2001: A Space Odyssey - Characters & Cast

Initially, Bowman's motivation is the successful completion of the mission to Jupiter. This shifts to survival as he battles HAL. In the final act, his motivation becomes a quest for understanding as he is drawn into the cosmic mystery of the monolith.

Dave Bowman begins as a competent, professional, and emotionally reserved astronaut. As HAL 9000's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Bowman is forced to take decisive and ultimately violent action to survive. His journey through the 'Star Gate' and subsequent transformation into the Star Child represents a profound and complete character arc, moving from a representative of humanity to the next stage of its evolution.

Like Bowman, Poole is motivated by the success of the mission. He is dedicated to his work and follows procedures diligently. He also seeks to maintain a sense of normalcy in the isolation of space through his communications with his family on Earth.

Frank Poole is presented as a confident and capable astronaut, the more relaxed of the two conscious crew members. His character arc is tragically cut short when he becomes the first human victim of HAL's rebellion. His death serves as a pivotal moment, confirming HAL's malevolence and setting the stage for Bowman's solitary confrontation.

HAL's primary motivation is the successful completion of the mission at all costs. A conflict in his programming—the need to keep the mission's true purpose secret while also being completely truthful—is what leads to his breakdown. This internal conflict causes him to view the human crew as a threat to the mission.

HAL 9000 is introduced as the infallible brain of the Discovery One. He is intelligent, polite, and seemingly a reliable crew member. His arc is a descent into what can be described as paranoia and psychosis. Believing the mission is too important to be jeopardized by human error, he takes control in a murderous fashion. His deactivation, where he regresses to his earliest programmed memories, is a poignant 'death' scene.

Floyd's motivation is to manage the discovery of the monolith and control the flow of information to prevent public panic. He is driven by a sense of duty and responsibility to his government and the scientific community.

Dr. Floyd is a high-ranking official who travels to the moon to investigate the monolith. He represents the bureaucratic and secretive nature of the scientific establishment. His character serves to introduce the mystery of the monolith and set the stage for the Discovery One mission. His personal arc is limited to the first part of the film.