Miles’ Obsession with Hydrogen Fuel
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Helen recounts how Andi and Miles founded Alpha based on a napkin idea, which led to rapid success and brought their friends along. She details Miles's growing ambition, culminating in his obsession with a new hydrogen fuel pitched by a Norwegian chemist he met in Peru, to which he intends to devote the company's resources.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Euphoric and unchecked—his usual confidence now bordering on mania, as the ayahuasca and the chemist’s pitch amplify his desire to bet everything on hydrogen fuel. There’s a hint of vulnerability beneath the bravado, a man chasing validation through risk.
Miles is depicted in a flashback as a visionary-turned-gambler, his usual charisma now tinged with reckless fervor. He attends an ayahuasca ceremony in Peru, where his mind is opened—or perhaps unhinged—by the Norwegian chemist’s pitch for hydrogen fuel. His physical presence is implied through Helen’s narration, but his state is one of growing obsession, his ambition curdling into a dangerous fixation on an unproven technology. The scene captures him at the precipice of a decision that will reshape Alpha’s future and his partnership with Andi.
- • To secure the hydrogen fuel technology as Alpha’s next revolutionary product, regardless of risk.
- • To prove his visionary status by outpacing conventional innovation, even if it means alienating Andi and destabilizing the company.
- • That unproven, high-risk technologies are the only way to maintain Alpha’s dominance in the market.
- • That his intuition and charisma are infallible guides, even in altered states of mind.
Confident and calculating—he senses Miles’ vulnerability and capitalizes on it, but there’s also a hint of urgency, as if he knows the hydrogen fuel pitch is a long shot that requires Miles’ desperation to succeed.
The Norwegian chemist is portrayed as a sketchy but persuasive figure who pitches hydrogen fuel to Miles during the ayahuasca ceremony. His role is to plant the seed of obsession in Miles’ mind, leveraging the ceremony’s altered state to make his pitch more compelling. The chemist’s involvement is framed as a turning point—his unproven technology becomes the catalyst for Miles’ reckless gamble, foreshadowing the moral and corporate consequences that follow.
- • To secure Miles’ investment in his hydrogen fuel project, regardless of its viability.
- • To position himself as a visionary outsider who can challenge conventional energy paradigms.
- • That unorthodox methods are necessary to disrupt the status quo in energy innovation.
- • That Miles’ ambition and resources are the key to making his technology a reality.
Not directly shown, but inferred as growing disillusionment or concern—her eventual lawsuit and confrontation with Miles suggest she recognizes this moment as the beginning of the end for their partnership.
Andi is not physically present in this flashback but is invoked as the co-founder whose partnership with Miles is implicitly at risk. Helen’s narration frames Alpha’s creation as a collaborative effort, but the pivot to Miles’ solo obsession with hydrogen fuel foreshadows the fracture in their relationship. Andi’s absence here is telling—her voice of reason and caution is notably absent as Miles spirals into his gamble, setting up their eventual conflict.
- • To maintain Alpha’s stability and ethical foundation (implied by her later actions).
- • To hold Miles accountable for reckless decisions that threaten the company’s legacy.
- • That innovation should be grounded in feasibility, not just ambition.
- • That partnerships require mutual respect and shared vision—something Miles is abandoning.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Norwegian chemist’s hydrogen fuel is the central object of this event, serving as both the catalyst for Miles’ obsession and the symbol of his reckless ambition. Pitched during the ayahuasca ceremony, the fuel represents an unproven, high-risk technology that Miles becomes determined to pursue, despite its potential to destabilize Alpha. The object’s introduction marks a turning point—it’s the moment Miles’ vision curdles into hubris, and his partnership with Andi begins to unravel. Its narrative role is to embody the moral and corporate consequences of unchecked ambition.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The hotel exterior serves as the framing location for Helen’s voiceover, grounding the flashback in the present narrative. The nighttime setting, with its sharp floodlights and distant hum of traffic, creates a mood of reflection and hindsight. Helen’s narration from this vantage point connects the dots between Alpha’s creation, Miles’ obsession, and the eventual unraveling of his partnership with Andi. The location’s role is to provide a contrast between the past (the ayahuasca ceremony) and the present (the hotel), emphasizing the consequences of Miles’ actions.
The ayahuasca ceremony in Peru is a pivotal location, serving as the setting for Miles’ encounter with the Norwegian chemist and the birth of his obsession with hydrogen fuel. The ceremony’s altered state—induced by the ayahuasca brew—creates a surreal, almost hallucinatory atmosphere where Miles’ usual judgment is suspended. The location’s role is to amplify the persuasive power of the chemist’s pitch, making it feel like a visionary revelation rather than a reckless gamble. The chants, brew, and ritualistic setting contribute to the mood of heightened emotion and vulnerability, which the chemist exploits to plant the seed of obsession in Miles’ mind.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Alpha Corporation is the central organization in this event, though it is represented indirectly through Miles’ actions and Helen’s narration. The flashback to Miles’ obsession with hydrogen fuel foreshadows the moral and corporate compromises that will define Alpha’s legacy. The organization is at a crossroads—its future hinges on Miles’ reckless gamble, which threatens to destabilize the company and fracture his partnership with Andi. Alpha’s role in this event is to embody the stakes of Miles’ decision: the potential for revolutionary innovation or catastrophic failure.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
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Key Dialogue
"HELEN: So based on this napkin idea Andi and Miles create Alpha, it blows up, they bring everyone along for the ride. And Miles's aspirations keep getting bigger and bigger."
"HELEN: Cut to: two years ago. Miles meets some sketchy Norwegian chemist at an ayahuasca ceremony in Peru, who pitches him this new hydrogen fuel. He becomes obsessed. He's ready to put the entire company's resources towards launching this stuff."