Respawn Entertainment has released a video answering a longstanding question regarding the relationship of Apex Legends characters Fuse and Bloodhound. Part of what makes Apex Legends such a fan-favorite experience is the uniqueness and depth of its characters, who each have their own backstories and personal relationships. Those relationships change and grow over time, as Apex Legends moves season to season and Respawn listens to player feedback.Fuse and Bloodhound are two characters that may at first not seem compatible. Fuse's is a cocky, smug explosives enthusiast and mercenary as well as a ladies' man. Bloodhound is nonbinary, orphaned at a young age, and was raised by their uncle in a community that rejected technology in favor of an ancient Norse belief system named the Old Ways. Regardless, players in Apex Legends joked about the two having a more-than-platonic friendship based on in-game banter.In Season 8 of Apex Legends, Respawn made a major effort to grow the two's relationship. Bloodhound accompanied Fuse in Apex Legends' Armageddon confrontation with Mad Maggie, explaining Fuse reminded them of an "old companion" (known to be Bloodhound's deceased lover, Boone). The two grew increasingly close, as shown in The Legacy Antigen event, flirty interactions confirming Bloodhound had a crush on Fuse, and most recently during the Friends Like These questline where Vantage mentions the two having a romantic relationship and leaving the pair blushing.
Even with all that background, it wasn't until a new Apex Legends animation from Respawn released Saturday that the topic was directly addressed. In the video, Fuse invites Bloodhound on a hunt and directly questions them about their feelings. Bloodhound admits they love Fuse, but are afraid of losing them like they lost Boone. Fuse comforts Bloodhound and they embrace, then kiss. One of Apex Legends players' favorite ships is now canon.
While the fandom will make jokes about the Fuse and Bloodhound ship sailing, the reality of the situation is that Respawn has been building to this moment for years. As Apex Legends writer Sam Gill explains, he'd "sit down to write a fairly platonic scene, and Fuse & Bloodhound would just start flirting." Gill acknowledges that this wasn't the plan to start, but "the characters, on the page, of their own volition, would just SPARK."
It also deserves to be mentioned that nonbinary character representation is extremely rare in video games (and media, in general). Apex Legends embraced Bloodhound's gender from the very beginning, pronouns and all. Bloodhound then finding love in-game through years of storytelling is a step forward in LGBTQ+ storytelling and is already being celebrated for it. Don't expect Respawn to stop here, either. The story of Fuse and Bloodhound is likely just beginning.
Apex Legends is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and mobile devices.
