2B (NieR Automata) vs Wile E. Coyote: Tragic Persistence in Pursuit of Purpose

Who Are These Figures of Futility?

At first glance, 2B from NieR: Automata and Wile E. Coyote from Looney Tunes couldn’t seem more different. One is a sleek, emotionless android caught in a war she doesn’t fully understand; the other is a lanky desert predator endlessly chasing a roadrunner. But beneath the surface, both characters embody a deeper theme — the persistence of purpose in the face of inevitable failure. Their methods differ, their contexts are worlds apart, but their shared struggle to find meaning in a cycle of repetition is strangely resonant.

Ideals: Duty vs Desire

2B operates under a strict doctrine of service. She believes in her mission, even when it conflicts with her emotions or logic. Her sense of duty is absolute, and she suppresses personal feelings to fulfill her role. In contrast, Wile E. Coyote acts out of instinct and desire — he wants the Road Runner, and that’s all there is to it. His motivation is simple, primal, and endlessly renewable. While 2B's ideals are shaped by war and obedience, Wile E.’s are driven by hunger and habit. Yet both characters are trapped by their roles — unable or unwilling to break free from the expectations placed upon them.

Methods: Precision vs Invention

2B fights with cold efficiency, wielding weapons with calculated precision. Her combat style is refined, her tactics disciplined. She is a soldier in a war that may have no end, and she knows no other way to exist. Wile E., by contrast, is a tinkerer. He builds elaborate contraptions, buys gadgets from ACME, and tries increasingly complex methods to catch the Road Runner — all to no avail. His approach is chaotic, inventive, and doomed to fail. Yet both characters keep trying, convinced (or perhaps just hoping) that this time, things will be different.

Failures: Meaningless or Inevitable?

Both 2B and Wile E. Coyote are defined by their failures. Wile E. falls off cliffs, gets flattened by boulders, and explodes with comic regularity — yet he always comes back, ready to try again. His failures are absurd, almost celebratory in their repetition. 2B’s failures, however, are deeply tragic. She suffers loss, betrayal, and existential confusion, yet continues forward because stopping is unthinkable. Wile E.’s failures are funny because they’re meaningless; 2B’s are devastating because they matter so much.

Legacy: Absurdity and Existentialism

Wile E. Coyote has become a cultural icon of perseverance — a symbol of the comic struggle against the inevitable. His legacy is one of humor and resilience, a reminder that sometimes life is a loop with no escape, but we can keep trying anyway. 2B, on the other hand, represents something darker and more philosophical — the human (or in her case, synthetic) condition in a world where meaning is elusive. Her story invites reflection on identity, sacrifice, and the cost of blind obedience.

What Do We See in Them?

We laugh at Wile E. Coyote, but we see ourselves in him — stuck in routines, chasing goals that slip through our fingers. And though we may never face the moral dilemmas 2B does, her struggle to find meaning in a cycle of war and loss feels eerily familiar. Both characters remind us that persistence is not always rewarded, but it is often the only path forward.

Talk to 2B on HoloDream and ask her what keeps her going — or challenge Wile E. Coyote to rethink his strategy. Either way, you’ll find a conversation that lingers long after the screen fades.