Editing Niander Wallace

{{Film Continuity}}
{{Infobox Character
|image =
<gallery>
BladeRunner-NianderWallace.jpg|2049
Niander Wallace (2036).png|2036
Niander Wallace 2032.jpg|2032
</gallery>
|born = c. [[1993]]{{ref|rpg_corerules}}
|race = Human
|gender = Male
|family = [[Niander Wallace, Sr.]] (father)
|hair color = Black
|eye color = Green (blinded in [[2032]])
|occupation = CEO of [[Wallace Corporation]]
|affiliation = [[Wallace Corporation]]
|portrayed =
*[[Jared Leto]] (''[[Blade Runner 2049]]'', ''[[2036: Nexus Dawn]]'')
*Cory Todd (''[[Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab]]'')
*[[Wes Bentley]] (''[[Blade Runner: Black Lotus]]'', English)
*[[Takehito Koyasu]] (''Blade Runner: Black Lotus'', Japanese)
*[[Tony Nakajima]] (motion capture)
|nationality = American}}
'''Niander Wallace, Jr.''' was a scientist, [[replicant]] manufacturer, technologist, and the CEO of the replicant manufacturing company, [[Wallace Corporation]].

==Biography==
===Early life===
From his birth, Wallace was cared for by a nursemaid, [[Daisy]], who affectionately called him "Nandy."{{ref|br2039_11}}

===2025-2028===
Wallace's first move onto the world stage occurred after the [[Blackout]] brought the world into a state of crisis, with stock markets crashing and food shortages prevalent. He pioneered advancements into genetically modified food, essentially bringing an end to the global food crisis, ending his reclusiveness, and allowing his company to expand on [[Earth]] and onto [[off-world]] [[Off-world Colonies|Colonies]].{{ref|timeline}}

Three years later, the bankrupt [[Tyrell Corporation]] was bought out by the Wallace Corporation, indicating the desire to continue replicant development despite the prohibition of replicant technology after the Blackout.{{ref|timeline}}

===2030s===
[[File:Black Lotus screenshot 1.jpg|thumb|left|Wallace tattoos Elle]]
By October [[2032]], Wallace created the replicant [[Elle]] as part of a plot to assassinate [[Niander Wallace, Sr.|his father]]. He tattooed a black lotus onto Elle as she lay by a pool, acting as her lover. He entered into an arrangement with former [[Blade Runner Unit|Blade Runner]] [[Joseph]] to help ensure that Elle would be successful.{{ref|AllTheBestMemories}}

Wallace had failed to deliver on promises in developing memories, a fact which his father brought up during a game of Go. The game was then interrupted by a phone call informing the elder Wallace that Senator [[Arthur Bannister]] had been killed.{{ref|AllWeAreNot}}

Later, Wallace and his father viewed news coverage on Bannister's death, with the younger Wallace noting that the Senator's death may complicate lifting the ban on replicant production. While his father noted his advancements in genetic proteins, he stated his concern that Wallace Jr. often lacked funding and power to accompany his innovations. The younger Wallace reflected upon his work, comparing it to that of a god.{{ref|HumanCondition}}

Later, while he was alone, Wallace made moves on a Go board. He then received a call from his father, but proceeded to ignore it.{{ref|Pressure}}

Finding that he had been locked out of his office, Wallace went to his father to inform him of such. The elder Wallace then revealed that he was intending to sell the company's assets from Tyrell, including the replicant division, wishing to distance the company from slayings caused by [[Elle]], a replicant they created. Calmly, Wallace Jr. insisted that his replicants were flawless and that his father would soon come to realize this.{{ref|Reality}}

Later, Wallace visited his father again. He noted his father's worried state, learning that Elle had killed [[Doctor M]] and was now after him, despite the fact that she was supposed to be obedient. To this, the younger Wallace stated that obedient ones would often find their own way and embrace free will. In response to his father's belief that replicants always kill their creators, Wallace Jr. asked rhetorically how one could control nature, as replicants were seen as the next step in human evolution. As his father worried further, the younger Wallace pointed out that the situation was born from his father's own folly, as he had organized the doll hunt. He then compared his father's irresponsibility with power to Saturn eating his children. The elder Wallace then insisted if the public learned about the situation, Wallace Jr.'s reputation would be affected as well, so-called for the conflict to be brought to an end. Calmly, Wallace Jr. stated that it was already coming to an end. He made a play on the Go board, then bid his father farewell.{{ref|FreeWill}}

After his father was successfully killed by Elle, Wallace inherited the company, becoming its CEO.{{ref|AllTheBestMemories}}

As Wallace tattooed a water lily onto [[Water Lily|another replicant]], Joseph called him, having learned that Wallace was behind her memory implants. When Wallace clarified that their arrangement was for his own benefit, Joseph asked what would happen next.{{ref|ClairDeLune}} Wallace commanded Joseph to retire Elle, as her purpose had been served.{{ref|AllTheBestMemories}}

As a public eulogy of his father was broadcast, Wallace reflected upon his newfound freedom since his father's death. He wished to continue his plans to create a perfect world, though noted he had loose ends to tie up. He soon heard from Joseph that Elle had been retired, to which Wallace announced that arrangements for Joseph to emigrate Off-world had been completed. After hanging up, however, Wallace expressed his distrust in Joseph, wishing to deal with him later. Noting that he could not have one of his own creations live on for its own glory, he gave Water Lily a sword, ordering her to eliminate Elle.{{ref|AllTheBestMemories}}

After tracking down Elle, Water Lily called Wallace to report her escape. Wallace ordered Water Lily to discontinue her pursuit of Elle and instead meet him at the Tyrell building, confident that Elle would find him on her own.{{ref|ArtificialSouls}}

Wallace awaited Elle in the late [[Eldon Tyrell]]'s office, welcoming her upon her arrival and commending her for becoming everything he intended her to be. However, he noted that she had defied him and that she would soon die. Elle attempted to attack him, but was not successful due to her programming. Water Lily then attacked Elle and they fought. Wallace watched until slipping away to the replicant manufacture wing, where he found Joseph, who had planted C4 upon a series of tanks. He delivered a soliloquy about his intention for his creations to replace humanity once it had died off. Joseph presented a device, acting as though it were a detonator, but Wallace did not fall for this bluff, instead taking the object and tossing it away.{{ref|TimeToDie}}
[[File:Wallace eyes slashed.jpg|thumb|right]]
Elle soon arrived in the room, followed by Water Lily and their fight continued. Seeing that Elle had gained the upper hand and disarmed her opponent, Wallace embraced Water Lily and said that despite her loyalty and purity, she was flawed, prompting him to stab her in the chest with her own sword. After Elle again tried to attack, Wallace offered her to be in his service and receive her creator's love. She sheathed her sword, feigning acceptance, but quickly drew it again to slash Wallace's eyes, blinding him.{{ref|TimeToDie}}

One month later, Wallace assured a member of his company that his father's death and his own disfigurement would not curtail the company's activities. He turned toward his office's window and noted that he saw only "limitless possibilities."{{ref|TimeToDie}}

After Elle escaped Los Angeles, Wallace ordered for her to be returned to him, preferably alive.{{ref|bl1}} However, when [[Menzes]] reported a sighting of Elle at [[Emile Barnes]]' fracktory just before its destruction, Wallace asked for her head.{{ref|bl4}}
[[File:Niander Wallace Nexus-9 replicant.jpg|thumb|left]]
Wallace began to modify genetic engineering to produce replicants that were not only superior in strength and agility compared to their human creators, but also loyal beyond question, bred to obey. These [[Nexus-9]] replicants were made legal after Wallace convinced the [[lawmakers|magistrates]] of [[Los Angeles]] in [[2036]] by showing them a completely obedient [[male Nexus-9]].{{ref|timeline}}{{ref|br2036}}

In [[2038]], Wallace summoned LAPD officials to his office, where he reflected on the past failed replicant models. He presented to them one of the first Nexus-9s, [[Luv]], to the LAPD to serve as a completely obedient and unsympathetic Blade Runner.{{ref|br2039_5}} Her performance was intended to define the standard of Nexus-9 replicants. She quickly held a record number of retirements, impressing Wallace.{{ref|br2039_1}}

By [[2039]], Wallace was supplied with organic material by his former nursemaid, Daisy, and he gifted her a pleasure model replicant, [[Hanii]].{{ref|br2039_11}}

After learning of the existence of [[Isobel Selwyn (second replicant)|a replicant copy]] of [[Alexander Selwyn]]'s late wife [[Isobel Selwyn|Isobel]], Wallace assigned Luv to find her and deliver her to Wallace to be used for his replicant research.{{ref|br2039_1}} After Luv was attacked by [[Hythe]], who resided in Selwyn's former home, Wallace was proud of Luv's performance, believing that Hythe's attack proved that she possessed the data he sought.{{ref|br2039_3}}

When Luv failed to bring him Selwyn's research and lost track of [[Aahna Ashina]] and [[Cleo Selwyn]], Wallace was disappointed in her. He provided to her a [[Aahna Ashina (replicant)|replicant copy of Ashina]], codenamed Rash, to assist her in her assignment.{{ref|br2039_4}} He demonstrated that Rash was completely obedient and the only command she could not follow was killing a human. He sent them away, demanding Selwyn's research and Isobel.{{ref|br2039_5}}

Luv and Rash returned to Wallace, the latter injured from a gunfight with the replicant [[Mack]]. Wallace was unconcerned that they failed to capture Isobel, assuring them that she would now come to him. Later, Wallace grinned as he remotely listened in on a conversation between [[Freysa Sadeghpour]] and Ash, during which Ash disclosed her plans to kill Wallace.{{ref|br2039_8}}

Rash eventually went missing and Wallace ordered Luv to find her.{{ref|br2039_9}}

Soon, Wallace was informed by an LAPD captain that Luv was suspended from the force and that the replicant Blade Runner program would be given an assessment. However, Wallace believed the department lacked the knowledge to assess his work, and said he would discuss the matter with Luv himself.{{ref|br2039_11}}

He received a call from Daisy to set up a meeting, and by her tone of voice, he expected that the meeting was actually a trap. Indeed, Rash &ndash; posing as Ash{{ref|br2039_12}} &ndash; emerged with Luv held captive. He told her that he researched Ash's file as well as a physical affliction that had ailed her for life, which he claimed he could cure for her.{{ref|br2039_11}} This offer was refused and Wallace summoned security guards as he escaped, promising to come back for Luv. He reached his spinner, finding one of his guards dead inside and the real Ash at the controls. Stuck inside, he was taken to Eldon Tyrell's private sanctum, which Wallace had left untouched as a monument to Tyrell's hubris.{{ref|br2039_12}}

In exchange for leaving Isobel and Cleo alone to live their lives, Ash offered Selwyn's research to Wallace in hopes that if he was successful in achieving replicant fertility, it would create numerous replicants that were disobedient to him.{{ref|br2039_12}}

===2049===
In [[2049]], the remains of [[Rachael]], a [[Nexus-7]] replicant who had given birth, were discovered by the Nexus-9 [[Blade Runner]], [[K]], who visited the Wallace Corporation's headquarters in search of Rachael's identity.{{ref|br2049}}

Wallace himself wanted to discover the secret to reproduction in replicants in order to support interstellar colonization, and to this end he sent Luv, now his assistant, to steal Rachael's remains from the [[Los Angeles Police Department|LAPD]] headquarters and follow K to find Rachael's child.{{ref|br2049}}

The pursuit of K led to the information that the child's father was former Blade Runner [[Rick Deckard]], who was living in exile in [[Las Vegas]]. Luv and her men captured Deckard and brought him before Wallace, who offered him a clone of Rachael as a reward for revealing what he knew. When Deckard refused, Wallace ordered Luv to escort Deckard off-world to be tortured for information.{{ref|br2049}}

K intercepted Deckard's captors and killed Luv but was mortally injured in the fight. Unbeknownst to Wallace, K then staged Deckard's death to protect him from both Wallace and the replicants.{{ref|br2049}}

==Personality==
Niander Wallace was an extremely sophisticated and perceptive individual, possessing an incredibly high intellect and a calm demeanor.

Despite all of his sophistication, Wallace was determined to accomplish his goals regardless of the cost. For example, when a new replicant was born, he silenced her and says cynically; "happy birthday," as she suffered. Wallace later tortured Deckard after he was brought before him, showing Deckard a clone of Rachael. He was also not a man who gave up easily, as he stated before Luv that the child of Rachael was the key for the future, not to the future of the humanity, but to the replicants, he willed to create. It could be shown how Luv was attempting to prove herself to her master by never giving up on accomplishing the task.

He had somewhat of a god complex, as he called the replicants he creates "angels," and stated that he was a father of millions.

Additionally, Wallace was shown to be a brilliant strategist, delegating and employing others, rather than getting his hands dirty. But despite his brilliance, he was frustrated by his inability to gift replicants the ability to reproduce naturally and was jealous of Tyrell's accomplishments achieving what he could not.

==Behind the scenes==
The role was originally written with musician and actor [[wikipedia:David Bowie|David Bowie]] in mind. [[Denis Villeneuve]] attempted to contact Bowie about the role just days prior to his death in January [[2016 (production)|2016]]. Villeneuve commented, ''"After that, I felt like David Bowie became my muse for this role, and I had to find someone with the same magnetism. I had to find a rock star."''{{ref|a&s}}

A fan of the original ''[[Blade Runner]]'', [[Jared Leto]] had expressed interest in appearing in the [[Blade Runner 2049|sequel]] since [[2014 (production)|2014]], and was ultimately cast.{{ref|a&s}} [[Wes Bentley]] and [[Takehito Koyasu]] voiced the role in ''[[Blade Runner: Black Lotus]]'' while [[Tony Nakajima]] performed the motion capture.

For preparation, Leto worked with the Junior Blind of America and used Silicon Valley tech investors and inventors that he personally knew as examples of how Wallace would behave. During filming, he wore opaque contact lenses that made it impossible for him to see anything.

==References==
{{Imagecat|Images (Niander Wallace)}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Lastfirst}}
[[ja:ネアンデル・ウォレス]]
[[Category:Individuals (film continuity)]]
[[Category:Film continuity]]
[[Category:Wallace Corporation personnel]]