Borderlands is a series known for its unique and humorous writing that turns the looter-shooter into a full-fledged sci-fi satire, spoofing genres from space westerns to Lovecraftian horror. Borderlands 3 is no exception, but the story had one major aspect which did not sit well with many fans.
Borderlands 3 had one character that many fans of Borderlands couldn’t stand, and when that character’s role in the plot panned out, it was hard for even the game’s biggest fans to disagree with the response. However, Gearbox seems to have found a get-around to one of its game's biggest criticisms.
Ava
Ava is a teenage stowaway and aspiring Vault Hunter in Borderlands 3. After trying to steal something from Maya, the Siren from Borderlands 2, Maya takes Ava under her wing to disastrous results in the third game. Not only do Ava’s actions have huge consequences for one of the series’ most popular returning characters, but her motives are hard to understand as well.
Ava has been described as a “Scrappy-Doo” – an obnoxious younger character who constantly overestimates themselves and makes bad decisions which makes them a burden on other more liked characters. Unlike other flawed characters, it’s hard to understand the motive behind their actions or sympathize with their flaws, making characters like Ava frustrating to many players.
Maya orders Ava to stay with Lilith the Siren while the Vault Hunter player characters and Maya travel to the Forgotten Basilica. Despite her lack of experience, Ava escapes Lilith and shows up during the mission, before being taken hostage by Troy and Tyreen Calypso. When Maya tries to bargain for Ava’s life, she is killed by Troy, who absorbs her Siren powers.
Not only do Ava’s actions directly lead to Maya’s death in Borderlands 3, but despite proving time and again that she is a burden on the team Ava is ultimately rewarded. When the Vault Hunters kill Troy, Maya’s powers transfer to Ava and she becomes a Siren. Not only that, but Ava then becomes leader of the Crimson Raiders, which added insult to injury for many fans of Maya who felt the character had been killed-off in the name of character development which spoke nothing to Ava’s actual character.
Gearbox's Approach
As a result of the negative fan reception of Ava in Borderlands 3, the character has made no appearance in any of the Borderlands 3 story DLCs, despite 4 having been released so far. Not only that, but most of the Borderlands 3 DLCs have made a point of focusing on returning characters, at least so far. Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot saw the return of Moxxi and the late Handsome Jack in hologram form. Guns, Love, and Tentacles saw the marriage of Wainwright and Hammerlock, while Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck took players right into the mind of the playable psycho from Borderlands 3.
With one major story DLC having been released around every three months since the release of Borderlands 3 in September 2019, it is possible another story DLC is in the pipeline for December of this year - though nothing has been announced and it's equally as likely that Gearbox is done with story DLC. But with fans also awaiting the new Borderlands game mode and skill trees, this could all be packaged into one big add-on set for release before the end of the year.
It is unlikely, however, that Borderlands 3 will want to draw attention back to one of its more poorly-received characters, or that Gearbox would want to risk putting Ava back in the spotlight even in the name of redeeming the character. With plenty of colorful characters in Borderlands, fans will be curious about who - or what - the next story DLC will focus on (if one even materializes, that is).
Borderlands 3 is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions are in development.
