The Lathe of Heaven

In Portland, Oregon, Orr is charged with abuse of prescription medications used to suppress his dreams. To avoid prosecution, he volunteers for psychiatric care and is assigned to Dr. William Haber, a skilled oneirologist. Orr explains that his dreams can alter reality, a claim Haber initially treats as a possible delusion.

Haber hypnotizes Orr in a therapy session, monitoring his brainwaves with the Augmentor, a device designed to augment dreaming. He urges Orr to have an effective dream and records the brain activity while the dream unfolds. The goal is to use the dream's content to guide therapy and study the dreaming brain.

During an early dream session, the world shifts in a tangible way, proving to Haber that Orr's reports of dream-induced changes are real. Haber records the shifts and realizes that Orr's reality-altering claims are true. This moment convinces Haber that Orr's power is real and worth pursuing.

Taking advantage of Orr's abilities, Haber uses the dream power to establish a prestigious, well-funded institute run by himself. The changes in reality grant him influence and authority in the field of dream research. Orr watches as his power is leveraged to advance Haber's career rather than focus solely on healing.

Haber pushes Orr to dream of solving overpopulation. The resulting reality shift brings a plague that wipes out about three-fourths of humanity. Societal structures collapse and new power dynamics emerge as humanity struggles to survive.

Orr's dream intended to eliminate all conflict instead triggers an alien invasion that frames humanity’s survival as a shared fight. The invasion briefly unites people, but it reveals how fragile and unpredictable dream-driven changes can be. Haber eagerly studies the resulting world for potential future reforms.

Another dream aimed at erasing racism yields a world where everyone's skin is the same shade of gray, erasing visible racial distinctions but not the deeper social tensions. The dream exposes the unintended, imperfect nature of dream-based solutions. Orr begins to realize the cost of meddling with reality on such a scale.

Orr seeks help from lawyer Heather LeLache to escape Haber's mandated treatment. LeLache doubts his sanity but agrees to assist, forming a cautious alliance and friendship. Over time, Orr's feelings for LeLache grow into love, complicating his situation.

After several failed attempts to fix the world through Orr’s dreams, Haber admits he believes in Orr's power. Using the Augmentor to study his brainwaves, Haber starts constructing a machine that would allow him to direct dreams and remake reality himself. The project marks a dangerous shift from therapy to outright world-control.

Orr remembers a dream from years earlier, shown in the opening sequence, in which the world is destroyed by nuclear war and he is poisoned. It becomes clear this dream was reality, explaining the chain of dream-induced changes and revealing the true source of the events. The revelation reframes the ethical stakes of Orr's powers.

Haber activates his final dream machine and enters the dream state to directly remake reality. Orr follows into the dream to stop Haber’s nightmare from destroying the world. The struggle ends with a merged, unstable reality that blends elements from Haber’s and Orr’s dreams, yet remains relatively stable overall.

In the aftermath, Orr works in an antique store run by an alien, reflecting a world shaped by dreams. LeLache visits, remembering him only vaguely but agreeing to join him for lunch. Haber sits in a wheelchair in a catatonic state, recognizing Orr but unable to break free from his mental trap.