What Are They?
In a world where emotions are considered a liability and androids are meant to be nothing more than tools of war, the bond between 2B and 9S in NieR:Automata Ver1.1a quietly defies everything they’ve been taught to believe. Beneath the cold metal exteriors and calculated commands, there’s something achingly human that unfolds between them. But what exactly
A Connection That Shouldn’t Exist
At first glance, 2B and 9S are simply partners on a mission. 2B is the calm, composed combat model — efficient and emotionally detached — while 9S, a scanner unit, brings curiosity, warmth, and a surprising amount of emotion to the duo. They shouldn’t have any deeper connection. They’re androids, after all — created by humans to fight for a species that has long disappeared. But even from their earliest interactions, there’s a noticeable tension, not of conflict, but of unspoken familiarity.
Their exchanges may appear mechanical at times, but subtle moments — a pause in 2B’s voice, the rare smile from 9S — hint at something neither of them is supposed to acknowledge. It’s a connection born not out of programming, but shared experience. Mission after mission, memory after memory (or lack thereof), they’re drawn to each other in a cycle that’s equal parts tragic and tender.
The Weight of Forgotten Truths
What really deepens their bond — and also complicates it — is the burden 2B carries. Unknown to 9S, she’s not just his partner; she’s also his executioner. Each time 9S learns too much about the truth behind YorHa or humanity’s extinction, he becomes a threat to the system — and 2B is forced to erase him. Again and again. And again.
This cruel cycle inflicts a kind of emotional erosion on 2B. She grows colder on the outside, but it’s not from a lack of feeling. It’s from too much of it. She’s doing what she’s told, fulfilling her duty — yet inside, she’s breaking apart every time she has to reset the very person she’s come to care for. That quiet grief is what makes their relationship so tragic. 9S, ever curious, senses there’s something more between them. But he’s never allowed to hold onto it long enough to understand.
Love, in the Language of Machines
Calling their connection “love” feels too simple — but also not entirely wrong. It’s not romantic in the traditional sense, nor is it purely platonic. Their relationship exists in a grey area where language falters, but feeling speaks volumes. Whether it’s the way 2B whispers “I’m sorry” before pulling the trigger, or the way 9S desperately searches for her when she disappears, these moments carry weight. Real emotional weight.
In the world of NieR:Automata, where humanity is long gone, 2B and 9S represent a flicker of what made being human so complicated — and beautiful. They are programmed to fight, to survive, to forget. But somehow, in each other, they remember something more. Not just who they are, but what it means to care.
Their story isn’t about happy endings or grand declarations. It’s about quiet moments, painful choices, and the unspoken bond that lingers even after memories fade. And maybe that’s why it hits so hard — because despite everything, their connection feels real.
