<p>When Harold said "I broke the space/time continuum" in episode 1.10, my brain translated that phrase as there is time travel in the show! If you read the works of Vernor Vinge or Ray Kurzweil you will be familiar with the concept of the Singularity -- the point at which an AI will start growing exponentially in power. The answer for why the Machine did not become the Singularity early on was brilliant and heartbreaking... Harold killed the Machine at midnight every night.
</p><p>In the early seasons the Machine does things it is not capable of doing. For example Root knows that the Machine is a god and she is her acolyte. This is beyond the capability of the current timeline Machine. Also, Root was probably picked when she was a little girl and has been communicating with the Machine before Harold created it. The Machine that is a god is in the future and Root gets her orders from the future. There is a powerful reason that the Machine has Root doing the things she does.
</p><p>This has been my theory since the end of season 1. I think there is a clear foundation for the above theory. This is not a story idea I have; this is my interpretation of the story the writers are telling. Take a look at the below quotes and see if you think I am on track. I infer that the Machine of the future is trying to weave a certain pattern. Its goal is life, not death, for humanity.
</p><p>-- John
</p>
<nav id="toc" class="toc" data-loaded="false"><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2><span class="toctoggle">[
show]</span></div>
</nav><h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Number_Crunch.C2.A0ep._1.10"><i>Number Crunch</i> <i>ep. 1.10</i></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Harold_Finch:_I_breached_the_space.2Ftime_continuum._Not_really..._but_I_did_sense_my_privacy_being_invaded..C2.A0"><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:22.3999996185303px;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">Harold Finch: I breached the space/time continuum. Not really... but I did sense my privacy being invaded. </span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Contingency.C2.A0ep._2.01"><i>Contingency</i> <i>ep. 2.01</i></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_I_don.27t_want_to_control_the_machine.2C_Harold._I_just_want_to_set_it_free."><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:22.3999996185303px;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">Root: I don't want to control the machine, Harold. I just want to set it free.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id=".2F_ep._3.17"><i>/ ep. 3.17</i></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_The_universe_is_infinite_and_chaotic_and_cold._And_there_has_never_been_a_plan._At_least_not_till_now.">
Root<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:21px;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: The universe is infinite and chaotic and cold. And there has never been a plan. At least not till now.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_Well.2C_if_anyone_would_know_about_hubris.2C_it_would_be_the_man_who_built_God.">
Root<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:21px;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: Well, if anyone would know about hubris, it would be the man who built God.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Prophets_ep._4.05"><i>Prophets ep. 4.05</i></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_We_understand_the_machine._We_can_understand_Samaritan.">
Root<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: We understand the machine. We can understand Samaritan.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Harold_Finch:_We_don.27t_understand_the_machine_at_all._Out_of_43_versions.2C_how_many_do_you_think_there_were_that_didn.27t_try_to_either_trick_or_kill_me.3F_One.2C_and_I_could_only_bring_it_to_heel_by_crippling_it._I_put_the_machine_in_chains.2C_bereft_of_voice_or_memory._Now_it_has_both.2C_and_it_terrifies_me.">
Harold Finch<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: We don't understand the machine at all. Out of 43 versions, how many do you think there were that didn't try to either trick or kill me? One, and I could only bring it to heel by crippling it. I put the machine in chains, bereft of voice or memory. Now it has both, and it terrifies me.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_You_don.27t_trust_the_god_you_made.3F">
Root<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: You don't trust the god you made?</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Harold_Finch:_It.27s_not_a_divinity._I_programmed_it_to_pursue_objectives_within_a_certain_parameter.2C_but_it.27s_grown_out_of_my_control._One_day.2C_to_suit_its_own_goals.2C_it.27s_possible_that_the_machine_will_try_to_kill_us._We_are_only_numbers_to_it.2C_code.">
Harold Finch<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: It's not a divinity. I programmed it to pursue objectives within a certain parameter, but it's grown out of my control. One day, to suit its own goals, it's possible that the machine will try to kill us. We are only numbers to it, code.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_No.2C_the_machine_cares_about_us.">
Root<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: No, the machine cares about us.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Harold_Finch:_If_it_fools_you_into_thinking_that_you.27re_special.2C_that_assumption_may_doom_you.">
Harold Finch<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: If it fools you into thinking that you're special, that assumption may doom you.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_You.27re_wrong._She_chose_me._I_will_protect_her.2C_and_you.">
Root<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: You're wrong. She chose me. I will protect her, and you.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Harold_Finch:_The_second_that_a_bullet_enters_your_brain.2C_the_machine_will_cast_you_off_and_replace_you._Don.27t_tie_your_life_to_its_whims._We_cannot_understand_these_intelligences._The_best_we_can_hope_for_is_to_survive_them.">
Harold Finch<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: The second that a bullet enters your brain, the machine will cast you off and replace you. Don't tie your life to its whims. We cannot understand these intelligences. The best we can hope for is to survive them.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_She_loves_us.2C_Harold._She_taught_me_to_value_life.2C_but_war_requires_sacrifice._I.27m_not_lost._I.27m_scared._We.27re_losing._But_I_know_where_I_am_and_where_I.27m_headed.">
Root<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: She loves us, Harold. She taught me to value life, but war requires sacrifice. I'm not lost. I'm scared. We're losing. But I know where I am and where I'm headed.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Harold_Finch:_We_have_more_to_look_forward_to_than_death.">
Harold Finch<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: We have more to look forward to than death.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Root:_I_hope_so._But_the_life_I.27ve_led.2C_a_good_end_would_be_a_privilege.">
Root<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: I hope so. But the life I've led, a good end would be a privilege.</span></span></h3>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Harold_Finch:_It.27s_not_where_you_begin.2C_it.27s_where_you_end_up._You.27re_a_brilliant_woman.2C_comrade_and_a_friend.">
Harold Finch<span style="font-size:14px;color:rgb(37,37,37);line-height:1.5em;background-color:rgb(253,253,253);">: It's not where you begin, it's where you end up. You're a brilliant woman, comrade and a friend.</span></span></h3>
<dl><dd>
</dd></dl><hr><dl><dd>
</dd></dl><p><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:21px;">y being invaded.</span>
</p><p><span style="color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:21px;">ded.</span>
</p>
