Becca Franco

Becca (Bekka Pramheda in Trigedasleng) was a recurring character in the third and fourth seasons. She is portrayed by Erica Cerra, who also portrayed A.L.I.E., and debuted in Wanheda (Part 1).

Becca was a scientist and owner of Polaris, responsible for creating A.L.I.E. in the year 2051. Later she became the sole survivor of Polaris and descended to Earth to become the first Commander.

The Commanders that come after her are also referred to as "Heirs of Bekka Pramheda" which indicates that she died. Moreover, it has been confirmed that there can only be a new Commander when the current has died.

Early Life
Not much is known about Becca's early life but at some point, she and Chris began working on the A.I. known as A.L.I.E.. At 26, she found a pathway to access a human mind. That same year, she had to lock up A.L.I.E. because her answer for what was wrong with the world was too many people. She was 27, aboard Polaris, trying to perfect A.L.I.E. 2.0, when A.L.I.E. caused the nuclear apocalypse.

Throughout the Series

 * -| Season Three =

In Wanheda (Part 1), Murphy is watching some old videos while stuck in the lighthouse bunker. In one of those videos, from 2051, Chris brings Becca to meet A.L.I.E., who'd chosen her avatar to be the likeness of Becca, her creator. Becca proceeds to question A.L.I.E., learning that A.L.I.E. believes that root problem is "too many people".

In Bitter Harvest, A.L.I.E. mentions that Becca went up to space to work on version two of her AI code. Becca believed "she needed a more secure work environment", removed from A.L.I.E, her first AI.

In Thirteen, Becca appears in a series of flashbacks from 2052 and 2054. In 2052, Becca is working in her lab on Polaris. She and her assistant, Peri Gordon, are working on her second AI, a chip with tentacle-like appendages, but it continues to malfunction. She then gets an emergency call from Chris, informing her that A.L.I.E. got loose and is hacking nuclear launch codes. He informs her that the poison pill virus that was suppose to kill A.L.I.E. failed and Becca tells him to take shelter in the lighthouse bunker. She then watches with Peri and Commander Cole McAdams as nuclear missiles fly across the planet.

Two years later, Becca is seen injecting herself with a black fluid. In her briefcase, it is seen that there are many more vials of the black fluid. Then McAdams walks in to confront Becca on her research after learning from Peri that it was Becca's artificial intelligence program that caused the nuclear apocalypse. The commander is preparing to dock with the other twelve stations to create the Ark, but he fears the AI will infect all 12 stations if it remains on board. Becca pleads that the AI will save them on the Ark and can help human scientists giving them calculations to ensure their survival. However, the Commander is not convinced and goes with Peri to find something to float the research in. Becca locks herself in the lab and inserts the AI chip into her neck. She then takes an escape pod. She lands on Earth, but her suit is breached and the radiation levels spike. However, she was able to take off her helmet and breathe safely. She then sees humans approaching in the distance, wearing hazmat suits, and tells them that she is here to help.

In 2150, Murphy analyzes an old escape pod and Grounder cave paintings. From them, he theorizes, that the First Commander came from Polaris. Combined with the fact that A.L.I.E.'s pills have the same symbol as the Commanders, he realizes the AI is somehow related.

In Perverse Instantiation (Part 2), Becca is the one that sends a sign to Clarke for her to follow all the way to the kill switch when she enters the City of Light. Lexa thanks Becca out loud when she sees a little girl on a bicycle with the sacred symbol on her back, the sign they must follow.

When Clarke reaches the kill switch, she meets Becca who is there to assist her. Becca explains that A.L.I.E. 2.0 has merged with Clarke’s mind and only the mind that’s in control can operate the kill switch. But before Clarke can get her hands on the switch, A.L.I.E. appears and tells Clarke that she will be killing everyone if she pulls the lever. Becca intervenes by telling Clarke that A.L.I.E. is stalling so that the update can be completed and as soon as it happens, A.L.I.E. will delete the kill switch. Becca then asks A.L.I.E. the definition of “preserve instantiation”. Becca realizes that she never taught A.L.I.E. that the goal isn’t everything and that how you reach the goal matters also. She apologizes to A.L.I.E. As Clarke hesitates to pull the kill switch, Becca tells her that it’s now or never and that once A.L.I.E. is upgraded, she won’t be able to help her anymore. When Clarke asks A.L.I.E. to let the people decide whether they want to stay in the City of Light or not, Becca answers that A.L.I.E. cannot do that because her core command is to make life better for mankind and that she still thinks she’s doing that. Becca’s last words of encouragement to Clarke are: “Yes, Clarke. There’s still hope.” A.L.I.E. replies that there is not and says to Clarke that she can ease everyone's pain and save the human race together, but Clarke says to A.L.I.E. that: "You don't ease pain, you overcome it." She then turns to Becca and says "And we will." Becca and Clarke both smile, as Clarke pulls the kill switch and destroys A.L.I.E., ending her once and for all.

Physical Appearance
Becca is slender with a tan complextion and black hair.

Notes and Trivia

 * Becca was 26 years old when she found a pathway to the human mind and 27 when the Earth was destroyed.
 * The infinity sign is the corporate logo of Becca's company that created both A.L.I.E. and A.L.I.E. 2.0.
 * The avatar adopted by A.L.I.E. was made in the image of its creator.
 * Becca's genetic treatment turned the blood black and was the genesis of the Nightblood.
 * She was the first Nightblood and commander.
 * The code in Becca's journal is in the programming language Julia, according to two of Julia's co-founders.
 * At some point, Becca conducted research with a radiation chamber in an effort to find a cure for cancer.

Quotes

 * A.L.I.E.: "As you know, I didn't think I needed an avatar; you did. Why not my creator?"
 * Becca: "Please state your core command."
 * A.L.I.E.: "My core command is to make life better."
 * Becca: "How would you do that?"
 * A.L.I.E.: "By fixing the root problem."
 * Becca: "What is the root problem, A.L.I.E.?"
 * A.L.I.E.: "Too many people."
 * -- on a 2051 video in Wanheda (Part 1)


 * Becca: Define "perverse instantiation."


 * A.L.I.E.: Perverse instantiation... the implementation of a benign final goal through deleterious methods unforeseen by a human programmer.


 * Becca: Like killing 6.5 billion people to solve overpopulation. The goal isn't everything, A.L.I.E. How you reach the goal matters, too. I'm sorry that I didn't teach you that.
 * -- Perverse Instantiation (Part 2)

Killed Victims

 * Most of the human population (unintentionally and indirectly)
 * Crew of the Polaris (indirectly)
 * Peri Gordon
 * Cole McAdams