Truman Burbank Exits Seahaven



Truman Burbank Exits Seahaven is a pivotal moment in the Truman Show Universe. It was depicted in the Truman Show in 1998.

Background
In 1970, a man known only as Christof partners with a television studio to adopt a baby, the first corporation legally allowed to do so. The baby is the result of an unwanted pregnancy and is given the name Truman Burbank. Truman is soon the unwitting party in an all-hours TV show dedicated to him called the Truman Show. Everyone in his life in the town of Seahaven are actors and even Seahaven itself, presented as an island paradise is in reality the world's largest sound stage in Hollywood, California. In 2000, Truman is 29 years old with his 30th birthday soon approaching. He begins to suspect that he is trapped on Seahaven, eventually discovering the truth. He longs for escape, even if it means conquering his fear of the ocean.

The Escape
Truman is able to escape without anyone noticing until it is too late. When Christof discovers Truman's whereabouts, it is revealed that he is sailing the ocean part of the stage in an effort to escape Seahaven. Making it to the edge of the sound stage, Truman realizes his worst fear, that he truly is trapped inside of a cage, albeit a large one. Walking the edge of stage, Truman discovers stairs that lead to a door. Walking up the steps, Truman pushes the door at the top open only to be interrupted by Christof's voice.

Christof comes clean about the nature of Truman's life and invites him to live in Seahaven, free from the worries of reality. Truman, never having been outside the Seahaven set, rejects Christof's offer, takes a bow and exits the stage.

Aftermath
The immediate aftermath is the Truman Show ending, going to static. Sylvia, the object of Truman's desire after she had been forced off the show for telling him the truth rushes out of her own apartment, presumably to celebrate and maybe even meet Truman near the Hollywood Hills where the sound stage was built. Christof's project is finally over. Viewers rejoice and then look for something else to watch.

Economic Disaster
The world economy suffers drastically with Truman's departure as so much corporate money from financing to marketing went into the program which had suddenly ended. Thousands of people were suddenly out of work with one man's exit and many lawsuits would be filed. The Earth of the Truman Show Universe is in upheaval in 2001.

Danaverse Connection
The world is viewed at one point by members of the Council of the Multiverse in the aftermath of Truman's exit and it is full of anger, from lawsuits to riots. There are people who blame Christof and the network, but there are also those who blame Truman. The reality Truman walks into is full of genuine love, including from Sylvia, but also of hatred he had never experienced in Seahaven. Truman and Sylvia would depart the United States, disappearing to Fiji and being welcomed as refugees.

Seahaven will become an important stage in the Crisis War though whether Truman Burbank himself becomes a part of it is unknown.

Information
While the Truman Show was released to cinemas in 1998, it takes part in a near-future. In the Danaverse, the events of the movie take place in 2000 with 1996 presented as the year inside Seahaven by Christof.