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- "Boring sums. Boring history. Boring geography. Boring, boring, boring Seven Strictures. Why canāt we study sword fighting? And sailing? And monsters?"
- —Emily, complaining about school
Emily Drexel Lela Kaldwin[2] is the rightful heir to the throne of the Isles and Empress Jessamine Kaldwin's only child. She is kidnapped following her mother's murder by the assassin Daud, for which Royal Protector Corvo Attano is framed. The Loyalist Conspiracy seeks to recover Emily, and reinstate the royal line by seeing her crowned Empress.
Emily's personality and behavior are greatly influenced by Corvo, who has acted as Royal Protector since before her birth,[3] and the Heart indicates that Emily sees more than she lets on.[4] As her father figure, Corvo's approach to the elimination of his targets changes not only her behavior, but her future decisions in regard to ruling the Empire.
It is speculated by some citizens of Dunwall, including Farley Havelock[5] and, indirectly, Treavor Pendleton, that Corvo is her father.
Emily will be one of the playable characters in Dishonored 2, alongside Corvo Attano. As a grown woman with the Mark of the Outsider, she will possess her own unique powers, weapons, and gadgets.
Dishonored
Emily greeting Corvo.
Emily is one of the first to greet Corvo upon his return to Dunwall Tower from his tour of the Isles to solicit aid. She asks him to play hide and seek with her, and will comment on the state of Dunwall Tower in his absence, noting in particular that her mother missed him while he was away.
When the Empress is assassinated by Daud and his group of assassins on the orders of Royal Spymaster Hiram Burrows, Emily is kidnapped and eventually delivered to Custis and Morgan Pendleton, who hold her at the Golden Cat in secret. Emily attempts escape through the VIP entrance on two occasions and nearly succeeds, but is ultimately apprehended. Madame Prudence subsequently relegates Emily to her own quarters in the Courtesans' dormitory,[6] where Corvo finds her during the House of Pleasure mission.
Callista and Emily during lessons.
Once Emily is rescued, she is taken to the Hound Pits Pub, where she is introduced to the Loyalists. Callista Curnow is assigned as her tutor and mentor, and throughout the game is seen trying to instruct Emily in proper study and the mannerisms of an Empress. Emily, however, is much more interested in learning of warfare and fantastic beasts than she is in formalities.
Emily spends her time at the Hound Pits Pub drawing and exploring, and has several items in her room which she claims to have found by "digging." One such item is revealed to be a rune that she unearths and briefly keeps under her pillow, believing it will bring her good luck. However, she later turns it over to Corvo, saying it gives her nightmares.[7] Corvo can witness her having one such nightmare and talking in her sleep, and it is hinted that she has seen the Outsider in her dreams.
Over the course of Dishonored, the effect of Corvo's chaos on Emily is shown through her drawings, which take on either lighthearted or dark subject matter depending on Corvo's choices during his missions.
Following Corvo's final mission for the Loyalists, Emily is seen at the party thrown in celebration of his efforts, where her behavior is influenced by the amount of chaos Corvo has caused. After the Loyalists betray Corvo, Emily is taken to Kingsparrow Island where she is held against her will by Havelock, Martin and Pendleton.
Fate
After Corvo returns to the Hound Pits Pub and reunites with Samuel, he travels to Kingsparrow Island to save Emily. The circumstances under which she is found will be determined by Corvo's final chaos rating.
In low chaos, Corvo finds Emily locked inside a room atop Burrows Lighthouse with Havelock outside, soliloquizing about his guilt. If Corvo chooses to confront Havelock face-to-face, Havelock will explain that he has revealed everything about the Loyalist Conspiracy to Emily. He will offer Corvo the key (with some resistance) leaving Corvo to unlock the door to her room.
Empress Emily the Wise, visiting Corvo's grave.
Following her rescue, Emily comes to believe that all life is valuable, seeing how Corvo spared as many lives as possible while working for the Conspiracy. She becomes a wise and thoughtful Empress, dubbed Emily the Wise, and under her rule Dunwall and the Empire enter a golden age of prosperity with the eradication of the rat plague. When Corvo dies she has him buried alongside her mother, and can be seen placing her childhood doll on his grave.
In high chaos, Corvo finds Havelock and Emily atop a catwalk at the highest point of the lighthouse. When Corvo approaches, Havelock grabs Emily and threatens to jump. Corvo must stop Havelock before he jumps or Emily will perish. If Emily survives, she sees how Corvo used ruthless means to meet his desired ends, and believes any action can be justified to achieve her goals. She becomes a totalitarian dictator, Corvo at her side to protect her against subsequent coups and attempts on her life. He later dies, and Emily can again be seen in mourning.
If Emily perishes, the Empire descends into chaos. With no ruler, society collapses and the rat plague spreads at an astounding rate, eventually consuming the remains of Dunwall. Corvo leaves the city and the Empire, his eventual fate unknown.
Personality
Emily playing hide and seek at the Hound Pits.
Emily is first introduced as an innocent and playful ten-year-old child who has a very close bond with Corvo Attano. She loves playing games with Corvo and has a great interest in his work, asking him to teach her about sword-fighting, and noting that he promised to show her how to perform a Tyvian choke-hold.
Following her mother's murder, Emily behaves in a more serious manner, though her childish nature is still apparent in her interactions with Corvo and Callista. She is extremely inquisitive and adventurous, frequently asking questions of the adults in the Loyalist Conspiracy and happily exploring the Hound Pits Pub. She is also highly perceptive, detecting changes in the Loyalists' behavior after the Return to the Tower mission, and discerning the nature of Corvo's actions during the game without witnessing or being told about them.
Emily regards Corvo as a father figure and trusts him absolutely, believing no harm will come to her as long as he is present. She also treats Corvo as her most prominent role model, mimicking his attitude and behavior to the point that it greatly affects her personality.
Trivia
- Emily is voiced by Chloƫ Grace Moretz.
- If Corvo visits Emily's Tower after returning from the House of Pleasure mission, Emily can be heard asking Callista if her mother is really dead, or if she managed to survive the assassins' attack. When Callista confirms that her mother has passed, Emily asks if her funeral was nice.
- Emily is immune to Corvo's Possession power.
- In The Brigmore Witches, Delilah Copperspoon attempts to possess Emily and rule in her place. She is prevented from doing so by Daud's intervention.
- In Dunwall Tower, there is a secret room behind one of the fireplaces, in which her mother has created an audiograph for her.
- Emily was born on the 2nd day of the Month of Rain, 1827.[2]
Audio
| Description | Audio |
|---|---|
| Emily - idle dialogue during Returning Home |
Gallery
Emily's Drawings
References
