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Replicants in the Blade Runner universe are synthetically designed by the Tyrell Corporation (and Wallace Corporation by the time of Blade Runner 2049). However, they seem to all have unique appearances, instead of having a “template” appearance that makes them identical (which I think would be simpler to do). The sole exception we see in the films is

the Nexus-7 prototype Rachael, created by the Tyrell Corporation, and the Nexus-9 facsimile of her created by the Wallace Corporation

but that appears to be an unusual circumstance to achieve a very specific end. I am especially interested in replicants designed for “field use”, like heavy labor on the off-world colonies or pleasure models.

So aside from the example listed above, are there any replicants with identical appearances? I am open to all Blade Runner media (films, short films, video games, novels, comics) that are in continuity with the 1982 film (but would accept information from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? as interesting supplementary material).

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    In the novel, Rachael and Priss are the same model, thus looking the same. In the movie, they are played by different actors (Sean Young and Daryl Hannah) though. This implies that in the novel, there are androids looking the same - but we can't say if that's true for the replicants in the movie, too, based on that fact.
    – Florian Schaetz
    Commented Nov 17, 2017 at 12:45
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    @FlorianSchaetz Good call. I guess I am interested in "film continuity" (of which things like the short films and probably the Westwood video game would be in line with), but knowing about the original novel and such is useful supplementary information and does answer the letter of my question.
    – Thunderforge
    Commented Nov 17, 2017 at 20:33
  • Per Do Androids Dream (radio play) "All androids are doubles of someone who actually existed"
    – Valorum
    Commented Aug 30, 2021 at 5:11
  • Blade Runner 2049 has a very squicky scene when Wallace inspects and then kills a new model of replicant. I always assumed that she was a new template and that they will make multiple identical copies for colonies. A scene before that is Luv talking with potential client about customizing the batch. youtube.com/watch?v=vfz-gD4jiLY
    – jo1storm
    Commented Aug 30, 2021 at 10:02

2 Answers 2

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As Florian Schaetz pointed out in a comment, Rachael Rosen and Priss Stratton are identical models in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? In Book Continuity, since the Voight-Kampff test was not developed until after the release of the T-14 model, there is room for some models to be identical, or otherwise easily distinguishable from Humans. Though no specific examples are given.

In Film Continuity however, (and to an extent, post T-14 Book Continuity) given that the defining feature of a Replicant/Android was that it could not emote like a human (implying that they are as diverse/unique as humans), its a safe bet that there is no template. Otherwise that is what would be used for discovering them.

All that said, the only instance of (actual1) twin/identical replicants that I could find were Luther and Lance. They are a pair of siamese twins in the 1997 video game, Blade Runner. Though there is no way of determining their status, due to the fact they refuse to take a Voight-Kampff test, they believe themselves to be replicant "mistakes".

1: Ana Stelline didn't really have a twin

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In the licenced comic serial Blade Runner 2019, business magnate Alexander Selwyn has repeatedly cloned a bounty hunter named Hythe. At one point there are at least four (and possibly more) of her active at the same time, being used as his personal bodyguards.

enter image description here

It's not immediately apparent whether there was a real Hythe to begin with, but we learn that he's also cloned his (dead) wife off at least three times, once with the assistance of Tyrell Corp and latterly with the help of ex-Tyrell employees now working for Selwyn.

enter image description here

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