Ep 3. Episode 3

Arthur, Ford, and Zaphod crash land on the planet Brontitall. The inhabitants, who are sentient bird-like creatures, are deeply offended when Arthur eats one of their eggs. The trio is put on trial for this crime and sentenced to death, but they are allowed to choose the method of their execution.

Meanwhile, Marvin the Paranoid Android has been left behind on the crashed spaceship. He discovers a prototype of the Heart of Gold's new weapon, the Point of View gun. The gun causes the person who is shot with it to see things from the shooter's point of view, effectively making them empathetic to the shooter's perspective.

Back on Brontitall, Zaphod chooses to be subjected to the Total Perspective Vortex, a device that overwhelms the victim with the entire universe's scale and insignificance, leaving them typically insane. For unknown reasons, surprisingly, the vortex has no effect on Zaphod. Ford, on the other hand, chooses to be thrown from a cliff and Arthur is left to be eaten by a pack of wild Argabuthons.

As their executions are about to take place, Marvin arrives with the Point of View gun, which he has used on the leader of the Brontitallian society, causing him to believe that all of his species are Arthur Dent. The Brontitallians, horrified by the idea of their entire species being reduced to a single individual, quickly release the trio and beg them to leave.

As they prepare to depart, Zaphod reveals that the reason the Total Perspective Vortex had no effect on him was because he had already experienced it. In a moment of introspection, Zaphod reveals that he had previously used the vortex to gain his Zaphod Beeblebrox persona, effectively erasing his past self and origins. The episode ends with the Heart of Gold setting off once again into space with the crew and Marvin, who is struggling with the emptiness of his existence.