Blade Runner 2049 took audiences 30 years into Blade Runner's future, with the world dramatically changing within that time. During the movie, it's mentioned that there was an event called the "Blackout," where the city was plunged into darkness and chaos ensued. But this left audiences asking, what exactly was the Blackout, and why did it happen?
As Officer K investigates the mystery of the pregnant replicant, he heads to the replicant manufacturer, Wallace Corporation. As a guide takes him through the data storage, he says, "Everyone remembers where they were at the Blackout... 10 days of darkness. Every machine stopped cold." While that already sounds bad enough for a world that heavily relies on technology, he also mentions how files, photos and every piece of data were also wiped clean.
Just before the movie's release, an anime short film was made as a prequel to 2049. This anime, titled Blade Runner 2049 - Black Out 2022, told the story of how Los Angeles was shut down for 10 days. The focus is on two replicants named Iggy and Trixie, who plan on wiping the Tyrell Corporation archives of any replicant data. Due to this database being open to the public, people were able to learn who was a replicant and set out to kill them, which Iggy and Trixie wanted to stop.
The two replicants steal a fuel truck and barge into Tyrell headquarters. Meanwhile, on the inside, they have a replicant sympathizer ready to launch a nuclear missile into the atmosphere. However, during the break-in, Trixie is shot dead and Iggy is forced to continue the mission on his own.
But with Iggy being designed as a replicant solider, he's able to make it to the archives alone, and blow them up with his truck. With the explosion as a signal for the sympathizer, the nuke is launched above LA and detonated. With a blinding flash, a fireball ignites above the city, but far enough away as to not damage it. As planned, the electromagnetic pulse from the nuke spreads far and wide, shutting down every electronic device in range.
The anime ends in panic as buildings become dark and flying cars fall from the sky. And it wasn't until 10 days later that the city powered back on, and the citizens realized that every electronically stored piece of information was lost. Shortly after, replicants were prohibited, and the Tyrell Corporation was forced to shut down -- meaning all remaining replicants were believed to be the last of their kind.
But the victory was short-lived, as a decade later, the Wallace Corporation took over Tyrell and gained approval to produce their own replicants. These replicants, however, were much more obedient compared to their predecessors. And much like Officer K, some were made into Blade Runners to hunt and kill previous replicant models.
And so, Blade Runner continues to feature one of the most depressing worlds seen in science fiction. The blackout was an attempt at saving replicants from more discrimination and murder, and while it did for a time, it only led to more corporate greed and the recreation of replicant slaves. Although, the 10 days of darkness did have everlasting effects, as the huge loss of data continued to impact Wallace even in 2049, with the corporation struggling to discover where the old replicants may be hidden.