The Last Days on Mars (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Petrović discovered evidence of microbial life in the Martian soil but chose not to report it to the crew. Instead, he planned a secret EVA to collect more samples, likely wanting to be the sole person to confirm extraterrestrial life and potentially claim credit for the discovery. This personal ambition directly leads to his death when he ventures alone to the sample site.

Foreshadowing: Petrović's secretive behavior is hinted at when he tells no one about his discovery, setting the chain of events in motion.

• petrović
• mars life discovery
• secret eva
• extraterrestrial life

Petrović fell into a sinkhole while collecting soil samples. The exact mechanism isn't shown, but he was exposed to an ancient bacterial organism in the underground water or soil. When he reemerged at the base, he had transformed into an aggressive, fast-moving creature with blackened skin, showing no memory of his former self.

Foreshadowing: The sinkhole opens unexpectedly beneath Petrović, hinting at something dangerous beneath the Martian surface.

• petrović infection
• zombie transformation
• bacterial organism
• sinkhole

Dalby accompanied Captain Brunel to rescue Petrović's body from the sinkhole. She descended into the fissure but vanished before help could reach her. She later reappeared at the main outpost already transformed into a zombie-like creature, indicating she was infected by the same bacterial organism that infected Petrović while underground.

Foreshadowing: The rescue mission's sudden shift from recovery to disappearance foreshadows the infection's spread.

• lauren dalby
• infection
• zombie
• rescue mission

After Captain Brunel is infected and reanimates, the crew learns the symptoms include intense thirst, complete memory loss, aggressive behavior, and physical changes like blackened skin. The infected move quickly and attack uninfected crew members. Antibiotics can slow but not stop the progression of the infection.

Foreshadowing: Brunel's fatal injuries and subsequent reanimation provide the crucial insight into how the infection manifests.

• infection symptoms
• thirst
• memory loss
• aggression
• zombie behavior

Irwin, acting as mission psychologist, made the desperate decision to isolate Aldrich in the hydroponics lab with one of the infected crew members. This appears to be an attempt at some form of psychological experiment or to contain her away from the main group, though the logic is morally questionable. Aldrich later revives as a zombie and kills the crew aboard the Aurora lander.

Foreshadowing: Irwin's willingness to isolate a crew member foreshadows his later moral compromises.

• irwin
• aldrich
• isolation
• hydroponics lab
• desperate measures

Irwin manipulates the situation to abandon Lane, claiming she is infected despite her injuries. This betrayal stems from his own infection, he is already showing symptoms and knows he will transform. He uses the claim to take the rover for himself, forcing Campbell to choose between Lane and following Irwin. Irwin's self-preservation drive reflects the infection's psychological effects.

Foreshadowing: Irwin's earlier isolation of Aldrich hints at his willingness to sacrifice others for survival.

• irwin
• rebecca lane
• abandonment
• betrayal
• infection

Lane realizes she is likely infected and is beginning to transform. Rather than becoming one of the aggressive zombies, she chooses to remove her helmet, allowing the Martian atmosphere to kill her. When she revives as a zombie, she begs Campbell to end her suffering, showing she retained enough humanity to want a dignified death rather than live as a monster.

Foreshadowing: Lane's earlier injury during the escape sets up her eventual infection and tragic choice.

• rebecca lane
• suicide
• mercy killing
• campbell
• infection

Campbell and Irwin make their way to the Aurora lander hoping to escape Mars, but find that Kim Aldrich, who was isolated in the hydroponics lab, has already revived as a zombie and killed the entire crew onboard. This forces Campbell and Irwin to confront the infected Aldrich, who becomes a major threat in the final escape attempt.

Foreshadowing: Irwin's earlier decision to isolate Aldrich directly leads to the Aurora crew's deaths.

• aurora lander
• aldrich
• zombie
• crew death
• escape

Irwin, now infected and showing symptoms, initiates a launch sequence that would take both himself and Campbell into orbit. Realizing Irwin is beyond saving and poses a threat, Campbell kills him and ejects his body along with the contaminated blood into the vacuum of space. This desperate act removes the immediate infection threat but leaves Campbell alone.

Foreshadowing: Irwin's descent into infection mirrors the earlier transformations of other crew members.

• campbell
• irwin
• ejection
• space
• infection sacrifice

In his final transmission, Campbell admits he may already be infected due to exposure to Irwin's blood during their struggle. He knows the infection spreads rapidly and could wipe out any rescue team. By warning against rescue, he hopes to prevent the outbreak from reaching Earth, showing his final act is one of sacrifice to protect humanity.

Foreshadowing: The infection's rapid spread throughout the crew establishes the stakes of preventing Earth contamination.

• campbell
• rescue warning
• infection earth
• mission control
• message

The bacterial organism proved highly contagious through direct contact with infected individuals. Once Petrović and Dalby returned as zombies, they attacked crew members, Harrington being bitten or scratched, and the infection spread within hours. The confined environment of the base and the crew's desperate attempts to survive made isolation impossible.

Foreshadowing: The rapid transformation of Petrović and Dalby establishes how quickly the infection takes hold.

• infection spread
• contagion
• zombie bites
• rapid transmission
• crew outbreak

The crew discovers that antibiotics can slow the infection's progression but cannot cure it or prevent reanimation after death. The bacterial organism appears to operate differently from any known Earth pathogen, making conventional treatments ineffective. This medical failure forces the remaining crew to accept that anyone infected will eventually transform.

Foreshadowing: Brunel's reanimation despite the crew's attempts to treat him reveals the antibiotics' limitation.

• antibiotics
• infection cure
• treatment failure
• bacterial organism