 Angier decides to steal Borden 's fantastic , yet understated , trick , " The Transported Man , " where Borden instantly travels between two wardrobes on opposite ends of a stage . Cutter and Olivia groom Root , an out @-@ of @-@ work actor , into a " double " for Angier , mimicking his appearance and mannerisms . ' The New Transported Man ' is a huge success , but Angier is displeased , as he ends the trick hidden under the stage while Root basks in the applause . Obsessed with finding Borden 's secret , Angier sends Olivia to spy on him . Instead , Olivia revamps Borden 's act , making it more elaborate and successful . Borden sabotages Angier 's show , humiliating him and leaving him with a permanent limp . Angier confronts Olivia , who confesses that she is in love with Borden , before giving Angier a copy of Borden 's diary , its contents scrambled by a coded cipher . Angier and Cutter kidnap Fallon and extort from Borden his codeword , " Tesla , " which Borden claims is also his secret . As Angier leaves for America to find Tesla , Borden begins an affair with Olivia . Sarah becomes increasingly disturbed with Borden 's emerging fickle and contradictory nature and succumbs to depression and alcoholism , committing suicide . 
