Sapper Morton

A Nexus-8 replicant struggling with past traumas in 2048 Los Angeles.

Sapper Morton is a Nexus-8 replicant featured in the 2017 short film 2048: Nowhere to Run, a prequel to Blade Runner 2049. The film takes place in Los Angeles in 2048, one year before the events of the feature film, and follows Morton as he protects a mother and daughter from thugs, ultimately leading to his status as a replicant being reported. Morton is portrayed by Dave Bautista. The short was written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, who also wrote the feature film, and directed by Luke Scott.

Quick Facts

Model: Nexus-8
Role: Replicant
First appears: 2048: Nowhere to Run

Lore & Background

In 2048 Los Angeles, Sapper Morton is shown weeping hysterically into a mirror, struggling with his past traumas. He washes his face in a sink and puts on his glasses. Walking through a crowded street, he is briefly accosted by a group of thugs, whom he ignores. Greeted by Ella, he gives her the book The Power and the Glory to read, a book that he enjoyed.

Leaving, Sapper goes to a market to sell leeches he has farmed, being paid $3,000, which is $1,000 less than Sapper needs. After leaving the market, Sapper sees Ella and her mother about to be sexually assaulted by the group of thugs he had earlier ignored. Angered, Sapper proceeds to savagely beat the group and kills most of them, demonstrating superhuman strength and endurance in the process. Seeing Ella and her mother terrified at the violence, a remorseful Sapper leaves the scene, having dropped his identification papers.

A spectator, having watched Sapper earlier, calls the LAPD to inform them that he thinks he has found a rogue "skin-job."

Did You Know?

The short film was released on September 16, 2017, approximately three weeks before the release of Blade Runner 2049.
The film was directed by Luke Scott, whose father Ridley Scott directed the original Blade Runner.