REVIEW: ‘NieR Automata Ver. 1.1a’ Episode 23 — “meaningless [C]ode”

With help from Devola and Popala (both voiced by Ryôko Shiraishi), 9S (Natsuki Hanae) gained access to the mysterious tower. While answers await both him and A2 (Ayaka Suwa) within the tower’s walls, they will also find plenty of pain as they journey to the top in NieR Automata Ver. 1.1a Episode 23 “meaningless [C]ode.”

This episode picks up with Devola and Popala outside the tower. We see Popala finally slip away while still resting in her sister’s arms. Devola’s cry of agony at her loss is a subtle call back to the past as it recreates a similar scene. After an indefinite amount of time, A2 comes upon the androids. While Devola still lives, she has contracted the virus, and her eyes glow red as she asks A2 if they were useful. A2 assures her they were, even as she raises her sword to put Devola out of her misery. Once the deed is done, the tower opens, welcoming A2 inside.

This opening brings a melancholy ending to the twins’ story. The bit of happiness we see play on Devola’s face with A2’s assurance is a small pinprick of joy in the painful opening moments of the episode. It’s also the only one we get in the entire episode.

And while the narrative beat here is tragic for the long-suffering androids, it pulls just as hard from A2’s perspective. Required to mercy kill yet another ally, it seems certain A2 must be regretting leaving her long isolation behind. While she wears her usual cold exterior well during this painful moment, the series’ past work to reveal who A2 is makes it certain that this swing of the sword is a heavy one for her.

The camera work also does a great job of delivering this painful moment. Choices about when to close up on a face, show A2’s blade rise high in the air, or how the doors opening frames the scene at its conclusion all work wonderfully to resonate with the heavy tone of this moment.

From here, NieR Automata Ver. 1.1a Episode 23 catches up to 9S as he explores the tower’s interior. Being directed to enter a door where a surprise meant just for him waits, 9S finds himself confronted by a group of 2B (Yui Ishikawa, Visons of Mana) model androids. He quickly realizes these androids are 2B in look only and prepares to battle them.

As one would expect, 9S’ rage grows throughout this scene. Infuriated by the usurping of 2B’s form, he raves throughout the fight, pointing out all the ways the enemies are not 2B. He dispatches each in turn with brutal efficiency. The final insult for 9S comes as only a single 2B remains standing. Daring to utter his nickname Nines, 9S takes his time delivering his final strike on the doppelganger.

Drawing 9S in close seems to be the enemy’s plan, as its death triggers a self-destruct that catches 9S off guard. The explosion leaves him severely injured and missing his right arm. Despite warnings of virus exposure, he has his pod attach one of the 2Bs’ right arms to him.

NieR Automata Ver. 1.1a Episode 23 continues with some terrific design choices in the visual presentation. From seeing 2B wear the twisted smile of the holographic girls to the brutal and efficient combat animation, the scene delivers on all fronts visually. Hanae’s voice work also melds into everything to accentuate 9S’ drought state. All these gorgeous elements come together the best just before the fight starts. The pain, madness, and rage come through skillfully to set up the scene and just never stop delivering.

The bulk of the remaining episode sees A2 and 9S take mirrored journeys as they learn the truth about YoRHa, humanity, the machines’ part in the lies they have been fed, and a confrontation with a gigantic, orb-based machine. Having both characters go through a similar experience empowers the series to skip quickly between them while never feeling jarring. With the same reveals happening, the jumps barely feel noticeable. How each takes in the new information feels authentic to the characters we have gotten to know.

While the force of the machines feels insurmountable by the two androids in their current state, Pod 042 manages to plant a program within the holographic twins. Not so much a virus, the introduced element causes the two to begin thinking independently of each other. While one deems the androids too dangerous to leave alive, the other wants to spare them to create evolutionary pressure on machines to force growth in their capabilities. This eventually turns the holograms and the twin giant machines against each other.

This sequence deviates from the game’s narrative but is good. By not presenting a boss battle for the player to overcome, the series can give a more reasonable cause for the machines’ loss of control and defeat.

At this moment, we also learn the tower’s potential uses. While one of the holograms wants to fire a projectile from it to destroy the server on the moon, the other wants to use it to launch a spaceship so they can potentially leave the Earth behind to find more fertile ground to grow on.

As the mutual battles come to a close, NieR Automata Ver. 1.1a Episode 23 wraps its runtime with both 9S and A2 atop the tower. With no other distractions, 9S decides that now is the time to exact his revenge on A2 for killing 2B.  As the pair move to begin their fight, fans will recognize the last shot of the episode, as it perfectly recreates the moment before the final battle begins. With the tension and emotion this episode has skilfully cultivated, things are primed for the finale to start with a bang.

NieR Automata Ver. 1.1a Episode 23 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.