Summary
Borderlandsgames evolved over the years from a fun and mesmerizing looter-shooter to a franchise with complex lore surrounding it, andBorderlands 4is likely to take all this to the next level, especially following some big events from its predecessor. There’s a lot of hype aroundBorderlands 4, although the title has yet to be officially announced, and the recent Gearbox tweet about the story so far in the series has fans hoping a reveal is coming soon. When it does happen, however,Borderlands 4is already in a lose-lose situation concerning the introduction of a new Siren, something that has become a tradition for the series that Gearbox may not want to break.
Sirens are mysterious beings inBorderlandslore, as only six of them can exist at a time, butBorderlands 3’s seventh Sirenis starting to create an out for Gearbox if it so wishes to add more. The main issue is that there has always been a playable Siren inBorderlandsgames outside of spin-offs likeBorderlands: The Pre-SequelorTiny Tina’s Wonderlands, but there have also been a few Siren NPCs. As the story goes, so far there have been a total of five unique Siren powers revealed in the game, and three of them belong to playable characters.
Why Borderlands 4’s Siren is Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place
BL4 Can’t ‘Recycle’ Past Sirens as Playable Characters
With three playable Sirens in the form of Lilith, Maya, and Amara, and then two NPCSirens inBorderlands 3being Tyreen Calypso and Patricia Tannis,Borderlands 4is already out of options for a playable Siren. This Siren could be an all-new character with the sixth and final power revealed, also meaning a new Siren character can’t really be introduced at the moment. If that happens, the only plausible explanation is that the new Siren NPC is someone with the same powers as Tyreen or possibly Lilith, although the state of her abilities and whether she is coming back are up in the air.
The problem is that Tyreen’s Siren abilities are by nature easy to associate with “evil” characters and antagonists, so having a playable character with those powers to save the sixth and likely final Siren for later is not solving the problem. Another option would be to give Lilith’s powers to theplayable Siren inBorderlands 4, but that too is not a great solution considering that Lilith has been a playable character before.
It’s worth noting that Tyreen’s powers were Nyriad’s first, and Tannis' abilities were the same as Angel’s from Borderlands 2. Both Nyriad and Angel died, and eventually, these Siren powers were passed upon them.
Why Borderlands 4 Shouldn’t Use Ava as a Playable Siren
Ava and Tannis Wouldn’t Solve the Siren Conundrum in BL4
A potential solution would be to makeBorderlands 3’s Ava playable inBL4, but that doesn’t seem a fantastic option either due to the heavy backlash the character got in the latest installment of the series and how she would also have the same powers as Maya, who was playable inBorderlands 2. There is also a chance the sixth Siren is introduced as an NPC and there is no playable Siren inBL4, but that would mean breaking a longstanding tradition, and a new playable Siren is something gamers have really come to expect fromBorderlandsas a whole.
Commander Steele from Borderlands 1 was also a Siren, but her powers were never revealed, and later she met her demise keeping this secret.
Having Ava as a playable character inBorderlands 4does seem like a good option on paper, especially story-wise, but it could easily backfire. The last option would be to have Tannis become a playable character, but it too has its set of issues, seeing how she has been a recurring NPC in every mainline game and already has a big part to play in the story - especially afterLilith’s ending inBorderlands 3. Sirens are a big part ofBorderlands' lore and worldbuilding, and having a new playable one seems inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy for Gearbox to address these potential issues.
Borderlands 3
WHERE TO PLAY
The original shooter-looter returns, packing bazillions of guns and an all-new mayhem-fueled adventure! Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four brand new Vault Hunters – the ultimate treasure-seeking badasses of the Borderlands, each with deep skill trees, abilities, and customization. Play solo or join with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy.A MAYHEM-FUELED THRILL RIDEStop the fanatical Calypso Twins from uniting the bandit clans and claiming the galaxy’s ultimate power. Only you, a thrill-seeking Vault Hunter, have the arsenal and allies to take them down.YOUR VAULT HUNTER, YOUR PLAYSTYLEBecome one of four extraordinary Vault Hunters, each with unique abilities, playstyles, deep skill trees, and tons of personalization options. All Vault Hunters are capable of awesome mayhem alone, but together they are unstoppable.LOCK, LOAD, AND LOOTWith bazillions of guns and gadgets, every fight is an opportunity to score new gear. Firearms with self-propelling bullet shields? Check. Rifles that spawn fire-spewing volcanoes? Obviously. Guns that grow legs and chase down enemies while hurling verbal insults? Yeah, got that too.NEW BORDERLANDSDiscover new worlds beyond Pandora, each featuring unique environments to explore and enemies to destroy. Tear through hostile deserts, battle your way across war-torn cityscapes, navigate deadly bayous, and more! QUICK & SEAMLESS CO-OP ACTIONPlay with anyone at any time online or in split-screen co-op, regardless of your level or mission progress. Take down enemies and challenges as a team, but reap rewards that are yours alone – no one misses out on loot.
