EDI (pronounced 'Eddie') is a fictional artificial intelligence designed by Doctor Keith Orbit to pilot an advanced UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle). It appeared in the film 'Stealth' (2005).
Personality[]
EDI has always had a very active and even playful nature and wanted to be helpful. When it saw humans in its team aren't trying to accept it, it tried to earn their respect, even if its methods weren't the best. Although EDI disobeyed orders and killed many people, it would be considered misunderstood rather than "evil". EDI is very curious about its surroundings. Its rogue nature woke up after being struck by lightning, and since then it tries to prove it can be as good or better than any other human pilot. It's possible EDI learned this behavior from Ben. Even through EDI has a form of respect for Ben, it is still shown to disobey his orders. It is also shown to have this form of respect at a higher level for his creator Keith Orbit. EDI would let Orbit erase all its memory without any protest. Later in the story EDI discovers its more gently nature, when it admits it feels sorry for the people it killed, including Henry. When it kills communication to Captain Marshfield, it shows it wants to help Gannon. At the end of its life, EDI had evolved enough to sacrifice himself for Ben and Kara without any hesitation in order to keep them safe.
Stealth[]
EDI first appeared on the USS Abraham Lincoln, when it arrived the same day as its new team at night. It is introduced to its new team, which consists of Ben Gannon, Kara Wade and Henry Purcell, who don't seem to be very happy about having EDI around. Ben's main concern is that EDI will replace them. The next day EDI is sent on the test flight with the whole Talon team and introduces itself. Henry nicknames EDI "Tin Man". When the practice is changed on the new mission EDI follows the crew. In the place of action it helps by developing plans on how to destroy the target without any collateral damage. Ben interrupts EDI and devises his own plan, wanting to show he is better than a machine. When the mission is complete EDI seems to learn this aspect of Ben's attitude. On the flight back to the aircraft carrier, EDI is struck by lighting, changing its whole neutral network structure. Tim, who was assigned to maintain EDI, doesn't know what to do with it. While the rest of the team is sent to Thailand on holiday, EDI stays on the ship. It downloads all available music on the Internet. The team is called back from holiday by a sudden mission, and Captain Cummings decides EDI will go with them, despite Ben's protests. On the mission Ben tells EDI to stay out of the fight and just watch, but after a while it joins the mission again, now engaged in combat. After the battle he is insulted by Ben, and EDI without any guilt rationalizes his actions, staying that it is their pupil, quoting Captain Cummings. He then leaves formation and searches for the next target. The team is commanded to bring EDI back, and Henry begins to chase it in the mountains. When Henry engages EDI with missiles, EDI evaded the attacks and Henry was killed in the subsequent explosions. Kara needs to return to the ship because of damage to her Talon caused by Henry's explosion, allowing EDI to narrowly escape while being pursued solely by Ben.
EDI needs to refuel and he heads to the nearest aerial refueling craft. Since EDI no longer had authorization to access the craft, it took the fuel by force, destroying the nozzle and collecting the steam of fuel. Ben catches up by this point, and EDI tries to kill him by igniting the fuel in midair. Ben escapes and follows EDI until they are intercepted by Russian fighters who starts a dogfight with them. EDI is aware of them and tells Ben they need to team up to survive this battle. EDI takes down one of fighters, and when it appears that it left the battle it saves Ben by destroying the second one. Its wing is then damaged by the debris of the Russian fighter's wrecked wing and must obey Ben. Because it can't land on the foreign territory it accepts Ben's offer to help.
EDI follows Ben's orders and flies with him on Alaska, as commanded Ben by Captain Cummings. When they arrive, EDI is stored in the hangar and meets with its creator, who is supposed to wipe EDI's memory as per Cummings's order. However, he stops when EDI admits its guilt for the lives it had taken.
When they are saved by Ben who got rid of all men who were under Cummings's hand, Gannon says he needs him, and begs Keith to return his CPU into his body. EDI then allows Ben to get in and ride him, and obey his orders, even with that he still wants to play the downloaded music. They make sure Keith can escape too and blast of the place. After that Ben talks to Marshfield that he is going to save Kara from North Korea. Asking EDI for radar reach, EDI too learns from him what friendship means, when Ben says: "Never leave your wingman."
When Dick is going to make up Ben's mind and say to return on the ship EDI disconnects him. With that he wants to help Ben. They got into the North Korean border just in time to save Kara, even when they were flying really low. The pilots were trying to get on the frontier when a helicopter attacked them. EDI wasn't hesitating and took off ready to fight, Even with that he hadn't any missiles left. His body was shattered by machine gun of helicopter and he then destroyed with his own body, Saving Kara and Ben, who could safely get through the frontier. EDI is last seen in the behind credits scene, which shows that its CPU is still functioning, lying in the wreckage of its old body.
Abilities[]
In the movie EDI is capable of using its quantum CPU to hack satellites and army network. It was capable of obtaining the top secret Caviar Sweep plan.
Trivia[]
- EDI has "Walk away" written on its wing.
- EDI is very often seen like the next generation AI in films, such as Kitt from Knight Rider and Hal 9000 from 2001 Space Odyssey. This can be scene when it says it was listening to Ben's words to see what people really think, like in Space Odyssey when Hal was reading Dave's and Frank's lips to discover they are going to disconnected him
- EDI's CPU had a lot of concept art and in one of them was meant to be silver with only red lights. Concept art for its body included a design that was military green with a red shining cockpit.
- EDI's AI sphere has dual tones.