Last Lap

"Last Lap" is the twenty-fourth episode of the science fiction television series 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone. The episode was first broadcast on December 11, 2002, on UPN.

Opening narration

Plot

A terminally ill cancer patient named Andy Perez and his best friend Marco Flores take a final ride in their street racer that results in unexpected consequences for both of them.

Marco Flores takes his heavily modified Merkur XR4Ti street racer out with his best friend, Andy Perez, who is dying of cancer. They talk about their time together and how Marco met Andy's sister, Jami, who threw her shirt at him. As they drive to a race track for Andy's final race, Andy says that he cannot afford the painkillers any more and they are not doing any good. Marco tells his friend that he will not die.

The two men arrive at the course and discover that it is already set up for a race. As a homeless man looks on, Andy tells his friend to drive the course because he will never have another chance. They race around the track, trying to beat their best time. The Merkur goes out of control and crashes.

Andy wakes up in the ambulance. The emergency medical technician tells him that he is fine, but that Marco was killed. Andy insists he should have been the one to die but the technician tells him that he is perfectly healthy with no sign of cancer.

The next day, a now healthy Andy goes back to the track only to discover that it is deserted. He talks to the homeless man, who says he did not see anything. As Andy walks away, the GT drives by and he sees his sister Jami pull up in another car. She tosses her shirt to the driver… Marco. The vision fades away, leaving Andy more confused than ever. As he walks down the street, he sees Marco drive by, waving to him. Andy finds Marco's brother Ruben, working at his garage. Ruben knows that Marco died but does not seem concerned about it. Andy finds the Merkur parked in back and demands answers, but Ruben acts like nothing is wrong.

That night, Andy goes to a club and finds his sister Jami hanging out with a new boyfriend, Donnie. They are drinking and partying and Andy wonders how she could forget Marco so quickly. Jami just shrugs and says that he is dead and there is nothing else to be done. She goes back to Donnie, who has transformed into Marco. He offers Andy a drink and tells him to relax. Andy takes a drink as Marco laughs and then disappears. Andy begins to lose it and leaves while Jami yells at him that he is obsessed. Outside, he finds Marco waiting for him in the Merkur. He gets in and wonders if Marco is really dead. Marco tells him that he is and then disappears.

The next morning, Andy returns home to find his parents talking with Jami. They are all worried about how he seems obsessed with Marco's death. They try to help him but Andy's parents are also indifferent to Marco's death. Andy runs outside and finds Marco waiting for him. Andy's friend says they have to talk. He explains that only Andy can see him and he is there to make sure Andy is happy. Marco tells his friend that he has to accept that everyone dies when the time comes, but they end up going on to a better place. He tells Andy that he will always be there for him and that he will see him at the funeral the next day.

Andy attends Marco's funeral, and he has started to come to terms with death. He goes to take one last look at Marco, who sits up and points out that everyone else is comfortable with the idea of death. Andy admits that he is starting to accept it himself. Marco smiles on hearing that.

Andy is back on the track in his last few moments before the crash. The Merkur spins out of control and crashes. Marco survives and drags Andy away from the flaming wreck. With his final breaths, Andy tells Marco that he is no longer afraid of death. As Marco mourns Andy's death, Forest Whitaker appears and states that Andy was able to accept the inevitable.

Closing narration

External links

• "Last Lap" at TV.com
• "Last Lap" at the Internet Movie Database