A Fan

In space right now Simon is the weird one, all he knows is that there is two man with the same face that may or not been cloned and then him by himself.

Maybe he question himself; "What happen to the second me? Where is my copy? I didn't deserve to be cloned?" And then he gets mad, because how dare them not to clone him? Do they think he doesn't deserve to be repeated too? He is pretty sure that if he had a clone he and his clone would get along better that those other two clones do.

He would also have questions such as:

Why one of the clones seem more attractive than the other one?

If those guys are clones why are they so differente? Did they clon them wrongly?

Did one clon come up with all the attitude and the other one with all the crying? Both of them have the same bad quality jokes, so at least they got that right.

Is the clone who pilot trying to kill them?

I have this scene in my mind in which Colt gets to save Grace (in the movie universe maybe Colt found him when he was running away and runs with him, in the book universe Colt could break him free from his cell) but they do not have the time to get away, or the doors would not open, so in desesperation Colt starts changing their clothes and trying to make their hair look the same so Stratt can't distinguish them.

When Stratts arrives and found two Graces looking at her, she just sighs and tell the soldiers to take both of them. She doesn't have time to waste playing this mind games, there is so little time, and the Hail Mary needs to take off, is easier to accomodate the spaceship to be inhabite by 4 persons, than going off without a qualified scientist.

It is in that moment in which Grace realizes that he is not going to win, but at least he can lose alone, and left Colt out of this.

He stands and declares that he is Ryland Grace, to which Colt, confuse, also proclaims been Ryland Grace, and then Grace just smiles at him and then looks at Stratt and explains something that only a Molecular Biologist would get, and tells her about all those little conversations between them that they had about the Project Hail Mary, he names his students. He shares things that only Ryland Grace would know.

Then he tells that he is going to go to the mission, to complete this suicidal task, without fighting, without needing to drug him, with the condition that she has to promise him that Colt would be fine, that she would do whatever she can to take care of him.

Stratt accepts.

Colt doesn't.

He screams at Grace, at Stratt, at everyone, but the soldiers keep him still. He tells Grace that he can't do this, because Colt knows how his twin can get scare by looking the sky for too long fearing to fall in the void, who he can not even enjoy a rollacoster, he can't go to space, much less to die on it. Grace knows that Colt is right, but still doesn't stop.

Grace gives Colt a last hug and a kiss in his forehead, murmuring how much he loves him and that he is sorry for the time lost, but that at least when he looks to the stars he would think of him, before he leaves with Stratt.

I feel that while Grace is focus on trying to understand how something works, without breaking it, as he tried to do with the astrophage before accidentaly killing it, Simon and Rocky would be the kind of person that disassemble something to be able to learn from it. While Grace is rambling about a very complex and specific plan he has, they would be "like interesting, very interestings, but we have a simpliest solution."

Other things I thought:

Rocky and Simon disassembling parts of the Hail Mary to then put them back again, just for then be scolded by Grace.

Grace having to give them some kind of playdoh, or legos so they can stay still, while he is trying to do some sciences.

Rocky and Simon tryin to do "improvements" to different things around the Hail Mary or the Biodome.

Rocky discovering the wonders of adhesive tape.

Imagine with me:

Lokken and Grace maing making different proporsals for the design of the Hail Mary, and Lokken saying something between the lines of Grace not been able to see that her idea is better because he has spend so much time teaching, that he had forgot of how to do research.

Grace doesn't take the bite, because he knows that it is true that he haven't done research in a while, so he expected his collages to point that out in discussions. However, in the heat of the moment Lokken mentions how Grace's brain ust be slacking after doing nothing more than explaining things to kids, and she goes an says something like: "kids are stupid! anyone can explain a to a kid concept!"

And in this point Grace does got mad, but is a quiet mad; He doesn't correct Lokken about how he taught preteenagers, or how hard it is to keep their minds interested. Instead, Grace tells Lokken to go to Stratt, present both their ideas and let her decide. Lokken, sure that her idea is the best, accepts.

They get in front of Stratt, and Grace explains her that him and Lokken are having a debate about the Hail Mary and then Grace let Lokken present her idea first... but Lokken is not able to reach Stratt.

She explains Stratt all this idea she had, and how they would implemented with even giving some calculations of the incremented in productivity, but Stratt just doesn't understand her. Lokken who was been always surrounder by other scientists have no idea of how to present her idea without using very specific scientific terms that just fly over Stratt head, it is like talking to a wall. For every second that passed in which Stratt is just looking at her in confusion, Lokken feels like she is shrinking.

Stratt looks at Grace, expecting his translation, but Grace just stays there, arms cross, watching how Lokken stars stuttering and eating her words. Then Lokken, throws a glare to Grace and then is when he intervenes.

Grace, with a fake concern voice: Oh, dear! You are getting to nervous, Lokken. I did help a lot of my students at getting better with their stage fright, you know?

Lokken, accepting her defeat and humillated: Would you...would you explain Stratt what I'm trying to say...?

But Grace would not let her go so easy

Grace, acting surprise: I thought you said that anyone could explain a concept to a kid? Are you saying that Stratt comprehension is lower than a kid?

Lokken: What?! No! I didn't...

Stratt, who is tired of all this: If you are done joking around and wasting my time I actually have work to do.

Lokken: I didn't... the idea I was presenting could be...

Stratt: Come back when you know how to explain it.

Lokken freezes in her spot.

Grace: Oh, wait! I think that what Lokken was trying to say is...

And then Grace explains the idea of Lokken with ease. Stratt gets every word and Lokken even gets her idea approved, but it doesn't feel like a victory at all, not when Grace is walking besides her with such air of superiority.

When they get to the lab Lokken wantsto say something, but Grace is faster: "The next time you talk badly of my children, Dr.Lokken, I would not be so kind."

Maybe the families and loved ones of the people working there were threatened and they needed to live in the ship until Stratt could recolated them safely.

And everyone was suprise to see all the family that Grace has: Two older brothers, Court and Lars, a twin, Colt, a little brother, D ( Driver who i believe was named by their abusive father and since he doesn't like to be call junior goes by D or Driver), an weird cultish and kind of depressive uncle, Ken, another weird but different weird uncle, Holland, and cousins; Holly, Jacob, Sebastian.

The Project Hail Mary's taks force is very curious and confuse, it seems that Grace family has a facility for been action men who can use guns, or do crime or be very good singers, or sweethearts, and the awkwardness may by heritage by this point.

For the eridian culture which sound and songs are so important, they have this idea that if you find all your soulmates (platonic or romantic) you can create an harmony with their songs, an harmony unique for each eridian.

For Rocky is easy to know that Adrian is the one, because their mere presence, the way they move and sing is just right, it is the melody that Rocky had been chasing since he knew about soulmates. After finding his romantic soulmate Rocky - thinking that there was no way that the song that Adrian produced could be better- assumes that he was destinate to only have a romantic soulmate and that his harmony is already complete.

It isn't until he is deep in the space, far away from Adrian and everything he has known, that Rocky discovers that the hearbeat of Grace turns to be another piece of his harmony.

When they get to Erid and Rocky is able to present his platonic soulmate to his romantic one he can finally hear the harmony that he didn't know he was longing for.

In Rocky's mind all humans were like Grace. He knew that they would have other personalities and shapes, but he thought that humans were inhereted good. For him, who could finally interact with someone else after years of solitude, worked side by side, and became best friends with a human with such ease, and even do something impossible as saving the stars; For him, that had only know Grace clumsiness, and leaky face and silly phrases, there was no way a human could be so dangerous as Grace was describing it.

Besides, Rocky knows that Grace is longing to be able to connect with other human. Rocky is Grace's best friend, but he can not hug Grace when he needs comfort, pat his hair, or even give him a comforting smile, all things that humans seem to want. So when they find another human, even one all bloody and uncouncious, Rocky thought that they have finally find a solution for Grace longing.

Grace was not sure.

"I don't know, Rocky. You don't know humans as I do."

"Trust, me. Everything will be fine, statement."

"Okay...Okay! Yeah, it can be that bad right?"

And Grace trusted him.

Then the man woke up and he jumped over Grace, pressing him against a wall, taking him by the neck with his single arm, and he started screaming threats and questions to Grace who was not even able to breath, and Rocky realized he has wrong, he has been too confident in his small view of the universe.

Rocky had to push the man away of Grace, who could finally gasp for air and was trying to explain the situation, but the man didn't hear reasons and Rocky didn't have other choice but to inmobilized him until Grace could sedate him.

"He attacked you!"

"He must be scare... humans can get violent when they are scare."

It was in that moment, that Rocky became aware of how lucky he was from meeting Grace, because not all humans would have give him a chance; an alien that looks like a big spider? Something that looks like what Grace described as scary?

Was Grace ever scare of him?

He can't know, and he doesn't want to ask.

He is just grateful that it was Grace, who became his first contact. Grace who is so brave and kind and his best friend.

And now there is a violent man in their ship, and Rocky doesn't know how to deal with him. Grace may forgive and forget his agressions, but Rocky would not, he can't allow himself to forget, no after it almost cost him Grace.

I want Grace wearing a anti-radiation suit/ or his EVA to carry Simon and leave it in the quarentine room with Armando just for Simon to wake up before Grace can put him in the table. Making Grace having to sedate him and explain him that right now not only Simon's own health is at risk, but also of those that come close to him. Making this time Grace be the one who puts someone against their will in a situation they didn't want to be, he could have a crisis about it.

Simon having to be in another small, isolated space when he just escaped the SM-13, and having no more company that the videocalls and audios that he can exchange with Grace. Simon could think that he is somehow still inside the SM-13, in another submarine, or that C.O.I just sent him to prison again.

Think in the things it would changes with other Bloodymary interactions:

The assumption of Grace been part of C.O.I would be way stronger.

Simon would not see Grace as a savior (not a angel), but like a new jailer.

Rocky and Adrian, not any eridian could smooth the interactions between them at least at the start, because eridians are very weak to radiation and they do not count with the technology, nor the knowledge to treat or even get close to Simon without getting harm.

Grace would not see Simon as a new human to which connect, at least he could not let himself interact with him in that way, because he is a biological/radioactive hazard.

Grace thinking if Stratt ever felt like this.

Grace not been able to tell Simon that everything is going to be okay, because he can't tell if Simon would survive or not.

Grace and Rocky story change very little even when they switch places (Eridian!Grace ending in earth for example), but I want what would changes if the scientists switch places with Simon. I want to know how the story of Iron Lung would changes if C.O.I first sent convicts to the Blood Ocean to recollect information and then, not having more options send a scientists crew to confirm said discoveries.

The Eel in Iron Lung (unlike the frog of the videogame that is more animal like) seems moved by the duty of protecting the light and wanting revenge against what happened to the people that made it up. I think that Eel! Simon could go in two ways; The double of vengeful and pushing people to the light so they can also lose their minds as he did, or, he could be the total opposite and actually trying to help the scientists crew to have a succesful mission.

Other thoughts I have about Human!Ellie and Eel!Simon:

I don't have a preference, but I think it would be interesting that human Ellie is the whole crew because I would like to see the different reactions that people would have to the Blood Ocean. Like would they become violent against each other? Would some want to go to the light and other no? Would everyone hear the telepathic voice?

Following the last thought, I also think it would be interesting that Eel!Simon is made up of no only him, but other convicts and war prisioners of Eden. I think that it would lead to interesting interactions and posibilities; Eel!Simon saying prays through the telepathic link, Eel!Simon trying to replicate the Last Tree in the middle of the ocean with rocks and bones they found.

In the same way, Human! Ellie been a single person could be interesting since I think they would be a scientist.

If Eel!Simon is only him mutated to the extreme, I would love that Blood Ocean could still have the other convicts in for of eels too.

Maybe the way that Human!Ellie (either version) is able to win over Eel!Simon is because they had a little bonsai (or small tree or plant) and Simon is able to remember his conection to the Last Tree and decides to help them, or leave them alone.

Extra + Grace (Because I'm bloodymary motivated)

I just want to see an interaction with Eridian!Grace and Eel!Simon. I picture like a big Galapagos Turtle besides a Megalodon.

Eridian!Grace realizing that there is a life form even more leaky than regular humans, saying so to Eel!Simon and Simon getting sensible about it, so know we have Eridian! I-don't-know-what-a-filter-is Grace, trying his best to apologize to Eel!Simon that is directly a cousin of Lovecraftian monsters.

Eel!Simon been able to made a telepathic link with Eridian!Grace, but not understanding most of the thoughts that Grace has because eridians just think differently, or he just hears whale songs.

I mean, isolateion confinemented is know to have effects in the psyche of people, humans are social animals after all, and I don't think that Stratt have accounted the possibility that only one of the astronauts would make it. I thing that even in her calculated mind, she was blind by the pressure of having to make the project work as fast as it could, or she was too confident about the solution she found with the induced coma (at least in the book she had the back up of the coma resistant gen). At least in the movie Grace's hads the "Don't go Crazy room", in the book Hail Mary is more minimalistic, it is a lab, the rooms, storage and the cabin of control, nothing more.

But in those first logs/videos Grace is completely alone, confuse and without a single memory, not able to remember why is he here, what is the mision, what was his task, all that been waste time, because he had to figure it out all by himself, and the plan was for someone to be there to guide him.

Eva Stratt must have been so stress out, what if the bettles doesn't have nothing more than videos/logs of Grace losing his mind in space?What if he just sent the bettles without thinking in a irrational episode? What if the solitude make him give up before he could find a solution for th astrophage problem?

Even a bright mind in solitude can get twisted, they can break and she would have see her only hope slowly lost himself before he could even do his job, his sacrifice would have meant for nothing, her actions would have meant for nothing.

No memories, no feelings, no humanity, or purpose besides his duty of protecting the blackbox from other creatures that may live in the Blood Ocean. He can't remember why, but he has to protect the remains of a rusty, destroyed submarine that keeps sending a frequency in loop, and that little box floating in the middle of nowhere.

He has too.

It's bigger than him

Once a human takes the blackbox- because he can still recall humans, at least the idea of them, how cruel they are, how violent and yet, how much they meant for him- any remains of Simon's mind get lost, now free of his duty and he just becomes one more of the things lurking under the surface (because he slowly stops been a he, he slowly stops been Simon and it becomes something else).

Extra (Scene? Idea? Scenario?) + Grace and Rocky

After going fishing and produced the taumeba, Grace and Rocky may have caught a frequency coming from a small moon, and thinking that it may be another form of life asking for help with the issue with the astrophage they get close to see.

The atmosphere of the moon is pretty similar to the one in earth, or Luna (earth's moon) so Grace and Rocky can get in the moon and do a more close investigation.

They found a moon made my blood oceans, and confused they keep serching until they found a blackbox floating in an old and raggy life jacket. Rocky can't riskied to get of the Hail Mary, he could sink so is Grace who has to go aout and take it.

Imagine Grace having to swing in the Blood Ocean with his EVA, and he feels something brushing against his feet, and he screams but he refuses to leave the blackbox so he just swim faster to get the box and when he finally has his hands over it he looks up and finds himself face to face with Simon, or whatever it is left of him.

A human head, with very little, completely black eyes, just poiting teeths, with skin that seemed to have been melted from the inside out, with blood all over it.

Grace freezes, all the alarms sounding in his brain, but too scare to move, fearing looking threatening. Simon puts his webbed hands over the blackbox and he looks at Grace.

Simon had been waiting for so long, clinging to his humanity in this form was so hurtful, a reminder that he wasn't human anymore, that he had become something...else, but he had a duty and finally an angel have come down from the skies to free him from having to guard this blackbox. Simon can finally let go.

He then pushes the box to Grace's chest so Grace can have a stronger grip of it and when Simon can see the blackbox safe on Grace's arms, he murmurs:

"It's bigger than me." Talking is hard with all the new teeths in his mouth, and his voice is too raspy due to disuse, but Simon feels he has to say something. "Thank you".

And Simon just dives in the water to never been see by a human eye ever again, having the freedom to let go of those last parts of Simon that reminded him that he was a human once and he can finally embrace his own oblivion and being just a monster.

In peace.

He is saved, but it isn't a happy ending

Extra Extra:

Grace takes the blackbox and makes sure to transmit its information as far as he can, including it in the bettles too, and after that Grace just breaks in tears.

"He was human, Rocky."

"He didn't sound human."

They were invested in the mision and dying even before they could fulfill their roles for the Project Hail Mary must be reason enough for them to have uncomplete things to do.

I like to think that they were accompaning Grace through his mission, giving him strenght to not lose his mind. That those moments in which he learned something about himself out of nowhere, or those sparks that lead them to solutions related to how to navigate Hail Mary were motivated by the efforts of Yáo and Ilyukhina to guide and help him.

Imagine with me:

Yáo and Ilyukhina not understanding they are dead at the start and thinking that they just wake up earlier (Yáo die first so he realize first in thinking this, when Ilyukhina dies Yáo explains to her that she did not survive the induced coma).

Yáo and Ilyukhina knowing that is cruel to wish for Grace to wake up sound and safe, just for him to be complete alone, but he is the only hope they have left.

Yáo and Ilyukhina feeling more at ease after Grace gives their corpses to the stars.

Ilyukhina been the most excited one about Rocky apparition, because she was an engineer and is just fascinated by what Rocky can do.

Yáo and Ilyukhina been indignated to have lost their chance to be part of the first contact in life.

Yáo trying to pass his knowledge as a captain to Grace, to ease his way with the controls.

Ilyukina been that little voice in Grace head of giving a chance to the Blip- A, that maybe they are friendly.

Yáo been a quiet force that supports Grace. There is point, at least in the book in which Grace seems to think that maybe he was brave, but he doesn't remember it, maybe that thought came from Yáo who believed that anyone could be brave.

All those little moments of luck been Ilyukhina and Yáo trying to influence so Rocky and Grace can have a successful mission.

Both ghosts, but specially Yáo bringing bad energies the moment they realize that Grace was sent against his will.

Ilyukhina crossing to the other side in peace the moment that realize that Rocky is the new engineer and that Grace has made the taumeba been able to survive Venus and the eridiani-2 planet.

Yáo crossing to the other side in peace when Grace decides to go rescue Rocky, because he can finally see Grace been truly brave for someone he cares.

Extra + Rocky

If Grace has 2 ghosts taking care of him, Rocky has 22.

22 eridian ghosts noticing the Hail Mary first and making it more noticiable for Rocky (maybe they made subtle sounds or vibrations so Rocky would have a better picture of it).

The Blip-B and Blip-C having a perfect trajectory to the Hail Mary thanks to the 22 eridian ghosts.

22 eridian ghosts celebrating that their single survivor has been able to be part of the first contact.

The Hail Mary been the home of 22 eridian ghosts who come in all the sizes and shapes.

22 eridian ghosts been fascinated with the alien that Grace is and how leaky he is.

22 eridian ghosts concentrating their efforts so Rocky is able to recover after been burn by the oxygen.

22 eridian ghosts using their best clothes (they are ghosts they can wear whatever they want) as a celebration for having succed in doing the taumeba.

22 eridian ghosts not knowing what to do once Blip-A starts failing and Rocky is left without astrophage.

22 eridian ghosts crossing to the other side in peace once they hear the knock outside the Blip-A, because Grace is here.

Extra Extra:

Like think how some of them would look for the eridians

Insonmia: Difficulty to sleep; for the eridians who they fall sleep, because hey can't fight the tiredness, not been able to sleep just seem imposible.

Sleep apnea: Breathing stops in the middle of your sleep; eridians would see this as terrifying, specially because for eridians who "breathing" doesn't work the same as humans that can see the chest inflating and deflating, eridians would not be able to see if a eridian stops "breathing".

Narcolepsy: Sleep attacks, getting sleep without any warning or as a stress response; The idea of been scare and then falling sleep in response to that fear, or just fall sleep without even been able to tell when, another eridian nightmare, too much vulnerability.

Hypersomnia: Feeling sleepy all day long; Feeling like your falling sleep but not falling sleep, and feel like you can't control your on body, other eridian nightmare.

Circadian Rhythm Disorders; Having troubles to tell when you are going to fall sleep or wake up; The one I think the eridians would related the most.

Parasomnias; Sleep walking, sleep terrors, sleep talking; all things that a eridinas, who are just... gone while they are sleeping can't not lik with sleeping, how can your body or mind be doing other things if you are just gone?

I also think that Grace should have one of this disorders, of course he already have insomnia, but I vote for including another (or multiple) parasomnia, because like I say these disorders are the ones that go the most against what sleep is for the eridians;

Sleepwalking; Rocky would watch Grace fall sleep just for him to stand up and keep walking through the spaceship, or the dome. It is unnatural to see Grace, who doesn't normally move with grace, move even more clumsy and still be snoring.

Sleep talking; Grace still rambling about science even in his dreams and Rocky thinking that even in his sleep Grace can't have a moment of peace.

Sleep terrors; Grace screaming and crying,and begging for his life just to fall still the next second, and Rocky can't do a thing to wake him up, and then when Grace wakes for himself he doesn't remember what he was dreaming about.

Rocky would be so concern, because it is bad to see your friends going to sleep and not moving, but seeing your friend fall sleep just to see pieces of him still been able to go beyond his inconscious state, specially if is his expressions of distress or panic, must be quite the experience.

Extra + Simon:

Simon who knows about nightmares (of course he knows about nightmares, he survived a nightmare, multiple times), but didn't knew about the the other parasomnias, because it that information was lost through time and people who suffered from these parasominas keep it quiet in fear to be thought to be possessed, sick, or defective.

Simon who is a ligth sleeper waking up for Grace screaming as if he was been skinning him and saying "You are murdering me!". Simon rushing to get to to Grace to help him just to find him crying and when he is about to wake him up Grace calms and his face changes to the most calm expresion he had see in a sleepy face.

Simon waking up by Grace ramblings about explosions and predators, and science terms Simon had never heard before, or asking "who I am?" as a mantra in his sleep.

Simon watching Grace without any destination, taking tools from the lab and repeting in his dreams a process he had done multiple times.

Simon waking up to see Grace walking next to his bed with his eyes slighly open directed in his direction and murmuring non-senses "you are murdering me...I, I don't wanna die, maybe even crying quietly and disturbing Simon.

Simon thinking that Grace is a ghost of someone that he killed when fighting for Eden, maybe someone from Filament Station who died in the explosion.

Simon thinking that Grace has came to haunt him.

Simon thinking that Grace is been possesed by the people he had kill and he is paying for having help Simon survive the Blood Ocean.

Rocky and Simon been horrified by Grace sleeping.