Black Birds are creatures in NieR Reincarnation.[1]
Characteristics[]
Black Birds are small, round birds seen in The Cage. They have black feathers and large eyes like a "deep and stagnant swamp."[2]
Black Birds are attracted to people within The Cage and aim to corrupt their memories and stories.[3] While individual birds might appear passive, they can form vicious flocks that significantly warp or corrupt aspects of stories, resulting in objects such as Dark Scarecrows.[4][5] They also have the ability to combine with other Black Birds to form monsters such as Puppets.[6]
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Heads up! Important plot details for NieR Reincarnation may follow. Read at your own risk! | Ending(s) People/World |
In The People and the World, Black Birds are revealed to be viruses infecting the lunar server known as The Cage.[Note 1] The sole purpose of the creatures is to destroy the memories stored within The Cage.[9][7] After a certain period of time, memories corrupted by Black Birds can become irrecoverably damaged, though they can still be manually rewritten from scratch.[8]
Some Black Birds have the ability to speak, and others appear to have sentience and emotions.[10][11][12] They also appear to have the ability to repair stories if heavily damaged.[13]
Background[]
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Heads up! Important plot details for NieR Reincarnation may follow. Read at your own risk! | Ending(s) People/World |
Sometime after the 14th Machine War, the quantum server Administrator known as "Her" absorbed a damaged Red Girl and became filled with hatred and feelings of loss.[14] As a means of granting salvation to humanity's hardships, She sent Black Birds to infect The Cage and destroy its stored memories.[15][9]
Alongside other monsters, the Black Birds began to invade The Cage and waged destruction.[16] Despite being created as simple, mindless viruses, the Black Birds began to learn different emotions as they encountered more memories, though they could not change their purpose as destructive intruders.[17]
Prior to the start of The Girl and the Monster, Mama was dedicated to eradicating Black Birds from The Cage and noticed a sharp increase in their numbers.[3]
Notable Black Birds[]
- Older Black Bird
- Younger Black Bird
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The encoded weapon stories for Blackhorn Atrocity suggest that, after corrupting memories, the Black Birds were instructed to return somewhere, multiply, and forget what they have seen before returning to corrupting memories.[17]
- The stories also suggest that newly-created Black Birds may have some sort of "pain" that should be forgetten in their hearts.[17] Additionally, after defeating the two Black Bird sisters in The Sun and the Moon, the player is awarded two Premium Summons Tickets. These two points could suggest that Black Birds can multiply by assimilating corrupted memories of individuals.
- The Anecdote: Tower Card Story mentions Carrier as having wings, and the creature turns into a burst of feathers when defeated. It is unclear whether this suggests Carrier originated as Black Bird(s) or if feathers and wings are simply an indication of being another virus.
See Also[]
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ "The Black Birds
These beings have entered the weapons' memories and warped their stories. Some travel in flocks, while others prefer solitude—but the reasons for any of their actions are ultimately a great mystery." -Tip Screen (NieR Reincarnation) - ↑ Lost Archive No. 18: Regarding Black Bird Behaviors (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Record: Tower of Beginnings Part 1 (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ "Did you see the flock of black birds that possessed the bounty hunter? They're nasty sorts who like to fly in and warp the story." -Mama (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ "Our scarecrow pal here holds a record of the witch girl's past. Sadly, it's in the process of being destroyed by some real nasty characters. So I need you to get out there and restore her memories!" -Papa (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ Lost Archive No. 17: Regarding Black Bird Flocks (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 P.A.: "During development, we referenced the country where the thief and the princess lived."
Sarafa: "Our country never had monsters like these..."
P.A.: "These monsters—or rather, viruses—are created here, and will be deployed to your worlds as they're ready."
Sarafa: "What? Why!?"
P.A.: "To destroy your worlds." (NieR Reincarnation) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 10H Character Stories 3-4 (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "And so, She sends forth the black birds, uses the brother and sister's conflict to create a path... And brings about the fall of The Cage." -Narrator (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ Lost Archive No. 16: Regarding Black Bird Range (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ Hina: "Was the bird that flew away your little sister?"
Older Black Bird: "Yes. We had a fight..."
Hina: "So, um, would you like us to help you find her?"
Older Black Bird: "...Do you mean it? Thank you. That's very kind of you." - ↑ Older Black Bird: "Please, just let my little sister go."
Yuzuki: "......"
Older Black Bird: Please... Please just don't hurt my little sister...
Younger Black Bird: "*sob* There's no point in living without my sister..." (NieR Reincarnation) - ↑ Hina: "Hey, so, that bird in there..."
Older Black Bird: "That was me. It was broken, so I fixed it." (NieR Reincarnation) - ↑ "The Red Girl, too, is another seized by loneliness. And so, She attempts to offer her salvation. But She cannot—the girl's data is damaged beyond the point of repair. And so, She burdens herself with the girl's data and emotions and stains herself red. ...The color of hatred." -Narrator (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ "Indeed, all those trapped within The Cage faced hardship from antipathy and loss. And that is why She attempts to sever those bonds. It is Her own way of granting salvation." -Narrator (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ "Girl and man come to a place surrounded by crumbling stone walls. This is The Cage—what was once a beautiful paradise. (...) Dark foes wander to and fro over the lands, searching for ways to infiltrate The Cage." -Narrator (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Blackhorn Grudge Weapon Stories (NieR Reincarnation)