Aech is Parzival's best friend inside the OASIS, and Wade's best friend even though the two have never met in real life. Common interests—movies, music, and video games—and a common goal—the quest for Halliday's egg—made them best buds right off the bat, showing that friendship is possible online. In fact, it's even less judgmental than friendship in the real world. We see Aech through her avatar, "a tall, broad shouldered Caucasian male with dark hair and brown eyes" (3.6). Yes, I said "her." More on this in a minute. We also know that she makes money through pro gaming, something that's gaining in popularity even today. Helen never says she identifies as male, genderwise, just that it was easier for her, as a black woman, to create an avatar that conformed with society's majority: white, heterosexual male. She is also gay