Truth From Legend and Fact From Myth are both 80s television shows discussing various unsolved mysteries of the world, based on historical documents, semi-scientific facts and witness statements.
Truth From Legend[]
Truth From Legend was a television show set in the 80s era of the BioShock Infinite universe, produced by a company named AHX. It was narrated by Alistar Bloom and featured documentaries on various untold stories and strange phenomena. Among the different episodes and thematics was a segment entitled Columbia: A Modern Day Icarus?, dedicated to the mysteries surrounding the lost floating city of Columbia.
The segment's first part presented the city's founding in 1893 for the World's Columbian Exposition, and its creator and self-proclaimed prophet Zachary Hale Comstock, who worshiped the Founding Fathers of the United States in some sort of new religion and promised Heaven to whoever would join his creation. It continued with a possible explanation for the secession of Columbia from the U.S. government and its disappearance after the city's violent involvement in the Boxer Rebellion. The episode's conclusion reveals the discovery in March 1981 of a fallen building high in the Alps containing several Columbian artifacts, bringing renewed investigations.
The second episode presents the Songbird, a monstrous creature feared by various people after Columbia's disappearance. Several sightings of the flying beast captured people's imagination in the early 20th century, enough to inspire a nursery rhyme intended to scare misbehaving children. The documentary shows an excerpt of 1912 movie footage as proof of the Songbird's existence, which led to many theories on the creature's origin and purpose, such as being a watchful guardian against enemies of Columbia. The segment concludes with a suggestion (based on the various objects recovered in the Alps) that the real purpose of the monstrous bird-like creature was to hold captive a child, who supposedly was revered and feared as "The Lamb of Columbia". All of which brings yet more questions about this strange creature and the mysterious flying city.
Fact From Myth[]
An alternate version of Truth From Legend also exists in the 80s of the universe which Rapture belongs to, called Fact From Myth. Not only is the title different, but also the first name of the narrator Myles Bloom, along with the name and theme of its production company - altered as PHE. One of its episodes, entitled Rapture: A Modern-Day Atlantis? discusses the mysteries surrounding the underwater city.
The second part (and the only one available) starts by reminding viewers of the discovery of an old Steamer Trunk found washed up on a beach. Mentioned in the (unavailable) first part of the documentary, it revealed artifacts from Rapture such as a bunny masquerade mask, an empty EVE Syringe, a makeshift doll of a Big Daddy, and a painting of a familiar girl dancing with a man at a masquerade party. In this segment, Bloom investigates an anonymous tip about a woman in upstate New York who may have grown up in Rapture. When photos of the artifacts were presented to her, she reacted to the photo of the painting with fright, causing her to quickly turn away from the investigator and to lock herself inside her home. The segment concludes asking new questions about this painting and the people it represents, and their link to the woman in upstate New York.
Videos[]
Behind the Scenes[]
The pre-fall Rapture concept.
- The woman who is interviewed in Fact From Myth is apparently Sally, as she recognizes both Booker and Elizabeth from the painting found in the steamer trunk. This painting is also painted by Sander Cohen during the events of Burial at Sea - Episode 1.
- The "Artist's Interpretation" of Rapture in Fact From Myth is actually slightly altered concept art for Burial at Sea - Episode 1.
- The bunny mask, EVE syringe and Big Daddy doll found in the steamer trunk in Fact From Myth are real-life purchasable replicas, produced by NECA for BioShock 2.
- Both Fact from Myth and Truth from Legend are inspired by 1970s-era paranormal investigation documentary TV series, particularly those produced by Alan Landsburg, the best known of which was the original version of In Search Of… hosted by Leonard Nimoy. Both shows' title screens are patterned after In Search Of…
- The picture of the lobby of Monument Tower seen during episode two of Truth From Legend feature a sign reading "Do Not Approach The The Specimen", this was changed on PC and further releases, but still exists on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.