A2

Lore & Background

A2 is a key character in *Nier: Automata*, set in 11945 AD during a proxy war between human-made androids and alien-made Machines. She is introduced as an obsolete attack android who acts alone. The source reveals that A2 is the survivor of a test run for YoRHa, and that her real designation was "2E", an "executioner" unit. This means she was assigned to repeatedly kill 9S whenever he discovers the truth about humanity. A2's story unfolds during the third playthrough, after a logic virus attack corrupts nearly all YoRHa units. She discovers 2B, who is infected with the logic virus, and 2B asks A2 to take her place. A2 mercy-kills 2B, which 9S witnesses, leading him to swear revenge on her. Later, A2 begins empathising with the Machines; she witnesses the destruction of Pascal's village and the village's "children" taking their own lives out of fear. Pascal begs A2 to either wipe his memory or kill him; A2 can perform either task or leave him. During the final confrontation, A2 learns that YoRHa was designed to lose and perpetuate the myth of humanity, and that the Machine Network are using the war to further their evolution. Choosing A2 in the final fight leads to A2 saving 9S and sacrificing herself to destroy the tower.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across the ruins of a city long abandoned. A2 stood alone, her single red eye scanning the horizon. She gripped her blade, feeling the weight of centuries of data stored within her core. Somewhere in that code was the echo of a war that had no end. She had seen Pascal's village fall, its "children" taking their own lives out of fear. She had heard Pascal beg her to wipe his memory or kill him. She had learned that YoRHa was designed to lose, and that she herself was an executioner, built to kill 9S again and again. Now, as the tower rose from the land, she knew the final confrontation was at hand. She would save 9S, and she would sacrifice herself to destroy the tower.

Reader's Guide

A2 is a playable protagonist in *Nier: Automata*, introduced during the third playthrough. She is a rogue prototype android who often acts alone. Her combat style is distinct: she can sacrifice health to briefly boost her attack power. A2 is the survivor of a test run for YoRHa, and that her real designation was "2E", an "executioner" unit. This backstory is revealed during the final events of the game. A2's story arc involves her learning to empathise with the Machines, witnessing the destruction of Pascal's village and the suicide of the village's "children". She is given a choice: to wipe Pascal's memory, kill him, or leave him. In the final confrontation, the player can choose to play as A2 or 9S. Choosing A2 leads to A2 saving 9S and sacrificing herself to destroy the tower.

Did You Know?

• A2 is the survivor of a test run for YoRHa.
• A2's real designation was "2E", an "executioner" unit assigned to repeatedly kill 9S.
• A2 mercy-kills 2B after 2B is infected with the logic virus.
• Choosing A2 in the final fight leads to her saving 9S and sacrificing herself to destroy the tower.
• A2 can choose to wipe Pascal's memory, kill him, or leave him after his village's children commit suicide.