Tear

"For I have looked into the future and one path is filled with amity and gold, and the other is fraught with the perils of a hostile and alien world."

- Saltonstall's speech, referring to a Tear



A Tear is a rip in dimensional time and space, revealing an alternate event which does not exist in the current Columbian world. Every citizen of Columbia is able to see Tears, but Elizabeth is the only one capable of creating and interacting with them. When tapping into these Tears, she is able to transport something from there to the current world. However, she does so with the possibility of losing her concentration and causing the Tear to widen, producing unpredictable results.

When fighting the citizens of Columbia, Booker may encounter multiple Tears ranging from a single turret, to a few members of either the Vox Populi or The Founders, to a completely separate Sky-Line. Elizabeth is then able to transport these to Columbia's world to either supply objects or mend an existing counterpart, yet this also forces a risk to herself when using her ability.

At several points in the game, Elizabeth and Booker choose, for various reasons, to step through tears, rather than bring the contents of a tear to them. These tears bring them into alternate universes, where, for example, certain people are not dead who were and vice versa. Elizabeth has control over what kind of world these tears lead to, but is unable to open a tear leading back to the previous universe, making it very risky to use them. These tears are occasionally unstable, leading people who were nearby in either universe in a state of flux, which is especially traumatic if they were dead in the previous one.

Rosalind Lutece devised a way of making and opening a tear technologically, she used that first to bring her "brother" Robert to her world and then for a round trip for both him and Comstock. When both Rosalind and Robert Lutece were scattered across the multiverse due to an attempt to kill them, they were able to create and open tears without using the device, although (at least for the first trip) it can be traumatic for the one crossing over and can cause amnesia, which can result in new memories being manufactured from old ones. Although if Comstock is any indication, his prolonged exposure to the device may have granted him immunity to the effect prior to crossing worlds. the Boys of Silence have a limited use of tears, they use these tears to summon enemies and they also use them to disappear once they shriek.

Types of Tears
The player will be presented with choices of what type of Tear Elizabeth should open. Once one of them is activated, the others will become temporarily unavailable. Some Tears appear individually and are only prevented by Elizabeth's inability to open Tears for a set amount of time.

Supplies
Opening a tear of this type will bring in items that can be used as supplies or even a vending machine.

Salts
This variation will bring forth a barrel full of salts to refill the Vigor bar.

Medical Kits
This variation will bring forth a crate full of medical supplies to fill the player's health to full.

Cover
Opening a Tear of this type will bring an object primarily used as cover by the player. In the E3 2011 Gameplay Trailer, Booker has Elizabeth bring a wagon in through a Tear to protect them against an enemy's fire. Another sub-type of Cover Tear can bring a Columbia Freight car onto a Sky-Line, which can be both used as cover and as a blunt weapon.

Weapons
Opening a Tear of this type will bring a Weapons Barrel or munitions to the player. The type of munitions provided varies. These tears, coupled with destroying a Motorized Patriot, are the only ways to get ammunition for the Pepper-Mill.

Rocket Turret
A variation of this type of Tear is shown in the E3 2011 Gameplay Trailer. This variation can be used to bring a stationary, heavy turret into the player's world for use against large enemy weaponry, such as Security Zeppelins.

Automated Turret
This variation will bring in a friendly automated turret, that does not need possession.

Motorized Patriot
This variation will bring in a friendly motorized patriot that does not need possession.

Mosquito
This variation will bring in a friendly flying turret, known as a mosquito. Like the other machines, it does not need possession.

Others
Oil Slicks can be ignited using the Devils Kiss.

Water Puddles can be electrified using the Shock Jockey.

Decoy
This tear will bring in a stationary version of Booker that distracts enemies from the player's location while they attempt to attack it.

Food
In Shantytown, a tear will bring in a supply of food to draw away people banging away on a vending machine, allowing you to scoop up some silver eagles without making a conflict.

Trivia

 * According to an article from Gamasutra, the massive Tear that opens after Elizabeth's horse revival attempt was originally going to open to a primeval forest, not the 1980s. Ken Levine felt that world didn't have much of an impact to sell the concept for the Tear, so it was substituted with the 1980s world which reused model buildings from a canceled Irrational Games project.


 * In the factory tailor shop next to the Good Time Club, there is a glowing red "time tear" that neither Booker or Elizabeth could explain. The song coming the tear was Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival, a song popular during the Vietnam War.
 * There is another "Time Tear" that is open near Lady Comstocks Crypt playing the song Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper.
 * Boys of Silence have a limited use of tears, they use these tears to summon enemies and they also use them to disappear once they shriek.