Fabula
Object
Object

Darrius’s Broken NH4NO3 Jar

A broken glass jar found on the floor of Darrius’s living room during the companions' frantic search for the micro-key. Its label reads 'NH4NO3' (ammonium nitrate), which Ian Chesterton deciphers as the key to the safe code 'D E 3 O 2' (D=Deuterium, E=Element 3, O=Oxygen 2). The jar’s discovery is pivotal: its contents yield the micro-key, while the chaotic intrusion of jungle vines through the walls underscores the urgency of the moment. Witnessed by Barbara Wright, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton, and Arbitan.
2 appearances

Purpose

Store ammonium nitrate chemical

Significance

Deciphers cryptic safe code to reveal micro-key location, turning a mundane lab remnant into pivotal clue amid jungle invasion that endangers the group

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments
S1E23 · The Screaming Jungle
Barbara deciphers Darrius’s dying clue

The broken NH4NO3 jar is the pivotal object that cracks the code to the micro-key’s location. Ian spots the label NH4NO3 (ammonium nitrate) on the jar’s shattered remains, recognizing it as a chemical match to Darrius’s code (D E 3 O 2, where D=Deuterium, E=Element 3, O=Oxygen 2). This discovery leads to the realization that the micro-key is hidden in one of the jars, culminating in Barbara’s retrieval of the key. The jar’s broken state symbolizes the fragility of Darrius’s legacy and the destructive consequences of his experiments.

Before: Broken on the floor, its label (NH4NO3) partially obscured but legible, serving as a clue buried in plain sight.
After: Referenced and used to solve the puzzle, its shards scattered as the jungle vines overrun the room.
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S1E23 · The Screaming Jungle
Jungle encroachment and the micro-key breakthrough

The broken 'NH4NO3' jar is the critical clue that deciphers Darrius’s code. Ian spots its label ('NH4NO3' = ammonium nitrate) and matches it to the safe’s combination ('D E 3 O 2'), realizing the micro-key is hidden in the jars. The jar’s shattered state symbolizes the fragility of Darrius’s work and the urgency of the moment, as jungle tendrils burst through the walls alongside the revelation.

Before: Broken on the floor, label visible but ignored until Ian connects it to the code.
After: Unchanged; the jar’s role is fulfilled as the clue to the micro-key’s location.
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