Borderlands 4’s Villain Shouldn’t Be Coming Empty-Handed

Key Takeaways

• Borderlands 4’s villain is not Handsome Jack; it’s something more dangerous and sinister.
• Eridian weapons, absent since the first game, could return if the villain turns out to be an Eridian or Guardian.
• The return of rare and powerful Eridian weapons in Borderlands 4 could signal a revival for the franchise.

Borderlands 4 has officially been announced, and its teaser trailer immediately sparked a conversation surrounding what this particular entry might bring to the table. The bulk of the conversation has been about the next game’s villain, as some have suspected Borderlands 2‘s Handsome Jack could return. These suspicions were elevated when an image appeared at the end of the Borderlands 4 teaser trailer showing the vault symbol over a face, seemingly positioned in the exact same place as the scar Lilith left on Handsome Jack’s true face. However, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford shot down those theories, saying Borderlands 4‘s villain is “something far more dangerous and sinister.”

While Borderlands 4‘s villain may not be Handsome Jack, the hand shown picking up the Psycho mask in the trailer appears to be Eridian. If that is a true representation of the final game, and Borderlands 4‘s villain is, in fact, Eridian, it might be a perfect time to bring back the first game’s arsenal of Eridian weapons.

Borderlands 4 Should Bring Back Eridian Weapons

Eridian Weapons Haven’t Been Around Since the First Borderlands Game

Even now that the Borderlands franchise is heading into its fourth mainline installment, Eridian weapons remain some of the most popular weapons in the series. Unfortunately, they haven’t been around since the first Borderlands game, and their absence has been sorely felt. There was some speculation that Eridian weapons would be returning in Borderlands 3, but the only weapon with “Eridian” in the name is the Eridian Fabricator — which some refer to as the “Gun Gun” for its ability to fire weapons instead of ammo. Apart from its name, the Eridian Fabricator is not Eridian in its appearance or its power.

One of the standout features of an Eridian weapon is its alien appearance, and while Borderlands‘ weapons have taken on many interesting appearances since the first game, none have offered anything quite like Eridian weapons. Eridian weapons aren’t just known for their unique look, however, as they are also some of the most powerful weapons in the first Borderlands game. Rather than using traditional bullets like most other guns, Eridian weapons fire energy blasts, adding to their sci-fi feel. Finally, they are some of the rarest weapons in the game, which simultaneously adds to their appeal and makes them all the more desirable.

If Borderlands 4’s Villain Is Eridian, Eridian Weapons Should Come Back

Assuming Borderlands 4‘s villain is Eridian, it would also make sense for Eridian weapons to come back. The only question would be how to implement them, and whether they would come with Borderlands‘ weapon proficiency system that helped make them powerful enough to tackle some of the toughest enemies in the game. Of course, Eridian weapons in a modern Borderlands game might not need the weapon proficiency system per se, as they could be redesigned to function much differently than they did before.

However, it might upset longtime fans of the series for these beloved weapons to follow a different set of rules this time around.

It would also be interesting for Borderlands 4 to introduce some brand-new Eridian weapons to the collective arsenal. Alongside weapons like the Eridian Lightning and the Eridian Mega Cannon, Borderlands 4 could include weapons never before seen in the series to bring them back in style. Finally, judging by the look of the teaser trailer for Borderlands 4, this particular entry could have much more detailed graphics than the series has had in the past, which would complement the alien designs of Eridian weapons well and emphasize their best features in a way the first game wasn’t able to. All in all, there are more than enough reasons to bring back Eridian weapons in Borderlands 4, assuming its villain is indeed Eridian.