Plotlines

Episode five is my favorite, and for many reasons.

For those who don’t know, I’m quite fascinated by Sophon and her German voice actress, Sophie Rogall. When Wade and Jin manage to decode the Judgment Day data disc, they enter the virtual reality of the game and are greeted by Sophon. She explains why all these things are happening, especially in science. This explanation still fascinates me, even though it’s been quite a while since I first heard and saw it. The idea of protons being unfolded into higher dimensions to become an oversized computer—who comes up with something like that?

But now I’m wondering if it actually makes sense. I don’t mean scientifically, but rather within the book’s universe. I need to think about it more and maybe read up on it, because later on, the concept of dimensions comes up a lot, and I’m not sure if there might be some contradictions.

However, the San-Ti world isn’t the only fascinating part; Auggie on Earth also has a lot to deal with. Her nanofibers are used in a massacre, and I find it very interesting that she’s not portrayed as being indifferent to it. Even at the beginning, before Judgment Day arrives, she starts to have doubts. Later, we see how she actually breaks down because of her actions. I think this is a very realistic portrayal, and I appreciate it because it shows a lot of humanity.

Something I just noticed is that the Judgment Day data disc is the same color and shape as the red book carried by the protesters and revolutionaries at the beginning of the first episode. Could this be a symbol of a failed revolution, or some subtle foreshadowing of what’s to come?

Back to Sophon’s explanation of how the San-Ti plan to remain superior to humanity. The entire explanation is incredibly creative and interesting, showing how well the author prepared and how detailed his storytelling is. I’ve mentioned before that many characters make decisions that have effects far into the future. This forward-thinking approach is a major aspect of the Wallfacer Project, which we only get to see near the end of the last episode.

This is what I meant in my last post when I said that the brakes are no longer on and things are speeding up rapidly. Will’s story is also picking up pace and will soon become much clearer.

At this point, or maybe one episode later, I wish they had already started with the Wallfacer storyline. Yes, I understand the dramatic choice made by the series creators, but if they had started it earlier, it would make more sense by the end. In the book, you’re also thrown off at first, but then things are explained more, so it all makes more sense. I’m very curious to see if the Wallfacers will make the same proposals, if there will be Wallbreakers, and how it will all develop.

With every post, a thousand thoughts come to mind about how things will be portrayed, and I find it so exciting. I’ve mentioned this many times, so please forgive me. But let me explain! I’m a big fan of Isaac Asimov, have read many of his early books, and I like how he often critiques society. Many of his ideas are still relevant today. I’d put Liu Cixin on the same level as Asimov. He fascinates me just as much, brings up similar societal critiques, and captivates me because I’ve read a lot from other authors, but most of it I found quite boring (maybe I should write about authors I like—let’s see!). But yes, that’s one of the reasons for my fascination. I’ve found something that captivates me with its complexity, its imagined scale, its style of science fiction, and its societal aspects.