Mia & Ed is the best new ship ‘Humans’ Season 2 has to offer

After Monday’s (March 6) episode, we’re ready to make a bold prediction: The bond between Mia (Gemma Chan) and Ed (Sam Palladio) may be the best relationship “Humans” has to offer.

One of the driving forces for Season 2 is exploring the variety of relationships to be had between humans and synths — and of the examples the show has presented, it’s the evolving bond between Mia and Ed that touches us the most. It’s already been established that Mia’s curiosity about humankind is quite powerful — leading her to break with Leo’s (Colin Morgan) team with the motivation of living a life, fulfilled. Combine that with Ed’s discovery of her conscious mind, and the results are emotionally explosive.

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We’re pretty sure this is a first for Ed. And while Mia had a romantic interlude with Joe (Tom Goodman-Hill) in Season 1, it seems this time around there is no dysfunction behind the new couple’s growing love. Her drive to help Ed succeed — both in business and with his ailing mother — makes it impossible not to root for this unique couple.

…But it wouldn’t be “Humans” without a buzzkill twist in the mix. The political implications of robot consciousness and their growing fight for societal equality don’t just put roadblocks between them — this schism puts Ed and Mia in real danger.

Their relationship is just one example of many: Niska (Emily Berrington) and Astrid’s (Bella Dayne) complex situation resides somewhere between a fling and a full-fledged relationship; Toby’s (Theo Stevenson) growing infatuation with synth student Renie (Letitia Right) brings to mind the harmless innocence of a high school crush. And of course, Mattie (Lucy Carless) and Odi’s (Will Tudor) bond acts as a budding friendship, guiding Dr. Millican’s (William Hurt) former bot through the heart-wrenching reality of his situation — and the grief that follows.

The relationships we’re looking at, and the cultural symbiosis they represent, may be pointing toward Season 2’s endgame: Consciousness transference. It’s a concept Milo (Marshall Allman) presents to Dr. Morrow (Carrie-Anne Moss), and one we feel certain we’ll see bridge the gap between man and man-made before all is said and done.

Milo may have been on the verge of firing Athena, but he knows he needs her, to accomplish this next big task. Plus, now that “V” — the secret consciousness she’s been hiding in her computer — has been discovered by Khoury, they have a mutual understanding: Morrow’s desire to find a vessel for V adds personal stakes to the project — which Milo is sure to exploit.

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If consciousness transference becomes a reality, it won’t be possible to define where synth ends and humanity begins — a premise inherent in Season 1, alongside the infant fight for equality — and ultimately, it may be the only way for humanity to find peace with the beings it’s created.

Love, in all its human beauty, can be messy and raw. Imagine its intensity through the eyes of a synth, newborn to the wondrous world around it and ill-equipped to deal with nuance, chaos or sudden changes.

While the show is taking the necessary steps toward helping couples like Ed and Mia find their way — where they can publicly hold hands without judgment — the journey will be a rocky one. It’s in that struggle and discovery, however, where hope is born. And it’s hopefully where Ed and Mia — along with the rest of the couples we referenced above — will persevere, eventually finding their way.

“Humans” airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on AMC.

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