Grafted

The story begins in China, where Wei's father runs a medical research lab. Years later Wei relocates to New Zealand to live with a distant aunt while continuing her father's work as a college student. The modern urban backdrop—labs, campuses, and the subway—frames Wei's ascent toward discovering the serum while facing social and personal dangers.

🧬 Identity

Wei's grafting and identity manipulation force a meditation on what makes someone truly themselves. The act of removing and replacing a face literalizes the social masks people wear to belong or hide. As Wei shifts from Wei to Angie to Eve's identity, the boundaries between victim and perpetrator blur. The theme asks how much power a body holds over a person’s fate when appearances are weaponized.

🧪 Science & Ethics

Parent's serum experiment crosses ethical lines; The notes incomplete; The theft by Paul demonstrates exploitation and manipulation of science for financial gain. Wei's improvisation with corpse flowers saving the project reveals risk-taking bound by desperation. The consequences—murders, identity theft, and professional ruin—highlight the moral hazards of unchecked ambition.

🕯️ Isolation & Belonging

Wei experiences isolation through Angie and her clique; The only genuine comfort is John, the homeless man; John's presence anchors her despite his marginalized status. The eventual impersonation underscores a desperate search for belonging, even if achieved through deception. The ending, with Wei merged with a decaying corpse, presents a bleak commentary on what remains of human connection under extreme circumstances.