Orphan Black: Do human clones deserve to know the story behind their creation?

Another week, another layer of clone club complexity, deceit and betrayal.

The most recent Orphan Black episode “Ruthless In Purpose, And Insidious In Method” gave a deeper look into the relationship between Rachel and Delphine and the lengths each of them is willing to go to stay on top – even if it’s illusory.

Crystal was one of the characters we got to know a lot more in this episode. She’s the only Leda clone, that we know of, who is naïve. She comes off as a ditzy, blonde nail tech who doesn’t really know when to stop talking. But she has shared with Delphine and Felix, who both came to her separately for manicures (without her knowing who they are), that she’s still in shock after two identical twin men, one with a scarred face, attacked her and killed her boyfriend (her monitor). She also shared that mysteriously her previous companions disappeared or died almost like clockwork.

She’s inquisitive. She believes something is up. But she has no idea whatsoever how complicated and practically unbelievable the situation has become. In fact, she tells Felix that she thinks twins are super creepy, even more than clowns. Yes, that’s clowns — not clones — though he initially mishears her.

There’s a moment when Felix appears with Crystal at the salon. Sarah speaks to him through an earpiece. At this time, he nearly decides to reveal to her what’s happening — primarily because she is in danger. They all are. But Sarah insists he can not, not until they know more.

This begged the question, at least for me: If I were a clone, would I really want to know?

Granted, should human cloning ever happen, it likely wouldn’t involve this level of conspiracy, danger and God complex-motivated manipulation. But regardless, how would one’s sense of self change if you knew you lived a synthetic existence?

Orphan Black equally touches on the nature vs. nurture dilemma as it does the “knowledge is power” vs. “ignorance is bliss” existential quandary.

In some ways, this could be analogous to two identical twins who are separated at birth. Of course, their conception was organic, so it’s very different. But how can we truly know the impact of learning once we reached adulthood that we had a twin? Would that kind of news be psychologically beneficial or harmful longterm?

I think most would say it’s beneficial. It may give one insight into who they are and provide a biological connection that could be life changing.

There have been many stories and studies to indicate that despite being separated, identical twins often grow up to have particular similarities, things like taste in music, sexual orientation or even standing posture. Stories about twins who ended up finding each other online and through social media, even by accident, are surprisingly common. Generally these appear to be happy-ending stories.

But it hasn’t always been the case that people thought twins should stay with their biological parents.

In a secret research project in the 1960s and 1970s, scientists separated identical twins as infants and followed their development in a one-of-a-kind experiment to assess the influence of nature vs. nurture in child development.

The children were unaware of the experiment entirely. The parents knew their children were part of an ongoing study about adoption, but had no idea they themselves and the results of their parenting were equally part of the study.

Two adopted women in their 30’s discovered each other and wrote a book about how they found their twin and discovering the research in which they unknowingly took part. The book is called Identical Strangers.

In this case, finding out about the experiments brought them closer together. They were the only ones who could understand what the other was going through. I think the same is true for the clones in Orphan Black.

Perhaps the only true value of finding out that you have a twin or a clone would be if you could actually meet them and have some kind of relationship with them.

If you were to find out you were a twin or a clone but had no access to the other(s), perhaps it might do more damage and be traumatic.

It’s all hypothetical food for thought as we viewers become closer to the clones. I now have sympathy for Crystal, particularly given how the episode ends.

Despite her fragile state, Rachel convinces Sarah, Delphine, Scott and Cosima that she actually just wants to help, get away from Dyad altogether and translate the genetic codes written in Duncan’s copy of The Island of Dr. Moreau.

Wrong.

Rachel arranges for Crystal to be kidnapped by Dr. Nealon and steals her identity. Crystal appears to be drugged. Unknowingly, she has taken Rachel’s place in the facility — eye patch and all. Had she known she was one of the clones and what was happening, Crystal could have at least attempted to protect herself.

Clone club drama to the max.