Warning: This article contains spoilers for the ending of Don’t Look Up. Read at your own risk — a comet won’t rain down on you or anything, but you get our drift.

Toward the end of Don’t Look Up, things aren’t looking so good for Ole Mother Earth. A comet has pummeled her pretty badly, and her inhabitants aren’t faring any better: In a post-credits scene, President Orlean’s son, Jason (Jonah Hill), is seemingly the only survivor. Director Adam McKay says the cataclysmic conclusion “was supposed to gradually take us from our ridiculous entertainment-, political- and distraction-driven society into the cascading light of reality. That reality of course being the comet’s inevitable impact.” Viewers and critics alike drew parallels to the climate crisis.

But did the movie have to end in catastrophe for citizens to learn some much-needed lessons? That’s a question that intrigued McKay. So, with his encouragement, we solicited alternate — and more optimistic — endings from an international array of climate experts and legends (see: Jane Goodall) whose specialties range from meteorology to community activism. “I love the idea of climate leaders, activists and scientists showing us how we can, in fact, create a different ending,” McKay says. “We are not a passive audience to this climate crisis. We can act. We can make choices.”

Here are their cheerier suggestions — ones that will reaffirm your faith in humanity.

“We Mean Busting” by María Mendiluce

CEO at We Mean Business Coalition On Twitter: @mendiluce

Following the Bojo Mambo’s incident, the public takes to the streets. This is a planetary emergency. A coalition of thousands of businesses and NGOs, called We Mean Busting, is formed to invest in solutions to avert the comet crisis. Countries around the world, big and small, join the coalition and collectively boycott BASH products and services. “Comet-busting” companies on the right side of history flourish. Soon, finance flows into the most promising aversion solutions. Millions of high-quality jobs are created in new industries.  

Through the We Mean Busting coalition, several public-private solutions are developed and deployed, including a mass deployment of building insulation and gas-powered vehicle scrappage, which frees up energy and metals for the comet-busting industry. Tens of thousands of recycled rockets are launched to chip away at the comet and a grid of concentrated solar arrays fire interconnected laser beams at the comet to vaporize it. These measures, collectively, bust the comet and save humanity.

As the crisis passes, a newly inaugurated President Dibiasky continues to honor humanity’s revived culture of collaboration across nations, businesses and citizens. She puts the defense of our planet at the top of her agenda and shifts her attention to clean-energy infrastructure.

“Look to Flint” by Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr. 

President and CEO of Hip Hop Caucus, minister, community activist, US Air Force veteran On Twitter: @RevYearwood

After Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) tells people at Bojo Mambo’s why the comet-diversion mission was turned around, a special news report featuring morning talk-show hosts Jack Bremmer and Brie Evantee (Tyler Perry and Cate Blanchett) takes over TVs everywhere. The hosts admit that they were wrong and urge people to “look up.” Media across the globe, from Washington, DC, to Rio, begin to broadcast the truth and global mobilization ensues.

In Michigan, a group of audio engineering students at Flint Central High School get in contact with Kate Dibiasky and Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) to share a unique solution. The students developed technology that allows them to move large objects via sound waves. They have been pranking people in their neighborhood by moving parked cars from one side of the street to the other. Collectively, they present their solution to President Orlean, but she and an elite group of billionaires have already undergone cryogenic freezing and have launched into space. Scientists at NASA amplify the students’ technology, making it strong enough to divert the comet in time to save humanity. A new collective future is ushered in on Earth while President Orlean and the billionaires meet their fates on another planet 22,000 years later.

“Don’t Look Up, Look Around Us” by Eric Holthaus 

Meteorologist, journalist and author of The Future Earth  On Twitter: @EricHolthaus

Led by Kate Dibiasky, the populist uprising that began at the Bojo Mambo’s restaurant spreads around the world. Very quickly, people begin to realize: No one is going to save us. We’ve got to do this ourselves. The team of Kate, Randall and Teddy begins connecting local mutual aid organizations in hundreds of cities in an attempt to steer the panic into an organized response. Within days, leaders from the Marshall Islands, India, Bolivia, Ukraine, Jamaica, Uganda and Latvia form a World Comet Council to plan a space mission designed to divert the comet. Randall leaves the White House and goes on a worldwide media campaign. Teddy coordinates the technical capability of every country on Earth — including cooks, social workers, teachers. Kate works the phones. Everyone, everywhere, no matter their ability, has a role to help save the planet. While the get-rich-quick scheme at BASH continues unabated — doomed to failure — a launch site on the equator in rural Uganda is quickly erected, with supplies streaming in from all over the world. The comet is diverted successfully, humanity survives. But the biggest victory is the unification of humanity in a shared, common purpose: Solidarity in our time of need.

“Never Too Little” by Jane Goodall, DBE 

Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace On Twitter: @JaneGoodallInst

A young girl, Sarah, watches the Bojo Mambo’s riots on TV, the news ticker flashing “COMET MISSION ABORTED!” Sarah goes to bed upset and feeling she must try to do something.

The next day, Sarah and her friends meet to discuss what can be done. Their jungle gym becomes a campaign headquarters as they map out their plan. One little boy is going to speak to his aunt, a famous newscaster; another is going to talk to his father, an aide to President Orlean (Meryl Streep). But Sarah is going to confront her grandfather, Peter Isherwell (Mark Rylance).

Sarah makes her way through the BASH offices past disinterested security. She finds Peter Isherwell tinkering away on a new BASH device. “Grandpa, can I talk to you?”

She asks him if what she saw on TV is true, and he tries to ignore her. But she asks him again. “Grandpa, it’s my planet, too, it’s my future that’s at stake.” Her words reach the heart that beats within the businessman. He makes a phone call. And the mission is back on. 

Inspired by the young generation, the media demands solutions to the crisis. BASH works with other businesses and governments to organize the mission. The comet is diverted, the world is saved. You are never too little to make a difference. 

“A Collective Awakening” by Christiana Figueres 

Founding partner at Global Optimism and former executive secretary at UNFCCC On Twitter: @CFigueres

Wikileaks reveals that the US government canceled the diversion mission to mine the comet for wealth. 

The UN calls an emergency meeting. All world governments show up. For the first time in history, a global referendum is planned. Every citizen will be given the opportunity to vote: Should the comet be diverted or mined? G-77 tech companies agree to a non-competitive, non-commercial venture to make the vote possible.

BASH immediately launches a misinformation campaign. Despite initial confusion, several mayors, nonprofits, civil society groups, scientists, investors, businesses and faith leaders publicly take a stand against mining the comet.

A collective awakening ensues. K-Pop stans and Kate Dibiasky [and] Riley Bina (Ariana Grande) fans launch a series of viral social media hacks against comet mining. Civil society rallies like never before. BASH stock crashes.

A mass meditation happens on referendum day. The people of the world vote — comet diversion (60%), comet mining (40%). A mission to divert the comet is back on! President Orlean is impeached. A new female president is elected. She understands the value of collaboration and champions an effort to bring together governments and scientists of the world to push the comet off course.

Is she successful? Find out in the sequel!

“People Power” by Elizabeth Wathuti 

Environmentalist, climate activist and founder of Green Generation Initiative On Twitter: @lizwathuti

Now aware of the deceitful reasons behind the comet-diversion mission turnaround, the people at Bojo Mambo’s reveal to the world what they have just learned and inspire a social media revolution. Kate, Randall and Teddy Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan) are detained for leaking classified information. Their arrest spurs further action as people globally organize thousands of peaceful demonstrations in their honor. Sensing public opinion has changed, the media begins to treat the mission cancellation seriously, with undercover journalists monitoring and exposing government secrets (including the reveal of an escape BASH spaceship). Protests now occur daily in all parts of the world, as people demand the truth from President Orlean. In response to increased public pressure, the government releases Kate, Randall and Teddy but refuses to divert the comet and continues to move forward with the BASH mining mission. Twenty-five days before the now-visible comet hits, Kate, Randall and Teddy break into BASH headquarters to destroy the BASH escape spaceship. Without a Plan B escape option, President Orlean has no choice but to divert the comet. The comet is diverted and humanity survives. The current government is voted out for its betrayal and a new, more diverse and capable government is formed. 

“Operation HARRIET” by Heather McTeer Toney, JD

Vice president of community engagement at the Environmental Defense Fund On Twitter: @HeatherMcTeer

Dr. Tenika Oglethorpe Greene watches her son, Teddy, leave the Bojo Mambo’s riots. She turns to face multicultural leaders. Once again, they’ve come to gather at the ancient Kauri wood table. A metal statue of Harriet Tubman sits in the center.

Mother Matis of the Amazon tribes: “Another global crisis. Again we’re ignored? This cannot continue.”

Dr. Greene presses a button on the statue. “No, it cannot, it is time.”

A flurry of activity begins as HARRIET springs into action.

Kate stumbles in blindfolded. “Where am I?”

Dr. Greene: “You are at HARRIET HQ — The Habitat Adaptation Reset for Reclamation, Inclusion and Environmental Transformation. Our purpose is to reset and reclaim our society for everyone. Long ago, we knew about the comet and prepared.”

Kate watches as monitors reveal a plan decades in the making. HARRIET diverts the comet but fragments hit. Communities of those least likely to survive, stand. The world is shocked but safe.

Dr. Greene: “The world did not pay attention to people who look like us... Until now. Trust HARRIET to move society forward.”

Kendrick’s Lamar’s “Alright” plays.

Watching this unfold, someone in Wakanda whispers, “I’m glad we sent the sisters that small gift of Vibranium.”

“Earth Guardians” by Ayisha Siddiqa

Environmentalist, storyteller and co-founder of Polluters Out On Twitter: @Ayishas12

Ibrahim, a 54-year-old Sudanese man who came to America with his family after facing drought in Sudan, is in the crowd at Bojo Mambo’s when Kate reveals the reason for the mission cancellation. Heartbroken, he goes home to tell his wife the news. His teenage daughter Fatima, whose bedroom door is open, falls asleep to her father sobbing: “The end of the world found us again.”

The next day, Fatima skips school and goes to the White House with a sign that reads “STOP THE COMET, IT’S NOT TOO LATE!” Journalists take notice and her story goes viral.

Students from Fatima’s school and fellow youth migrants from around the world join her. Together, they become the “Earth Guardians.” Their first priority: Rewrite BASH’s code to divert the comet. The FBI becomes aware of their plan and arrests Fatima.

Despite Fatima’s arrest, the mission goes on. The Earth Guardians collaborate with a young BASH engineer who has access to the BASH control room. They provide her with the code they’ve developed, and, within minutes, BASH drones begin diverting the comet.

The Earth is saved, Fatima is acquitted and the Earth Guardians redirect their attention to another existential crisis — climate change.

“Clear and Present Danger” by Juan-Carlos Altamirano

Senior economist at the Economics Center and Climate Program at the World Resources Institute On Twitter: @WRIClimate

Kate, Randall and Teddy realize that communicating with data and figures is not working — they need to use insights from behavioral science to drive action. They develop a plan.

First, they coordinate comet holograms and AR simulations in cities around the world, which go viral on social media. Seeing the risk so viscerally, people start to understand the danger.

They then appeal to Jason Orlean’s ego by telling him he should be president and could begin his legacy by trial testing the BASH mission on Earth before launch. Jason convinces Peter and President Orlean, who are both confident the trial will succeed. Yet, the trial fails and destroys Mount Rushmore. People are in uproar; no one is for the comet anymore. Yet, the president refuses to cancel the BASH mission. 

Spotting an opportunity, Jason secretly shares NASA’s plans and equipment with experts around the world who collaborate to divert the comet.

As the BASH mission fails, President Orlean, Peter and the world’s billionaires leave Earth. Moments later, the international comet diversion mission begins and the comet is pushed off course. 

Jason becomes an international hero and announces he is running for US president to a cheering crowd.

“No Jobs on a Dead Planet” by Sharan Burrow 

General secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation and co-chair of the New Climate Economy On Twitter: @SharanBurrow

Kate leaves the restaurant determined to organize students, scientists and workers to demand a new mission to save our planet from comet profiteers.

“People like us — acting together — have the power to change the course of that comet,” she says.

Kate and Randall organize the students at Michigan State and the astronomers at Columbia and Caltech.

Teddy gets NASA and White House employees to demand a new mission to destroy the comet.

BASH workers protest against CEO Peter Isherwell by making direct eye contact and displaying negative facial expressions. His confidence and share price crumble, and he prepares his 1% spaceship to escape.

Riley Bina, DJ Chello (Kid Cudi) and Jane Fonda flood social media with the message: “There are no jobs on a dead planet.”

Kate brings in international trade unions. With their support, global supply chains to BASH are disrupted and remote technology to destroy the comet is fast-tracked by workers.

The 1% escape spaceship launches, and President Orlean and the 1% leave Earth.

Meanwhile, workers, companies, scientists and NASA deploy the latest peer-reviewed remote technology and the comet is destroyed.

People celebrate. The power to change the course of history is in our collective hands. 

“The Responsibility to Prepare and Prevent” by Francesco Femia and Erin Sikorsky 

Co-founder and co-director of the Center for Climate and Security, an institute of the Council on Strategic Risks On Twitter: @CntrClimSec and @CSRisks

The UN Security Council calls an emergency meeting of its 15 members which stretches into the night, with little progress as country representatives struggle to agree on whether or not to stop the comet. Around 2 AM, a staff member for the Ukrainian delegation returns to her office to find some sunflower seeds to snack on. While rustling through her desk, she comes across notes from a Security Council briefing held years back on the Responsibility to Prepare and Prevent, wherein a presenter argued that the UN has a duty to prepare for and prevent existential threats of all kinds — climate change, nuclear proliferation, massive comets. The Ukrainian staffer rushes back to the Council chamber and hands the notes to her nation’s ambassador. After a quick read, the ambassador turns on her microphone and interrupts: “I propose that the Security Council invoke the Responsibility to Prepare and Prevent.” The discussion picks up speed as nations excitedly rally behind this resurrected principle. The US ambassador reverses her country’s previous decision to allow the comet to hit the Earth and votes for the resolution, which passes. This authorizes an international coalition to divert the comet. Humanity is saved from destruction.

“The Great Cooperation” by Valérie Masson-Delmotte

Senior scientist at Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences, Université Paris Saclay, and co-chair at IPCC Working Group I On Twitter: @valmasdel

With the comet-diversion mission canceled, Kate, Teddy and Randall take matters into their own hands. Kate rallies a global coalition of young and impassioned students and early-career scientists, while Teddy and Randall appear on TV to call for support from the scientific community.

Across the globe, from India to South Africa, young scientists, engineers and innovators come together to explore comet solutions. Crowds of teenagers and other young thinkers gather at fab labs and computer labs, and the free and open-source movement gains support as society shares knowledge and technology. Kate works with Yule (Timothée Chalamet), who reveals himself to be an experienced coder, and with the surprising help of Jason Orlean (who realizes his mother’s wrongdoings), they build a defense system of solar-powered lasers that will alter the course of the comet. 

Most of the comet is diverted, but some smaller pieces do impact Earth. But with unprecedented international cooperation from governments, these same scientists, engineers, coders and innovators create an early warning system for debris fallouts, which limits losses and damages, [as well as] a Global Comet Relief Network to support affected and vulnerable communities. The world has seen the power of cooperation and what is possible when we share resources.

“Giving Power Back to the People” by Kristy Drutman

Founder of Brown Girl Green On Twitter: @BrownGirl_Green

A group of woke tech bros learn about the BASH escape plan and leak the names of the billionaire passengers. President Orlean denies allegations of a BASH escape plan but is revealed when a leaked video of her discussing the plan goes viral. People are outraged by the government’s dishonesty and corruption, and a revolution begins. BASH and the government run a misinformation campaign but are not effective as the public no longer trusts them.

Through cross-sector collaboration, activists put the escape plan, passenger billionaires and politicians on trial at The Hague, where they are charged for crimes including human rights violations and negligent resource exploitation. In addition to jail time, the court requires those charged to allocate 40% of their wealth to the development of comet-diversion technology. President Orlean is impeached, and her team of advisors is ousted. They are replaced with more capable Indigenous female leaders who use the billionaire tax funds to divert the comet.

These new leaders work hard to unwind the outdated, unjust, and corrupt policies and practices in place and allocate the remaining wealth tax funds to community-led projects intended to help people and nature everywhere thrive.

“Look Forward” by Adam Hubert

Steering Committee member at Young Evangelicals for Climate Action On Twitter: @YECAction

The morning after sighting the comet from the rooftop, Kate is unable to find Yule. After helping Randall reconcile with his wife, Kate finally finds [Yule] helping in a soup kitchen. He explains that the comet served as a wake-up call, and a confused Kate questions if this is truly how he wants to spend his last weeks on Earth. Yule responds, “Every moment is someone’s last moment, Kate. The comet hasn’t changed that. Until there aren’t any moments left, I’m going to try to make the ones people have left just a little bit better.” Kate films this, and its subsequent virality creates a mass push for volunteerism and charitable giving among everyday people. This enables Randall and Teddy to gather teams of volunteer field researchers to redirect the comet before BASH can attempt to mine it. They succeed and the crisis is averted. When asked about the successful mission, Kate expresses her gratitude and humility toward the volunteers everywhere that made this possible, a collaboration that she believes is “nothing short of a miracle.” She then begins working in a nonprofit climate center and joins Yule as a volunteer on weekends.