Indignant, Burning with the Fires of Orc

In the movie Bladerunner Roy Batty is an android who knows his life is at its end. Built to fight on distant stars he has returned to earth to attempt to prolong his life. He's hunting answers and does with his comrade Leon. Early in the film, while attempting to gain access to the corporation that made him, he enters the laboratory of the genetic engineer who created his eyes.

This was ad libbed by Rutgar Hauer during filming. I've often wondered what it was, and though this may be old news to some, to me it was new. Hauer adapted a line from William Blake's poem America A Prophecy. Orc is a god-like figure in the tale who is bound to a mountain in chains. Only through the force of his creative will is he able to summon the god Urizen who frees him, but in doing so tries to bind Orc to him. But Orc rebels against Urizen's desire to control him through the tyranny of law and rises in flame to fight him.

Roy slightly misquotes Blake however, the quote reads: "Fiery the angels rose, and as they rose deep thunder roll'd. Around their shores: indignant burning with the fires of Orc."

The fires of Orc are the fires of rebellion. I wonder more about Tolkien's own use of the word Orc. Morgoth rose in rebellion against the Song of Anu and when he corrupted the elves to fashion them into orcs they become the spirit of his burning rage. The Fires of Orc, rebellion.

 For more on Blake's Orc.

Suddenly Roy's comment makes perfect sense.