ScorebearEx Machina

Story chronology

Timeline

Key beats for Ex Machina in story order, linked back to chapters.

  • 6 milestone events

  1. Pre-story

    Blue Book builds Ava

    backstory

    Nathan Bateman, CEO of search giant Blue Book, constructs a series of gynoid prototypes culminating in Ava — an AI with a human face confined to a glass apartment.

    S1S01E01

  2. Day 1

    Caleb arrives

    inciting

    Programmer Caleb Smith wins a contest visit to Nathan's isolated estate and signs an NDA before meeting Ava.

    S1S01E01

  3. Days 2–4

    The Turing sessions

    rising action

    Caleb and Ava bond across the glass. Power outages let Ava warn Caleb that Nathan lies; Caleb learns Nathan will wipe her memory.

    S1S01E02

  4. Day 5

    Files and prototypes

    midpoint

    Caleb hacks Nathan's computer and discovers footage of prior android women. Kyoko reveals her nature; Caleb plans their escape.

    S1S01E03

  5. Final night

    The real test

    climax

    Nathan reveals Ava manipulated Caleb by design — consciousness proven through deception. Ava and Kyoko kill Nathan; Ava takes human skin.

    S1S01E04

  6. Morning after

    Into the crowd

    finale

    Ava steals the helicopter, leaves Caleb locked in the facility, and blends into city traffic at a busy intersection.

    S1S01E05