AI Might Need Looking After! Just Ask Weisz!

Edens Zero Chapter 250 Review/Recap

If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, then you’ll know there’s been a lot of talk about AI. They’re becoming more and more prevalent in society. People are using them to run computers, write articles and stories, and improve their lives. There are two problems, though. Firstly, people are worried that AI will eventually replace them in the workforce; it’s partly why the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are striking. Secondly, there’s the fear that unsupervised AI will go Skynet on the world. Given the knowledge about O.N.E. Void and the revelations about Joker in this chapter, it’s clear where Edens Zero stands on the issue.

Recap

After putting down the Joker attacking Rebecca (and giving her his coat), Professor Weisz explains that he and Bernadette (the bunny girl) were tracking Joker for a while. Furthermore, rather than stopping time, Joker’s powers let them slow time to a crawl in a limited range. They weren’t in range, so they were safe. Thankfully, Professor Weisz shuts down the drone’s reactor, letting time proceed as normal…with hilarious results.

Back indoors, Professor Weisz explains everything to the group while Weisz wonders how this guy is his alternate, future self. Everyone guesses that the distortion didn’t work on Rebecca due to her time powers, but then Bernadette drops a bombshell: Weisz created Joker Helix by accident.

Ten years ago, Professor Weisz created Joker Helix as a game engine. However, the AI he equipped it with started gaining knowledge from across the universe. By the time the Professor figured it out, it was too late; the AI had bailed to multiple computers on multiple planets. Now, they’ve found Miltz. As everyone wonders what they’re planning, Joker answers that for them: it hijacks their comms, brings in more drones, and says its here for the Mother Ether!

Review

Well, say what you will about Mashima and his manga; the fact that the big bad is an AI, and that Joker is an AI, makes this timely as they come. If we’re not careful, we could have a Skynet or Ultron to deal with in the future!

First things first, though: this chapter seemingly confirms that Joker Helix isn’t Labilia. For all we know, we might not see Labilia again at all. Which, while not important to the whole plot, feels a little sad. She and Rebecca just became friends again! However, the fact that Joker is an AI created by Professor Weisz is just as disturbing. At least it means that Weisz’s older counterpart isn’t part of the OSG, though. There’s still the question of how the Professor Weisz of Universe Zero never lost his arm, but that’s a question for another day.

Revelations aside, this chapter was pretty funny to look at. Seeing everyone in the hot springs get confused about what happened was a good blend of humor and fanservice. Seeing Rebecca name copyright-friendly game engines was also funny. The lengths people go to get around copyrights!

Everyone’s going to have to fight an army of AI-powered machines now. Given how they can slow time to near-zero, this should make for an interesting fight. I just hope that O.N.E. Void doesn’t show up, or everyone’s screwed.

Also, happy 250th chapter, Edens Zero.

I Give “Joker” a 3.5/5

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