Elizabeth

A young woman trapped in a tower who can open doorways to every timeline simultaneously.

Elizabeth is a central character in Irrational Games' BioShock Infinite, set in the floating steampunk city of Columbia during 1912. Groomed from infancy to succeed Father Zachary Hale Comstock, she was imprisoned in a tower guarded by a mechanical bird named Songbird. Her unique nature, born from Comstock's experiments, grants her the power to open "tears" in reality, allowing her to view and access parallel universes effortlessly. To contain this ability, captors used a siphon to drain her powers. Booker DeWitt enters Columbia to retrieve her as payment for gambling debts, unaware she is his long-lost daughter, Anna. Elizabeth later appears in the Burial at Sea DLC set in Rapture.

Quick Facts

Series: BioShock
First: BioShock Infinite (2013)
Voice: Courtnee Draper
Motion actor: Heather Gordon

Lore & Background

Elizabeth was held captive aboard Columbia since she was a baby, claimed by Father Comstock as his daughter and the "Lamb" destined to inherit the city. She resided in a well-furnished cell within a large statue of Columbia's female personification, using her time to become well-read and learn lock-picking and cryptography. Her captivity was enforced by Songbird, a giant mechanical bird with whom she shared a complex bond; he fed and played with her while simultaneously keeping her imprisoned. This dynamic reflected Ken Levine's personal experiences regarding a girl who made excuses for an abusive partner, though Levine noted Elizabeth was distinct in her drive to get free. She possessed limited ability to manipulate tears in the fabric of space-time within Columbia before her release.

Reader's Guide

Elizabeth serves as Booker DeWitt's constant companion and moral compass within Columbia. Unlike earlier solitary experiences in the series, her presence allows players to bounce off a living character who offers emotional support and tactical assistance. She can open tears to provide cover, health kits, or weapons, and her artificial intelligence was designed to ensure she never felt like an obstacle. Developers initially considered cutting her due to technical challenges but ultimately deepened her role as a partner who could lockpick doors during gameplay. In the Burial at Sea DLC, her gameplay shifts from direct combat to strategy and avoidance, fitting a survival horror tone. She is voiced by Courtnee Draper with motion capture provided by Heather Gordon, while her face was modeled after Russian cosplayer Anna Moleva.

Did You Know?

Early versions of Elizabeth were intended to be mute, similar to a "Gibson Girl," before the team decided she needed dialogue to have personality.
Developers created a dedicated "Liz Squad" group to populate the world with objects for her to interact with and ensure her animations felt childlike yet believable.
In Burial at Sea, Elizabeth becomes the player character in the second episode, focusing on strategy rather than direct combat.

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