Warning: Spoilers ahead for the Borderlands franchise.The Borderlands franchise has certainly had its highs and lows when it comes to storytelling. While Borderlands 2 and Tales from the Borderlands were praised for their strong narratives, Borderlands 3 and New Tales from the Borderlands were heavily criticized. This hit or miss nature of storytelling extends to the franchise’s death scenes as well, as the impact of Roland’s death is still being felt while Maya’s death remains a sore spot for fans.
Currently, little is known about Borderlands 4, as Gearbox has not even officially confirmed the game yet. Fans are expecting the narrative to focus on Ava’s search for Lilith, though if they look at the pattern established by the series thus far, they may be able to determine something else about the plot. Though this is purely speculation, it would not be surprising if a member of Borderlands 3’s Vault Hunter cast bit the bullet in Borderlands 4.
Borderlands’ Deaths Hint at a Pattern of Killing Old Vault Hunters
Roland made his debut in the original Borderlands game, with the Soldier going on to become significantly more interesting in the sequel. However, though Borderlands 2 gave the honorable hero a romantic relationship with Lilith and made him a father figure for Tiny Tina, it also saw him dying at the hands of Handsome Jack. Through the Assault on Dragon Keep DLC, Roland’s Rest in Borderlands 3, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Gearbox has done a fine job of giving his death meaning.
While Borderlands 2 killing a character from its predecessor could have been a one-time storytelling approach, Gearbox reused this method to make The Calypso Twins look like more intimidating villains. Though many feel like the scene was rushed and Maya’s funeral being removed was detrimental to the game, the blue-haired Siren’s death helps prove the point regardless. Just like a Borderlands character met their demise in Borderlands 2, so too did a Borderlands 2 character end up dead in Borderlands 3. Borderlands 3 even killed off the Pre-Sequel Vault Hunter Aurelia, showing that this is a common approach for Gearbox. With this in mind, Borderlands 4 could easily continue the trend.
Which Borderlands 3 Vault Hunter is The Most Likely To Die in Borderlands 4
When looking at Borderlands 3’s cast, it is easy to rule out a few potential deaths. First and foremost, Moze seems safe, as the mech-using Gunner’s past with Vladof could prove important. Vladof remains one of the most underdeveloped gun corporations in the Borderlands series, so diving more into its lore with the help of Moze would make sense. Additionally, Moze's kit resembles Roland and Axton’s Soldier archetype, and with a Soldier dying once before, doing it again could feel repetitive. This logic extends to Amara the Siren, as not only did a playable Siren just die in Borderlands 3, but all Siren deaths come with serious lore implications.
This leaves two Vault Hunters as proper candidates for a tragic death, and fittingly, both stand as some of the most likable characters from Borderlands 3. Of the remaining options, FL4K seems a bit less likely to go. This is because fans still need answers about his origin and the connection between him and Zer0. While he could die after a quest line diving into the numbered robot lore, many fans would just suggest that he be rebuilt, similar to L0U13 in New Tales from the Borderlands’ best ending. Though he could certainly die still, it feels like there is more story to tell with FL4K.
This leaves Zane as the most likely candidate for a Borderlands 4 death. The beloved Flynt family member’s love for drinking, entertaining dialogue, and numerous middle names have made him a true fan favorite, with his Irish accent only making him stand out more. Unfortunately, his role as a mercenary makes him the least important character to the overall story, and the Operative’s popularity only ensures that his death would be the most impactful of all. With answers still needed about robots like FL4K, Moze having a connection to the unexplored Vladof, and a Siren just recently dying so that Amara has a bit of plot armor, Zane fans should be worried going into Borderlands 4.