NieR: Automata's world is inhabited by androids and machines that destroyed almost all the humanity in the world. As robots, YoRHa's androids are not allowed to have feelings for other androids or machines, as their only purpose in life can be synthesized with their "Glory to Mankind" motto.
Although, even if 2B, 9S, and A2 all are YoRHa androids, and they are supposed not to feel any type of emotions and yet be all the same, this is not the case. In fact, they all have their own personalities and, in some cases, they have emotions, as players can discover when playing NieR: Automata.
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2B's Cold Yet Kind Personality
In NieR: Automata, 2B is the main character on Route A. She is a YoRHa android designed to fight the machine lifeforms that have invaded the planet on behalf of the survivors. During the 14th Machine War, she served as a soldier. 2B is a silently determined blade. As a combat android, she discourages idle chit-chat about trivial matters and is generally reserved around others. In addition, unlike her partner, she has high regard for the chain of command and rarely questions her superiors' orders. However, in the face of certain situations, 2B exhibits a notably sardonic wit and can even be hot-headed.
Deep down, 2B is a lovely person. She adores her friends, petting her Pod as if it were a pet and even going so far as to find a flower picture for Operator 60. She is also very considerate of others' wishes; when she and 9S are searching for the memories of an android with amnesia by visiting various locations, 9S wonders what's so special about them. 2B simply states that the memories are important to her, which is all that is important. Furthermore, despite her professional demeanor, 2B finds 9S' use of the term "ma'am" to be "unnecessary." Her cold and aloof exterior is essentially a defense mechanism against the horrors of life and the reality of her programming.
In certain circ*mstances, 2B is prone to slipping into her emotionless guise. She becomes more friendly and willing to engage in conversation as she and 9S become closer. For example, she amuses 9S when he talks about taking her shopping after the Machines' war is over, even using his preferred nickname of 'Nines,' though she quickly retracts it. When 9S agrees to help the Resistance member in the Amnesia side quest, 2B accuses him of falling in love with her. When she witnesses 9S' critical condition during the final battle with Adam, she expresses pure rage and raw hatred for the Machine Leader, swearing she will kill him.
2B expresses frustration and pain with her proper role in relation to 9S at numerous points throughout her adventure, despising the cycle they are trapped in. For example, at the start of the game, she becomes emotional because she finally has a chance to save the 9S she knows from Engels' attack. Still, she later becomes enraged when she learns that his memory of their initial rendezvous has been erased. She also openly expressed sorrow when she was forced to kill 9S after becoming infected with a logic virus in Ending A, crying violently after she killed him and expressing immense joy when it was revealed that he transferred his consciousness into a Machine body to save his life.
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9S' Human Personality
As a Scanner model, 9S is naturally curious about the world around him, particularly about machine lifeforms. Typically working alone, he and other S-type models are deployed on the frontlines as YoRHa's primary intelligence gatherers. According to A2, 9S is a "high-end model," implying that he is one of the most recent Scanner types. As the newest model, he is more likely than his peers to delve deeper into YoRHa's secrets and frequently asks questions that those around him advise him not to.
As a YoRHa member, he has a deep distrust of the machine lifeforms that now inhabit the planet, which he expresses fully when an emissary from Pascal's village confronts him and 2B in the abandoned amusem*nt park. Despite his skepticism about the apparent peace treaty, his overwhelming curiosity leads him to agree to accompany the machine to its destination. As time passes, 9S' views on machines evolve as he learns more about them, eventually caring genuinely about Pascal and his villagers. If he competes in the Flooded City's Colosseum in Routes A and B, he expresses disgust at the androids' resistance in their treatment of the machines, which rivaled the cruelty he thought only humans were capable of.
9S is generally cheerful, optimistic, insightful, and eager to help when interacting with other androids, whether they are Resistance or YoRHa. 9S is also a little playful, as evidenced by how he affectionately fist-bumps Pod 153. Still, according to his own admission, he's also not very good at following YoRHa's protocol of forbidden emotions.
In Routes C and D, his feelings about the machines shift dramatically. Following the collapse of the Bunker and the death of 2B as a direct result, 9S goes on a killing spree to eliminate every last machine. Despite knowing the contrary, he tells himself that there is no meaning to anything the machines do as he goes through the Resource Recovery Units because he is blinded by grief and hatred. This cognitive dissonance is heightened when he learns that the YoRHa black boxes are made from machine lifeform cores, which he categorically denies. Despite Pod 153's meek protest, his hatred for machines is so intense that he destroys a helpless child's core without hesitation.
Following the death of 2B at the hands of the logic virus and A2, 9S' darker side overshadows his former personality. His demeanor changes as soon as he wakes up in Routes C and D. Because of his grief and rage, 9S' mission objective shifts from simply fighting the enemy to exacting revenge on them and A2. His mental health suffers significantly during this time, and Pod 153 becomes increasingly concerned for him as he continues his quest to enter the Tower.
Pieces of the 9S' former personality can still be seen through his deteriorating mental state now and then. He is willing to assist with menial tasks around the Resistance Camp, feeling incredibly sorry for how Devola and Popola are treated by their peers and thus offering to do their chores for him. 9S will eventually learn about an ancient human tradition concerning mourning by assisting around the camp. Movingly moved by this tradition and still grieving for 2B, he erects a grave for her, stating that he'll be with her soon, implying that he won't be alive much longer.
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A2's Mysterious Personality
At first, A2 is portrayed as mysterious and reserved. However, her interactions with Pod 042 eventually reveal that she has an aggressive and fiery personality. She has a tendency to engage in reckless behavior, diving headfirst into dangerous situations without regard for strategic considerations or her own personal safety. In addition, she has a blunt, impatient, and foul-mouthed demeanor when speaking to others.
Following the death of her squadron, her hatred for Machines and desire to destroy them becomes all-consuming, defining the rest of her life. On the other hand, her self-imposed mission for vengeance serves as a distraction from her inner turmoil and regret, as she secretly longs to be with her fallen comrades.
Despite her rough demeanor, she is not without compassion. She reluctantly took 2B's life at her request so that she would not have to go through the agony and insanity of the logic virus destroying her mind. When she realized Pascal was docile, she let him live despite her vehement hatred for Machines. She later helped him by protecting the machine's children at the Abandoned Factory. She also expressed sorrow over the deaths of the Machine children, as well as sympathy for Pascal, who had been driven to despair.
Despite 9S' numerous attempts on her life, she continued to spare and reach out to him in the hopes that he would return to his good-natured self. Pod 042 has also implied that A2's AI parameters are not up to the standards of current YoRHa models, as she frequently asks him to simplify terms for her to understand. With A2 being so different from the game's other two protagonists, she is proof that androids in the NieR universe absolutely have emotions - and those feelings are a big part of why the game's story is so strong.
NieR: Automata is now available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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