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Daodan: Difference between revisions
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'''"The Chrysalis is the hyper-evolved clone of its host body. As the host experiences stress or harm it grows to reinforce or replace the body's damaged systems."''' -- | '''"The Chrysalis is the hyper-evolved clone of its host body. As the host experiences stress or harm it grows to reinforce or replace the body's damaged systems."''' -- Dr. Kerr, [[Chapter 12]] | ||
'''"Warning: target neutralization failed. Daodan symbiote organism present. Engaging Omega security mode."''' -- | '''"Warning: target neutralization failed. Daodan symbiote organism present. Engaging Omega security mode."''' -- Shinatama, [[Chapter 13]] | ||
==Facts== | ==Facts== | ||
===Chrysalis=== | ===Chrysalis=== | ||
The Chrysalis is first named by Shinatama during [[Quotes/Speech#Shinatama.27s_death|her revealing monologue]] in [[Chapter 8]]: "They used me to monitor the growth of the Chrysalis inside you". It was [[Quotes/Speech#Scanner_room|later elaborated on]] by Kerr [[Quotes/Consoles#Chrysalis_Removal|and his colleagues]] in Chapter 12, as seen in the leading quote in this article. The Chrysalis' growth process takes on dramatic proportions in a [[Quotes/Consoles#Shinatama.2FKonoko_Relationship|later description]]: "Konoko is closer to full transition than we ever suspected. Rough projections estimate that the Chrysalis will have infiltrated more than 80% of her body and will have replaced somewhere between 40 to 56% of her original organs." | The Chrysalis is first named by [[Shinatama]] during [[Quotes/Speech#Shinatama.27s_death|her revealing monologue]] in [[Chapter 8]]: "They used me to monitor the growth of the Chrysalis inside you". It was [[Quotes/Speech#Scanner_room|later elaborated on]] by Kerr [[Quotes/Consoles#Chrysalis_Removal|and his colleagues]] in Chapter 12, as seen in the leading quote in this article. The Chrysalis' growth process takes on dramatic proportions in a [[Quotes/Consoles#Shinatama.2FKonoko_Relationship|later description]]: "Konoko is closer to full transition than we ever suspected. Rough projections estimate that the Chrysalis will have infiltrated more than 80% of her body and will have replaced somewhere between 40 to 56% of her original organs." | ||
It is mentioned [[Quotes/Speech#Mutant_Muro_.28Griffin_dead.29|one final time]] in-game by Mutant Muro: "I am very impressed with what you have been able to accomplish without drawing on the full power of your Chrysalis." | It is mentioned [[Quotes/Speech#Mutant_Muro_.28Griffin_dead.29|one final time]] in-game by Mutant Muro: "I am very impressed with what you have been able to accomplish without drawing on the full power of your Chrysalis." | ||
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===Progress=== | ===Progress=== | ||
"An android? Interesting. They must be using it to monitor her progress." -- | "An android? Interesting. They must be using it to monitor her progress." -- Muro, [[Chapter 5]] | ||
The neural link between Konoko and Shinatama allowed the TCTF to gather precise biometric data on the gradual integration of Konoko's Chrysalis with her body. Unfortunately for the TCTF, the interpretation and reporting of this information was dependent on Shinatama, who it was believed would always be truthful. It turns out at the end of the game that Shinatama had been [[Quotes/Consoles#Shinatama.2FKonoko_Relationship|falsifying her reports]] in order to protect Konoko. | The neural link between Konoko and Shinatama allowed the TCTF to gather precise biometric data on the gradual integration of Konoko's Chrysalis with her body. Unfortunately for the TCTF, the interpretation and reporting of this information was dependent on Shinatama, who it was believed would always be truthful. It turns out at the end of the game that Shinatama had been [[Quotes/Consoles#Shinatama.2FKonoko_Relationship|falsifying her reports]] in order to protect Konoko. | ||
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===Spikes=== | ===Spikes=== | ||
[[Image:TXMPKONtransform.png|right]] | [[Image:TXMPKONtransform.png|right]] | ||
Starting with her second encounter with | Starting with her second encounter with Barabas, Konoko experiences a dramatic surge of power after every boss fight (with the notable exception of Mukade). | ||
Looked at another way, the major spikes only happen in three places: after beating Barabas a second time, after beating the room of bad guys at the end of [[Chapter 7]], and after beating her brother at the end of the game. Three times is hardly a large enough sample from which to assume that it's only major fights that do this to her, especially since a Fury and a couple of Strikers are hardly a boss fight, and the real boss fight with Mukade triggers no such reaction. This leaves some uncertainty as to what specifically causes the major spikes. | Looked at another way, the major spikes only happen in three places: after beating Barabas a second time, after beating the room of bad guys at the end of [[Chapter 7]], and after beating her brother at the end of the game. Three times is hardly a large enough sample from which to assume that it's only major fights that do this to her, especially since a Fury and a couple of Strikers are hardly a boss fight, and the real boss fight with Mukade triggers no such reaction. This leaves some uncertainty as to what specifically causes the major spikes. | ||
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The only mention of this stage by name is in [[Quotes/Objectives#CHAPTER_14_._DAWN_OF_THE_CHRYSALIS|the last chapter's objectives]] in the killed-Griffin scenario, where it is explained that "[Mutant] Muro's Daodan powers make him invulnerable, but having only just evolved he has limited energy reserves." | The only mention of this stage by name is in [[Quotes/Objectives#CHAPTER_14_._DAWN_OF_THE_CHRYSALIS|the last chapter's objectives]] in the killed-Griffin scenario, where it is explained that "[Mutant] Muro's Daodan powers make him invulnerable, but having only just evolved he has limited energy reserves." | ||
Wikipedia [[ | Wikipedia [[wp:Imago|defines]] "imago" as the "last stage of development of an insect", the completion of a metamorphosis; in other words, the adult stage. There also exists a [[wp:Mayfly#Subimago|sub-imago]] stage in one order of insects — mayflies. | ||
===True nature=== | ===True nature=== | ||
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===Mukade=== | ===Mukade=== | ||
The master ninja doesn't name the Daodan explicitly during his encounter with Mai, but [[Quotes/Speech#Faceoff|his allusions]] bear close resemblance with the descriptions of the transformation process occurring in Chapters 12 and 13: | |||
"Does your blood burn when you kill? Mine does. [...] We writhe inside as we are torn apart to make way for what we will become. Surrender to it. Let the bliss of oblivion free you of all your doubts and fears..." | "Does your blood burn when you kill? Mine does. [...] We writhe inside as we are torn apart to make way for what we will become. Surrender to it. Let the bliss of oblivion free you of all your doubts and fears..." | ||
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Nanotechnological medecine, in cyberpunk and such, often features smart, hyperminiaturized robots that deal with diseases at cell level. Those robots, however, are specialized for a specific type of activity, as they are, from A to Z, the product of human designers and engineers. | Nanotechnological medecine, in cyberpunk and such, often features smart, hyperminiaturized robots that deal with diseases at cell level. Those robots, however, are specialized for a specific type of activity, as they are, from A to Z, the product of human designers and engineers. | ||
The Daodan is essentially different in that it is 100% biological : it's even different from 3rd-party grafts and implants, because the tissue is originally that of the host himself. That, and the fact that both tissues ''do'' end up very different, makes the Daodan readily identifiable as an extreme form of [[ | The Daodan is essentially different in that it is 100% biological : it's even different from 3rd-party grafts and implants, because the tissue is originally that of the host himself. That, and the fact that both tissues ''do'' end up very different, makes the Daodan readily identifiable as an extreme form of [[wp:Cancer|cancer]]. Basically, the Chrysalises implanted to Muro and Mai were comparable to ''tumors'' (aggregates of cancer cells), and the different growth processes occurring then are equivalent to direct invasion and metastasis. | ||
Cancer disrupts the fundamental equilibrium between cell division and cell death, and thus affects the organism's integrity. The Daodan does pretty much the same (note the connection of the aforementioned equilibrium to the "stability" of a host/[[Daodan]] "symbiote"). However, the initial mutation isn't random, and the process is considerably different from a proliferation of tumors, and does not result in death the way regular cancer does. | Cancer disrupts the fundamental equilibrium between cell division and cell death, and thus affects the organism's integrity. The Daodan does pretty much the same (note the connection of the aforementioned equilibrium to the "stability" of a host/[[Daodan]] "symbiote"). However, the initial mutation isn't random, and the process is considerably different from a proliferation of tumors, and does not result in death the way regular cancer does. | ||
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That's what Kerr and his colleagues keep talking about, that's what Muro and Barabas and Mai illustrated, each in their own way : Muro escaping the [[Syndicate]]'s control in pretty much the same way as Mai escaped Griffin's, Barabas's more complicated case being a forced (and failed) conciliation of power and control. | That's what Kerr and his colleagues keep talking about, that's what Muro and Barabas and Mai illustrated, each in their own way : Muro escaping the [[Syndicate]]'s control in pretty much the same way as Mai escaped Griffin's, Barabas's more complicated case being a forced (and failed) conciliation of power and control. | ||
Point is : with the Daodan, one should always expect the unexpected. The fact that the ''theory itself'' denies any kind of accurate control and prediction is what makes the Daodan so different from any other prototype technology. Whatever widget comes up in sci-fi, even if it never served before, one always knows what it's ''supposed'' to do. | Point is: with the Daodan, one should always expect the unexpected. The fact that the ''theory itself'' denies any kind of accurate control and prediction is what makes the Daodan so different from any other prototype technology. Whatever widget comes up in sci-fi, even if it never served before, one always knows what it's ''supposed'' to do. | ||
With the Daodan, one doesn't have such luxury. | With the Daodan, one doesn't have such luxury. | ||
And so the very notion of "competence" doesn't really apply : | And so the very notion of "competence" doesn't really apply: Kerr is the most competent guy we see, and just what diagnoses and forecasts does ''he'' make? | ||
What comes closest to competence is the awareness of the theory's self-imposed limitations. What comes closest to incompetence is the overlooking thereof. Rather than the overlooking of a particular element of a hypothetical control/confinement scheme, it's the illusion that control/confinement schemes are ''at all viable'' which is irresponsible. And that's pretty hard to overlook. | What comes closest to competence is the awareness of the theory's self-imposed limitations. What comes closest to incompetence is the overlooking thereof. Rather than the overlooking of a particular element of a hypothetical control/confinement scheme, it's the illusion that control/confinement schemes are ''at all viable'' which is irresponsible. And that's pretty hard to overlook. | ||
''Confidence'' in the upgrading process is another delusion, more comfortable and ''easier'' to overlook. Thus it is more suitable for a global-scale altruist such as | ''Confidence'' in the upgrading process is another delusion, more comfortable and ''easier'' to overlook. Thus it is more suitable for a global-scale altruist such as Hasegawa or Kerr. Assuming that the Daodan can do no wrong is just as irresponsible as claiming full control of the consequences, be they good or bad. But in the first case, the false belief is more irrational, and thus interferes less with objective reasoning. | ||
As for | As for Muro, he's aware of the problem, but doesn't care much about control. [[STURMANDERUNG]] is supposed to bring about eternal life ''and'' anarchy for the survivors. | ||
===Alienation and loss of humanity=== | ===Alienation and loss of humanity=== | ||
The "power VS alienation" dilemma is best illustrated by the [[Barabas#Added value|Barabas]] | The "power VS alienation" dilemma is best illustrated by the [[Barabas#Added value|Barabas experiment]]. | ||
Alienation as such is best explored through the characters of | Alienation as such is best explored through the characters of Mai and Muro. | ||
====Hyperevolution of Man==== | ====Hyperevolution of Man==== | ||