Isaac

This article is about the character. For the boss of The Cathedral, see Isaac (Boss).

Isaac is the main character of the series, returning from the original The Binding of Isaac from 2011. Isaac is the only character unlocked by default.

Isaac starts with three Red Heart containers and one Bomb. He will also start with The D6 once it is unlocked (after defeating Isaac as ???).

Notes

The D6 that Isaac can start with does not increase the special counter.

Item Interactions

Birthright: All new item pedestals cycle between two options. Previously seen items are unaffected.

Unlockable Achievements

Isaac's Head - Complete the Boss Rush as Isaac.

Lost Baby - Defeat Mom's Heart on Hard mode as Isaac.

Mom's Knife - Defeat Satan as Isaac.

Isaac's Tears - Defeat Isaac as Isaac.

Missing Poster - Defeat The Lamb as Isaac.

The D20 - Defeat ??? as Isaac.

Lil' Chest - Defeat Ultra Greed as Isaac.

D1 - Defeat Ultra Greedier as Isaac.

Fart Baby - Defeat Hush as Isaac.

Cry Baby - Defeat Mega Satan as Isaac.

D infinity - Defeat Delirium as Isaac.

Meat Cleaver - Defeat Mother as Isaac.

Options? - Defeat The Beast as Isaac.

The Broken - Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Isaac.

Buddy Baby - Earn all Hard mode Completion Marks as Isaac.

Unlockable Starting Items

Defeat Isaac as ??? - Start with The D6

Gallery

Original concept art for a character who would eventually be remodeled to Isaac.
Isaac's transition screen portrait.

Trivia

Isaac is a reference to the biblical story of the binding of Isaac, in which Abraham is commanded by God to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, to prove his loyalty and love.
- "Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, whom you love — Isaac — and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.'" (Genesis 22:2)
In a response to TBoI Youtuber Sinvicta of whether there was any concept art of what Isaac's original design was, Edmund McMillen confirmed that Isaac's design was originally one of an Octorok while showing very similar features of how the gameplay would be modeled by posting an old concept art.
Edmund has stated that Isaac is left-handed, but in the opening cutscene, Isaac is holding a pencil with his right hand.^[1]
- This could be a reference to the Catholic bias against left-handedness, stemming from Matthew 25:33 proclaiming that God will put those deserving to ascend to Heaven on his right-hand side and put those deserving to descend to Hell on his left-hand side. Isaac's mother could have forced him to work right-handed. The general practice of forcing left-handed people to use their right hands having also been a practice for a long time, with the acceptance of left-handed people only starting to show in 1971.
Contrary to previous theories made about Isaac, he does not have a sister.^[2]
Isaac is bald because his mother shaved his head. This could be a reference to the Nazarite Vow in Numbers 6:1–21.^[3]
- Isaac's natural hair color is strawberry blonde.^[4]
Isaac has Irritable Bowel Syndrome.^[5]
Isaac's dad is a handyman.^[6]
Isaac's full name is Isaac Moriah, and he is 5 years old.^[7]
- This is in reference to Mount Moriah, the place where Abraham takes his son Isaac to be sacrificed, in the Book of Genesis.
Isaac's racial background is White/Hispanic.^[8]
By around the events of The Binding of Isaac, Isaac was already homeschooled.^[9]
Edmund McMillen confirmed that Isaac's status is deceased.^[10]
Isaac is circumcised. This was confirmed by Edmund McMillen during a YouTube stream.
Isaac's voiceover in Rebirth was done by Tallulah Bossi, Matthias Bossi (Member of Ridiculon and voice of Dad/Narrator) and Carla Kihlstedt's (Musician and voice of Mom) daughter. For Repentance, the voice was done by their son, Viggo Bossi.
Isaac could possibly be gender-confused or genderfluid.^[11]^[12]