Lyssa Burdon Character Analysis in Beneath: Power, Betrayal, and the Cost of Control

Overview

Lyssa Burdon is the Force Commander of Haven, a position she seized through a staged coup four years before the novel’s present. She is a calculating, ambitious antagonist who uses institutional authority and personal vendettas to maintain control. Burdon orchestrated the betrayal of Unit Thirteen (Tristian’s original “Angels”), manipulated the health-score system to weaponize Sasha’s past, and ultimately captures the main characters, stripping Unit Seven of their exploratory status. Her actions are driven by a need for power and a desire to punish Tristian Hayes for rejecting her loyalty. The narrative frames her as a foil to Tristian’s altruism and a symbol of corrupt authority that values control over human life.

Plot Role

Burdon functions as the primary institutional antagonist. She first appears in Chapter 3 when she forces Sasha into the Force as a medic for Tristian, using the midyear petition to fulfill his years‑long request. Throughout the middle chapters, she orders the Force to “break” Sasha and publicly humiliates her. Burdon’s most consequential action occurs in Chapter 37, where she reveals that Sasha tampered with health charts, uses this as leverage to force Tristian into becoming her second‑in‑command, and strips Unit Seven of their status, reassigning them to guard shack duty. She also installs Jaxon as a replacement unit member, knowing his history with Sasha will cause emotional turmoil. Burdon’s role is that of a puppet master who controls the system, using rules, blackmail, and personal grudges to tighten her grip on Haven.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Burdon’s primary motivation is power consolidation. The [chapter outline](Internal link could be /books/beneath/themes/power-and-control/) indicates she “took [the Force commander position] from him that mission”—meaning she engineered the death of the previous commander and the almost‑deadly ambush of Tristian’s unit. In a conversation with Levi, we learn that Burdon “staged a coup, making sure the person who would stand against it was taken care of above.” She then spun a narrative that made Tristian a hero while she ascended.

Her ruthlessness is evident in how she uses people as tools. She forces Jaxon onto Unit Seven to hurt Sasha and, by extension, Tristian. In her office after the tunnel escape, she turns Sasha’s act of compassion (swapping charts with Levi) into a weapon, saying, “I could kick Levi out … but she made it even better.” She explicitly admits she wants to make Tristian “suffer” rather than kill him quickly. Her cunning is shown when she plants fill‑ins in Tristian’s old unit and later orchestrates the ambush that destroyed the Angels. Burdon is also gifted in manipulation, using Tristian’s love for his unit against him: in the final confrontation, she forces him to choose between protecting Sasha or saving the unit.

Her personal resentment toward Tristian is a key trait. She was once in a relationship with him (Levi confirms: “They were together at the time, Burdon and him”). Tristian ended it because he “puts his loyalty in people who deserve it,” while Burdon sees loyalty only when it benefits her. In Chapter 10/11, she hisses, “Your loyalty knows no bounds … you once knew where to put that loyalty.” Their history makes every confrontation personal: Burdon uses his call sign “Hades” sensually, taunts him, and relishes the moment he becomes her second.

Chronological Arc

Burdon’s arc is largely revealed through backstory and escalates in the final chapters.

Pre‑story: Four years ago, Burdon was in a relationship with Tristian and served in his unit. With her brother dead in Expansion, she became more ambitious. She feigned illness to stay behind during a mission, while her co‑conspirators (Kaleo, Balakin) attacked Tristian’s unit above. She emerged as the new Force commander after the previous commander died of a suspicious “skin virus.” Kaleo later fled but later returns as her ally.
Early present (Chapters 3‑5): Burdon brings Sasha into the Force. She tests Sasha’s marksmanship, then publicly orders the Force to “make the Angel fall.” She is disappointed that Tristian defends Sasha.
Middle (Chapters 10‑20): Burdon escalates by having Tom Murray attack Sasha, then tries to have her terminated. Tristian outmaneuvers her using Force regulations. Later, she appoints Jaxon to Unit Seven, knowing his past with Sasha. She constantly summons Tristian and baits him.
Climax (Chapter 37): Burdon captures Sasha and Tristian after their tunnel escape. She reveals she found the tampered health charts, forces Tristian to become her second‑in‑command, strips Unit Seven of their status, and sends them to guard duty. She keeps the group alive as leverage.
Aftermath (Epilogue): Burdon is in control of Haven. Phoenix and Kaleo are exiled to Expansion, hinting that Burdon’s web of control extends further.

Relationships

With Tristian Hayes: Former lovers turned bitter enemies. Burdon once admired his loyalty, then resented his refusal to follow her ambitions. She now uses any means to hurt him—killing his old unit, breaking his new one, and forcing him to serve under her. Their power dynamic flips in Chapter 37, where she finally has him subordinate.

With Sasha Cadell: Burdon sees Sasha as a useful pawn. She uses Sasha to get to Tristian, first by forcing her into the Force, then by threatening her health score and imprisonment. She mocks Sasha’s trauma and calls her “Death’s Angel” sarcastically. There is no personal hatred—only instrumental cruelty.

With Kaleo: An uneasy alliance. Kaleo is a collaborator who betrayed Tristian’s unit and now works as Burdon’s enforcer. Their relationship is transactional and laced with contempt; Kaleo flirts crudely, and Burdon dismisses him when convenient. In Chapter 37, he delivers Sasha and Tristian to her.

With Unit Seven: Burdon treats the unit as disposable. She orders Ingrid to attack Sasha, manipulates Levi’s health score, and ultimately strips them of status. She uses their safety to coerce Tristian.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Betrayal of Unit Thirteen: Burdon feigned illness and let Kaleo ambush Tristian’s unit. The consequence was that Tristian’s team was nearly killed, and Burdon became Force commander. This act cemented their enmity and created the “Angels” mythology that she later tries to destroy.
Forcing Sasha into the Force: Burdon used the midyear petition to transfer Sasha. This decision brought a deeply traumatized person into Tristian’s unit, creating instability. However, it also gave Burdon a lever: Sasha’s past chart tampering.
Appointing Jaxon: Burdon overruled Tristian’s choice of a replacement and installed Sasha’s former casual partner. The consequence was immediate conflict within Unit Seven and emotional pain for Sasha, which Burdon intended as a “lesson.”
Using the health charts as blackmail: Burdon discovered Sasha had swapped IDs with Levi to protect his health score. Rather than report it (which would result in expulsion or worse), she kept the evidence until the optimal moment. The consequence was that she could force Tristian to become her second and break Unit Seven’s morale. The unit lost its exploratory status and was relegated to shack duty.
Keeping Unit Seven alive: Instead of executing them, Burdon kept them as hostages. This decision preserved her leverage but also created a potential weak point if the unit ever escapes or revolts. The book leaves this open in the epilogue.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Power and Control: Burdon embodies the theme of authoritarian power. She controls health scores, unit assignments, and even narrative (she rewrote the history of the ambush to make herself a hero). The epigraph from 1984—“Who controls the past controls the future”—applies directly to her rewriting of the Angels’ betrayal.
Conformity vs. Rebellion: Burdon demands absolute obedience. Her opening words to Sasha are “I’ll break you.” She punishes any deviation from her rules, yet she herself breaks rules when convenient. She represents the oppressive system that the protagonists rebel against.
Trust and Betrayal: Burdon’s entire career is built on betrayal—of the previous commander, Tristian, and her own unit. Her relationship with Kaleo is based on mutual distrust. In contrast, Tristian’s loyalty is his strength; Burdon exploits but never understands it.
Trauma and Healing: Burdon uses trauma as a weapon. She brings up Lily’s death, forces Sasha to confront her past, and deliberately recreates traumatic situations (e.g., ordering the entire Force to attack Sasha on the mats). She is a character who refuses to heal or allow others to heal.
Survival vs. Living: Burdon is all survival—she secures her position, eliminates threats, and lives within the rules she manipulates. Yet she is emotionally empty. Tristian, in contrast, fights for a life worth living. Burdon cannot comprehend this, which is why she keeps trying to “break” him.

Five Book‑Specific Questions and Answers

Why does Burdon really transfer Sasha to the Force, when she clearly dislikes her? She does it to gain leverage over Tristian. By forcing Sasha into his unit, Burdon creates a vulnerability she can later exploit. She also wants to test Tristian’s loyalty and see if he will protect someone who will only cause trouble.
How does Burdon justify her betrayal of Unit Thirteen to herself? The text never shows her justification directly, but from her actions, she likely sees it as necessary for Haven’s survival. She believed Tristian was too “soft” and that she could run the Force more efficiently. She also resented his refusal to seize power when she pushed him.
What is the significance of Burdon keeping Unit Seven alive instead of killing them? It demonstrates her need for ongoing control. Dead bodies end a game; live hostages let her continue to manipulate Tristian. It also shows that she wants to see him suffer over a longer period—revenge rather than simple elimination.
Could Burdon have been a different person if her brother hadn’t died? Possibly. Levi notes that Burdon became “less inclined to hide her motivations” after her brother died in Expansion. Her ambition likely existed before, but the loss removed any remaining restraint. The book implies that trauma can radicalize, but Burdon’s fundamental ruthlessness seems latent.
Does Burdon feel any genuine emotion for Tristian, or is it all manipulation? There is a hint of twisted feeling in her sensual tone when she calls him “Hades” and in her lingering stare during the final office scene. However, she ultimately chooses power over any remnant of love. Her “hatred feels personal,” suggesting she once cared, but now that care is corrupted into a need to possess or destroy him.

Conclusion

Lyssa Burdon is one of the most compelling antagonists in Beneath because she is not a simple villain; she is a product of a broken system that rewards betrayal. Her arc shows how power can corrupt even those who once believed in loyalty. Her defeat—or potential redemption—remains unresolved, leaving readers to question whether anyone in Haven can truly escape the cycle of control and manipulation.

For further exploration of the themes Burdon embodies, see our discussions on power and control, trust and betrayal, and conformity vs. rebellion. You can also read the ending explained to understand how Burdon’s actions set up the final events.