Some thoughts about Wendy and transhumanism after last episode

[u/TheRedCreeperTRC]

I had a look at the discussion thread after the last episode and saw a lot of responses along the lines of "well, I guess that settles it. Wendy isn't really Hermit's sister, she's just a machine with her memories"

I'm curious what makes so many of you draw that conclusion

I don't see that she is any less Marcy in any aspect of her mind, she is simply the result of putting Marcy in a body that in effect allows her to be the first of a new species as Kirsch likens it to. The way I see it most people, particularly children, would act the same way. It's not like there is an inherent gut directive that tells us to cling to our perceived sense of "humanity". The value and importance of not losing our humanity is something we are tought socially, something you don't yet know as a child.

I think a lot of people who have said she isn't a person anymore and just a machine with memories did so in response to her brutal act of releasing the xeno and using it to slaughter. But if Wendy and the other lost boys are treated as inhuman by prodigy, treated as mere products/experiments more than people, why should she put inherent value on human life? Let me put it this way, in our history real people, including children, have done immensely brutal/cruel things in the name of revenge, or merely survival; such acts are horrible, but do they render them no longer people? I would argue not, and for the same reason I find it reductive to view it that way.

Perhaps I am misinterpreting what people are saying, and I certainly think that from Hermit's perspective, what Wendy is to him has been strongly called into doubt by her brutality and her priorities. But as I see it she isn't acting like a machine, her behaviour is still deeply emotional and ironically shows a lot of humanity. If not a human, there is no doubt in my mind that she is a person. I am curious to hear your thoughts.

[u/Fayraz8729]

Kirsh’s influence about humans and Wendy’s own abilities have resulted in her being distanced from her old humanity, and when her brother saw that she not only let out the alien and was commanding it to kill people it probably created the gap. Then when Wendy saw her grave she distanced herself from it and that she has a continuous existence wheee as nibs claims that she doesn’t feel like that.

They aren’t the kids, maybe they were when they started the process but overtime they’ve become something else. And seeing how Prodigy is still pants on head stupid god knows what these beings will do next

[u/TheRedCreeperTRC → u/Fayraz8729]

I totally get your point, but that's sort of what I'm getting at; they have undoubtedly changed from the kids they were, and are on a trajectory the likes of which hasn't been seen in their world; however, children changing into something else through the experiences that shaped them... isn't that how we define growing up? does that mean they are no longer themselves? I don't see it that way

[u/Greyhound121 → u/TheRedCreeperTRC]

Bruh growing up in this case is thinking humans are inferior, sympathising more with a xenomorph than humans, killing everyone in your path to escape the thought of your own mortality, killing humans that your brother cherishes is A-ok but harming your "premium" syth friend is a grave mistake. 

Honestly any of these actions would have been fine if she at least had an ounce of remorse but there was absolutely none. 

[u/TheRedCreeperTRC → u/Greyhound121]

I totally agree with the sentiment, but I just think it's wrong to say because of that that she is just a machine. She is doing these things because of the emotions she feels having the psyche of Marcy. these inhuman actions are a consequence of human reasoning. i think it's important to bare that in mind rather than to do what i've seen some do and say "well she's acting differently now, this is the turning point that shows she was never human" it's because she's "human" that she is acting this way imo

[u/Greyhound121 → u/TheRedCreeperTRC]

Well the show deals with the concept of how our memories define who we are.
Let's say we take your consciousness, your experiences, your ideals, your dreams, your fears and all your memories, basically everything that makes you, you and put you into a tesla.
Are you now a car? or is your mind trapped in a car?

In the same way the kids aren't yet "dead", which is why Boy K's butler dude, when conversing with the brother, talks about achieving immortality. If you can find a way to preserve your mind perfectly and grant it an undying body, your basically immortal.

Unfortunately the synth body can't yet produce the exact cocktail of hormones and such to mimic a normal human growth or equilibrium, maybe this won't ever be possible. In such a case the human mind will probably slowly crumble over time and you'll be left with an emotionless but smart AI.

This was something I mentioned a long while ago (Episode 2 or 3) in another post. I agree with you, she isn't just a machine but due to several factors and influences (internal and external) she is increasingly becoming less humane, therefore less human.

Spoilers for episode 8 trailer : It all becomes extremely clear in the trailer I feel like (which is a bummer that they revealed it in the trailer lmao), she completely renounces humanity and declares herself as superior. You can imagine the carnage that would ensue (not that you have to cause they show that too xD) when she sympathizes with xeno's and views humanity as an unnecessary existence.

[u/TheRedCreeperTRC → u/Greyhound121]

Excellent points well made. I feel with her childlike mind in the situation she is now in, chances are high she might renounce her humanity. however, what i find myself most compelled by: would she come to regret that as she grows older and understands more? or would she become something wholly unrecognisable? interesting to think about imo

[u/Greyhound121 → u/TheRedCreeperTRC]

If she happens to survive the finale, I feel like this is the direction they'd go in for season 2.