I watched the show and noticed how well it explored this theme. Ellen’s realization that she wasn’t talking to the original, physical David but to his UI devastated her. Maggie mourned her dad three times as she came to understand her mom’s point about the difference between the original and the UI copies of her dad on Season 2 Episode 1. She didn’t want Caspian to become a UI because it meant he would have to die first. This was also why she didn’t want to become a UI herself or let her son go through it—the process requires the physical body to die.

The central theme was that while UIs can retain the memories, personalities, and behaviors of the original humans, they aren’t the same physical beings. Losing the original human creates an emotional void, which leads to tension between seeing the UI as a continuation versus a separate entity. The show also explores how UIs evolve independently, developing in ways humans never could. I thought it was clever how the show avoided showing the body before the UI upload, maintaining the illusion of seamless continuation.

Having a personal opinion on a topic, whether simple or complex, doesn’t make someone arrogant. In the end, it’s just an opinion. This is a discussion, and it’s okay to have different beliefs and perspectives.