Like tears in Rain...

Hey Transformer, what is the quote from Bladerunner about 'the shoulder of Orion"?

The quote from Blade Runner is "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die." It is a famous monologue spoken by the character Roy Batty, played by Rutger Hauer, in the 1982 film Blade Runner.

What does the passage mean? What is it referring to and what was the writer trying to say?

The passage is a monologue spoken by the character Roy Batty, who is a replicant (a genetically engineered human-like being) in the movie Blade Runner. In the scene, Roy is reflecting on his life and experiences, and the things he has seen, as he is approaching the end of his life.

The "shoulder of Orion" is a reference to the constellation Orion, and the "attack ships on fire" is a metaphor for the violence and destruction that Roy has witnessed. The "C-beams glittering in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate" is another poetic reference to the futuristic world of Blade Runner, where technology and space travel are advanced.

The overall message of the monologue is that life is fleeting, and all of our experiences, no matter how memorable, will eventually be forgotten. Roy is acknowledging the transience of his own existence and the fact that even his memories will fade away. 

The phrase "tears in rain" is a poignant expression of this idea, and suggests that, like tears, our experiences and memories will be lost, disappearing into the vastness of time and space.

In this way, the writer is exploring themes of mortality, the meaning of life, and the nature of memory and existence.