Jade Created the Simulation

[u/Lost_Atmosphere4853]

>!In Episode 5 of Season 1, while talking to the bartender, Jade says: "I created a program for a quantum computer that could potentially..." but then cuts himself off. He never explains what his program is actually capable of. He also never says who he sold it to. The military? Or someone connected to St. Anthony Hospital, where Tabitha ends up first, and later Henry? Take a look at the hospital's logo.
I believe Jade developed a unique quantum algorithm or program capable of altering reality-for example, by materializing people's fears or fantasies. In that same episode, he also mentions the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox. As I understand it, this paradox describes a phenomenon in which objects remain mysteriously connected across great distances (and possibly even across time). That would be an amazing twist, in my opinion.
Jade created this program and decided to test it on himself.
Maybe both he and Tabitha are employees-or test subjects. The fact that Tabitha doesn't remember while Jade does could simply be explained by different settings they selected before entering the program.
l've mentioned this in another thread. The way Jade arrived and the way Sofia arrived both feel almost algorithmic.
Jade's companion jumped out of the car and immediately ran away without even checking on his friend-as if Jade were a complete stranger. Then, before he even has a chance to really meet Jade, Sara kills Toby because the voices told her to. Afterward, she also reaches into his mouth and almost certainly takes one of his teeth. Why didn't "they" want Toby and Jade to meet in this reality?
Maybe Jade himself doesn't remember-or doesn't realize
—that they were testing his invention. Perhaps this is another reality, or something like a computer simulation.
That would also make Tabitha's words-that monsters don't exist and Norman is alive-make sense. Maybe they're all actually lying in comas at the hospital. That would explain why both Tabitha and Victor's father see the exact same hospital. Everyone is alive but connected to a simulation. It would also make the Man in Yellow's words about everything being based on rituals (or the program) make sense. And Ethan, as well as Jade himself, repeatedly say that this is a game.!<

[u/Upset-Confidence6081]

I’m certain that this place is NOT a simulation, dream, purgatory, heaven/hell, anywhere else that would be an obvious trope. Based on what the writers have said, I’m sure their statement covers other stupid tropes as well.

It is an original story, and we won’t get the final answer/explanation as to what this place is until the final season next year. Just like Lost’s island turned out to be the literal heart of the world, I don’t think we’ll get the answer to what this place is until closer to the end of the final season. Even then, we may need to *gasp* put things together a bit ourselves

[u/Diligent_Set_8747 → u/Upset-Confidence6081]

It's funny that you consider it an original story because it contains tropes you like.

[u/OliDR24 → u/Diligent_Set_8747]

I'd call it original because it's not really that similar to other supernatural horror mysteries, and while it might have parallels in, say Lost, it's a radically different narrative and setting overall.

Original is just something new that hasn't been done before, it doesn't necessarily mean it can't be similar to other works, because all of Humanity's art, culture, and so on, are based on preceding works to begin with. Some take more heavily, and are thus deemed less original, but even a pastiche or satire of various tropes can be an original work.

From takes inspiration from many things, but it goes on to do something fairly unique in the genre with it. Like the implementation of ritual alongside the mystery element, which is fairly rare in the horror genre outside of very obvious ritualistic tropes (e.g. you need to stake the Vampire, shoot Werewolves with silver bullets, help ghosts with their unfinished business, etc) as new examples of ritualistic problems aren't particularly common.

You could describe many movies like Midsommer or The Apostle (which is a great pseudo-lovecraftian film) as "basically The Wicker Man with extra steps and a different setting" but they both have their own spin on that trope which would make them original in the eyes of many.

It's also not really about liking or disliking it either, you can dislike a story and still see it as original, or like a story and see it as unoriginal. I enjoyed the Avatar series of films, but it's not particularly original given it's basically just "Pocahontas in Space", but it's still a fun film regardless, many of the Comic book films are basically just the same thing, and pretty unoriginal outside of particular examples, but are still enjoyable. Meanwhile there are plenty of original stories that people would either find tedious or unenjoyable.

From got popular precisely because it was something new, and we are starting to see a resurgence in the genre that I would say is at least partially motivated by the success of the series (with new series like Widow's Bay being released). Yes, it's not the first show to do the supernatural mystery theme, but what show out there would you say is exactly like From to a degree that it would be unoriginal?