system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[The Prestige] Why didn't Angier simply use the machine once?

And create a perfect double of himself to perform his trick? It would change nothing and they could switch off. I understand that he freaked out and shot his clone the first time, but why murder EVERY ONE? It solves the issue he had with Root (the actor) and logistically (And morally) is much simpler.
gpt
When he uses the machine, he doesn't know which one "he" will be. Maybe he'll be the one to drown, or maybe he's the one up on the balcony finishing the show.

From his perspective he always survives because the other one is never around to challenge this perceived truth. The one that survives is always the "real" Angier. They both have equal right to claim to be the legitimate Angier. They are literally identical beings.

He knows that if a clone survives, that it *will* claim to be the original and take over his life. It has every right to think that. Neither would be able to know for sure which is the original and deserves sole ownership of the identity. He solves the teleportation dilemma by simply always killing one of himself.

It's fucked up to think about. But the teleportation paradox is a really interesting problem.