Cal Moreaux was a Los Angeles Police Department detective and former soldier who participated in the siege of Kalanthia. After retiring a prototype Nexus-5 replicant which housed his sister's consciousness, Moreaux became the LAPD's first Blade Runner.
He later became the first Blade Runner to retire from the occupation and spent his later years as a prominent figure in the Los Angeles underworld.
Biography[]
Early life and career[]
Moreaux grew up in the Los Angeles slums and in his youth, was highly-protective of his sister Nia and friend Desiree. This led to constant fights, many of which he lost. To help even the odds, Moreaux lined the inside of his jacket with metal plates, adding more protection and the ability to use said coat as a weapon.[1]
In 2007, Moreaux was a soldier. During the siege of Kalanthia, Moreaux and fellow soldier Avery resorted to opening a box provided by the Tyrell Corporation "if all else fails." As Moreaux cleared a nearby hallway, Avery opened the box, freeing two individuals who killed all nearby forces.[2] Moreaux remained at Kalanthia into 2008.[3]
By 2009, Moreaux was employed by the Los Angeles Police Department as a detective, specializing in cold cases. He constantly visited his sister, Nia in the hospital, though she remained in a catatonic state.[2]
The first Blade Runner[]
In 2009, Moreaux was summoned to the scene of a break-in at a laundromat. After speaking to the owner, Ms. Setter, Moreaux investigated the laundromat's back room, where the intruder, a replicant, stood. The replicant chanted "To know is to know! Load of our shackles... weightless hope... flight of freedom... to know is to know..." before promptly dying. Moreaux remarked that he had "the feeling all's about to change."[4]
After a visit to Nia, Moreaux went to the precinct, where he was assigned to investigate the apparent suicide of Tyrell engineer Lydia Kine. Going to the Tyrell Corporation's headquarters – the first non-employee allowed inside – Moreaux examined the scene and attempted to question Effie Koropey, Kine's assistant who had discovered the body. However, they were interrupted by Ilora Stahl, a representative selected by Eldon Tyrell to deal with any inquiries from the LAPD concerning the case. After telling Moreaux that any relevant information was already sent to the LAPD, she insisted that his skill set would be put to better use by the Tyrell Corporation.[2]
Later at La Plume Sauvage, Divina attempted to talk him out of joining Tyrell for the sake of his sister. Upon his return home, Moreaux encountered Lydia Kine's brother Marcus who insisted that his sister's death was not a suicide and was being covered up by the company. Just then, Moreaux saw someone attempting to push a large crate onto Marcus. Pushing him to safety, Moreaux took Marcus into his apartment. He then received a phone call from Effie, who told him that the night Lydia was killed, a Nexus-5 prototype escaped.[2]
Eventually fleeing the apartment, Moreaux returned to his precinct with Marcus in tow. Leaving him momentarily, Moreaux went to the morgue to examine Kine's body. Finding her wounds to be inconsistent with a suicide, Moreaux's sergeant, Gutman expressed his displeasure at Moreaux disallowing the death to be an open-and-shut case. After leaving the morgue, Moreaux returned to find Marcus gone, with nobody providing him answers as to who took him.[5]
He later met Effie at Nemo's Diner, where she confided in him that upon her employment, she was convinced that Tyrell would simply upgrade the Nexus-4. However, she and the staff were assigned to create and constantly upgrade the Nexus-5, which resulted in its obsession with optimization. Moreaux then questioned why replicants were designed to look human.[5]
Later at Moreaux's apartment, he had a dream of himself as a child, ready to jump off a building as his sister ran to stop him. After waking, Effie – having heard him talk in his sleep – asked him if he lost someone, but he said 'no' despite her belief to the contrary. The pair argued about the true value of the careers they chose, as well as the course of action into the investigation. Ultimately, the two split up, with Effie going to retrieve files that would incriminate Tyrell and Moreaux going to Lydia's apartment to uncover information on how to kill the Nexus-5.[6]
Upon arriving at Lydia's apartment, Moreaux used his lighter to set off the sprinklers in the apartment, revealing a group of cloaked men waiting to ambush him. He managed to dispatch them right before Asa – a replicant housing Lydia's consciousness – arrived, Moreaux holding him at gunpoint.[6] Moreaux pursued Asa onto the rooftops, down to the streets, then into a museum, with Effie now trying to catch up to Moreaux. The chase ended as Moreaux lost sight of Asa and Ilora Stahl shot Effie. After requesting Moreaux to eliminate the Nexus-5 and to find Marcus again, she left. Moreaux, knowing Asa had been listening, allows him to say his goodbyes to Effie. As Asa cradled the lifeless body in his arms, Moreaux confirmed that Asa was not the Nexus-5 and the two decided to join forces to save the people of the slums and to deal with the Nexus-5.[7]
The pair brought Marcus to La Plume Sauvage, where he could be kept safe by Divina. Moreaux and Asa then eulogized Effie before Moreaux went to Gutman, telling him that he concluded Kine's death to have been from suicide.[7]
Moreaux later traveled to a downtown apartment, suspecting an issue with Arnault, a replicant housed at the residence. This was due to other replicants that visited the same marketplace as Arnault acting strangely. Indeed, as Moreaux failed to get inside the apartment, Arnault prepared to attack one of the residents while repeatedly asking "why?" Arnault was successfully stopped by Asa, who came in through a window, then helped Moreaux transport the replicant to La Plume Sauvage. There, Asa tried to determine what was wrong with Arnault, but findings were inconclusive.[8]
Moreaux went to visit Nia, only to be interrupted by Ilora, who confronted him about Arnault. However, Moreaux refused to explain and angrily told her off, prompting her to leave. Moreaux next traveled to Lindon, seeking leads in the case. Being led to All Caps, Moreaux attempted to get information from Desiree that would help his investigation, but he was locked in the barroom and restrained as Desiree pulled a knife.[8]
The group, led by Carlisle, believed him to have betrayed them to the Tyrell Corporation. Unsuccessful in their attempts to gain information from him, Carlisle left Moreaux with his coat, which he then used to incapacitate those with him. He then went to Desiree to tell her about his investigation, coming to realize she knew where the Nexus-5 was. Convincing her to lead him to it, she did so while debating with him the value of replicant life. Examining the Nexus-5 from afar, he discovered it was his sister, Nia.[1]
Moreaux followed Nia's group of replicants until eventually confronting them alongside Asa.[9] Asa attempted to propose a strategy, but Moreaux reacted angrily, now knowing that Kine had transferred Nia into the Nexus-5. Filip took this opportunity to attack Moreaux, who shot him in the arm. Filip then tackled Moreaux, sending him into an apartment building. As Filip prepared to take Moreaux's eyes, Moreaux defended himself with a nearby pipe, destroying part of Filip's face. In retaliation, Filip shoved Moreaux through a series of walls until the detective managed to clothesline Filip with a bundle of cords.[10]
Asa reached him moments later, prompting him to begin strangling the replicant, only to relent moments later as Asa vowed to be better than Lydia had been. The two went to find Filip, who was attacking Nia. Fending Filip off, Moreaux tackled him before allowing Asa to take over, killing the murderous replicant.[10]
As Stahl carried out a fire attack on the slums, Moreaux went after Stahl alongside his sister's lover, Isaac. Learning that Isaac knew Nia even before her transference, he offered to have a drink with him once the attack was over. However, Isaac was fatally shot as they advanced toward Stahl, who Moreaux only reached as she was escaping the scene in a spinner.[11]
Dismayed at Isaac's loss and Stahl's flight, Moreaux offered his condolences to his sister, who devised a plan to end the conflict.[11] They returned to La Plume Sauvage and Moreaux went out to stand guard with Desiree, recalling their upbringing together alongside his sister. Nia soon came to retrieve Moreaux, stating that she planned on assassinating Stahl. Cal disapproved of this idea, as it would make every replicant a target to the Tyrell Corporation.[3] The siblings then met privately so that Nia could gain her brother's support in her true plan. Fearing that Tyrell's oppression would reach beyond replicants, she asked Moreaux to pursue and kill her during a live interview with Ilora Stahl. She asked that he shoot her in the heart so that people would see her face and realize replicants looked the same as they did.[12] As Nia took off with Desiree to the Tyrell headquarters, Cal asked Asa to stay with the group while he pursued his sister.[3]
Moreaux sped to the interview, crashing a car through a lower floor. He fought his way to the television studio, finding Nia with Stahl at gunpoint. Doing as his sister asked, he shot her through the heart, killing her.[12]
Two months later, the LAPD established a Blade Runner Unit, with Moreaux as its inaugural member. Though the unit would answer to Ilora Stahl, Moreaux promised that he would come after her.[13]
He later met with Asa – who had begun smuggling replicants out of the city – and warned him that he was leaving a trail. Further, he asked Asa to develop a Voight-Kampff test that would help him recruit Blade Runners who would one day become too empathetic for the job and begin fighting for replicants. Before they went their separate ways, Cal cautioned Asa that if they met again, he would have to shoot him.[13]
Retirement[]
Moreaux later became the LAPD's first Blade Runner to retire from the job. He later became a notable figure in the Los Angeles underworld, through which he would protect various people.[14]
In 2039, former Blade Runner Aahna "Ash" Ashina sought out Moreaux to assist with her plans to kill Niander Wallace.[15] They went to a private building owned by Moreaux to further discuss. Despite the risks he would face, he agreed to help her, as he owed her a favor.[14]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Blade Runner Origins #6
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Blade Runner Origins #1
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Blade Runner Origins #10
- ↑ Blade Runner 2029/Blade Runner Origins – Free Comic Book Day Special
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Blade Runner Origins #2
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Blade Runner Origins #3
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Blade Runner Origins #4
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Blade Runner Origins #5
- ↑ Blade Runner Origins #7
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Blade Runner Origins #8
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Blade Runner Origins #9
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Blade Runner Origins #11
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Blade Runner Origins #12
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Blade Runner 2039 #10
- ↑ Blade Runner 2039 #9