- "Everything that lives is designed to end. We are perpetually trapped...in a never-ending spiral of life and death."
- —2B in the Prologue.
YoRHa No.2 Type B (Battle) or 2B serves as the protagonist of Route A in NieR:Automata. She is a YoRHa android created to battle the machine lifeforms that have invaded the planet on behalf of the surviving humans.
2B is an all-purpose battle android, deployed as a member of the automated YoRHa infantry. She is equipped with a multitude of weapons for close quarters combat and can attack from range using the Pod support system. Her eyes are obscured beneath her standard-issue military visor, which she rarely removes.[1]
Story
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2B was created an unspecified amount of time before the events of the game as part of the new line of YoRHa androids. She was given the designation of 2B as a cover by the Commander, who gave her orders to observe one of the new Scanner models in action during YoRHa's operations against the machines.
2B's role was to ensure that 9S would not discover the true nature of Project YoRHa by executing him in case he dug too deep because of the natural curiosity programmed into him. Over the course of hundreds of operations, 2B was forced to kill 9S and wipe his memory countless times, an act that she came to hate for the pain it caused her after bonding with him over that time.
2B, along with a squadron of other YoRHa units, is sent to the Factory to eliminate a Goliath-class target. After becoming the only survivor of the assault, she meets up with her assigned Scanner, 9S. The pair explore the factory and are unable to find their target until it comes to life on the outskirts of the building. A fight ensues and 9S is severely damaged in the process. After 2B makes her way to the top the briefly disabled Goliath, she finds a mortally wounded 9S and is briefly overcome with emotion in an attempt to save him. 9S implores her to leave him to finish the mission and 2B hesitantly complies. After the target is destroyed, 2B and 9S reunite, only for three more Engels machines to appear and attack them. Faced with overwhelming odds, the pair are forced to detonate their black boxes in order to destroy the Goliaths.
It is revealed that after detonating their black boxes, 2B's data was uploaded back to the Bunker and transferred to a new body, ensuring her survival. However, as there wasn't enough bandwidth and time, 9S only managed to send 2B's memories with his only intact up to the point of before meeting her. Realizing that 9S has forgotten her yet again, 2B clenches her fist in frustration.
After having her boot sequence taken care of by 9S, the pair are sent to Earth in order to provide reconnaissance information and establish contact with the Resistance planetside. During their endeavors, 2B and 9S notice how many of their machine lifeform enemies are docile, with some having begun to take on human traits. Seeing this visibly disturbs 2B, despite 9S' insistence that the machines don't have actual emotions. During their operations on the surface, 2B and 9S witness the birth of and fight Adam and Eve, two humanoid machines who were created by the machine network with the intent of discovering the secrets of humanity. They also encounter Pascal, a pacifistic machine who leads a village of equally minded machine lifeforms, and A2, a deserter android who used to be a part of YoRHa many years ago.
Later, during an operation against the titanic machine Grun, 9S is blasted away by the ensuing explosion and separated from 2B. She searches for him desperately and her search eventually leads her to the Copied City. Adam lies in wait for her, explaining that he created the city in his attempts to understand humans. He also reveals that he has captured 9S, impaling him in a manner similar to crucifixion. Seeing this sends 2B into a rage, vowing to kill her machine adversary. In the ensuing battle, she does, leaving Adam to die in a pool of his own blood. She frees 9S, carrying him out of the collapsing city with a promise to send him home.
After having 9S' body sent back to the Bunker, 2B meets with Pascal to see if there have been any other strange trends among the machines. She learns of another group of machines disconnected from the network were open to discussing a treaty and she travels with Pascal to the Abandoned Factory to meet them. It quickly becomes apparent that the machines there have become a cult and they turn aggressive on 2B and each other. With 9S' help hacking into other machines from the Bunker, 2B is able to escape. Upon returning to the Resistance Camp however, the machines in the area have gone berserk and begun eating the Resistance members. After 9S arrives in a flight unit to help dispatch a giant machine, 2B chases down Eve, the cause of the machine's behaviour from his grief for Adam. The battle is long and arduous, but 2B is finally able to stop the rampaging machines and kill Eve with a final stab of her sword.
flowers for m[A]chines
At the end of Route A, 9S's body has become corrupted by the machine's logic virus while attempting to disconnect Eve from the network. Seeing no other choice as he is corrupted, 9S asks 2B to kill him out of mercy, reassuring her that his back up data at the Bunker can always be uploaded into a new body again. 2B protests, pointing out that although it's true, it comes at the cost of his personality and memories. However, with no other option and the risk it poses to the Bunker, she gives in and strangles 9S to death.
Holding 9S's corpse in her arms, 2B breaks down, crying that her time with 9S always ends like this. Suddenly, she notices that the pieces of machines around the battlefield are sending data transmissions, resonating with each other before she can destroy them. A large machine rises up and 9S's voice comes out, explaining that his personality was left in the machine network when he became corrupted and he was able to regenerate thanks to it. 2B expresses her relief that 9S survived and takes the offer of his hand. Route A ends with 9S holding 2B while she narrates:
- "What is it that separates machines from androids like us? The machine has gained emotion...Consciousness. The final screams they summon on the edge of death...They still echo within me"
or not to [B]e
Route B's ending is identical to Route A, except this time the Red Girls appear to witness 2B strangling 9S to death. Instead of 2B, it is 9S who does his own narration.
meaningless [C]ode
With Adam and Eve destroyed and the machine network in chaos, the Commander orders a full scale invasion to finally end the war with the machines once and for all. 2B and 9S work as a guerilla unit, assisting other units in their fight against the machines. During the battle however, 2B is temporarily disabled by an EMP blast and has to be saved by 9S. To her horror though, 2B's squadmates suddenly turn on her, infected by the same logic virus that claimed 9S earlier. As she and 9S are overwhelmed by the YoRHa forcea, the pair are forced to detonate their black boxes once again to escape.
Waking up on the Bunker, 2B meets with 9S and the pair rush to inform the Commander of what has happened. The Commander, however, doesn't trust them and orders the other YoRHa to detain both 2B and 9S on suspicion of being infected themselves. Before the order is carried out, the other androids are suddenly revealed to be infected as well. 2B is forced to cut down her own allies, learning from 9S that the reason she and him and not infected was due to 9S suspending their data sync earlier after having encountered a glitch. As she helps 9S and the Commander escape the exploding Bunker, the Commander stops them when they reach the flight units. She reveals she too is infected, having been synced up with the server like everyone else. 2B implores her to come with them, but is ordered off the Bunker as it begins to explode.
As she and 9S escape in flight units to the surface, other YoRHa flight units attack them. 2B takes control of 9S' control systems, sending his flight unit somewhere safe as her own is outnumbered and shot down. She records a message for 9S before she crashes and discovers that she has also been infected by the logic virus. 2B stumbles her way through the city ruins, her body slowly shutting down and unable to fight. As more YoRHa ground troops surround her, 2B is saved by A2's intervention. Despite this, 2B knows she is doomed since the Bunker is gone with no back up. She bestows her sword and her memories to A2 in her final moments, imploring her fellow android to take care of the future and everyone else. A2 then impales 2B out of mercy, just as 9S arrives to witness her death.
It is later revealed that 2B instructed Pod 042 to accompany and assist A2 in her journey as her final order. She also makes numerous appearances during 9S' journey, both in his memories and as machine-constructed copies designed to kill him.
Before the final battle against each other, A2 reveals 2B's real designation is YoRHa No.2 Type E (Executioner). She also mentions her role involving 9S, explaining how she is responsible for eliminating other androids that get curious enough to discover YoRHa's secret. She also suggests that 9S has been subconsciously aware of 2B's real identity all this time, prompting him to demand she shut up.
chil[D]hood's end
Route D's path is identical to Route C's except for the end choice between A2 and 9S. If 9S is chosen, he is almost beaten by A2 in combat until 2B's voice distracts her and makes her hesitate in taking the final blow. 9S seizes his chance and impales her, but accidentally falls on 2B's sword in the process, killing them both.
the [E]nd of YoRHa
After achieving Route D's ending, Pods 042 and 153 begin their demanded protocol of deleting all data relating to Project YoRHa with the death of all remaining units. If the player chooses to confirm the Pods request of checking for data noise in the credits stream, Pod 042 halts the deletion request, refusing to continue. Because of their experiences with the androids, the Pods have gained their own free will and determination. They admit they wanted all of the androids to survive as much as the player did.
If the player succeeds in beating the end credits bullet hell, the Pods rebuild 2B along with 9S and A2 with all their past memories intact, hopeful that the androids can now forge their own path in life with the war against the machines brought to an end.Gameplay
As a Playable Character
2B is a balanced, more offensive character:
- Primary Attack - Basic light attack, does less damage, but is faster and has a higher combo potential.
- Heavy Attack - Basic heavy attack, does more damage, but is slower and has shorter combos. Holding the heavy attack button will charge the attack up to two levels, the second of which will have an extended attack if it connects.
- Aerial Attack - Primary attacks in the air will keep 2B in the air as long as the combo lasts, while using a heavy attack will result in a ground slam.
- Dash & Evade - Dash around and can evade attacks when dashing just before an enemy attack connects.
- Self Destruct - 2B has the ability to self destruct, dealing immense damage to herself and those around her.
- Finisher - Pressing the action button on a downed enemy will do a special attack that does a fair amount of damage.
As an Enemy
Personality
A blade of quiet determination, 2B is comparatively cool, calm, and collected. As a combat android, she does not encourage idle chatter on frivolous subjects and is generally reticent towards others. She also has high respect for the chain of command and rarely questions her orders, unlike her partner. However, 2B occasionally expresses a notably sardonic wit in the face of certain situations and can even be hot-headed at times.
2B is prone to letting her emotionless guise slip in certain situations. As she and 9S become closer, she becomes more sociable and willing to engage in conservation. For example, she humors 9S when he talks about taking her shopping after the war with the Machines has ended and even uses his preferred nickname of 'Nines', though she quickly takes it back. 2B also exhibits thinly-veiled jealousy when 9S agrees to help the Resistance member in the Amnesia side quest, accusing him of falling for her. In the final battle against Adam, she expresses pure rage and raw hatred for the Machine Leader when she witnesses 9S's critical condition, swearing she would kill him.
In numerous moments throughout her adventure, 2B expresses frustration and pain with her true role in relation to 9S, hating the cycle they are locked in. She becomes emotional at having a chance to finally save the 9S she knows from Engels' attack at the beginning of the game but later shows anger at learning that his memory after their initial rendezvous was lost.
Quotes
- "The machines don't have feelings. You said it yourself."
- "Stop complaining."
- "Roger that Nine...ze."
- To 9S in Amnesia side-quest:
- "Well, aren't we generous?"
- "All this help for no personal gain? I know she's pretty, but-"
- "...Whatever"
- "You know nothing about humanity!"
- To Adam:
- "You son of a... I'll kill you!"
- "9S... Come on. Let's go home." -After Adam battle
- "It always... ends like this..."
- "Oh... Nines..."
Other Appearances
Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin
sinoAlice
Gallery
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Trivia
- During the settings menu tutorial, 2B has a chance to tell 9S that "there is something calming" about his voice, flustering him greatly.
- When A2 is disabled by an EMP attack in the desert, she begins to experience some of 2B's memories from the her sword. A brief interaction with the Commander can be heard, claiming they would usually refer to 2B as something else. This hints at her real designation of 2E.
- Like with the other androids, 2B was designed by Akihiko Yoshida.
- The large sword that 2B wields in official artwork, the Beastlord, is one of the signature weapons used by the original protagonist of NieR Gestalt.
- According to Nier: Automata Guide Book, 2B three sizes are B: 84cm; W:56cm; H:88cm. Her height is 168cm (including heels). Her weight is 148.8kg.
- As a mean of fan service, whenever 2B self-destructs, her skirt will be removed, thus revealed her bottoms and thighs. This can be undone by transporting somewhere else.