Supervolcano

Scientists reveal the VIRGIL virtual imagery simulator and present its potential for volcano research at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Rick Lieberman and his team explain the system while their boss Eldridge touts its capabilities. The press conference introduces the looming possibility of an eruption, which Rick dismisses as remote for now.

A reporter asks whether Yellowstone could erupt, prompting Rick to downplay the risk as a remote possibility. Jock, Dave, Matt, Nancy, and Eldridge watch as the question hangs in the room. The moment sets the tone for how information will be communicated to the public.

An earthquake triggers a tsunami in a park lake, prompting Maggie to interview Ken Wylie on TV. Rick and Ken share a tense, brother-in-law rivalry; Rick accuses Ken of fanning panic to sell a book. The media storm intensifies the public's fear of a volcano eruption.

Wendy Reiss asks Rick about the worst-case scenario of a Yellowstone eruption and shows a simulation of devastating ashfall across the US. Rick hesitates, but the data make the potential scale undeniable. The moment demonstrates the national-level stakes of their research.

A hydrothermal burst at Norris Geyser Basin triggers questions from the press. Rick's team runs new VIRGIL simulations that reveal even a moderate eruption could destabilize the magma chamber and trigger a super eruption. The team recognizes the escalating risk.

Following more seismic activity, the park is shut down to protect visitors and staff. Maggie returns to Yellowstone anyway, and Rick assigns Matt to give her a tour. They detect a harmonic tremor near Norris indicating an eruption of unknown scale is imminent.

An eruption press conference is scheduled in Washington, DC after an alarming email leaks to the press. FEMA officials pressure Rick to downplay the threat and say the eruption will not be large. The political stakes push him into a difficult, public-facing stance.

As data is completed, scientists realize the top of the magma chamber has enough eruptible magma to destabilize the system. A pyroclastic flow damages the main USGS field office and injures Jock; Nancy and Matt are killed while trying to escape.

The vent plume blankets the region, shutting US airspace and prompting FEMA to implement protective measures. Rick's plane flies into ash, forcing an emergency landing in Cheyenne. He and Ken decide to reach a military installation instead of Denver.

A motel roof collapses under heavy ash, destroying the backup hotel office and killing Dave. Rick and Ken reach a nearby military installation, where they weather the eruption inside. The shift to a secure facility marks a turning point in their response.

From the safety of the installation, Rick informs FEMA that the vents will merge into one massive caldera, indicating an eruption on the scale of Huckleberry Ridge. The team confronts the reality that evacuation would be impossible. The planet-wide consequences intensify the urgency.

Officials scramble to save 25 million people trapped by ash, but Rick argues evacuation would fail due to ash and airspace. FEMA launches the Walk to Life program, guiding survivors through the ash to safety. The plan buys time and preserves a portion of the population.

One week after the eruption starts, the magma chamber's empty space collapses, signaling the end of the eruption. The atmosphere is darkened by ash, and large areas of the US become uninhabitable. The Walk to Life saves 7.3 million people, including Rick and Ken.