With four main entries and a spinoff Telltale game, the Borderlands franchise has introduced a plethora of characters. One of Borderlands 3’s biggest criticisms was its lack of fan-favorite characters returning. It’s understandable that they’d want to introduce brand new ones for a full-fledged sequel.
Still, many fans were disappointed that some of their favorite characters from previous games didn’t make the cut, considering Borderlands 2 took all the playable Vault Hunters from the first game and turned them into supporting characters. Borderlands 3 only brought back Maya and Zer0. With the announcement of Gaige returning for the new DLC, we wanted to take a look at some characters we’d like to see make a return in future expansions, as well as the ones we don’t want at all.
10 DON'T WANT: Nurse Nina
Nurse Nina is basically a stand-in for Dr. Zed in The Pre-Sequel. It’s very obvious that Gearbox wanted her to be another comedic-relief doctor character who may or may not be good at their job. The problem is that she’s just unfunny most of the time.
Much of her writing felt like they were trying too hard to capture the same humor of Borderlands 2 but it all felt random and nonsensical. Her over-the-top Russian accent was also a huge distraction. Overall, she felt inconsequential to the world of The Pre-Sequel and doesn’t need to be included in future DLCs.
9 WANT: Salvador
It’s fair to say that Salvador is one of the most overpowered characters in the franchise. His ability to dual-wield any two weapons resulted in some insane builds that allowed players to demolish raid bosses. His power combined with his over-the-top personality made him an enjoyable character that fans grew to love.
With the promotional material for Borderlands 3 showcasing Maya and Zer0, fans were also expecting to see the rest of that particular Vault Hunter crew. Sadly, Salvador never made an entrance during the game. If Gaige can get a return, Salvador surely can as well.
8 DON'T WANT: Shade
This one is tricky because Shade’s fate is still unclear. In Tales From The Borderlands, Fiona has the option to either let Shade assist her or not during the deal with August. If she agrees, Shade oversees the deal and lives. If she doesn’t, he will interrupt the deal, only to get shot by August.
Therefore, fans aren’t really sure which of these two choices is canon. That being said, Shade isn’t a character we want to see again. While he’s relatively charming at the beginning of the Captain Scarlett DLC, his ability to annoy the crap out of you soon overstays its welcome. He’s not a terrible character but fans also won’t lose sleep if he never returns.
7 WANT: Fiona
At the end of Tales, Fiona and Rhys disappeared into a Vault and that was it. Borderlands 3 doesn’t give any explanation as to what happened, despite Rhys being a major character. All players know is that Rhys is now the head of ATLAS.
Even during the missions on Promethea, Rhys barely mentions any of the previous events from Tales, let alone Fiona. Fans are still wondering what her fate is. The last few episodes also hinted that she could become a future Vault Hunter with the help of Athena (an honorable mention for this list as well). Hopefully, they are saving her for future DLC or, better yet, a Vault Hunter for the next Borderlands game.
6 DON'T WANT: Davis Pickle
David Pickle is introduced early on in The Pre-Sequel and, sadly, wasn’t well-received among the fan base. As we’ve seen in the Borderlands franchise, child characters are hit or miss. During his missions, Pickle just doesn’t stop talking and can get on your nerves very quickly.
We can’t blame him since, after all, he’s only 10 years old. Still, that doesn’t mean we have to enjoy his constant interruptions. It also doesn’t help that his missions are tedious and exhausting, which can be said for most of the game's first two acts.
5 WANT: The Watcher
The Watcher doesn’t really have any notable characterization. It’s only an Eridian alien. The reason it needs to return is because of that giant cliffhanger at the end of The Pre-Sequel. The Watcher warns the Vault Hunters of an imminent war.
It’s unlikely that the events of Borderlands 3 contain this “war” that The Watcher speaks of. With many of the Eridian writings that you can find throughout the game, it might be possible that The Watcher is still canon and there is a bigger war to fight. Perhaps The Watcher will make a return in one of the final DLCs and lets players know what's to come in a future game.
4 DON'T WANT: GenIVIV
GenIVIV was actually in Borderlands 3 but was definitely one of the most annoying in the entire franchise. It’s ironic, however, because she’s first introduced alongside BALEX, whom fans loved immediately. Like BALEX, she’s also an AI.
The last players saw of GenIVIV, she was put into a random hard drive and given to Marcus, so she may not be gone completely. Even with all that being true, we hope she doesn’t end up making a return in any capacity. Her loud and obnoxious voice was cringeworthy to listen to. BALEX would be the better character to be involved in a future DLC.
3 WANT: Krieg
Spoilers ahead! Krieg was one of the DLC Vault Hunters added into Borderlands 2 and immediately became a huge favorite among the community. Deep down, Krieg is a great person. It’s only a shame that his inner thoughts come out vocally as psychotic ramblings, usually always referring to meat in one context or another. Bicycles seem to be a common theme.
What made his absence in Borderlands 3 even more heartbreaking is his close friendship with Maya, who gets killed by Troy. Thankfully, Randy Pitchford hinted at PAX East that DLC 4 may deal with Krieg, although he didn’t mention him by name. Hopefully, Krieg will get some vengeance!
2 DON'T WANT: Handsome Jack
There’s no denying the impact that Handsome Jack has had on the Borderlands franchise or gaming in general. That being said, the character of Handsome Jack needs to stay dead for good.
The Handsome Jackpot DLC was a clever way to still incorporate Jack into the universe without actually bringing him back. Now that Timothy Lawrence, Jack’s Doppelganger, is an established character, maybe Handsome Jack is gone for good. It’s time for Gearbox to introduce a brand new villain that’s a worthy successor to Jack. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for the Calypso Twins.
1 WANT: Loader Bot
Tales From The Borderlands somehow managed to create a memorable character out of a random enemy type in Borderlands 2. Loader Bot is summoned by Rhys early on in and soon becomes a crucial part of the story.
His loyalty to the characters seems unmatched, especially to Gortys. Also, he was just hysterical to see on screen. His dry delivery of certain lines made for some of the best quotes in the game. It was sad to not see him make a return in Borderlands 3 or The Handsome Jackpot, which brought back loader bot enemies. Perhaps he’s with Gortys and Fiona, who will all make a return together in future expansions.