Borderlands 3 has been heavily critiqued by fans for having a lackluster and weak Borderlands narrative, and mans fans are saying that it may be one of the weakest stories in the entire series. From frustrating and poorly-written characters to cringe-worthy antagonists, some have major complaints with the story as a whole. A big problem lies in the fanbase itself, which occupies itself with comparing the recent title to the past installments.
If looked at independently, the game's story features a lot of great narrative beats and even some surprisingly well-written characters for a Borderlands game - but there is definite room for improvement. As a note, this piece contains HEAVY SPOILERS for events throughout the entire game, so be warned.
A Deep-Dive on the Calpyso Twins
One of the biggest gripes about Borderlands 3's narrative is that the Calypso Twins are disappointing villains. Perhaps the larger issue to many fans is that the twins are not Handsome Jack. Gearbox Software made a remarkable villain when they created Handsome Jack back in 2012. He is widely regarded as one of the best villains in video game history, so how could Gearbox possibly create an even better villain? Short answer: they couldn't. No matter what they threw together, Handsome Jack's shoes were just too big to fill. So Gearbox set out to create a villain (or villains in this case) that were incredibly different from their past antagonists.
Troy and Tyreen are very much one big parody of streamers and that by itself is pretty funny. But as players progress through the story, the motivation of each of the Twins is revealed and they start to be much more interesting characters overall. Yes, the Twins are a bit cringe-worthy at times, but there are a lot of streamers out there who are so it makes sense. It also fits very well into the Borderlands-style humor that is scattered throughout the game. While they are not the best villains in the Borderlands franchise, they are certainly different and entertaining enough.
Players learn of their caged upbringing, and the guilt Tyreen carries for the death of their mother. Troy grew up being a parasite and a freak, but as he gains new powers, he feels he can break out of his sister's shadow to be a star himself. Despite their outward cocky and obnoxious personas, there is actual character development happening throughout the game, especially through Borderlands 3's great side-quests.
However, there is definitely room for improvement in the Twin's story. There are parts that feel unfinished or simply come across as a missed opportunity. A better ending for their story could be that, during the Troy boss fight in Borderlands 3, instead of Troy being killed and absorbed by Tyreen, he instead absorbs Tyreen's power (whether accidentally or intentionally), and becomes the true boss of the game. During the entire fight, Tyreen is screaming that Troy is taking too much power and it's killing her, so the groundwork is there for this alternative: Troy slowly breaks out of his shell after getting his Siren powers, becomes the star of the show, and ultimately takes Tyreen's power-stealing ability.
From there he goes on to finish the plan to open the Great Vault and become the final boss. The scene below on the new planet Eden-6 really sets Troy up to be a much bigger deal than he ended up being, and all the animosity that arises between the Twins after Troy gets his powers really shows the potential that Troy had.
Ava and the Death of Fan-Favorite Characters
Now for the elephant in the room: Ava. Borderlands 3 fans hate Ava for a number of reasons, and many think she ruined the story all on her own. While there were some definite blunders in her writing, Ava's character is not as bad as everyone is making her out to be. Perhaps the biggest reason fans hate Ava is because she is seen as the reason Maya (a fan-favorite character) dies.
Maya was one of the many returning characters in Borderlands 3, and fans loved her. But seemingly because of Ava, Maya is killed by Troy. While this is true in part, there is also a good chance Maya would have died since she would have been alone outside the Vault when the Calypso Twins appeared anyway, should Ava not be there. It's clear that the phaselocking power is key to moving the story forward, so Maya was perhaps doomed from the start.
Once players return with Ava to Sanctuary III, Ava immediately blames Lilith for Maya's death and states that they should go after the Calypsos instead of hunting for the next Vault. Many fans were outraged when Ava shifted blame, but fans should realize that Ava is only a teenager who likely doesn't understand how to fully handle the weight of guilt for a death she likely caused. It's only normal for someone of that age to try to shift blame, especially since Maya was the only person Ava truly grew close to. Looking at it this way, Borderlands 3's Ava is perhaps not as annoying as many fans believe she is.
In the end, Ava inherits Maya's powers and potentially Sanctuary III (though the wording on the final cutscene may be a little weird), setting her up to be a major character in future games or upcoming Borderlands 3 DLC episodes. While Ava's character could have experienced more growth or time in the spotlight, she is not quite as bad as most of the internet makes her out to be. Hopefully in the coming year of DLC content, her character will be expanded upon as one of the new Sirens of Sanctuary.
Overall, Borderlands 3's story has a lot of great moments that are peppered with areas of missed opportunities. While there are definite areas of improvement, each chapter of the game has highlights that make it stand out and be a fun experience. From the bickering between Wainwright and Hammerlock, to the corporate war between Rhys and Katagawa, there are a lot of great moments in the game. Once fans accept that Handsome Jack isn't coming back and the series will have new villains, the new characters and new narratives become a bit more enjoyable.
Borderlands 3 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
