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Unraveling the Shocking Finale of Prime Target: Secrets from the Creator Revealed!

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When Steve Thompson decided to pen a suspenseful novel centered on mathematics, memories of “The Code Book” by journalist Simon Singh resurfaced. This intricate book delved into numerous concepts about cryptography. However, as a previous student of mathematics, Thompson found himself captivated by a chapter discussing prime numbers – essential integers serving as the bedrock for all digital and data encoding. As he continued to read, a catastrophic scenario started to materialize in Thompson’s mind.

Thompson points out that if a new mathematician emerged tomorrow who could discern a pattern within prime numbers, they would have the ability to break every existing computer code.

The events described in that situation served as the foundation for Leo Woodall’s Apple TV+ series titled Prime Target. This gripping tale centers around Edward, a brilliant mathematician pursuing his post-graduate studies at Cambridge University, who uncovers an intricate global conspiracy aimed at stopping him from solving the prime number formula. As he partners with Taylah, a former NSA agent seeking to safeguard him, the story follows Edward as he delves into a web of mysterious deaths, pursues ancient relics, evades government monitoring, and meticulously writes equations that gradually expose global security vulnerabilities.

In the final episode of this week’s season, titled “The Key,” Edward encounters a dire situation that initially piqued Thompson’s interest. Not long after solving the main equation, Edward discovers that his professor from Cambridge, James Alderman (played by Stephen Rea), was the one who invented public key cryptography in the 1970s. What’s more, Alderman has been on a decades-long quest for a mathematician to break an impenetrable code he created initially for personal protection, but which now enables governments to conceal their most heinous crimes.

Eventually, Alderman reveals to Edward that it was him who orchestrated the Baghdad bombing (the pivotal event of the series), which helped Edward’s subsequent actions, and he now intends to exploit the key formula to ignite a revolution—disrupt major banks, penetrate missile defense systems—in an attempt to clear his name. However, this plan is cut short when Edward shoots and kills Alderman on school property, effectively stopping his revenge scheme, and then flees with Taylah, who has stored the key formula in her phone. Before the police can apprehend them, Edward takes her phone and makes a hasty escape to an adjoining field, accepting that he is now marked as a valuable fugitive forever.

Prior to the final episode, Thompson shared his thoughts about the intricate conclusion and his viewpoint that “mathematicians could potentially be the most perilous individuals on Earth” with TIME magazine.

It turns out that Professor Alderman was behind the Baghdad explosion, and he’s been trying to crack the twin prime conjecture he devised long ago. The question is: did he base his development of public key cryptography on someone else’s work?

Thompson: Alderman refers to a group of five or six mathematicians, notably two, from mid-1970s America, who were developing the concept of public key cryptography. This is an intriguing idea they pioneered. Before this, if you wanted to encrypt something, you needed a secret key, used to lock and then share with another person who would unlock it. However, the key itself was considered risky because whoever obtained it could potentially decipher the message. This vulnerability was evident during World War II with the Enigma machine. Public key cryptography introduced the concept of having two keys – one for locking and one for unlocking. The advantage is that you don’t need to share the key, reducing the chance of losing or misplacing it.

In other words, although they were clever when designing the lock, they acknowledged that eventually someone more intelligent would come along to open it efficiently.

Absolutely, they developed an algorithm which is simple to locate but challenging to decipher – that’s the catch. It’s an ingenious idea and a remarkable piece of mathematics. In the show, Alderman grapples with a crisis of belief, doesn’t he? Now, he’s determined to annihilate this very concept. Remarkably, several members of that team experienced similar dilemmas. They were free-spirited individuals, almost countercultural, deeply concerned about government overreach and privacy invasion. They devised public key cryptography as a means to safeguard secrets from the government. Ironically, it was co-opted by the government, used to conceal their own sensitive information – intelligence files, defense data, everything at the Pentagon. One of them struggled with guilt over this turn of events and expressed a desire to see it dismantled. Essentially, that’s what Alderman is advocating.

As a passionate movie buff contemplating the character Alderman, it seems he’s subtly positioning himself as a cyber revolutionary in the name of advancement. I can’t help but wonder if there’s an alternative path to resolution, or is this storyline strictly about the ultimate showdown?

From my perspective as an avid tech enthusiast, it’s staggering how deeply ingrained public cryptography has become in our daily lives. It’s the silent guardian of our interactions, whether we’re exchanging messages or making online transactions. We’re utilizing this complex system right now in our conversation, and trying to tamper with it, manipulate it, or transfer it is almost an insurmountable task. His contention is that we’re left with no other choice but to use a brute force approach. The reason being, society has come to rely so heavily on this one method of communication and security that it’s like putting all our eggs in one basket. This digital realm is not just a part of our world; it’s the entirety of it. If, hypothetically speaking, every missile defense system were to fail tomorrow and every bank were to go bankrupt, the ensuing chaos would be unprecedented.

In discussing matters with Alderman, Edward recognizes that finding a solution to the equation could become his lasting achievement, labeling him as a “ruiner of worlds.” Isn’t it a concern that haunts every mathematician about their work?

It’s remarkably perceptive since most math is created without considering practical applications. Mathematicians can be categorized into two groups: pure and applied. Applied mathematicians focus on physics and the real world, like understanding how planes fly or constructing buildings. On the other hand, pure mathematicians (such as myself) don’t care about the real world. Instead, they enjoy creating complex patterns with numbers and symbols on a page, often producing theories that are so abstract they may never impact anyone or the world, or influence whether planes arrive on time or trains run smoothly.

At times, someone develops a mathematical concept that we later discover has practical applications, such as Chaos Theory, which has been found to impact things like disease spread within the human body and organism growth. This theory proved beneficial for humanity by aiding in medical science studies. The potential downside is that it can be created in isolation, just like Edward does.

Could it be that Edward felt compelled to eliminate Alderman, perhaps as a means of halting the vicious cycle and sparing other mathematicians like himself from meeting a similar fate?

The underlying theme of the series seems to be that ideas can be perilous, and once they’re conceived, they become indelible, residing permanently within one’s thoughts. This is the predicament Edward finds himself in, as he has developed a groundbreaking theorem which, once grasped, cannot be expunged from one’s mind. Tragically, this is why both Safiya and Robert perished – they too had comprehended the theorem and were unable to eliminate it from their minds. Realizing the grave danger Alderman poses, as he will relentlessly pursue anyone capable of understanding the mathematics, Edward understands he must thwart him. Moreover, Edward recognizes that his very existence puts him in perpetual peril, as he will forever be hunted due to the theorem residing within his mind.

Are you implying that Edward could easily recall and rewrite all those equations on the whiteboard, even if he were to misplace Taylor’s phone?

In mathematics, we constantly aim for simplicity. If you can express something in a few words, don’t use many. This is the opposite of literature where the focus is on being expressive and introspective. In math, it’s all about efficiency. The Pythagorean theorem is a great example as it is concise yet universally understood. Leo Woodall, who isn’t a mathematician, managed to grasp these complex concepts, recall them, and display them on the wall. His ability to do this was truly remarkable.

So he wrote out everything? 

Isn’t it amazing? A whole team of mathematicians from Royal Holloway University in Egham, London were coaching and guiding him through his work. He would rise day after day and meticulously write down what he was told. It feels like studying for an exam, only to forget everything the next day – something we’ve all experienced. I doubt if you asked him now, he could recall exactly what he wrote. Watching him work was fascinating because it seemed so genuine and convincing.

Let’s momentarily discuss the scenario where Taylah and Jane encounter each other in the field. Could it be that Jane attempted to disarm or tackle Taylah to seize the prime finder, then make a hasty retreat to the NSA with it? Would this action have resolved anything, or is it irrelevant if Edward can still recall the equation?

Once unleashed, it’s impossible to restrain or confine it – much like an idea is compared to a virus in Chris Nolan’s film Inception. You just can’t squeeze the toothpaste back into the tube once it’s been let out. That’s the predicament we find ourselves in now; it has escaped and is out there for all to see.

Was it hard for Taylah to break off her relationship with Jane, given that Jane had given her a second chance at life?

Taylah’s vulnerability lies in her close relationship with her godmother, who is also her boss at the NSA. This relationship has saved her before, but it could also be used against her within the realm of intelligence work. Jane, on the other hand, will never harm Taylah, which is why Taylah survives and makes it to the end of the show. However, this situation presents a critical juncture for Taylah. It seems that the events unfolding are beyond both characters’ control. The underlying theme suggests that romantic ties between individuals in an intelligence service can complicate matters significantly, leading to confusion and potential danger.

At this point, will Edward always be a fugitive, or is there a way for him to end the pursuit? 

If he indeed turns out to be the world’s most dangerous hacker, it’s likely that immediate actions would be taken by governments and large corporations alike. Their initial response would be to develop an alternative solution, as public key cryptography might no longer provide adequate security. This new solution would be the product of their in-house research teams, collaborating with other mathematicians who would then find themselves in high demand due to their unique skills. In essence, they would become extremely valuable, much like those who invent weapons or defense systems. The analogy here is that if someone invents a weapon (the hack), there must also be someone who invents a countermeasure (a new cryptography system) to neutralize it and provide protection against such threats.

Is there something more complex than the twin prime conjecture? 

It’s possible to ponder the subject. There’s this mysterious entity known as quantum computing that people have been discussing. If developed, it could swiftly find prime numbers and thus potentially crack every code currently in use. A former math tutor of mine, whom I still communicate with, has expressed doubts about its existence, likening it to a myth. Despite ongoing discussions, it may still be two decades away. However, there’s always the anticipation that one day, prime numbers might collapse. We’re merely preparing for that eventuality.

Could it be possible that a city similar to ancient Baghdad remains undiscovered, which, when found, could provide evidence supporting another theory like the one we are considering now?

The Baghdad site you mentioned is intriguing because it’s where algebra originated, and the Arab mathematicians who worked in Bayt al-Hikmah are largely responsible for the mathematics we use today. Algebra, which means “reunion of the broken,” is an Arab phrase that symbolizes a hidden treasure, much like an Indiana Jones adventure. Unfortunately, it’s believed that Bayt al-Hikmah was destroyed when Baghdad was sacked a millennium ago, making its discovery more of a dream than a reality for me, but still an entertaining one.

I suppose it’s fair to say that writing this whole series was about as cathartic as it gets.

For the very first time in my writing journey, an opportunity presented itself for me to explore the lesser-known aspects of my life, injecting a dose of excitement and delving into imaginative mathematical escapades. It was an immensely therapeutic experience.

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2025-03-05 12:06

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