Book Spoiler Coming:
For those who don't know, the book took a much different turn, more or less as follows: The dome was created by a group of boisterous alien "adolescents" using some sort of a game console on their home planet. They thought they were playing a harmless game, and did not realize they were terrorizing and killing sentient beings. (The analogy used by King in the book is that it was like kids on earth burning ants with a magnifying glass, assuming that they can't feel pain and are not self-aware).
While the kids who knew about the Egg were figuring this out, a series of events took place that resulted in all of the stored propane in the town exploding at one time, and creating a massive fire that basically consumed most of the oxygen within the dome.
Over the course of a short time (couple hours), virtually everyone within the dome died of a combination of suffocation and breathing the tainted air from the fire/explosion. Including Big Jim.
The Dome in the novel was not completely impermeable, and a bit of air would pass through. Also, communication with the outside was maintained through cell phones and internet. Seeing what was coming, Barbie communicated with his contact on the outside to set up a grid of giant fans on the outside of the dome at a pre-arranged spot. Barbie and his few remaining friends went to that spot and were able to breath the wisps of air that were passing through the wall, to prolong their lives temporarily.
Meanwhile, one of the kids figured out what was going on with the dome, picked up the egg and was able to telepathically plead with one of the aliens to remove the dome. It worked.
By the time the dome magically lifted back into the sky, never to be seen again, only Barbie, the Redhead and a few of the kids remained alive, and the town was totally destroyed by the fire and explosion.
Not a very satisfying ending, to a typically King-like preposterous scenario. Big Jim basically died of a heart attack and Barbie never got any revenge or vindication from the townspeople - who all believed he was responsible for everything.
For those who don't know, the book took a much different turn, more or less as follows: The dome was created by a group of boisterous alien "adolescents" using some sort of a game console on their home planet. They thought they were playing a harmless game, and did not realize they were terrorizing and killing sentient beings. (The analogy used by King in the book is that it was like kids on earth burning ants with a magnifying glass, assuming that they can't feel pain and are not self-aware).
While the kids who knew about the Egg were figuring this out, a series of events took place that resulted in all of the stored propane in the town exploding at one time, and creating a massive fire that basically consumed most of the oxygen within the dome.
Over the course of a short time (couple hours), virtually everyone within the dome died of a combination of suffocation and breathing the tainted air from the fire/explosion. Including Big Jim.
The Dome in the novel was not completely impermeable, and a bit of air would pass through. Also, communication with the outside was maintained through cell phones and internet. Seeing what was coming, Barbie communicated with his contact on the outside to set up a grid of giant fans on the outside of the dome at a pre-arranged spot. Barbie and his few remaining friends went to that spot and were able to breath the wisps of air that were passing through the wall, to prolong their lives temporarily.
Meanwhile, one of the kids figured out what was going on with the dome, picked up the egg and was able to telepathically plead with one of the aliens to remove the dome. It worked.
By the time the dome magically lifted back into the sky, never to be seen again, only Barbie, the Redhead and a few of the kids remained alive, and the town was totally destroyed by the fire and explosion.
Not a very satisfying ending, to a typically King-like preposterous scenario. Big Jim basically died of a heart attack and Barbie never got any revenge or vindication from the townspeople - who all believed he was responsible for everything.
