Plot synopsis
A boy called Calvin is struck out in the last inning of a baseball game, so his team lose. Then suddenly, there is an earthquake, and everyone dives for cover.
The boy grabs his bag but falls down through a crevice. He goes down a long way, eventually falling through the sky and landing on the notorious Black Knight during the times of King Arthur.
He gains the favour of the king, who has lost his grip on his nation. The magician, Merlin, has passed away, but his ghost is able to communicate with Calvin via a magic well. I
t appears that Merlin’s spell brought the wrong person to help Arthur regain his courage to take control of his kingdom again.
Merlin strikes a deal with him: if he can help King Arthur to regain his confidence, then he will help Calvin get back to his own time. During his adventure, in which he helps Arthur keep his crown, Calvin gains courage and his self-respect.
Calvin returns to his present during the baseball game, just as he is about to be struck out. He steps up to the plate with his newfound courage and this time hits a home run.
He notices Arthur and his daughter watching the game in the stands, and they look like normal people from his time.
My comments
Calvin helps King Arthur to become the legend that was his destiny. His trip was part of a causal loop and causes a pre-destination paradox because without him going back, Arthur would not have become the great king written about in our history books.
Adapted from an 1889 Mark Twain novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, as were: Black Knight (2001), A Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1948) and The Spaceman and King Arthur (1979).
Summary of time travel
Calvin went back and changed the past, which caused the timeline to diverge. However, on his return, his present world was the same, so the timeline in the past must have converged back again.
We have to assume that if Calvin had not helped the king, someone else would have, as history tells us that Arthur did become a great king.
During his trip, Calvin gained courage and self-respect, so when he returns, he is a different person. He hits the home run, so his team wins instead of losing, thus causing the timeline to diverge.
Category of time travel
Psychological: head injury.
Model of time
Open past, open future with a converging timeline.
