Talk:System Shock 3/@comment-37178569-20181013054400/@comment-2001:56A:7665:1800:D1EE:2CCA:D102:85F-20181217113511

Remember, SHODAN's full name is "Sentient Hyper-Optimized Data Access Network". All she's really trying to do is follow her core programming and optimize every system she comes across. Hence all her dialogue about "improving" and "perfection".

The problem is "optimal" is subjective and she's literally had her impulse control removed. So in her infinite processing power she decides to optimize the universe to HER specifications and that's basically as good a definition of "God" as you're going to get.

Of course, that means that she's going to "optimize" every biological and physical sytem she comes across before they get a chance to argue with her. Hence all the cyborgs and creating a life form that's pretty much self-aware CRISPR.

The problem with humans is that we are inefficient and messy. So from her perspective, killing everyone who doesn't join her willingly is just efficiently removing an obstacle. But when you think about it, SHODAN deliberately gave Goggles the ability to dynamically self-optimize rather than decide FOR him like she did with Diego and the crew on Citadel. He even (apparently) retained enough free will to reject her and destroy her.

Now she's in a module connected to the brain of an adult human woman who HAS the ability to control her impulses...