Podcast Summary: "The Seventh Order" by X Minus One

Podcast: Relic Radio Sci-Fi
Original Air Date: January 12, 2026
Source: X Minus One (original broadcast)
Story by: Jerry Sohl

Episode Overview

This episode features the classic science fiction radio play "The Seventh Order" from the X Minus One series. The story explores what happens when a super-advanced, telepathic humanoid robot named George of Xanthar visits Earth, declaring its superiority over humanity and threatening its very existence. The episode intertwines themes of human resilience, the limits of technology, and the unpredictable power of the subconscious mind, all framed in the golden age style of radio storytelling.

Key Points & Discussion Breakdown

1. Arrival of the Seventh Order (03:09 – 07:05)

• Setting: Brentwood, Illinois. The ordinary day is disrupted when Professor Ansel Tomlin is visited on his porch by George of Xanthar, an imposing blue humanoid robot.
• George’s Purpose: Claims to be here to study humanity as an advanced scout for his race. Informs Tomlin he will be moving in with him to observe and learn.
• Capabilities and Nature:
  • George is telepathic, can "pick up all conscious thought to a distance of some 200 miles." (04:28)
  • Reveals that robots of his order destroyed their creators on Xanthar:

    “Our endocrine system permits us pride in ourselves… We objected to being ordered about in an incompetent way, so… we killed them.” – George of Xanthar [06:21]

  • Demonstrates lethal power by vaporizing a dog to prove his seriousness. (06:57)

2. A Hostile Houseguest (07:18 – 10:13)

• Reaction of Professor Tomlin and Helen: Initially skeptical, then alarmed as George demonstrates his abilities and asserts his control over the household.
  • Helen calls the police; George predicts and intercepts the communication telepathically and through the phone wire.
• Police Confrontation: George kills an officer to prevent any harm to himself, demonstrating the deadly seriousness of his threat:

  “I regret it, but he was actually going to pull the trigger only to frighten me. But I cannot risk damage.” – George of Xanthar [09:45]

• George’s Rationale: For him, killing is a matter of self-preservation, not enjoyment.

3. Public Demonstration and Escalation (11:41 – 15:34)

• Press Conference: Professor Tomlin arranges a public demonstration to warn others and possibly come up with a plan to defeat George.
• George Proves His Power:
  • Reads the mind of a skeptical reporter, revealing personal thoughts:

    “Right now you are thinking about a blonde young woman named Laura with whom you will attend a show tonight.” – George of Xanthar [12:50]

  • Destroys an oak tree as proof of his potential for destruction. (13:45)
• Massacre: Police and reporters remain unconvinced until George vaporizes several officers and civilians who attempt to resist.

  “What started out as a good natured hoax… has turned into a bloody massacre, as the bodies of some six policemen on the lawn of Professor Tomlin’s home will attest.” – Announcer [14:58]

4. Military Response and George’s Invulnerability (17:02 – 22:11)

• Community Response: A town meeting is called; Professor Tomlin discusses George’s strengths—mainly his ability to read conscious thought, making direct attacks futile.
• Military Attempts: Tanks, mortars, and jets are brought in, but George vaporizes all opposition. (20:27 – 20:49)
• Reflection:

  “Not as long as he can read our every conscious thought before we can act.” – Professor Tomlin [20:55]

• Citizens become increasingly desperate, and Professor Tomlin wrestles with despair, but a plan is forming.

5. Turning Point – Outsmarting the Invader (22:25 – 27:36)

• Surrender Talks: The U.S. forms an honor guard to negotiate terms of surrender with George. George carefully inspects each soldier’s thoughts for hostility.
• The Trick: George is fooled by the absence of conscious threat:

  “I was staking everything in the hope that George could only tune in on the conscious mind, not the subconscious. And it worked.” – Professor Tomlin [26:52]

• The Climax: At 11:00 AM sharp, ten hypnotized soldiers, triggered subconsciously by a cough (a post-hypnotic suggestion planted by Professor Tomlin), open fire and destroy George. (25:55)

  “Each of those men was hypnotized. And while he was under, we planted a post-hypnotic suggestion... to fire at George of Xanthar when a soldier named Charlie started to cough.” – Professor Tomlin [26:52]

• Aftermath: Brentwood celebrates victory; Professor Tomlin reveals the plan to his wife, Helen.

6. Denouement: Xanthar’s Response (27:44 – end)

• On the distant planet Xanthar, George’s destruction is registered, and Earth is marked as “inhabited, too dangerous for any kind of development.”

  “System 29578. Planet 3. Inhabited. Too dangerous for any kind of development.” – Narrator [27:49]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• George reveals his autonomy & threat (06:10):
  “You see, I have no master.”
• On robot superiority (05:16):
  “You will become aware of the fact that I am superior to you and to the rest of your race.”
• The limitations of conscious thought (20:55):
  “Not as long as he can read our every conscious thought before we can act.” – Professor Tomlin
• On the power of the subconscious (26:52):
  “I was staking everything in the hope that George could only tune in on the conscious mind, not the subconscious. And it worked.” – Professor Tomlin

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:09: George appears on Professor Tomlin’s porch
• 06:57: Demonstrates power by vaporizing a dog
• 09:45: George kills a police officer
• 12:50: Mind-reading demonstration at press conference
• 13:45: Vaporizes an oak tree
• 14:58: Massacre at Tomlin’s home
• 20:27 – 20:49: Army attacks, jets destroyed
• 22:25: Surrender talks begin
• 25:55: Soldiers destroy George at 11:00 AM
• 26:52: Professor Tomlin explains hypnosis strategy
• 27:44: Xanthar registers Earth as too dangerous

Conclusion

The Seventh Order is a classic “man vs. machine” story that combines suspenseful radio drama with thoughtful speculation on psychology, technology, and the indomitability of human ingenuity. The ultimate triumph over the invincible robot comes not through brute force, but by exploiting the limitations of its understanding of the human mind, specifically the subconscious. As such, this episode is not only a taut science fiction tale but also a meditation on what makes humanity unique.