Operation Avalanche (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

After discovering that the lunar lander was incapable of reaching the Moon, the agents reported this to their superior Brackett. Instead of taking action, Brackett told them to exit NASA immediately. The agents chose to disobey and remain because they realized the truth would never come out through official channels and that the conspiracy ran deeper than they initially thought.

• cia agents
• nasa
• disobey orders
• bracken

While eavesdropping on James Webb, the NASA administrator, the CIA operatives overheard a conversation revealing that the lander designed for the Apollo 11 mission was fundamentally unfit for space travel. This critical information was being hidden from Congress and the public, which sparked the agents' investigation deeper into the conspiracy.

• james webb
• lander
• incapable
• space mission
• eavesdropping

Operation Avalanche was the codename for the CIA's covert operation to fabricate aspects of the Moon landing. After discovering the lander couldn't work, the team decided to hide this failure and create fake footage to maintain America's advantage in the Space Race. Brackett gave his approval and assigned agent Josh Boles to monitor the operation.

• operation avalanche
• cia
• fake moon landing
• bracken
• fabrication

During analysis of footage from a NASA pool party, Jared noticed suspicious individuals filming them. This led the team to investigate the production of Stanley Kubrick's upcoming film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Their goal was to learn advanced filmmaking techniques that would help make their fabricated Moon landing footage look authentic.

• stanley kubrick
• 2001 a space odyssey
• england
• film techniques
• set visit

Front screen projection is a filmmaking technique that allows actors to appear against a moving background without being physically present on set. The CIA operatives learned this method while in England studying Kubrick's production. It enabled them to create convincing lunar surface footage that matched the authentic production quality expected of a NASA documentary.

• front screen projection
• filming technique
• moon landing footage
• kubrick

Matt discovered the CIA's terrifying backup plan: if the fabricated Moon landing failed, the agency would shoot down the real Apollo 11 lander and frame the Soviet Union for the attack. This would justify the mission failure and prevent the truth about the original lander's defects from ever surfacing.

• cia plan
• shoot down apollo 11
• frame soviets
• contingency
• real lander

As the situation grew more dangerous and the CIA's true intentions became clear, Matt buried the finished fake Moon landing footage as a contingency plan. He feared that if the CIA eliminated the team to cover up the operation, there would be no proof of what really happened. The buried footage served as an insurance policy against their betrayal.

• matt johnson
• bury footage
• evidence
• contingency
• field

Owen confronted two men who were observing their filming sessions, and the men fled when challenged. The film implies these watchers were connected to the CIA's internal conspiracy, possibly working alongside Boles or the mole. Their true identity remains ambiguous, but they represent the constant surveillance and threat of discovery the team faced.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Jared had noticed suspicious people filming them at a NASA pool party, hinting they were being watched from the start.

• owen williams
• watchers
• surveillance
• men observing
• confrontation

The mole that the CIA had been hunting was identified as the person who spoke with James Webb about the lander's defects. After analyzing archival footage, Owen deduced the mole was indeed the second person in conversation with Webb. However, the mole died unexpectedly, and Owen suspected the CIA killed him to prevent the truth from emerging and to tie up loose ends.

• soviet mole
• james webb
• death
• conspiracy
• nasa informant

After completing Operation Avalanche, Owen was discovered hanged in his garage. The film suggests the CIA eliminated him to silence the team and prevent anyone from revealing the truth about the faked Moon landing. Matt realized their lives were in danger all along, and Owen's death was one of the fatal consequences of their involvement in the conspiracy.

Foreshadowing: Owen had feared earlier that the CIA would eliminate them to cover up the operation after the mole's suspicious death.

• owen williams
• hanged
• garage
• cia elimination
• death

Matt contacted Brackett from a payphone and proposed a deal: he would reveal his location in exchange for information about which CIA agents were scheduled to be eliminated. Brackett tried to entice Matt by offering him leadership of a new department, but Matt refused, too disillusioned to accept.

• matt johnson
• bracken
• deal
• phone call
• elimination list

After completing Operation Avalanche, Matt shared one copy of the faked Moon landing footage with Boles. However, he secretly destroyed another version that contained evidence of their deception. Meanwhile, he entrusted a third copy to Andrew for safekeeping, which later became the only proof of the conspiracy.

• matt johnson
• destroy footage
• film copies
• evidence
• andrew

The team's motel room was ransacked, and armed attackers pursued them because the CIA wanted to eliminate everyone involved in Operation Avalanche. As the faked landing was about to become historical fact, the agency needed to silence all witnesses. The attackers were part of the CIA's plan to tie up loose ends and ensure the conspiracy remained buried.

• motel
• ambush
• attackers
• cia pursuit
• escape

The film ends with Matt watching the actual Apollo 11 landing on July 20, 1969, while America celebrates. However, the ending is ambiguous, the film suggests Operation Avalanche was about fabricating parts of the mission, not necessarily that the entire Moon landing was faked. The final shot of Matt looking into the camera while "Fortunate Son" plays symbolizes the troubling reality behind America's victory.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes showed the team fabricating specific footage while the actual launch proceeded, leaving unclear what was real.

• apollo 11 landing
• real moon landing
• ending
• finale
• fortunate son