Andrew Ryan's Arrival

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Andrew Ryan's journey began in a village near Minsk, where he was born into a middle-class Russo-Jewish family. The October Revolution of 1917 forced him to flee Russia, mirroring Ayn Rand's own experiences with political upheaval. Once in America, Ryan thrived as a capitalist until regulations and religious constraints eroded his faith in the system. Rejecting compromise, he dedicated his life to creating Rapture, an underwater city designed to shield humanity from state control. His arrival there was clandestine, orchestrated through loyalists who built the city in secret beneath the Atlantic Ocean. Ryan envisioned Rapture as a utopia for scientists, artists, and innovators, free from taxation or interference. However, this isolation sowed the seeds of destruction; unchecked ambition festered without social checks, leading to chaos when Frank Fontaine exploited the system's flaws.

In Their Own Story

In 1960, the player-controlled character Jack arrives in Rapture, guided by Atlas (formerly Frank Fontaine). Ryan initially perceives Jack as a threat—possibly a Soviet KGB or CIA agent—and attempts to eliminate him. As the game progresses, it is revealed that Jack is actually Ryan's illegitimate son, conceived during an affair with Jasmine Jolene in 1956. Fontaine capitalized on this secret, paying Brigid Tenenbaum to extract the embryo from Jolene after Ryan brutally murdered her upon discovering the pregnancy. Dr. Yi Suchong genetically accelerated Jack under Fontaine’s orders, making him vulnerable to mental conditioning via the phrase "Would you kindly?" When Ryan finally confronts Jack, he reveals his true identity and mocks him as a disappointment—a slave programmed by Fontaine. Using the same phrase mockingly, Ryan commands Jack to kill him with a golf putter. Under compulsion, Jack obeys, ending Ryan’s life in one of gaming’s most iconic moments.

Reader's Guide

Andrew Ryan's narrative arc spans decades, beginning with his escape from Russia in 1917 and culminating in his death at the hands of his son Jack in 1960. Key turning points include: (1) The October Revolution compelling him to flee Russia; (2) His disillusionment with American capitalism due to regulatory interference; (3) The secret construction of Rapture using his entire fortune; (4) His fraught relationship with Frank Fontaine, whose betrayal sparked a civil war; (5) Ryan's victory over Fontaine through genetic pheromones, though at the cost of paranoia and ruthlessness; (6) The revelation that Jack is his son and the eventual forced execution of Ryan by Jack. Players encounter Ryan primarily through audio diaries and radio transmissions in BioShock 2 and Burial at Sea, with only one direct meeting in BioShock.

Did You Know?

• Andrew Ryan’s name is a deliberate semi-anagram of Ayn Rand’s, linking him directly to her Objectivist philosophy.
• Ryan was voiced by Armin Shimerman, whose performance contributed significantly to BioShock winning IGN's "Best Use of Sound" award.
• In the game’s climax, Ryan hands Jack his golf putter and commands him to kill himself using the phrase "Would you kindly?", forcing Jack to obey due to prior genetic conditioning.

Origins and Ideological Foundations

Andrew Ryan, born Andrei Rianofski near Minsk in the Russian Empire, fled Russia after the October Revolution of 1917 due to his hatred for communism and Tsarist autocracy. His experiences mirrored those of Ayn Rand, whose philosophy heavily influenced Ryan’s worldview. After immigrating to the United States, Ryan became a wealthy business magnate but grew disillusioned with government regulations and religious interference. Inspired by Art Deco aesthetics and thinkers like Howard Hughes, he secretly funded Rapture as an underwater utopia free from external oversight. His name is a deliberate semi-anagram of Ayn Rand’s, cementing his role as an embodiment of Objectivist ideals pushed to their extremes.

The Rise and Fall of Rapture

Ryan’s vision for Rapture was complicated by Frank Fontaine, a con artist who exploited the city’s genetic arms race. As Fontaine’s power grew, Ryan attempted to curb his influence, prompting Fontaine to fake his death and reemerge as Atlas. This sparked a civil war that plunged Rapture into chaos. Though Ryan eventually won using genetic pheromones to control the populace, the city remained in ruins. Descending into paranoia, he ruled ruthlessly, impaling traitors outside his office as warnings. Despite the devastation, Ryan clung to hope that Rapture would rise again.

Narrative Role and Character Design

In BioShock, Andrew Ryan appears physically only once—as the final antagonist in a single encounter where he forces Jack to kill him using the phrase "Would you kindly?" Created by Ken Levine, Ryan’s design draws inspiration from Vincent Price, contrasting his idealism with Fontaine’s amorality. The developers spent considerable time crafting this scene, which Levine called the "ultimate insult" to players. Ryan steadfastly refuses to compromise his principles even in death, highlighting the tragedy of his rigid philosophy.

Legacy and Critical Reception

Critics praised Andrew Ryan as a complex figure, with Electronic Gaming Monthly ranking him ninth among top video game politicians. Voice actor Armin Shimerman’s performance earned BioShock "Best Use of Sound" from IGN. Comparisons to real-life figures like Ayn Rand, Howard Hughes, and fictional characters like Citizen Kane underscore his cultural impact. While inspired by historical personalities, Ryan stands out for his human flaws, making him a realistic portrayal of tyranny born from idealism.