Binding of Isaac: Rebirth Wiki

It Lives is a boss that can appear on the second floor of Chapter 4 (WombWomb, UteroUtero, (except in Rebirth) Scarred WombScarred Womb). It permanently replaces Mom's Heart after killing the latter 11 times.

Behavior[]

It Lives behaves identically to Mom's Heart, with the exceptions of different spawns for its phases:

Then It Lives shoots brimstone lasers to four sides and will spin, much like Krampus.

Gallery[]

Unlockable Achievements[]

Notes[]

  • Just like Mom and Mom's Heart, using The Bible or (in Repentance) XV - The Devil?XV - The Devil? against It Lives will kill it instantly.
  • (except in Rebirth) Isaac can encounter It Lives in the nightmare boss wave of chapter 4 in Greed/Greedier mode even if it has not been unlocked.

Trivia[]

  • It Lives appeared in the original The Binding of Isaac. Unlike its appearance in Rebirth, It Lives had opened eyes, a simple poker face, and hung to the ceiling in a sideways position via an umbilical cord.
  • The music that plays during this fight is titled Ventricide.[1] Ventricide is a portmanteau formed from the word ventricle (chamber of the heart) and the suffix -cide, which denotes an act of killing. This theme is used in other tracks, such as Matricide, Hericide, and Infanticide.
    • Ventricide could also be a junction of the prefix ventr- (from the latin word venter), which could denote "belly", "stomach", "womb" or "fetus", with the suffix -cide.
    • It Lives shares this theme with Mom's Heart, and therefore, both interpretations could co-exist.
  • It Lives, according to the developers, takes the shape of what Isaac looked like as a fetus.
  • According to Edmund McMillen, It Lives supposedly represents Isaac wishing that he were never born.
  • It Lives makes the same sounds as Mom's Heart.
    • Like Mom's Heart, if Isaac takes damage from It Lives' Brimstone attack, Mom's laugh can be heard.
  • Despite being a major boss, It Lives isn't linked to any Ending, instead, it opens up entrances to both SheolSheol and the CathedralCathedral, as well as (except in Rebirth) ?????? if beaten in under 30 minutes.
  • The unlock note for It Lives states "Your futures past awaits.", referencing Time Fcuk, another game by Edmund Mcmillen.
  • (except in Repentance) During the versus screen, It Lives' enemy/boss-spawning sound can be heard. It Lives is one of (except in Repentance) seven/(in Repentance) five bosses that can be heard during the versus screen, the other (except in Repentance) six/(in Repentance) four being (except in Rebirth) The Stain, (except in Rebirth) The Forsaken, (in Afterbirth † and Repentance) Big Horn, Mom, (except in Repentance) Mom's Heart and (in Repentance) Mother.

Bugs[]

Bug Bug! (in Rebirth and Afterbirth) Sometimes, if the boss intro is skipped, the game will not teleport Isaac into the center of the bottom of the room, resulting in immediate contact damage with one of the Eyes or It Lives, depending on the direction of the room's entrance.

References[]