The Expanse

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How did protomolecule break containment to alter Duarte? (lemmy.nz)

submitted 9 months ago by florencia@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/theexpanse@lemmy.world

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At the beginning of Persepolis Rising Cortazar explains that the human stem cells injected into Duarte were altered by the proto molecule. I'm guessing they then removed the proto-molecule from the stem cells before injecting them into Duarte. This was to mimic the drone repairs on Laconia.

My question is: How did the proto molecule defeat this big constraint and mind control Duarte? Cortazar was explicitly removing it from the stem cells. The molecule could only "perfect" the stem cells in regard to efficiencies the ring builders knew of. But by Leviathan falls they definitely have full control of Duarte anyways.

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[–] jve@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

They don’t really get into the “how” of it all with the protomolecule, far as I can remember.

Duarte has them going full out with their experiments on him, and it’s frankly never really clear that it’s mind controlling him at all.

It “shows him” how great it will be if all of civilization is one big hive mind, during his big “sleep” in Tiamats wrath, and when he wakes up in Leviathan Falls, he’s like “oh yeah, I just wasn’t thinking big enough!”

Frankly it fits his narcissistic tendencies pretty well, especially since he gets to be the one to make it happen.

[–] generic_rock@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Been a bit since I've read it but: the protomolecule is most likely giving the stem cells the means to communicate with the ring builders' network, as part of their optimization. My understanding is that the protomolecule is a programmable tool for building structures and devices, using bio matter. For example: whatever protomolucule the dogs' have seems to be programed for repairing and optimizing anything that's percieved as broken.

(Of course it's always possible that the protomolecule was never removed from the stem cells)

[–] florencia@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

is most likely giving the stem cells the means to communicate with the ring builders

Oh snap, I didn't realize this. Yeah, I guess communicating with the local gatebuilder wifi would be standard design for all proto molecule alterations. I guess we see a little of this when he starts being able to read other people's minds.

Of course it’s always possible that the protomolecule was never removed from the stem cells

In this case he would have started puking and turning into a zombie. Followed by being tossed into a furnace with Cortazar.

[–] hayalci@fstab.sh 2 points 7 months ago

❤️ The "gatebuilder wifi" phrase .

Gave me a smile

[–] Maiq@piefed.social 2 points 9 months ago

Haven't gotten to that in the books yet so I don't know.... But happy sweet roll!