MovieChat Forums > RoboCop (1987) Discussion > Question about ED 209 (spoilers)

Question about ED 209 (spoilers)

posted 7 years ago by popularsi
13 replies | jump to latest

Something I'm confused about. During the ED 209 demo in the boardroom, ED 209 tells the guy holding the gun "You have 20 seconds to comply (for him to drop his gun etc)", does this mean ED 209 was trying to arrest him? If so, how would ED-209 arrest perps properly (handcuffs, take perps to jail etc)? Would ED 209 be escorted with human cops for proper police processing or would ED 209 be used mainly for set tasks (protests, guarding things etc)

I can understand ED 209 being good in protests (firing rubber bullets, guarding areas) but going around neighbourhoods seems too impractical because perps could easily run away from it using blind spots etc.

RoboCop was much more practical and versatile because he could access places, stairs etc better.

[–] war-path 7 years ago

I always thought the ED-209's would be escorted with human cops in order for the arrests to be properly and successfully made of another person.

[–] Mr-Fusion 7 years ago

Either that or ol' ED radios some cuffs while holding the perp at gunpoint. Regardless, not an ideal situation.

But then, nothing about him ever was.

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That punk is either in love with that guy's daughter or he has a newfound respect for life.

[–] Volley (3368) 7 years ago

I would imagine criminals, or those resisting authority, would just be so scared out of their minds in upsetting a huge robot with a menacing voice, and some really big guns, that they would just follow in line, no handcuffs needed, until a human officer takes over to arrest.

I think ED-209 was more for perimeter security, as we see in the film later protecting OCP Tower, and just another shining example as to why the RoboCop project was much more favored by the old man.

[–] crc32 (2584) 7 years ago

I think it was just a disarming procedure. I don't think it was intended that ED-209 would arrest people just urban pacification as dick jones put it (By a stream of gunfire apparently). He was also intended to be a "Hot military product who's applications go well beyond mere urban pacification".

He kills, not arrests people.

In this bleak future were human life is with out value I can see ED-209 being used to mow down protesters.

Ofcourse Robocop is more versitle, as ED-209 was supposed to be dipicted as a failure that was rushed to production by Jones. This story is about greedy american corperations making crappy products and being faithful to the almighty dollar only. Dick jones even says "Who cares if it worked or not." as he was planning to sell repair parts for the units he expected to malfunction.

[–] AP (5258) 6 years ago

I got the same idea. In this world and the future that would inevitably follow, there's really no such thing as arresting perps or pacifying the public.

[–] crc32 (2584) 6 years ago

Well by pacifying the public I mean it would fire on a crowed killing a few and every one would just backdown at that point.

[–] AP (5258) 6 years ago

Yeah, I figured. They were designed to be nasty.

[–] crc32 (2584) 6 years ago

If only they worked. ED-209 was one of my favorite characters in Robocop. I was disapointed by his and robocops dipiction in the new Robocop reboot.

[–] TheUltimateHippo (2250) 6 years ago

LOL I don't think Dick Jones thought it through that far. He just wanted to sell spare parts to the military.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7401) 6 years ago

This topic reminds me of the funny scene where the Ed 209 falls down the stairs! That was hilarious!

[–] crc32 (2584) 4 years ago

squeilling like a pig too.. What was that about?

[–] pjl69 (2430) 4 years ago

I always thought it was because ED209 was mentally on level of a small child...

[–] johnmiller (3347) 4 years ago

The stop-animation was great! Phil Tippet of ILM did the work in both this and "Robocop 2." But, Tippet isn't mentioned in the IMDb credits for the original, which is odd.