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Stardate 11.05.2026.A: Happy 25th Anniversary To Andromeda's Second Season Adventure "All Too Human"
On this day in 2001, Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda aired "All Too Human." This served as the sixth episode of the program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Harper, Rev, Tyr wait for Rommie in the Maru. Rommie's on a mission to find out about a new weapon being developed. Once their contact find out she's an AI, he becomes wary of Rommie. The AIs on the planet had revolted against their creators years ago."
-- EZ
From Google.com:
"All Too Human" is the 6th episode of Season 2 (and the 23rd episode overall) of the sci-fi television series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. It first aired on November 5, 2001. [1, 2]
Plot Overview
The crew is split into two desperate storylines:
- Rommie's Mission on Machen Alpha: Rommie (the android avatar of the Andromeda Ascendant) joins Dylan Hunt, Beka Valentine, and Trance Gemini to investigate a dangerous new weapon being developed on Machen Alpha. The planet has a bitter history of an AI revolt where cold-logic machines ruled harshly. When a contact named Kim discovers Rommie is an AI, he panics. Rommie must prove her human-like empathy and values, though their target contact is eventually killed by his own people. They discover the planet has allied with the Magog and possesses a deadly ship (the Basilisk) armed with a Point Singularity Projector.
- The Eureka Maru Survival Crisis: Meanwhile, the Eureka Maru crashes and begins sinking deep into an ocean. Seamus Harper, Rev Bem, and Tyr Anasazi are trapped inside. Harper overdoses on his medication to keep his Magog infection from hatching and falls into a coma. With the ship flooding and only one EVA suit available, a tense ethical clash breaks out. Tyr claims the single suit for himself, arguing Harper is already doomed by the Magog infestation. Rev Bem refuses to abandon Harper, leading Tyr to contemplate shooting Harper to make the decision simple.
Resolution
- Andromeda destroys the enemy Basilisk ship and uses slipstream portals to deflect incoming point-singularity projectiles, saving the planet from total destruction.
- Relenting at the last moment, Tyr gives the EVA suit to Rev so they can save Harper.
- Rommie steals a Magog/Machen-allied ship and arrives just in time to rescue Rev, Tyr, Harper, and the crew of the Maru.
From The New Systems Commonwealth Wiki:
- The title refers to the Artificial Intelligence's taking on human emotions and not acting like a computer.
- The title refers to Friedrich Nietzsche's first significant work of philosophy, "Human, All Too Human", written in part out of his dissatisfaction with some contemporary thinkers whom he once idolized as near-godlike but now regards as "All Too Human".
- The basis of the opening quote was used in "Star Trek". Whenever Kirk and crew were confronted with a supercomputer, the supercomputer was always revealed to be evil.
- In the Colossus novel series and "Colossus: The Forbin Project", the supercomputer designed to save the population decides the only solution is to control the population.
- The revolt is similar to the Butlerian Jihad.
- In the "Blake's 7" episode "Redemption" the supercomputer known as the System creates Space World. The System is created from the combat computers of the planets. The Altas are used for controlling the guards and workers.
- Harper references "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".
- There are similiar storylines with Dylan Hunt and Rommie regarding perceived failed missions in "All Too Human" and "Forced Perspective".
- The Basilisk refers to a mythical creature.