From just the brief two minutes of the Bioshock Infinite E3 demo, it's apparent that Irrational are really making an effort to flesh out Elizabeth's character. Without even playing the game or seeing more of it I can tell you a lot about her: she's goofy and light-hearted, she's sheltered, naive, fragile and at the same time extremely powerful.

So what's the next logical step for a fleshed-out character in a complex narrative such as this? Killing her off of course! I can easily see Ken Levine tugging on our heart strings like the diabolical puppet master that he is. What do you guys think? You think she's gonna survive the whole game? I know it's way too early to tell, but it's fun to theorize, innit?

NoooOOOooo, this thread needs a spoiler tag, I can already tell you're right D: In fact, I'll go one step further, you'll actually have to kill her yourself. It will be just like the little sisters, except this time he wants you to have an even more emotional response (ie. she's your companion for the sheer majority of the game, rather than just a random little girl).
 
Or maybe she's SHODAN...You'll travel though time into 1999, where someone's playing SS2 and SHODAN will jump out of the in-game computer screen, revealing that she's actually the future version of Elizabeth. You then realise you must kill Elizabeth before she turns into SHODAN. Too crazy? We'll just have to wait and see...

I see it more that you have to do worse and worse things to survive with her throughout the game, and you watch her slowly break down over it.

@Synaptic said:

I see it more that you have to do worse and worse things to survive with her throughout the game, and you watch her slowly break down over it.

oooh, I like that. Booker seems like a pretty upright guy though; I don't see him doing anything immoral. I do see a loss of innocence in Elizabeth though, after seeing all the horrible shit people are capable of.

@Getz said:

@Synaptic said:

I see it more that you have to do worse and worse things to survive with her throughout the game, and you watch her slowly break down over it.

oooh, I like that. Booker seems like a pretty upright guy though; I don't see him doing anything immoral. I do see a loss of innocence in Elizabeth though, after seeing all the horrible shit people are capable of.

I definitely agree with your picture of Booker; I just think his number one priority is Elizabeth's safety, and that could lead to some morally grey actions in order to protect her.

@BeachThunder said:

Or maybe she's SHODAN...You'll travel though time into 1999, where someone's playing SS2 and SHODAN will jump out of the in-game computer screen, revealing that she's actually the future version of Elizabeth. You then realise you must kill Elizabeth before she turns into SHODAN.

Neo-Lincoln SHODAN Pre-Alpha?

@Getz: You're actually wrong OP. This is a -shock game, therefore the character that was helping you most of the game will halfway through turn on you and reveal their real plans. After you kill Songbird, who turned out to be keeping a witch (Liz) in prison before she causes trouble, she turns on you.

End with a disappointing boss fight.

She will die by the time the game is over. I guarantee it.

She will die by the time the game is over. I guarantee it.

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Dany said:

She will die by the time the game is over. I guarantee it.

I guarantee she won't.

She is already dead! OMG twist!

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Dany said:

She will die by the time the game is over. I guarantee it.

I guarantee she won't.

naive empathic lovable cute character design 101 or (nelccd 101), she has to. its like the dog in fable 2

@SomeDeliCook: Um actually you're wrong, QED.

Probably.

The oft-proven Fumito Ueda Theory of Game Design leads me to believe that, because she's so innocent and we care about her, she's probably going to die.

@benjaebe said:

The oft-proven Fumito Ueda Theory of Game Design leads me to believe that, because she's so innocent and we care about her, she's probably going to die.

S'funny when I was thinking about making this topic I was specifically thinking about Shadow of the Colossus and Ico.

naive empathic lovable cute character design 101 or (nelccd 101), she has to. its like the dog in fable 2

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Dany said:

She will die by the time the game is over. I guarantee it.

I guarantee she won't.

She is already dead! OMG twist!

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Dany said:

naive empathic lovable cute character design 101 or (nelccd 101), she has to. its like the dog in fable 2

It's also a predictable and expected outcome, not to mention a weak story beat. I'd be surprised if Ken Levine decided to do this.

It may be the easiest route to go but the most effective imo after building up a character as elizabeth appears to be.

It may be the easiest route to go but the most effective imo after building up a character as elizabeth appears to be.

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Dany said:

She will die by the time the game is over. I guarantee it.

I guarantee she won't.

She is already dead! OMG twist!

End with a disappointing boss fight.

You'll probably have to sacrifice her or yourself in the end. Sacrifice yourself for the good ending, sacrifice her for the bad ending.

Turns out you were Liz all along and made up the persona of Booker to help yourself build up the courage to escape from Columbia. 
 
Magic-powered Liz is an illusion.

fuuuuuuck you're probably right.

Turns out you were Liz all along and made up the persona of Booker to help yourself build up the courage to escape from Columbia.  Magic-powered Liz is an illusion.

Congratulations, OP. You've realised drama is caused by conflict.

@Aronman789 said:

Turns out you were Liz all along and made up the persona of Booker to help yourself build up the courage to escape from Columbia. Magic-powered Liz is an illusion.

Also known as Fight Club

That was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the demo: "Hmmm, I think Levine is going to kill Liz in this one." 

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Dany said:

She will die by the time the game is over. I guarantee it.

I guarantee she won't.

She is already dead! OMG twist!

@TanoPrime said:

A broad with uber power who turns out to be a frail little princess and get saved by the duder in the end to have fat little babies and make mah sandwich? It sounds like pretty standard, realistic storytelling to me. Now, if she ends up getting the player's character pregnant and making him clean windows after saving the world...oooooo, now that's a twist!

"Broad," really?

Morality choices!

@Getz said:

@TanoPrime said:

A broad with uber power who turns out to be a frail little princess and get saved by the duder in the end to have fat little babies and make mah sandwich? It sounds like pretty standard, realistic storytelling to me. Now, if she ends up getting the player's character pregnant and making him clean windows after saving the world...oooooo, now that's a twist!

"Broad," really?

Shut up and drink this eggcream, ya dumb broad.

So what you're saying is that Levine will try to make us cry?

She's gonna say the words "would you kindly" at the end and it's gonna blow our minds
 
 
 

 

The bad guy is going to jump down from behind and stab her in the back with a ten foot sword. Nerds will shed tears for decades.

@Getz said:

@TanoPrime said:

A broad with uber power who turns out to be a frail little princess and get saved by the duder in the end to have fat little babies and make mah sandwich? It sounds like pretty standard, realistic storytelling to me. Now, if she ends up getting the player's character pregnant and making him clean windows after saving the world...oooooo, now that's a twist!

"Broad," really?

Shut up and drink this eggcream, ya dumb broad.

nah booker is going to die

Elizabeth will turn into a potato.

Multiple endings.

She won't die, she'll punch people in the balls to victory

The game revolves so heavily around her abilities, if she does die, it'll have to be at the very end of the game.

@TanoPrime said:

@MariachiMacabre said:

@Getz said:

@TanoPrime said:

A broad with uber power who turns out to be a frail little princess and get saved by the duder in the end to have fat little babies and make mah sandwich? It sounds like pretty standard, realistic storytelling to me. Now, if she ends up getting the player's character pregnant and making him clean windows after saving the world...oooooo, now that's a twist!

"Broad," really?

Shut up and drink this eggcream, ya dumb broad.

LOL, eggcream! I like you. As for the other guy, I did not studder. But given the fact that you completly ignored that the game will probably go the wussy route of having a powerful female character who has to ultimately become a pretty frail flower to appeal to little 15 yr old FAPmonkeys (you know, the important part of my statement) and decided to focus on my given choice of vocabulary...hmm, this tells me you really had nothing important to say. If you wish to white knight it up and defend fair maiden of pixels, then mount upon thine font cover steed and ride forth into the fray! But do know I have already slain the dragon and I'm banging the princess. What a hot broad!

"stutter"

If you're trying to come of as brash and cool, it's best to be able to spell simple words. This is especially important when you refer to your own vocabulary as some measure of your intellect.

ON TOPIC : I think she'll end up as the final boss of the game. She's very powerful and much desired by the main antagonist.

@TanoPrime said:

@MariachiMacabre said:

@Getz said:

@TanoPrime said:

A broad with uber power who turns out to be a frail little princess and get saved by the duder in the end to have fat little babies and make mah sandwich? It sounds like pretty standard, realistic storytelling to me. Now, if she ends up getting the player's character pregnant and making him clean windows after saving the world...oooooo, now that's a twist!

"Broad," really?

Shut up and drink this eggcream, ya dumb broad.

LOL, eggcream! I like you. As for the other guy, I did not studder. But given the fact that you completly ignored that the game will probably go the wussy route of having a powerful female character who has to ultimately become a pretty frail flower to appeal to little 15 yr old FAPmonkeys (you know, the important part of my statement) and decided to focus on my given choice of vocabulary...hmm, this tells me you really had nothing important to say. If you wish to white knight it up and defend fair maiden of pixels, then mount upon thine font cover steed and ride forth into the fray! But do know I have already slain the dragon and I'm banging the princess. What a hot broad!

"stutter"

If you're trying to come of as brash and cool, it's best to be able to spell simple words. This is especially important when you refer to your own vocabulary as some measure of your intellect.

ON TOPIC : I think she'll end up as the final boss of the game. She's very powerful and much desired by the main antagonist.

I don't think so. It would be too obvious for Irrational to Joss Whedon her.

The game revolves so heavily around her abilities, if she does die, it'll have to be at the very end of the game.

@TanoPrime said:

LOL, eggcream! I like you. As for the other guy, I did not studder. But given the fact that you completly ignored that the game will probably go the wussy route of having a powerful female character who has to ultimately become a pretty frail flower to appeal to little 15 yr old FAPmonkeys (you know, the important part of my statement) and decided to focus on my given choice of vocabulary...hmm, this tells me you really had nothing important to say. If you wish to white knight it up and defend fair maiden of pixels, then mount upon thine font cover steed and ride forth into the fray! But do know I have already slain the dragon and I'm banging the princess. What a hot broad!

There was something important in that mess of a comment you left? It read like godamned nonsense to me.

Oh, come now folks she is the classic 'honey pot' character meant to trick you. They set up Songbird who this big, powerful and menacing looking thing, and Elizabeth as an innocent, beautiful yet powerful thing. Yet, who do you think the BIG BAD of the game is really going to be? At the end of the game you (the player) will be given the choice as to if you kill Elizabeth or let her live. To let her live will mean knowing you are releasing some great powerful evil into the world. Elizabeth is cute, doe-eyed, and innocent looking because they want you to be invested in helping her throughout the game until the "twist" when it is revealed Songbird is protecting the world from the great evil -- Elizabeth.

@MonkeyKing1969 said:

Oh, come now folks she is the classic 'honey pot' character meant to trick you. They set up Songbird who this big, powerful and menacing looking thing, and Elizabeth as an innocent, beautiful yet powerful thing. Yet, who do you think the BIG BAD of the game is really going to be? At the end of the game you (the player) will be given the choice as to if you kill Elizabeth or let her live. To let her live will mean knowing you are releasing some great powerful evil into the world. Elizabeth is cute, doe-eyed, and innocent looking because they want you to be invested in helping her throughout the game until the "twist" when it is revealed Songbird is protecting the world from the great evil -- Elizabeth.

This is probably my favorite theory so far.

probably.