Summary
- Borderlands 4’s title hints at expanding on the series’ narrative and resolving unanswered questions from previous installments.
- The fate of Lilith, missing Vault Hunters, Ava’s future, and the Watcher’s war could be addressed in Borderlands 4.
- Borderlands 4 may delve into the Destroyer’s fate and introduce an even more dangerous antagonist to the series.
Borderlands 4 is likely nearly here, introducing an all-new cast of Vault Hunters, bringing beloved characters back, taking players to the vast planet of Kairos, and seeing the new antagonist, the Timekeeper, make his Borderlands debut. While fans of the series likely know what to expect from Borderlands 4, this particular installment has a chance to offer something substantial to veterans and newcomers alike by expanding on the franchise’s overarching narrative, and it’s all thanks to its “Borderlands 4” label.
Borderlands 4 isn’t just a new Borderlands game — it’s the fourth mainline installment in the series, which gives it an opportunity that other spin-off titles in the series don’t have. In light of its title, Borderlands 4 could possibly begin to shed some light on the series’ biggest unanswered questions. In other words, it’s a great time to be alive for Borderlands fans who have kept up with the series since its origins, as they might see some of the longest-standing mysteries finally resolved in the upcoming entry.
Related
Borderlands 4 Would Be Wise to Tread Carefully With One Concept
One of Borderlands 4’s most prominent features also has the potential to be one of its best, but it should nonetheless tread lightly with one concept.
Borderlands 4’s Title Suggests Questions Will Likely Be Answered
The clearest implication of Borderlands 4‘s title means it will presumably expand the series’ overarching narrative. Unlike spin-off titles in the series, like Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Borderlands 4‘s title effectively makes it a direct sequel to the series’ mainline story, which was left open-ended at the conclusion of Borderlands 3. This implication might seem like a given, especially with the return of characters like Zane Flynt in Borderlands 4, but it’s still worth noting, as it ultimately leaves it in Borderlands 4‘s hands to answer some questions left unanswered by Borderlands 3 and the installments before it.
Lilith’s Fate and the Watcher’s War
An obvious question left unanswered involves Lilith’s fate after Borderlands 3, where she sacrificed herself to save Pandora by teleporting its moon, Elpis, away while it was on a collision course with the planet. Borderlands 4 being what it is, one can assume Lilith’s fate will be revealed in this installment, unlike the other title that was released after Borderlands 3, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Another story left unresolved, not by Borderlands 3 but by Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, is the Watcher’s warning, which foretold an impending war that hasn’t been addressed. Now, Borderlands 4 has an opportunity to resolve that story, which has remained a mystery for over a decade now.
Missing Vault Hunters and Ava’s Future
Another major unknown that left many fans scratching their heads after Borderlands 3 is the whereabouts of some of the series’ previous Vault Hunters. Most notably missing from Borderlands 3 were characters like Salvador, Axton, and Fiona, despite the game featuring many of the series’ other classic Vault Hunters. Borderlands 3‘s Ava, who now possesses Maya’s powers and is the leader of the Crimson Raiders, also remains a mystery, especially since she is only one of the few Sirens in the Borderlands universe and therefore will likely play a significant role at some point. It’s possible that Borderlands 4 could bring back the series’ missing Vault Hunters and also expand Ava’s narrative.
Expanding on Ava’s new role would also be a great opportunity for Borderlands 4 to delve into the nature of Siren powers, especially after anomalies like Troy Calypso, a male Siren, have made an appearance.
The Fate of the Destroyer
Something else Borderlands 3 left largely unexplored was the fate of the Destroyer, as it was eventually revealed that Pandora is a giant Vault housing the Destroyer in order to keep it from wiping out the universe. However, the Destroyer’s fate is still unknown, so it could make an appearance in Borderlands 4. It would also make sense, as Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has indicated that Borderlands 4‘s antagonist is something far more “dangerous and sinister” than even Handsome Jack. While that could apply to Borderlands 4‘s Timekeeper, perhaps the Timekeeper is only a stepping stone toward the story’s main villain.
There are other questions the Borderlands series has left unanswered, but it would make sense for Borderlands 4 to at least address Lilith’s fate, the Watcher’s war, the missing Vault Hunters, Ava’s future, and the fate of the Destroyer. Borderlands 4, being called what it is, ultimately gives it a prime opportunity to expand the series’ overarching narrative, unlike the various Borderlands spin-offs the franchise has seen.
See if you have what it takes to go down in history as a legendary Vault Hunter as you search for secret alien treasure, blasting everything in sight.
Looter Shooter
Action
Adventure
RPG
- Franchise
-
Borderlands
- Released
-
2025-00-00