How Did Tannis Get Her Siren Powers in Borderlands?
The seemingly eccentric scientist, Dr. Patricia Tannis, is a beloved character in the Borderlands franchise, known for her obsessive research and socially awkward demeanor. However, it wasn’t until Borderlands 3 that players discovered a significant secret about her: she’s a Siren. This revelation leads to the central question: how exactly did Tannis get her Siren powers? The answer lies in the transfer of abilities upon the death of another Siren, specifically Angel, Handsome Jack’s daughter. When Angel died, her unique Phaseshift ability – the power to interact with and manipulate technology – was passed on to Tannis. This transfer occurred without Tannis’s knowledge or consent at first, marking a monumental shift in her life from a dedicated scientist to a legendary, albeit reluctant, Siren.
The Events Leading to Tannis’s Transformation
Angel’s Fate and the Nature of Siren Powers
To understand how Tannis became a Siren, we need to look at the circumstances surrounding Angel’s death in Borderlands 2. Sirens, in the Borderlands universe, are a rare breed of powerful women, each possessing distinct and unique supernatural abilities. When a Siren dies, her powers don’t vanish; instead, they seek a new host. Typically, this transfer happens to another female, though the mechanics of this transfer are never fully explained in the games. Angel’s primary ability, Phaseshift, allowed her to interface directly with technology, particularly that of Hyperion. She was, however, forcibly confined in a containment unit by her father, Handsome Jack, and forced to use her powers to benefit him and his nefarious schemes.
The Role of Handsome Jack
Handsome Jack’s actions are pivotal to the events leading up to the transfer of powers. Jack, a complex and deeply flawed character, was desperate to unlock the secrets of the vaults and harness their immense power for his own purposes. Angel, as a Siren, was his most crucial tool. Her confinement and abuse ultimately led to the final confrontation in Borderlands 2, where her power was forcibly used to charge a vault key. This ultimate act, engineered by Jack, resulted in her tragic death, which in turn triggered the transfer of her Phaseshift ability.
Tannis Unwittingly Inherits the Power
Following Angel’s death, Tannis, who was already deeply involved in researching alien technology on Pandora, became the next vessel for Angel’s Siren powers. This wasn’t an intentional or sought-after event for Tannis; rather, it was a direct consequence of the unique properties of Siren abilities seeking a new host. It wasn’t immediately obvious to Tannis that anything was different. For a long time after this event, Tannis continued her research, unaware that she had become a Siren. She eventually discovers these powers in Borderlands 3.
The Secret Mastery of Phaseshift
Once Tannis realized she had inherited the Phaseshift ability, she retreated to a remote, abandoned Dahl mining facility. There, away from prying eyes, she dedicated significant time and effort to mastering her newfound powers. This dedication is why she eventually became a formidable Siren. She does so in secret until the events of Borderlands 3, where she finally reveals this to the other Vault Hunters. The irony of this is not lost, as Tannis is someone who has studied Sirens for much of her life.
The Impact of Siren Powers on Tannis
The acquisition of Siren powers significantly impacted Tannis’s character development. While she retained her core traits of being eccentric, brilliant, and socially awkward, the Phaseshift ability granted her new agency and a heightened sense of purpose. It allowed her to engage with the world in entirely new ways, from manipulating complex technological systems to aiding the Vault Hunters in ways she previously could not. Her evolution from a researcher to a powerful Siren is a testament to her adaptability and inherent resilience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Tannis and Her Powers
1. Was Tannis a Siren Before Borderlands 3?
No, Tannis was not a Siren before Borderlands 3. She inherited Angel’s powers upon her death at the conclusion of the events of Borderlands 2.
2. What is Tannis’s Siren ability?
Tannis’s Siren ability is called Phaseshift. It allows her to interact with, manipulate, and control technology, especially those systems with advanced coding and networking capabilities. This mirrors Angel’s powers in Borderlands 2.
3. Who are the other known Sirens in the Borderlands series?
Other known Sirens include Lilith, Maya, Amara, Tyreen Calypso, and Troy Calypso. There is also the existence of a forgotten Siren named Nyriad. Angel and Commandant Steele were also Sirens.
4. How did Angel become a Siren?
The origins of Siren powers are not entirely clear but are generally understood to be inherited or spontaneously manifested in women. In Angel’s case, it’s never fully explained, but it is suggested she was born with Siren powers.
5. Why are there only female Sirens in Borderlands?
The game developers chose to follow the Greek mythological concept of sirens being exclusively female. There is no in-universe explanation why it is this way.
6. How did Handsome Jack get his scar and mask?
Handsome Jack’s scar and mask cover up an injury he sustained from Lilith when she destroyed an artifact inside of the Elpis Vault prior to the events of Borderlands 2. This event further fueled his descent into villainy.
7. What did Handsome Jack do to Tannis?
Handsome Jack tortured Tannis for the vault key that she was researching. He was also known to have a deep fascination for her torture chairs. He considered her useful because of her knowledge of Eridian technology.
8. Is Handsome Jack really evil?
While there might be glimpses of his twisted logic, Handsome Jack is considered an evil character. His actions, such as oppressing the people of Pandora and committing numerous atrocities, solidify his role as the primary antagonist of Borderlands 2.
9. Is Tannis autistic?
While there has been fan discussion and theories around this, Tannis’s traits are not explicitly confirmed to be autism in the Borderlands universe. In a Borderlands 2 mission briefing, she is described as an “insane introvert with Asperger’s,” but this label is considered dated and not used in more recent iterations of the game.
10. Did Tannis inherit any unique traits with her Siren powers?
Beyond the Phaseshift ability, there isn’t significant changes to Tannis’ personality. She remains a socially awkward but brilliant scientist. Her powers allowed her to feel more agency than she has in the past, but her personality is still largely the same.
11. Who is considered the strongest Siren in the Borderlands series?
Based on character abilities, most fans consider Lilith to be the most powerful Siren, followed by Maya. Amara also ranks high, while Tannis is generally considered one of the weaker Sirens.
12. What was Tannis doing before becoming a Siren?
Tannis was a scientific advisor for the Dahl Corporation on Pandora. She was assigned to study abandoned alien technology as a response to Atlas discovering Eridian ruins on Promethea.
13. Why did Roland and Lilith betray Handsome Jack?
Roland and Lilith betrayed Handsome Jack at the behest of Moxxi, who suspected that Jack was dangerous. They also acted on their feelings that Jack could not be trusted. This betrayal ultimately led to the events of the game and the eventual attempt on Jack’s life.
14. What is the significance of the abandoned Dahl mining installation for Tannis?
This is the location where Tannis retreated to and practiced her newly acquired Phaseshift abilities. It represents her personal transformation and her dedication to mastering her powers.
15. Does the Borderlands series explore the origins of Siren powers further?
While the series explores different Sirens, there are not further answers as to where Siren powers come from or why they are exclusive to women. Players are often left to piece together the different implications and clues that the games provide.