CHAPTER 18

Project Hail Mary — Fan Storyboard

62 PANELS 6 ACTS AUTHOR: ANDY WEIR
← CHAPTER 17 CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 19 →
I
BREAK ROOM & LAUNCH PARTY
1
FLASHBACK AIRCRAFT CARRIER — BREAK ROOM PRE-LAUNCH — BAIKONUR COSMODROME — LAUNCH 9 OF 16 — cockpit, lab & dormitory modules —
WIDE TITLE CARD — Flashback: Aircraft carrier break room. Launch 9 of 16. The most important payload yet: cockpit, lab, and dormitory modules.
WIDEFLASHBACKLAUNCH PARTY
"By silent agreement, the crew got to sit on the couch. They were sacrificing their lives. The least we could do was give them the best seats."
2
BBC LIVE dozens crowded — carrier hangar deck break room
WIDE — Break room. Crew of three on couch (foreground). Dozens of scientists pressed tight behind. Wall TV glowing. Everyone fixed on the screen.
WIDEFLASHBACKBREAK ROOM
"By silent agreement, the crew got the couch. The crew got all possible perks and privileges."
3
GERMAN BEER YAO distressingly large VODKA TUMBLER ILYUKHINA poured 10 min prior to breathe 2003 CABERNET DUBOIS
INSERT — Three drinks: Yáo's modest German beer. Ilyukhina's distressingly large vodka tumbler. DuBois's 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, poured 10 minutes early to breathe.
INSERTFLASHBACKCHARACTER BEATS
"DuBois had poured ten minutes in advance to ensure it had time to breathe." Of course he had.
4
BBC LAUNCH 9 OF 16 — PROJECT HAIL MARY BAIKONUR COSMODROME — ROSCOSMOS
MEDIUM — TV screen: BBC reporter standing at Moscow Mission Control. Chyron: "Launch 9 of 16 — Project Hail Mary — Baikonur Cosmodrome."
MEDIUMFLASHBACKBBC BROADCAST
"We could have watched American news, Chinese news, Russian news — it would have all been the same."
5
COCKPIT / LAB / DORMITORY MODULES LAUNCH 9 OF 16 — PROJECT HAIL MARY ISS CREW READY TO RECEIVE MODULES
INSERT — TV lower-third: "Cockpit / Lab / Dormitory Modules — Launch 9 of 16." Rocket on pad at Baikonur. The Hail Mary taking shape in orbit.
INSERTFLASHBACKMISSION MILESTONE
"This payload contains the cockpit, lab, and dormitory modules." The Hail Mary taking shape, orbit by orbit.
6
BBC LIVE LAUNCH IMMINENT "Do not fuck up my house, Roscosmos bastards!"
MEDIUM — Ilyukhina raises enormous vodka tumbler at TV, grinning ferociously. "Do not fuck up my house, Roscosmos bastards!" Yáo watches screen. Ryland half-smiles.
MEDIUMFLASHBACKILYUKHINA ENERGYILYUKHINA
"Aren't they your friends?" / "They can be both!" She bellowed with laughter.
7
beer: untouched
CLOSE — Yáo leans forward, elbows on knees, utter military focus on the TV. Absolutely still. Beer: untouched. The man of action forced to watch passively.
CLOSE-UPFLASHBACKMILITARY INTENSITYYAO
"It must have been hard — a military man of action, forced to passively watch something so important play out."
8
Mm. — Yao, Commander
TWO-SHOT — DuBois, perfectly composed, wine held correctly: "I'm certain the launch will go well, Commander Yáo." Yáo: "Mm." Does not look away from screen.
TWO-SHOTFLASHBACKECONOMY OF LANGUAGEDUBOISYAO
DuBois offers comfort with perfect composure. Yáo acknowledges with one syllable. Extraordinary economy of character.
9
"Thirty seconds to launch. I cannot wait that long."
MEDIUM — Ilyukhina: "Cannot wait." Head tilted back, downs the entire enormous glass in one go. Other hand already reaching for the bottle to pour another.
MEDIUMFLASHBACKILYUKHINA PRIORITIESILYUKHINA
"Thirty seconds to launch. I cannot wait that long." She downed her vodka and immediately poured herself another glass.
10
Ryland: "I found myself pinned against the back of the couch"
MEDIUM — Scientists press forward as countdown ticks. Ryland pinned against back of couch. He doesn't care — too focused on the screen.
MEDIUMFLASHBACKCOUNTDOWN TENSION
"The assembled scientists pressed forward a bit as the countdown continued. I found myself pinned against the back of the couch. But I was too focused to care."
II
FLASHBACK CLIMAX & RETURN TO PRESENT
11
BBC T-45s DuBois craning neck to look back at Ryland
TWO-SHOT — DuBois cranes neck to look back at Ryland behind the couch. "Will Ms. Stratt not be joining us?" — "She's going over spreadsheets."
TWO-SHOTFLASHBACKSETUPDUBOIS
"I don't think so. She doesn't care about fun stuff like launches. She's probably going over spreadsheets in her office or something."
12
?
THREE-SHOT — Ilyukhina spins to face Ryland: "You are number two, no? First officer of Project Hail Mary?" Ryland: baffled. Scientists in background: very interested in walls.
THREE-SHOTFLASHBACKRYLAND OBLIVIOUSILYUKHINA
"What? No! I'm just one of the scientists. Like all these guys." He gestures to the scientists. The scientists exchange knowing glances.
13
! ! "I had assumed you two were engaged in sexual congress."
TWO-SHOT — DuBois, utterly composed, wine glass perfectly held: "I had assumed you and Ms. Stratt were engaged in sexual congress." Ryland: jaw dropped.
TWO-SHOTFLASHBACKBOMBSHELLDUBOIS
Said with complete sincerity. No malice. No social awareness. Simply: his prior working hypothesis.
14
"Huh. Perhaps you should be? She could use good roll in hay."
CLOSE — Ryland: "WHA — WHAT?! Are you out of your mind?! No! No way!" Arms flung wide. Ilyukhina at frame edge, amused.
CLOSE-UPFLASHBACKRYLAND HORRORRYLAND
"Ilyukhina: 'Perhaps you should be? She is uptight. She could use good roll in hay.'" — "Oh my GOD."
15
collective fascination with walls, floors, shoes, ceilings
WIDE — Ryland turns to scientists: "Is that what people think?" The entire room: sudden collective fascination with walls, floors, shoes, ceilings. Not one person meets his eye.
WIDEFLASHBACKEVERYONE KNEWRYLAND
"Oh my God. Is that what people think?" The answer: perfectly legible. Nobody will say it out loud.
16
You are the number two. — then he turned back to the screen
WIDE — Yáo slowly turns from screen. Room falls completely silent. "You are the number two." Then he turns back to the screen. That is all. Case closed.
WIDEFLASHBACKYAO VERDICTYAO
"He didn't speak much, so when he did, people paid attention." The room: dead silence. It is done.
17
WE HAVE LIFT-OFF "Tower is clear! Launch is good!"
WIDE — TV: rocket clears the tower, flames rising. Ilyukhina LEAPS off couch, glass aloft: "Tower is clear! Launch is good!" She downs another vodka.
WIDEFLASHBACKLIFTOFF!ILYUKHINA
"It's only a hundred feet off the ground." / "Astronauts celebrate when tower is clear." / Yáo: silent sip of beer.
18
! ! bulb UNCHANGED "Why. Doesn't. This. Work?!"
CLOSE — PRESENT DAY. Ryland slams both palms to forehead at each word. "Why. Doesn't. This. Work?!" Then flops into lab chair, utterly deflated.
CLOSE-UPFAILED EXPERIMENTRYLAND
The predator experiment has failed. Again. Astrophage population: unchanged. Thermocouple: flat.
19
PREDATOR EXPERIMENT Adrian air mix 0.1 atm pressure UNCHANGED thermocouple ice water — heat sink heat stable = population stable = no predator active
INSERT DIAGRAM — Glass bulb: Adrian air mix (0.1 atm) + Astrophage + collected life-forms. Thermocouple in ice water reads heat output. Result: UNCHANGED.
INSERTEXPERIMENT DIAGRAM
"It's just a thermocouple with part in ice water and part attached to the bulb. Steady temperature = no Astrophage population change."
20
UNCHANGED no predator activity
TWO-SHOT — Rocky from ceiling tunnel: "No predator, question?" Ryland below, slumped in lab chair, staring at the flat thermocouple reading: "No predator."
TWO-SHOTDEFEATRYLANDROCKY
Both stare at the unchanged thermocouple reading. "Maybe the predator theory is wrong," Ryland says. Rocky begins clicking.
21
humans AND eridians pace when thinking — convergent evolution
MEDIUM — Rocky clicks back and forth in ceiling tunnel. Rocky is PACING. Ryland watches. Both species, independently, pace when they think. Convergent evolution.
MEDIUMCONVERGENT EVOLUTIONROCKYRYLAND
"He paces when he thinks. Interesting that humans and Eridians would both have that behavior."
22
orbital dawn night day
MEDIUM — Lab monitor showing Adrian. Orbital dawn: light glowing along the terminator arc, night to day. Ryland pauses. Not for science. Just because it looks cool.
MEDIUMACCIDENTAL WONDER
"Not for any scientific reason — just because it looks cool." The terminator glows. A moment of beauty in the middle of frustration.
III
BREEDING ALTITUDE & THE GAP PROBLEM
23
LOGIC CHAIN predator needs food Astrophage breeding altitude Petrova- scope! "The question answers itself."
INSERT DIAGRAM — Logic chain: predator needs food → Astrophage is food → Astrophage breeds at a specific altitude → USE THE PETROVASCOPE to find it.
INSERTBREAKTHROUGH LOGIC
"What altitude are the Astrophage at?" The question answers itself. I slam my fist into my palm. "Yes! Of course!"
24
control room "Rocky scampers... not quite as fast."
MEDIUM — "To the control room!" Rocky scampers through tunnel at full speed, already ahead. Ryland climbs the ladder below — not quite as fast.
MEDIUMRACE TO CONTROL ROOMROCKYRYLAND
"Rocky scampers across the lab ceiling tunnel and disappears through his personal entrance. I follow along beside but I'm not quite as fast."
25
RED ALL RED Astrophage everywhere — inside Petrova line "What is this, question? No data."
MEDIUM — Petrovascope screen: ENTIRELY RED. Saturated. "What is this, question? No data." They're inside the Petrova line — Astrophage in every direction.
MEDIUMSATURATED — NO DATAROCKYRYLAND
"We're inside the Petrova line. There's Astrophage all around us." Like trying to find stars at noon.
26
brightness range filter — "a lot of manipulation"
MEDIUM — Ryland works the sliders. The solid red Petrovascope display begins resolving — right side clearing into distinct blobs. Patience. Manipulation. Progress.
MEDIUMFILTERINGRYLAND
"It takes a lot of manipulation, but I finally manage to get the brightness range set." The uniform glow breaks apart.
27
IR CLOUDS — ASTROPHAGE BREEDING ZONES — IRREGULAR DISTRIBUTION not what I expected
WIDE — Petrovascope map: irregular blotchy IR clouds across Adrian. NOT a uniform layer — Astrophage breed in clumps, like weather clouds but in infrared.
WIDE — PETROVASCOPEIR CLOUD MAP
"Not what I expected. I thought a general layer of IR glow. But it's nothing like that. The clumps are basically clouds." / "Unusual distribution," Rocky echoes.
28
θ NAV CONSOLE orbit angle + camera θ TRIG = altitude 91.2 KM ALTITUDE width < 200 metres — a ribbon of life
INSERT DIAGRAM — Ryland zooms Petrovascope to cloud on horizon. Camera angle + nav console orbit angle → trigonometry → 91.2 km altitude. Width: under 200 metres.
INSERT91.2 KM CALCULATED
"I jot those angles down and switch to the navigation console. With a whole bunch of trigonometry, I can work out the altitude." — 91.2 kilometres.
29
91.2km <200m wide "Agreed. But how do we get a sample?"
TWO-SHOT — Rocky folds one claw over the other — thinking body language. "If predators exist, predators are there." Ryland: "Agreed. But how do we get a sample?"
TWO-SHOTTHE NEW PROBLEMROCKYRYLAND
A 200-metre-thin ribbon of life, 91 km above an alien world. They know exactly where it is. Now: how do they reach it?
30
ADRIAN CROSS-SECTION — THE GAP PROBLEM ADRIAN SURFACE 91.2 km breeding zone 100 km min orbit HAIL MARY 8.8 KM the gap
WIDE DIAGRAM — Adrian cross-section. Breeding zone: 91.2 km. Minimum safe orbit: 100 km. The gap: 8.8 kilometres. The salvation of both worlds is just 8.8 km below.
WIDE — DIAGRAM8.8 KM GAP
"Any closer and the ship will burn up in the atmosphere." The salvation of both civilisations sits 8.8 kilometres below minimum orbit.
31
idea: use engines to hover in atmo air + IR = ions = EXPLOSION
TWO-SHOT — Ryland: "We can use the engines to hover." Rocky: "Engines give off IR light. In air — air becomes ions. Explosion. Destroy ship." Ryland winces.
TWO-SHOTWALL — ENGINES IN AIRROCKYRYLAND
Every solution hits the same wall. Engines work in vacuum. In air: catastrophic ionization.
32
DIMITRI SPIN DRIVE TEST — REFERENCE spin drive 1/1000th power 1 metric ton silicon VAPORIZED duration: 100 microseconds power: 1/1000th of Hail Mary engines in air: nuclear bomb look like a firecracker
INSERT — Dimitri's first spin drive test: 100 microseconds, 1/1000th power → 1 metric ton of metallic silicon vaporized. In air: a nuclear bomb looks like a firecracker.
INSERTWHY NOT ENGINES IN AIR
"Everything works fine in vacuum. But using the engines in air would create a fireball that makes a nuclear bomb look like a firecracker."
33
8.8 KM the most agonizing proximity in two civilisations' histories 8.8 km — so close ...
WIDE — Frustrated silence. Ryland steeples fingers. Rocky still. 8.8 km below: salvation. "There has to be a way." Then — "We don't even need to BE there. Just a sample."
WIDEBREAKTHROUGH APPROACHINGROCKYRYLAND
"We sit in frustrated silence for a while. The salvation of both our worlds might be just 10 kilometres below us." Then: a thought.
IV
FISHING PLAN & ROCKY’S STRANGE STORY
34
we don't need to be THERE just a sample of the air xenonite, question? "I have... an idea." [steeples fingers]
CLOSE — Ryland steeples fingers. "We don't even need to BE there. We just need a sample of the air there. Anything, no matter how small." Rocky: "Xenonite, question?"
CLOSE-UPTHE IDEA FORMINGRYLANDROCKY
"It's a simple idea, but also stupid. Thing is, when stupid ideas work, they become genius ideas."
35
THE FISHING PLAN — "IT WILL LOOK ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS" breeding zone HAIL MARY thrust 30° ionized fire behind — not on chain 10 km ~100 m/s lateral
WIDE DIAGRAM — Hail Mary tilted 30°, thrusting at angle. Chain hangs 10 km straight down. Ionized fire is behind — chain passes through unaffected air. Lateral speed: 100 m/s.
WIDE — DIAGRAMTHE FISHING PLAN
"It'll look absolutely ridiculous." / Chain deflects only 2° from vertical at 100 m/s through thin high-altitude air. Sampler at the bottom.
36
XENONITE CHAIN LINK DESIGN thin opening easy in, won't rattle out xenonite easy to assemble won't rattle apart under tension 0.4 m³ needed 0.61 m³ avail
INSERT — Chain link design: mostly oval but with thin opening at top for interlocking. Easy to assemble; extremely unlikely to rattle apart, especially under tension.
INSERTCHAIN LINK ENGINEERING
"It's mostly oval, but with a thin opening for another link to enter. Easy to assemble but extremely unlikely to come apart — especially under tension."
37
"Very good!"
MEDIUM — Ryland at CNC mill, aluminum block mounted. Mill drills the chain link mold exactly as hoped. He holds it up to Rocky's tunnel: "How's this?" Rocky: "Very good!"
MEDIUMCNC MILLRYLANDROCKY
"We will need many many many chain links. More molds means I can make more at one time." Rocky already planning at scale.
38
"Why do you have so much extra Astrophage?" ... Strange story. — perks up — "Always up for a strange story."
TWO-SHOT — Ryland: "Why do you have so much extra Astrophage?" Rocky pauses. "Strange story." Ryland perks up. He is always up for a strange story.
TWO-SHOTSTRANGE STORYRYLANDROCKY
"Always up for a strange story." This one will rewrite Ryland's understanding of Eridian physics.
39
ERID — ASTROPHAGE FACTORY 29 atmospheres 210°C liquid water absorbs heat → breeds "Put in ocean. Wait. Astrophage double, double, double."
DIAGRAM — Erid's ocean: 29 atm, 210°C. Liquid water far hotter than Astrophage critical temperature. Drop Astrophage in, it absorbs heat, breeds exponentially.
DIAGRAMERID BORN ON THIRD BASE
"Put in metal balls with carbon dioxide. Put in ocean. Wait. Astrophage double, double, double." Simple. Trivial.
40
EARTH PAVED THE SAHARA DESERT exhausting. expensive. jealous. ERID THREW IT IN THE WATER that's it. born on third base.
WIDE SPLIT — LEFT: Earth paved the Sahara Desert. RIGHT: Erid threw Astrophage in their hot ocean and waited. "Born on third base. Again." Ryland: jealous.
WIDE — SPLITBORN ON THIRD BASE
"I'm jealous. We had to pave the Sahara Desert to breed up our Astrophage. All they had to do was throw it in the water."
41
voice lowers crew: gone "Everyone sick. I alone to run ship."
CLOSE — Rocky's voice drops. "Crew sick. Die. Now I know was radiation." Ryland looks down. Gives him a moment. Rocky alone with his grief and his ship.
CLOSE-UPGRIEF — CREW LOSTROCKY
"I look down and give him a moment." Grief in translated language: still legible. Still devastating.
42
thrust vs speed thrust OK c ?
MEDIUM — Rocky: "Engines thrust normal. But speed not increase. No can explain." Graph: thrust steady, velocity asymptoting at c. Rocky had no framework for relativistic limits.
MEDIUMNEWTONIAN CONFUSIONROCKYRYLAND
"Your engines failed?" / "No. Not fail. Thrust normal. But speed not increase. No can explain."
43
length contraction slow down = star moves away
MEDIUM — Rocky: "Turn ship around to slow. But Tau Ceti gets FARTHER away. How?" Length contraction: as you slow relative to destination, the distance increases. Deeply counterintuitive.
MEDIUMLENGTH CONTRACTIONROCKYRYLAND
"Still moving toward Tau but Tau moving away. Much confusion." / "Uh-oh." — Ryland's thought begins forming.
44
EXPECTED vs ACTUAL expected: 6.64 yrs actual: 3 years fuel expected: low fuel remain: MUCH relativity Oh... oh my...
WIDE — Rocky: "Get here in 3 years. Half of expected time. Much much much fuel remain. No complain. But confuse." Ryland: head in hands. "Oh... oh my..."
WIDETHE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UPROCKYRYLAND
"An entire planet of intelligent people put together a ship based on incorrect scientific assumptions." And sole survivor got it here anyway.
45
"Is time on Erid same as time on ship?" "Of course. Time is same everywhere." OH BOY. Eridians don't know about relativistic physics. "Get comfortable. I have a lot of science to explain."
WIDE — Ryland: "Is time on Erid same as time on your ship?" Rocky: "Of course. Time is same everywhere." Ryland: head in hands. "Oh boy." Eridians don't know about relativity.
WIDEOH BOY — RELATIVITYROCKYRYLAND
"Eridians don't know about relativistic physics." An entire civilisation. No time dilation. No length contraction. "Get comfortable. I have a lot of science to explain."
V
STEVE HATCH & THE BEETLE
46
formerly: storage for bathroom supplies "Dr. Grace?"
MEDIUM — FLASHBACK. Hatch knocks, leans into Ryland's tiny office (formerly a toilet paper closet). Short, disheveled, waving awkwardly. Carrying a strange bulbous object.
MEDIUMFLASHBACKHATCH ARRIVESHATCH
"It wasn't a large office, but you're lucky to have any personal space on an aircraft carrier." / "I was approximately as critical as toilet paper."
47
"like someone had flattened a medicine ball"
INSERT — The Beetle prototype, plunked on Ryland's folding table. Flattened medicine ball body. Triangular head (nav/cameras). Trapezoidal tail (spin drive).
INSERTFLASHBACKTHE BEETLE
"It was like someone had flattened a medicine ball, added a triangle to one end and a trapezoid to the other." Ryland has never seen anything like it.
48
helicopter almost puked Canadian British Columbia SpaceX launch not anti-American happy to be here! "Um— what is this thing?"
MEDIUM — Hatch: helicopter story, almost puked, Canadian (not anti-American!), happy to be involved — all before Ryland can ask a word. Ryland just points at the object.
MEDIUMFLASHBACKHATCH MONOLOGUEHATCH
"Um—" [gestures at object on desk] "— what is this thing?" — The only words Ryland can get in.
49
BEETLE — CROSS-SECTION cameras star nav constellations RAID data array redundant reaction wheels + DC generator FUEL Astrophage 125 kg needed spin drive NAVIGATION DATA STEERING PROPELLANT ENGINE
WIDE — Beetle cross-section: triangle head (cameras, star nav), RAID data array, reaction wheels + DC generator, bulk Astrophage fuel storage (125 kg), spin drive tail.
WIDE — DIAGRAMFLASHBACKBEETLE ANATOMY
"The bulk of this puppy is fuel storage. RAID array — more memory than anyone would ever need. Reaction wheels for steering." The whole thing surprisingly light.
50
Earth just needs to reach radio range of Earth — orbit of Saturn ok
MEDIUM — The Beetle in "space" identifying star constellations for navigation. No fancy inertial nav — just visible light + pattern recognition. Listens for Earth's signal.
MEDIUMFLASHBACKSTAR NAV
"No fancy-schmancy inertial-navigation nonsense. It uses ordinary visible light to see the stars." Anywhere within orbit of Saturn will do.
51
BEETLE FLIGHT PROFILE — RELATIVISTIC 500 g accel cruise: 0.93c EARTH time experienced: 12+ YEARS BEETLE time experienced: ~20 MONTHS military-grade cruise missile electronics — handles hundreds of g
WIDE DIAGRAM — Beetle flight profile: accelerate at 500g → cruise at 0.93c → decelerate. Earth time: 12+ years. Beetle time experienced: ~20 months. Relativity as engineering spec.
WIDE — DIAGRAMFLASHBACK500g / 0.93c SPECS
"Military-grade cruise missile electronics. Can handle hundreds of g's." / Earth: 12+ years. Beetle: ~20 months. God being awesome, per Hatch.
52
JOHN PAUL GEORGE RINGO ALL WE NEED IS FOR ONE OF THEM TO SURVIVE THE TRIP
WIDE — Four beetles: John, Paul, George, Ringo — "That's what we'll call the ones aboard the Hail Mary." Lined up for the stars. "All we need is for one of them to survive."
WIDEFLASHBACKTHE FOUR BEETLES
"Four of these. All we need is for one of them to survive the trip." Not much redundancy aboard each, but four shots at it.
53
AA = 100K years / house "God's just handing us the future!" Ryland: "It's an extinction event."
TWO-SHOT — Hatch leans forward: "A double-A battery full of Astrophage = 100,000 years for a house!" Power grids: over. Ryland: deadpan. "It's an extinction-level event."
TWO-SHOTFLASHBACKOPTIMISM VS REALISMHATCH
"Cool?" / "It's an extinction-level event. If anything, God's handing us the apocalypse." / Hatch: "I mean, maybe a little. But man."
54
"You are, without a doubt, the most optimistic person I've ever met." Thanks! taken as compliment. unconditionally.
TWO-SHOT — Ryland: "You are, without a doubt, the most optimistic person I've ever met." Hatch: double thumbs-up, beaming: "Thanks!" Took it as a compliment. Completely.
TWO-SHOTFLASHBACKHATCH PEAK OPTIMISMHATCH
Said with absolute sincerity. Hatch has no register for this being anything other than a compliment. He is correct.
VI
PETE BEST AND THE PUN
55
"Pete?" ABOARD HAIL MARY: John / Paul / George / Ringo THIS PROTOTYPE: Pete Best drummer before Ringo SpaceX LEO test only
TWO-SHOT — Hatch: "Pete." Ryland: "Pete?" Hatch explains the naming system. Aboard Hail Mary: John, Paul, George, Ringo. This test prototype: Pete Best — the original drummer.
TWO-SHOTFLASHBACKPETE BESTHATCH
"Pete Best — he was the drummer for the Beatles before Ringo." Hatch: genuinely thrilled to share this gap in someone's Beatles knowledge.
56
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band GREATEST MUSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENT IN HISTORY OF MANKIND "I know, I know. Many would disagree. But they're wrong."
CLOSE — Hatch, with total conviction: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the greatest musical accomplishment in the history of mankind." Zero hedging.
CLOSE-UPFLASHBACKSGT PEPPER'S DECLARATIONHATCH
Said with exactly the same certainty as his engineering specifications. No hierarchy between facts in his mind. This and the spin drive are equally true.
57
'GET BACK' — it's a song — it's by the Beatles — . . . . . . . . . . "Sure." "Okay." pained
WIDE — Hatch: "I've got to make sure these beetles will be able to... 'Get Back.' " Ryland: "Okay." Long pause. Hatch: "'Get Back.' It's a song. It's by the Beatles."
WIDEFLASHBACKTHE PUN — DEAD SILENCEHATCH
"Sure. Okay." / "'Get Back.' It's a song. It's by the Beatles." / "Sure. Okay." — The pun lands in absolute silence. Hatch is pained.
58
"Come on, Pete." "Some people got no appreciation for the classics."
MEDIUM — Hatch spins on his heel, exits carrying Pete. "Some people got no appreciation for the classics." Ryland watches him go, mildly confused.
MEDIUMFLASHBACKHATCH EXITSHATCH
"Pretty sure I wasn't the first." — Ryland left confused in his wake. He almost certainly will not be the last.
59
[formerly toilet paper storage] "approximately as critical as toilet paper"
MEDIUM — Ryland alone in tiny office (formerly bathroom supply locker). Quiet aftermath. Laptop. Folding chair. Folding table. Ghost of toilet paper rolls behind him.
MEDIUMFLASHBACKTHE OFFICERYLAND
"The room was a storage locker for bathroom supplies. The crew had three thousand butts that needed daily wiping. I was approximately as critical as toilet paper."
60
APPROXIMATELY AS CRITICAL AS TOILET PAPER — and also: the mission's number two — both true —
CLOSE — Ryland's face: quiet understanding. "I was approximately as critical as toilet paper." And also: the mission's number two. Both are true. Simultaneously.
CLOSE-UPFLASHBACKTOILET PAPER / NUMBER TWORYLAND
Two truths. "Approximately as critical as toilet paper." And: "You are the number two." — Yáo already knew. Everyone already knew. Ryland is the last to know.
61
91.2km CHAIN DOWN — SAMPLE INCOMING BEETLE OUT — DATA INCOMING TO EARTH
WIDE FINAL — LEFT: Hail Mary tilts 30°, fishing chain into Adrian's atmosphere at 91.2 km. RIGHT: Beetle heading for the stars with Earth's answer. Chapter 18 complete.
WIDE — FINALCHAPTER CODA
The chain goes down to find the predator. The beetle goes out to carry the answer home. Two solutions. Two directions. One mission.
62
CHAPTER 18 GONE TO FISHING 62 PANELS COMPLETE ANDY WEIR — PROJECT HAIL MARY MINIMALIST STORYBOARD SERIES "stupid ideas, when they work, become genius ideas"
WIDE — Chapter 18 end slate. 62 panels. The fishing chain, the beetle, the relativity lesson, the "sexual congress" bombshell, Pete Best. Chapter complete.
WIDE — END CARDCHAPTER COMPLETE
"Some people got no appreciation for the classics." — End of Chapter 18.
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