Things to Come (1936) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

During the war in 1940, John Cabal becomes an RAF pilot and shoots down an enemy aircraft. Despite being at war, he attempts to rescue the downed pilot, showing his fundamental decency and mercy even in the fog of war. This early act of compassion foreshadows his later role as a leader who seeks to end all conflict rather than continue the cycle of violence.

Foreshadowing: This moment establishes Cabal's core belief in mercy, which later defines his mission with Wings Over the World.

• john cabal
• rescue enemy pilot
• mercy
• war
• raf pilot

The wandering sickness is a pestilence unleashed by aerial bombings during the prolonged world war. It turns victims into zombie-like wanderers who roam in a trance before dying. The disease devastates the surviving population, contributing to the complete societal collapse of the post-war dark age.

Foreshadowing: The plague enables the Boss to seize power by presenting himself as the only one willing to take drastic action against the infected.

• wandering sickness
• plague
• disease
• post-war
• zombie-like

The Boss dies from an allergic reaction to the Gas of Peace released by Wings Over the World. When the flying wing aircraft flood Everytown with gas to render the population unconscious and take control, the Boss has a severe allergic response and dies. This allows Wings Over the World to seize power while he is eliminated without direct violence.

Foreshadowing: The Boss's violent rule and refusal to join Wings Over the World seals his fate.

• boss death
• rudolf
• allergic reaction
• gas of peace
• wings over the world

Wings Over the World is an organisation formed by the last surviving engineers and mechanics, headquartered in Basra, Iraq. Their mission is to outlaw war entirely and rebuild civilisation across the Near East and Mediterranean. They represent technological progress and centralized order, eventually taking control of Everytown through their superior air power and the Gas of Peace.

Foreshadowing: John Cabal's arrival in the sleek monoplane marks the introduction of this powerful organisation.

• wings over the world
• basra
• organisation
• rebuild civilisation
• outlaw war

Wings Over the World uses the Gas of Peace to incapacitate the population without bloodshed, allowing them to seize control peacefully while minimizing resistance. The gas renders everyone unconscious long enough for Wings to establish control. This approach reflects their goal of ending war and violence, though it raises questions about whether forcing peace through chemical means is truly justified.

Foreshadowing: The Boss's refusal to join Wings Over the World makes peaceful integration impossible.

• gas of peace
• takeover
• wings over the world
• control
• peaceful

Oswald Cabal, John Cabal's grandson and head of government, accelerates the crewed Moon flight because sculptor Theotocopulos has incited the populace to demand a rest from ceaseless progress. The crowd threatens to destroy the space gun that would launch the mission. To prevent this and maintain momentum, Oswald pushes the launch ahead of schedule despite public resistance.

Foreshadowing: The public unrest about progress mirrors earlier debates about whether humanity should continue advancing.

• oswald cabal
• moon mission
• accelerate launch
• theotocopulos
• progress debate

Oswald Cabal is the grandson of John Cabal, the original protagonist who returned in 1970 as an elderly pilot with Wings Over the World. By 2036, Oswald has become the head of government of the rebuilt Everytown under Wings Over the World's rule. He represents the second generation of leadership, continuing his grandfather's vision of progress while facing new challenges from those who question that vision.

Foreshadowing: The Cabal family's multi-generational commitment to progress defines the film's central theme.

• oswald cabal
• grandson
• john cabal
• family
• leadership

The line 'All the universe or nothingness... Which shall it be?' represents the central philosophical dilemma of the film: whether humanity must constantly push forward into exploration and conquest, or accept a quieter path of rest and contentment. Cabal argues that humanity must conquer the universe to endure, while others question whether such relentless ambition serves any true purpose. The ending leaves this question unresolved, inviting viewers to consider what kind of future humanity should choose.

Foreshadowing: This debate echoes throughout the film, from the war's destruction to the post-progress rebellion.

• all the universe or nothingness
• quote
• philosophy
• progress
• choice
• ending

By 2036, after decades of relentless reconstruction and advancement under Wings Over the World, the populace has grown weary of constant acceleration. Sculptor Theotocopulos fans the flames of public demand for a measured rest, arguing that humanity cannot sustain itself under the endless push of progress. This rebellion represents a fundamental tension between the drive to advance and the human need for pause and contentment.

Foreshadowing: Theotocopulos's influence directly threatens the Moon mission's success.

• rebellion
• rest from progress
• theotocopulos
• 2036
• public demand

After the prolonged war devastates civilization and the wandering sickness spreads, Rudolf rises as a warlord in the power vacuum. He takes control of what remains of Everytown by force and consolidates power through ruthless efficiency, most notably by shooting all infected individuals to eradicate the plague. His rule represents a brutal but effective form of leadership in a collapsed world, though it perpetuates the cycle of conflict through his wars for resources.

Foreshadowing: The Boss's violent methods contrast with Cabal's vision of peaceful progress.

• boss
• rudolf
• seize power
• everytown
• warlord
• rule

When John Cabal arrives in Everytown, the Boss captures him and forces him to use his technical knowledge to repair the obsolete prewar biplanes that keep the town airborne. Cabal cooperates with this arrangement, likely to buy time and maintain his cover while waiting for an opportunity to advance Wings Over the World's mission. His technical expertise ultimately proves invaluable in bridging the gap between the old world and the new organisation.

Foreshadowing: Cabal's cooperation enables Gordon to make contact with Wings Over the World.

• john cabal
• repair biplanes
• boss
• cooperation
• technical knowledge