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Why aren't replicants created with some distinctive feature in Blade Runner?

Science Fiction & Fantasy Asked on November 19, 2020

In Blade Runner, they have enough knowledge of genetics to be able to create replicants, life forms nearly identical to humans. They then have trouble identifying them among humans.

Why can’t (or don’t) they create them with some distinctive feature that would make them easily distinguishable from humans, like purple skin or orange eyes?

To be clear, I’m talking about the film.

5 Answers

The intent of replicants is to be, a human replication, to the point the best replicants don't even know they are one. This would be subverted if replicants could be easily told apart. The 4 year safeguard is to avoid the Replicants to develop human cognition to the point they can't be detected.

So what is the point of replicants in the first place? The 4 escaped replicants in the movie serve as a soldier, an assassin, a nuclear material handler and a prostitute (so dangerous and undesirable jobs).

Why would they want them to be indistinguishable? Well in some jobs (like prostitution and assassination) looking like a real human would make all the difference. Some people might distrust replicants (like Ripley distrusts Androids in Aliens), if they were identifiable. And finally, there is the uncanny valley phenomenon, where humans are unsettled looking at near life-like imitation of life (for example, a 3d render of a human, or a high end sex doll). So a perfect human would leave people at ease in many ways.

There is no reason given in the movie for the replicants being so human like, so the best we can do is guess.

Answered by CyberClaw on November 19, 2020

If Replicants are obviously identifiable then they might realise exactly how many of them they are and be tempted into a rebellion. Similar to how Ancient Rome had no uniform for slaves, lest the slaves realise by how much they outnumbered free Romans.

Answered by Greenstone Walker on November 19, 2020

If replicants were given distinctive appearances, such as a certain skin color, nose or ear shape this would probably result in some very unavoidable controversy. The very existence of these replicants appears to be controversial enough. And to give them certain features that distinguish them from humans would definitely have people looking to history to provide reasons why this is not such a good idea. All of the replicants seen on screen so far have been White. But are there replicants that appear as other ethnic groups? If so, what are their roles? Do we even want to go there? And trying to avoid those questions by creating an ethnic look exclusively for replicants might be the worst move that Tyrell or Wallace could make.

Answered by Zem XXI on November 19, 2020

As Tyrell actually says to Deckard in the film

"our goal is commerce" meaning there is money to be made from having the replicants look indistinguishable from a real human. He goes on to state the Tyrell corporation moto as "more human than human" implying they make the perfect product. If you are looking for an in universe explanation as to why the replicants have no distinguishing feature commerce or profit if you like, is it. Replicants only become hunted after they are banned on earth after a series of murders. As Deckard says "if they are a benefit" meaning they are not rogue like Batty or Pris or leon "they are not my problem".

Answered by skyjack on November 19, 2020

I was wondering the same before I watched first Bladerunner. Now I am 25 min. in the movie and learned that the motto of Tyrell Corporation is "more human than human". I guess it's answering the question, because otherwise they wont be humanlike as much as possible.

Answered by Johny Crash on November 19, 2020

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