A theory of how V could survive after the end of Cyberpunk 2077

[dunkler_Wanderer]

My theory is a thought experiment based on information that is already present in the game and that can easily be overlooked or forgotten.

What makes the end of Cyberpunk a bit sad is that V only has 6 months to live due to massive neurological damage.

When it comes to explaining the problem, I trust Vick, who is a real doctor, more than Alt, who is more like Doctor Google.
Vick explains this, as mentioned above, with neural damage caused by the activation of the Relic.

When I recently started a new playthrough, I noticed something right at the beginning.
Right at the beginning in the elevator, N54 news is playing with an article about Bio Dyne, how they have invented a therapy that can repair irreparably damaged nervous systems with the help of nanobots.
I never saw this post again because the messages adapt to the game's progress.

My theory is: After the end (Panam or Rougue), V contacts Bio Dyne and signs up for therapy. My V would do that.
Since I loot a lot throughout the game, I can put 10 million €$ on the table at the end of the game so I can afford the therapy.

But I would also think it would be great if the solution to our problem at the end was something that we could easily miss at the beginning.

I hope you enjoy my little thought experiment and would love to hear your opinion. Do you find it plausible?

 

[BrittanyHayes4Ever]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong/misremembering, but doesn't the Tower Ending (added in Phantom Liberty DLC) let V survive if she has all her cyberware completely removed? Or did that only buy her some time before the inevitable end?

 

[dunkler_Wanderer]

Yes, you're right, after a long coma, you survive, but you're left with neurological damage. And it's also a sad ending.
And the price does seem a bit high to me. That's why I'm referring to the Panama or Rouge ending.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

I guess it's possible, but... Because yes, there is a "but"
If I remember the ad :
- It's a cutting edge treatment so nanites can only achieve the task they were programmed. In the same way the ones contained in the Relic save V life, but are also responsible of V slow death.
- The treatment isn't a definitve cure. It can only counter the effects of the neural degeneration due to the sickness. You can't stop taking the treatment, because if you do, the neural degeneration will start to progress again.
- And the cherry on top of the cake, this treatment cost about 700K eddies monthly, a "subtential" amount of money if you espect taking the treatement your whole life... This is exactly why the treatment was developed in the first place, earning as much money as possible from desperate most wealthy people.

 

[Tarille]

Some things to consider:

1. The extent of the therapy. How much of this newly developed therapy is focused on fixing neurological issues vs other parts of the nervous system (Spine and nerves)? Since there's plenty of medical advancements around in universe. But the damage from the Relic is considered so out there that almost nothing can deal with it.
2. The canonical funding that V has. If we consider the fact that V quite obviously doesn't get paid for their first "Major league" gig and then spends the rest of the game mostly just working pro-bono because their end goal is information not money. So it's not as if V is necessarily as rich as players get (Which is absurdly non-canonical. For example, Rayfields are so ridiculously expensive that only 2 exist in Night City entirely... But 5 minutes into Act 2 and V can buy themselves not 1, but 2 Rayfields!). Rogue likely has the money to fund this therapy... But Panam won't as she's quite literally scraping by as a Merc and Nomads don't make a ton of money as they don't need that much to get by.
3. Any other effects and or stipulations regarding the treatment. Something like requiring continuous treatment is not compatible with the Nomad lifestyle which is... Nomadic. We also don't hear about any side effects of the treatment, much like how the "Cure" ending disables usage of Cyberware. It's quite possible that this treatment also has negative effects that would prevent V from living out their life the same way much like the aforementioned other ending.

 

[dunkler_Wanderer]

I love mind games like this and games that make you think like that.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. My thoughts were:
- V was shot in the head, which destroyed his nervous system.
- The relic then took over the function of the nervous system.
- Apparently, there were a certain number of nanobots in the relic, which then began to rebuild it.
- After Jonny was extracted, the relic stopped rebuilding, but the damage was already too great.

This is where my mind game begins:
- More nanobots are indicated here, which try to restore the original state before the headshot.
- I'm aware that this isn't MS and MS works differently, but the point here is that there are nanobots that can repair something like this.
- We don't need to talk about the fact that it's extremely expensive.

 

[Bartinga2077]

"A theory of how V could survive after the end of Cyberpunk 2077"​

One word, Langley.

 

[Tarille]

- V was shot in the head, which destroyed his nervous system.

It did a lot of damage to their brain. The exact nature of the damage is never mentioned. But enough damage to critical areas was done to the point that it lead to death and required outside assistance to allow basic functions to occur to sustain life.

- The relic then took over the function of the nervous system.

It took over function of parts of the brain. Which is only part of the nervous system.

- Apparently, there were a certain number of nanobots in the relic, which then began to rebuild it.

The nanobots seemed more inclined towards rewriting than rebuilding. Since that's what they were programmed for, to rewrite a brain into being the one that is stored in the engram on the Relic.

Which is also supported by the nature of the death sentence post-removal. The Relic never repaired the parts of the brain it took over the function of. At least, not enough to be completely functional.

- After Jonny was extracted, the relic stopped rebuilding, but the damage was already too great.

After Johnny was extracted, the Relic stopped rewriting. As there was nothing left for it to use as a basis for rewriting.

If we go with the idea that the nanobots were only programmed to rewrite and there was nothing instructing them to rebuild. Thus, the damage from the bullet is still there.

Why the Relic cannot continue to take on the role of the damage parts of the brain without Johnny's engram residing on it? Who knows.

- More nanobots are indicated here, which try to restore the original state before the headshot.

The trick is that nanobots only do what they're programmed to do.

When it comes to brains, the structure of an individual's brain is unique. As the brain is constantly adapting throughout life based on experiences, forming new neural pathways which is the basis of personality development.

As such, it's not a simple matter of telling nanobots to simply "Make a non-damaged brain" like with other organs which all work the same way for every person (The only individualization required for other organs is typing proteins to prevent rejection). They would need to have a detailed image of V's undamaged brain in order to use as a blueprint. Which doesn't exist.

The only detailed brain image that exists in the universe, is the one that Soulkiller created of Johnny. The one on the Relic. Other engrams are not complete brain images and are instead only partial copies, hence their more shallow nature.

For other parts of the nervous system, nanobots are easy to utilize. A spine is a spine, a nerve is a nerve. You tell a nanobot to repair a spine or nerve to a generic functional state and that is fine and a person can be fully functional with that.

But the brain... Is more complex than any other organ and is the most individualized with how its actually constructed.

- I'm aware that this isn't MS and MS works differently, but the point here is that there are nanobots that can repair something like this.

But one should always keep in mind differences between things.

Like, cyberware exists that lets ripperdocs change out organs with ease. Need a new arm? That can be replaced. Need a new heart? That can be replaced. Need a new spine? That can be replaced.

The universe really trends to replacement rather than repair, that's what its technology is focused on.

But even with this technology where organ replacements are not an issue, to the point where even back alley ripperdocs can swap out major organs with no fuss. The brain still seems out of reach.

Which is one of the plot points for the game. Viktor, a very competent ripperdoc cannot replace the parts of V's brain that are damaged. Anders Hellman cannot provide any means to replace the parts of V's brain that are damaged. The Voodoo Boys cannot replace the parts of V's brain that are damaged. Arasaka cannot replace or repair the parts of V's brain that are damaged.

Hence the endings of which there are only 2 "Survivable" outcomes. One where V is saved by a medical procedure provided by the NUSA with the side effect of making cyberware incompatible with them (And all their friends f off because they were in a coma for 2 years). One where V's mind gets zapped and saved as an engram to be uploaded into a new body by Arasaka at an undisclosed future date.

Is it possible that there might exist an alternative? Such as Bio-dyne's nanobot treatment. Maybe. It all depends on the scope of which said treatment extends.

As noted, the one specific known cure, is the NUSA surgery. But without details about what the surgery actually entails and why specifically this works but all the other alternatives don't, it's hard to gauge the likelyhood of alternate methods functioning. To say nothing about if they do function, what effects might they have (Similar to the NUSA surgery disabling cyberware)

- We don't need to talk about the fact that it's extremely expensive.

You were the one who brought up paying $10 million eddies for the treatment.

 

[Metropolice]

(Some potential specific to vague spoilers obv.)

One word, Langley.

Correct. Especially something that (ex-)Corpo V would most likely appreciate, even if by modern standards you'd be a 'ganic' or in a way considered disabled.

Instead of the nihilistic dex talk of "dying young in a blaze of glory vs. at old age reeking of piss" (his rough loosely quoted words or supposed mindset to get young chooms to do his bidding more enthusiastically no matter the cost to them), getting old with a secured job that doesn't necessarily have to involve combat or extensive chrome use all the time would be a privilege. V could basically early-retire, tell tales of their deeds and have a safe-ish life in a mostly safe environment. You'd probably have VIP / legend status in that organization, too, for your deeds.

I dare say being a NUSA legend might just beat being a NC legend. Plus the added benefit of there being a potential fix for your 'issue' later, meaning you could even return to your old lifestyle partially a few years or a decade or two or later, even if you might not be as ... versatile as with the chip in you to allow you to compensate cyberpsychosis better, I guess.