A surgical instrument comprising: a handle assembly ; a drive system operably supported in the handle assembly and configured to simultaneously and independently electrically generate a plurality of discrete rotary control motions, wherein the plurality of discrete rotary control motions comprises a first rotary control motion, a second rotary control motion, and a third rotary control motion, wherein the drive system comprises a shaft rotation motor , an articulation motor , and a distal roll motor ; and an elongate shaft assembly operably coupled to the drive system and handle assembly , wherein the elongate shaft assembly is configured to receive and transmit the first rotary control motion from the drive system for rotating the elongate shaft assembly about a shaft axis, the elongate shaft assembly being further configured to receive and transmit the second rotary control motion from the drive system to a surgical end effector operably coupled to the elongate shaft assembly to cause the surgical end effector to rotate about the shaft axis relative to the elongate shaft assembly, and the elongate shaft assembly being further configured to receive and transmit the third rotary control motion from the drive system to an articulation joint that communicates with the elongate shaft assembly and the surgical end effector to articulate the surgical end effector about an articulation axis that is substantially transverse to the shaft axis, wherein the elongate shaft assembly comprises an outer shaft operably interfacing with the shaft rotation motor , an articulation shaft operably interfacing with the articulation joint and the articulation motor ; and a distal roll shaft operably interfacing with the articulation joint and the distal roll motor . a handle assembly ; a drive system operably supported in the handle assembly and configured to simultaneously and independently electrically generate a plurality of discrete rotary control motions, wherein the plurality of discrete rotary control motions comprises a first rotary control motion, a second rotary control motion, and a third rotary control motion, wherein the drive system comprises a shaft rotation motor , an articulation motor , and a distal roll motor ; and an elongate shaft assembly operably coupled to the drive system and handle assembly , wherein the elongate shaft assembly is configured to receive and transmit the first rotary control motion from the drive system for rotating the elongate shaft assembly about a shaft axis, the elongate shaft assembly being further configured to receive and transmit the second rotary control motion from the drive system to a surgical end effector operably coupled to the elongate shaft assembly to cause the surgical end effector to rotate about the shaft axis relative to the elongate shaft assembly, and the elongate shaft assembly being further configured to receive and transmit the third rotary control motion from the drive system to an articulation joint that communicates with the elongate shaft assembly and the surgical end effector to articulate the surgical end effector about an articulation axis that is substantially transverse to the shaft axis, wherein the elongate shaft assembly comprises an outer shaft operably interfacing with the shaft rotation motor , an articulation shaft operably interfacing with the articulation joint and the articulation motor ; and a distal roll shaft operably interfacing with the articulation joint and the distal roll motor . <EOS>