Act 3 Summary

The third act opens in the study, two weeks later. Kreton is seated in front of a map, playing with model airplanes. Mr. Powers enters. Kreton requests some data from him and then questions why he so strongly dislikes him. Kreton suggests that Powers could be jealous about a foreigner's success at their game. Powers replies that the new World Council is merely paralyzed to act against him, rather than supporting his efforts toward an enormous war.

John and Ellen sit in the living room, where she confesses her sense of helplessness. She is overcome with anger when Powers and Kreton enter the room. She declares his motive nothing but sport and claims that his greed is destroying everything. Kreton reminds her that the humans have the power to stop fighting. He exposes this inertia with the example of the Spelding household, saying...