The purpose of this thread was to elaborate how, using what we are given, could Gwen have survived TNGSD. From that point forward, there are several ways to use the character, if she were to return. We have left those alternatives open on purpose. Beyond that, the story proposed has deep implications for Harry Osborn and Warren Miles.
The story was mainly written by vixx, and I jumped on board to lend a hand. There’re also some ideas from other members of that forum, to a lesser degree. I was asked to post our conclusions here and that’s exactly what I’m doing. The main author may also participate here, but he believes that his thoughts on the matter are already written down, in the original thread.
The events that we outlined, are now presented in chronological order, referencing key ASM issues as an anchor:
Before ASM #31
After the death of his wife, Norman struggles to be a good father to Harry, but excels at running Oscorp. This outlet, not only acts as an escape from the personal life he knows is failing, but fuels the personality traits (i.e. delusions of grandeur, aggressiveness) which lead him to believe that he, personally, is immune from failure and can practically will something into creation, simply by being involved. This mindset, not only puts him on the path towards attempting things most would consider impossible, it also provides an “end justifying the means” method of execution.
How is not important, or really not too far of a reach, but after meeting Warren the two set down a path of genetic research, that would ultimately culminate with a viable method for cloning humans.
Warren, a teacher, genius, and man of "pure science" leads the project, aims at solving problems he sees in the world (organ transplants, genetic defects, etc.). While he has his pride, his motives are pure.
Norman, has two goals (much like he has two sides to his personality): power, money and glory for himself, his legacy and Oscorp; he envisions a perfect Norman clone, thinking it would be excellent publicity. However, secretly, he wonders if it's a way to bring back his wife, for Harry as much as for himself. Norman wants to be a good dad... he just fails, at every turn.
They form a plan, using Oscorp resources and contacts, to bulk out Warren’s theories into testable experiments. The key to the success of Warren’s cloning theory, exists in separate parts that must be blended together:
- The first portion is transferring consciousness from an organic host – the memories, experiences and personality traits that make us who we are – into a stable medium that can be imprinted accurately to a new host, on demand. That host may be organic or not, but the process would need to work much in the way one can replicate a computer file.
- The second is successful, physical replication of the host, with small enhancements to repair or improve upon defects at a genetic level and allowing for the memory transfer. Warren envisions these blank copies, as a way to solve problems – such as genetic defects and shortages of organ transplants – without consideration for the ethical dilemma plaguing genetic research. To him, creating an organic body is no different than making GMO food.
Building on Stromm's earlier work, the best example of duplicating consciousness available – and with notes readily accessible through Oscorp involvement – the first task falls to a team led by Gerhard Winkler.
Warren leads the team tasked with replicating the hosts.
The teams will work closely together to ensure that their work can, ultimately, be combined successfully.
While the theoretical phases show promise, progression to an exploratory human testing phase (including Osborn and Warren’s samples) does not go well. Unlike early successes with lab experiments, computer simulations and the animal testing rounds, the samples either do not form correctly and/or decay rapidly.
Between ASM #31 and ASM #61
Under pressure from Norman, Warren expands the testing looking for more data to explain the results. He enlists students to collect DNA samples from, as part of an extra credit assignment, figuring that college is a very diverse environment and students, properly motivated, aren’t going to ask too many questions. Like many students, Gwen Stacy submits her profile along with the others. Peter Parker does not (these aren't the cell samples, we saw Serba collecting, in the flashback from ASM #148).
Despite a large, diverse sample size, the new round of testing routinely fails except for one sample (Gwen’s). Warren has a theory, that this sample has a unique genetic makeup which allows her DNA to survive the rigorous process, that causes the others to fail. This genetic anomaly is quite rare, but doesn’t manifest in a meaningful way outside his lab (not X-gene related). For all purposes, it’s from a normal person with a remarkable genetic trait (similar to, say, smokers who never develop cancer). He’s confident he can extract this over time, and incorporate it into other samples.
Warren shares the results with Norman, and they detail out the technologies and processes, the program will be run under.
Despite Warren’s objections, Norman immediately digs into the study, identifies the donor and researches Gwen, building a full profile and dropping it on a shocked Warren at a staff meeting. He’s surprised to learn Norman has gone the extra mile. They argue. For Warren, she’s irrelevant. (What are you going to do? Grab her off the street and force her to be a guinea pig? ) For Norman, knowing everything about the girl that the whole program, his reputation and billions of research dollars depend on, is very relevant. Warren backs down and they put together a detailed plan to move forward.
After the initial trials, which focus on working up to a complex organism, there will be three phases:
- grow a clone from the successful sample (Gwen) .
- isolate the “unique” Gwen trait, then use it to create a clone from an unsuccessful sample.
- at Norman’s request, create a hybrid strain of Gwen/Norman DNA to produce a couple of viable Norman based clones. One male and one female; which also ensures they account for differences in gender. For reasons unknown to Warren, Norman’s sample does not react like any on record. (Norman provided a plausible cover story, as to why his blood is all screwed up).
Once these stages are complete, a fourth stage would be a pure Norman clone, to be attempted only after when the limitations, in physical replication, have been overcome.
Phase one progresses quickly, and after repeated attempts, culminates in a perfect “blank” Gwen being created. It shows no signs of disintegration, encountered in the earlier attempts, and remains intact to be studied.
Phase two is running almost concurrently, and significant progress has been made.
Phase three is proving more difficult, as Osborn's DNA is different. Discussions with Norman have provided some answers, but not to Warren's satisfaction. They have argued over how much "external" DNA will be required to create stable hybrids.
The “mind” team has initially progressed quickly, adapting Stromm's work and building a working prototype, of the memory control device, which will transfer consciousness from a computer, to the clone. It can work independently of an organic source. But integration with the other project proves difficult, it's slow work.
Around this time a pair of 50/50 hybrid clones are completed, and monitored.
Having limited test subjects, Warren often used himself as a case study (once certain safety thresholds were met). Prior to dying, Winkler helped Warren transfer his consciousness to a computer, for use with his clones and integration progress and testing. His profile is studied and modified as needed, using Winkler’s memory manipulation techniques. (As a security precaution, all reference to certain aspects of the program, including Norman’s involvement, are removed from the computer profile. Norman is concerned about espionage). Warren’s is the only fully operational clone, they can hope to make at the time, as they only have Warren’s consciousness loaded for transfer. He came to the conclusion that, without a family and being at the lab every day, he was the best candidate.
The first integrated clone (Warren) is finishing up. While the physical decay process isn’t as good as the Gwen clones, it’s much improved. (Happening only after death). The mental instability and eventual decay is still a significant issue, but shown signs of improvement with enormous effort.
Norman, Winkler and Warren are meeting regularly and have many plans and theories, on how to overcome project limitations. One topic they seem to avoid is how access to the real Gwen, will sooner or later be a requirement, in order to scale and improve the project's economic viability.
Warren, supported by Winkler, states they just need time to figure it out, like they already did with the bodies. They identified that the memory transfer would deteriorate (similarly to the physical disintegration). Warren further hypothesised that the Gwen sample could be the blueprint to overcoming this deficiency, but the amount of time, resources and access to large amounts of DNA would make pursuing it immoral and prohibitive. Alternatively, he pushes to use himself as the sample, as he’s successfully cloned himself and implanted that clone with some memories. Winkler agreed on the problem, but not the moral issue about the solution. Norman will come to not care at all about anyone standing in his way.