The Greatest Showman #1532 - Homogeneous Baptism

Soyuz 2 initiated its landing procedure, rapidly descending toward Tiangong 1. At the same time, Ryan secured his astronaut helmet, preparing for his final fight for survival in space.

The landing procedure was irreversible; once begun, it could not be redirected. This meant Ryan had no choice but to leave the Alliance 2 cabin and rely on his own abilities to maneuver toward Tiangong 1 and complete the landing — his only chance of survival.

Tiangong 1, now also affected by debris from satellites, was rapidly plummeting towards Earth's atmosphere. At this speed, the space station was doomed to burn up, explode, and crash as it entered the atmosphere, torn apart by intense friction.

But this was Ryan's last ride.

With resolve, Ryan grabbed the fire extinguisher that had been kept in his arms and placed his hand on the cabin door handle. He gazed at the approaching space station without fear, a determined smile on his face. "Five, four... Isn't it just driving? Let's go home!" he muttered.

With a pull of the lever, Ryan and the hatch were ejected, returning to the vastness of space. He used the fire extinguisher's jet to stabilize himself, countering the force of the ejection, then carefully adjusted his approach toward Tiangong 1.

Just like Wall-E from the movie Wall-E, he moved slowly but steadily.

As he neared the station, the fire extinguisher's powder ran out. Tiangong 1 continued to descend. Undeterred, Ryan threw the extinguisher behind him and used the reaction force to propel himself towards the space station. Just as he was about to miss the final opportunity, he grabbed onto the space station's railing with his right hand.

The auditorium was filled with gasps, people on the edge of their seats, eyes locked on the screen, not daring to blink. The tension was palpable; this was far from over.

With effort, Ryan reached the entrance to the Tiangong 1 cabin. However, as the second wave of satellite debris began to rain down, he swiftly entered the cabin, awaiting the oxygen isolation to fill the air. Once secure, he ventured further inside to locate the Shenzhou escape capsule.

At this moment, the station was under assault by debris, its imminent collapse nearing as it fell towards the Earth's atmosphere. Ryan scrambled to make it to the Shenzhou. With no time to read the manual, he fumbled for buttons, guessing his way through. After several tries, he managed to get the capsule in motion, beginning its departure from Tiangong 1.

By now, the space station was disintegrating. Violent friction caused debris to break off, creating a spectacle akin to a snowstorm. But inside the Shenzhou, the temperature soared, and the cabin shook violently as it entered the atmosphere.

"Houston, Houston, can you hear me? This is mission specialist Ryan Stone aboard the Shenzhou. I'm about to leave Tiangong 1…"

Ryan reported the situation, unsure of whether he would survive or what would come next. Everything would be recorded in the black box, but he needed to communicate. As he spoke, fear crept in — his brain went blank for a moment, and tears began to form. But despite this, his smile remained, full of courage and resolve.

"I have a bad feeling about this mission…" he mused, thinking of Alex, which made him chuckle nervously. "It reminds me of a story, Houston…"

Before he could continue, a violent shake interrupted him. He gritted his teeth, tightening his muscles, and continued with a tremor in his voice, "Forget it, Houston. Forget it."

The shaking was so intense that his words faltered, but his smile never wavered, and the light in his eyes remained steady.

"It's getting hotter and hotter in here, but it's fine. Everything will be fine. At this point, there are only two possible outcomes — either I land safely and come back with a legendary story, or I turn to ash in ten minutes. Either way, it's random!"

As the Shenzhou rattled violently, Ryan felt an overwhelming sense of strength and determination. His smile shone brighter than ever, radiating courage and defiance as he faced the storm's fury.

"No matter the outcome, this will be a magical journey!" In his eyes, there was a hint of rebirth and life, a faint glimmer growing brighter and brighter. With a final smile, he whispered, "I'm ready."

He was ready. Fearless, unstoppable, and resolute. The force of his spirit cut through the chaos, spilling over into the audience, each person holding their breath, eyes wide, not daring to blink, afraid to miss a single moment of this extraordinary journey.

Ryan inhaled deeply, replacing his helmet, and prepared for what was to come.

Soon, Tiangong 1 was destroyed, and Shenzhou was ejected, spinning rapidly into the atmosphere. Its surface began to burn, creating a fiery ball that resembled a meteor shower descending to Earth. The control panels inside the capsule began to collapse, smoke pouring out. Ryan had completed another escape, now in the final descent — plummeting towards Earth at breakneck speed.

Faster and faster, the blazing meteor shower streaked across the sky, as if time itself had stopped.

Finally, Shenzhou entered the atmosphere, and Houston's signal was restored. They were sending a rescue team to the landing site, but Ryan had no time to wait.

The escape pod crashed into a large lake, sinking rapidly. Ryan opened the door, attempting to escape, but the rushing water poured in, trapping him. He was thrown to the back of the capsule, helplessly watching it descend to the bottom of the lake.

Ryan took a deep breath, then dove into the water. His bulky spacesuit made swimming nearly impossible, but he managed to reach the surface. Gasping for air, he coughed violently from breathing too quickly.

But he escaped.

Floating in the lake, Ryan gazed up at the fiery meteor shower, then swam toward the shore. His legs felt heavy, as if gravity had intensified. He crawled forward, his hands pressing into the soft earth.

When he reached the shore, he collapsed, breathing heavily, his cheek pressed to the ground. Grasping a handful of dirt, he chuckled, the familiar feeling bringing a bittersweet sense of relief.

Ryan tried to stand but collapsed again, exhausted. He laughed at himself, shaking his head. "No… I won't give up. The hardest part is over. Nothing can beat me now."

With a deep breath, he tried again. Using his hands and knees, he struggled to move, like a creature learning to walk for the first time. The struggle against gravity felt like humanity's own journey from primitive life to civilization.

Step by step, Ryan pushed forward, moving his left foot, then his right, his body trembling with each movement. Slowly, he began to stand, defying the weight that had once held him down.

The music swelled, and the camera focused on his legs, rising from the earth as if he were a giant, supporting the weight of the world. It was a moment of triumph — from chaos to clarity, from desolation to life.

Ryan raised his arms as though embracing the sky. Then, with his gaze fixed on the horizon, he took another step, and another, his back the only thing visible as he walked into the future.

And the movie ended.