MovieChat Forums > Blade Runner (1982) Discussion > Roy Batty's ridiculous choice at the end...

Roy Batty's ridiculous choice at the end.

posted 3 years ago by lolkatz (498)
6 replies | jump to latest

The film's plot is just lame. I mean, where did you ever see a villain have a change of heart in the film's most climactic moment, sparing the hero? Yeah, everyone got mushy over Rutger Hauer's partially ad libbed monologue in the end, but do you think his character would spare the life of his main opponent? I mean, he even killed J.F. Sebastian. Why would he spare a bladerunner, who essentially is an exterminator hunting down his own species like vermin. I'd say a rational replicant in his moment of epiphany would spare somebody's life, but that somebody could hardly be Deckard. I mean this person murdered just about everyone Batty ever cared for, and we know Batty would go out and kill for way less than that.

[–] moviechatterer (16326) 3 years ago

I guess the easy answer most will reply with will be :
"He learned the value of life! way to miss the point of the movie noob"

But you are correct , maybe he'd be a changed bot and no longer a murderer and respect human life , if he was going to live , but Deckard would probly be the exception because
a) he'd killed all his friends , as you say
b) killing RD would prolong the short life of future unjustly persecuted androids.

[–] lolkatz (498) 3 years ago

The only reason, I thought, for him to spare Deckard's life would be to take care of Rachel. The movie would have to set up some kind of a back-story of Roy Batty caring for Rachel (like she was his sister, dunno) but the haphazard nature of the screenplay wouldn't allow for such thoughtfulness.

[–] Ismailov (176) 3 years ago

IMO it isn't so much "Roy learned to respect human life" (it isn't like he kills just any random humans he comes across) as trying to prove to a blade runner that Replicants are "more human" (emotionally) than those who create or kill them. Deckard will have that memory for the rest of his life. A dead man wouldn't.

Deckard isn't the first nor last blade runner, so killing him won't put an end to the blade runner unit, nor does killing him bring the other Replicants back from the dead. I suppose one could also argue that Roy screwed Deckard's fingers pretty badly, so that even if they heal they'll never be quite the same for shooting.

[–] Ace_Spade (9658) 3 years ago

I agree with you: the primary reason that Roy spares Deckard's life is to preserve all those memories. Somebody will remember the tears in the rain.

There are many layers to that scene. The irony of Roy having only one close relationship left, and that's with the man trying to kill him. There's the juxtaposition of the man and the machine, seeing who has mercy and who doesn't and why they do what they do. Are they even aware of the ironies?

It's a great scene.

The first time I watched the scene I missed a lot of that myself. I kinda thought it was a bit of a cop-out plot-armour thing. I see it very differently now.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

One of the finest attempts to get attention I've ever seen here.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 3 years ago

👍🏻 For your ripost, Sandy.

But also one of the most feeble attempts.