Caliban's War

The protomolecule in Caliban’s War symbolizes that which is beyond human knowledge. The origins, motives, and aims of the protomolecule are all unclear to the human actors. The alien device is capable of extraordinary destruction and mind-boggling creativity. Avasarala compares what the protomolecule builds on Venus to the dreams of a god. Conversely, the novel also shows the protomolecule as a relentless force of death, killing its human hosts or taking apart the Arboghast on a molecular level.

The uses of the protomolecule become a metaphor for the uncontrollable nature of technological advances in general. Infected human hybrids develop the ability to regenerate limbs, a grotesque version of the genetic engineering Prax experiments with to create an optimally nutritious soybean that’s easy to grow and package. Prax’s many experimental failures reflect the protomolecule’s activity, which results in the deaths of human hosts, like Mei’s friend Katoa. Thus, the protomolecule, with its unknown origin and its potentially devastating purpose, stands for the power to transform other life forms, whether for good or ill.

Mei represents the highest value of a moral universe: an innocent child precious both to her parents and to humanity as a whole. Her youth makes her an embodiment of the hope of the success and happiness of future generations.