Key takeaways
- The Borderlands 4 teaser suggests a giant moon or planet returning to the sky with Lilith facewalking.
- Speculations about the return of Handsome Jack as the main villain in BL4 were dismissed by Randy Pitchford.
- BL4 should move away from Handsome Jack to allow for new enemies and character growth, as well as not stagnate the series.
After a long time when Gearbox was radio silent and rumors were the only source of information Border 4The iconic looter-shooter finally showed itself at Gamescom, igniting many fan theories about what the next installment in the series will be. While little is known for now, the teaser shows some familiar elements mixed with new details, all suggesting a big chapter lies ahead. Border 3The Director's Cut DLC confirmed that Lilith was still alive after the game's finale, and Border 4The teaser confirms as much by showing her iconic fiery phoenix in the sky.
Not only that, but Border 4's phoenix appears before being teleported to a giant moon or a fully developed planet, similar to Lilith's facewalk ability, meaning it is probably hers. Some fans latched onto a frame showing the vault symbol in a way that matches the handsome Jack's scar as shown. Borderlands: The Pre-SequelBut this theory was quickly shut down by Randy Pitchford himself as “very dangerous and sinister”. While this seems to confirm that there will be no Handsome Jack Border 4’s villain, it is not confirmed whether the series will be moving away from him.

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Borderlands 4 Risks Cementing Handsome Jack as the Face of the Franchise
Why not include BL4 handsome Jack
Border 4 It's been a long time coming, and if it's not delayed, it's likely to start in the fall of 2025, about 6 years later. BL3. However Border 3 While a great game in its own right, advancing the franchise in many ways, it was two steps forward and one step back due to its reliance on the recurring Handsome Jack. It's understandable, on the one hand, that Handsome Jack has become the face of the franchise, and he's widely considered one of the greatest video game villains.
Jack, on the other hand, dominated throughout Border 2He was a big part of it Borderlands: The Pre-SequelAnd then there was the DLC dedicated to his legacy Border 3 Also a side quest that highlighted the tragic story of Jack's family. With such an imposing shadow on the franchise, this doesn't come as a surprise BL3Who's villain was compared to Handsome Jack and couldn't live up to him. As such, Handsome Jack “comes back” in any shape or form. Border 4 Doesn't allow the series to move forward, which it desperately needs.
Why Borderlands 4 Needs a Blank Slate, Free of Handsome Jack
Handsome Jack is all over the franchise, with his likeness even appearing in Stories from the borderlands Game at the top of the main line series. Take the reins as there is a completely new enemy Border 4 Sounds good, especially if this entity is more dangerous and sinister than it actually is border area' Jack, but it's not enough. Instead, the new title should reduce Jack to a footnote for its own sake, perhaps appearing as an easter egg in some dialogue or weapon text, and nothing more. Players will likely remember Jack anyway, but both veterans and newcomers will benefit from witnessing a blank slate.
Over time, it has become almost an expectation to see Jack inside border area How many times has he used the games. Removing this familiar element may not seem necessary for the best, but it will allow existing characters to grow even more as it allows new ones to shine. Border 4 The Watchers War has a chance to deliver, a long-overdue installment in the series that hyped up the next big release. The pre-sequelin which BL3 Didn't actually build much. If it does, it needs a lot of old and new faces alike within the game's universe – and as many as possible The pre-sequel In a way Handsome is Jack's game, War of the Watchers should take place in a universe where Jack is a distant memory.