The Twilight Zone: Nightmare At 30,000 Feet - 7 Big Changes To The Original

While the hopelessness in Nightmare At 20,000 Feet largely stems from a lack of control, the climax is reached when desperation forces the protagonist to attempt taking matters into his own hands. All three incarnations of the original story end with the passenger depressurizing the cabin and trying to shoot the gremlin from the wing with a revolver.

Even acquiring the gun is an act of desperation. Arthur's gun is a product of suicidal ideation, while Bob Wilson and John Valentine resort to stealing their guns from fellow passengers. Their desperation ultimately leads to success, with Arthur and Bob managing to shoot the gremlin while John forces an emergency landing that causes the monster to flee.

The remake is a complete reversal of this idea. Justin, who has already been trying to control the situation throughout most of the episode, ushers the story toward its climax when he finally decides to give up control entirely. His last-ditch effort is to simply hand control over to Joe Beaumont, trusting the former pilot to land the plane safely.

Ironically, Justin wouldn't be posed to make this regrettable decision had he accepted his lack of control from the beginning. While the original Nightmare passengers had to take charge in order to save the plane, Justin's refusal to let fate command itself is precisely what leads to disaster.