Eterna
By: Nanci L.
In the Fall of 1988 several
storylines began to come together. Viki had just learned that she had given
birth to a baby girl while still a teenager herself, and was searching for this
child. A fortune-hunting con man named Leo Cromwell was trying to pass his own
daughter, Christine off as Viki's lost child. A ruthless businessman by the name
of Michael Grande also arrived in Llanview secretly trying to learn the truth
about his father Garrick, who has been a business associate of Victor Lord's
many years before. After meeting the beautiful Gabrielle he instantly became
attracted to her, and set out to win her for his own. It was also around this
time that the real father of Viki's missing daughter arrived in Llanview. His
name was Roger Gordon. His presence was troubling to Viki, as if he held the
answers to what she was seeking so desperately for.
It was while
investigating her father Victor's past that she was surprised to stumble upon
records of an unusual nature. They were documents showing the existence of a
place called Eterna, as well as proof of the illicit dealings with a man by the
name of Danton Gordon. Viki wondered if this man could be related to Roger
Gordon. The truth was that Danton was Roger's father, and had been hired by
Victor Lord as an architect to design a fantastic underground city by the name
of Eterna. Viki knew none of these things that her father had been secretly
involved with.
As it turned out,
both Roger Gordon and Michael Grande had vague recollections of growing up in a
totally different world. They both felt that this world still existed somewhere
deep underground near or under Llantano Mountain. Gabrielle learning of this
city because of her growing relationship with Michael Grande, was doing some
snooping of her own, and was zeroing in on Eterna herself.
1988: In
another daring plotline Viki relived her high school years.Viki learned many things about herself there,including that she had a daughter, Megan.
It was at the same time that the man who was trying to con Viki about her missing daughter, Leo Cromwell, was also searching for the entrance to the lost city. He himself had also been a former resident, and he only remembered that the entrance was somewhere located on Llantano Mountain, but he was not sure exactly where. Leo
had heard about the legends of stolen gold that had been hoarded there and hidden within the walls of the city. He was like a man possessed in his quest to find a way in, and he pushed his daughter Christine to help him find it. Christine asked the help of Wade Coleman, thinking that her father had gone crazy and that he was a danger to himself and others.
In early January 1989 snow began to fall one day as Tina had taken Gabrielle up to Llantano Mountain to show her where she and Cord had planned to build a house. They both discovered a small opening in the rock. It appeared to lead down into a tunnel. Tina always curious, and Gabrielle knowing about the lost city decided to explore where it lead. As they descended into the mountain's depths, Tina became
caught in one of the many traps that the early builders had placed to discouraged would-be explorers. A terrified Gabrielle raced back down the mountain looking for help to save Tina. She went to Wanda's Place where she found Viki. She begged Viki to help her. Gabrielle drew a symbol on a napkin, and gave it to Viki saying that all her questions would be answered if she came with her. The symbol was the trademark of Eterna. Viki gave the napkin to Wanda
and told her to keep it safe and left with Gabrielle. Later when Wanda called Llanfair to make sure Viki had gotten home safe she was not there. She described the symbol on the napkin to Cord, and Roger Gordon overheard the description and told him that he knew where Tina, Gabrielle and Viki were. The two men quickly left and headed for Llantano Mountain.
Viki encounters the dangerous Leo Cromwell, who was willing to kill to get his hands on a hidden stockpile of gold.
Viki and Gabrielle were able to get Tina out of the trap, and were surprised to run into Cord and Roger as they were attempting to make their way out. They were even more startled to run into Michael Grande who had also managed to find his way back
into the city. Michael threatened to kill them all and pulled a gun on them. Cord and Roger tried to take the gun away from him, and when the gun went off, the vibration set off and avalanche, which sealed them inside the mountain. Leo, Christine and Wade had also found another way in, through a fissure in the mountain's wall. After the avalanche was over all of them were sealed inside
Eterna with no way out.
Panic quickly set in and as they ran through the tunnel looking for a way to escape, they all converged deep inside the mountain in the city itself. What they found was shocking. Eterna was a stunning underground city, complete with bedrooms, kitchens, libraries, all the comforts of life. A beautiful golden angel statue stood watch over the city. Because of some amazing advanced technology, they
were able to breath clean fresh air. As hours turned into days, and weeks, they learned how through a gigantic television screen that descended from the ceiling, they learned the origins of the city, through videotapes of Eterna's creator, Danton Gordon, Roger's father.
As beautiful as the city was, it became a hell for the 9 trapped Llanviewites. Leo, still consumed with his thirst for gold hunting was scarring the rest of them as he came close to snapping on several occasions. Cord, Tina and Gabrielle were busy blaming Michael for their being stuck there, while Roger and Viki grew closer and he finally told her the truth about her missing daughter. How after he had escaped from Eterna he met the then teenage Viki and they had fallen in love with each other. He told her that after they found out that Viki was carrying his child, a very angry, horrified Victor had arranged to have her hypnotized by a man named Lysander Clair during the childbirth. Viki had actually switched personality to Niki Smith when she went into labor. Larry Wolek had delivered the baby girl and was told to never speak of it again. When Viki came out of hypnosis, she had no remembrance of her pregnancy, childbirth, or her beloved Roger. Victor had paid Roger to take the baby, leave town and raise her. Victor had warned Roger to stay away from Viki forever. When Roger later married he and his new wife raised the baby girl as their own along with their daughter. Viki was shocked to learn that her missing baby girl was none other than Megan Gordon, who had been just short of a bitter enemy to Viki.
"That was the only time I ever got an angry with Larry – when I found out that he had delivered my baby, Megan, when I was under hypnosis in the back seat of
Daddy's limousine," notes Slezak.
The family and friends of the trapped Eterna dwellers were desperately searching for their loved ones. Michael Grande's wife Alicia found a map of Eterna among her husband's things and brought them to the attention of Clint, Asa and Renee, along with a full audio confession tape by Victor. Using these as a guide they were able to pinpoint the position of Eterna and started to drill into the
mountain. Cord and Roger after finding a transmitter were able to send hazy signals of help to the rescue workers. Encouraged they were alive, Clint worked tirelessly day after day hoping that they would soon find a spring or body of water that would open the way into Eterna for the rescuers.
Deep inside the mountain things were reaching crisisproportions. Leo Cromwell had finally found the gold that he so desperately looked for and threatened to kill them all for it. During a fight with Michael Grande, he fell from a precipice to his death. The drilling from above was causing the city of Eterna to crumble as it began to fall apart. Just as the situation already seemed hopeless enough, Gabrielle nearly killed all of them by becoming gold hungry herself. She grabbed the golden staff that the angel statue held in its hand. This set off a series of deadly booby traps set by the original builders, that threatened to destroy the entire city.
As Eterna began to self-destruct, Tina nearly fell to her death into a hidden abyss. Cord and Roger barely escaped being hit by falling rocks. The booby traps had set off explosions everywhere and the very walls of Eterna began to crumble. They were barely able to hear Clint from above trying to get to them. Viki said her tearful good-byes to Clint thinking she was about to die, and she and Roger held each other as they waited for whatever would happen. Ash, soot and debris came pouring down as fire began to sweep through the city. Viki buried her face into Roger's shoulder moments before a gigantic explosion rocked Eterna in its last death throes.
When it was over, those left alive were surprised to see light from above. The last explosion had opened a small fissure in the rock that lead to the outside. Rushing for the light, they were all barely able to avoid the final end of Eterna as it took its last breath. As the survivors raced and fell into the arms of their grateful loved ones, the angel statue tipped from its pedestal and fell to the ground, consumed by the ravaging flames.
Viki and Roger had grown close while trapped together in Eterna and this put a great strain on Viki and Clint's marriage. This was only made worse when Roger revealed that he and Viki had actually been married. To show Clint that she still loved him, and wanted to make their marriage work, she got an annulment from Roger. During this time Viki enjoyed an uneasy "reunion" with her reluctant daughter, Megan. In time, Viki and Megan mended their fences and came to respect, admire and love each other deeply.
Episodes January/February 1992
From Article Entitled "101 Fabulous Facts About OLTL"
“We had a week of filth and dirt thrown at us” Erika
recalls. “There was about 20 zillion dollars in gold bullion hidden
there. I've always said Viki should go back and get it.”
Fact #16: The largest set ever created for a daytime drama was OLTL's Great Hall of Eterna. The multilevel, 32 foot high, 360-degree set was so huge that it had to be erected in a separate studio from the place where OLTL usually tapes.
Fact #70: The most elaborate prop ever used on OLTL was
well-drilling equipment obtained for the Eterna storyline. The men who
feverishly dug the characters out of the underground city were not actors but
actual well-drillers who were hired to operate the heavy machinery.
