A comparison between Jack and Subject Delta [Bioshock]

Anybody who plays Bioshock does so for the narrative. Yes, Bioshock 2 made the combat and controls much better in comparison to the first one. But when they first announced it, the gut reaction was pretty much, "What do you mean? The story ended so well in Bioshock 1." Everyone cared about the story and combat was at least secondary to this.

Compare the protagonists Jack from Bioshock 1 and Subject Delta from Bioshock 2. Both are completely different but their role in the story is integral. People thought Bioshock 2 would be lacking a good story at first and people even contend that there are gaping flaws in it, but I don't think so. Actually, I like Delta much more then Jack, and this can be crucial since we're playing a first-person shooter game. Since you essentially play from their view and can see their hands and legs, how you relate to your medium in the story is just as important as how good the actual story is. So consider why Bioshock 2 is just as good as Bioshock 1, if not better, because of Subject Delta.

Warning: In order to go in depth with this analysis, some amount of spoilers is necessary. Stop reading now if you don't want to spoil the story of either game. Especially considering that I've already established that Bioshock hinges on the story.

Jack
Jack is introduced as a guy who happens to be caught in a number of convenient circumstances. His plane crashes in the Atlantic and near an entrance tower to Rapture. He happens to get into contact with Atlas, one of the last sane members of Rapture. He witnesses his family's murder and agrees to carry out his revenge on Andrew Ryan since Ryan is also actively trying to kill Jack anyways. For much of the game, Jack is essentially a blank slate for us to imprint ourselves on as we go around exploring the dilapidated utopia of Rapture.

Then near the end comes Bioshock's infamous twist: Jack wasn't just some random stranger who crashes the party in Rapture. You didn't choose to go about all those random tasks to further your journey into Rapture. This entire time, Jack was a genetically created, psychologically conditioned sleeper agent. Jack was made in Rapture and he left for the surface not knowing his true purpose. Suddenly, free choice was an illusion. The plane crash? You were programmed to hijack and crash it to get back into Rapture. All those things you did? You were ordered to do them whenever a key phrase was uttered: "Would you kindly?" Suddenly everything Jack did was meaningless. Depending on how you look at the story, neither he nor the player was in control of anything at all. We were only being used. The shock is just as big since we know nothing of Jack at a personal level and at this point probably took this twist to heart as we were being manipulated, not Jack.

We don't just know nothing about Jack. Jack literally has nothing since he was born only a few years ago just to kill Andrew Ryan. What else does Jack have left? His entire purpose was to kill him. The only real decision we can claim as our own was whether or not we rescued or harvested the little sisters, and this had an effect on your ending (which was very black and white by the way, in a very bad way). Other then the little sisters, Jack was a blank template for the player to imprint himself on.

Subject Delta
While we know nothing of Jack and are left in the dark for most of the game about him, we know right away the basic gist of Delta's existence and drive. Delta was the first big daddy made and was bonded to his little sister, Eleanor Lamb. He was separated from her 10 years ago and now only cares to reunite with her. Instead of knowing nothing about your character and getting a big twist at the end, we're gradually fed the history of Subject Delta from 10 years ago by major characters and it builds an image of Delta. This is further augmented by your moral decisions and reinforced by Eleanor as she communicates to you psychically (as your bond as a big daddy and little sister still lingers).

Delta is also framed with having free will, unlike other big daddies. Not only do you decide to save or harvest little sisters, you also decide whether or not to spare the various characters who antagonize you throughout the game. Here's the big spoiler: whether you save or harvest the little sisters as well as kill or spare the antagonists shapes the example you set for Eleanor as she tracks your progress and how she develops. This will then decide which of the several endings you'll get.

This is where I feel Bioshock 2 distinguishes itself from its predecessor. In the first, Rapture as a place took precedence while your character was quite negligible by comparison. The floors were wet with ocean water leaking in. Splicers were unpredictably schizophrenic and insane, covered in blood. Big daddies were hulking behemoths of metal commanding awe from all who encounter them. In the sequel, the mystique of Rapture has worn off due to our familiarity But to compensate, the character is much more interesting. Delta is powerful warrior, even a killer sometimes. But he's also capable of free will unlike his brethren, and doesn't kill people wantonly. He's also a surrogate father to both Eleanor Lamb and the little sisters in general. And by the end of the game, you see how the example you've set for your daughter has shaped her. If Delta spared his enemies and saved the little sisters, Eleanor exhibits a strong yet compassionate personality by the end and preserves his memories lovingly. If Delta was ruthless, she'll turn out to be a cruel, power hungry dictator. And despite his desire for Eleanor to be good, she'll take after Delta's image as a murderer to accomplish her goals.

I guess in the comparison between Jack and Delta, Eleanor is an important part of Delta to be used in discussion. Not only does Delta have a story but his decisions influence Eleanor, who reminds you that your choices have consequences.

Am I just reading to much into Delta? Or maybe I've forgotten something to add about Jack. If so, don't be afraid to butt in.