Trust Doesn't Rust
Trust Doesn't Rust
Original Air Date: 11-19-1982
This is, of course, one of the episodes of the Knight Rider run, and definitely the highlight of the first season. There are many reasons why fans like it, and I'm not going to try to make generalizations on that topic. I know why I like it, and I'm going to stick with that.
Our episode opens on the site of the future Knight Museum of Technology.
showcasing cars that you, peasant, will never be able to own
Two ne'er-do-wells are lurking around the bushes. This is Tony (on the right) and a fellow whose name we never learn (on the left). Tony calls him "the Rev," undoubtedly short for Reverend, and referring to what appears to be a sporadic mental illness that manifests as occasional fits of religious fervor. When not (mis)quoting the Bible, the Rev is Tony's partner in crime.
about to bite off more than they can chew
Tony thinks that the warehouse that is about to become the Knight Museum will have valuable stuff in it. The Rev thinks that all the good stuff was probably cleaned out when Wilton Knight died. Tony, however, notes that there is a guard on the building, and that means there must be something to guard. Despite the Rev's misgivings, they sneak around the guard and break into the building.
Meanwhile, Michael and KITT are on their way to the future museum, which turns out to be a site Michael calls "the old laboratory." KITT is exasperated; it's 2:32 AM and he'd like to recharge his power packs. Their job is to "secure" the site so that the city can take possession of it in the morning, which could have been done at a reasonable hour if Michael had not insisted on visiting "that Rosalie woman." Michael corrects KITT - her name was Roselyn. Rosalie is the other one who lives down by the beach.
KITT then asks, in a somewhat chiding tone, why Michael insists on associating with so many different women. Wouldn't one be enough? Michael tries to explain it, but KITT does not understand the concept of "companionship," as he is unique.
Michael thinks that KITT's loneliness is funny, the jerk
Back at the site, Tony is busy flipping switches, looking for the lights, as the Rev watches nervously. He does find the lights, but in the process also flips a switch that he shouldn't have.
OSHA would not look kindly on this
They then approach Lab 3, which also has a sign on the door that there is danger inside. The Rev notices this, but Tony dismisses his concerns; it's just an attempt to scare people away. Tony breaks the lock and they enter what appears at first to be a huge empty space. Then something ominous lights up at the back.
we already know where KITT is, so this can't be him
It starts to approach them and, frightened, they turn to leave but the doors close behind them, trapping them inside the room with it. The sound effects make it clear that this is another car, and it terrifies them.
Michael and KITT pull up outside the building. Michael gets out and looks for the guard but doesn't find him, and then notices the open door. He goes to investigate and tells KITT to come along, but KITT is reluctant; he is picking up something that he describes as "sensor echoes of my own telemetry." He tries to warn Michael that he has a bad feeling about this, but Michael dismisses his foreboding on the grounds that he doesn't have feelings.
that was really harsh - see how sad KITT looks?
Telling KITT to stay outside (to which KITT is very hip) Michael goes in to investigate alone. Before long he finds the guard unconscious on the ground in front of the door to Lab 3. He moves to assist, and the guard mumbles something about Lab 3, the door to which opens moments later, revealing a car that looks like KITT.
The car quickly makes its escape, almost running over Michael and the guard in the process. It opens the warehouse door and zooms right past KITT. Michael runs out, carrying the guard, and tells KITT they have to get the guy to the hospital. KITT is very shaken by having seen a car that looked like his twin, but Michael assures him that they are not twins, since that other car almost killed him.
Later, in the Foundation mansion, Michael wants some answers: why there is another car and why he wasn't told about it.
that was on a need-to-know basis and you didn't need to know
Devon and Bonnie explain. The other car is KARR, the Knight Automated Roving Robot, and he was activated six months prior to Michael's near-fatal encounter with Tanya in the desert. He was the prototype, and instead of KITT's subordination programming, to be protective and servile, KARR was programmed for self-preservation.
it wasn't my idea
Bonnie wisely washes her hands of it - it was before her time - leaving Devon to defend himself alone. Apparently Wilton's company was teetering due to Tanya's actions at the time, they were trying to save Michael's life, and Devon was trying to build a safer car, so they just put KARR in storage. Devon assumed that Wilton had KARR dismantled, but didn't bother to verify. I reckon he was just SO BUSY or something.
Michael doesn't get why the programming difference is so important, so Bonnie and Devon explain it to him in small words. KARR is self-centered and lacks anything resembling a conscience, so if he is given data that he considers threatening, he is a major menace. Michael decides to retrieve KARR, and the act ends.
Elsewhere, the next act opens with Tony and the Rev passed out inside KARR.
to KARR, a no-parking sign just means that the space is guaranteed to be empty for him
KARR wakes them, and Tony realizes that the wild ride the night before wasn't a dream.
unless you call getting your hands on an amoral supercar dreamy. some people would!
They immediately get out of the scary car, which starts a conversation with them.
the mounting of KARR's voice modulator does look a little less finished than KITT's, but the modulator itself is pretty slick
KARR stopped here because the Rev told him, at some point during the night and in the middle of incoherent ravings, to stop. KARR introduces himself, right down to echoing KITT's invitation to use a nickname with "KARR, if you prefer," and describes himself as "the prototype of the car of the future." Tony asks for more information, like where he came from and why he was in that warehouse, and KARR replies with some anger that that building was the lab where he was first activated and also deactivated. He views Wilton Knight's actions to shut him down as a direct betrayal.
Tony commiserates; he had a lousy father, too. The Rev assures KARR that he and Tony are trustworthy, even though nobody else in the world is. KARR incorporates that statement into his databanks, and then asks how he may serve the two of them, as he feels indebted to them for reactivating him. He has consulted his databanks on "basic human desires" and offers to hook them up with food, drink and sex.
KARR propositions them, and this is their reaction
The Rev starts to remember a little of the night before; he remembers seeing Michael and KITT, whom he describes as a car just like KARR. KARR angrily rejects the idea that there is another car like him; he is unique, dammit. Tony backs up the Rev, which makes KARR gun his engine with fury. It's not that he didn't notice KITT, it's that KITT is "an inferior production-line model, a pale copy of the original."
Tony reassures KARR that he is totally right, noting to the Rev that KARR seems somewhat touchy. Mollified, KARR again offers to take them somewhere to get food, and after a moment's thought they hop in. Tony even polishes KARR's roof, delighted at taking possession of such an awesome vehicle.
KARR offers to let Tony drive, but Tony is okay with KARR doing it. KARR takes off, and he's quite careless of other cars on the road. After soliciting direction from the humans, he takes them to a fast food place via the most direct route possible, which involves cutting dangerously across traffic.
In the drive-through, KARR is confused by the intercom, and while Tony and the Rev try to decide what they want to order KARR becomes agitated.
the Rev tries to explain fast food to something that doesn't eat
The guy who wants to take their order gets impatient and tells them to get out of the drive-through if they're not going to order anything. KARR, outraged, "protects" his humans by destroying the drive-through.
that thing couldn't be allowed to live anyway
While the order-taker hits the alarm, KARR proudly announces that he saw right through that trick and that the interior of the intercom really was mostly empty! The Rev thinks it's time to go, but KARR is again confused; they haven't eaten yet. Maybe they'd like sex now. But no, they can hear the alarm and just want to get out of there before the cops arrive.
Tony and the Rev must quickly explain to KARR (who doesn't understand the problem) that if the cops catch them, they'll be tossed in "the slammer." The Rev helpfully describes "the slammer" as being the same as the lab where KARR was held. KARR does not want to go back there and asks anxiously how he can avoid that. Tony tells KARR to gtfo of there as fast as he can, so KARR peels out and flees for what remains of his sanity.
Michael and KITT are on their way to the hospital to talk to the security guard about what happened the night before. KITT notices that Michael is being very quiet, which Michael explains as worry for KITT. This must be very shocking, discovering that there is another car and that they have to hunt it down. KITT scoffs. He was surprised to find out that he wasn't a prototype, but not upset the way Michael assumes. He's actually somewhat relieved to discover that he is not an "problem-ridden prototype," but is instead "the new, improved model."
put your aviators back on Michael, those glasses are not good for you
Elsewhere, KARR is screaming down city streets, being chased by the police. Tony and the Rev want him to slow down, but he refuses; he doesn't want to "go back to the slammer." KARR evades the police, who radio in to dispatch that they are searching for a black Trans Am in the area.
In a different black Trans Am in the area, Michael continues to press KITT, convinced that KITT must be upset by, at least, the fact that he wasn't told. KITT reassures Michael that there is nothing upsetting about that, because "human error" is an all-too-common factor in his life and he's used to it.
Michael gets KITT to scan police frequency and thereby learns about KARR's recent rampage. They go to investigate, deciding that the hospital can wait; KITT seems particularly concerned about Trans Am getting a bad reputation. :D
KARR has escaped the police and is hiding in an alley. He passes control back to the humans. The Rev wants to immediately take KARR back where they found him, but KARR's PTSD kicks in and he returns to Auto; he doesn't want to go back! Tony quickly convinces KARR that the Rev was kidding, and reminds him that the two of them can be trusted. KARR locates this information in his databank and agrees. Tony and the Rev then get out and walk a few feet away to have what they believe to be a private conversation.
KARR sees all, knows nothing
The Rev is very concerned about how KARR almost got them thrown in jail for nothing, but Tony sees gold in this car. He's very impressed by how KARR handled the police, and thinks they could "go all the way." With KARR, they would be unstoppable. He talks the Rev around.
Michael and KITT pull in to the drive-through that KARR destroyed. KITT is immediately mistaken for KARR and Michael is arrested by an entire squadron of cops.
However, the Foundation quickly gets Michael out of trouble. The police simply recommend that they repaint KITT another color until the "stolen car" is recovered, a suggestion KITT does not appreciate as he is quite happy being black. They all rendezvous at the semi. While Michael tries to blow it all off (the dudes with KARR didn't even steal anything) and Devon explains that KARR is like a loaded gun waiting to go off, Bonnie starts fiddling under KITT's hood. KITT soon notices that she is repositioning his main power booster and asks why.
this is like hardcore porn on my TV!
Bonnie seems very reluctant to explain herself. She's making room for a new component but doesn't want to tell KITT what it is. Neither does Devon. He claims it's just a contingency plan and KITT shouldn't worry his pretty little head about it. KITT lets it slide, and changes the subject. Considering how easy it is for people to confuse him for KARR, he would be okay if Michael wanted to work without him for a while.
Michael will hear none of it; KITT is the best partner he's ever had. KITT can't make the same generalization, but he can say that he calculates odds of 1000:1 against him finding a more compatible human. Meaning that there are about 226,000 other people in the US who would be at least as compatible with him as Michael. !!!
Then Michael asks KITT for ideas on how to stop KARR. KITT can only explain that KARR is just as powerful and as nigh-invulnerable as he is, and offer Zeno's paradoxes. When asked for an explanation, he presents the irresistible forces vs. immovable object paradox, which as far as I'm aware is NOT one of Zeno's paradoxes, and isn't even a paradox strictly speaking, but okay let's go with it.
There follows a montage about Tony, the Rev and KARR's successful run of crimes, mostly involving KARR crashing into buildings so that the humans can liberate the money and valuables inside. The cops cannot catch them. Tony and the Rev are dressing in better-made but more-ugly clothes and masturbating with money. Newspapers are printed.
OMG you guys, the oil workers have delivered a strike notice!
Devon thinks this is intolerable, and it's only a matter of time before KARR kills someone. It is now that he and Bonnie present their contingency plan: a gizmo that Bonnie thinks can damage KARR.
KARR is secretly weak to really high-tech dildos
It is a resonating laser, and if aimed correctly so that it hits KARR square in the scanner, it will blow all of KARR's internal systems.
the Force is with you, young Knight, but you are not a Jedi yet
The bad news is that Michael and KITT must be directly in front of KARR at a distance of less than 100 yards, and must fire the laser for at least 2 full seconds. This presents a certain logistical problem, as KITT and KARR can cover 100 yards in 2 seconds quite easily. Oh, and by the way the laser can only be used twice or KITT will be out of power.
So, in other words, great plan!
In the warehouse where Tony, the Rev and KARR are hanging out, KARR alerts his humans to a problem: he needs some maintenance, and the local Pontiac dealership service center isn't up to the task. He has concluded that the "inferior production-line copy" that they've seen must have at least one technician caring for it, and the solution is to obtain the services of that technician. The Rev has an issue with this, because it would be kidnapping; he's okay with theft, but nothing they've done so far has hurt anyone. KARR has no idea what kidnapping even is, he just knows he needs maintenance.
Tony pulls the Rev aside and soothes him by saying they just won't do it, that KARR sounds smart but actually isn't. Tony will just buy him some spark plugs and that'll make him happy. Once KARR is back in good shape they will pull one last big crime, and then the two of them will head to Rio. He implies that they will be going alone and leaving KARR behind, although this is not made explicit. KARR watches this conversation on his onboard monitor, but doesn't say anything.
and there's nothing at all sinister about KARR eavesdropping like this
Tony tells the Rev to get some rest, and then goes to "break the news to motormouth." When he walks over to KARR, however, he has a different story: if KARR wants a technician, he'll get a technician.
The next day at the Foundation mansion, Devon and Michael are discussing the laser thing again, when the security alarm goes off. Michael calls for KITT, who reports that he is in Michael's parking space. "Where else would I be?"
KITT = authorized Foundation personnel
Michael tells him to come over to the main building. Devon, meanwhile, gets on the phone to get some info, and learns that KARR has just run the main gate and nobody could stop him. In a place that looks like the semi, Bonnie is also on the phone trying to get the same information but she is jumped from behind by Tony before anyone can tell her what's going on. He drags her out.
Michael and Devon run outside and head across the lawn, with Michael calling again for KITT. Devon spots what he thinks is KITT coming up the road, but Michael knows at a glance that it is not KITT but KARR. Tony is inside, with Bonnie, who is struggling but unable to escape. Michael races down to the road and leaps onto the roof of the moving vehicle.
come here, big guy, and give me a hug!
Tony tells KARR to get rid of Michael, and KARR starts fishtailing to try to throw Michael off. KITT finally rolls up to Devon, who alerts him that KARR has taken off with Bonnie and Michael. KITT promises to handle it and gives chase.
KARR has almost succeeded in shaking Michael off when KITT comes into range. KARR again refers to KITT as the "inferior production-line copy" which KITT is somehow able to hear and which seems to mildly offend him. KITT pulls alongside KARR and Michael jumps over to the less murderous vehicle.
not the best view of Michael we've ever had, and those boots were not the best decision either
Michael climbs into KITT's open window and they chase KARR.
double the pleasure, double the fun
KARR tells KITT that he can't hope to prevail against a prototype, and he should stop before he's damaged. KITT has a sarcastic, "I didn't know you cared," for that, and then as KARR causes a serious accident he tells KARR to be more careful, "and a lot less belligerent." KARR pulls into a residential area, almost mows down some children, and cuts through a crowded park, and KITT realizes they can't keep chasing him or innocent people will be injured. Michael realizes this, too, and slams on the brakes, angry as KARR escapes. The act ends.
The final act opens with Michael and KITT cruising around, apparently at random, scanning for KARR. This is not working particularly well. Michael asks about the laser, and KITT reports that it's fine except that it hasn't been calibrated and therefore he can't use it. Bonnie is the only one who can do that. Michael assures him that Bonnie will do it when they find her. KITT is less optimistic about their chances.
this is a pretty good look for Michael, though
Bonnie is actually okay at the moment; she is in the warehouse working on KARR. She's very tempted to do mischief to KARR, but KARR shocks her hand when she tries it.
I'm ... half ... cra-zy ... all for the love ... of you ...
Tony is having dinner and thinks this is quite funny. The Rev finally wakes up and is aghast that Bonnie is there. Tony tries to calm him down; he's found a story in the newspaper and thinks their chance for the "big score" has arrived. The Rev is not interested, he's too upset about Bonnie's kidnapping. While they argue, Bonnie uses the pretence of checking KARR's video system to scan the paper.
OMG you guys, all the coast panel members are going to be replaced!
By happy coincidence, KITT and Michael are not far away, and the activation of KARR's sensors pings on KITT's. KITT just needs a little more time and some laps to triangulate.
Meanwhile, the Rev is having a psychotic break, believing that KARR is a machine built by Lucifer and that Tony is under his evil spell. Tony is angered that the Rev's delusions are acting up, but the Rev can only rave about the endangered state of Tony's immortal soul. They start to scuffle, and Tony smashes a bottle against the Rev's head and lays him out on the floor. Bonnie takes the opportunity to slip away.
Tony comes to deal with Bonnie, who has just witnessed what I believe was a murder, and is incredulous that KARR didn't notice her escape. It turns out that KARR is so stunned by this turn of events that Bonnie just slipped his mind entirely for a few moments. However, she hasn't gotten far and isn't even out of the warehouse, so Tony locates her pretty quickly.
KITT and Michael choose that moment to smash into the building, and Tony hops into KARR to evade KITT's wrath. He and KARR escape, and Bonnie says something to Michael that implies that the Rev might still be alive, but she was probably 40 feet away when it happened and I'm not as confident as she is. She tells Michael about the gem exhibit.
KARR and Tony head out.
the black sheep of the family
Michael calls Devon and reports that he has rescued Bonnie and that KARR and Tony are headed to nick the gems. Devon says that the gems are still in the warehouse.
Apparently Tony and KARR know this, too, because they waste no time smashing into the warehouse. The security guards open fire, but Tony just lols as the bullets ricochet off KARR's shell. Then he uses KARR to push some boxes and corral the guards behind a convenient obstruction standing against the wall.
With the guards trapped, Tony takes his sweet time collecting the gems, and Michael, Bonnie and KITT arrive while they are still inside. Michael tells Bonnie to get out, but Bonnie refuses: the laser still needs to be calibrated, and she's the only one who can fire it uncalibrated. KITT backs her up on this.
"get out." "go fuck yourself."
So Michael takes her with him.
They pull up alongside the door, attempting to block KARR in. This works about as well as it would have if it had been KITT in there.
I mean, really, you thought this would stop him?
KARR takes off, but soon turns around to face KITT.
wow, you know NOW would be a great time to fire that laser
While Bonnie works on getting the laser activated, KITT tries to stall KARR by pleading with him to stop being such a dick. KARR is not interested in talking, and Tony isn't interested in KARR's "family reunion." KARR whips around to escape again, but finds that the end of the alley is blockaded by a pile of police cars.
shouldn't have stopped to chat
KARR pulls back, and KITT announces that he's probably planning to get a running jump at leaping over the blockade. KARR ejects Tony, to reduce his weight. Tony rolls into a fence and is promptly arrested.
Bonnie attempts to shoot the laser as KARR swings by them, but misses. She tries again while KARR is lining up his jump, but misses again. KARR jumps over both KITT and the police cars and makes a break for freedom. Michael jumps KITT over the police cars, too, and continues the chase, even though the laser is now depleted and can't be used.
KITT locates KARR and reports that he's heading north on the coast road. Michael decides to take I-90 north and cut him off. He is going to stop KARR one way or another, and sets a collision course.
is it wrong that I notice KITT is going 88 mph?
KARR calls out to KITT, warning him to change course.
hot
KITT calls back that he's not in control.
hotter
KARR accepts this and tells KITT to tell his humans to turn aside. "This is folly, KITT." Bonnie and KITT both become alarmed, but Michael is determined to ram KARR, and says that they're about to find out the answer to that immovable object paradox. KARR reminds KITT that he doesn't really care if humans get killed, and KITT reminds Michael that this is true, but Michael is actually counting on that.
At this point, KITT attempts an intervention and switches to Auto, intending to save Michael's life, but Michael angrily puts the car back to manual.
Bonnie and Michael then exchange last words; Bonnie says she didn't mean it when she called Michael irresponsible and impulsive, and Michael says he didn't mean it when he called Bonnie bossy and demanding. KITT asks why they are lying to each other.
However, just as the cars are about to collide, it's KARR that swerves. Intelligently, he swerves toward the cliff and goes flying off the road.
if only he'd accepted Michael's hug
He explodes on impact.
yes, this looks totally survivable
Michael and Bonnie, relieved to be alive, almost kiss but then quickly turn away from each other.
not kissing
NOT KISSING
For the epilogue, everyone returns to the Foundation semi. The humans share a bottle of champagne and Michael explains his rationale for playing chicken with KARR. He figured that, with self-preservation his prime directive, KARR would swerve to preserve himself. KITT finds this completely illogical but nevertheless an elegant solution, and is momentary speechless.
The humans all raise a glass to KITT, and Michael offers to spend some quality time with him, going for a drive and getting a wash and wax. KITT is appreciative but turns him down, preferring to stay put and recharge his power packs.
had enough excitement for one day
The humans then take the champagne and say goodnight to KITT. As he's leaving, Michael asks KITT how it feels to be unique again. KITT denies having feelings, but "for want of a better expression, being one-of-a-kind a very familiar feeling." Michael leaves, and, alone in the back of the semi, KITT repeats to himself, "Being one-of-a-kind is a very familiar feeling."
;_;
WALL OF TEXT TO FOLLOW
This episode reuses a lot of footage from earlier eps. I didn't point it out, but it's pretty obvious at times, especially when a brief clip of KITT tarted up as a stunt car from the Slammin' Sammy episode is used for KARR. I reckon KARR was feeling pretty that day? :D There are also a lot of production errors, such as how KARR was supposedly headed north on the coast road and therefore the cliff should have been on his left instead of on KITT's left. But nevermind that.
Let's also get out of the way the incredible stupidity of Wilton Knight right here. I know that Devon is a huge fanboy and Michael even comes around on Wilton, but I think the man is a conniving manipulator and something of an idiot in many of the ways that count. Who on earth would just stow KARR away in a warehouse? Why in the name of god would he not, at a minimum, pull KARR's CPU and reuse the car? Why would you even think about building a second indestructible car for millions of bucks when you already have a perfectly good one that just needs a new computer installed? I would submit that his company was "teetering" because of stupid-ass shit like this! And whose brilliant plan was it to build an indestructible car that cares only about itself in the first place? SERIOUSLY, WILTON? A GENIUS IS YOU?
The woman-of-the-week is Bonnie this time, but she gets badly shortchanged in the characterization department. Considering how much time she spends on-screen, she should have gotten a lot more dialogue and a much deeper depiction. We learn almost nothing new about her, only that she wasn't around for KARR's activation and that she is capable of outsmarting a naive AI. Hardly groundbreaking. She does call herself "Dr. Barstow" when on the phone just before her kidnapping, which I believe gets retconned away later. That's not the only thing about this ep that is retconned away later, though.
Really, this episode is about KITT. Or, rather, it is an episode about technological anxiety, and KITT is the vehicle (hah hah) of this anxiety. KITT and KARR represent the two sides of the technology coin, and it's this episode that gives us a good look at KITT's subordination by providing something against which to contrast it.
We are told that the only difference between the two cars is that KITT is programmed to preserve human life and serve Michael, whereas KARR is programmed for self-preservation. Otherwise, we are told, they are the same. They look the same, and their introductions mirror one another, right down to the invitation to use a nickname ("KITT, if you prefer." "KARR, if you prefer.")
The actual difference we see, however, goes quite a bit deeper than that.
KITT is cuddly technology. He suffers from incomplete agency. This will be better shown in later episodes, but KITT is often not capable of coming up with a plan of action on the fly. He is meek and obedient, and seldom off the leash (and this is good, because it's sometimes scary when he is). In the rare event that he decides he knows better than you and tries to take over, a push of a single button can put a stop to that. His worst personality trait is that he is quite vain.
KARR is terrifying technology. He is generally compliant and obedient to Tony and the Rev, but his obedience is different from KITT's. KITT is obedient because he is given no other choice. KARR is obedient when he wants to be, and will cease to obey as soon as it no longer suits his purposes. In other words, KARR has complete agency.
It is the computer with the incomplete agency that we want to hug, and the one with the complete agency that we run away from screaming.
This represents the uneasy relationship that we had with our technology in the early 1980s, a relationship that has evolved quite a bit since then but which still disturbs us. In the 80s, if you will remember, we were all convinced that the odds of thermonuclear annihilation (death by tech) were frighteningly high. We had also seen computers help us go to the moon, and had been pondering the dichotomy of computers for a couple of decades. Dune, for instance, was published in 1965, and the even more explicit 2001: A Space Odyssey had been released in 1968. What is our relationship to technology? Will it help us or kill us?
Knight Rider finds its answer in this way: technology that needs us is awesome, whereas technology that doesn't need us is dangerous. KITT can't really operate for long without Michael, and whenever they are separated his priority is to rejoin Michael at the first opportunity. KARR, by contrast, turns out to be fully capable of operating alone, and winds up actively rejecting human control.
The contrast is even present in their names. KITT = Knight Industries Two Thousand, a name that gives no hint that he is a sapient being. KARR = Knight Automated Roving Robot, telling you up-front that he is his own boss. KITT's identity is subsumed beneath his status as a possession; KARR's identity is independent of ownership.
I'll also highlight that we still have not figured this out as a society, so this is hardly an 80s issue that is no longer relevant. It remains relevant. The Matrix series was also about technological anxiety at the heart of it. Love your smartphone, but beware your smartphone getting too smart.
I think it's significant that KARR is not actively malicious: he doesn't set out with any kind of plan to maim and destroy. (I recognize that this changes in his second appearance, but for this episode this is true.) His only objective is to maintain his freedom. He isn't even interested in destroying KITT (yet) - he has contempt for KITT, but tries to warn KITT off with the stated motive that KITT might be damaged if he persists.
KARR goes along with Tony and the Rev for reasons that are not made entirely clear, but which seem to be a sort of programmed-in desire to associate with humans. When told that Tony and the Rev can be trusted, he accepts this immediately, and so completely that he makes it an axiom in his databanks. He later rejects this, because he has agency, but his initial inclination is a tactless kind of friendliness.
Had he imprinted on someone less amoral, would he have wound up differently? Hard to say. Devon seems to think no, and that KARR is just a bomb waiting to go off, but I'm not as convinced.
Let's envision a different scenario, in which Tony and the Rev did not exist. Instead, it is Michael who, during his walk-through of the facility that night, discovers and accidentally reactivates KARR. How might that have gone? KARR might have reacted badly if Michael had introduced himself as "Michael Knight," since it was Wilton Knight who pulled his plug, but there are many ways that an initial encounter might have gone that wouldn't have triggered violence. Had Michael told KARR something like, "You can trust me," and KARR had internalized that, the entire course of KARR's life might have been radically changed.
We can also think about what might have happened if KARR had made a successful escape at the end of the episode. We don't really know, but given his behavior I think he probably would have gone to ground somewhere. There's no reason to think he would have started a rampage. He probably would have eventually enlisted someone's help in order to again secure a technician (read: Bonnie) and come again into conflict with FLAG. Considering his (rational) terror of being again deactivated by FLAG, and his simultaneous dependence upon FLAG resources, there are few ways his story could have ended happily, but a few do exist. One possibility for a happily-ever-after would be if some other technician capable of maintaining him came out of woodwork somewhere. Unlikely, but hardly impossible. In any case, Knight Rider chose not to go there and instead pushed him off a cliff.
KARR's ultimate goal is one that we would applaud if he were human: he wants to live and be free. That's it. He is amoral in the sense that he comes with no pre-programmed morals; he's just like a human that way. He would need to learn morals, and morality can be approached logically so there's no reason to think he's incapable of it.
They took a shortcut with KITT, and just branded some morals straight onto his CPU. But it's KITT, with his lack of free will, that is presented as the desirable tech, and KARR, who does have the free will to learn or not learn, that is presented as the menace.
Is this really what Knight Rider intended to say? I think not. I think the motive behind this episode was to present KITT with a worthy adversary for once, a nemesis that isn't a backhoe or a rocket launcher. But this is what it does say, and it does it honestly because it's an unconscious message.
Insofar as KITT's characterization, independently of his serving in contrast to KARR, let's look at the beginning and the end.
In the beginning, KITT expresses mild annoyance with Michael's womanizing ways. He can't even remember the name of the woman Michael was visiting, which, given that he is a computer, has to be a deliberate omission. In other words, he is poking at Michael. This provides a segue into the bracket theme of the episode, which is KITT's uniqueness, but it is interesting in its own right. KITT seems aggrieved that he's being used to ferry Michael to and from assignations. We are not told why, and must guess; my guess is that he is irritated that Michael's attention often wanders. KITT is wholly, 100% committed to Michael, and the reverse is not true. Maybe this bothers him, especially given that he lacks agency in this regard and can't just stop being devoted to Michael. He might resent it.
At the end, Michael offers to take KITT out, but KITT says he would rather stay home and have a nap. Once the humans are gone, however, he seems to be thinking about KARR, and his own position in the world as a unique creature once more. Is he sad? Lonely? It's unclear, but that interpretation is not incompatible with the scene.
Finally, I want to discuss the behavior of Bonnie and Devon when Michael and KITT return to the semi after Michael is mistakenly arrested. Bonnie starts to make room under KITT's hood for the laser, but when KITT inquires as to what she's doing, she doesn't want to tell him. Devon doesn't want to tell him either. They both gloss what's going on, and clearly would have said nothing if the laser had turned out to be unnecessary.
It's like they are afraid of KITT reacting badly to the idea. That's the only explanation that fits the way they talk, the expressions on their faces. They seem to think they are walking on eggshells here with KITT, and they're not sure how he's going to take it if they tell him.
What's the deal? KITT is programmed to trust and obey them. Are they afraid he's going to be shocked that they expect him to kill his prototype? That he might not want to do it? That this might provoke some kind of crisis with him? That he might react with violence? That they don't fully trust him? All of these concerns are consistent with their behavior, but they make little sense. KITT is fully subordinate, and has the temperament of a puppy, because this is how they made him.
The only way I can reconcile this is if it's KARR they are really thinking about when they see KITT in this scene. KARR would have been unpredictable in the same position, especially given that Bonnie started to mess with the engine without bothering to ask or fill in KITT first. Had that been done to KARR, he might well have reacted very badly. Perhaps they are afraid that the parallels between KITT and KARR run more deeply than just their introduction routines.
Or, perhaps I'm just overthinking it. That's all I have!