Headscratchers / The Talos Principle

• What happened to the A.I.s you uploaded in Road to Gehenna? Was there more than 1 SOMA/TALOS unit, were they uploaded to a different part of the disk before the simulation was deleted, or were they all transferred to the one TALOS/SOMA unit along with the main campaign character creating a sort of hive mind?
  • It's meant to be ambiguous, as even Uriel admits in conversation he doesn't know exactly what will happen after ascension. Presumably it will be explained in the sequel.
  • Cornelius says in the sequel they became part of the Gold Disc, adding "some small part of them may survive inside you".
• If Elohim forbids anyone to go into the tower, then how come he treats the messengers, who are required to go into the tower, with so much respect?
  • He treats the player with respect even if the player ascends all the way up the tower, so that's not really inconsistent. It could also be from an angle of gratitude - the messengers are A.I.s that had a very real potential to ascend the tower, but ultimately chose not to betray (or "kill") him, so it makes sense that he would respect them. Or for a religious/philosophical allegory, you could compare the situation to the parable of The Prodigal Son. Just because the A.I.s disobeyed Elohim doesn't mean he has to hate them, or that he can't take joy in their return.
  • He forbids everyone from going to the tower because disobeying that command is considered an essential aspect of being a "true" AI; that is to say, it's a Secret Test of Character. It's not personal to him, it's just part of the role he's required to play.