Wed Sep 14, 2005 2:50 pm
Replicant Analysis
As if my geekish tendencies weren't bad enough, I've decided to do a hypothetical break-down on a replicant's makeup. Currently my sources are:
Blade Runner film
Blade Runner 1980 screenplay by Hampton Fancher
Blade Runner 1981 screenplay by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick
Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human by K.W. Jeter
Eyes
Eyes are an important characteristic of replicants. For one, the fluctuation of the pupil is slightly delayed, allowing a Blade Runner to distinguish a suspect from man or machine. Another important aspect is how reflective the eyes are in comparison to a human?s. At times, the eyes can be seen glowing red (note that Ridley Scott refers to the glowing eyes as a cinematic tool not visible to the film?s characters, although that does not necessarily imply that this is always the case). The Edge of Human makes mention that this glow is generated from a power source.
The red eyes had already dimmed to black dots, any remaining battery cells shorted out (Jeter, p.257).
Brain
The brain is another distinction of replicants. Philip K. Dick?s novel describes the Nexus 6 brain unit as being ?capable of selecting within a field of two trillion constituents, or ten million separate neural pathways.? (p.28) Hampton Fancher?s earlier screenplays suggest that replicants? have ?positronic brains?, although no further sources support this.
Replicant brains are programmed with specific traits and skills to suit the needs of their owner.
ANNOUNCER?S VOICE
Choose from a variety of seventy nine different personality types. Each and every one a loyal trouble- free companion given to you upon your arrival absolutely free... (1980 screenplay)
The replicants also show an apparent lack of empathy, an Achilles? heel used to the advantage of Blade Runners. However, the Nexus 6?s advanced A.I. allows for further development of emotions, including empathy. For the sake of maintaining an organic appearance, the Nexus 6 brain unit is covered in living tissue.
Something had happened to it, a wound similar to Batty?s; white bone fragments and jellied brain tissue showed through the catastrophic damage to the skull (Jeter, p.315)
It is shown that replicants can be given memory implants, as established by Rachael (and possibly Deckard).
Skin
The film demonstrates at several points that a replicant?s flesh has a greater threshold for pain and damage than a human does. It?s possible that this flesh is altered in some way (perhaps chemically), as the examples of replicants exposing their flesh to extreme temperatures shows no sign of blistering. However, it seems that piercing deep enough into the skin can cause pain (as shown when Roy Batty puts a nail through his hand).
Inner Organs
The Tyrell Corporation created the replicant to be virtually indistinguishable from a human. The inner organs look and function like that of an authentic person. Unlike the earlier stages of robot evolution, the replicant functions on a primarily biological level, allowing it to pass even some of the most thorough physical examinations.
Due to the risk of becoming out of control, the Nexus 6?s genetic code was designed to last a maximum of four years. The body?s cells stop replicating at that point. Once the genetic code has been established, however, it is impossible to be changed without a quick death.
TYRELL
The facts of life. I'll be blunt. To make an alteration in the evolvement of an organic life system, at least by men, makers or not, is fatal. A coding sequence can't be revised once it's established.
BATTY
Why?
TYRELL
Because by the second day of incubation any cells that have undergone reversion mutation give rise to revertant colonies -- like rats leaving a sinking ship. The ship sinks.
BATTY
What about E.M.S. recombination?
TYRELL
We've already tried it -- ethyl methane sulfonate is an alkylating agent and a potent mutagen -- it created a virus so lethal the subject was destroyed before we left the table.
BATTY
Then a repressor protein that blocks the operating cells.
TYRELL
Wouldn't obstruct replication, but it does give rise to an error in replication so that the newly formed DNA strand carries a mutation and you've got a virus again... but all this is academic... you are made as well as we could make you. (Fancher and Peoples)
Skeletal System
The replicants skeletal make-up serves as two methods for detection. The first is the material from which the bones are made. When someone is suspected of being a replicant, they will undergo one of several tests. One method is to administer the Bonelli Relflex-Arc test.
?The reflex-arc response taking place in the upper ganglia of the spinal column requires several microseconds more in the humanoid robot than in a human nervous system. We use an audio signal or a light-flash. The subject presses a button and the elapsed time is measured. We try it a number of times, of course. Elapsed time varies in both the andy and the human. But by the time ten reactions have been measured, we believe we have a reliable clue.? (Dick, p.119)
The last form of detection is making an incision into the bone to test for marrow. It?s unknown as to what a replicant?s bones are made up of (perhaps some sort of alien compound not found in the human body), but this is the most decisive test.
I'd like to note that this isn't finished yet. This is a sort of informal write-up. I need to read Jeter's last two novels as well as do some more research so that I can revise and edit this. There's plenty I've yet to cover.
Blade Runner film
Blade Runner 1980 screenplay by Hampton Fancher
Blade Runner 1981 screenplay by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick
Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human by K.W. Jeter
Eyes
Eyes are an important characteristic of replicants. For one, the fluctuation of the pupil is slightly delayed, allowing a Blade Runner to distinguish a suspect from man or machine. Another important aspect is how reflective the eyes are in comparison to a human?s. At times, the eyes can be seen glowing red (note that Ridley Scott refers to the glowing eyes as a cinematic tool not visible to the film?s characters, although that does not necessarily imply that this is always the case). The Edge of Human makes mention that this glow is generated from a power source.
The red eyes had already dimmed to black dots, any remaining battery cells shorted out (Jeter, p.257).
Brain
The brain is another distinction of replicants. Philip K. Dick?s novel describes the Nexus 6 brain unit as being ?capable of selecting within a field of two trillion constituents, or ten million separate neural pathways.? (p.28) Hampton Fancher?s earlier screenplays suggest that replicants? have ?positronic brains?, although no further sources support this.
Replicant brains are programmed with specific traits and skills to suit the needs of their owner.
ANNOUNCER?S VOICE
Choose from a variety of seventy nine different personality types. Each and every one a loyal trouble- free companion given to you upon your arrival absolutely free... (1980 screenplay)
The replicants also show an apparent lack of empathy, an Achilles? heel used to the advantage of Blade Runners. However, the Nexus 6?s advanced A.I. allows for further development of emotions, including empathy. For the sake of maintaining an organic appearance, the Nexus 6 brain unit is covered in living tissue.
Something had happened to it, a wound similar to Batty?s; white bone fragments and jellied brain tissue showed through the catastrophic damage to the skull (Jeter, p.315)
It is shown that replicants can be given memory implants, as established by Rachael (and possibly Deckard).
Skin
The film demonstrates at several points that a replicant?s flesh has a greater threshold for pain and damage than a human does. It?s possible that this flesh is altered in some way (perhaps chemically), as the examples of replicants exposing their flesh to extreme temperatures shows no sign of blistering. However, it seems that piercing deep enough into the skin can cause pain (as shown when Roy Batty puts a nail through his hand).
Inner Organs
The Tyrell Corporation created the replicant to be virtually indistinguishable from a human. The inner organs look and function like that of an authentic person. Unlike the earlier stages of robot evolution, the replicant functions on a primarily biological level, allowing it to pass even some of the most thorough physical examinations.
Due to the risk of becoming out of control, the Nexus 6?s genetic code was designed to last a maximum of four years. The body?s cells stop replicating at that point. Once the genetic code has been established, however, it is impossible to be changed without a quick death.
TYRELL
The facts of life. I'll be blunt. To make an alteration in the evolvement of an organic life system, at least by men, makers or not, is fatal. A coding sequence can't be revised once it's established.
BATTY
Why?
TYRELL
Because by the second day of incubation any cells that have undergone reversion mutation give rise to revertant colonies -- like rats leaving a sinking ship. The ship sinks.
BATTY
What about E.M.S. recombination?
TYRELL
We've already tried it -- ethyl methane sulfonate is an alkylating agent and a potent mutagen -- it created a virus so lethal the subject was destroyed before we left the table.
BATTY
Then a repressor protein that blocks the operating cells.
TYRELL
Wouldn't obstruct replication, but it does give rise to an error in replication so that the newly formed DNA strand carries a mutation and you've got a virus again... but all this is academic... you are made as well as we could make you. (Fancher and Peoples)
Skeletal System
The replicants skeletal make-up serves as two methods for detection. The first is the material from which the bones are made. When someone is suspected of being a replicant, they will undergo one of several tests. One method is to administer the Bonelli Relflex-Arc test.
?The reflex-arc response taking place in the upper ganglia of the spinal column requires several microseconds more in the humanoid robot than in a human nervous system. We use an audio signal or a light-flash. The subject presses a button and the elapsed time is measured. We try it a number of times, of course. Elapsed time varies in both the andy and the human. But by the time ten reactions have been measured, we believe we have a reliable clue.? (Dick, p.119)
The last form of detection is making an incision into the bone to test for marrow. It?s unknown as to what a replicant?s bones are made up of (perhaps some sort of alien compound not found in the human body), but this is the most decisive test.
I'd like to note that this isn't finished yet. This is a sort of informal write-up. I need to read Jeter's last two novels as well as do some more research so that I can revise and edit this. There's plenty I've yet to cover.
"Just when my coil's reaching the green line..."
-Shotaro Kaneda
"Implants! Those aren't your mammories. They're somebody else's. They're Tyrell's niece's."
-Shotaro Kaneda
"Implants! Those aren't your mammories. They're somebody else's. They're Tyrell's niece's."
