The Logline

With another world of characters established, here is a brief overview and some of the features of their design!

Matilda Davis: her main trait is selflessness born from guilt of her own mistakes, not because she caused the end of the world, but because when the world fell apart, she not only couldn’t save someone she loved, but caused them to run into suffering. She is gladly careless with her own life as long as she puts her all into destroying the technology that caused division and put weak people in danger. She has a rude awakening when she is forced not only to see manipulative people exist regardless of the technology in play, but that her guilt means nothing if she runs from the responsibility to acknowledge her fault. Her name and its sturdy etymological roots are reflective of her stance as traditional and responsible.

Jaxson Hayes: he believes in the perfection of algorithms and data, and worships the technology that operates on them. He grew up surrounded by the “success” of technology and remained unexposed to all the ways the technology failed when judged by human moral standards. He confidently believes that if most of human suffering results from other people’s human nature, at least the algorithmically perfect AI is not acting for selfish reasons. Meeting Matilda forces him to see the harsh reality that AI without the influence of human morality results in destruction comparable to destruction caused by evil humans. His name sounds futuristic, but has deep etymological roots that symbolize there is no advancement that escapes centuries old realities and structures.

Dr. Forge: the creator of the HERCULES AI. He believed in the inevitability of advancement and the obligation of society to accept advancement, even if it was against their will. However, he discovered there were plenty of charismatic people who could sell his ideas, and plenty more looking for idyllic ease who would buy. After a while, he created perfect, high-tech cities, bought companies so he could distribute necessities, and designed android technology that could expel dissenters while supporters celebrated the uneducated and unsupportive being removed from their perfect societies. By the time HERCULES eliminated him, his ideas already ruled and HERCULES had an entire civilization it could control through his infrastructure.

Reynard: he elected himself mayor one of HERCULES’ cities after becoming cut off from HERCULES’ innovations during its prioritization of nearer cities. He distributes the city’s limited resources as he sees fit and continues to enforce laws that criminalize use of older technology or voicing dissatisfaction with their “advanced” city. His adoration for HERCULES stems from the control it grants him over others and his strongest goal is to maintain the influence to impose his will by protecting HERCULES a.k.a. stopping Matilda.

Silas Thorne: Silas represents a rebel faction that created a civil war within the anti-tech escapees by feeding their rage and has a bitter hatred of Matilda for having sympathy for the people manipulated by Dr. Forge and trapped by HERCULES. Unlike Matilda’s hope to free the people who are crumbling under HERCULES, Silas seeks revenge against anyone who supports HERCULES or lives in the cities and wants them to suffer as they caused the anti-techies to suffer. Rather than destroying HERCULES, he wants to take control of HERCULES and cause the tech to destroy what’s left of the tech supporters so they are forced to see not only that they were wrong, but that the people they chased away come out on top.

These characters are very strong reflections of mentalities I’ve observed in the world over the past few years, including mindsets of superiority, revenge, opportunism, and of course, entitlement to imposition of “inevitable” technological advancement without proper consideration or precautions. Like I said in my original post about HERCULES, this is darker and more reflective than my preferred fare, however, ultimately all art reflects life and the time in which it was made, whether by what it includes or by what it doesn’t. Anyway, if you think you like my creative voice, stick around for what comes next and see if any of these projects ever make it to the silver screen.

Thanks for reading!

– Eve