Tears in Rain

A dying machine's poetic lament that defines the soul of artificial life.

"Tears in rain" is the 42-word monologue that forms the last words of Roy Batty in Blade Runner. It refers to the final monologue delivered by the replicant Roy Batty during his climactic confrontation with Deckard on a rainy rooftop in Los Angeles, 2019. This speech serves as the emotional core of the original film, encapsulating the tragedy of artificial life that possesses human memories and emotions yet faces an inevitable, programmed expiration.

Lore & Background

Batty's speech highlights the irony that he, an artificial being constructed of synthetic parts, experiences a deeper appreciation for life and a more poignant fear of death than many humans in his world. The 'tears' metaphor suggests that even the most extraordinary human experiences are ultimately ephemeral, washing away into nothingness regardless of whether they were born or built.

Did You Know?

Rutger Hauer cut several lines from the scripted speech the night before filming and added "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain".
A white dove flies up from Roy at the moment of his death.
The monologue is frequently quoted; critic Mark Rowlands called it perhaps the most moving death soliloquy in cinematic history.