Borderlands 3 Should Bring Back These Characters in Future DLCs
Borderlands 3 is gearing up to launch its second story DLC in the form of 'Guns, Love, and Tentacles' which is focused on the wedding of Sir Hammerlock and Wainwrights Jakobs. While many fans are excited to dive into this Lovecraftian-inspired DLC, one quick shot in the DLC's reveal trailer showcased a popular returning Vault Hunter: Gaige.
She was one of the DLC Vault Hunters in Borderlands 2 and quickly grew to be a fan-favorite, and with Gaige being the second character to return in DLCs from previous titles, it begs the question of who Gearbox should bring back next in future DLCs. With the way the base game's story went, there are several characters who would fit nicely into the game in an upcoming DLC.
Maya's death was one of the most controversial moments in the Borderlands 3 story, and one that upset many fans. Maya was a fan-favorite character for many reasons, and many were looking forward to seeing the Maya/Krieg storyline progress. While Maya coming back seems unlikely, there is always a chance Gearbox could find a way to write her back into the game to help in a Krieg-focused DLC. Gearbox is always adding new details and abilities to the mysterious Sirens, so perhaps Maya could go full-on Obi-Wan Kenobi and have a spirit projection that serves as a guide for the DLC. Maya was always one of the most powerful Sirens and she was always planning for her own death, so there's a chance she may come back.
At the end of Borderlands 2's life-cycle, as Athena recounted the events of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, a Guardian warned that a major war was coming at the Crimson Raiders needed all the Vault Hunters they could get. Then just as quickly as the warning was issues, Athena disappeared with her now-wife Janey Springs. Athena is one of the most powerful and tactical fighters in the universe and she would make a great returning character for Borderlands 3. While there was no mention of this quirky duo in Borderlands 3, the two are out there somewhere and considering the ominous omen given at the end of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, it's a fair assumption that at least Athena will come back to take on the bigger story of Borderlands.
Janey was a native of Pandora's moon, Elpis, which by the end of Borderlands 3 is coated in flames. Even assuming that the flames may just be an outer layer and not affecting the people on the moon, it's likely a dangerous place to be. Perhaps a story beat for an Athena/Janey DLC would be the search for Lilith, and Elpis is a great place to start considering it is emblazoned with the Firehawk logo. Nobody would know Elpis quite as well as Janey, so it would be a great tie-in to the lovable goofy scientist from the moon.
Despite being Borderlands 2's standard soldier-type character, Axton left quite an impact on many fans who now want the tactical gunner back. Axton as a small, albeit funny, appearance in Borderlands 3 in one of Moze's skins. All of Moze's skins also change the appearance of Iron Bear, and one skin places a scantily-clad Axton on the front of the mech (it's the 'Funk Off' skin for those wanting to try it out at home). While there have been no real references to what Axton has been up to since the end of Borderlands 2, he could easily be brought back in the future to help deal with whatever new threat could come at the new Vault Hunters. Nearly everyone had a close connection to Lilith so they could be wrapped back in to help search for the missing/dead leader of the Crimson Raiders.
Borderlands 3 had a Dr. Zed-shaped hole that Tannis, no matter how hard she tried, just could not fill. Dr. Zed has been a staple of the Borderlands games but in Borderlands 3 his only appearance was on his vending machines. If Gearbox wanted to bring Zed back, the Vault Hunters could revisit old Borderlands locations and track him down. He was last seen in the 'Commander Lilith' Borderlands 2 DLC after fleeing Sanctuary. Whether Zed is still hiding or if he made base elsewhere is unknown, but finding him would be a great side-quest for a Pandora-centered DLC.
Borderlands 2's angry dual-wielding Gunzerker was arguably the most broken character in the entire series, and fans are dying to have Salvador back. Odds are Salvador was doing what Lilith asked at the end of the Commander Lilith DLC and was out among the stars searching for Vaults. If any of the Borderlands 3 DLCs take the Vault Hunters to new planets, there may be opportunity for players to run into the Gunzerker himself. If Borderlands 3 learns anything from Borderlands 2's best DLC, they could toss logic out the window and bring back any character with enough creativity. Fans are just hoping that Salvador is still out there - some say he hasn't stopped shooting to this day.
The Borderlands franchise is filled with tons of characters that could be brought back in future DLCs, assuming Gearbox doesn't have other plans for them already. The Borderlands 3 Roadmap hinted at new events which could also serve to bring back some beloved character, but until those events go live fans will just have to wait anxiously until more DLC details are revealed.
Borderlands 3 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
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