2B and 9S's Relationship (SPOILER)

[HReissM]

As the tittle indicates, the discussion below reveals major story spoiler. Readers be advised.

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One thing is bugging me, as it was indicated near the ending of the game -2B a.k.a. Execution Model 2E is tasked to killing 9S models whenever they find the real intentions behind the YoRHa Project and the ultimate fate of humanity.

On the execution scene where 2B kills 9S, she says "It always ends like this"... which indicates 9S models have uncovered this truth multiple times before and 2B has had to step in for the kill.

My question is: From 2B's perspective, what exactly triggers the execution command? Does she herself knows the truth about YoRHa from the very beginning and proceeds with her objective when 9S uncovers the truth? (this could explain why she clenched her first at the start of the game when they recited the motto "Glory to Mankind").

Or does she simply receives a kill order from the Commander and doesn't know the truth herself?

[Faint]

I don't think it's in any intel but from what A2 explains the assumption is that she kills him knowing why she is doing it but that she is conflicted about it (i.e. why she refuses to call him nines but lets it slip rarely) and there is also the thing about 9S already knowing what she was.... so I would assume everyone knew but acted like they didn't; the only difference being that 9S didn't know the whole truth until the commander told him enough to piece things together. That's my theory anyway, the whole thing is difficult no matter who knows what anyway

[Hued]

Based on a line she mentions early in the game, she only follows orders. She does not appear the type to ask details as to why, she executes orders. The executor types suffer emotional distress as their targets are usually the ones they become attached to since they have to be near them. A side mission in the game has a covert YoRHa android living amongst the Resistance and you see how it has damaged her psyche so much of having to kill on command that she tends to delete memories of the assassination and dispose of anything that would remind them of the person.

EDIT: I should also add that the times during the game that 2B had to kill 9S. It was because it was no other way for him to survive. The factory with the goliaths, they had no other way to fight 3 goliaths at once. 9S got corrupted bad at endings A&B that he begged for death. All these moments she had kept full memory of his death and 9S had his memories rolled back during his deaths. Events like that can really mess someone up especially if you start to gain a close bond with each other.

[Shade Factory]

These are not the droids you are looking for.

2B doesn't know at all (if she does it's very very well hidden since the only hint I've seen is her clenching her fist at "glory to mankind.") and receives an order from the commander and the commander knows that the human species is extinct. I think the reason she occasionally lets his nickname slip is because she's spent so much time with him and his copies that it's familiar probably from one that she was with much longer before he discovered the truth. Worth noting that the red girl (n2 I believe?) is the one with the full truth that the war has been on an endless loop for centuries.

[obstructor]

I mean the universe is so cohesive I am sure it has a perfect answer:

My assumption is that she has some sort of 'trigger' that starts the execution command (i.e. 9S accesses classified information without clearance).
The fist clench at the beginning and her harshness towards 9S makes a lot more sense when you realize she is trying to not become attached to the person she is programmed to kill.

Interesting tidbit, the squad you start with has an expressly defined E model. Which I thought was weird since 2B has a codename to hide her true purpose and I have to imagine being known as an execution model has got to be bad for making friends.

[Singrave]

You are all wrong.

[Shade Factory]

Originally posted by obstructor:

I mean the universe is so cohesive I am sure it has a perfect answer:

Interesting tidbit, the squad you start with has an expressly defined E model. Which I thought was weird since 2B has a codename to hide her true purpose and I have to imagine being known as an execution model has got to be bad for making friends.

Move, along, please.
I believe the reason for that is 2B/E is supposed to be hiding the biggest truth in the entire android army. Meanwhile the regular execution models are for hunting down and killing deserters/betrayers/ect. They have no reason to hide them but like the one you do the mission for as 9S, some are undercover. Basically cops and under cover cops if that makes sense?

Also no trigger on entering classified data otherwise she would have killed him on landing during the last battle. In fact it couldn't be a trigger because if it was she would have executed him or shown signs of deciding not to. The fact that she didn't gives weight to the fact it was the commander since the whole virus thing kind of got chain of command messed up. Perhaps in all the other models the commander gave the files to him and then gave the order but this time around the assault took place which is a higher priority? Or perhaps the commander decided to wait it out after doing it so much?

[Shade Factory]

Originally posted by lameover:

You are all wrong.

Well I'd ask for proof but all you could give is evidence of Internet trolling.

[Hued]

I always thought of the fist clench being the reaction of her getting a full backup uploaded but 9S not getting a backup until the rendevous. It could be a feeling of frustration in that she felt 9S purposefully uploaded hers first as there was not enough bandwidth to do both in time. It would not be too far off from the truth, 9S did know that both of them would not be able to have a full backup in time before the goliath kills them.

[Singrave]

Foolish droids.

[HReissM]

I forgot, correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't the Commander had access to classified intel of Level-S only? Therefore, she only knew about the fate of humanity and their Moon server, but she didn't have access to Level-SS -the truth about Project YoRHa.

With that said, I believe 2B also had knowledge of the human's extinction from the very start of the game, but like the Commander, she was in the dark when it came to the YoRHa Project. Maybe they saw what little human DNA data was stored on the Moon server as something worth fighting the machines for.

However, her objective was to eliminate 9S models whenever their will to fight diminished due to uncovering classified info or began displaying too many emotions?...

[Jeronimo Collares]

That is the better part...my english is a crap, so...i make my story with final A.

:P

[Bombast]

Originally posted by DG:

I forgot, correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't the Commander had access to classified intel of Level-S only? Therefore, she only knew about the fate of humanity and their Moon server, but she didn't have access to Level-SS -the truth about Project YoRHa.

The commander is not aware that YoRHa is designed to self destruct, though her actions near the end of the game make me wonder if she maybe has a suspicion.

However, her objective was to eliminate 9S models whenever their will to fight diminished due to uncovering classified info or began displaying too many emotions?...

Her roles is destroy 9S whenever he becomes too unstable. Whether that's because he finds out the truth and that breaks him, or he gets too attached to 2B and the stress of the war drives him to want to quit, or whether he starts sympathizing with the machines, or whether he just gets infected (He does spend a lot of time in machine heads, after all) is up to circumstance.

It seems whatever advanced hardware and programming that went into the S series, plus the inherit strains of it's role, lead to a spectacularly unstable android. It helps explain why YoRHa was being used as a test bed though - To iron out all these faults. Just like how the machines intentionally fractured itself to learn.

[HReissM]

@Bombast, makes sense, yeah!

[Young Erusean Officer]

I wonder if Accord and her bosses had any role in forming Yorha. She gets mentioned very, very early in the game (she basically arms them) and I think the machines are also being manipulated by them.[/spoiler[

[Null_User]

Add to this, it seems the pods knew of this and their programming was such that they collected all Yorha data, waited for their destruction to make all data available to... whoever is in charge (someone who's never shown in game) to create a new batch of improved androids. But Pod 042 started generating this self awareness and sympathy for the android he was with, and decided to break all protocol (leading to the ending E mini game). Pod 153 then followed through.

As for having 2E know from the start about humanity's fate (note that there's probably not even human DNA anywhere), I have my doubts. It could be the case, but maybe the fist clench thing was because she just resented having to work for humans that are doing nothing but saying they want to return to Earth. All the while she had to constantly kill and reset the one android she's been partnered with for who knows how long.

Lastly, as for 9S, why is it that the Commander, an android, can handle the truth about humanity but 9S, an android that should be created with the same sense of duty as the Commander because of where he is and what he DOES, can't do that? It's like hiring someone to work for the US CIA knowing they can't handle the truth about how intelligence is gathered. I mean, back to the lore, these guys are able to put different things on the minds of androids. They changed the programming of the twins so they feel eternal guilt, for example. Why couldn't they give 9S the ability to handle the truth and keep going as if nothing happened? Unless it's a plot hole and sort of plot device, that's an answer I do not have yet.