Gearbox’s Borderlands series is one of the more distinguished franchises on the market, as it has shown in the past to have a multitude of unique characteristics that set it apart from most first-person shooters. In fact, it has been a major influence on the looter-shooter genre, not in creating it, but in refining and popularizing it, to the point that many of today’s modern looter-shooter games could call back to Borderlands as a part of their inspiration. However, no matter how successful and influential it has been, its shortcomings are still noticeable. One such shortcoming involves the series’ main antagonists, leaving Borderlands 4‘s Timekeeper in a position to change that once and for all.
Very little has been revealed about Borderlands 4‘s Timekeeper, apart from the fact that he is an oppressive dictator on the planet Kairos who maintains strict control over the planet’s inhabitants. That being said, he does already seem to be a more promising villain than the series’ most recent antagonists, the Calypso Twins in Borderlands 3, which is a good sign considering their disappointing payoff. His persona looks just as “dangerous and sinister” as Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford claims he will be, but he will need to do far more than look the part in the end. Specifically, the final boss fight between players and Borderlands 4‘s Timekeeper needs to be epic, action-packed, and fulfilling — unlike the encounters with the series’ past antagonists.
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Borderlands 4’s Timekeeper Boss Fight Needs to Live Up to His Character
The Borderlands Series’ Major Boss Fights Have Been a Let-Down
Despite the fact that the Borderlands series has featured some noteworthy antagonists, Handsome Jack being the most notable by far, no Borderlands villain has ever had a boss fight that truly lived up to their character. The series began with The Destroyer, whose final boss fight was mechanically boring, with it essentially making him nothing more than a bullet sponge. Since the release of the first Borderlands game, its final boss encounter against The Destroyer has often been considered laughably easy, far too lengthy, and immensely spongy.
Borderlands 2 introduced Handsome Jack, who is still considered the best antagonist in the series, as well as one of the best villains in all of gaming. Unfortunately, no matter how praised he is as a character, the final boss fight with him in Borderlands 2 was a let-down. More or less, Handsome Jack was the Warrior Vault Hunter archetype and, like The Destroyer, was more of a bullet sponge than anything. Additionally, with the right gear, players could cheese Handsome Jack very easily, making it a quick and painless final encounter for completionists, especially.
Despite the fact that the Borderlands series has featured some noteworthy antagonists, Handsome Jack being the most notable by far, no Borderlands villain has ever had a boss fight that truly lived up to their character.
Then there were Borderlands 3‘s Calypso Twins, who are widely regarded as the worst antagonists the series has ever seen. This is primarily due to the fact that they were trying really hard to be another Handsome Jack, rather than using their own individual strengths to set them apart. On top of that, the final boss fight with Tyreen was almost as forgettable as she was. Not only was she once again little more than a bullet sponge, but defeating her already didn’t feel satisfying on account of her characterization making the fight feel impersonal.
The Timekeeper Needs Unique Mechanics and Cinematics to Make His Boss Fight Memorable
In light of the series’ past shortcomings with underwhelming boss fights, Borderlands 4‘s Timekeeper boss encounter needs the mechanics and cinematics necessary to make his fight memorable. Assuming the Timekeeper has time-manipulation abilities as his name suggests, Borderlands 4 could have his encounter be a multi-phase fight where he rewinds time in the middle of the battle. Perhaps he could even bring back bosses and enemies players already defeated during the game or the entire franchise, and maybe the environment could shift between different points in the game’s or series’ timeline.
Furthermore, a great number of cinematic moments would help the Timekeeper fight to feel as climactic as it should, with cutscenes regularly breaking up phases or significant moments in the fight. After all the criticism Borderlands 3‘s Calypso Twins received and the constant comparisons to Handsome Jack that have occurred, Borderlands 4 needs its Timekeeper to shine, and one of the best ways to do this is to ensure his characterization makes every encounter with him personal and that his boss fight lives up to the threat he seems to pose.
Looter Shooter
Action
Adventure
RPG
- Released
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September 23, 2025
- ESRB
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Rating Pending