The Electric State: Is Ethan Skate Based on a Real Billionaire? Is Sentre a Real Tech Company?

Netflix’s ‘The Electric State‘ presents a dystopian tale of humans versus robots in an alternate reality that takes place during the 1990s. Under the direction of the Russo brothers, the film follows an orphaned teenager, Michelle, who runs into a robot inspired by a cartoon character, Kid Cosmo, propelling her on an adventure to locate her brother, Christopher. In her quest, she finds other allies ready to support her journey and ensure that Christopher is brought back safe and sound. However, on the opposite side of the coin, tech billionaire Ethan Skate has other plans in store for Michelle and her new robot friend, as his company, Sentre, holds dominion over the docile human population. As the narrative progresses, we learn more about Skate’s plans and the secrets underlying his organization’s foundation.

Ethan Skate: A Fictional Entrepreneur With Dubious Plans

Owing to his role as the main antagonist, Ethan Skate plays a prominent role in ‘The Electric State,’ offering opposition for Michelle and Kid Cosmo as they try to locate Christopher. He is a fictional billionaire created by the Russos and scriptwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. The film paints Skate as an uber-rich individual who has made his fortunes via cutting-edge technology meant to revolutionize human comfort. On the surface, the character resembles ultra-innovative tech moguls like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates. However, his products are notably more advanced and futuristic in their capabilities than any real-life billionaire’s works, doubling down on the fantasy aspects of the movie. Still, the character’s genesis may have been rooted in such figures to bring a grounded element to the narrative.

The more we learn about Skate across the story, the more it becomes evident that his plans of expanding human comfort have led to a decline in people’s engagement with one another and an over-reliance on the virtual world. This is somewhat akin to the effects of technology in real-life situations, as creations like social media and the internet have taken their toll on people’s mental health in many cases. To that end, Skate’s intentions may be rooted in a desire to better people’s lives, but the outcome of his work is adverse and damaging. It has also led to more animosity between humans and robots in the film’s context. Thus, the character touches upon a lot of societal themes in a generic and overtly obvious fashion. However, he is a fictional character for the most part.

Sentre is an Advanced Tech Company That Holds Sway Over Humanity

Like its founder, Sentre is a fictional company in ‘The Electric State’ brought to life by the directors and writers. The company is the most significant private entity in the movie, having branches across a raft of countries. While its sheer size and scale may seem exaggerated, there are some parallels between Sentre and companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook, among others, which can cross political divides in the name of commercial gain. However, they differ in their services, as Sentre’s Neurocaster tech is far too advanced to exist in reality. Although the specific value of the organization is unknown, the company is almost like a nation-state in its own right, given its partnership with the global world. It has attained a god-like status, allowing it to reign supreme as an independent power source. It is mainly a fictional organization.