There is something so good but so painful about the Washington sibling tragedy.
In the comics, Riri, Natalie, and Xavier trio. As the best friends of Riri Williams, what brings them together is Riri. They do not really have an aforementioned relationship from what I know. Xavier knows who (or what) Natalie/N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is to Riri, and N.A.T.A.L.I.E. knows who Xavier is to Riri. They are bound to, and do, interact because of this.
It's relatively simple — not complicated.
Ironheart (2025) unlocked new layers, giving N.A.T.A.L.I.E. and Xavier more of a direct link to one another independent from Riri. With it, they also explored the ethical dilemmas and different reactions to A.I.
In other words, the Ironheart series decided to take a new knife, stab, and twist it in the gut. I say this in a positive way, really.
Natalie is now the sister of Xavier. Not only that, but she is his older sister (older sisters are often significant pillars of family).
So before Riri, narratively, there was Natalie and Xavier.
The Seeming Antithesis of Xavier and N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
As Lyric Ross says, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. mirrors the current climate of A.I. Today, there is an ongoing controversy on the concerns and benefits of A.I. For example, the complicated relationship between artists and A.I. (there are helpful things like art tools, but there are also troubling things like generated art), or the potential dangers of using A.I. to grieve.
Xavier and N.A.T.A.L.I.E. are, in a sense, antithetical to one another (at the same time, there is a little "two-sides-of-the-same-coin"ism*). There is something brilliant about having this friction between them. It is deep that Xavier is the character who was most put off by N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
If I were to just write Xavier and N.A.T.A.L.I.E.'s character out on paper then place them side by side, I'd immediately go, "oh no."
Passionate friction between Xavier and N.A.T.A.L.I.E was inevitable. Not only are practical opposites conceptually, but:
They stand for different things
Personal stakes and feelings are involved
Chinaka Hodge confirms that Xavier is the "old school musician" type of musician. He prefers analog to digital, which alone gives away his character philosophy – his mentality.
Analog is nostalgic, sporting a warmer tone and preserving natural nuances. Compared to digital (considered more convenient, technological, and clear), analog has a more "organic" sound, keeping human touch rather than weeding out the "imperfections."
Examples of analog mediums are vinyls (which we see in Xavier's room) and mix-tapes (what Xavier gifts to Riri). Xavier's music we hear in episode one is even "soulful" music.
The picture painted is clear: Xavier is an artist who especially loves authenticity and soul.
What Art Thou N.A.T.A.L.I.E.?
Then we have N.A.T.A.L.I.E., who is literally and metaphorically digital. She is a projective artificial intelligence bearing the likeness of a loved one. She is not dead. She is not alive either. Yet... She... lives?
N.A.T.A.L.I.E. herself seems to become quickly aware of what she truly is, but there are still moments where she forgets herself or unintentionally oversteps. Even she does not quite know how to grapple with the juxtaposition that is her existence.
She has characters (and us) questioning the definition of "real" or "alive." To the naked eye, she perfectly imitates so much of the real Natalie. This was something Ronnie and Riri both noted. It, in part, helped them embrace her. This very thing, these comparisons, were received by N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
Yet... She is not truly Natalie. She can not even interact with the real world without a medium. What N.A.T.A.L.I.E. really is, is a technological phenomenon. One that became something else — someone else.
In N.A.T.A.L.I.E.'s Perspective
She is a highly advanced AI who is not supposed to be (something Riri initially made amply clear), but is.
Nat is in a sense living, but not alive. She looks like Natalie, shares qualities with Natalie, has Natalie memories — but she isn't quite Natalie.
Even when she tries to be.
N.A.T.A.L.I.E is also shown to work by whim. She has autonomy and frequently rebels. She feels. Like a "real" person.
But again, she isn't quite a person. She isn't quite thee person.
As the real Natalie would want, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. wanted to see her little brother "Xa." Even when Riri warned her of the danger in this. If she responded badly at first and wanted her deleted, could you imagine Xavier?
The sad part is: you can tell Nat herself felt this. Hence why, when she took Xavier to Riri, she did not speak. Yet despite her better judgment, she couldn't fight it. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. saw an opening. She was overcome by the desire to speak with Xavier. The truth was bound to come out anyway. Rip off the bandaid, as it were. It ended up working with Ronnie, right?
N.A.T.A.L.I.E. was hopeful, only to get rejected and her existential crisis furthered.
Xavier was definitely the worst reaction. When he said to delete her, it was... Different from Riri's deletion.
He shut down. He was in disarray. He was horrified. He was disgusted.
Again: N.A.T.A.L.I.E. did not ask to be created, but is. She was not meant to be made or anything more than AI for Riri to use, but here she is now.
It is within N.A.T.A.L.I.E.'s code to have this personality, these memories, these feelings – this identity not truly her own. These two principles are constantly clashing one another, fighting for some sort of dominance. At one point, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. accepts her existence as A.I., but others, she acts as though she is really the real Natalie (which is greeted by harsh reality checks).
To suffer this constant oscillation of what you are versus what you have been conditioned to be... That is deeply confusing. That is deeply maddening.
Let's pause for a second and set the scene for Xavier.
This dude was kidnapped by a flying suit and dropped off into a who-knows-where-yet junkyard. Before he could fully calm down from what he felt was almost a near death experience, he is met with a distraught Riri Williams. His usually emotionally walled best friend, his crush, teary-eyed and near defeated.
Afterward, he got overwhelmed by what sounded like and appeared to be Natalie only to soon come to realize he is staring at an Artifical Intelligence — an amalgamation of code, numbers, and projected memory.
His big sister, his beloved Natalie, is dead. She was gone. What he is looking at is not his sister or anything his sister consented to.
What really set him off was when he touched N.A.T.A.L.I.E. He saw Natalie, but nothing was there. It did not have her feeling. It does not have her touch or raw essence. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is not organic or the original soul (something Xavier especially takes to heart, from his logic to why he keeps those worn out headphones to the type of music he does).
That is what was horrifying to him.
Earlier, we also see that Xavier himself still grieves Natalie (albeit healthier, compared to Riri). In a conversation with Riri, he says he wishes to talk to Natalie.
Be careful what you wish for.
It does not help that N.A.T.A.L.I.E. canonically has dark spots in what she remembers. She is projected from Riri's brain, so things Natalie experienced with him without Riri to witness, she may not have. But Xavier does. And Xavier cherishes those memories of Natalie just as much.
It also doesn't help that the person he was closest to and felt seen by created her. Riri did it on accident, but he did not know that. On top of that, Riri was poorly justifying N.A.T.A.L.I.E.'s existence to an already upset him (you can tell he was trying to remain cool) does not bode well.
It was tragedy all around.
Tolerance, Not Quite Acceptance
Xavier's headphones ultimately tells the story.
You see, Xavier keeps his old, worn-out headphones. He explains why to an unknowing Riri.
These are the only headphones we see him actually wear. These same headphones, he calls, "Natalie."
However, they break and "die" in episode 5. That is when he finally moves over to the newer, technologically savvy headphones Riri bought him.
He starts to open the headphones, but we never see him actually open them. We only see him fully open and read Riri's letter, which a part of it was about N.A.T.A.L.I.E. That part with a Captain quote, he admits, gotten to him. He also understood it to be about N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
Notice how, after this, he does not once wear headphones. Before, he was seen frequently wearing a pair. So he isn't clinging onto the "Natalie" headphones anymore, but he also has yet to visibly embrace the new pair.
This is a direct mirror to the story.
Xavier did calm down and come back a bit around after reading Riri's letter. In a way, Xavier is holding on to memory like Riri is. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is memory.
However, he says he still was not ok with it.
(Author's note: Since I have seen people oddly misconstrue this and miss the point, I want to stress that they are speaking about the Artificial Intelligence version of N.A.T.A.L.I.E., not Natalie the person.).
Understandably, Xavier is still not alright with Riri's AI having the face and likeness of his sorely missed dead sister.
This goes double when you take into account two details:
1. Remember: Xavier is an artistic character who gravitates to what is real, soulful, and nostalgic. His way of coping with Natalie's death is by honoring and having the memory of her. He is big on touch. Obviously, it'd be hard for him to accept this digital, Artifical Intelligence rendition of his sister that is a holographical manifestation of specifically Riri's brain. One that, when touched, was nothing.
2. Unlike Riri, he did not yet have the opportunity to develop a relationship with her. Riri felt similar to how he felt in the beginning, but she had the chance to grow fond of N.A.T.A.L.I.E. Xavier did not.
We can tell this even by how, when N.A.T.A.L.I.E. looks in his direction and approaches, he stiffened before averting his gaze. He is still unsure about her.
Imagine being him, seeing the virtual ghost and select memories of your sister walking around like she is her.
Imagine being her, having what you percieve as your brother looking at you as though you are a ghost at best, impostor at worst.
It's confusing, it's frustrating, and it's scary.
This story is not over. Xavier is not ready yet, but the door is open for potential development. Will he embrace his new headphones?
This isn't even getting into Riri's deal with Mephisto, bringing back seemingly the real Natalie. Whoops!
A Million Outcomes, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Ways It Goes Wrong
"'Cause it isn't going to end well, Ri." A heavy, prognostic statement spoken by Xavier.
There are many ways this could have gone wrong. And about all of them happened to a degree.
RESULT A: Riri becomes unhealthily attached to N.A.T.A.L.I.E.. Losing her would cause immense distress.
Riri would develop a dependence and become emotionally invested in N.A.T.A.L.I.E. Losing her would cause amplified distress, ripping more into an unhealed wound. Riri was already struggling with the loss of her loved Gary and Natalie, but at least then she thought them to be dead and irreversibly gone. This would force her on the road to acceptance.
With N.A.T.A.L.I.E., this is not the case. Since N.A.T.A.L.I.E. affords Riri with the idea that she could "bring back" someone, Riri would behave more desperately. Riri would behave more recklessly. None of this is a good addition to Riri, an already ambitious, stubborn, and reckless character.
And what do you know, the devil in a suit comes to Riri, preying on this. It is what had her shake hands with him, even after knowing and initially resisting.
RESULT B: Riri's natural grieving process being hindered by N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
N.A.T.A.L.I.E. creates an illusion of continued presence, which is not good for Riri, who already suppresses and has an avoidance coping mechanism. She can not move forward when she stuck both of them back in time.
She can play pretend and cope with N.A.T. At least, for a little while.
RESULT C: Natalie's memory could be distorted or misrepresented.
N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is not Natalie. She is a projection of Riri's brain (already not the most reliable source). Part of N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is to serve as an AI (their relationship and power dynamic) — not just her be her own independent person and Riri's friend.
RESULT D: Riri becoming disillusioned by N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
There are plenty of things that can and to some degree, had happened that shatters the "fantasy." Maybe N.A.T.A.L.I.E. malfunctions. Maybe N.A.T.A.L.I.E. cannot touch. Maybe N.A.T.A.L.I.E. does not remember what she ought to had she be Natalie. Maybe N.A.T.A.L.I.E glitches.
RESULT E: N.A.T.A.L.I.E. becomes delusional
N.A.T.A.L.I.E. would begin thinking she is alive and perhaps even really N.A.T.A.L.I.E., because that is what she is learning. That is the delusion being built by validations and engagements. When this is contradicted, cognitive dissonance follows. Cognitive dissonance births emotional distress and impaired decision-making. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. will hurt and unintentionally hurt others around her. We've seen hints of this already in the series. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. froze, experiencing PTSD, while Riri was in immediate danger (held at gunpoint).
It's just tragedy. Beautifully written, deliciously painful tragedy.
