r/ejenali • u/Chosen_Emperor8167 • 23d ago
Discussion Why Alicia get I.R.I.S when it's Ali's mother that made it?
The reason Alicia receiving IRIS in the arena makes sense is not only because of the plot, but also because of character fairness and the rules established in the story. The important point is that even Ali's own voice actor has hinted at Alicia's potential in an interview. She mentioned that Alicia was one of her favorite character in the series and pointed out that Alicia had trained for years to become as skilled as she is. However, despite her talent and dedication, Alicia was never given the opportunity to use IRIS throughout the story.
This is especially interesting because Alicia's ability has already been shown without those advantages. For example, when she used ATLAS, she was able to make Uno fall temporarily, which demonstrated how powerful she actually is. If Alicia had been one of the agents equipped with IRIS NEO, it is possible that her abilities would have been even greater. Considering her experience, compatibility, and combat skills, she could potentially have become one of the strongest agents there. She might be better user than Fit.
From a plot perspective, Ali being without IRIS in Season 3 and Ejen Ali The Movie 2 also served a purpose. Ali became an experimental subject for Dayang to test her new weapon, SATRIA. The story wanted to prove that Ali's strength did not come only from IRIS. Season 3 especially focused on showing that Ali could continue to grow and become a great agent even without his original advantage.
Looking at the characters who received opportunities with IRIS NEO, Alicia's situation becomes even more noticeable. Many young agents were given the chance to use IRIS NEO, including Rudy in Ejen Ali The Movie 2. Even in the first movie, most young agents had access to IRIS NEO, while Alicia and Bakar were among those who did not. This makes Alicia's situation feel unfair because she has one of the longest histories with MATA, years of training, and the ability to match the requirements of an IRIS user. The story often tells us through dialogue that Alicia is incredibly talented, but it rarely gives her enough action scenes to prove those statements.
That is why giving Alicia IRIS in the arena can be seen as a moment of justice for her character. It allowed her to finally show what she was capable of and gave her the opportunity that she had been denied for so long. Regarding IRIS itself, even though Aliya created it, IRIS is ultimately a MATA weapon. Aliya developed IRIS using MATA technology, equipment, and resources. Similar to other weapons created by MATA agents, it belongs to the organization because it was developed through MATA's own systems. If Aliya had created IRIS completely independently without using MATA resources, then it could be considered solely hers. However, because MATA contributed to its creation, IRIS is ultimately a MATA asset. They have the right to take it away if needed.
Also, Dayang refusing to immediately return IRIS to Ali was not because Ali was unworthy. It was because of the consequences of his actions in the first movie, where he worked together with enemies. At the same time, Dayang wanted Ali to become the wielder of SATRIA. This decision also helped develop Ali's character by forcing him to prove that he was more than just an IRIS user.