I figure the movie has been out for long enough at this point - I would think that anyone here who wants to see it probably has at this point (unless you're waiting for it to come to streaming, which I totally get). I figure it would be good to get spoiler talk in one place just in case.

For me, there were a few talking points I wanted to bring up for discussion. The first of these being the permanence code and it being on the backup of the server in the Encom office. It seemed strange to me on my first viewing that we're introduced to Eve as she's traveling to Alaska to find a computer in a shelter that has this code, but then there's a backup of that computer at Encom HQ that also has the code? Why not just search for it on there?

A friend of mine provided a good explanation, which was that the "apparition" of Kevin Flynn we see in the 80s server that Ares talks to is moreso a visualization of Ares' self reflection, and by realizing that he has developed the capacity to have feelings, it allows him to intuit the permanence code through his desire to persist and effectively become fully human.

As for the permanence code being visualized as a double-helix, I think this was intended to be a direct visual callback to Quorra's code that we see in the Solar Sailer scene in Legacy. The impression I got was that the permanence code effectively turns a program into an ISO, allowing them to persist in the real world and become human. Additionally, I think that because Eve's identity disk contains the permanence code (by way of her having seen it and thus it being recorded on the disc) is what allowed her to re-materialize without a 29 minute time limit. Either that, or human DNA is an effective biological stand-in for the permanence code.

Another bit that struck me as kinda odd was how Ares was able to re-materialize in the secret basement lab from Legacy. With The Grid being an entirely isolated system, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. My theory for this is that the laser in that basement had a direct connection to the server at Encom in addition to The Grid - if you recall in the original Tron movie, we see Sark competing as the computer opponent in the Lightcycles arcade game, which you could say establishes that there is some kind of networked connection between Encom and Flynn's Arcade, so from my point of view, it doesn't seem too far-fetched that Flynn would've connected the laser in his basement lab to that network connection, in addition to The Grid.

Curious to hear everyone's thoughts on these and other stuff in the movie!

TRON.dll Wrote:I figure the movie has been out for long enough at this point - I would think that anyone here who wants to see it probably has at this point (unless you're waiting for it to come to streaming, which I totally get). I figure it would be good to get spoiler talk in one place just in case. For me, there were a few talking points I wanted to bring up for discussion. The first of these being the permanence code and it being on the backup of the server in the Encom office. It seemed strange to me on my first viewing that we're introduced to Eve as she's traveling to Alaska to find a computer in a shelter that has this code, but then there's a backup of that computer at Encom HQ that also has the code? Why not just search for it on there? A friend of mine provided a good explanation, which was that the "apparition" of Kevin Flynn we see in the 80s server that Ares talks to is moreso a visualization of Ares' self reflection, and by realizing that he has developed the capacity to have feelings, it allows him to intuit the permanence code through his desire to persist and effectively become fully human. As for the permanence code being visualized as a double-helix, I think this was intended to be a direct visual callback to Quorra's code that we see in the Solar Sailer scene in Legacy. The impression I got was that the permanence code effectively turns a program into an ISO, allowing them to persist in the real world and become human. Additionally, I think that because Eve's identity disk contains the permanence code (by way of her having seen it and thus it being recorded on the disc) is what allowed her to re-materialize without a 29 minute time limit. Either that, or human DNA is an effective biological stand-in for the permanence code. Another bit that struck me as kinda odd was how Ares was able to re-materialize in the secret basement lab from Legacy. With The Grid being an entirely isolated system, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. My theory for this is that the laser in that basement had a direct connection to the server at Encom in addition to The Grid - if you recall in the original Tron movie, we see Sark competing as the computer opponent in the Lightcycles arcade game, which you could say establishes that there is some kind of networked connection between Encom and Flynn's Arcade, so from my point of view, it doesn't seem too far-fetched that Flynn would've connected the laser in his basement lab to that network connection, in addition to The Grid. Curious to hear everyone's thoughts on these and other stuff in the movie!

What a fantastic movie Ares was! There are quite a few negative reviews about it, and I just don't understand it! I like your comments. The permanence code is such an interesting development in the Tron universe. It's code, which means it can be copied. Does that mean it can be applied to ANY program? What happens if Tron himself is given the code? Given the way Ares ended there HAS to be another movie. I feel like the next movie is a perfect opportunity to re-introduce Sam and Cora (Is it the permanence code or the fact that she's an ISO that allowed her to survive in the real world?) and of course Encom isn't going to take the defeat lying down which provides a perfect opportunity to have a huge action movie full of combat scenes that most fans, Tron or not, can enjoy. But, we all know how good Disney is at squandering their franchise, so who knows what's in store for us next, if anything. 
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I, personally, went into the move with with the expectation that they retconned the movie and there wouldn't be any references to the other movies, but, that was just ignorant media nonsense written by someone who clearly hadn't seen the previous movies, or played with the games in the franchise. I was pleasantly surprised and almost think it's one of the better movie in the franchise.