Beacon 23 – Season 1 Episode 4 “God in the Machine” Recap & Review

God in the Machine

Episode 4 of Beacon 23 is set entirely in a different timeline than the previous three episodes. We travel back a 180 years when Beacon 23 had one of its first keepers, Sophie. Bart is her personal AI assistant. However, the relationship he shares with her is weirdly human. He refers to Sophie as “mother” and she reciprocates the sentiment. It is an important detail in the episode since it goes on to show how lonely Sophie is on the ship and how much she misses her children.

The episode revolves around another deadly encounter on B23. Milan Aleph is QTA’s CIO. He is arguably one of the most important inventors of the time. However, he has approached the beacon under an alias. Sophie is surprised by his presence as Milan claims he is on a “maintenance job” sent by the ISA. She checks his documentation, which is all clean and spotless. It apparently raises suspicion, although as we later discover, Sophie already knew who he was.

For now, she plays along and shows Milan to the site. Hope, Milan’s personal AI, commends him for “handling her admirably.” Sophie wakes up Bart from his slumber and checks if Milan is doing something unusual. Bart replies in the negative, which confuses Sophie – why is Milan on the ship? Is it an “undercover performance review,” or perhaps something more sinister? Bart is wary. He asks Sophie to remain alert to any threats from his side. 

Sophie interacts with Milan casually. While he insists that Sophie take down the curtains and fabrics she has put up, Sophie rues how “working with one’s hands” is now a lost art. Both Hope and Bart rightly point out that Sophie’s performance reports have been immaculate. But her exemplary records do not impress Milan. She offers him tea and they vaguely talk about family. He offers her a gift, which she initially rejects.

It makes him irritable and Milan gets up to leave. However, Sophie realizes she was rude in rejecting the gift like that and opens it to keep him on the beacon. But she has no inkling of what comes next. The gift, spun from fibres belonging to hundreds of different star systems, is actually poisoned. Sophie breathes it in and is knocked unconscious. Milan snatches the beacon key from her neck and bemoans what she has done with his precious invention.

Milan is outraged over how the beacon has been simplified into a functioning residence-like place by Sophie. He approaches Bart for information in exchange for the antidote to save Sophie’s life. Bart isn’t having any of it and prepares a neurogen for her as we saw Harmony do in the previous episode for Aster. We see it take the shape of a fly and enter Sophie’s body, Subsequently, she wakes up with a gasp and Bart updates her on what’s happening.

We get a sense of what Milan is after – information about “the Artifact.” The first beacon keeper saw it and Bart made multiple reports about it. Artifact is an energy source that Milan wants to harness. He wants to “conquer death” and use it to destroy all human frailties like the body’s need for food and water. Sophie isn’t impressed by his ambitions to “play God.” Things go awry when Bart informs Sophie that a supply ship is approaching the beacon. It wants to resupply and has asked for docking permission.

Milan doesn’t want it to but Sophie does. If the ship isn’t allowed to dock. it might potentially kill everyone onboard – all 42 of them. When Sophie gets into action mode, Bart secretly reveals to her that he is lying. He wanted to ask her permission to cut off the oxygen on the beacon and kill Milan. He terms him a “madman” who will lead humanity on the verge of irreversible devastation and suffering. Sophie, however, is of a different opinion. She doesn’t want to kill him, even after what he did.

She warns Bart against doing anything like it. If something happens to Milan, she will also claim her life. Bart agrees to do nothing. Sophie updates Milan on the situation. He is confused as to why Sophie won’t shut down Bart for good. But she believes that he will listen to her. Sophie tries to explain to Milan the effects of his endless ambition. She points out how miserable he is chasing the Artifact. Milan seems to respond to her insights and even agrees to take her on a collective mission. 

Instead of agreeing, Sophie offers him an opportunity to stay with her on the beacon. They would be like a family. However, Milan rejects the offer, terming it as “more than what he deserves.” As he is about to leave through the airlock, Bart traps him and cuts off his oxygen. Milan dies shortly as Sophie watches in horror but can do nothing about it. Sophie is repulsed by his actions but Bart doesn’t see any wrong in it. A few moments later, we see Milan walk out, dressed in black. Sophie asks if it is a ghost but the man replies that he is Aleph.

He explains that this is his metaphysical form and that his pursuit of the Artifact will continue. Sophie bemoans his lack of understanding of how this would destroy the future of humanity instead of bolstering it. He offers her a partnership for the mission but Sophie once again turns it down. He disappears and Sophie walks away dejectedly to her spinning machine. She puts on earphones and blocks out Bart’s voice to leave him all alone. 

The Episode Review

The premise for this episode is more philosophical and abstract in nature. The style of presentation is conversational. For someone expecting an eventful episode, “God in the Machine” would prove to be anticlimactic. However, in hindsight, there is much to be appreciated. With a slightly different approach and temperament, it can be viewed as a thematic pillar for the season.

Creative overtures from the pilot episode pointed toward an exploration of the psychology of the beacon keepers. Manning an entire lighttower in the middle of space is the most extreme form of isolation. We see the painting Halan has by the GWB in this episode. That is a strong metaphor for the crushing weight of loneliness that the keepers have to endure.

We saw in the episode how Sophie tried to give the bland surroundings a personal flavour by putting up self-woven fabrics and other stuff. She even referred to the beacon as her “home,” which says all there is about the issue. Despite having an AI assistant, the touch of a human being is irreplaceable. Episode four’s title is ruefully poetic about that reality. 

Another very interesting cultural clash in the episode is between ideals. Sophie and Milan represent very different worlds and thought processes. Technology is the common denominator that brings them face-to-face with each other. It is also what divides them. 

Truth be told, we did not expect an episode like this. I watched it twice to gauge the full perspective of the creators since as a stand-alone episode, it really doesn’t make any sense. If the narrative fabric is carried forward in upcoming episodes, which would confirm a connection, perhaps this could be a season-turner.