The now infamous Nexus-6 was a revelation in its time. Bioengineered to begin their lives of service as sterile adults, N-6s were virtually indistinguishable from humans, where only a Voight-Kampff test could identify them. All N-6s were preset with commensurate levels of physical and mental prowess for their unique functions (ranking from A to C), with their serial numbers listing their model number, gender, physical/mental presets, and incept date.
N-6s were impressive physical specimens, matching the average human’s strength, agility, and endurance even at their lowest C grade. Yet the true breakthrough was their highly-advanced mind with machine learning and optimal self-sufficiency.
With 79 distinct functions, every N-6 was purpose-built with memory implants for instant obedience and mastery of their assigned tasks. Their advanced minds would then think independently, learn from their peers and surroundings, and evolve their capabilities over time, developing unique physical, mental, and emotional conditioning tailored for their specific role and environment. Many were specifically designed for deep-space exploration, off-world mining, and off-world colonization – dangerous, difficult work that humans were more than happy to delegate to others. This rapidly developing emotional maturity, however, resulted in adverse psychological issues due to their grueling work and selfless existence. To prevent the onset of psychosis, Tyrell bioengineered a failsafe that irreversibly limited the lifespan of all N-6s to only four years. Yet even four years proved ample time to develop the psychological instability and cruelty for which the N-6s will forever be known.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Are there Nexus-6 models still out there? Technically, that’s impossible. Their limited four-year lifespan would’ve caused the natural death of every Tyrell-manufactured N-6 by now. The UN was also merciless about their eradication. Far beyond Blade Runners, there are horror stories about entire moons being turned into massive furnaces, where Replicants were forced to burn their own kind dead or alive. Before stepping into the fires themselves.
Even still, it is widely known that Tyrell was a constant target for corporate espionage as competitors and criminal organizations alike desperately sought a mere glimpse of their patents. And while no entity has ever successfully duplicated a 1:1 reproduction of the Replicant, given the rampant number of counterfeits and unsanctioned synthetics found throughout the system, it’s fair to assume that some did reverse engineer some facet of Tyrell’s designs. Or pounced upon the bioengineers without employment and purpose once Tyrell Corp went belly up to get close enough.
So is it possible there are synthetic variations of the Nexus-6 on Earth and throughout the system? Just as dangerous and indistinguishable from humans today as they were decades ago? Quite possibly. The only question that remains is to wonder if those counterfeits possess the same shortcomings as their predecessors. Of note, it was later learned that some N-6s were implanted with memo-
ries inspired by real human experiences, rather than the fabricated memories more effective in bioengineering skills and behavioral control. It’s believed these real memories partially contributed to the N-6s’ mental decline, leading to the current prohibition of real human memories.