Identity Crisis (The Outer Limits)

"Identity Crisis" is an episode of The Outer Limits television show. It debuted on March 27, 1998, during the fourth season.

Opening narration

Plot

Captain Cotter McCoy is the first of a new breed of soldier. As part of a top secret program overseen by Dr. Greg Olander, General Langston Chase, and Cotter's friend, Colonel Pete Butler, the contents of McCoy's brain can be temporarily transferred into an android version of himself. This process creates a virtually indestructible fighting machine with the smarts and experience of a human being.

But, one day something goes wrong. During the transfer, the real McCoy's body is blasted with electricity, stopping his heart, inflicting serious brain damage and leaving Cotter's mind trapped in the android body. To make matters worse, the interface between his mind and the android body is flawed. McCoy's motor control is already beginning to break down and the interface will likely collapse within 12 hours.

The General is prepared to sacrifice McCoy to keep the program secret, but McCoy uses his enormous strength to break out and visit his wife, Sally. Together, they track down Olander and begin a desperate search for what went wrong. As all the signs begin to point to sabotage, McCoy asks himself who would do such a thing? And, more important, how can it be undone? It is discovered that Cotter's friend Pete sabotaged the transfer unit resulting in Cotter's real body dying. Pete did this because he lusts after Sally and used the transfer as a way to get rid of Cotter and take his place. By now, Pete has downloaded his mind into another android, and he and Cotter battle each other with Cotter at an extreme disadvantage. When Pete attempts to go back into his body, the body falls forward which leaves the mind being transferred with no medium and then subsequently erased from the android as shown earlier in the episode. Cotter's own android body is severely damaged and on the verge of failure. Cotter can no longer move and is consigned to his fate, but a tearful Sally says she will not let him go. When they see his body lying there without a consciousness, they look at each other and then transfer Cotter's consciousness into Pete's body.

Later, Sally is shown standing near Cotter's casket at a military funeral. Pete walks up and stands beside her to comfort her. Later that night, Pete embraces Sally at her house, and it is revealed that 'Pete' is actually Cotter. Sally and Olander were able to transfer Cotter's mind into Pete's body before his android shell completely failed.

Closing narration

External links

• Episode on Hulu
• "Identity Crisis" at the Internet Movie Database