Chapters 18 to the End of the Book

Allison LeBel

March 19, 2012

Blade Runner

Philip H. Dick

Pages read: from pg. 200 to End 


     Chapter 18 opens when Pris wakes up in Sebastian's apartment. She talks to him about his


 strange skin condition, "Methuselah Syndrome" which makes him age quickly, even though is 


only 25. Suddenly, Roy appears. He shares the news that Zhora and Leon are both retired. Roy 


and Pris both reveal to Sebastian that they are Nexus-6s and they need to get "help" for Pris or 


she'll die. Pris proves to Sebastian that she's artificial by grabbing an egg from boiling water 


and tossing it to Sebastian, who finds it too hot to handle. Roy notices that Sebastian plays 


chess and asks him about his opponent, who is Tyrell himself. Roy convinces Sebastian to use 


his connection to Tyrell to arrange a personal meeting. Sebastian reluctantly agrees.

    Roy and Sebastian go to Tyrell's pyramidal home and take an elevator to his penthouse. 

They are stopped as a security measure but are allowed to proceed when Sebastian voices 

two moves to Tyrell himself that win the chess match they'd been playing; the move is given to 

him by Roy. In Tyrell's bedchamber, Roy confronts his master, saying specifically he wants an 

extension of his short lifespan and calls Tyrell "father". (In the 1982 Theatrical and 1992 

Director's editions, Roy says "fucker" in place of father.) Tyrell explains that artificial beings like 

Roy have been permanently designed not to live longer than their lifespan and that no known 

biological process has yet been able to change that. Roy becomes more despondent, telling 

Tyrell he's done "questionable things". Tyrell patronizes him, saying he's also accomplished 

great things. Roy, still despondent, first kisses Tyrell, then begins to crush his skull, poking his 

thumbs through his master's eyes. Tyrell falls dead and a horrified Sebastian, unable to 

escape, is killed by Roy.

   Deckard is seen in his car in the sector where JF Sebastian lives. He receives a report from 

Bryant who tells him that Tyrell is dead and Sebastian has also been found dead at the same 

scene. Deckard places a call to Sebastian's apartment claiming to be a friend. Pris answers 

the call but hangs up. Deckard enters Sebastian's apartment and searches for evidence or 

leads. While doing so, he is surprised by a disguised Pris, who assaults him using acrobatics. 

As she performs a series of back flips to finish Deckard off, he shoots her through the 

abdomen. She twitches violently for a few moments before Deckard shoots her twice more and 

finally kills her.

   Deckard is next surprised by Roy, who moves too fast for Deckard to shoot. Roy stalks 

Deckard after discovering that Pris is dead, seizing Deckard's hand through a wall and 

deliberately dislocating and breaking two of his fingers. Deckard escapes to an upper floor in 

the building but is easily found by Roy, who is already showing signs of his own impending 

death - he stabs himself through the hand with a large nail to temporarily stabilize his condition. 

Deckard seizes an opportunity to beat Roy with a large pipe but cannot incapacitate Roy, 

who's superhuman strength is too much for Deckard. Deckard eventually escapes to the roof 

and tries to jump to another roof across the street. He nearly plummets, hanging on by one 

hand. Roy makes the jump quite easily and peers over the ledge at Deckard, asking him "Quite 

an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave." Deckard slips and Roy 

catches him, dragging him to safety. Roy sits down near him, holding a dove he'd found on the 

other roof and tells Deckard that he's seen more in his short life than most humans would see in 

a full lifetime. Roy is saddened by the idea that all the memories he's acquired will lost "like 

tears in rain." As he finally dies, the dove in his hand flies off. In the original theatrical version 

(1982) the rain has stopped and the dove flies toward a sunny sky. In the Final Cut (2007) the 

rain continues and the dove flies toward an overcast sky.

    Gaff meets Deckard on the roof and throws his pistol back to him. He congratulates Deckard 

on completing his investigation; Deckard tells him he's officially finished with hunting replicants. 

As Gaff walks away, he yells back "It's too bad she won't live, but then again who does?", 

referring to Rachel.

   Deckard returns to his apartment and finds Rachel, not knowing immediately if she's alive or

 dead. Much to his relief, she wakes up. A few minutes later, she is dressed and Deckard, after 

checking the lobby outside his apartment, motions for her to join him in the elevator. On the 

floor of the lobby is a small origami unicorn, left there by Gaff. Deckard studies it for a moment, 

then crushes it in his hand. In the Final Cut and Director's (1992) editions, the film ends when 

the elevator doors close. In the Theatrical edition, Deckard and Rachel are shown driving into a 

mountainous area and Deckard explains in voiceover that Rachel may have a longer lifespan 

than any other Nexus-6.