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Iran Deckard
Wilbur Mercer is the enigmatic and messianic figurehead of Mercerism. Although the image people associate with Mercer was played by an actor, Mercer’s influence runs deep enough that certain characters see him in real life. Mercer comes to both Rick and John when they need him most, demonstrating that his impact is real even if he is a fake.
Wilbur Mercer Quotes in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? quotes below are all either spoken by Wilbur Mercer or refer to Wilbur Mercer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 6 Quotes
“No one can win against kipple,” he said, “except temporarily and maybe in one spot, like in my apartment I’ve sort of created a stasis between the pressure of kipple and nonkipple, for the time being. But eventually I’ll die or go away, and then the kipple will again take over. It’s a universal principle operating throughout the universe; the entire universe is moving toward a final state of total, absolute kippleization.” He added, “Except of course for the upward climb of Wilbur Mercer.”
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John’s description of “kipple” as the universal force of decay captures the inevitability of disorder overtaking all systems in his world. His acknowledgment that any victory over kipple is temporary aligns with Mercerism’s emphasis on the futility of resisting entropy, while still valuing the act of striving. By connecting kipple to Mercer’s climb, Isidore condenses the spiritual framework of Mercerism: though all systems decay, the effort to preserve order and meaning is inherently worthwhile, even in the face of failure. The balance Isidore maintains in his apartment serves as a microcosm of humanity’s larger struggle to stave off chaos. His Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaqu
Chapter 7 Quotes
“Because Wilbur Mercer is always renewed. He’s eternal. At the top of the hill he’s struck down; he sinks into the tomb world but then he rises inevitably. And us with him. So we’re eternal, too.”
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This quote carries added weight because of John’s role as one of the most vulnerable and isolated characters in the novel. John’s belief in Mercer’s eternal renewal reflects his desperate need for connection and meaning in a world that has largely abandoned him. As someone who society has dismissed, John clings to Mercerism’s promise of collective endurance. By identifying himself with Mercer’s cycle of resurrection, he finds a sense of belonging and purpose that his external reality denies him. John’s emphasis on “And us with him” is particularly significant given his isolation. For him, Mercerism is not just a philosophy Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Comm
Chapter 15 Quotes
“Mercer,” Rick said.
“I am your friend,” the old man said. “But you must go on as if I did not exist. Can you understand that?” He spread empty hands.
“No,” Rick said. “I can’t understand that. I need help.”
“How can I save you,” the old man said, “if I can’t save myself?” He smiled. “Don’t you see? There is no salvation.”
“Then what’s this for?” Rick demanded. “What are you for?”
“To show you,” Wilbur Mercer said, “that you aren’t alone. I am here with you and always will be. Go and do your task, even though you know it’s wrong.”
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Here, Rick and Mercer are having a conversation while Rick is using the empathy box. Their conversation captures the core tension of Mercerism. Mercer doesn’t offer salvation or answers, only the assurance that Rick isn’t alone. His statement, “I am here with you and always will be,” provides comfort even as he refuses to help resolve Rick’s moral conflict. Mercer acknowledges his own limitations, forcing Rick to confront the reality that some struggles have no resolution. This refusal to provide clarity mirrors Rick’s own life, where his work forces him to act against his conscience. Rick’s frustration shows his desperation Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commo
Chapter 18 Quotes
“It has often been said by adherents of the experience of Mercerism that Wilbur Mercer is not a human being, that he is in fact an archetypal superior entity perhaps from another star. Well, in a sense this contention has proven correct. Wilbur Mercer is not human, does not in fact exist. The world in which he climbs is a cheap, Hollywood, commonplace sound stage which vanished into kipple years ago. And who, then, has spawned this hoax on the Sol System? Think about that for a time, folks.”
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This is a quote from Buster Friendly, an android who is running an exposé to expose Mercer as a fraud. Buster Friendly’s statement challenges the foundation of Mercerism by framing Mercer as a “cheap” Hollywood creation. His revelation serves as a calculated attack on the spiritual framework that many, like John, rely on to find meaning in their suffering. By describing Mercer’s world as a “commonplace sound stage,” Buster reduces what adherents view as a profound spiritual experience to an artificial illusion. His phrasing, “spawned this hoax,” casts doubt not only on Mercerism itself but also on the motives of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum.
Chapter 20 Quotes
What a job to have to do, Rick thought. I’m a scourge, like famine or plague. Where I go the ancient curse follows. As Mercer said, I am required to do wrong. Everything I’ve done has been wrong from the start. Anyhow now it’s time to go home. Maybe, after I’ve been there awhile with Iran I’ll forget.
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Rick has just completed his work assignment of retiring six Nexus-6 androids in a single day. Rick’s thoughts reveal the crushing moral weight of his job as a bounty hunter. He sees himself as a force of destruction, comparing his work to natural disasters or ancient curses. This self-perception shows how deeply he internalizes the harm he causes, recognizing that his job doesn’t just eliminate androids but spreads suffering wherever he goes. Rather than framing his actions as necessary or justified, Rick accepts them as inherently wrong, reflecting his growing disillusionment. His reference to Mercer’s words about being required to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus
Chapter 21 Quotes
“Mercer isn’t a fake,” he said. “Unless reality is a fake.” This hill, he thought. This dust and these many stones, each one different from all the others. “I’m afraid,” he said, “that I can’t stop being Mercer. Once you start it’s too late to back off.” Will I have to climb the hill again? he wondered. Forever, as Mercer does. . .trapped by eternity. “Good-bye,” he said, and started to ring off.
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Rick is on a video call with his secretary, Ann Marsten, discussing that Rick himself—who is walking in the desert at the moment—looks a lot like Mercer. By asserting that Mercer isn’t a fake “unless reality is a fake,” Rick alludes to the earlier revelation that Mercer isn’t real, and that Mercer’s climb up a hill was filmed on a sound stage. Despite the fact that what people experience when they use their empathy boxes isn’t real, Rick suggests that that actually doesn’t matter—what matters is how tuning in, experiencing suffering, and feeling empathy makes him feel. Additionally, this moment Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro p
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Wilbur Mercer Character Timeline in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The timeline below shows where the character Wilbur Mercer appears in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
...allows him to experience a shared struggle with others by merging his consciousness with Wilbur Mercer (a figure akin to Christ). As he grips the handles of the device, the environment...
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...Despite the pain, John finds solace in the collective bond he shares with others through Mercer. While tending to his wound, John hears a faint sound of a TV from a...
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Chapter 15
...of triumph is short-lived. Iran suggests going back to their apartment to give thanks to Mercer via the empathy box, an act she sees as a moral obligation in light of...
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Back in their apartment, Iran eagerly connects to the empathy box, immersing herself in Mercerism. Watching her, Rick reflects on his growing disillusionment with the ideology. Nevertheless, he decides to...
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Chapter 17
...the radio to hear Buster Friendly’s radio program. Buster Friendly is a known antagonist of Mercer, and he is scheduled to deliver an exposé on Mercer momentarily.
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Chapter 18
...broadcast. Once the television is set up, Buster begins his program with a sensational announcement: Mercerism is a fabrication. Using photographic enlargements, he points out brushstrokes in the background of Mercer’s...
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...to disintegrate as his despair consumes him. In this state, he experiences a vision of Mercer. The old man appears and confirms that everything Buster Friendly revealed is true: Mercer is...
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Chapter 19
...orders John to step outside and check the hallway. Venturing outside, John releases the spider Mercer gave him onto a patch of weeds, relieved to see it crawl away. A man...
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Inside, Rick uses detection equipment to locate the androids. On the stairs, Mercer appears, warning Rick of an ambush by one of the androids resembling Rachael. Moments later,...
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Chapter 21
...cliff. A rock suddenly strikes him, evoking the familiar yet unsettling sensation of fusion with Mercer from the empathy box. This time, however, the experience feels profoundly different because he endures...
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...return home because Iran is concerned. Ann also notes Rick’s fatigued appearance, comparing him to Mercer. After hanging up on Ann, Rick reflects on his entanglement with Rachael and his regret...
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Chapter 22
...is overcome with excitement. Notably, he realizes, the toad is the animal most associated with Mercer. Carefully, he uncovers the creature, marveling at its survival in such a harsh environment. He...
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