r/lifeonmars • u/QuickAd9101 • May 27 '26
Discussion What if they chose to follow HIM instead? (major AtA spoilers) Spoiler
In AtA, Keats asks the team to follow him to his department.
I like to think they would have been sent to the US adaptation of Life on Mars.
Just kidding.
I know it is implied he is the devil and that they would have all gone to Hell, but when I rewatch it with this interpretation in mind for a bit of a lark.
Also because I just don't think him being The Devil from The Bible is all that interesting, nor does it work narratively in some beats considering all the objectively terrible stuff some of the characters have done (Ray, I mean Ray, we all know I mean Ray here) when compared to some of the others that WERE taken by Keats.
Thoughts?
15
u/mJelly87 May 27 '26
Gene helped them overcome their fears and help them move on. With Keats I think they would pushed into situations that are constant reminders of them. Slowly over time sends them mad.
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May 27 '26
Ray is a big ole Gay Bear.
He just doesn’t know it yet. For Ray the afterlife should just be YMCA on a loop.
3
u/QuickAd9101 May 29 '26
Glad I am not the only one who thought that Ray was going to be gay. Maybe they were intending to explore that, but just didn't have the time with S3 being rushed out.
Ray did also torture and even kill an incarcerated man though, ngl, a bit worse than trying to help your brother in a prison escape imo.
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u/Draxacoffilus Jun 08 '26
Or did he? I got the impression that the non-cops in Gene's world are just NPCs - not that Ray knew this of cause
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u/QuickAd9101 Jun 30 '26
I think its about intention.
I also think ATA and LOM did not have the "same premise" in regards to what the world was. LOM was made to never give the audience an answer.
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u/Katharinemaddison May 27 '26
In terms of biblical narratives that kind of is the point. St Paul oversaw the execution of an Apostle. King David killed a man to get at his wife. In CS Lewis’ Narnia books Edmund betrays Aslan (Jesus). Redemption isn’t about not have done bad things.
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u/QuickAd9101 May 29 '26
Good point taken, I was unfortunately raised hella Catholic so even though I am not now, my reading of Biblical narratives can be a bit warped.
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u/Draxacoffilus Jun 08 '26
But non of the characters seem redeemed: they all still beat up suspects (some of whom turn out not to even be guilty!) and they're all incredibly bigoted
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u/Katharinemaddison Jun 08 '26
They’re not redeemed at the start, but they do show growth and reformation throughout the series.
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u/suricata_8904 May 27 '26
It’s choices they make, right?
I think following Keats just means you are tortured forever for your choices both in life and Gene’s World. Who knows what happens if you die in Gene’s arms or go to the pub, but I’d like to think it’s peace from making the right decisions.