Target of Desire Theory: The Audience is Living in a Simulation.
(Episode 1 spoilers inside)
In her blog, Maria discusses the question, “Are you living in a simulation?”, but who exactly is she talking to?
An obvious answer is that the video game is the simulation that Maria is talking about, and Maria is at least somewhat aware that the video game is a simulation.
Another possibility is that Maria is asking the question to the audience. The audience is the people of Earth, who are the players of the video game and the readers of her blog. She is aware that the audience is reading her blog and playing the video game.
The people of Earth have achieved a level of technology where they are able to understand the concept of a simulation and how they could be living in one. Now they are ready to be informed of their actual reality inside the simulation.
According to her blog, Maria “works at the University.” This simulation could be part of what she is working on at the University. She is using the video game as a parable to help the audience understand their simulation.
The audience is following Maia in her journey to understand her reality, and that she is living in a simulation. They could also be learning about their own reality through Maia’s viewpoint.
Maria seems to able to travel between her University and the video game where Maia resides. She could also be able to similarly travel between the University and Earth, or, at the very least, be able to communicate with the people of Earth through the Blogosphere.
Maria has not yet revealed to the audience that they are actually living in a simulation. She has only hinted at the possibility.
Maia is not yet fully aware that she is living in a simulation. In fact, she might not be aware at all.
In Episode 1 of the video game, Maria has her encounter with Maia in a place that Maria calls “outside of the psychiatric hospital.”
Is the psychiatric hospital part of the University where Maria works? Is that why Maria is there? Did Maria enter the video game to talk to Maia?
Or did Maia leave the video game?
(Note: This is only one possible theory. That absence or presence of a theory is not an indicator of the validity of the theory. This theory is based on Episode 1 only, and could change as new information is revealed in upcoming episodes.)
Visit the Target of Desire Wiki on Fandom to learn more.
Target of Desire: Episode 1 is available at Google Play, Tizen and the Amazon Appstore, or as an eBook on Nook (Barnes and Noble), Amazon Kindle and Kobo.
