The Hero
Original Air Date: January 11, 1985
Written By: Charleton Eastlake
Directed By: Kevin Hooks
Produced By: Skip Ward
Guest Appearances: Bruce Davison as John Langley; Mickey Jones as Chris; Duncan Regehr as Charles.
Freedom Network Update: Fighting continues in Cordoba, the last free city in Spain, as Resistance fighters refuse to surrender even after seven weeks of savage street fighting; the Visitors and the Resistance blame each other for the attempted assassination of Nathan Bates in Los Angeles, where Bates has issued a statement outlawing the Resistance and placing the city under martial law; the Medal of Valor is awarded to Benny Scallini from Atlanta, Georgia, for helping to derail a train and save over 300 prisoners from reaching a labor camp in Savannah.
Claiming to be the Resistance, a group of gun-toting men break into Science Frontiers and trash the place, demanding to know the location of Nathan Bates. The men escape as security arrives, but not before sowing some seeds of distrust for the legitimate freedom fighters. When the real Resistance learns of the attack, they are determined to get to the bottom of things. Robin Maxwell is sent to visit George Caniff, the publisher of an underground newspaper, to set the record straight.
Meanwhile at the Legation, the "Resistance" group arrives. They are actually Visitors disguised as Humans lead by Lt. James from Covert Operations. Their raid on Science Frontiers is a devious plan by Charles to turn the Resistance and the populace against each other. The next step is to find Bates. Diana knows he must still be alive, because otherwise the failsafe device on his wrist would have released the Red Dust.
Bates is actually in a coma at Science Frontiers, but that doesn't stop Mr. Chiang from issuing orders in Bates's place. Using a holographic version of Bates thanks to Visitor technology, Mr. Chiang broadcasts a televised statement declaring the Resistance to be a "cancer" that must be removed. The holographic Bates reveals that a number of known Resistance sympathizers will be arrested, and — unless Mike Donovan, Ham Tyler, and Juliet Parrish surrender — one prisoner per day will be handed over to the Visitors for execution.
When Robin arrives at the Caniff print shop she meets John Langley, a reporter from The Phoenix Post who has brought news to the underground paper from Visitor occupied territory. Robin seems instantly smitten by John, but they are soon interrupted by a group of Mr. Chiang's men who rush into the shop and hold everyone prisoner — they are the hostages that will be killed if the Resistance leaders don't surrender! The prisoners draw numbers to see who will go first: George, then John, then Robin. But John plays the hero and swaps numbers with George, thereby becoming first in line for execution.
Back at Resistance headquarters, George's distraught wife is brought to meet Mike and Julie. She reveals that the hostages were not taken anywhere, and are instead still being kept at the print shop. Mrs. Caniff suggests that the Resistance should surrender for the sake of her husband, but Julie refuses to do so. She vows to instead find another way to rescue the hostages. As plans are made, Willie and Elias sneak up on the print shop and find the Visitors setting up a nearby platform with some sort of device on it. As Elias tries to get a better look, he is discovered and the Visitors direct the device — the "disintegrator" — on him and he is vaporized! Robin witnesses the ordeal from inside the shop and is traumatized, but John comforts her and they even share a kiss. Later, John says he's previously seen the disintegrator used in Prescott against Resistance fighters.
Willie escapes to bring word of Elias's fate to the Resistance. Although Willie and others are visibly shaken by the news, they must go on. Plans are made for Donovan to fake his surrender and create a diversion to free the hostages.
On the day of the execution, Charles, Lydia, and Diana assemble with Mr. Chiang to watch the proceedings. As John is brought out and prepared to meet his fate, Diana seems to recognize him and voices her concern that something is wrong. But Donovan soon arrives, waving a white flag. He is about to take John's place in front of the disintegrator when Kyle Bates and Willie come racing down the street in a pickup truck. John is thrown into the truck and escapes, but Donovan is left to fight hand-to-hand with Charles. Mike briefly gains the upper hand and pins Charles, but the Visitor spits venom at Mike's face and regains the advantage. Diana intervenes, attempting to shoot Donovan, but Mike runs away and escapes. During the commotion, Ham, Julie, and Elizabeth freed the other hostages from their captors.
Back at the Resistance headquarters, John is invited into the group and agrees — just as he hides a cut on his hand revealing green blood!
Also in this episode, some additional background is provided about the origins of Elizabeth. Charles asks Diana about her research on the Star Child, and Diana explains that Robin's unusual DNA is very susceptible to recombination. That is why Diana was able to cross-breed her with Brian to create Elizabeth. But since then Diana has not been able to find any other Humans with the same genetic compatibility. Perhaps she has plans to try again?