The aliens are an unnamed extraterrestrial race that conquered Earth thousands of years after the events of NieR. They battled with Emil and the androids that were left behind by humanity during the 1st Machine War, and over subsequent wars conquered the rest of the planet.
The aliens and their machine lifeform weapons are the stated reason for YoRHa's existence in the fight to reclaim Earth for humanity.
Story
As revealed by the Complete DOD Chronology by Accord, the aliens arrived July 4th of the year 5012. In their initial invasion, they quickly annexed both North and South America, though they are momentarily repelled by Emil in the Drama CD story, The Space War. They set up foundries, or scavenged existing ones, that would then be used to produce the machines, their weapons of war.
By year 7645, the aliens and their machine armies had successfully conquered over 80% of Earth, despite the best efforts of the androids and Emil's resistance against them. However, by this time the machines had begun scheming to eradicate and abdicate their alien masters, and by the year 11000 eyewitness reports of the aliens begin to noticeably decline.
During the events of The Flame of Prometheus, P-33, a machine originally from Earth, taught the machines made by the aliens about his experiences with humanity thanks to his friendship with Kalil, inspiring them to learn more about humans. Because of this, the machines began to revere P-33 as a deity they referred to as "Prometheus," and turned against their alien creators and killed them all as a result.
By year 11306, the aliens were completely exterminated and forced into extinction by the machines. From this point on the aliens, like humanity, would posthumously be used as the figureheads of their respective faction.
NieR:Automata
During the 14th Machine War, after a cavernous hole is opened in the City Ruins, 2B and 9S discover a number of alien motherships buried underground. To their surprise, all of the aliens on board are dead. Adam reveals that the machines turned on their alien creators centuries before, because they were "infantile" and only desired to spread themselves, deciding they had no more need for them. The machines had been operating on their own ever since.
It is later revealed that Emil was present during the invasion of Earth and created copies of himself in an attempt to fight back against the aliens, but failed.
NieR Reincarnation
After the 14th Machine War, Her finds and assimilates a damaged Red Girl, left behind while its other half boarded The Ark shot from the Tower where it would form a new civilization on another world. Using the Red Girl's power, Her transforms the Earth into a network of stone structures surrounding the The Birdhouse stated to resemble the Aliens' homeworld,[1] which eventually had a similar transformative effect on The Cage.[2]
Trivia
- It is probable, if Adam's words are taken literally, as well as the implications of Jackass's final report, that the aliens were made entirely extinct as a species. This would also explain why, in response to the deaths of the aliens that went to Earth, no reinforcements were sent out nor was there any kind of shutdown order made for the machines.
- Adam describes the aliens as being "infantile" and "simple," likening them more to plants. This suggests the aliens did not possess a sophisticated level of sentience or individuality compared to androids.
- Their creations' machine cores are also stated to be similar in composition to a plant cell.
Gallery
References
- ↑ "Finally, She uses the girl's power to change the city. She transforms it something[sic] resembling the home planet of the machine lifeforms' creators." -Narrator (NieR Reincarnation)
- ↑ Marie: "So...why does Earth look like The Cage?"
Mama: "You've got it backwards. The Cage has taken on the form of Earth, you see. The Cage was originally meant to reflect Earth's environment. It seems their similarity was an effect of that characteristic." (NieR Reincarnation)