Android Ash

In the episode “Be Right Back”, Martha and her significant other, Ash, moves into a new home in the country. They are both depicted as young and very much in love. However, she is devastated when she finds out that Ash has been killed in a car accident all of a sudden. When she attends his funeral her friend Sarah provides her with a service that helps people recover from the grieving process. This service incorporates all the information available on the person’s social media accounts in order to create an exact replica of that person. The communication starts off first as messaging, then on the phone, and then finally as an android. The replication is almost unbelievably accurate.  When Martha finds out that she is pregnant she decides to try out the service. 

Ash 2 is created in order to fill Martha’s emotional void. She is his creator; he obeys her obediently without any complaints. One may almost think he IS Ash based on Ash 2’s personality, characteristics and appearance. However, he isn’t. He is almost completely reliant on Martha. He cannot think for himself or act entirely like Ash unless pointed out to (if that certain response or detail wasn’t uploaded on social media). It is not healthy but rather toxic. Initially, she becomes desperate and clings on to Ash 2. That is why she ignores all her friends and family’s phone call and stays on the phone with him. When she drops the phone she has a panic attack. She is scared that she may lose him once again. When Martha orders Ash 2 to jump off the cliff, he mentions that Ash wasn’t suicidal. Martha responds that the REAL Ash would have cried and retaliated. At this point Martha finally realizes that Ash 2 is only a replication of Ash and his memories. He is not and will never be the real thing.

One can tell just how advanced technology has become in this series. It is almost scary and uncanny. The creation of an android/artificial intelligence in order to “replace” a human being is controversial and immoral. Although the reason behind this service seems nothing short of positive and beneficial, in actuality it isn’t. Androids/artificial intelligence are created most of the time in order to display rational decision. Their actions are intended to be “better” and “smarter” than the average human being. However, like in the episode they cannot replicate what makes a person an actual being. They don’t have thought process; they cannot eat and feel pain; and they don’t even sleep. This is when communicating with an android becomes awkward and weird. Martha will not be able to entirely move on from her grief if she depends on Ash 2 to replace that void. She will not truly achieve closure.