Elise Franklin is the daughter of millionaire businessman John Franklin. Elise’s father has her killed because she made him sign away his fortune. Elise appears in the third episode of The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Get a Life. Elise is portrayed by Ingrid Kavelaars as an adult, and by Mecca Menard as a child.
Past[]
When Elise was eight years old her father John caught her playing with matches. John took the matches from her and dismissed her from the room and subsequently set flammable material on fire, burning down the entire building and killing a lot of people. John had manipulated Elise into believing that she was the one who caused the fire, causing Elise to seek therapy. At some point in her adulthood, Elise started dating Gil Hedges but they eventually broke up. Shortly after the break up, Elise had uncovered the repressed memory of her father being the person responsible for the office fire. She let her father know and forced him to sign away all of his money much to his frustration. The day before the charity function, Elise invited Gil because she wanted to discuss her breakthrough in therapy.
The Crow: Stairway to Heaven[]
Get a Life[]
Elise is giving a speech at a charity function introducing her father John Franklin. Elise stands by proudly as her father announces that he’s going to use his personal money to fund and maintain the network of family crisis centers in every major U.S city. Suddenly, one of John’s bodyguards starts shooting, but due to the ensuing chaos nobody actually sees the shooter. Elise and John are both shot. Elise dies and her soul ascends to the afterlife. Elise was 28.
While wandering around in purgatory in the afterlife, Elise meets Shelly. Elise asks Shelly if Elise’s dead, and Shelly tells her she is and that it is normal to feel confused at first. Elise wonders where she will go from purgatory, and Shelly directs her attention to a bright light ahead of them. Shelly tells Elise that the bright light possibly leads to heaven or it may be “just the next place“ because people never come back after walking into the light. Elise questions Shelly on why she doesn’t walk into the light and Shelly explains that she’s waiting for her fiancé Eric, going on to explain that her and Eric were both murdered but Eric was sent back to the land of the living while Shelly remained in the afterlife. Elise asks Shelly if there’s anyway to contact people in the land of the living and Shelly explains that if things are right, Shelly could make Eric feel her presence and sometimes he can even see her or hear her voice. After being questioned, Elise tells Shelly that she was shot to death and that when she died she was able to see everything that was happening around her. Elise goes on to say that people believe that her boyfriend Gil is responsible for her murder. When Shelly asks if Gil was the one who killed her, Elise tells Shelly that Gil loved her and Shelly offers help Elise help clear Gil’s name.
When Gil returns to the scene of the crime with Eric, Shelly and Elise are able to sense their presence, and Gil and Eric are able to sense Elise and Shelly. With the small window of opportunity that they have, Shelly helps Elise give Eric what he needs to know to help Gil, and through Elise’s memories, Eric discovers that one of John’s bodyguards was responsible for Elise’s murder. It would later be revealed that John had ordered his bodyguard to kill Elise.
After John is arrested, and Gil’s name is cleared, Elise is finally ready to move on, telling Shelly that the only reason she was staying in purgatory was because of what her father did. Elise asks Shelly is Gil will understand why she’s moving on without him. Shelly tells Elise that Gil will understand and that when Gil’s time comes he will find her. Elise urges Shelly to go with her into the light, and Shelly tells her that she’s going to wait for Eric for as long as it takes. Ultimately, Elise proceeds into the light without Shelly.