The following contains spoilers for Borderlands, now playing in theaters

Summary

• Lilith gains Siren powers at the end of Borderlands
• Her powers include flight, shields, and telekinses with firey energy..
• Lilith’s powers differ from the game, and is more tied to Eridians.

Borderlands gives Lilith a new take on her Siren powers from the game but tweaks them enough that they feel unique. In the narrative of Borderlands, Cate Blanchett’s Lilith is positioned as the protagonist. Although the other members of Borderlands cast of characters get their moments, much of the storyline is rooted in Lilith and her relationships with others and herself. Introduced as a bounty hunter, Lilith initially lacks the powers that were a defining trait of her game counterpart. However, the movie does steadily tease out her potential before letting her cut loose in the climax.

It’s an impressive showing from Lilith, and isn’t an exact match to the way her powers were portrayed in the source material. In fact, her powers operate in many different minor ways and even seem to stem from a different source. However, the way her powers her work (and the possibility of there being others like her) set the stage for where a potential sequel could take the franchise. Here’s how Lilith’s Siren powers work in Borderlands‘ ending and how they compare to the video game.

How Lilith Unlocks Her Siren Powers In Borderlands

Lilith doesn’t unlock her Siren Powers until the end of Borderlands, setting up the full scope of her abilities as the film’s climactic turn. Unlike her game counterpart, who possesses abilities for most of her adventures on Pandora, the cinematic Lilith spends much of the film as a regular bounty hunter, only using the regular firearms that the other hunters, bandits, and soldiers use throughout the film. However, exposure to the Vault Key she was drawn to began to unlock abilities, starting with an unexplained teleportation.

After realizing she’s the Daughter of Eridia that everyone has mistaken the fan-favorite Tina for, Lilith races to the site of the Vault. There, she’s able to access her full powers by touching the completed Vault Key and opening the Vault. These newfound abilities prove crucial to the Vault Hunters succeeding in their battle with the Crimson Lance, as Lilith quickly proves adept with her powers. It’s a good showcase for one of Borderlands‘ best characters.

All Of Lilith’s New Siren Abilities Explained

When Lilith awakens her Siren powers, she proves to have a wide range of abilities. The most obvious are the fiery wings that sprout from her back, giving her flight. She’s able to channel this energy in different ways. She uses it to create shields around her allies, protecting them from gunfire. She can also use it to protect herself, at one point extending it and using it to destroy Atlas’ ship. Lilith can also wrap it around as effectively telekinesis, using it to save Tina when she almost falls to her death.

The flames also work as a projectile weapon that Lilith can throw at her enemies. She seems to have also gained a quick mastery of her powers, especially teleportation. While Lilith initially only uncontrollably uses the power on instinct, she later uses it to torment Atlas within the Vault before using it to sneak up on him and steal his personal shield generator. Lilith’s mastery of the powers may be the most useful aspect of them, as she quickly adjusts to her full potential and uses it to win the day.

Why Lilith Doesn’t Have Her Siren Powers From The Start

The biggest reason Lilith doesn’t have powers at the beginning of the film is that she hasn’t been exposed to alien artifacts. The film ties the Siren abilities directly to the ancient aliens, unlike the games. While the game version of the Sirens has some connection and draw to the Eridium, it isn’t what unlocked those powers. The film makes it clear that Lilith’s abilities are tied to the Erridians, revealing she’s the new version of the “Firehawk” deity the race once worshiped.

It seems that being raised away from Pandora and the Vault Key allowed Lilith to avoid any exposure to Eridian elements or tech, meaning the powers remained a secret. However, the ending of Borderlands implies that Lilith will now use her powers openly, positioning herself as a protector of Pandora. Lilith’s mother was seemingly aware of her potential, with the recording she left inside Claptrap suggesting she expected her daughter to one day return to Pandora and reach her destiny.

How Lilith’s Siren Powers Compare To The Borderlands Video Games

Lilith’s abilities in Borderlands bear a similarity to her Siren powers in the original games. As a result of her powers activating, Lilith gains the same distinctive tattoos that her game counterpart has. While Lilith does have a mysterious tie to Erridium in the games, her powers aren’t entirely based on them. The game Lilith’s main power was tied to her Phasewalk, which allowed her to briefly become invisible to enemies and create a powerful burst of energy. In-game, this is treated as a minor teleport, similar to her ability in the game.

Her final taunting of Atlas seems to be done through the use of her Phasewalk. However, many of her other Siren class powers were focused on increasing her rate of damage with guns or boost her defense with shields. The focus on elemental effects like fire damage could be seen as the inspiration for her firey shields and attacks. The Phoenix power set also included the ability to burn nearby enemies, helping inspire the flames she uses as a weapon. However, the Lilith of the film creates shields and manipulates her flames in ways her game counterpart can’t.

Is Lilith The Only Borderlands Character With Siren Powers?

In Borderlands, Lilith is the only person who showcases the Siren powers. However, the franchise would steadily introduce other Sirens as well. In the game canon, the universe can have six Sirens at the same time. When one dies, their powers are redistributed to someone else across the cosmos. Although the Sirens are typically women, Troy Calypso is able to use them somewhat thanks to his connection to his Siren sister Tyreen.

Other notable Sirens are Maya and Amara, who are among the playable characters in Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3. It’s likely that if a Borderlands sequel was ever produced, it would likely establish more about the Sirens and potentially introduce more of them to the universe. Within the context of Borderlands though, Lilith’s ascension to her full potential is a massive turn. It sets her up as one of the most powerful people on Pandora, and would likely be a driving throughline if Borderlands continues beyond the first film.