Ultimate Showdown: How Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty’s Songbird Stacks Up Against Edgerunners’ Lucy

Highlights

The characters, Songbird and Lucy, from both the Cyberpunk 2077 video game and the Edgerunners series, exhibit parallels in their roles as netrunners and their aspirations to break free from their present circumstances.

Despite their similarities, Songbird and Lucy have contrasting motivations and approaches to escape. Songbird is depicted as a selfish and deceitful character, whereas Lucy places priority on her friends and assisting others. Although they share some common traits, both characters stand out as distinct and unforgettable, highlighting the possibility for future games to introduce distinct and remarkable characters who possess recognizable motivations.

Earlier this year saw the release of the highly anticipated and only major expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, known as Phantom Liberty. This expansion garnered praise from critics for its introduction of new characters, missions, and areas to discover. However, it was soon discovered that one of the main characters in the DLC, while captivating, bore a striking resemblance to a character from the Edgerunners series.

One of the initial encounters in the DLC involved a netrunner named Song So Mi, also known as Songbird. From the onset, it was evident that Songbird's trustworthiness could be called into question within the world of Cyberpunk 2077. Nevertheless, a strong connection quickly developed between V, the player character, and Songbird as they shared a similar predicament. While Songbird may not have felt entirely original to some, given the overlapping traits she shared with Lucy from the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners series.

How Songbird and Lucy are Alike in Cyberpunk

In Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Lucy takes on the role of the deuteragonist and develops a romantic relationship with the main character, David Martinez. Throughout the series, Lucy is depicted as a skilled yet introverted netrunner. As the story progresses, the audience gradually learns about Lucy's past, which unveils her previous association with Arasaka as a netrunner before escaping to Night City.

In Phantom Liberty, Songbird, a netrunner, is part of the FIA and has a close connection to NUSA president Rosalind Myers. The desires of V, Solomon Reed, and Myers to aid Songbird drive a significant portion of the expansion's storyline. As the plot unravels, Songbird's true motives are surprisingly similar to Lucy's.

Aside from their respective professions, what truly binds both characters is their shared longing for escape. The protagonist Songbird yearns for liberation from the clutches of the FIA, Rosalind Myers, the NUSA, and the plethora of hardships and heartache that ensue. Similarly, Lucy, a fellow individual, yearns to break free from her present circumstances. While the two, alongside protagonist David Martinez, thrive as skilled mercenaries in Night City, it is evident that Lucy yearns for emancipation from the very environment that has inflicted profound horrors upon her existence. In a literal sense, both characters find solace in their escape to the Moon, although their reasons for doing so differ entirely.

How Songbird and Lucy are Different

The two differ significantly in terms of their motivations and methods of achieving their escape. Songbird, known for her selfish and deceptive nature, plays a central role. Throughout the expansion's narrative, she manipulates V by weaving half-truths and outright lies. A major revelation arises when it becomes clear that the cure she had promised V can only be used once, and her intention to use it for herself. This pivotal moment in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty instigates a profound shift in the subsequent storyline.

On the contrary, Lucy is someone who often puts her own goals aside in favor of her friends and helping David. In the latter half of the show, her desire to escape takes a back seat as she strives to protect David from becoming a test subject for Arasaka's new exoskeleton program. This, in turn, triggers the final act of the series, resulting in a rather melancholic outcome for everyone involved, similar to the ending of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty.

Ultimately, there exist both similarities and differences between these two Cyberpunk characters. In any franchise, certain tropes and motivations tend to recur. However, both characters have managed to stand out and be memorable in their own unique ways. Some have even hailed Songbird as the best character in Cyberpunk 2077. Hopefully, future games will be able to create equally unforgettable characters, even if they share similar motivations with past protagonists.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.