MovieChat Forums > The Outer Limits (1995) Discussion > Re-Generation: self-defense, or murder?

Re-Generation: self-defense, or murder?

posted 9 years ago by kenoh89
1 reply | jump to latest

In S3e03 Re-Generation, anybody think the father, as slimy as he was for lying, was killed in cold-blood? Sure, he was the cause of his kids death, but he does eventually admit it was an accident. plus, he showed no indication to cause harm to his wife and child, again, which he spent all that time and money to bring back.

In all likelihood, his wife was showing signs of psychotic paranoia. He let her go when asked, and allowed her to leave, yet she refused to leave, believing he was going to harm her when she walked down the stairs, when he showed no signs of malice earlier. He unarmed himself and got on his knees and begged for forgiveness, yet she shot him anyways. The fuq? All this, while he didn't even know she was armed with a shotgun. If anything, he would be charge with manslaughter, and she, 1st degree murder.

[–] swhite-39772 8 years ago

I had reservations at this as well and had to go back and re-watch the ending a few times to filter out the framing, edits, and musical score that the show adds to the stress of the situation.

After review, I don't think he had actual ill intent against her but should have definitely recognized his perceived intimidation stance and the fragile mindstate of his wife. Propositioning her to brush past him to get down the stairs, pursuing her when she clearly wanted him to keep back (in multiple rooms), and busting down the attic door with a lot of racket were all pretty aggressive posturing despite his calm demeanor. Everything about "sweating, trembling, hormonal, desperate and cornered wife whom has been running from you for 5 minutes and found a gun" should have appealed to his better sense that proximity = bad news, as does the fact that she revealed that their dead son communicates thoughts and half-baked feelings to her directly.

Although the child's initial death did seem like an accident to me, the husband did put himself in a position to be soundly shot and I believe I'd rule on the side of self defense in this case. Maybe in a way he wanted to die due to guilt? If he couldn't have the traditional cohesive family again, maybe it was better to go out at the hands of his wife and allow the son revenge?

Whatever the case, Samantha Jones and her wide-mouthed demon baby will have fun going through a second set of growing pains and awkwardly "intimate" moments.

Couple contradicting thoughts to your post:
*The husband knew she had a gun despite the darkness and even said, "put down the gun"
*It wasn't fully clear that he went to a knee or knees - he might have been reaching for her/it