| Asteroid World See Naming Conventions | |
|---|---|
| Episode appearance | Last Days |
| Date of Divergence | 1944 |
| Coordinates | Unknown |
| Worlds Visited | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Cannibal World" | "Feminist World" |
This is an alternate world where a massive asteroid on a collision course with Earth threatens to strike California before the time has come for the next slide. Faced with the end of this world, Rembrandt joins the massive parties breaking out, Quinn and Wade look for answers from Quinn's double, and Arturo joins forces with Conrad Bennish to build an atom bomb.
Differences from Earth Prime[]
The divergence point separating this world's timeline from that of Earth Prime occurred during World War II. Working on nuclear technology during the Manhattan Project, Albert Einstein realized the destructive potential of the atomic bomb. Unlike Earth Prime's Einstein, this Earth's Einstein refused to grant mankind that power and purposely misaligned the detonator for the first test to give scientists the impression that there is not enough fissionable material available in nature for a nuclear weapon to be possible. Without the completed bomb, Truman was unable to attack Hiroshima and Nagasaki and WWII went on an additional five years, while nuclear power as a cheap source of electricity went undeveloped and the atomic bomb was labeled "Einstein's Folly". Five decades later, an asteroid named 2956 Yeoman was discovered on an unalterable crash course with western North America. While parties and lootings broke out across the country, the Union of Concerned Scientists met to address the issue. Without nuclear weapons to destroy the asteroid, the impact was considered inevitable and society prepared itself for extinction with many political and religious conflicts ending in a truce. It's possible that increased prices are a result of a lack in nuclear power plants contributing to inflation, but the stark nature of these increases would indicate price gouging in the face of the asteroid. One might also argue that the original divergence point in this timeline happened in deep space at some point, sending 2956 Yeoman towards Earth in a near apocalypse never seen on Earth Prime.
Impact of Visit on World[]
The Sliders save the world from an asteroid and introduce nuclear fission and specifically the atom bomb to this world.
Doubles[]
- Conrad Bennish is a doctoral candidate and the only physicist who believes an atom bomb is possible. Seeing the A-Bomb as the only force powerful enough to destroy the oncoming asteroid, Bennish suggests constructing one but is turned down by every scientist except Earth Prime's Arturo who knows the bomb is possible. While building the bomb with Arturo, Bennish realizes the power he holds over mankind in the event the asteroid is destroyed and Arturo takes a section of the schematics to keep Bennish from creating a second bomb. However, Arturo loses track of his stolen piece before sliding and the nuclear future of a rescued Earth falls in the questionable hands of this Bennish.
- Quinn Mallory is a college scientist interested in paleontology and as a result, time travel. Faced with the asteroid, Earth Prime's Quinn searches his double's lab for what he at first mistakes for sliding equipment. Earth Prime's Quinn, realizing his double's intentions, tries to repurpose Quinn's time machine as a slider but the attempt fails. While Earth Prime's Quinn doubts that time travel is even possible and assumes his double fled to his grandparents' house, it's entirely possible that this Quinn has managed time travel just as the other Quinn created sliding and fled from the oncoming asteroid into the timestream.
Trivia[]
- Quinn mentions an interest in paleontology is something he and his time traveling double share, a fact supported by the toy dinosaurs in Quinn's room in the pilot.
- When the Sliders discuss what to do with the sliding technology at the end of the pilot Arturo suggests destroying it, comparing their situation with Einstein's regret of building the atomic bomb. This idea serves as the divergence point in this world.
See also[]
- Last Days-The episode in which this world appeared.
- Gillian of the Spirits-An episode in which the events on this Earth are mentioned.