#also I know the Vox Populi are supposed to be another case of 'bad extremists'

[victorluvsalice]

AU Thursday: A Return to BioShock AU Thoughts

So, I recently finished the main game of BioShock Infinite and started the Burial at Sea DLC. I enjoyed it, though I would have liked a longer ending (just more looks at alternate reality stuff). And a better explanation for how the tears work, because a) it’s a bit confusing and b) I really want to know why Booker and Elizabeth (particularly the latter) didn’t catch on that making a deal with one version of Fitzroy, then going into an alternate reality because you can’t complete the deal in your current world, means that you’ve invalidated the deal ANYWAY because who knows if this Fitzroy even met you! *sigh* On the plus side, I learned that crows + lightning can kill just about anything. :p

Anyway -- as I work through the last of my BioShock experience, I figured I’d talk a little about my evolving AU thoughts regarding Victor, Victoria, Emily, and Alice in one of the two BioShock settings. Mainly, in which city I now think you’d be most likely to find them:

Victoria (and her parents): I’ve always felt a bit weird about placing the Everglots in Rapture. Their characterization in Corpse Bride is of bankrupt nobles utterly disgusted by the idea of marrying their daughter off to people who work for a living. Not exactly the best fit for a city built on the ideal of the “Great Chain of Industry!” But their grouchy, classist attitude wouldn’t be out of place in Columbia, where the idea is that the “right” kind of white people live in comfort, while the “wrong” kind of white people and non-whites do all the dirty work. Granted, it’s also supposed to be a celebration of the “right” kind of America (aka, the racist conqueror of the world), but it’s still a better fit for them. Maybe they went to America to escape their decreasing fortunes, then ended up on Columbia because they liked Comstock’s rhetoric? Victoria, being a much nicer person than Finis and Maudeline, is quite horrified by much of the racism and classism and does what she can to help the less fortunate.

Emily (and Barkis): Emily, having little non-Barkis related backstory, could appear in either city. However, if Victoria’s become Columbia-exclusive, I feel like Emily should be Rapture-exclusive for contrast. I still think that a variant on her Corpse Bride look would be good for a Splicer. In fact, maybe we could work that into her altered backstory here -- she and her father came to Rapture for a better life, and Emily was wooed by conman Barkis as she was in-movie. Barkis convinces her to elope with him, only to steal her valuables and attempt to kill her -- however, Emily started splicing recently, and the ADAM in her system manages to keep her alive. It does “glitch” some of her DNA, though, resulting in her turning blue and corpselike. She manages to stay relatively sane for a splicer, save for a bit of an obsession with finding “the one” and getting married for real. As for her type, given CB’s set in winter and she shows off offscreen teleportation once while catching up to Victor, Wintry Houdini splicer. Just, you know, not as much of a bitch as they can be.

Victor (and his parents): The Van Dorts are an obvious fit for Rapture, given the whole “nouveau riche cannery magnate” thing William has going on in the movie. But, funnily enough, I can still see them in Columbia. Nell’s certainly stuck up enough for the place, and William I think would be just as happy running a business there, on the basis of “living the American dream.” (Weird thought -- William somehow replacing Fink, and baffling Comstock by treating his workers better than Fink did. I mean, he’s not PERFECT, but he doesn’t insist on 16 hour days for a start.) Plus I still like the mental image of William just straight-up bribing his way onto Columbia because what’s more American than corruption. XD My idea for Rapture!Victor is still “Nell hears about the Little Sister experiments and volunteers him because how dare her son not be involved;” Columbia!Victor would be a Vox Populi sympathizer and do what he could to help them from the shadows (such as arranging for the occasional crate of his father’s canned fish to get “lost” near possible strongholds).

Alice (and her family): Aaand now we come to a problem, because -- uh --

I can’t see the Liddells going to either Rapture or Columbia.

Not the way I write them, anyway. They’re too nice and charitable for either city. I can’t see Dean Liddell getting swayed by either Ryan or Comstock. So, uh, how do we get Alice into these AUs?

Well, as of BioShock Infinite, we have literal tears between realities opening up and letting things -- including people -- through. Alice could be kidnapped through one -- I’m not sure if the Rapture ones only open on Columbia, or sometimes show other places, but this is already a crossover AU, so I think I’m allowed to fudge it. I’m imagining her being taken in both places in her catatonic state post-fire, because the people doing the kidnapping want an easily-taken subject: Rapture’s Suchong and Tennenbaum take their Alice to test out if Little Sisters really have to be mobile, while Columbia’s Comstock grabs her --

Because in this reality he failed to get his ACTUAL daughter, and he gets a little desperate when he hears Alice might share some distant relation with him.

Yeah, part of me kinda wants to see what happens when you give Alice Elizabeth’s powers. . .