ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

__________________________________________________

Thinking Outside the "Plot"!
__________________________________________________

~ A Question for the Members: What if we inverted this concept.

~ My Theory: Here's a fun thought!

What if Dr. Jekyll was an elderly man who's disliked by practically everybody because he is a cantankerous, arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate, chauvinistic bastard . . . not to mention lecherous.

Dr. Jekyll's wife passed away several years earlier. Even his grown children despise him.

But deep down, Dr. Henry Jekyll is not a happy man. He's aware of the flaws in his character and the affect it has on those around him.

To his credit, he constantly struggles to change his basic nature and be a better person. But all his efforts are doomed to failure — until he tries something new and radical.

Using his vast knowledge of medicine, chemistry, and molecular biology, Dr. Jekyll concocts a formula which is designed to radically alter both his physiology and his emotional nature. He hopes it will turn him into the gentle, sympathetic, understanding man he really wants to be.

In other words, it will separate the "evil" aspects of his nature from the "good" aspects — which was exactly what the original novel said that Jekyll intended to do. Only in that case the experiment went horribly wrong.

But in this case it goes exactly right!

Dr. Jekyll becomes Mr. Hyde — a youthful, charming, charismatic man who quickly wins the admiration of the people he meets. He even becomes adored by his children!

Hyde meets and woos a young woman who reminds him of Dr. Jekyll's late wife when they first met — before his own increasingly hostile personality soured their relationship and slowly eroded the poor women's spirit until it affected her health and she passed away.

But then this story takes a tragic turn of events . . .

Dr. Jekyll discovers that the effects of his formula are not permanent! He reverts back to his former state — an old man with a poisonous personality and a caustic nature which alienates everyone around him.

Gentlemen, I don't know where this concept should go next. I'll be sure to provide updates when they become available. Meanwhile I hope a few of our more creative members will add some ideas of their own!
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)