Dhruv Trivedi
‘Mother/Android’ follows the treacherous journey that Georgia embarks on with her partner days before she is due to give birth. In a world where murderous androids have rebelled against their human creators, the young couple tries to get to one of the last major human colonies. Unfortunately, it forces them to travel through an android stronghold, making things incredibly dangerous.
The late pregnancy complicates matters further, and the post-apocalyptic film ends on a nuanced and melancholy note that clearly favors realism over happy endings. So why does Georgia seemingly burn some of her last remaining photographs? And where does she go at the end? Let’s dig deeper into the closing moments of ‘Mother/Android.’ SPOILERS AHEAD.
Why Does Georgia Burn Her Pictures in the End?
Following Arthur’s attack in Boston, Georgia is forced to give up her son to the Korean officer, who promises to care for the newborn. A time jump follows, during which we see the young mother tearfully burn a picture of Sam and possibly some other pictures that she has long held on to. Apart from hinting that Sam is likely dead, it also seems to signify that Georgia is possibly leaving her past behind and undergoing a fresh beginning of sorts. This is further supported by how she subsequently gets onto the military truck on a whim and all alone, showing us that she now doesn’t have any attachments. Thus, burning the photos is symbolic of Georgia’s new start.
However, it is worth noting that there is one picture that she doesn’t burn. This photograph happens to be the one that the couple took with their newborn shortly after arriving in Boston (and before Arthur’s attack). This is quite possibly the only picture Georgia has of her newborn son, so she decides to keep it. If we go with the hypothesis that Georgia burns Sam’s picture because he’s dead, the fact that she doesn’t burn her son’s picture could mean that Georgia believes him to still be alive and hopes to see him someday.
Where Does Georgia Go at the End?
After burning the photographs, Georgia is next seen in Boston’s downtown area, which is being evacuated by the military. She is approached by an officer, who asks whether she wants to come along to Portland, where a group from Boston plans to set up a new military base. After thinking for a few moments, the young woman agrees and gets onto the truck. Thus, the last we see of her, Georgia is heading to Portland to help set up a new military base.
The base that the young protagonist plans to help set up is likely similar to the one that Sam and her take shelter in at the beginning of the movie. Georgia’s decision also tells us that she now sees herself as part of the human effort to subdue the androids and that her actions are possibly driven by revenge. The fact that she decides to go to Portland on a whim, making her mind up after thinking for a few moments, also means that the young protagonist is embarking on a life free of any attachments, which is very different from how we’ve known her for most of the preceeding narrative.
Read More: Mother/Android Ending, Explained
