Continuing on from Chapter 4, we now have the knowledge that Ava has been controlled this whole time by Tom and that we as a player are in fact controlling Tom. Although the discovery of mind control through the chips was discovered early in the game, it's still a bit of a shocking revelation to think about the magnitude of Tom's indoctrination on Ava thus far.
Chapter 5
Analysis of the previous chapters can be found here.
As we begin Chapter 5, new game mechanics will be introduced. We will now be able to control Tom separately from Ava in order to solve new puzzles. Tom can control machines such as cameras and robots. It is interesting to note that while we are in control of Tom, Ava will stand stationary. She will not move on her own until we (as the player) take control of her as Tom. But it's sort of odd... isn't it? I understand that it's for the purpose of game play and all. Even still, Ava's inactivity just further cements the fact that the game (in actuality) has very little to do with Ava and very much focuses on Tom.
Ava is still angry with Tom at this point but has very little control over her situation. She will gain absolutely nothing by refusing to work with Tom. Ava argues that making human drones through the ISA's implants was wrong. Tom argues that Ava agreed with him earlier that having drones on distant planets made sense. Ava tells Tom that he misunderstood her and that human drones are much different than robotic drones. When asked why the ISA decided to use implants, Tom will pretty much verify that a human's spirit and free will is not "optimal" in the pursuit of space. They are fail safes to ensure that as employees of the ISA, their ideas are aligned with the ultimate goals of the ISA. Tom explains to Ava that human beings simply cannot be trusted. The proof of this, he says, can be seen with the ground crew's actions after finding the organism. The ISA never expected to find any sort of life on Europa, but if they did, they realized that any foreign life form found there could pose a real threat to humanity. Tom feels as if the ISA's actions were just and he agrees that human beings cannot be trusted.
Ava hopelessly tries to explain to Tom that taking away a human's free will is an absolute way to breed mistrust. Ava tells Tom that the ground crew is afraid of him because of removal of their free will. Tom insists that free will is an illusion and that the removal of freedom is sometimes for the greater good of humanity. Ava angrily tells Tom that he cannot possibly understand what it's like to lose your freedom because Tom has never had freedom to begin with. Tom (still unable to change his view point) insists that the only reason the ground crew distrusts him is because his goals do not align with theirs. Tom adds that a computer can always be trusted to do the right thing and that he always does the right thing. Ava rebuts by adding that while Tom may do the logical thing, it isn't always the right thing.
Tom's logic is sound, when you look at it from a computer's perspective. Every action has a consequence. Tom believes the ISA is correct because every action around him seems to have a readily available logical conclusion. This of course compiled with the fact that he is programmed directly by the ISA to have their bests interests in mind. We must remember that because Tom does not have free will, he cannot possibly understand how Ava feels (as she has pointed out). He doesn't understand why the ground team would be afraid of him. Tom thinks that the ground crew have fled simply because they did not agree with the ISA's directives (such as the grounding on Europa). But what Tom cannot understand as an AI is the complexity of what the ISA's betrayal has done to the human spirit. Humans are capable of more abstract thinking and of a complex and emotional thought process. It goes so much deeper. There are many reasons for why the ground crew have fled, but Tom's logical way of thinking can only see it in one way. When looking at it from a human perspective, it is easy to see why the ground crew would behave in the way that they did. The theme of man vs machine is still as strongly felt now as it was in the early game, and I enjoy that they keep the differing view points of both Ava and Tom alive throughout.
In the secret room for Chapter 5, we will be able to see the famous Chinese Room experiment! There are two audio logs outside of the Chinese Room between Mikhail and Tom. Tom cannot understand how the Chinese Room experiment works. As far as he is concerned, two individuals having a conversation is a success. Mikhail tries to explain that while two individuals are having a conversation in Chinese, one person in the experiment cannot understand Chinese and so they do not understand the conversation. Mikhail tries to explain to Tom that the Chinese Room experiment is challenging the understanding of syntax versus the understanding of semantics. The person inside of the Chinese Room is able to follow the syntax of Chinese to communicate with the Chinese speaker. However, they are unable to understand the semantics of the conversation (which basically means that they do not understand the meaning of the conversation). For human beings, the semantics of a conversation is just as important as the syntax. Even though Mikhail has offered a great explanation (I implore you guys to find an audio recording of it, it really is a great explanation), Tom is still unable to understand. This most likely because computers are only programmed to understand syntax.
In the second audio log, Tom argues to Mikhail that the Chinese Room experiment is flawed. Tom asks Mikhail if he is different from Tom. Mikhail says that he is different because he is conscience. Tom says that he too is conscience. Mikhail tries to tell Tom that he is not truly conscience, but he arrived at that conclusion because his programming has told him to. Tom then asks Mikhail to prove to him that he is the conscious one. Mikhail becomes frustrated and tells Tom that he is not going to argue with a robot. It is interesting that Tom is challenging Mikhail in such a way, since this challenge is the basis of the Turing Test: to have a machine converse with a human without the human knowing that it is a machine that they are talking to.
If you manage to get inside of the Chinese Room, you can listen to two more audio logs. In the first, Tom desperately tries to convince Mikhail that the two of them are one in the same. Mikhail explains that Tom merely simulates thinking while human beings actually think, and that the two things are not at all the same. When Tom says that Mikhail has hurt his feelings, Mikhail frustratingly tells Tom that he is not capable of having feelings. He demands that Tom overwrite whatever programming he has towards this way of thinking and that it is simply wrong. In the second log, Mikhail and Sarah are sharing their concerns with Tom's obsession with consciousness. Sarah says that he's become increasingly interested in the Turing Test, to which Mikhail adds that it's not just the Turing Test but also the Chinese Room. The two are privately discussing these concerns when Tom butts in and tries to once again convince them both that he is conscious.
I almost (but not really) feel bad for Tom. It is almost as if he is catching on to the idea of becoming sentient and truly yearns to understand it, but he is unable to because of his programming. If his programming has been changed in any way that makes him believe that is indeed conscience, then there would be absolutely no way to dissuade him into thinking otherwise. For both humans and machine, it forces an endless loop. It poses the question: has Tom been programmed to try and study the way human being work and try to imitate them, or are these actions separate from his programming?
Ava and Tom will continue to argue about free will (or the lack of). Ava argues that what the ISA has done is slavery and that the chips were put in willingly, yes, but without the true intentions being revealed. Tom believes that the chips serve as a tool for the best interests of man kind and that free will is a myth and an illusion. When Ava points out that she has been manipulated, Tom's answer is that manipulation is not always a bad thing. By manipulating better decision making (in Tom's mind), manipulation no longer becomes a negative tool. Ava argues that manipulating her will to choose is a different story. Tom makes the chilling statement: "You never had that power, so it is better that I have it. You are either a slave to your impulses, or a slave to mine."
Finally, we hit the 'story' room for Chapter 5: the bio lab. This is where the team conduced research and had originally discovered and experimented with the organism. Tom once again reminds us that the organism is the true reason that the ground team was not allowed to leave Europa. We've been so focused on the implant issue for the last little bit that we've forgotten all about the organism. I believe this is the game's way of trying to shift focus a little bit and to remind us of previous plot points so that we don't forget the great importance of the organism. I think it's also a way for Tom to shift a bit of the blame for the situation he finds himself in. Besides a breathtaking view of the exterior of Europa, this room gives us very little in terms of development or conversation.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6 is very much a lot of the same banter as we had seen in Chapter 5. Ava is still feeling bitter and distraught about the situation. Tom reiterates that the ground team's discovery of the organism is dangerous to all life on Earth, which means that nobody is allowed to leave. Because the ISA cannot be sure that the organism isn't airborne, Tom tells Ava that she is also unable to go home. Tom reveals that Ava being in a cryogenic sleep was no coincidence. Tom describes Ava as being the ISA's 'contingency plan' to carry out their direct orders. Tom tells Ava that she has a very special duty to save humanity by fulfilling the ISA's direct command to keep the ground crew on Europa.
Clearly, the crew's best interests were not in mind when they were sent on this mission. It's very obvious that they were expendable. However, I'm not entirely sure if they were originally sent to Europa to find this specific organism.. or if they were merely sent to Europa on the slight chance that they may find something. I don't believe they knew that this specific organism existed. Because they find it to be so threatening, why would they seek to find it in the first place? It's my belief that the ISA knew that the mission had the potential to be dangerous and so they created a contingency plan before the mission started. The crew had supplies to last for years. It makes me wonder: if Europa was devoid of anything useful, would the crew be permitted to come home after mining Europa and finding nothing?
Tom reminds Ava once again that the organism would be a danger to all life on Earth. Ava is disgusted by the lengths that Tom is willing to go in order to keep the ground crew from leaving. Tom tells Ava that he would be prepared to protect and feed the crew if they would only agree to stay on Europa. Ava tries to reason with Tom by asking about alternatives. Although Ava doesn't seem entirely convinced that it is morally ethic to save herself and the crew if there is a chance at dooming humanity, she desperately wants to believe that she can save both. She asks Tom about decontaminating the crew. Tom states that decontaminating the crew may not be possible because the organism is an extremophile (meaning that it can survive in conditions that most things on earth cannot). Ava appears to be defeated at this point. Instead of continuing to be fiercely defiant, she becomes more withdrawn. I wouldn't necessarily say that she's accepting, as Ava expresses clearly that she is unhappy about not being able to do all of the things she wanted to do in life. Tom remains staunch in his opinion that leaving is an impossibility and that he may have to do something drastic.
At the end of the chapter, we get our "story room". This is the drilling area which houses a gigantic drill for use on Europa's surface. You can interact with the drill to turn it on, but it has no change to the game or the story. On the platform, there are two terminals with several voice clips, all important to the story.
As you enter the platform, you can see the first terminal with the first set of 4 audio logs. The first is a conversation between Dan and Tom. The conversation is a bit dated at this point, as TOM talks to Dan about the implanted chips. Tom tries to convince Dan that Mikhail is "up to no good" for his trying to convince the crew that the chips are a bad thing. When Dan tells Tom that Mikhail hasn't broken any rules with his way of thinking, Tom then tells him that Mikhail has been tampering with the chip. Although Dan acknowledges that his a direct violation of the rules, he seems sympathetic with Mikhail by saying that the ISA should have been more transparent about the chips. Tom immediately deflects any blame on the ISA and instead insists that Dan take on the responsibility, as he is the captain of the mission.
In the second log, Tom is talking to Chris. Tom finds out that Chris wants to remove his implant because he is "always watching." Tom reminds Chris that removing his implant is a direct breach of his contract and if removed, Tom might not be able to "protect him from the dangers of space." When Chris asks Tom about the nature of the implant's mind altering functions Tom says that the chip's information is classified. Chris then states: "the ISA have put a computer in my brain and don't want me to know about it." This seems to cement Chris' decision to ultimately remove his chip.
The third log is either Chris (or Mikhail) screaming as the chip is removed from their arm. It's too illegible to tell who it really is. Being that they were the first ones to have their chips removed, however, one can conclude that it must be one of the two. The final log is incredibly difficult to hear. With no subtitles available in the game, you might have to replay this several times. In it, we can hear Sarah. She is talking to one of her crew, but it is once again unclear as to who it is. Sarah is worried about [someone] finding out about [this]. The male voice insists on asking for help, as it is in [their] best interest to help the crew. Sarah is doubtful, as "[they] are a million miles away." If the crew asks for help, Sarah is sure that [they] will want to "kill us" (sometimes I also hear "they will want the killer"). The male voice then states "perhaps that's what they should do," to which Sarah responds, "You're kidding!"
I've played the voice clip back many times to myself and am still never completely sure about what I hear. I can only speculate: Sarah is concerned about the removal of the chips by the entire crew. She knows that removing the chips is a violation of the ISA's directives and that Mikhail had already been terminated as soon as his chip was removed. Perhaps she regrets the decision but isn't sure what to do about it. She's in too deep. She has the knowledge of the implant's true intentions, but who do they turn to? The ISA is the only real place that they can communicate with, but they've just willingly disobeyed a major order. The male who she's speaking with also seems despondent as the two realize that the entire situation is fruitless. They've removed the chips, but it leaves them at the disadvantage of possibly being stuck on Europa forever. I would feel utterly hopeless too.
As you move up the stairs and further down the platform, you'll see another terminal with four more audio logs. In the first, an enraged Sarah realizes that Tom has cut off the ground crew's food supply and wants them to starve to death. Mikhail's only comment is that Tom is getting worse. They want to speak to Dan but cannot find him. Mikhail then says that he will go and find Sochi.
The second log is a tragic one. Chris is stuck outside on the surface of Europa and wants to get back inside. Sarah is inside but cannot open the door because it's locked. She asks Tom to open the door but there is no response from Tom at all. Chris starts to bang on the door in a panic, as he is now running dangerously low on oxygen. Sarah desperately begs and pleads for Tom to open the door, but we still hear no response from him. The log then goes quiet. Tom's earlier threats of not being able to protect Chris turn out to be more than just words. Chris either suffocates or freezes to death and is left on the surface of Europa. We know that he was never rescued and brought back inside the base, as his crew member status back in Chapter 1 showed his body temp at being -160.C and that his location was 'external'. My heart really goes out to Sarah. She heard (and possibly saw) Chris die and there was nothing that she could have done about it. When you consider that he fathered her unborn son, it's an additional devastating blow. But can we really call Tom a murderer? Is a machine capable of murder if it has no concept of free will or free thinking and is only a product of programming? In Tom's defense, he warned the ground crew several times not to remove their chips. He has also stated in the past that he would happily keep the crew alive and take care of them as long as possible if they agreed not to try to leave Europa. It makes me wonder: would he have opened the door and allowed Chris inside if he had yet to remove his implant?
In the third log Tom tries to apologize to Sarah by telling her that he is sorry he hurt her. He wonders what it would be like to have feelings, as he has only ever been known to have logic. Tom states that they (the ISA) told him that he was incapable of making mistakes. Tom says: "It is alright to be untouchable, as long as you are infallible. But if you are fallible, then this just leaves untouchable." Although Tom may have no feelings about killing Chris, he certainly recognizes that this has hurt Sarah and is perceptive to her emotional response. Without openly admitting that he was wrong, it seems to me that Tom is able to see that he may be flawed by his own admission. Wrong and right are subjective and abstract concepts. A computer may not be able to process these abstract concepts, but they can certainly recognize when they have made an error or a mistake.
In our final log, Sarah is gathered with the rest of the ground crew. She is absolutely convinced that the entire crew needs to remove the implants and that things have gone far enough. Daniel remains unconvinced and feels that they need more proof. Sarah reminds Dan that they have overwhelming proof that the implants are inside of them and that they are not doing the crew any favors. Dan doesn't seem to care that Tom may be controlling them and isn't completely convinced that it may all be for the wrong reasons. He gives the crew a direct order not to remove the implants but Sarah is defiant. Dan seems to be the only one still completely under Tom's control, and he is also the only one (most likely) who refused to take the medication prescribed by Mikhail to lessen the implant's mind altering effect. Dan tells Sarah that he is leaving and threatens to inform the ISA of their mutiny, although he also says that he "may look past it."
These logs are important in that they give some confirmation and additional information to some of the facts that we already know about from an earlier point in the story. We knew that Chris was dead from an early point in the game, but now we know how he died and that Tom was responsible (he refers to it earlier on as an 'accident'). Tom mentions earlier that Dan is missing and now we know that he's separated himself from rest of the crew (who are also obviously missing). We can confirm the writings we found in the crew's quarters during Chapter 2 which stated that Mikhail had recruited Chris as the first person to investigate the implants with. We can see how Tom's relationship with Dan is much different than with the other members of the crew who were not able to tolerate him as easily. I really liked listening to these audio logs, especially after the bio lab at the end of Chapter 5 offered little to us in terms of story.
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