In 10 short days, Borderlands 3 fans will get their hands on the next major DLC, “Bounty of Blood: A Fistful of Redemption.” It’ll be taking players to a brand new ton (Vestige) on a brand new planet (Gehenna) with brand new rides (jetbeasts) fighting brand new enemies (Devil Riders) with a cast of brand new characters. Thus far, most Borderlands 3 DLC has been seemingly based on a movie genre: Mad Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot is based on a heist movie; Guns, Love, and Tentacles captures the spirit of the Lovecratian Horror; and Bounty of Blood rides to the Wild West.
Yet, for every pattern it fits into, the upcoming Borderlands 3 DLC seems posed to break one major pattern and has shown hints that it already has. If true, then Bounty of Blood will be the odd one out among the DLC.
The Borderlands 3 DLC Pattern
Every DLC thus far has featured a past playable character returning as an NPC. Mad Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot saw the return of Timothy, a.k.a Jack’s Doppelganger from the Pre-Sequel. Guns, Love, and Tentacles saw Gaige take on the role of Wainwright and Hammerlock’s Wedding Planner, and because of this, it stands to reason that the third Borderlands 3 DLC will feature yet another character. There’s even been in-game hints that it could be Salvador, as there’s a bounty for him posted in the second DLC, and it could thematically fit with the DLC. But there’s at least two reasons that may not be the case.
Why Bounty of Blood May Break This
First and perhaps foremost is the fact that Salvador—or any returning Borderlands 3 DLC character as NPC—has yet to be shown. The past two DLCs were not shy with showing off their returning characters, with Timothy and Gaige being confirmed the same day as the DLC. IF there was a character Gearbox intended to be kept quiet, that would seemingly be Gaige who is more popular than most other characters. So the question becomes, even if Salvador is the antagonistic leader of the Devil Riders, why keep his role a secret?
On top of that, Gearbox has promised an “entirely new cast” of characters for players to interact with, and this could be a refresh taking on a universe that is incredibly small. This also doesn’t necessarily mean that one character won’t pop up to add that sense of familiarity, but at the same time, it theoretically could. There could be another reason, of course, that the NPC is kept quiet; perhaps it’s the fabled return of Lilith some Borderlands fans want. But all signs seem to point to Borderlands 3 DLC 3 being completely cut off from the past and future.
Borderlands 3 DLC 4 May Make DLC 3 the Odd One Out
And future is the key word there. Not only was DLC 3 revealed, but just like DLC 2 had a tease for Bounty of Blood, the latest DLC showed a teaser for the fourth and final DLC of the Borderlands 3 season pass. The above image seems to indicate the return of Krieg and a psychological approach to his broken psyche, perhaps due to the events of the base game. In this way, it may walk Krieg through the loss of Maya, much like the Bunkers and Badasses DLC was a coping mechanism for Tiny Tina after Roland’s death.
What this is all to say is that DLC 3 has kept its character, if he or she is indeed involved, an enigma for some reason. And while there are a lot of reasons that sound good and promising, the bottom line is this: Borderlands 3 Bounty of Blood may be breaking from the pattern to tell a truly unique story, cut off from the greater politics of the Borderlands universe, and while many may hope for a character to return, it may not be wise for players to hold their breath over it.
Borderlands 3’s Bounty of Blood DLC releases June 25 for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
