Wow! From the description: The ending of "2001: A Space Odyssey" based on the description given in the novel by Arthur C. Clarke. Novel vs. Film In Arthur C. Clarke's novel "2001: A Space Odyssey," the story diverges significantly from Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation in several key aspects: Destination: Iapetus vs. Jupiter The novel sets the destination as Iapetus, one of Saturn's moons, rather than Jupiter. This choice has scientific merit, as Iapetus has a remarkable 20:1 brightness difference between its hemispheres—a natural feature Clarke ingeniously used to indicate the stargate monolith's location. Bowman and Poole's Fate In the novel, Bowman never attempts to retrieve Poole's body. The pod was under maximum acceleration and had disappeared before Bowman could react—a more logical scenario than the film's portrayal. Hal's Strategy The novel depicts Hal as more cunning than in the film. Rather than trying to lock Bowman out (...