“Deus Ex Machina” is a Latin phrase used to describe a plot
device in a storyline where an unexpected power or event saves a seemingly hopeless
situation. Its literal translation is “God from the Machine” but more basically
means some sort of divine intervention. Its origin comes from ancient Greek and Roman
theatre where playwrights would incorporate an actor descending from above the stage on
ropes, representing a god, to advance a storyline, in order to provide solutions to an
otherwise unsolvable scenario. Hence the translation of “God” from the “machine”, the machine being the device lowering the actor onto the stage. And I think this is an excellent way to
start my next (and long overdue) entry.
***Warning: contains spoilers***
After recently completing the Mass Effect series, I have
been asked on various occasions as to my overall thoughts on the ending. Before
finishing the game series, I had read (while avoiding all spoilers I might add)
that many people were left with a sense of emptiness and frustration when
finally reaching the game’s epic conclusion. This has ultimately led to BioWare releasing new extended versions of the choices Shepard has on offer to him. To me,
while the new cut scenes finally bring about some closure by explaining a
little bit more of the consequences of your actions, I feel like I actually prefer
the open-endedness of the original endings. I will attempt to write my thoughts
into a coherent explanation here.
But before I begin, let’s back up a bit. First we have should
look at the Mass Effect plot as a whole and what story it is trying to tell.
For me, it is the story of Organic and Synthetic life and the differences between
the two, if there are any. If you have a look back at modern literature, there
are many human and machine narratives, where ultimately humans, the creators,
are in some sort of struggle with the machines, the created. On completing Mass
Effect, my initial thought was how similar the story-line is to that of the Matrix
trilogy.
Now at first you might think that I’m stretching a bit here,
but both have very correlating themes throughout, the more obvious one being that of humans v machines/synthetics. On closer analysis, the scene where Neo meets
the Architect is very similar to when Shepard meets the Catalyst and similar
themes are explored, that of free will and choice over purpose and destiny. The
Architect explains that the Matrix which Neo is familiar with is not the first
one created by the machines; in fact they have created many others before, having to eventually destroy them. This is almost identical to the Reapers and their
destruction of the advanced organic races and have done so throughout many cycles of the
galaxy’s history. The machines claim this is all done to save the humans from
themselves of course.
Of course the machines soon discover that trying to control
the humans within the Matrix has one major flaw; that is free will. Whereas the
machines have been created with a purpose, humans are ultimately given a
choice, as to whether they accept or reject the Matrix. Without this choice,
the Matrix would fail as the humans would reject it all together. This anomaly
of choice and free will eventually manifests itself in the Matrix as the One.
The machines allow this anomaly to occur as they believe
they are able to control it. Thus they allow for the humans to rebel and create
Zion and eventually find the One who will save humanity. But this will only complete
the cycle of destruction and the creation of the next Matrix. Much like Shepard’s choice at the end of the game, Neo has a
choice to make. To allow the destruction of Zion and choose 23 individuals to
free from the new Matrix once the old one is deleted. Or to continue the
current resistance which will ultimately lead to extermination of mankind and a
complete system crash (as without the humans to power them, the machines will
also be destroyed). Unlike the previous Ones before him, Neo chooses the second
door much to the surprise of the Architect. So much like Commander Shepard, Neo
has the choice of either ‘Control’ or ‘Destroy’, not including the third
choice synthesis of course.
But what annoys me the most about the ending of Matrix
Revolutions is that Neo is only successful in bringing about peace between the
human and machines for an unspecified amount of time. Now I am not a huge fan of the happily-ever-after ending but I expected some sort of victory over the machines
in the end. The last scene we see the Oracle, the Architect and the little girl
in the park which I can only assume is the beginning of the seventh Matrix. And I can’t
help feeling like all three movies have wasted my time if, in the end, nothing
has really changed.
Anyway, that is a bit off topic and maybe a subject for
another time. The other thing that confuses me with the Matrix trilogy is Neo’s
‘powers’ in the real world after he chooses ‘Destroy’ after speaking with the
Architect. Seeing how all the other Ones before Neo had chosen ‘Control’, the consequences of such a choice on the One would be unknown to anyone,
as the purpose of the One program was to return to the Source. One theory could
be that what we think of as the ‘real world’ is in fact just another Matrix and
another system of control. This could explain why Neo’s powers in the Matrix
are now useable in the real world. The Matrix within the Matrix theory could
also explain as to how Agent Smith is able to transfer is program into Bane
before he gets jacked out and is then in control of him in the real world. This
could easily be done if the real world was just another computer simulation.
But because this theory is never established outside fan
forums, we can say, although a really interesting twist to the whole trilogy,
this theory is unlikely. One idea I like is that upon making his choice, Neo
was close enough to the Source (whatever the Source might be) without making the ‘Control’
choice which would have led to Neo sacrificing himself, that he has somehow
evolved and can now control the machines in the real world, maybe as a result
of some program integration into his human body, much like the ‘Synthesis’ choice
presented to Shepard. With sacrificing himself into the Crucible, Shepard provides
his DNA in order for all sentient beings to reach the next stage of evolution,
that is the combination of synthetic and organic life. Maybe Neo’s powers is a
result of something similar.
Now on the topic of human evolution, the ending of Mass
Effect not only reminded me of the Matrix trilogy but also of a well known classic film; Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. For those who have not seen this
movie, I highly recommend you go out and buy it, download it, whatever, it is a
must watch. Of course this film is not for everyone, and is less sci-fi action
and more sci-fi art and parts can drag on.
But again, even though this film was first released way back
in 1969, the theme of human versus machine is still ever present. HAL is the on-board spaceship’s AI that eventually turns on its masters Bowman and Poole. But although
it would seem like HAL’s choice to kill the two astronauts is entirely his free
will, it is still HAL fulfilling his purpose as a machine. HAL’s two directives
from Command back on Earth are to communicate all information truthfully and accurately,
and to keep the real purpose of their mission (to find where the signal from
the monolith on the moon is transmitting to, somewhere near Jupiter) a secret from the two
astronauts. In order to fulfill these two objectives without compromising the
other, the only option HAL believes available to him is to kill them, thus not compromising his original programming.
Upon viewing, you will also notice the similarity between
the monolith in the open sequence on Earth with the monkeys and the monolith on
the Moon, and the Prothean Beacons that Shepard comes across like the one on
Eden Prime.
So after destroying HAL, but not before he kills Poole,
Bowman continues on to Jupiter where he finds another monolith which takes him
on a psychedelic journey through space and time. On the other end of this
journey, Bowman finds himself in a room, which is a construction of his
subconscious, where everything is not quite what it seems. The aliens who seems
to be the creators of the monoliths and as a result, they have influenced the evolution of humans from the
primates we see in the opening sequence, seem to be trying to communicate to
Bowman. Upon his death, he sees the monolith once more.
This leads to Bowman being ‘reborn’ as the Star Child, a
giant floating fetus above Earth which I interpret as Bowman reaching the
next stage of human evolution, with a little help from the unseen aliens of
course.
So where most people seemed to be underwhelmed by the eventual
ending to the Mass Effect series, I felt that it was just another contribution to the ongoing
discovery of our own evolution and our ever increasing and rapid development of
our technology. It only seems inevitable that we as a species will eventually create
artificial intelligence which leaves us with the ultimate philosophical predicament;
what defines life?
One of the best examples of this question is Shepard’s
conversations with Legion and EDI. During one conversation with Legion, the
question of whether the Geth have “souls” or not is discussed. If EDI “truly
feels alive”, then what is to say that she doesn’t have a soul? As AIs, both EDI
and Legion can think for themselves and make their own decisions, but to what
degree? Do they have free will as Shepard and other organics have? Or are they
still acting upon an original purpose?
For me, the most difficult decision was reaching the end of
the Geth/Quarian storyline arch where you must choose between which race dies
and lives (if you have completed certain missions in Mass Effect 2 with a
specific outcome, you can save both). Legion again asks you “Does this unit
have a soul?” If this decision was given to you in the first game, the decision
would be easy and you would likely choose the Quarians, as you only encounter the Geth
as mindless drones. But at this point in time, Shepard must make a difficult decision.
If the Geth truly have souls, are they not more than just machines, pieces of
hardware and software, are they not also alive, just as much as the Quarians?
The ultimate difference here is purpose versus free will. As
humans, our entire civilization is based on discovering our purpose and place
in the Universe; what is the meaning of life? Synthetics on the other hand are
created with that purpose already built into them. It is when a synthetic chooses, out of free will, to either ignore or fulfill that purpose that it truly becomes
alive. But in saying that, does that mean the Reapers are not truly alive, as
they are under the control of the Catalyst and are only fulfilling their
purpose by harvesting and eradicating advanced organic life. Then to extend
that thought, is the Catalyst alive as it is the one controlling the Reapers.
Only with the Crucible is the Catalyst able to deviate from its purpose by
offering Shepard his three options of Control, Destroy or Synthesis.
This then brings me to my last point. Unlike other games,
there is no big bad boss to defeat at the end but a philosophical choice as to
the best way to save the galaxy from the Reapers. This can be seen as the Deus
Ex Machina solution to the Reaper conundrum. Here Shepard is given the task of only
having to choose one of three options, by the literal God (the Catalyst) in the
Machine (the Crucible). And the Synthesis option given to Shepard seems to be
the logical solution to the unsolvable problem. Here he can stop the cycle and
in doing so, he can achieve the evolution of mankind, by molding organic and
synthetic life forms together. Is this the very meaning of life we have been searching for,
being in control of our own destiny and our own evolution with the power of our
own creations? Only time will tell.
