Things to Come

On Christmas Day 1940, the city of Everytown is filled with dread as broadcasts speak of an imminent war. A bombing raid that night triggers general mobilisation and the start of a global conflict. Cabal, a local businessman, becomes a Royal Air Force pilot and even tries to rescue a downed enemy pilot.

The war rages on through the 1960s, leaving cities in ruins and economies collapsed by hyperinflation. A pestilence known as wandering sickness spreads via aerial bombing, turning victims into zombie-like wanderers who die soon after. Governments crumble and humanity forgets why the fighting began.

In 1970, Rudolf, known as the Boss, becomes chieftain of what remains of Everytown and purges the pestilence by shooting the infected. He starts another war, this time against the hill people of the Floss Valley, to secure coal and shale for turning into oil for his prewar biplanes. His rule deepens the cycle of conflict as resources dwindle.

On May Day 1970, a sleek monoplane lands in Everytown, and the elderly pilot John Cabal emerges to announce Wings Over the World, an organization pledged to outlaw war and rebuild civilisation from Basra, Iraq. They vow to lift humanity toward progress in the Near East and Mediterranean. The Boss captures Cabal and forces him to repair the obsolete biplanes.

With Cabal's cooperation, Gordon, the Boss's disillusioned mechanic, contacts Wings Over the World to seek support. The movement begins coordinating its plans to rebuild civilisation and reduce the grip of warfare. Their influence grows as hope returns to a world weary of destruction.

Gigantic flying wing aircraft release a Gas of Peace over Everytown, rendering the population unconscious. When people awaken, they find themselves under Wings Over the World's control, and the Boss dies from an allergic reaction to the gas. Cabal proclaims that Wings Over the World will usher in a new age of progress and peace.

Under Cabal's guidance, Wings Over the World quickly rebuilds civilisation to greater heights, including modern underground cities. A new Everytown rises as a beacon of peace and scientific progress. The world begins to forget its wars as technology and governance stabilize.

By 2036, sculptor Theotocopulos incites the populace to demand a rest from the rush of progress, signaling a backlash against rapid advancement. This unrest centers on a planned first crewed flight around the Moon and the mob threatens to destroy the space gun that would launch the mission.

Oswald Cabal, John Cabal's grandson and current head of government, is forced to move the launch ahead of schedule to appease the restless crowd. He pushes forward with the crewed Moon mission despite the public pressure. The tension between ambition and fear shapes the launch plan.

Cabal's daughter Catherine and scientist Maurice Passworthy become passengers on the Moon mission. As the rocket lifts, they confront the implications of humanity's urge to explore and conquer new frontiers. Cabal debates with Passworthy about whether progress can or should be halted.

After the projectile launches, a tiny light appears in the night sky, symbolizing humanity's leap into space. The moment prompts reflection on the cost and purpose of progress. The mission marks a dramatic turning point in Wings Over the World's history.

In a tense exchange aboard the mission, Cabal contends that humanity must conquer the universe to endure, uttering the line 'All the universe or nothingness... Which shall it be?' The dialogue encapsulates the ethical tension between relentless advancement and restraint. The scene casts a long shadow over Wings Over the World’s philosophy.