Part 100: Episode XCVII: Glory to Mankind

Episode XCVII: Glory to Mankind



Forever and ever...





......
Those were the words I heard in the moon server. But why...?
Alert: 2B has defeated the Goliath-class heavy-weapon unit.
Hm? Ah, right.



OK. Mission accomplished. We provided support to 2B and actually managed to complete all objectives without screwing up spectacularly or getting owned. That’s kinda a first, really. As soon as we head back towards the elevator, the Commander decides to give us a call.



I’m sorry. You’re needed back at Command.
...Understood.





We don’t even have to go far to link up with the Commander as she’s just hanging out in the hallway looking somewhat cross with 9S. Does this have something to do with that time we hacked into classified data without permission...? Dang.



You left quite a trail when you accessed the main server.
That’s what I wanted to speak with you about, Commander.
......
I found records stating that the Council of Humanity was established as part of Project YoRHa. But I’d always heard it was the other way around. So did YoRHa actually create the Council of Humanity?
......
Yes. We installed the Council of Humanity’s server on the surface of the moon.
But that means...
Mankind no longer exists.
!!
In truth, humans never went to the moon at all. Any transmissions received from the moon are just dummy signals we set up in advance. The only thing there is a small bit of data relating to the human genome.
But why would you—
Humans were already extinct when the aliens attacked. All the details are stored on this memory chip. If you want to look at it, I won’t stop you.



Yep. Humanity is extinct. The most obvious twist ever if you played the original game, which was about an angry dad going on a rampage that ruined everything in the process. The last few entries given in supplementary materials for the original NieR included the final generation of humanity dying out, since the only person who could maintain the Shades/Gestalts from going crazy and dying kinda got stabbed to death. The Replicants lasted a couple millennia longer, until at least the first contact with aliens. They presumably all died in the first wave of the invasion. RIP weird bio-android clones. Personally, as soon as I heard about the humans on the moon I immediately called bullshit.

Now about that document we were given. We don’t actually get a chance to read it until after this scene and the endgame of Route B immediately begins and it’s easy to forget to check it out. So let’s cheat a bit and check it out now.



So Project YoRHa’s initial purpose was to set up a fake server on the moon to broadcast transmissions that humans were *totally* up on the moon and fine hanging out there. No reason for all you androids to get super bummed out and have a self-destructive existential crisis and the death of your creators, like a certain other mechanical race that came later. Everything is fine and dandy up here!

The sexy anime androids (and occasional super hacker boy dweeb) part was a recent stage of the overall project. You see? Humans are still looking out for all you old androids. They made a whole new generation that are rad as hell and are going to sort out these aliens this time!



......
No one fights without a reason. And we need a god worth dying for.









And with that, the Commander wanders off leaving 9S to deal with his extremely conflicted emotions about learning he’d wasted 18,000 salutes to the glory of a long dead race. Not sure that’s the healthiest course of action to take, Commander. But you’re in charge of this fortress of lies.





You said you got into death sports. I thought sports was just a game like when we played catch. You didn’t say the death part was the important part! <pounds table>



We were gonna play checkers. I spent all day reading a stupid book about stupid checkers and setting it up and they kill you! I tried to play it with one of the stupid machines and they just crushed the first piece they picked up. DAMMIT! <smacks candlestick>



Every last one of them. I’ll kill them. As soon as I figure out how to get off this roof, I SWEAR it... Every last one of them...



Tune in next time for the beginning of the final chapter of NieR: Automata’s Route B. I wouldn’t expect too much from the conclusion of this route. Overall, 9S’s repeat of events is the low point of the game. However, Route C is just on the horizon and... well... That’s a whole ‘nother ballgame. This is cresting the top of the hill before Yoko Taro’s wild rollercoaster ride actually begins. Stay tuned...






Episode: 97 Highlight Reel





Commander Concept Art – Given past Platinum games, I’m surprised they didn’t go with the glasses sporting design.



Bunker Corridor Concept Art – Do they have space janitors or is it all futuristic Roombas?