12 Monkeys story
A time traveler from the future attempts to prevent a deadly virus from proliferating around the world. It is inspired by Chris Marker's 1962 short film La Jetée.
22 total · 2 choice · 7 major · 13 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| human-made pandemic | choice | A human-made virus was destined to wipe out 5 billion people and render the surface of the Earth uninhabitable. |
| time travel | choice | Prisoner James Cole was sent back in time from 2035 on a mission to prevent a deadly virus from proliferating around the world. |
| mental illness | major | Jeffrey was severely mentally ill. Moreover, mental illness tropes recurred throughout duration of the film. |
| misanthropy | major | A scientist so hated the world that he deliberately spread a virus with the goal of annihilating the human race. |
| post-apocalyptic dystopia | major | We saw a future where the surface of a severely depopulated Earth had been rendered uninhabitable by a deadly plague. |
| the dangers of unfettered scientific advancement | major | Dr. Leland Goins' assistant used the distinguished virologist's lab to get a virus that he deliberately used to wipe out the better part of humanity. |
| time traveler living secretly among us | major | Cole was sent back to the 1990s from 2035 to secretly collect information related to a deadly virus. |
| what if I fell into the clutches of a homicidal maniac | major | From Kathryn's point of view a dangerous mental patient, Cole, had abducted her. |
| what if I told the truth and nobody would believe me | major | The psychiatrist Kathryn was highly reluctant to take Cole seriously when he explained to her that he had come from the future to gather information about a apocalyptic plague that was going to spread around the world in 1997. Cole's cell mate Jose was sent back to the First World War and we learned his raving about having been sent from the future were also disregarded by his contemporaries. |
| animal rights | minor | We saw Cole confront a small band of animal rights activists. Later they let all the animals out of the Philadelphia zoo. |