Total Recall 1990

This transmission follows a human male named Quaid, who lives on Earth but dreams of Mars — not for scientific inquiry, but for adventure and vague romantic excitement. Rather than travel there physically, he visits a facility that implants vivid memories of fictional vacations. The procedure goes wrong. Or possibly right. No one is sure, including Quaid.

Shortly after, he discovers that his identity may be false, his wife may be an assassin, and everyone he meets might be lying — including himself. He reacts to this by developing instant combat skills, escaping multiple ambushes, and boarding a shuttle to Mars while confused but motivated.

On Mars, he uncovers a rebellion, a mining colony, and a hidden alien machine designed to terraform the planet. He is told that he used to be a villain, or possibly a spy, or possibly still is. He changes sides mid-mission, possibly due to moral clarity or possibly because the plot requires forward motion.

Reality becomes increasingly unstable. Characters reappear, change motives, or melt. Quaid ultimately activates the machine, restores breathable air to Mars, and possibly saves the population. Or he’s still sitting in a chair on Earth, dreaming the whole thing. The transmission does not confirm either outcome.

Conclusion: Humans are deeply invested in the idea that they are more than they seem — and will fight, revolt, or terraform a planet to prove it. When presented with a new identity, they will embrace it completely, especially if explosions are involved.

For a species obsessed with truth, humans abandon it the moment fiction flatters them. Nebulon might start its invasion by offering them a better lie.