Ep 9. Protocolo

Lain, the protagonist of Serial Experiments Lain, finds herself in a state of confusion and disbelief. The events of the previous episode have left her feeling isolated and disillusioned, as she continues to struggle with the concept of reality and her own place within it. In Protocolo, Lain is forced to confront the dark underbelly of the Wired, as she discovers that she is not the only one with access to it.

As the episode begins, Lain is still reeling from the after-effects of her encounter with the Knights of the Eastern Calculus. She is unsure of what to do next and feels as though she is stuck in a strange, dreamlike state. As she wanders the streets of the city, she sees a vision of a young girl who looks like her, but is dressed in white. The girl disappears before Lain can approach her, leaving her even more confused and disoriented than before.

Meanwhile, Lain's father has been busy working on a new project, one that involves a mysterious program called Protocol 7. As the episode progresses, we see that this program is designed to allow humans to upload their consciousness into the Wired, effectively allowing them to exist in a new, digital realm. However, this ambitious project has attracted the attention of a powerful corporation, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on it.

Lain becomes convinced that the program is the key to unlocking the secrets of the Wired and finding out what truly happened to her on the night of her "death." She begins to investigate the program, but soon finds herself drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the corporation and its shadowy agents. As she delves deeper into Protocol 7, Lain begins to experience strange visions and hallucinations, all of which seem to indicate that the program is somehow linked to her own past.

The tension in the episode steadily builds as Lain races to uncover the truth about Protocol 7, even as she becomes more and more entangled in the machinations of the corporation. The visuals and sound design of the episode are haunting and surreal, with scenes of Lain wandering through empty, desolate landscapes and encountering strange, twisted versions of herself.

Despite the high stakes and tense atmosphere, the episode also manages to explore some deeper philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness and reality. Lain is forced to grapple with the idea that her own identity may be nothing more than a construct, a series of ones and zeroes in a digital space. At the same time, she is confronted with the idea that the Wired may be a kind of subconscious collective, a place where the thoughts and emotions of everyone who enters it are melded together into a single entity.

In the end, Protocolo is a riveting and thought-provoking episode that delves deep into the show's complex themes and ideas. It manages to balance its heavy themes with moments of eerie beauty and surrealism, making for an experience that is both unsettling and mesmerizing. Fans of the show will definitely not want to miss this crucial chapter in Lain's journey of self-discovery and revelation.