Nier: Automata Ver1.1a (Season 1), Episode 5: Nier Automata continues its strong form in its fifth outing, in an episode that develops the relationship between protagonists 2B and 9S, as well as providing us with more insight into the thoughts and actions of the machines.
Nier: Automata Ver1.1a (Season 1), Episode 5 Recap:
Episode 5: mave[R]ick
The episode opens with Adam and Eve, the two android-like machines, seated at opposite ends of a long dining table. Eve, the younger brother, questions why they must wear underwear, to which Adam while reading a philosophy book, responds that humans used to cover their groins. Eve further asks why he must eat an apple as machines have no need for food, and Adam explains that humans apparently once gained great knowledge by eating apples (a reference to Adam and Eve from the Bible). Then, Eve asks Adam if he will play with him once he has eaten the apple, and Adam agrees, much to the delight of Eve, who promises to eat several apples quickly.
Meanwhile, 2B and 9S are on an errand for the Resistance, and 9S is complaining about the same. 2B points out the importance of a good relationship with the Resistance when operating on land and says that errands are safer than combat as living is better than dying. 9S agrees and asks 2B to call him by his friends’ nickname: “Nines.” 2B refuses to do so.
As they converse, the two arrive at the ruins of a shopping center that humans once used, where 9S is curious and excited by everything he sees, causing 2B to sternly remind him that they are on a mission. 9S muses that shopping for items must be fun, but 2B says they do not need that. 9S, however, believes that isn’t true as if they annihilate their enemy, the machine lifeforms, they won’t have anything to do as soldiers and can live peacefully.
He proposes that 2B go shopping with him so he can buy the T-shirts that look good on her. 2B says that their current clothing is sufficient, and 9S responds that it is not the clothing itself but the idea of going shopping together that sounds fun. 2B recites the rule that emotions are prohibited, leading to 9S being comically exasperated at her characteristic words.
The duo then arrive at their destination, an entire village populated by nonviolent machines waving white flags in surrender. They are greeted by their leader Pascal, for whom they have a delivery from Lily. There is a brief flashback where the scene shifts back to the Resistance Camp, and Lily reveals to the YoRha androids that there is a settlement of peaceful machines with whom they have cordial relations. They have even engaged in basic commerce. Lily tells them to see the village for themselves.
2B is surprised that Pascal can converse so well, and he says that his hobby is reading, which naturally increases his linguistic ability. A suspicious 9S says that must have made it easy to gain the Resistance’s trust, and Pascal understands their distrust, telling them to explore the village and interact with the machines living there. He then informs them that the machines in the village are no longer connected to the machine network.
The two of them explore the village and are surprised to see that the machines have created their own community. After interacting with a pair of sister machines for a while, the two see a ladder leading underground and go down.
There, they find a large machine-like head in a tree, but their pods inform them it isn’t a machine and still emits a weak signal. 9S decides to hack into it again out of curiosity and excitement, to 2B’s exasperation. Once he hacks in, he sees flashes of memories of the head but is abruptly cut off by the head. 9S tells 2B that it is a weapon created by humans several thousand years ago, and the newly arrived Pascal informs them it is an object of worship for the villagers.
Pascal then enters into a monologue, where he reveals his history. Back when he still fought, he came across the head in the tree that managed to tell him to live. He still kept fighting as many of his comrades died around him, and he did not yet understand that this was sad. However, he eventually began to feel fear and became afraid of dying. He was also terrified of his apathy and decided to stop fighting.
9S feels this could be a bug or an error, to which Pascal agrees, saying his behavior means that he has surely gone insane. He adds that his allies kept fighting, and he was all alone, but now he has his village with like-minded machines.
The trio head back to the village, where some children’s machines show Pascal a music box, which he explains to them and happily winds for them so that they can listen to the music. He also agrees to read books for them at their request once he is done guiding their android guests. Pascal says that while they are no longer part of the machine network, they have gained much in return.
When 2B and 9S are alone, 9S reveals that he is struggling to accept that the machines managed to break free of the network and became peaceful, finding it very selfish as many androids died at their hands as it starts raining. He then says that they are contradictory. 2B says that no one can live alone, not even machines. As she says that, 9S’s vision has static interruptions, but he tells 2B that he is fine when she asks. He lightens up and says that means 2B has a need for him before hastily exclaiming that he is joking, though he wishes that she would need him.
Nier: Automata Ver1.1a (Season 1), Episode 5 Ending, Explained:
2B, apparently touched, tells her pod to mark their current location on the map so that they can return here to buy T-shirts once they have peace. 9S is surprised, yet he happily agrees to go shopping with her.
At the village, they witness the children from before getting into a physical fight over the music box despite Pascal pleading with them to stop. 9S, fearing that they might start seriously attacking each other, is about to summon his weapons, but his operator calls him for his regularly scheduled call before he can. He says that he has nothing to report.
The scene shifts back to Adam and Eve at the same table, where both of them are now reading philosophical books. Eve asks Adam why they must read the books when they can just transfer all the data at once, and Adam replies that knowledge enriches their existence and it won’t reach their hearts unless they read it. Adam then tells Eve to address him more formally and to call him “elder brother” rather than “bro,” as he had been until now.
This episode significantly advances the relationship between 2B and 9S, with the stoic 2B showing emotion towards 9S for the first time, despite refusing to call him “Nines”. Her acceptance of his offer to shop for clothes once there is peace shows that she cares for him, though we don’t yet know if their relationship is romantic or platonic. But whatever it is, the two YoRha androids are definitely closer than they were before.
