Summary
The following contains spoilers for episode 17 of NieR Automata Ver1.1a, nowstreaming onCrunchyroll.
Even though we already know what went over with Lily and A2’s first encounter, we never saw how A2 survived. She recounts her first mission to the surface with her squad and how they suffereda ton of casualties. No. 2 (A2’s previous designation) encourages saving what injured comrades they have.
Unfortunately, given their limited amount of resources and time, they succumb to their injuries. This puts in perspective why No. 2 was as insistent as she was tocure Lily of her virus- she wasn’t about to waste an opportunity to help someone. Over the course of the week, Lily asks if they’ll always be together. But right afterward, Pod 042 observes that a portion of her memory data was manually deleted by her, implying there’s something specific she doesn’t want to remember. This uncovered data turns out to be the near failure of the mission, when it’s shown A2’s perspective of events. There, she finds out first hand, that the mission was just anopportunity for YoRHa to test and refine the new YoRHa models. As her comrades sacrifice themselves one by one, the mission is successful and A2 is the last one standing.
Family Gives Life Meaning
TheNieRfranchise is no stranger to existentialist themes and deconstructing them. Many characters find themselves wondering what their purposes are, and if their way of life is truly the ideal one. When No. 2 converses with Rose, the latter states that they used to have number-based names as well.
But she opted to name her comrades after flowers, as they gave them a unique identity and anew meaning to their lives: family. To the YoRHa androids, their lives' meanings were to satisfy Command, with a successful mission. But the meaning of life is determined by oneself, not by others. While introduced as a collective, No. 2 and her allies made and defined their own identities.
What should be noted, is that in the original novel and manga adaptations of this arc,YoRHa: Pearl Harbor Descent Record, scenes play out differently, as Lily and Anemone stay behind, when the rest of the group are in the elevator, in the novel. Regardless of the outcome, A2 survives. Curiously, the hidden report that appears during the episode’s interlude implies that her survival may be more than a coincidence.
A rebellion occurred within The Association. The supression has been completed, and a detailed investigation is currently underway.
For context,The Associationis a group that Accord, a character fromDrakengard 3, works for. She’s an androidwho travels through different timelinesand continuities to observe the events that take place, only occasionally intervening. The second report goes on to imply that she may also play a part inNieR Automata Ver1.1aas well.
It’s currently being discussed whether A2’s existence has had an effect on another branch.
Giving reference, this would be Accord’s way of saying that A2’s existence is responsible for the change in outcomes. In other words, in theDrakengardandNieRfranchises, there are characters that are referred to as “singularities”. Their actions have the ability to split timelines (or “branches”); in the case of the games, they trigger multiple endings/outcomes - for example, inNieR Replicant,it was Kaine. This adds a new layer to the story. If A2 is a singularity, then does this mean thatNieR Automata Ver1.1ais not just a loose adaptation of the game, but a full-on canon timeline?
Yoko Taro is no stranger to picking at our brains, but he’s definitely not finished. With A2’s memories restored, how will she face 9S? And will a reunion with Lily help soften her heart? After all, they did promise her that they’d always be together.
NieR: Automata Ver1.1a
Cast
Based on the video game developed by PlatinumGames and Square Enix, NieR: Automata 1.1a is an adaptation that centers around members of a special android force created by Humanity in the distant future. In the year 5012, with Humanity at the brink of extinction and Earth all but claimed by Alien invaders with Machine Lifeforms, Humanity launches a counterattack to reclaim the planet. 9S, an elite attack unit, is sent to convene with an analysis unit known as 9S to eradicate the threat. But as the two learn about the world and themselves, they ponder the meaning of existence and whether they’re more than just weapons of destruction.
