#phm rambles

[helixxhunter]

i keep seeing people say they’re disappointed the trailers for phm are showing rocky because “it spoils the big twist of the story!” and um. no. so much of the story is about the relationship between these two that you couldn’t market the movie without it.

the real twist is in ryland’s backstory. this story is such an interesting take on this type of narrative and the “chosen one” archetype because they’re inverses.

we’re drip-fed ryland’s backstory in flashbacks as he remembers it while on the hail mary, and in those flashbacks, it’s said time and time again that ryland has no intention of volunteering to go on the mission. and we (and present-ryland) are thinking “well, he must’ve agreed or had someone change his mind eventually because he’s here!” cuz that’s the entire second half of the story.

the twist comes in learning that, when presented with the choice, he refused. he turns down the choice (thinking it is one), and no one convinced him to do it. we hit that moment of “will you do this” and were expecting him to say yes cuz we know where he ends up, and he walks into stratt’s office and says no.

it’s such a purely human moment that also fittingly goes directly against something that happens earlier. he got roped into this project because of his theory about life not needing water, and he was proven wrong. he then willingly came back and asked to continue to be included because of his kids. he cared so much about his students that he wanted to keep experimenting with astrophage. i’m CONVINCED that was the moment stratt knew there was something different about this guy, and she (rightfully) calls him on his bullshit at the end when he refuses. “if you really cared about those kids, you’d get your ass on that ship!” or whatever she says. because his refusal is cowardly, but in a very human way of “i don’t want to die”.

speaking of stratt, she’s such a fascinating character. driven, with a deep passion for saving humanity, and VERY desperate. someone who is quite literally willing to do whatever it takes to save her species. she presented going on the hail mary to ryland as a choice as a courtesy, but in the end it didn’t matter. he was getting on that ship whether he wanted to or not; stratt was just hoping it would be of his own volition.

ryland grace is a “chosen one” because he was never given a choice.

[sharkbait-33]

does anyone think about carl..... anyone else think about how carl thinks about ryland....... especially after he's sent into space..... im thinking about it. i dont think carl feels guilty. i think he feels apprehension about it. would ryland forgive them for the necessities that feel cruel. cuz i know ryland forgives them but carl doesn't know that.

[hey-howdy-mister]

You know what truly gets me about Project Hail Mary, is the fact that we as humans are so scared of being the only thing alive in this universe that we wrote a book about finding an alien life form, vastly different from our own and we had our Character make friends with it. To the point that he effectively sacrifices himself to save him.

[helixxhunter]

One thing I’m realizing, the more I think about PHM, is that it takes a very specific type of person with a very specific mindset to willingly sign up for a suicide mission. To understand the risks, the sheer gamble of it all, and the way it will inevitably end. Those like this we see in the story – Ilyukhina, Yao, and DuBois – have had the training, resources, and (most importantly) time to come to terms with all of that.

A luxury Grace, the one who ends up actually going through it, never received.

We see multiple times in both halves of the story that Ryland is not that type of person, not in any capacity. In flashbacks, he’s a coward who only takes real risks when all other options have been exhausted. In the present, he’s terrified about literally everything he’s doing and is far from the pinnacle of bravery someone else might be in the same situation (he’s such a crybaby and I love him for it UGH). The happiest we see him during the course of the mission is when he realizes he could actually go home and live the rest of his life on Earth, and he damn near goes through with it.

Until he’s faced with another choice: go home to Earth, be hailed as a hero, and live out the rest of his days on his home planet, or send the Beetles, condemn himself to the suicide mission this was always intended to be, and save his best friend – the only person in the universe whose ever truly liked, respected, and understood him. And at that point, it’s not even a choice.

Ryland Grace becomes that self-sacrificial hero, fully understanding the risks and inevitable end, for and because of Rocky.

[sharkbait-33]

"The field of speculative extraterrestrial biology is small—only five hundred or so people in the world. And everyone I talk to—from Oxford professors to Tokyo university researchers—seems to agree that you could have led it if you hadn't suddenly left."

OH SO YEAH HE IS ACTUALLY SEEN.

HE JUST DOESNT THINK HE IS.

hes autistic can i say that. can i say hes autistic. i know im not the first person to say that im sure but like. GOD !!!!!

[sharkbait-33]

oh okay. so now i'm thinking about how all of ryland's students have graduated by the time he wakes up from his coma. great. thanks andy weir. that's totally something i needed to think about. about how those kids went thirteen years wondering whats happening to their favorite fun science teacher who taught them things other teachers wouldn't. wondering why he disappeared. why he didnt say goodbye. and then the smarter of them probably wondering if hes okay, because they know hes part of the astrophage research (because theyre smart and have internet access) and probably come to the conclusion hes MAJORLY involved and he might be in space, and i imagine some of them probably hope he doesnt die or that if he does die then he dies peacefully and painlessly. yeah im now thinking about a young adult student in college having a flashback to one of their classes with mr. grace and the way he talked about science and how it was a huge inspiration for them and that they wish they knew what happened to him. ALL WHILE HES ASLEEP. HES ASLEEP.

anyway im not crying or anything. because time dilation and relativity is fucking stupid and causes horrible heartaches like that. totally not thinking about that right now.

[sharkbait-33]

obsessing over gracexrock!tiz i can admit it. its not my fault all the art is so good. but also is this a safe space to admit i like gracexrocky period. IM SORRY 😭 im an alien fucker lover i cant help it.

[sharkbait-33]

so question for the more educated

rocky (and eridians) dont process light waves right. their vision is based on vibrational frequencies. so they wouldn't know colors right ? which is why the particular scene, especially in the movie (since i havent gotten to it in the book), is so particularly interesting. "i wish you could see this, rock" is grace commenting on the beautiful visual textures AND colors that adrian (planet) has. meanwhile rocky's "rocky can see. is boring." is because all rocky is seeing is the texture and considering all his sight is Just Texture it WOULD be boring because it would be normal. 'medium rough texture circle planet' is literally what rocky sees so that's what he's describing. but if grace were to verbally describe adrian (planet) to rocky, he'd probably be like. "the colors are vibrant and highly saturated, greens like limes and trees and grass, and oranges like fire and sunsets" and then he'd have to explain what those things are but thats besides the point. my point is. rocky cant see colors. everyone should remember that. no colors when you're writing from rocky's pov!!