“A game is one side against another. There’s a winner and a loser. Puzzles don’t have losers.” ~ Fola, The OA Part II -Chapter 1 Angel of Death

In the post “Hustlers vs Suckers ,” I spoke of my extreme dislike of games. Until recently, I hadn’t figured out why I had such a strong reaction to the world’s favorite pastimes. Then, this past week, while watching The OA on Netflix, I came across a scene featuring a private investigator and a woman. It was then that I caught a clue as to why I consider contests a waste of time.

While searching for “Michelle,” a supposed gamer, private investigator Karim meets Fola, hoping she will have the answers. Instead, she shares “Symphony,” the puzzle that led Michelle to her last known location.

As soon as I heard “Symphony” during their exchange, it awakened me.  It resonated on a subconscious level and brought the String Theory, a multiverse thesis, to the surface.  “Symphony”  reminds me of my belief that music or tones form our universe and shape our reality. Yes, I wrote, “forms” because I believe our Universe ends when the “music” stops.  And while my explanation oversimplifies the String theory concept, it is what has captured my attention and caused me to follow these two down the proverbial rabbit hole.

Karim: Back at the house, the kids were working together, but you say the game doesn’t like that.

Fola: Yeah.  Well, ultimately, a puzzle is a conversation between the player and the maker.

Fola: The puzzle maker is teaching you a new language.  How to escape the limits of your own thinking and see things that you didn’t know were there.

Karim: Sounds like God.

Fola: Except it’s real.

But what is real, truly?

Is life’s purpose solving its puzzle to communicate with The Puzzle Maker, THE DIVINE ENIGMATOLOGIST?

If so, then could it be that all humans are in the process of solving their puzzles?

Are some of us at the virtual puzzle stage, while others solve it in real life?

What happens to those who already have the solution?

Once solved, does it lead to the same destination or our own universe?

As I’ve said before, I hate games. They produce  zero-sum outcomes, and I don’t believe The Universe is set up that way.

As Fola said,

“Puzzles don’t have losers. you’re stuck, If you don’t solve it.”

The OA is in its second season on Netflix. This show explores the concept of existence and interdimensional travel.

Thank you for sharing your time.