Borderlands 4 introduces a darker, more sinister villain than Handsome Jack, sparking anticipation for the game’s release.
After what has felt like an eternity of waiting, Borderlands 4 has finally been revealed, though only through a cryptic teaser. The teaser hardly reveals anything outright, aside from some Eridian writing and the image of a mysterious face at the end of the trailer, which some fans initially deduced might be Handsome Jack — the main antagonist from Borderlands 2. Unfortunately, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford almost immediately laid those theories to rest, stating that the image shown in the trailer was not Handsome Jack but “something far more dangerous and sinister.”
Despite Borderlands 4‘s presumed main antagonist not being Handsome Jack, the idea of it being far more dangerous and sinister than the iconic villain could be just what the series needs. The Borderlands franchise has now seen several main villains antagonizing its world and the Vault Hunters attempting to thwart their schemes, but the comedic antics of the most recent mainline installment’s villains were highly controversial. As such, Borderlands 4 returning to a villain whose goals and personality might mirror and even improve upon Handsome Jack’s sounds promising.
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After Borderlands 3, Borderlands 4’s Darker Villain Sounds Promising
Borderlands 3’s Villains Weren’t Serious or Threatening Enough
Borderlands 3 is by no means a bad game and its initial reviews say that much, but it might just be the most divisive of any mainline Borderlands game ever made. The Borderlands series has always been known for its over-the-top humor and exaggerated violence, so that’s to be expected of a new installment. However, Borderlands 3 arguably takes things a bit too far in that regard, even to the point that its villains, the Calypso Twins, aren’t threatening enough to be taken seriously. Their personalities, along with their goals, don’t make them anywhere near the villain that Handsome Jack is — of course, it could be argued that any villains following Handsome Jack were doomed from the start.
In keeping with modern trends, as Borderlands has been known to do, the Calypso Twins are modeled after social media influencers like those that can be found on YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram. Their personalities are a bit overblown, to the point that their meme potential drastically outweighs the threat that they pose. They certainly have the charisma of Handsome Jack, as any decent social media influencer should, but they aren’t quite dark or menacing enough to merit being simultaneously feared and respected, as Handsome Jack is. Finally, it quickly becomes painfully obvious in Borderlands 3 that the Calypso Twins are trying really hard to be another Handsome Jack, which only makes things worse.
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However, Borderlands 4’s “dangerous and sinister” villain might make up for the shortcomings of Borderlands 3 .
Borderlands 4’s Dark Villain Might Make Up for Borderlands 3’s Shortcomings
It’s good news that Borderlands 4‘s villain sounds like a much bigger threat than Handsome Jack, as that might play a major role in the game’s success. What Borderlands 4 needs to ensure it doesn’t do is try to recreate the second game’s antagonist in some way. Regardless of how much the Borderlands community has come to love Handsome Jack over the years, there is no justification for attempting to clone his personality and goals as Borderlands 3 tried and failed to do. It is an endeavor that will likely always result in a failed outcome, so Borderlands 4 needs to avoid it at all costs.
According to what is shown in the Borderlands 4 teaser trailer, it could be that The Watcher is this installment’s antagonist, who was originally revealed in 2014’s Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. At the very least, the teaser trailer has Eridian literally and figuratively written all over it, suggesting the alien race will play a significant role in Borderlands 4. If that is the case, it could be a very dark entry indeed, taking players deeper into the backstory of the Borderlands franchise than they have ever been before.
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