Simulation – 1989 picks up after the daily body shuffling “glitch” has ended, but the existential crisis for the simulants has deepened. The threat is no longer internal (like Keith), but external: powerful “outsiders” are planning to shut down the entire simulation. Ben and Ella’s goal shifts from daily reunion to finding their real bodies in the outside world, a task complicated by the fact that Ella’s body remains unlocated. Rosie, who successfully exited and returned, is now working with external allies to rescue others. They must contend with two new figures: Franco, a “digitally gifted” simulant who holds the key to the simulation’s structure, and Chuck, an agent who hunts simulants and takes their bodies upon contact. The stakes are now life or death, and the ultimate rescue depends on locating Franco.
How does the end of the daily body shuffle change the dynamic for the characters? Do they feel more secure now that their bodies are stable, or more vulnerable now that the threat is permanent?
The true antagonists are revealed to be the “outsiders” with the power to “shut down the simulation completely.” How does shifting the antagonist from the internal (Keith) to the external (Chuck/The Outsiders) change the core genre and themes of the story?
Franco is “digitally gifted,” able to manipulate the simulation (e.g., creating a protective sphere of hardened air). What does this ability suggest about the true nature of the simulation’s code and its inhabitants’ potential?
Ben’s real body has been located, but Ella’s has not. How does this difference impact their emotional states and their immediate goals? Why is Ella willing to “expose” herself to danger to draw out Franco?
Franco is being manipulated by a copy of his wife, Cass, whom he knows is “not really her.” How does this use of a digital construct reflect the outsiders’ cruelty? Does Franco’s refusal to destroy the simulation make him a hero?
John, who exited the simulation, is suffering from “endless nightmares” and refuses to return. What does this suggest about the psychological cost of escaping the simulation? Is the “real world” truly an escape?
Rosie is the key because she can still “see the difference”. How does her identity, forged during the glitch, prepare her uniquely for this new crisis?
The Twin, whose sister was killed by Chuck, refuses a safe exit, choosing revenge and loyalty to Ben and Ella instead. Do you believe her decision is rational or purely emotional?
Ben and Ella have “accepted that our lives are here,” despite the danger. Do you agree with Rosie that their acceptance is a form of dismissal of the serious threat, or is it a sign of their emotional strength and dedication to one another?
Ethical Debate: Discuss the ethics of the “outsiders.” Given that the simulants are conscious, is the decision to shut down the simulation an act of deletion or mass murder?
Character Trajectory: Trace Rosie’s journey from a young woman born in the glitch (Simulation – 1988) to the highly valuable agent capable of exiting and returning (Simulation – 1989). How does her character arc embody the themes of the series?
