have to.

Ant, we didn't discuss this.

The Rover can go right to the very bottom but not the Aronnax

-and definitely not the Knights.

-My Knight is stronger than you think.

And you're not as strong as you think.

Maybe, but home for this guy's down deep, in the midnight zone.

Not my favourite zone to drive in.

You can do it, Fontaine.

-SHE EXHALES

-Gentle moves, take it easy.

Huge pressure here.

Getting really hard to move.

I'm reading 219 atmospheres.

219 times normal, Ant.

I don't want to think about it.

Our friend is feeling fine.

For him, it's like a walk in the park.

I think it's time. It's your turn now, Fontaine.

-Come on.

-I'm being gentle.

OK. Pressurising the moon pool room.

Equalising with the midnight zone pressure.

Engaging claw arm.

Contact.

He's fighting me!

This is your plan!

Are you sure the claw arm is stronger than the Rover?

Um, when I say plan, it's really more of a shot in the dark.

And you're telling me this now?!

Ah!

I can't hold this for long!

Then we'll have to be quick. It's time for part two.

Don't fight it, please!

Argh!

No!

Ah, pretty!

Oh, no!

Ant, don't do this!

Snap out of it, please!

Who's a cutie putie?

Oh, you're so cute!

Don't leave me here alone.

Warm and fuzzy, wuzzy, cuddle...

HE MUTTERS GIBBERISH

Right, no-one else can do this.

Up to me.

-CRASH!

-No!

Look out, Ant.

BANG!

So much for gentle moves.

I'm not letting go, now or ever!

-Oh, what's happening?

-OK, Dad.

I need you to grab Mom, but whatever you do, don't open your eyes.

-OK.

-What?

Where am I?

Whoa!

Argh!

Oops. Sorry about that, Mr Fish.

Ant, don't look at it!

HE GRUNTS

ANGLERFISH GROWLS

Fontaine, what just happened?

Don't worry about it, Dad.

I need you to get Mom.

-Right.

-Do exactly what I say and, remember, do not open your eyes.

When I say, I need you to clamp down with the Rover's arms gently.

I'll direct you.

Straight ahead.

Get ready, get ready.

A little to the left, right.

Now!

Got her!

Urgh.

-Where am I?

-It's OK, Mom, everything's all right.

Except...

Ant, it's coming right for you!

-Where is it?

-To your left.

Argh!

The mirror!

Oh, no!

ANGLERFISH GROWLS

It's diving, Ant.

You did it! It's following all of its reflections down!

Safe travels, big guy.

Come back to the Aronnax.

The fish are safe now...

and so is the amazing hypnotist.

Dad, don't open the canopy.

The pressure is too strong.

Thanks for that. I feel like I've just woken up from the nicest dream.

OK, that's one way of looking at it.

Do you think that is the creature's mother?

Well, there is a definite family resemblance.

Family reunions are a good thing.

He's back home now.

Let's hope he stays down there.

You guys did very well.

We should let Fontaine pilot more often.

-Thanks.

-Well, that'll be up to Jeffrey.

Huh?

He's captain now.

Gee, you fall into one trance and you miss so much.

It's OK, Captain Jeffrey, the good news is -

you'll never have to see the scary fish again.

The bad news is - you still have to see Ant.

Apparently that was "humour", Jeffrey.