'Wayward Pines' Season 1 Spoilers: How Did Explanation In 'The Truth' Differ From Books? [VIDEO]

Episode 5 of “Wayward Pines” was a big one for fans. Aptly named “The Truth,” it gave viewers the explanation they've been awaiting for the mysterious town. But that "truth" – it’s 4028 and Wayward Pines is the only remnant of human civilization left – was a little hard to believe. It was also a bit surprising for readers of the show’s source material, Blake Crouch’s “Wayward Pines” trilogy, as the show’s big news differs drastically from the novels.

The episode was centered on Ben’s orientation at the Academy. Mrs. Fisher (Hope Davis) explained to Ben and two other students the truth about the town. The year is not 2014, but 4028! Human civilization is all but extinct, and the only bastion left is Wayward Pines. Ben (Charlie Tahan) and the rest of the kids are tasked with joining the First Generation and preserving the town – and humanity – for the future.

Showrunner Chad Hodge told TV Line that the First Generation is an element created for the show that never appeared in the books.

“That’s something that I created for the show, mostly thinking that the future of this town and the last of humanity is going to be these kids, so ideally nobody would be in the dark,” said Hodge. “What you’ll see is that there are reasons that they had to keep the adults in the dark, because as Megan Fisher hinted, adults can’t handle the truth. I liken it to when you’re in third or fourth grade and your teacher teaches you about the planets and space and galaxies, all of this stuff that you can’t actually see or touch, but you accept it and you learn it and you don’t think it’s crazy.”

But the Abbies, the frightening devolved humanoid creatures that lurk in the woods outside of Wayward Pines, were depicted exactly as they were described in Crouch’s novels, even if the way viewers learned about them was changed.

“All of the [Abby] mythology is exactly the same as it is in the book. I didn’t play with any of that whatsoever,” said Hodge. “The only thing that’s different is the way the information is laid out. In the book, when Ethan (Matt Dillon) gets beyond the cliffs and out into the wilderness and runs into Pilcher (Toby Jones). Wayward Pines The Year 4028: Pilcher is the one who tells him everything. There’s nothing with the kids in there.”

How will Ethan and Ben react to hearing the scary truth about their new home? Fans will have to wait to find out. “Wayward Pines” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. EDT on Fox.

Watch the promo for episode 6 below: