| “ | I want to be pardoned. Just like you. | „ |
| ~ A. Traveler to Yuka |
A. Traveler is the main antagonist of the Twilight Zone episode of the same name.
Biography
At the beginning of the episode, police officer Yuka Mongoyak arrests her brother Jack for being drunk and disorderly. Yuka tells Jack to cheer up, as every Christmas Captain Pendleton releases one prisoner and it will probably be him as there is no-one else in the cells. As they drive to the station, a big star is seen that is too bright to be a northern light. The star then moves away rapidly.
When they reach the station, Yuka is shocked to find another prisoner in one of the cells. He introduces himself as A. Traveler and claims that he just flew over after visiting the North Pole. A. Traveler claims that he is a YouTuber and locked himself in as Captain Pendleton's Christmas parties are legendary and getting pardoned at one is on his bucket list. Pendleton is flattered and allows A. Traveler to film him while being pardoned. When asked about his Hi-Tech phone, he claims to have got it in Russia. Yuka checks A. Traveler's ID, confirming his name, and announces her intention to run a warrant search on him.
While A. Traveler ingratiates himself with the police department (claiming that if North Korea attacked America, they would have to get past Pendleton first), Yuka runs a check and doesn't find any warrants on him. A. Traveler approaches her and asks her if she wants a Christmas present. She refuses as she doesn't believe in Christmas, but he tells her “You believe in what you believe; isn’t that what Christmas is all about?”
A. Traveler sings karaoke at the party, but is interrupted when the lights go out. The blame is put on the mayor for failing to pull the town away from the Air Force's power needs. Yuka convinces the chief to release Jack, but A. Traveler claims that Jack stole $1000 worth of snow tools and they should check his car. When asked how he knows, he says he knows a lot, such as that Mayor Matheson is going to sell an airstrip to the Russians. A partygoer attacks the mayor's wife as A. Traveler calmly sits down as another blackout occurs.
Pendleton confirms that A. Traveler lied, as nothing was found in Jack's car. However, A. Traveler now claims to be an FBI agent sent to investigate corruption within the town (ostensibly Mayor Matheson) and that another partygoer placed a bid on the airstrip. Pendleton decides to put him back in the cells until they can decide who he really is. The two cops guarding him phone the FBI base, but it's closed.
The two cops briefly see A. Traveler taking his hat off to reveal two snail-like antennae. However, A. Traveler denies this and tells them to calm down. He then reveals that the power source of the air base is concealed in a shed and all a hostile force would have to do is destroy the shed to disable the base. A. Traveler then accuses Pendleton of selling the location of the shed to the Russians, claiming that he was sent to get a confession out of Pendleton. He then tricks Pendleton into believing that invading forces are about to reach the shed, causing Pendleton to run off and try to intercept them.
With the captain gone, A. Traveler uses his telepathic powers to open the cell door and reveals his present to Yuka: Pendleton gone and Yuka in charge. He tells her that he will put her in charge if she works under him. He then uses his powers to turn the power back on and reveals his plan: trick Pendleton into revealing the location of the shed so his people can destroy it and disable the air base, allowing his people to invade. He taunts Yuka that she did nothing and she runs to stop Pendleton, but fails. Meanwhile, A. Traveler unlocks Jack's cell and morphs into his true alien form before sitting down and eating pie with Jack.
