Time Under Fire (1997) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Braddock orders the elder Alan Deakins killed to alter the timeline and prevent John from ever being born. Since John is the leader of the rebellion against Braddock's dictatorship in 2077, eliminating his father before he can be born would theoretically destroy the rebellion at its source and secure Braddock's regime permanently.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the timeline, Spitz warns Deakins that they are in a future where his son John leads the rebellion against Braddock.

• braddock
• elder deakins
• john
• timeline manipulation
• assassination order

After returning to 1997, Spitz notices something off about John's behavior and discovers the young man is actually a cyborg clone created by Braddock. The clone was part of Braddock's plan to infiltrate the rebellion from within. Alan is forced to destroy John to prevent further manipulation of the timeline.

Foreshadowing: John explains Braddock's plan to build an army of cyborgs capable of perfectly imitating humans.

• john
• cyborg clone
• spitz
• braddock plan
• infiltration

Hawks is exposed as a traitor who passed the cyborg chip to Braddock. This betrayal allows Braddock to continue his cyborg program even after the chip was supposedly recovered during the mission. Hawks invades Deakins' home during the climax, resulting in Jeannie's death before his treachery is fully exposed.

Foreshadowing: The team recovers the chip from Braddock's base, but the mission's success is undermined by the hidden traitor.

• hawks
• traitor
• cyborg chip
• betrayal

In the epilogue, Spitz realizes that Marjorie, the Marjorie from the rebel faction, is the woman who would eventually give birth to John. This means the rebellion will endure because John will still be born, even though Jeannie (his mother in the original timeline) has been killed. The timeline is altered but not completely erased.

Foreshadowing: Spitz confirms Jeannie's death to government officials, which should theoretically erase John's existence.

• marjorie
• john
• mother
• rebellion
• timeline continuity

Spitz is murdered by government officials after confirming that Jeannie died in the confrontation at Deakins' home. The officials want to cover up the entire time travel conspiracy and the existence of the alternate timeline. Killing Spitz eliminates the only witness who can explain the tangled events to skeptical authorities.

Foreshadowing: Spitz is brought in to explain the events to government officials, making him a liability to the conspiracy.

• spitz
• murder
• cover up
• government
• conspiracy

Koda recognizes Deakins because in the alternate 2077 timeline, Deakins is a well-known figure, the father of John, the rebellion's leader. Koda leads the hostile military force that captures the expedition, taking the crew prisoner and holding them in Braddock's dictatorship.

Foreshadowing: Spitz reveals in prison that they are in 2077 where Deakins' son John leads the rebellion.

• koda
• deakins
• recognition
• capture
• 2077

Lance confronts Braddock in his office and shoots him, only to discover that the Braddock he shot was a cyborg clone. The real Braddock then reveals himself with a weapon aimed at Lance. This reveals that Braddock has been using cyborg duplicates of himself as body doubles, part of his broader plan to create an army of infiltrators.

Foreshadowing: John explains that Braddock is building an army of cyborgs capable of perfectly imitating humans.

• lance
• braddock
• cyborg clone
• shoot
• body double

Jeannie's death is significant because in the original timeline, she is John's mother, John is the son of Alan Deakins and Jeannie. Since Jeannie dies in 1997, John's existence should be erased. However, the revelation that Marjorie will become John's mother ensures the timeline shifts rather than completely collapsing.

Foreshadowing: Spitz confirms Jeannie's death to officials and realizes the implications for John's existence.

• jeannie
• death
• john
• timeline
• eraser

The USS Alabama accidentally enters a mysterious portal in the Bermuda Triangle in 1990. The submarine vanishes and reappears years later with Captain Deakins claiming he traveled into the future. This temporal rift is later recreated by the paranormal research organization to mount an expedition to 2077.

Foreshadowing: The navy struggles to explain the disappearance, and the event sparks rumors of alternate timelines.

• uss alabama
• bermuda triangle
• portal
• time travel
• 1990

The computer chip is the key component that enables Braddock's cyborg creation program. John explains that Braddock is building an army of cyborgs capable of perfectly imitating humans, and the chip is essential for creating these clones. The rebellion's mission is to recover this chip to prevent Braddock from expanding his cyborg army.

Foreshadowing: John outlines Braddock's cyborg plan before the assault on the base.

• cyborg chip
• braddock
• computer chip
• cyborg army
• rebellion

A guard kills Schmidt for talking back and then assaults Marjorie in the prison. Deakins intervenes and kills the guard in response, revealing the brutal nature of Braddock's dictatorship in 2077. This violent act marks a turning point where the captives must fight back against their captors.

Foreshadowing: Spitz reveals they are in a post-apocalyptic 2077 ruled by Braddock's dictatorship.

• guard
• schmidt
• marjorie
• deakins
• prison
• murder

In 2077, Braddock has risen to power as the single dictator of a post-apocalyptic United States. The exact details of how he took control are not fully explained, but his regime is brutal and uses cyborgs to maintain power. In the present day (1997), Braddock is a government official who authorizes Deakins' breakout, showing he has always been involved in the time travel conspiracy.

Foreshadowing: In custody, Spitz reveals they are in a post-apocalyptic year 2077 where a dictatorship led by Braddock holds power.

• braddock
• dictator
• 2077
• government
• power