The Encounter
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“The Encounter” is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.
[edit] Details
- Episode number: 151
- Season: 5
- Production code: 2640
- Original air date: May 1, 1964
- Writer: Martin M. Goldsmith
- Director: Robert Butler
- Producer: William Froug
- Director of photography: George T. Clemens
[edit] Cast
- Fenton: Neville Brand
- Arthur Takamori/Taro: George Takei
[edit] Notes
Superlative direction and script make for one of the Twilight Zone's greatest dramas. Aired on May 1, 1964 as the United States was increasing its involvement in the Vietnam War, the subject matter of Americans fighting Asians who "weren't human" was a notably pointed commentary. Its broadcast caused some controversy such that it was not aired again during regular syndication.
[edit] Synopsis
The story is about the meeting of an American WWII veteran named Fenton and a young Japanese called Arthur Takamori who comes to Fenton's house looking for work, on a tip from a neighbor. Fenton is gruff, yet cordial, offering Takamori a beer up in his cluttered attic. Takamori is intent on work rather than conversation, but reluctantly agrees to Fenton's offer. In conversation, Arthur states that he changed his name from Taro, and Fenton politely responds.
Fenton coincidentally finds an old samurai sword which he says he got off a Japanese soldier whom he killed during the war twenty years earlier. Fenton asks about the inscription on the sword; Takamori claims to not be able to read Japanese. But when Fenton leaves briefly to fetch more beer, Takamori takes hold of the sword and says in an astonished way "I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him." Takamori hides the sword. Fenton comes back and notes its absence, but doesn't accuse Takamori; rather he acts confused at its misplacement.
They reveal more and more about themselves, Fenton admitting that he knows the inscription on the sword ("The sword will avenge me"), and challenges Takamori to admit that he can read Japanese. Takamori grows more uneasy and more confrontational. They have brief heated exchanges which then subside and reemerge again. Takamori moves to leave, but Fenton refuses to let him, insisting they drink another beer.
Fenton appears to suffer from a post traumatic flashback. They briefly assume an adversarial posture, Takamori challenging Fenton with the sword. This too subsides, and on account of some rare insight, Takamori makes the accusation that Fenton killed the Japanese soldier only after the soldier surrendered and disarmed.
Fenton challenges the accusation, but then admits to it: "All right, so what if I did? So what if I did?" Takamori tries to leave but the door is mysteriously shut and won't open. Fenton can't open it either.
In agitation, Takamori describes his experience as a small child at Pearl Harbor, claiming his father was a construction foreman who helped build the harbor. Takamori claims that he watched from afar as the planes bombed the harbor, and his father with it, stating his father tried to alert sailors to the attack.
Exasperated, he then admits that this was a fabricated story, and that his father was a traitor who helped the Japanese attack by providing information. Seeing Takamori's guilt, Fenton has pity for him, and tries to offer some comfort. The sword, however, appears to be dictating the course of the conversation, and soon Takamori accuses Fenton of being a murderer, for killing an unarmed man.
Fenton offers a speech in his own defense about following orders: "You can't hold a man responsible for following orders, can you? ... In the Pacific we were told you guys weren't even human - you were some kind of ape. And that we shouldn't worry about burning you out of your caves. Now all of a sudden, you're fine people - highly cultured - and it's propaganda about your lousy transistor radios."
In a sudden depression, Fenton soon admits that he's unhappy with himself and what he has done, his wife is leaving him, and that he has pulled Takamori into conversation because he doesn't want to be left alone. But Takamori is under the control of the sword. Fenton, fully aware of Takamori's silent building rage, replies, "If that's what you're here for, all right then. Kill me."
Fenton quickly reverts back into a depressed confessional tone, stating "I'm not afraid of dying as much as living." But his anger again resumes. "I've got a box full of decorations over there. Decorations! First you're an ape, and now all of a sudden you're some kind of highly cultured people. I've been pushed and pulled this way and that way until I hate everybody! You dirty little Jap!"
Both under some spell, they fight, and Fenton falls mortally wounded on the sword. He looks at Takamori fatefully and dies. Takamori is consumed, and taking the sword in a combative gesture, shrieks "Banzai!" as he runs and jumps out the window, presumably to his death.
[edit] Narration
Opening Narration: Two men alone in an attic: a young Japanese-American and a seasoned veteran of yesterday's war. It's twenty-odd years since Pearl Harbor, but two ancient opponents are moving into position for a battle in an attic crammed with skeletons--souvenirs, mementos, old uniforms and rusted medals--ghosts from the dim reaches of the past that will lead us into...the Twilight Zone.
Closing Narration: Two men in an attic, locked in mortal embrace. Their common bond and their common enemy: guilt. A disease all too prevalent among men, both in and out of the Twilight Zone.
