Summary
By now, theBorderlandsfranchise has amassed a long list of beloved characters, some of which have gotten more turns in the spotlight than others. Consequently,Borderlands 4should consider changing a few character roles to give some of the unsung heroes their dues.
This could be a good opportunity to reintroduce some of the Vault Hunters from theTales From the Borderlandsgames by giving them central roles in the mainlineBorderlandsgames. Otherwise, making existing characters playable or bringing them out of their comfort zones in general could be a worthwhile change for the franchise.
Recurring Borderlands Character Roles That Deserve a Change
Ava
This character is the topic of the majority of criticisms forBorderlands 3’s plot, and rightfully so. Ultimately, many players were upset that Ava’s character arc involved the sacrifice of another beloved character inBorderlands 3, yet this story never reached a climax by the end of the game. Ava’s character was further explored in the Director’s CutDLC forBorderlands 3, but this was arguably too little and too late for players to change their minds about this character. Even thoughBorderlands 3already set this character up to go through a major transition for the next game, Ava is ultimately due for some massive changes before her involvement in the franchise becomes properly appreciated by the community.
Claptrap
Claptrap being at the butt of almost every joke is a tradition as old as the originalBorderlandsgame. However, in hindsight, Claptrap being one of thestrongest Vault Hunters inBorderlandsthe Pre-Sequelwas a strange twist of fate that makes the continued resentment for this character feel unjustified. With as much as Claptrap is considered a mascot of theBorderlandsfranchise, futureBorderlandsgames should reconsider throwing this character under the bus.
Lilith
With Lilith being one of the driving forces ofBorderlands 3’s story, it might be for the best forBorderlands 4to prolong her absence so that other characters can have their due time in the spotlight before Lilith’s return. Aside from a new character potentially assuming this role, Vaughn would arguably be a good fit to be the new leader. Vaughn may not have the almighty powers ofthe strongest siren in theBorderlandsfranchise, but he has still proved himself as a worthy hero of leading future Vault Hunters. In general, most of the Vault Hunters from the Tales From theBorderlandsgames have been relatively underutilized in the mainlineBorderlandsgames so far, so it would be nice to see some of these characters, Vaughn especially, take on central roles in the franchise again.
The mainlineBorderlandsgames have each explored a portion of Moxxi’s true character, aside from Moxxi’s bartending day job, but there’s still plenty of untapped potential for this character. Specifically, it’s arguably time that Moxxi’s role as one of theweapon manufacturers in theBorderlandsfranchisewas realized. It’s a well-known secret by this point in the franchise that Moxxi can gift the players with exclusive weapons throughout theBorderlandsgames. The majority of these weapons come with the exclusive ability to heal players while they use the weapon, with a few other weapons with unique perks that could justify Moxxi’s weapons being a distinct brand of weaponry in futureBorderlandsgames.
Tiny Tina
Although theTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsspin-off has proven to be a well-received path for Tiny Tina’s character, this shouldn’t mean that Tina has less of a presence in the mainlineBorderlandsgames. One way to bring this character back to the frontlines in a satisfying way is to make them aplayable Vault Hunter in a futureBorderlandsgame. From Tiny Tina’s stylish vocabulary to her love for explosives, this character would seemingly translate well to a voiced player character.
