: Re: Character crisis for a Science Hero? I have three protagonists working towards the same goal but with different motives. They are co-protagonists each with their own character arc and resolution.

@Murray165

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Look to the Magician Archetype for Inspiration

Archetypes do not become obsolete or outdated. The Magician archetype, I would think, is very close to what we might consider a modern day Scientist archetype.

A few examples of this type would be Merlin, Gandalf, Dumbledore. One key feature with them, is that they seem to know more than everyone else and is always a few steps ahead. They also seem to have a moral dilemma as well, whether or not to meddle with or change the outcome of the affairs of the other characters - when to help and when to stay out of the way. So if this character is supposed to be a "moral paragon" of sorts, what kind of faculty do they have to be able to make such delicate decisions? Perhaps this is what your character is struggling with. Something like:

Should she help them, or stay out of the way so they can learn/grow from this experience/crisis
Should she kill 100 people to save 1000, or should she try to save all of them with a high probability they will all die anyway?
Should she tell them that the path is that way, but let them go down the long and more difficult way?

Tarot Interpretation of the Magician

Also known as the Juggler, Conjurer, Trickster, Alchemist (perhaps Scientist?)

from Rider deck

from Fradella deck

... the Magician, as the beginning of the Major Arcana proper, represents consciousness, action and creation. He symbolizes the idea of manifestation, that is, making something real out of the possibilities in life. Therefore, we see the four emblems of the Minor Arcana - lying on a table in front of him. He not only uses the physical world for his magical operations (the four emblems are all objects used by wizards in their rituals), but he also creates the world, in the sense of giving life a meaning and direction. The Magician stands surrounded by the flowers to remind us that the emotional and creative power we feel in our lives needs to be grounded in physical reality for us to get any value from it. Unless we make something of our potentials they do not really exist.
- from the book 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack

If your character comes from a world of facts and concrete science, how would you interpret her with the Magician tarot card superimposed? Keeping in mind the above excerpt, it seems as though your character has all the means to create (the four emblems, the tools, the know how), but struggles with meaning and direction. Faith, afterall, is what people claim to give them meaning and direction in life. If your character is held up to that of the Magician, then your character would indeed represent consciousness, action, and creation if fully actualized. But with the internal conflict as you described, it would seem that the consciousness part of this equation is exactly what she needs to work on (or find out, figure out, solve).

Piecing it Together

The "moral" sentient AI, who comes from a world of facts and hard science, realizes that in order for her to achieve self actualization, has to go against what she considers statistically moral.. goes against her own nature because she knows she lacks a certain raison d'être that is the final piece of the puzzle for her to feel complete. She'll have to prove to herself, that some things work without knowing why (at first). She must learn to try even if failure seems inevitable, because she may stumble upon something great. This takes faith, and especially faith in ones abilities. Perhaps something happens in the story to make her go on her own side quest, like a glitch in her program or something... missing the why in her life. Why does she really exist, and what is her full potential beyond what she was programmed to do (not being confined to the constructs of her society and the roles that are imposed and expected of her)?

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