Key Takeaways
- Pascal teaches machine children fear, highlighting the importance of experiencing both negative and positive emotions.
- A2 emphasizes the fear of being alone, acknowledging the significance of cherishing time spent with loved ones.
- Bitter irony unfolds as fear of being alone leads to cannibalization, showcasing irrational decisions made under stress.
As a seasoned gamer who’s seen his fair share of heart-wrenching narratives, I must say that NieR Automata has left me utterly spellbound with its profound exploration of what it means to be human. The latest episode 21 has taken this deep dive into the human condition to a whole new level, and I can’t help but feel a tad bittersweet as I watch these android characters grapple with their emotions.
The following contains spoilers for episode 21 of NieR Automata Ver1.1a, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
The giant foe has been vanquished, and the kids are safe, but A2 gets an urgent call from the Rebel base. At the same time, Lily and her companions isolate themselves from infected members of the Resistance due to exposure to the Reason Virus from a distressed robot child, transforming into something like a zombie as a result.
Despite Jackass, Popola, Devola, and others arriving to help them, Lily decides to remain behind, determined to eradicate the infected to prevent further spread of the virus. As A2 arrives at the scene, they find Lily, who is also infected, pleading with A2 to end her suffering. Meanwhile, 9S discovers that his feelings for 2B were reciprocated, while Pascal encounters a disturbing sight of machine children being consumed by their own kind.
What It Means To Be Human
Many people believe that feeling a mix of positive and negative emotions is essential for human existence, as it fosters growth, adaptability, and learning. In line with this, Pascal chose to separate himself from other artificial lifeforms and established his own settlement, seeking a more tranquil and enriching lifestyle. As a result, he could understand and connect with other androids, even forming friendships with the Resistance and garnering Lily’s admiration, who had lost loved ones at the hands of his kind. One of Pascal’s main teachings to the android children in his village was the idea of fear. Fear is what keeps living things safe, as it discourages them from engaging in potentially harmful activities. Interestingly, in episode 18, the artificial lifeforms displayed this very response when scolded by A2. Remarkably, A2 also shared another lesson with them: solitude.
The Fear of Being Alone
In an effort to lift their spirits, A2 expressed her contentment at not being alone, and when they inquired about this, she emphasized the significance of cherishing moments with loved ones, as one could find oneself alone at any given moment. After the surviving robot children were brought to the Rebel camp, one of them started showing signs of the Logic Virus. It seems that its internal turmoil may have caused the infection. In episode 6, the Logic Virus resembled PTSD when 21S peeked into Lily’s memories while trying to cure her contamination. Notably, she was the first among them to contract the virus. When under pressure, both humans and animals can make irrational or drastic decisions.
Bitter Irony
As Pascal observes the remnants of the robot children, the initial one had devoured the others out of fear of solitude, believing its treasured music box had broken. Interestingly, this behavior might have been instilled in it by A2, as young ones in reality tend to overreact and interpret things literally. When it felt its world was slipping away, it consumed everyone else so they could “remain together forever”. In a similar vein, 9S exhibits this trait too. Upon meeting 2B’s old flight unit, he finds a message intended for him, confirming her feelings were reciprocated. However, unlike the robot lifeforms and the Resistance, he is genuinely solitary.
The bond between community and family is a significant part of what makes us human. Yet, every encounter is eventually followed by a separation. Tragically, Lily, who was once saved from a virus by A2, lost her life to the same virus when she took her own life with a gun – a weapon that A2 had previously safeguarded her from.
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2024-09-24 03:34