I Am Mortal (2021) - full transcript

Once upon a time,
the world was a mess.

There was a pandemic,

and then another
and then another.

Life, as the human race
knew it,

was a disaster
in every sense of the word.

Then, one day,
a scientist came along

with a genetic discovery
that changed everything.

He shared his vision
with the world.

It was a solution
so incredible and epic in scope

that life on Earth
would not only resume

but it would be like
living in a fairytale.



A chance to live
in a perfect world.

An eternal dream.

The problem was

no-one really thought through
the consequences.

Soon my life changes forever.

I'll be given the gift
of being frozen in time,

the gift of never dying.

A gift that
everyone on this train

and in this city

either has or will receive.

Arrival. Wildzone.

The problem is

I'm not so sure
I see it as a gift.

C.S. Lewis once said that
free will makes evil possible.



But it's also the only thing
that makes possible love...

..goodness...

..joy.

It seems so romantic...

..the notion of living forever.

Doesn't it?

But I ask you this...

..how can you really live

if you know
you're never going to die?

I am immortal.

We at the machine are immortal.

And you, all of you,
can be immortal as well.

Life as we know it
is forever changed.

I will not only give
each and every one of you

the gift of eternal life,

but I will also give you
the gift of freezing in time

when you have reached
your peak perfection.

I will eliminate,
through our applications,

the bad and most ugly
of our human emotions.

And I will eliminate suffering
from injury

and illness
and emotional duress.

I am the Pilot
taking you into this new world

and I will always serve you.

As you all know,
200 or so years ago,

the Pilot gave birth
to our society.

No-one had to die ever again.

- Some didn't follow him, though.
- That's correct.

Unfortunately
they all eventually died.

Once the Pilot's reprogramming
of the genetic code took effect,

the world and its people

functioned
much more efficiently.

We saw the end of war,
borders and political divide.

We became one nation.

Let's take a look at
the process of the Code.

Shem application.

Of course all of you know
what it is,

but I bet
it's pretty amazing to see

such an extraordinary event
with your own eyes.

Extraordinary? Depends on
how you look at things.

In this moment, this woman
will be frozen in time forever

because, as deemed by the Pilot,

she's reached her peak potential
as a human being.

For most people,
this happens around age 25.

Some younger, some older.

For me,

that time is now.

The most important day
of my life,

the day I become immortal,

is just days away.

Pretty incredible, isn't it?

I should be excited
but I'm not.

Right, we better get going.
Almost late for lunch.

I'm filled with fear.

Welcome to

the Alisandre train station.

I feel alone.

Like no-one else sees the world
the way I do.

But deep down, I know
I can't be the only one

that thinks these things,

feels these things.

The problem is,
in the society I live in,

it's too dangerous
to try and find them.

- I don't have a lot of time.
- Who are you?

The way you're thinking,
you are not crazy.

- What do you mean?
- Reach me when you're ready.

It's safe.

When you use it,
our communication

won't be monitored.

Reach you?
Why would I do that?

But maybe they just found me.

Who are they?
What did she give him?

I don't know.

The heart rate escalated
and the camera sensed it.

Whatever it is, she didn't want
anyone to know.

- Hi!
- You seem surprised to see me.

I am.

Very. Why are you here?

The Pilot has something
he needs from my department

and I think
you might be able to help.

The Pilot? Are you serious?

I thought you might be excited.

What is it he needs me for?

I believe he'd like to
tell you that himself.

Welcome.

It's a pleasure
to meet you, Akae.

Thank you.
The pleasure's all mine.

I'm a very proud citizen
of Alisandre.

You were right about her.

You're a guardian-in-training,
correct?

It's been a lifelong dream
of mine.

It's wonderful to hear someone
have such a great desire

to help keep harmony
and balance in our city.

Let's see if we can't get you
one step closer to that dream.

This man here is a terraforming
engineer by the name of Logos.

He's approached by this woman.

A benign citizen
by all accounts.

Both of them are, actually.

Is there any reason
these two people

shouldn't be communicating?

Not that we know of.

She handed something to him.

What is that?

That's what we'd like to
find out.

Probably nothing.

We need someone
who isn't yet a guardian.

We think you're the perfect
person for the job.

Hello?

Is there anyone there?

Logos?

Yes.

We're glad to hear from you.

Who's we?

Let's talk in person.
I'll tell you more then.

Where should we meet?

..Nescience Centre
to learn more about the Pilot

and the ultimate gift
he has given us.

Glad you came.

Just wanted to say
how great it was

seeing you and Elomina
for dinner the other night.

Elomina?

Yeah. It was great.

It's always nice to get together
with friends.

Friends are very important.

Always good to know
when you meet one.

Here are the guardian reports
from this week.

Is there anything from Akae?

Turned out to be nothing.

Are we sure?

While I agree that their initial
interaction was... concerning,

Akae listened to
their entire conversation

from start to finish

and I assure you there's nothing
to be worried about.

I'd like her to keep going.

Are you certain?

There was nothing she said
that indicated...

I'm sure.

Is there something
I should know?

A man named Helias
used to work with the Pilot.

He was a defective individual

who concocted something that
the Pilot describes as a virus,

something intended to destroy
the Code.

Helias was rehabilitated,
his mind wiped clean,

but the Pilot fears
his ideas remained,

that somehow
they were passed down.

And he thinks
that the woman Logos met

might be one of these people?

Maybe.

Probably not if you ask me,
but he wants us...

..you to make sure.

I didn't think anybody reads
those things anymore.

What is it?

Just a book.

'Being and Nothingness'.

Sounds heavy.

Kind of.

I get it.

Get what?

Wanting to read
something like that.

You must be getting
your code confirmation soon.

I am.

Frozen in time
in your most perfect state.

The ultimate gift.

That's what they say.

What do you do?

I'm an engineer. Terraforming.

I work at Nescience.

Are you a guardian?

No, tour guide.

I walk children
around the museum of our society

and tell them about
how Shems work

and how lucky we are
to get them.

Do you believe
what you tell them every day?

I don't know.

Seems like something
you might want to figure out.

It does.

Arrival. Nescience.

Doors opening.

This is me.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

You too.

We couldn't find you earlier
so we put together

the schedule for tomorrow
and posted it.

I was just out for a bit.

I had a couple of things
I had to do.

Thanks, Suria. I appreciate it.

Do you need anything else?

I want you to look into
a citizen for me.

He goes by Logos.

You're sure
no-one followed you?

I'm sure.

The simplest explanation

is that we're trying
to spread the truth.

There's an entire world
of citizens

just outside these doors
that believe

they live a perfect life
in a perfect world.

But you're not like them.

And neither are we.

It's clear you're not on
your Maintenance,

that you're opening your eyes
for the first time.

But I'm on my Maintenance.

I've never missed a dose.

- That's impossible.
- It's true.

I don't know how or why
this is happening to me.

We are just like you.

This is where you belong.

You can go back to your life...

..your book,

or you can join us.

Everyone in this world
deserves the chance

to see things the way we do.

You know that.

- How?
- Follow us.

Are you developing an antidote
to the Maintenance?

We've created a method to reduce
the efficacy of the Maintenance.

So, yes, an antidote of sorts.

Medorin's been instrumental
in the process.

She's a polymath.

She knows more about the Code
and Maintenance than anyone.

Thanks to the manual we located

of a man who worked very closely
with the Pilot many years ago.

Before humans lived forever.

His shorthand was a bit
difficult to interpret,

but ultimately,
after some trial and error,

we were able to get it right.

- Who is this person?
- Helias was his name.

Arcade is
our resident historian.

There's not much about
the creation of Alisandre

that he doesn't know.

Sometimes I think there are
far more unknowns than knowns.

Originally, Helias worked
closely with the Pilot

in the development of the Code
and Maintenance.

But once the Code was completed
and implemented worldwide,

Helias discovered that the Pilot
had gone further.

The Pilot had modified genes

that had nothing to do with
health or longevity.

Helias started asking questions.

The Pilot of course
didn't approve of his probe.

The trust was gone.
They parted ways.

The Pilot began
to wipe the minds

of all the original mortals.

Helias became the only immortal,
other than the Pilot,

to have memories
of mortal existence.

The Pilot collected
and stored the information

in his data centre.

Where is he now?

The Pilot eventually had Helias
captured and rehabilitated.

That's a nice way to say
they erased his mind.

- Killed him without killing him.
- We all see it.

What he showed us -

when you reduce Maintenance,
you begin to change.

Maintenance contains
mood stabilisers.

So you essentially become

a muted version of the person
you're supposed to be.

Which is why we want to alter
the Maintenance,

lower its potency,

so that everyone in Alisandre
can experience

for a few moments

a version of what real
human existence feels like.

And then what?

Well, removing the Maintenance
only gives us

an edited version
of the human experience.

None of us can really understand
what it feels like to be human

without the stakes
of human life.

Without being mortal.

Are you talking about destroying
the Code itself?

I remember you telling me

that Helias's belief
in mortal religion was flawed.

I didn't know you could still
remember that long ago.

I thought we'd removed
that data.

I remember you telling me
that mortals needed religion

because they were afraid
of dying.

But with immortal beings,
there is no fear of death

and so no need for religion.

Religious citizens talked about

being alive
for a God-given purpose,

that their time on Earth
was intentionally difficult,

and that they were each given
a soul which was immortal.

That was the logic
of primitive minds.

Of course I always knew
that science and technology

were the real gods.

Their god never worked for
the greater good of the world.

Mine always did.

Humans... Um...

The... the human condition
needed to evolve.

What about Helias?
What did he believe?

You're full of questions
tonight.

Why don't we get back
to the game?

At the beginning,

Helias was as secular
as they come.

When we were at Harvard,
he never mentioned religion.

Ever.

Well, he was a true scholar

and he believed that technology
would be the answer

to human suffering.

Many people started to move
toward that direction

at that time.

Helias started to believe
that the...

..the human body is a machine.

And he was right -
we started to work on this idea

that this machine
could be perfected

so that it could go on and on
forever.

Now, that was
an exciting time.

When we first started
our company

and we...

..we grew our group of
scientists and geneticists,

we started to feel that

we were really going
to be able to do it.

For the greater good, right?

Of course.

Wake up. Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Can you hear me?
Wake up. Wake up.

Wake up. Wake up.
Can you hear me? Wake up.

Where's your book?

I'm sorry?

Your book. What was it?

'Being and Nothingness'.

That was it.

Too much on my mind to read.

I know the feeling.

You do?

I do.

Who are you?

My name is Akae.

Logos.

- Nice to meet you, Logos.
- Likewise.

Can I ask you something?

You already have.

That's true.

But something a bit more...

..personal.

Depends on what you want to ask.

Do you take your Maintenance?

Why would you ask that?

It just seems like you don't.

Do you?

Seems like a question
neither of us wants to answer.

But I get the sense
we've got a lot in common.

I need to understand
how you plan on doing this.

You've figured out a way
to reduce the Maintenance,

but getting access to the supply
is impossible.

Difficult, yeah.

But I wouldn't say impossible.

Few things truly are,

so long as you have faith.

I scouted the facility
and used the fader

to scan for vulnerabilities
in the structure.

As a terraforming engineer,
I'm sure you're well aware...

That there are no weaknesses.

The construction materials
of the building

were embedded with
synthetic composites

that make getting in
from the outside impossible.

So, I used the fader to scan
the surrounding infrastructures.

What did you find?

All of the capital buildings
are connected

by a sort of underground maze.

Wouldn't it be just as difficult
to gain access to those tunnels?

Yeah, unless you knew someone

who worked in
one of the capital buildings.

In fact, as all of you know,

Alisandre is currently
celebrating its 200th year

living with
the gift of immortality

that was given to us
by the Pilot.

Speaking of which, follow me and
we'll head to Shem application

so we can get a firsthand look.

Uh, I'll be back
in just one moment.

Yum, Chasan will take you ahead.
I'll be back.

Follow me.

What are you doing here?

The answer is yes.

What are you talking about?

You asked me on the train
if I took my Maintenance.

I do.

Do you?

We saw Chasan leading the tour.

Is everything OK?

Everything's fine.

We were just wrapping up.

I can't do this today.
Let's talk tomorrow.

I'll be here.

How does it feel?

How does what feel?

Being identical twins.

It's a very rare thing.

We've always felt extra special
because of that.

It's a bond that few understand
and that we both cherish.

Are you scared of losing that
someday?

Losing what?

The bond you share.

That's impossible.
We'll always be the same.

Unless the Pilot decides that

one of you is ready for your
confirmation before the other.

He would never do that.

Of course.

What happened yesterday?
Why was he there?

He wanted to tell me

he was on his Maintenance,
and asked if I was.

And what did you say?

Nothing. We were interrupted.

Anything else?

We agreed to speak later.

Good.

Hopefully you'll be able to
obtain more information then.

Armaros...

..do you ever wonder
what it's like?

What are you talking about?

To not be on your Maintenance.

It's just...

The idea of opening up your mind
to its most uncontrolled state,

I wonder how it feels.

I don't ever wonder that.

And you shouldn't either.

Akae, people who do not take
their Maintenance

are broken, defective.

They're disrespecting a gift

that the Pilot
has given to them.

Deciding themselves that somehow
they know more than he does.

They don't.

You're right. They don't.

It was just a crazy thought
I had.

I'm proud of you, Akae.

You are serving Alisandre
and the Pilot well.

Keep up the good work.

I wasn't sure you'd be here.

I wasn't either.

So, why are you really here?

There aren't many people
like us.

What do you mean, like us?

People that think
there's something more.

That question
the world around them.

The real reason I'm here is

I have some friends
I think you should meet.

Friends?

People that think the way we do.

But why?

I think you'd be interested
in what they have to say.

They can explain more.

Why should I trust you?

You shouldn't.

You don't have to.

You could walk away right now
and never see me again.

Or you could come with me.

Welcome.

Gergot.

- Logos.
- Akae.

I've been looking forward
to meeting you both.

I wasn't here when you first met
the rest of the group.

I was in the forested area.

- Doing what?
- Foraging.

Foraging?

The Pilot's dietary inventions

are complex in nutrients
and efficient to consume

but they taste
absolutely horrible.

So I've self-trained as a chef.

Obviously it's hard to get
my hands on ingredients

that actually make food
taste good, so I improvise.

Here we are.

- You must be Akae.
- I am.

We're very glad you're here.

Helias believed that we have
an intended purpose on Earth.

He believed to the core of his
being that we're meant to die.

I feel like
I'm walking through my life

as two totally different people.

That there's a part of me
somewhere inside

that I can't quite access.

That's exactly what
Helias thought.

He believed there was a creator
of this universe and of man.

He said that mortals believed
that they each had an essence -

he called it the soul -

which had a purpose given to it
by this creator.

Instead, the Pilot decided

to determine a purpose
for each one of us,

essentially denying us
the right to our own destiny.

And while we still feel
emotions, they're limited.

Mortals experienced more.

Much more.

What's the point?

What do you mean?

While what this man,
Helias, believed

is certainly interesting,

what's the point
in believing in a mortal life

when it's not something
we're genetically capable of?

It just seems futile to me.

I hope she didn't offend you.

No. No. She hasn't.

I like people
that ask big questions,

because big questions
are what we here are all about.

I especially like questions
that I know the answer to.

Helias called it
the Code Diffuser.

It was intended to wipe the Code
from the genome.

He created it as a way
to restore mortality.

Why would he do that?

He felt it was a very important
part of the human experience.

Something we are all
missing out on.

Has anyone ever used it before?

He never finished work on it.

This is just a prototype.

We are planning on
restoring Helias's mind data.

But in order to do that,
we need to find Helias.

And when we do, we'll finally
meet the man behind all of this,

finish what he started.

Do all of you plan on using it?

Our hope is eventually
everyone in Alisandre will.

Why would they?

Everyone believes
immortality is a gift.

Do you?

Everyone believes it's a gift,
as you say,

because the Maintenance
they're taking every single day

makes them believe
that that's true.

Which is why
we're hoping to alter

a single batch
of the Maintenance

to create a short-term effect.

A temporary experience,
if you will.

A small window in time
in which members of this society

might actually be able to
process what we're saying.

Are there any long-term effects
or permanent damage?

Certainly no damage.

And as for long-term effects,

that's the goal,

isn't it?

The problem with the plan
is that they...

..we don't have access
to the Maintenance supply.

It's stored
in a very secure facility.

A facility
adjacent to Nescience.

That's why I'm here.

Because of where I work.

What did it feel like to you

when I died?

Why do you continue to ask
that question?

Do you expect
a different answer?

Tell me again.

Losing your mother
was more than I could bear.

And then to lose you...

There were days when the pain
was so overwhelming

that I didn't think
I could carry on.

You were close -

so close to being able
to save me.

After I lost you, I...

..I made Helias
promise me that...

..that under no circumstances
would we leave the lab

until we were certain
that we had it right.

Until we knew for sure
that the Code,

the genetic modifier
we had created,

was the key to immortality.

And that's what we did.

But Helias left.

He thought I took
too much of the credit,

which was not my intention.

But I was the driving force.

That part of the story changes
every time you tell it.

I found what the Pilot
is looking for.

The virus,
only it's not a virus.

It's a Code Diffuser.

It changes it in some way.
Reduces it.

Changes the Code?

I wanted to believe that
somehow the Pilot was wrong,

that there weren't people
like this.

The Pilot
is never wrong.

Is there anything else?

They want me to help them access
the Maintenance facility.

What? Why?

They want to alter
a batch of Maintenance.

- For themselves?
- For everyone.

They want to clear everyone
from what they believe to be

some sort of mental fog
induced by Maintenance.

For what purpose?

They want to tell everyone
about the diffuser,

to convince everyone
that we should be mortal.

Mortal.

What did you tell them?

I told them I couldn't do it.

It's far too risky.
What if they succeed?

These poor
delusional individuals.

They're not on
their Maintenance.

Their minds are unclear.

Why would you ever want to
disrupt a perfect world?

What is it
that brought you back to us?

I'm here because I can help you
access the Maintenance facility.

Are you sure
you want to do that?

It's not a mission
without grave risk.

I'm sure.

I told you there's no
surveillance in this area.

No-one uses these walkways
anymore.

- Why is it locked?
- I don't know.

- The scanner's not working.
- I knew she wouldn't help us.

That's not it.
This is an antiquated device.

Alright, let's go.

Let's go.

- Which way?
- Let's stick to the exit plan.

You guys go that way
and we'll go through Nescience.

Hello, Logos.

Akae.

You should be proud.

The Pilot is delighted with you.

What?

You're... you're a guardian?

I...

Akae.

You lied to me.

I could not tell you I was
a watcher and you know that.

Akae, you have done an admirable
service for our society.

Thank you.

Do you have a question?

Something concerning you?

I do.

When can I see Logos?

I'm afraid
that's not possible.

I lied to him for my own gain

and I'd like to apologise.

Well, that's a lovely gesture,
Akae,

but the Logos you knew is gone.

In order to rehabilitate him,

to free him from his unnatural
desire for mortality,

we had to erase his mind,
his memories,

everything that made him
who he was.

It's for the better,
I assure you.

You should feel a great sense of
pride for the work you've done.

Is there anything else
you haven't told us?

No.

Thank you.

There is one thing.

I'd like to remain at Nescience.

A guardian office awaits you
at the capital.

It's where I feel comfortable.

Then that's where you'll stay.

He's in Daden.

Excuse me.

It's me, Akae.

I came to apologise.

I'm the reason you're here.

I'm the reason you've changed.

If I knew what they were going
to do, I never would've.

I need you to come with me.

I'm sorry. I really am.

But I don't know who you are.

Hello? Hello!

I can't hear you. Logos?

No, it's me, Akae.

She said she knows where Logos
is but needs our help.

After what she did?

I agree with Psuker.
It's not worth the risk.

Not to mention we have no way of
knowing if her story is true.

It could be a trap.

She seemed sincere.

Yeah, she did
when she was here before too.

- Akae?
- Yes.

We can't help you. I'm sorry.

But... Please.

People used to
openly worship here.

A belief system
based entirely upon faith.

Medorin told you
we can't help you.

So why are you here?

I understand
why you don't trust me.

I thought people like you
were bad.

I thought you were broken.

Searching for a truth
that doesn't exist.

I thought Logos was doing
the same.

It all seemed wrong.

I came face to face with
what scared me the most.

Believing in something

so different to
the world I've known.

I felt that way because that's
how the Pilot wanted me to feel.

After I stopped taking
my Maintenance...

..I realised
you're far from broken.

And the truth you're
searching for does exist.

You stopped taking
your Maintenance?

Completely.

You still haven't answered
my question.

I found Logos.

He's in Daden.

His mind has been wiped
and he needs to be restored.

We need to save him
and you're going to help me.

Why won't you
tell me the real reason

Helias left you and the machine?

He was jealous.

You know about mortal jealousy.

For him to turn so quickly
on you,

he must have had a reason.

It was nothing of the sort.

It's Logos. He's gone.

Gone?

What do you mean gone?
Gone where?

He didn't report to his office.

His data is gone too.

Akae must have downloaded it
directly.

Find them!

Everything's going to be OK.
I promise.

I know what it's like to feel
really unsure about something.

What do you mean?

I grew up in a world
that was perfect.

Made for me by the Pilot.

For all of us.

That's what I thought at least.

But there were these...
questions,

these thoughts I kept having.

Like maybe there was
something more

underneath all the perfection.

But I was wrong
for having those thoughts.

I was wrong to question
the life I was given.

But those same questions
are coming back

and it's seemingly impossible
to push them away.

Why are you saying this?

Because you're not going to
remember any of it

in a few minutes.

We're going to bring you back.

There was nothing in Akae's data

that indicated
this should've happened.

Perhaps her data was inaccurate.

Her scan showed normal levels
of Maintenance.

I trusted you. I shouldn't have.

Logos?

Logos?

Logos!

It was surreal -

you were you but you weren't.

You had no idea who I was.

No idea who you were.

I'm glad you're back.

I'm glad to be back.

Sonitas has a plan -

a way to show the world
who we are.

The Pilot's global address will
be broadcast in just a few days.

I've found a way
to hack into it.

This will allow us to replace
the Pilot's feed with our own.

Of course, before we do this,
we need to alter the Maintenance

to make sure
our message is heard.

Which didn't go so well
last time.

I have a plan.

And here is a brief explanation

about how our colony began
exactly 200 years ago.

- That was really good.
- OK, now you try.

And here is a brief explanation
about how our colony began...

I can't talk long
but I need your help.

Thank you.

I promise it'll make sense
why I've asked you to do this.

We trust you, Akae.

Why don't you do the honours?

It works. Let's go.

I just heard
from Masim.

They should be here
the day after tomorrow.

- Have they heard from Gergot?
- Not yet.

I'm sure he's just out
gathering supplies.

"In anguish, I apprehend
myself at once as totally free

"and as not being able to derive
the meaning of the world

"except as coming from myself.

"The recruit who reports
for active duty

"at the beginning of the war

"can in some instances
be afraid of death,

"but more often
he is afraid of being afraid."

I'm sorry. I...

Is it Gergot?

Taken by the watchers
and wiped clean.

I'm sorry.

Me too.

You know, sometimes I wonder if
the Pilot didn't have it right,

with the pain of loss.

We can find him.

Restore him, like I was.

With the Pilot aware of us
and what we've been up to...

..I hope so.

I'll be just across the way
if you need anything.

Thank you, Logos.

I couldn't risk
leaving it behind.

The altered Maintenance
is being distributed.

Tomorrow an entire society
will be waking up

with a new lens on the world.

Our time to speak out is here.

Once we've breached
the Pilot's address,

our faces, our beliefs
will be made known to the world.

We won't get another chance.
This is it.

We need to make sure our voices
are heard and heard well.

What if it worked?

What do you mean?

The Code Diffuser.
What if it worked?

It's a prototype.

Without Helias's mind data,

we have no idea of knowing
how effective it would be.

But if it were to work on me?

Then you'd be the first
mortal citizen on this planet

in over a century.

Hey.

Did you mean it?

Yeah.

Akae, I...

It's fine.

If you want to die,

it's your prerogative.

It's not that I want to die.

No?

Then what is it?

I want to live.

I want to not know
what day is my last.

To make decisions
with consequences.

Real consequences.

I want to know what it's like
to feel everything.

And I can't do that like this.

I can't do that if I know
that I'm going to live forever.

Logos! Wake up!

Logos, wake up. Wake up!

Medorin! Medorin!

What's wrong with him?

He used the diffuser.

Logos.

What can I do?

If we don't stabilise him,
we might lose him.

Logos.

Logos, wake up.

Do something, please.

Logos.
Wake up. Listen to me.

Listen.

His body's still in shock
but he's stable.

He'll need a few days

before he can handle
another change to his genome.

Then we can attempt at
reapplying the Code.

His data was never scanned
and saved,

so who knows if his memories
remain intact.

This is uncharted territory.

Logos.

He's stable.

I'll let you two talk.

Hey.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

It's OK.

How do you feel?

Different.

Different how?

Everything is just...

..clear.

Do you like what you see?

I do.

Me too.

At first, I...

..I came to Daden,

I had to get through
to you and...

And what?

I kissed you.

I don't know why.

A feeling just came over me.

A feeling
I've never felt before.

I just thought you should know.

I'm glad you told me.

Sonitas is almost in.

Are you sure
you want to do this?

Because once you do,

once you put yourself out there,

explaining what you've done,

there's no going back.

And there's no telling
what could happen.

I have to.

Then I'll be right by your side.

Citizens.

It is with gratitude
and humility

that I come to you today
to talk,

as we always do,
about our society.

I know you were expecting to be
addressed by the Pilot.

But please, hear me out.

My name is Logos.

I've been a citizen living
amongst you my entire life.

What's going on?!

And recently,
I've wondered

what my purpose was
on this planet.

I started asking myself
questions,

questions about how we live.

And I started to find answers.

I am no longer
under control of the Pilot.

I am no longer imprisoned
by the Code.

I've diffused it.

Freed myself from its reins.

The Pilot created you to be
who he wants you to be,

to live as he wants you to live.

Now that my eyes
have been opened,

I realised how much darkness
has been hiding underneath.

The Pilot made you...

..designed you to be hollow...

..to be empty inside,

to never see the beauty of life
that I now see.

Listen to me, all of you!

I am mortal and I am alive!

What are you reading?

'A Tale of Two Cities'.

I read that.

I was wondering...

Go on.

Why do you think there is even
one citizen who is unhappy?

It doesn't make sense based on
everything you've told me.

There were always people
who were anomalies.

Science tells us that
that would happen.

In time, we, um... rehabilitated
these defectives

and gave them
entirely new mind data.

They became new people.

What about Logos?
Was he an anomaly?

Logos has a natural immunity
to Maintenance.

It is a, uh, rare occurrence

but still possible.

So you basically program
citizens to be content?

Perhaps a little history lesson
is in order.

Would you like to know what
the human condition was like

before the Code?

You've told me the history
many times.

I told you
what I wanted you to know

and I never even gave you
the data.

There is... there's much more.

Mortal life

was filled with
pure, hideous suffering.

War, disease, poverty,

crime, hate, starvation,

discrimination, evil.

World leaders were more
concerned with wealth and power

than with their own people.

I was just a geneticist
in a lab,

but I saw something
in my own work

that others failed to see.

Would you like to know
what that was?

I saw possibilities.

Hope.

I saw a changed society.

I knew that if I applied
my research,

I could solve
the world's problems.

What about free will?

Free will is responsible
for every grain of suffering

in human history.

I watched many people die.

People I cared about.

And I saved everyone.

I saved everyone else
from experiencing that pain.

Look at me.

Death is nothing more
than a looming black hole.

There is no other existence

on some other plane.

No god, no angels.

It's a fairytale, Amanda.

It's fantasy.

I created heaven in Alisandre.

Right here, right now.

Why should there ever be
all that suffering?

Why would Logos want to be
responsible for this?

I created him.

I gave him life,

safety,

a... a place away from fear
and uncertainty.

They all are right here with me.

I am going to save you
from yourself, Logos.

You are not living.
You are existing.

You are bound by chains.

Should this life be so still?

So static?

What if you were given
the urgency of knowing

that you could never repeat
yesterday again?

That is being alive.

And that is beautiful.

Alright, I'm here. What is it?

We need to act now.

Your worry is not warranted.

Do you not see
what is happening?

A natural immunity
to Maintenance

was bound to happen.

I could not prevent it.

If he actually is different,

isn't that more reason
to be concerned?

We all live by blind faith
in a man.

But is he as wise
as we believe him to be?

By handing over our liberty to
him, are we not subject to him?

Are we not slaves?

Now that I am free from him,

I see the world
as it should be seen.

Despite our watchers' vigilance,
their movement is growing.

Citizens are experimenting
with reduced Maintenance,

displaying signs of irrational
thought and behaviour.

I see what you see.

Sir, we are losing control!

WE are not losing anything.

Everything will be
as it should be.

And what about Logos?

He is openly upturning

everything that
you have created.

I will deal with
Logos when the time is right.

You're not concerned
in the least?

Logos has no idea
what he's doing.

He's going to die.

Perhaps.

But who knows
what will actually happen?

The diffuser is a prototype.

It will take much more
to discover

how to actually separate
the Code from the genome.

There's only one other
who could actually do that.

Helias.

So they would need you.

Helias was naive.

Hopeful.

He didn't appreciate
what my design became.

I had to sacrifice him
for the greater good.

It was quite simple actually
to separate his data from mine.

We'd become
two clearly different thinkers.

You did this
after he created the diffuser.

He went rogue.

Overnight, it seemed he reverted
back to being a... primitive.

He was difficult to control.

He started spreading
subversive information

and then came his efforts

to undermine the Code.

But... you won.

His data is in my control

and entirely useless
to anyone but me.

The only human genome which
could accept it would be mine.

So, yes, I did win.

It's one thing
to see beauty

but it's another to feel
a connection to it.

To feel it run through you.

What's wrong?

I'm scared.

Of what?

What if there's nothing?

What if when we die,
we just cease to exist?

What if the Pilot knows that
and he's right?

You're not wrong.

He's not wrong.

And I now know
I can show that to Logos,

to everyone in Alisandre.

Citizens.

In the end,
all we have is faith.

Follow us.

I've got you.

Amanda?

I'm Amanda.

That's how she started.

But what she should have said

that would have been
more accurate in that moment,

as she addressed the citizens
of Alisandre, is...

.."I am Helias."

I told Logos the news.

Helias is alive.

Well, his data at least.

Amanda, the Pilot's sacred
artificial creation,

downloaded Helias's data
onto her system.

All of it -

Helias's thoughts,
ideas, emotions.

Amanda holds the key
to the new world.

She has the information we need
to restore the human race,

to restore freedom and discover
our own true purpose

as life was intended to be.

Now all we have to do

is find her.