One question that continues to intrigue audiences is the origin of humanity’s petrification. Was it the result of a scientific experiment gone awry, or the plot of a nefarious antagonist? Furthermore, who exactly is the Why-Man?
This article aims to explore the enigma surrounding humanity’s petrification and to delve deeper into the identity of the Why-Man.
1. Understanding the Why-Man in Dr. Stone
The main antagonist, known as Why-Man, is not a mere individual but rather a collection of biomechanical parasitic entities of extraterrestrial origin, controlled by an advanced artificial intelligence.
This being first established contact with the Kingdom of Science through radio waves, persistently asking, “Why?”This inquiry stemmed from their desire to understand why humanity declined their offer of eternal life.
Originating from the moon, the Why-Man illustrates an eerie resemblance to characters from Edgar Allan Poe’s works, characterized by skeletal features and hollow eye sockets. This collective can function as either a unified group or individual units, earning the moniker “Medusa”due to their serpentine appearance.
2. The Motive Behind Humanity’s Petrification
The Why-Man embarked on an interstellar quest, seeking a suitable benefactor to engage with by detecting electromagnetic waves, a sign of intelligent life.
It intercepted various forms of EM waves emitted by Earth, utilized in radio communications, microwaving food, X-ray imaging, and even radiation treatments for cancer.
Utilizing its petrification technology, the Why-Man turned humanity to stone in the 21st century, anticipating a response. Higher IQ individuals typically awaken from this state quicker than those with lower intelligence.
However, a staggering 3,700 years passed without a reply, leading the Why-Man to abandon their efforts and retreat to the moon.
Eventually, Senku broke free from petrification and began the revival of humanity, leveraging his scientific knowledge to spark a new technological era. By reinventing the radio, he inadvertently attracted the Why-Man’s attention once more.
As a result, the Why-Man resumed its transmissions of “Why?”probing humanity about their aversion to eternal life in exchange for roles as maintenance operatives, tasked with overseeing advanced technology and diamond batteries.
To confront this menacing threat, Senku allied with his rival, Dr. Xeno, to embark on a space mission aimed at confronting the Why-Man on the moon. Upon arrival, they encountered the dwindling collective of Medusas and began to unveil the intricacies of the Why-Man’s intentions.
4. The Conclusion of Dr. Stone: Did Senku Triumph Over the Why-Man?
In the series’ climactic final chapter (232), Senku successfully defeats the Why-Man, convincing them that humanity is not interested in their “gift”of eternal life in exchange for a symbiotic relationship.
This assertion led the Why-Man to conclude that humanity lacked the intelligence to grasp the weight of their offering, prompting the collective to seek out beings of higher intellect elsewhere.
Nonetheless, one unit of the Why-Man’s collective, the Medusa, opted to remain on Earth, piqued by human curiosity and intellect.
This unexpected development proved advantageous for Senku, enabling him to utilize the Medusa’s insights to create a time machine aimed at reversing the original wave of petrification.
5. About Dr. Stone
Serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump starting March 6, 2017, and concluding on March 7, 2022, Dr. Stone consists of 26 collected tankobon volumes.
Following a catastrophic flash of light, all of humanity was petrified, leaving a desolate Earth devoid of human life. Four millennia later, Senku, a brilliant student, awakens to a new world ruled by wildlife, where nature has overtaken the remnants of civilization.
Joined by his friend Taiju, Senku embarks on a mission to restore humanity to its former glory.
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