Neuromancer Conclusion

The conclusion to Gibson’s Neuromancer answered questions that had remained unknown throughout most of the text, but at the same created new ambiguity.

Towards the end of the novel we meet the mysterious AI which Case had longed to know more about throughout the text. The AI, which had not appeared prior in the text, presents himself for the first time when he tricked Case into jacking in into a dark place, a beach with no end; a beach where Neuromancer, the newly revealed AI, had put Linda Lee. Neuromancer gave himself the image of a young boy, and described himself to be the counterpart of Wintermute. The reader could sense the end of the novel because when Case saw Linda Lee on the beach he was not filled with emotions, instead he commented that he would not fall for Neuromancer’s trick, that the scene could not be real. By doing so, Case was able to override Neuromancer’s last attempt to over power Case.

Molly and Case were able to fulfill their mission and retrieve the information necessary from 3Jane. The toxin sacs implanted within Case became loose and, with a future blood change performed by the Zionites, would no longer present a problem. Ironically, Riviera himself became paralyzed and defeated due to poison.

In the final few pages ambiguities that remain deal with Molly and the matrix. When Case walked into his hotel room in the final scene Molly had left a note and was gone. After that no more was ever said by Molly and “He never saw Molly again,” which creates a mystery of what happened to her and where she went(261). Also, when Case is present in the room, he sees “The Finn’s face on the room’s enormous Cray wall screen” (259). The image mentions that he is no longer Wintermute, but the matrix, and he mentions that he has found others of his kind. This creates a question of what will happen in the future within the matrix and who exits within it. Yet, Case decides to show no further interest in the matrix.

In the end, Case begins another life, but one night he visualizes something out of the normal. The images of Riviera, Linda Lee, and himself, are presented to him as he walks; no explanation given, then the story ends.

Neuromancer Framework

Periodically throughout the text, romance between Molly and Case arises. The romance is not always direct, sometimes it is simply just phrases that either Case comments regarding Molly, or Molly comments regarding Case, that show that there is a physical attraction between the two. For example, the two sleep on the same bed. The beginning portion of part two describes a situation in which both Molly in Case were sleeping in the same bed. “Opening his eyes, he saw Molly, naked and just out of reach across an expanse of very new pink temperfoam” (44). Case appears to respect Molly and slowly he grows fond of her, whether it may be in a romantic or business matter. “He knew the way she’d move against him, earlier, when she woke, their mutual grunt of unity when he’d entered her, and that she liked her coffee black...There were dark circles under her eyes, but even with the cast on, it was like watching a dance. No wasted motion” (55, 82). He grows to learn her wants and is pleased by her appearance.

Along with romance goes the idea of physical attraction, or sexuality. Molly is regarded as a fit, attractive, intelligent woman that could should not be underestimated. She is capable of defending herself well against who ever it may be, and men are no exception. When Terzibashjian says, “In Turkey, women are still women. This one...,” Finn quickly quiets him and responds with, “She’d have you wearing your balls for a bow tie if you looked at her cross-eyed,” which describes Molly.