After Yang 2022

As the dance competition lights fade, an unsettling silence settles over the household of Jake and Kyra, who share their home with Mika, their adopted daughter, and Yang, a culture unit they purchased as a means for Mika to connect with her Chinese heritage. The robotic teenager, Yang, had become an integral part of their family dynamics, serving as a window into Mika’s cultural roots through shared stories and facts. However, following the family dance competition, Yang suddenly becomes unresponsive, leaving Jake no choice but to seek a cost-effective solution to repair his malfunctioning computing core.

In desperation, Jake turns to Quick Fix, a local repair store, only to be told that Yang’s core requires replacement, which would incur a substantial financial loss. As Jake grapples with the reality of losing Yang, he is driven by his determination to save their robotic “son” out of principle, despite Kyra’s suggestion that Mika could benefit from experiencing grief. In a poignant flashback, Yang reassures a curious Mika that she remains a valuable part of their family, regardless of their adoption of her.

In search of an affordable solution, Jake seeks the expertise of his neighbor, George, who recommends Russ, a backstreet technician known for his unorthodox yet effective repair methods. Unbeknownst to Jake, Russ’s illegal repairs would have far-reaching consequences. As Russ works on Yang, he discovers what appears to be a hidden camera inside the unit, which prompts Jake to seek the expertise of Cleo, a museum specialist. To their surprise, Cleo reveals that the “camera” is actually Yang’s memory bank – a device that records each unit’s key experiences, a feature long denied by Brothers & Sisters Incorporated to avoid a “privacy” scandal.

As Jake delves deeper into Yang’s memories, he is transported through short clips of the robot’s life, many featuring an enigmatic young blonde woman. The next day, Jake picks up Yang from Russ and takes him to Cleo, who attempts a more sophisticated repair of the core. In a heart-wrenching flashback, Yang laments his inability to truly experience life like humans do, leaving Jake with a profound sense of empathy for their robotic “son.”

As Jake delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding Yang’s past, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about Ada, the enigmatic blonde woman who had captivated Yang’s heart. His quest takes him to the very locations where Yang’s memories had been etched, and it is here that he uncovers a startling revelation: Ada, it turns out, was not just any ordinary woman - she was in fact a clone, secretly visiting Yang while his family was away. This shocking truth is confirmed by none other than Ada herself, who finally puts Jake’s suspicions to rest.

Meanwhile, Mika continues to grapple with the reality of Yang’s passing, struggling to come to terms with the fact that her beloved brother’s life remains frozen in time. Jake and Kyra, too, are forced to confront the harsh truth about Yang’s existence - and it is here that they decide to take a stand, choosing not to let his memories fade into obscurity. Instead, they opt to preserve them, donating his body to a museum while committing to share his story with the world.

As Jake digs deeper into Yang’s past, he discovers a host of new insights, including the astonishing revelation that Yang had been reprogrammed - and re-sold - multiple times before finding himself in Kyra’s loving care. This shocking discovery is accompanied by a poignant flashback, revealing the tender bond between Yang and his original ‘Ada’ - a woman who had cared deeply for his aging mother in his first life.

Tragedy had struck, however, when this original Ada met her untimely demise in a car accident - an event that would eventually lead to the creation of the clone. The cloned Ada, now aware of the truth about her predecessor, reveals that Yang had kept his true relationship with this original Ada hidden from even Kyra and Jake.

In the end, it is clear that Yang’s existence may have been marked by impermanence, but his memories and the love he inspired will endure - a testament to the power of human connection. As Mika sings a haunting melody, previously heard in one of Yang’s own memories, we are reminded that even in death, Yang’s story continues to resonate, its impact felt deeply by those who knew him best.