John R. Isidore is a lonely man whose primary goal in the novel is to find companionship. Isidore’s utter isolation is multi-layered. Deemed a “special” by the powers that be, it is illegal for him to reproduce, and he is shunned by human society on Earth. Isidore lives all alone in a vast abandoned apartment complex. Even his senses are dulled by the radioactivity permeating his body and brain, which further isolates him from the world around him. Thus, when Pris Stratton and the other renegade androids come to his building, Isidore excitedly seeks companionship with them. He is eager to help, even after discovering their status as artificial life forms, which shows how desperate he is for connection. He reasons that if society has shunned him for his cognitive abilities, he can accept other individuals upon whom society has turned its back. Isidore’s reasoning and empathy indicates that he is more emotionally intelligent, and less “damaged,” than many of the other characters in the novel, despite his disability. Yet, Isidore’s mind is a simple one and his faith in Mercerism is complete. He uses his empathy box often and feels a strong connection to the unending cycle of Mercer’s climb from the tomb world to the top of the mountain. Just as Mercer preaches, Isidore considers all life precious. Thus, when the androids torture a living spider, his faith in his new friends is shattered. He finds himself in the tomb world once again, where everything around him crumbles to death and dust.

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