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The Sun is a central
character in Sunshine. Few could face the raw intensity of a
star and not question their place in the universe. It is a
terrifyingly powerful thing. It gives life, and it takes it
away, but it is not cruel. It is what it is, and without it we
would not be here. It has been known by as many names as there
are peoples in the world, including Amun-Ra, Horus, Apollo,
Helios, Lugh, and Amaterasu. It
is the living face of "God" and the attitudes the crew
members develop towards it span the full spectrum of human
relations with the divine.
These range from
Searle and Kaneda's reverent worship in the Observation Room, to
Capa's thirst for knowledge, to Harvey's fear, to Mace's
apparent ambivalence... and to Pinbacker's zealous fanaticism.
He believes it is God's will for the Sun to die, and it is
blasphemous to challenge God's will. In other words, he presumes
to know God's plan for humanity, and seeks to force it on
everyone else. But is it mere coincidence that the Sun is dying
just as humans have discovered the means to save it? Is this not
a sign that God wants it to be saved? Ignoring this interpretation
is perhaps Pinbacker's biggest folly. He is the one playing God,
as opposed to letting God itself prove human science futile.
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