Beacon 23, Season 1 Episode 4 - God In the Machine

We are at the midpoint of the season! And the show takes a turn away from our main protagonists to focus on the beacon's history and to do what I had hoped would happen, give us a glimpse into the AI's.

Analysis

• Character development of the Bart AI. We also learn more about his vindictiveness. He seems to have suffered a great deal of loss which raises the question, if a human can withstand and suffer to the point of shaping them, can an artificial intelligence as well? What I truly enjoy the most about sci-fi is that underneath all the high tech and cool effects, it always is a commentary, a discussion and a mind experiment on our own humanity.
  Regardless, Bart shows that he is capable of murdering human life, which whenever there is a discussion of AI, the cardinal rule always seems to be to protect human life. Even if that causes moral gray areas such as whose human life do you save and how do you decide who is worth saving?
  The interesting view into Bart is also that he was punished by Sophie with silence, not his own but hers. And this punishment seems to have a lasting effect into present day as Halan has punished him with silence (of his own voice).
  
  
• Alpeh is presumably the transcendence of Milan Alpeh, it is not clear his role in the story, but it likely is not good and is continually on a quest to steer humanity to be a transcendent AI consciousness as well. The whole episode seemed to be created to enable the creation of this AI, so we'll see how it weaves into the story.
  
  
• Kind of a cool thing, but the cloths that were thrown over the beacon stairwell, resemble the Anarchy symbol.
• The show has a Black Mirror feel to it as Sophie and Bart are resigned to their fates after a major tragedy.
  

Trivia and Technical mumbo-jumbo

The flying machine created by the synthesizer that can inject neurostimulants

Characters of Interest

• Milan Aleph, CIO of QTA - invented all of the beacons and the AI's that run them, was a very powerful man projected to eventually rise to leadership and capable of even controlling QTA military. Shows he is willing to go to extreme lengths to reach his goals.
• Hope, Milan's personal AI - stable, obedient. Not much personality.
• Sophie Arnacia - beacon keeper 180 years ago, has two sons, lots of hobbies, centered around knitting, weaving and tea.
• Ree Avalon - the original beacon keeper with hidden files on an artifact engine.
  
• Alpeh, the holographic transcendic consciousness, appears to be in the beacon computers.
  

Mysteries and Questions

• Is Solomon still alive? Did he steal Halan's ship and escape? It appears Solomon is actually dead and died in an explosion by accident but Bart blames him for it. However midway through this show, Halan
  
• Where is Halan's ship? Could have blown up in an explosion? Is it near the beacon as well?
  

• Is the mineral and isotope exposure causing Halan's PTSD/hallucinations or is there more to it? He's the only one who seems to suffer from this and several have come into contact with the minerals so far. They seem to have a deeper meaning.
• The lighthouse picture - is present even 180 years ago on the beacon.
  
• Why so many unauthorized trips from the beacon by Solomon?
• Will Chick Kannedy return or is that it? I would imagine a kid that young with a ship that big is begging to be attacked in a "tough" part of space.
• The same symbol on Aster's pendant is in the rocks as seen under microscope. How are they connected?
• What is a QTA class-c mission?
• Is Harmony ultimately loyal to QTA? During her dying moments, Coley calls out to Harmony expecting the AI to help her.
• Did the wreckers work for QTA?
• Is Alpeh, the ghost in the machine, there in present day, secretly directing things?