What is Gaff's relationship with Deckard?

Forgive me if I should know this, but were they partners? Or was Gaff a trainee or perhaps his mentor/trainer who was later injured?

Forgive me if I should know this, but were they partners? Or was Gaff a trainee or perhaps his mentor/trainer who was later injured?

I always felt that they didn't know each other personally (or were vaguely acquainted, like they knew each other's name).

At the beginning of the film, Deckard treats him like he doesn't know him:

"You got the wrong guy, pal!"

That sentence, to me anyway, has the connotation that D doesn't know who Gaff is, and it's only when Bryant is mentioned that he puts it together and relents.

Unless, of course, Deckard was trying to pretend like they had the wrong guy, but a good cop/BR/etc. like Deckard really would know better than to try that--unless he really didn't know Gaff.

Anyhow, just my impression. I'm sure others have different opinions on it.

What always bugged me was why Gaff was on the force, with his debilitating injury. He's not behind a desk, as one might think, but out on the streets. At the same time, all we ever see him do is "leg work" for Bryant (if you'll pardon the term). Perhaps he saved Bryant's life in getting the injury, and so Bryant has kept him active...

Thanks for your insights. The whole injury-not behind the desk thing is what I was getting at. I wanted to use that theme in my fanfic, but wasn't sure how I should proceed with it or what the relationship should have been.

Thanks again!

"The charmer's name was Gaff... I'd seen him around. Bryant must've upped him to the Blade Runner unit."
-Rick Deckard, 1982 Theatrical and International cuts

As for the limp, maybe he's faking it?

Ah, yes, the voice-over...hadn't thought of that! Of course, I haven't heard the voice-over since the days of renting BR on VHS back in the 80s...

So, if you go by the VO, Deckard had a vague acquaintance with Gaff...probably introduced to each other at some point but never worked together.

Though why exactly Bryant would "up him to the BR unit" with a limp like that--considering who they're chasing after--is kinda odd. Unless he had an earlier run in with a Replicant and luckily survived...or he slipped on the perpetually rainy L.A. streets.

...or he slipped on the perpetually rainy L.A. streets.

Now there's another cut scene I'd pay big money to see!

Though why exactly Bryant would "up him to the BR unit" with a limp like that--considering who they're chasing after--is kinda odd.

They're waiting on his replacement vat-grown leg to finish growing, that's all. Although I'd suspect he'd probably keep the cane even after the replacement...it's part of his style, walking around with a swagger stick and all.

Oh yeah...one other thing...could he have injured his leg responding to the initial Replicant assault on the Tyrell Corporation? That was only a few days before the action in the movie. If so, it could have been a recent and very temporary injury.

In the scripts Gaff was a nearly incompetent rookie, but Edward James Olmos made his character much, much more than that. Also the fact that he had different eyes and EJO's trademark facial scars give the impression that he was seriously injured, and then maybe patched together with spare parts like a sideshow "Gaff", his namesake. Maybe in a war, or on the force. He may be much more important than he seems especially with the confidence he shows. In the cut scenes it shows him on the roof of Sebastians apartment before the spinner lands. He was always a step behind Deckard, perhaps waiting for him to fail so he could finish the job. Perhaps Deckard was just created to keep Gaff from getting his clothes dirty He is in anyway one of my favorite enigmas of the movie.

Thank you all so much for chiming in on this thread!

"The charmer's name was Gaff... I'd seen him around. Bryant must've upped him to the Blade Runner unit." -Rick Deckard, 1982 Theatrical and International cuts. As for the limp, maybe he's faking it?

OF COURSE! I completely missed that fro the Voice Over. Thank you.

Ah, yes, the voice-over...hadn't thought of that! Of course, I haven't heard the voice-over since the days of renting BR on VHS back in the 80s...
So, if you go by the VO, Deckard had a vague acquaintance with Gaff...probably introduced to each other at some point but never worked together.

Though why exactly Bryant would "up him to the BR unit" with a limp like that--considering who they're chasing after--is kinda odd. Unless he had an earlier run in with a Replicant and luckily survived...or he slipped on the perpetually rainy L.A. streets.

It is odd that he would be promoted . . . . unless perhaps GAFF is a replicant, given the limp to make him seem inferior as he learns from Holden and Deckard. Bryant promoted him to the Blade Runner Rep Detect Unit because Tyrell owns the Department and wanted a Replicant on the Force. Hmmm

Though why exactly Bryant would "up him to the BR unit" with a limp like that--considering who they're chasing after--is kinda odd.

They're waiting on his replacement vat-grown leg to finish growing, that's all. Although I'd suspect he'd probably keep the cane even after the replacement...it's part of his style, walking around with a swagger stick and all.

Oh yeah...one other thing...could he have injured his leg responding to the initial Replicant assault on the Tyrell Corporation? That was only a few days before the action in the movie. If so, it could have been a recent and very temporary injury.

Possibly, but he seems well adjusted to the limp and has quite a decorative cane, although he is a "dandy".

In the scripts Gaff was a nearly incompetent rookie, but Edward James Olmos made his character much, much more than that. Also the fact that he had different eyes and EJO's trademark facial scars give the impression that he was seriously injured, and then maybe patched together with spare parts like a sideshow "Gaff", his namesake. Maybe in a war, or on the force. He may be much more important than he seems especially with the confidence he shows. In the cut scenes it shows him on the roof of Sebastians apartment before the spinner lands. He was always a step behind Deckard, perhaps waiting for him to fail so he could finish the job. Perhaps Deckard was just created to keep Gaff from getting his clothes dirty He is in anyway one of my favorite enigmas of the movie.

I just wondered about his character. The way he seems to shadow Deckard everywhere he goes. And perhaps SHADOW is exactly the word I was looking for. If he was recently promoted, he may very well be shadowing Deckard to learn from him after his mentor, Holden, was removed from active duty by Leon.


All great thoughts and a great discussion.

"The charmer's name was Gaff... I'd seen him around. Bryant must've upped him to the Blade Runner unit."
-Rick Deckard, 1982 Theatrical and International cuts

As for the limp, maybe he's faking it?

kevin spacey faked it in the usual suspects ,why not?

"The charmer's name was Gaff... I'd seen him around. Bryant must've upped him to the Blade Runner unit."
-Rick Deckard, 1982 Theatrical and International cuts

As for the limp, maybe he's faking it?

kevin spacey faked it in the usual suspects ,why not?

Also the fact that he had different eyes and EJO's trademark facial scars give the impression that he was seriously injured, and then maybe patched together with spare parts like a sideshow "Gaff", his namesake.

Wow, after all of these years, I never connected 'gaff' with 'gaffe'. Learn something new every day!

As far as the spare parts, they could be natural OR artificial. Perhaps he's a cyborg, or a 'partial' replicant...? Hmmm.

He may be much more important than he seems especially with the confidence he shows.

Yeah, like when he smacks Deckard with his cane. I mean, Deckard just got done 'retiring' Zhora and this guy STILL gives him shit...or maybe he's just a jerk, eh?

In the cut scenes it shows him on the roof of Sebastians apartment before the spinner lands. He was always a step behind Deckard, perhaps waiting for him to fail so he could finish the job. Perhaps Deckard was just created to keep Gaff from getting his clothes dirty He is in anyway one of my favorite enigmas of the movie.

Alright, alright, I'll watch the darn deleted scenes! It appears I'm really missing a lot by putting it off.

You're right, though, he certainly was step behind him on that last chace...how else could he return Deckard's gun to him? (GPS tracking chips, aside)

Leave it to Ridleynoir to bring us the best insight!

Gaff is a term that has many meanings.

One mentioned that he was a fake. Another definition is a boss or handler, yet another is a Gaffer as in film making. Another I learned about is really odd: It is basically a codpiece that female impersonators use.

The interesting note about gaffers is that in the early days of film making; the gaffers used sheets as reflectors of natural light. To manage the sheets, they used long poles(gaffs). Along with this aspect; there is the fact that gaffers are lighting technicians that determine how to shed light on subjects. This relates to Gaff's Origami.

All refer to some type of point of control. It does seem that Gaff went from ambitious rookie Blade Runner (in the script) to Deckard's handler in the film.

It is obvious from his cane which is not cheap nor temporary:
-He has been injured for some time.
-His injury is permanent.

His injuries also pretty well explain why he is still on active duty...they have already kept him from going off world, but he is still ambulatory.

Now if we read the 'fake' aspect into it...Gaff is damaged goods that cannot be used off-world, so he is also a Replicant that has been salvaged for use on Earth.

Maybe Gaff was the 6th Replicant!

There is a LOT more insight to Gaff's movie character within the "Deleted Scenes" of the boxset.

However, since these scenes were deleted, I can't consider them as part of the "true" story...just possibilities/alternate theories.