Despite its dramatic ending, Bioshock Infinite does note the strength of its protagonists, which is showcased in different ways. This also ties with two more recurring themes in fairy tales, that of the exploration of human weakness and that of the triumph of human strength. The biggest tragedy in Booker's life is that his good side is constantly fighting against his evil side a fight that at some point resulted in him giving up his own daughter.īooker and Elizabeth could be the lead characters of a modern fairy tale The battle of good versus evil, however, goes even deeper in the game, as in Booker's case both opposites exist in the same person: he is a good man in his current state as Booker DeWitt, albeit with a past he is not so proud of as a soldier, while he was an evil man as Zachary Comstock in a different reality. Bioshock Infinite has its good characters, Booker and Elizabeth, who, in different stages, have to go against several evil forces, represented by Zachary Comstock, Jeremiah Fink and Cornelius Slate. Bioshock Infinite follows the structure of a traditional fairy tale, incorporating all of its standard elements that have to do with the plot, the characters and the complementary attributes.įairy tales play with opposites, the most prominent couple of contrasting sides being good and evil. But this is exactly what fairy tales always do: they make extremely insightful and diachronic statements through allegories that can be universally applied. No less than a gloomy prophecy, its depiction of an authoritarian society where the high class is thriving while the vast majority of its population is suffering, sounds and seems particularly realistic in its symbolism. Time tears, appearing as ghostly slots, are a major plot point in the gameĬombining elements of past, present and imaginary future times, historical events, fantasy and tragedy, Bioshock Infinite is a retro-futuristic fairy tale that uses elements of the past to describe a society of the future. Same goes for Rosalind Lutece, the enlightened scientist who developed the quantum technology responsible for the existence of floating cities and, subsequently, the possibility of traveling back and forth in time through the tears that she was able to create. Similarly Elizabeth, his co-protagonist, has gone through several different statuses during her time travels. In one life he was a soldier who took part in a massacre, in another he was a private detective, in a third one he was the leader of a revolutionary movement, in a fourth one he was a bloodsucking governor who longed for eternal life. As it is gradually revealed, he had lived more than one lives in several realities. The lighthouse, a major symbol used extensively in video games, plays a crucial role here too, transporting Booker to Columbia where he begins a dramatic quest, looking for answers concerning his overwhelming sense of guilt. When the protagonist of the game, Booker DeWitt, wakes up in a boat on a rainy night, accompanied by two strange people who lead him to a a mysterious lighthouse, little does he suspect of what will come next. The imaginative settings of the game add greatly to the atmosphere of a fairy tale Nothing is ordinary in Columbia and Emporia, the colorful floating cities that are bursting with life and flowers and look like amusement parks coming straight out of a fairy tale. Its characters defy both time and space: they can fly in the air thanks to improvised devices and they can go back in time by using tears. A universe full of color and fancy with a vibrant steampunk atmosphere, and contemporary tunes playing on gramophones in retro style. The world of Bioshock Infinite is a magic one.
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