 The idea for the quantum clockwork Cartier dolls comes from the story of Coppellia, a mechanical doll in one of the "Tales from Hoffmann".Richard Calder cites Jacques Offenbach's opera version of the tale in which Hoffmann falls in love with Olympia as being particularly influential.Another influence was the doll sculptures of Hans Bellmer

Ignatz Zwakh, former escort of assassin Primavera Bobinski, is tracked down in Thailand by the half-robotic Pikadon Twins, with a demand from Primavera's half-robot boss Madame Kito that Ignatz return to the Big Weird to work with Primavera.