the lore of ultrakill mindflayers is really interesting because like ,,,, being machines , they have to ability to construct themselves however they please , and with this power they built themselves a plastic shell that is meant to look like a feminine body . and they protect this shell until the very last moment , in which they’d rather self distruct than let something else harm it . it Very much is , at least to me , meant to be an allusion to both transfeminine themes AND transhumanist themes , putting the two hand by hand . given they’re machines , they’re gender and presentation is a blank slate , and they have the power to do whatever they want with it ….. its like ,, strangely inspiring JFMSMGM