Wait, Which one is You Again?

by Ben Ayuko

{image by TheScientist}

If you haven’t finished “the Boys” season 4 (and you intend to), then go watch it first then get back to me. If you generally don’t care about the Boys, then allow me to pick your brain.

If you don’t know the Boys, well then let me introduce you. “The Boys” is one of the most family friendly, light-hearted and at times even hope-filled television programs currently on air. Adapted from a comic book series by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, it was brought to life on the screen by Eric Kripke, the same mind that brought you “Supernatural”.

“The Boys” is about a ragtag group of acquaintances challenging the status quo that is orchestrated by the powers that be. A story about how important family is, and that if you have family, everything will always work out in the end.

In season 4 of “the Boys“, Annie January, aka Starlight, is kidnapped and subsequently replaced by a shape shifter. This shapeshifter assumes the identity of Annie seamlessly. This is made possible by the fact that, when it assumes her identity, it also assumes her memories. Now, what this means is, should anyone try to question her under suspicion of being an imposter, every answer that it would give is an answer that Annie would have given. Because not only did it copy her body, but italso copied her mind.

This becomes an issue when it, the Shapeshifter, goes to Annie’s home where she stays with her Boyfriend, Hughie, and decides to propose to him. Hughie, elated with joy, accepts the proposal and even gets, unbeknownst to him, the Shapeshifter a ring. They stayed together for 10 days before the Shapeshifter’s ulterior motives came into play, forcing itto reveal itself. When Annie resurfaced and found out what had happened, she was, understandably, very cross with Hughie.

Which lead me to my question. Did she have a right to be angry? I mean, sure, she obviously would be considering she came home to find that, not only did her partner not even realize she was gone, but he had also got engaged to another woman. But even so, does the fact that he thought it was her account for anything? Remember, this person is the exact likeness of the person he knew, down to the memories they shared. Heck, even her ambitions. The imposter may not share the same burning desire, but it at least knows what the desires are.

And it isn’t as though he spotted another lady who he deemed superior to his partner. The person he vowed to spend the rest of his life with was, at least in his own head, effectively, his partner.

So, at what point does it become a betrayal? When he couldn’t tell the Forgery from the Original? I mean, he only had 10 days to work with. Why would he even think his partner had been replaced? I mean, what if I told you, reader, that the person you are currently living with was actually a clone of the person you actually lived with? Isn’t it such a ridiculous concept to even entertain? Yet, cloning is a real thing in our world today. Obviously not to such a sophisticated level, but as early as 1996, the first animal to be cloned, Dolly the Sheep, was born. Who knows what kind of level of cloning human beings could achieve before the sun burns out, if it hasn’t been achieved already.

How would you even react, if you found out your partner had an exact copy of themselves? Would you feel the same way about their copy as you do them? Keep in mind, they would react in exactly the same way, share the same goals, suffer the same trauma, remember exactly the same experiences they had with you…how would you tell the difference?

Can you accept one while simply ignoring the other?

If you had to, could you eliminate one to ensure the other’s survival?