Lilith, the playable mage of Borderlands and Siren companion of the sequel, has taken center stage after the recent release of the latest DLC, Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary. This has only added to her appeal, her character, and interesting history, which has been integral to many key events of the BL saga.
This red-haired magic wielder and Vault Hunter has proven a massive force for good, though she also has a bit of a dark side and inner-conflict. While the DLC may have shed some more light on this powerful Siren, there are still some facts about her you may not know.
So let's Phasewalk our way into the land of Pandora, as we take a look at 10 things about Lilith you didn't know.
10 Original Design Had An Alien-Like Appearance
The early designs of Lilith happened to be quite different than the end result Gearbox settled with. Rather than her trademark red hair, the early Lilith concept included a hero with very pale skin, white hair, and yellow eyes that exuded a sort of a Daenerys Targaryen vibe, with a bit of an alien-esque look.
Although the final design of Lilith holds on to the yellow color of her eyes, the early concept mostly shifted over to the antagonist of Borderlands, Commandant Steele.
9 One Of A Select Few Sirens On Pandora
Lilith is more than just the commander of the Crimson Raiders and Borderlands protagonist - she's also one of a highly exclusive group of powerful sirens on Pandora. Specifically, she's one of just 6 that can exist simultaneously. Maya - the Siren who takes over the role as a playable mage class in BL2 - is another.
She's also one of just a few currently known Sirens in the Borderlands universe. Besides her and Maya, Commandant Steele is another revealed Siren, along with Jack's daughter, Angel. The upcoming BL3 showcases two new characters with these powers - Tyreen Calypso and Amara.
8 Various Useful Powers
In addition to being one of only a handful of Sirens, Lilith is widely thought to be the single most powerful of the group, which is even claimed by the game's villain, Handsome Jack. She possesses the Siren ability to summon wings and charge the Vault key, which a few others possess.
But in addition to this, she can Phasewalk to shift between dimensions, teleport herself and others, and eventually in BL2, even gains the ability to Phase the entire city of Sanctuary to safety during an attack. With these feats, it's no wonder she becomes a prime target for Jack and the Hyperion corporation!
7 Originally A Scientist
Besides coming with a vastly different visual design in the conceptual phase, Lilith also was originally planned to take on a very different role. According to the unearthing by a youtuber of some early development assets, Lilith's full name began as Dr. Lilith Cashlin. She was also apparently a "Mercenary Scientist," rather than the powerful sorcerer we know her as now. Remnants of this early character still exist, with her retaining the Lilith name, in addition to her confident personality with a tinge of arrogance.
This video also reveals a far different looking early rendition of Roland - as a 35 year old Mercenary Soldier who's quiet, reserved, and "doesn't start fights, but ends them."
6 A Secret Shine Dedicated To Her
The Borderlands games come with a host of amusing easter eggs, but one of the best has to be in the first BL, in a secluded room in T-Bone Junction. If you make your way up one of the towers, across various stairs and platforms, you'll eventually find a red chest. Pushing the button near it will grant you access to a small room, in which a hastily assembled "shrine" to Lilith can be seen. Yes, apparently some Pandora inhabitants have a certain admiration for the whole "Siren" thing.
The shrine features Lilith's wanted poster, which overtly focuses on her chest, with various neon signs surrounding it. You'll also be greeted by a jarring surprise when opening the nearby fridge...
5 A Hero With Some Demons
Lilith is very much one of the heroes and protagonists of the Borderlands saga, though she's far from perfect. Various actions of hers during the course of BL1, 2, as well as the Pre-Sequel show moments of her acting somewhat impulsive, irrational, and vain at times.
While he may very well have deserved it, Lilith betrayed Jack on the Pandora moon Elpis and blowing up the lunar station, in addition to seeming to take joy in two bandits fighting to the death over her. She also ordered the death of an assassin-turned-Vault Hunter, Athena; wrongly blaming her for the death of Roland, and orders you to wipe out a Firehawk cult. Still, these flawed attributes help make Lilith a more interesting and multidimensional hero.
4 Now A Playable Character In Borderlands 2 (Sort Of)
BL2 fans of Lilith who played as her in the original Borderlands - fear not! Thanks to a mod, you can now play as the original game's star Siren. The mod contains Lilith in a form close to her BL1 rendition, with her old skills being carried over, along with a combination of old and new user-made traits.
The mod proves solid and fun to play without much of a hitch, and it's nice to get a return of Lilith's stun ability, which is largely absent in BL2. There are some minor adjustments to account for the BL2 changes, but the modder manages to recreate Lilith's mechanics and playstyle quite well. Of course, you'll need the PC version of the game to take advantage of this mod, though.
3 A Bunkers & Badasses Nerd
As we discover in the Assault on Dragon Keep DLC, it's not just Tiny Tina that seems to have an infatuation with the Dungeons & Dragons knockoff game, "Bunkers & Badasses." Lilith happens to be a major B & B geek as well, and reveals that she was made fun of quite a bit in her youth because of her "geeky interests and blue tattoos."
Apparently no one told her schoolmates that these tattoos are but a natural occurrence that comes with being a Siren. She certainly got the last laugh, though, as her knowledge of sorcery, as well as Bunkers & Badasses, proved quite useful during the events of Borderlands.
2 The Cause Of Handsome Jack's Facial Scar
Lilith and Handsome Jack have a complicated history that stretches back to the events before Borderlands 2; much of which plays out in The Pre-Sequel. She initially had worked with Jack to assist him in taking out Colonel Zarpdeon; the leader of the Lost Legion, and to safely recover the Helios station and a giant laser stationed there.
But it didn't take long for her to figure out how underhanded and dangerous Jack really was, leading her to betray him by destroying the laser and an obtained Eridian relic. This caused a massive explosion in the station, which led to Jack's bold scar - a Vault symbol which was branded on his face. This is why Jack sports a mask for the duration of Borderlands 2.
1 The Epic Origins Of Her Name
The name "Lilith" actually comes with a dark and sinister history, despite being attached to this mostly benign and heroic Vault Hunter. The name has its origins in Judeo-Christian mythology which spans thousands of years. Specifically, in Judaism, the name has been associated with demonic and elemental entities that lurk in the night.
This sinister mythological figure often sports horns and red hair, and is said to be a seductress who also steals babies in the darkness. Mystical powers aside, this seems rather ill-fitting for one of BL's famed protagonists, despite her occasional flaws.