Pigeons

Question....

Pigeons. Flying rats. We know that animals are rare, real animals, I mean. So why are there pigeons? What is their significance? Are they machines, and if so, why? Or are they a last vestige of nature, maybe something like a flying cockroach

Anyone know? Anyone care ?

death

Hmm, perhaps comparing all pigeons to rats is too harsh - perhaps the "city pigeons" can be called that, but what bugs me is that the purely white pigeon which Roy has held in his hand doesn't seem to be an average city pigeon.

Those city pigeons seem to be quite adaptable, just look at how many of them live in the cities, often near big industrial zones. They seem to be indestructible. Perhaps they are sorts of "air cocroaches".

Well, there is also this symbolism thing - a white dove is a symbol of peace and redemption and liberation... As the white dove flies to the sky, Roy's soul leaves his body and the torment of the material world, ascending to the heavens.

Way I see it, pidgeons are indestructible! At this point you could push the symbolism envelope into Batty transferring his soul to the form of an indestructible pidgeon. Sort of a "You can't beat me little man" type of thing.

[Kipple]

It is my understanding that it was a Dove...symbolizing the moment of Roy' death, (as BR796164 mentioned above).
There are, of course, other interpretations that others may add to that. Also, IMHO, it was one of the many creative gestures added to the film "unplanned"...adding to the inconsistencies throughout this masterpiece.