Borderlands 4 Misses an Easy Layup the Last Borderlands Game Set Up For It

Fans of the Borderlands series have been eagerly awaiting the release of Borderlands 4, and very soon, the wait will be over. There hasn’t been a development in the mainline series’ story since 2022, so players will finally be able to see what this three-year gap holds for the game’s plot. Like the rest of the looter-shooter titles in the series, Borderlands 4 will feature many familiar faces, as well as a new cast of playable Vault Hunters that players can get to know.

As much as Borderlands 4 is the next in the mainline series of games, it is setting itself apart from previous games in the series. From its additional quality of life features to the changes it makes to Borderlands’ typical sense of humor, Borderlands 4 has already proven that it isn’t afraid to break tradition. However, there is one major plot point that the previous game in the series set up, but it seems as though Borderlands 4 isn’t giving itself many options to explore: Athena’s

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Borderlands 4’s Hyperion Changes Could Affect Athena

Hyperion Has Become Less Important in the Series

After the events of Borderlands 2, Hyperion’s role as one of the series’ most notorious weapon manufacturers was lessened dramatically. The death of Handsome Jack and the fall of Helios in Tales from the Borderlands harmed the company massively. While it is still present in later games in the series, its status is diminished from previous titles. This doesn’t stop Hyperion from producing some of Borderlands’ best weapons, but the brand is much less impactful in Borderlands 3 when compared to its competitors.

Hyperion weapons in past Borderlands games were known for their accuracy over other manufacturers, but in Borderlands 3, there was a shift. When aiming down the sights of a Hyperion gun, an energy shield appears to block damage from oncoming attacks. This led to some speculation as to the reason for this change, and who the new CEO of the company is. This would later be confirmed in New Tales from the Borderlands to be Athena, one of the playable Vault Hunters from Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel who is known to use a shield in combat. This explains why Hyperion weapons would now include this feature.

Athena’s Ties to Hyperion Make Her Inclusion Difficult

Athena’s inclusion in New Tales from the Borderlands was necessary, as players had not been given any information on the character following the original Tales from the Borderlands. Despite including all previous playable Vault Hunters in its story, Athena was missing from Borderlands 3. This left many players questioning what had happened to Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s gladiator, but even with her reveal as Hyperion’s CEO in New Tales from the Borderlands, there is more that the series needs to answer.

Most importantly, it’s unknown why Athena would decide to become CEO, especially for a company with a damaged reputation like Hyperion. In Tales from the Borderlands, Athena retired as a bounty hunter before the events of the game, living a quiet life with Janey in Hollow Point. To then take on the role of CEO at Hyperion, considering perceptions of the brand and all the corporate hostility, it seems like an odd choice for the character that would need to be explained.

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Athena Could Be Overlooked in Borderlands 4, but She Doesn’t Need To Be

Athena Hasn’t Featured In Many Games

Though fans can finally rest knowing Athena’s fate post-Borderlands 3 thanks to New Tales from the Borderlands, the next steps for her story seem troubling. It has been confirmed that Hyperion weapons will not be featured in Borderlands 4, with the company instead manufacturing Licensed Parts for weapons. Reducing Hyperion’s role further from Borderlands 3 could be seen as a downgrade, and is troubling for any chance of Athena appearing in Borderlands 4’s story at all.

While it would be interesting for the upcoming installment to give an explanation for why Hyperion has stepped away from producing weapons, making it one of the game’s less prominent manufacturers could risk Athena being overlooked again in Borderlands 4 now that she acts as its CEO. Her lacking presence in previous titles needs to be explained, but with the reported change to Hyperion, the character’s future looks uncertain. There are still ways that she could be included, but her ties to Hyperion could make this difficult to manage.

Hyperion’s Borderlands 4 Presence May Benefit Athena

These changes don’t have to be the result of bad news, however. Hyperion changing from a weapons manufacturer to a Licensed Parts manufacturer seems to serve the purpose of giving more attention to Borderlands 4’s new manufacturers, but this could work out for the better. One of Hyperion’s Licensed Parts seen in the game is an energy shield, seeming to hint that the shift in the company’s priorities is now more in line with Athena’s goals. If so, this could actually make it more likely that Athena will have a place in Borderlands 4’s plot.

There is also the chance that the decision to make Athena CEO could be reverted in Borderlands 4. The game’s story is set six years after Borderlands 3, and a lot could have changed during this time. It’s possible that Athena could have stepped down as Hyperion’s CEO by the events of Borderlands 4. While this would miss out on exploring the interesting premise New Tales from the Borderlands put forward, it could be a way to put the character back into her cozy life with Janey and give players the dynamic they were satisfied with.

New Tales from the Borderlands introduced a lot of bold ideas to the universe’s canon, but Athena being the CEO of Hyperion was one of the most surprising story elements. After being absent for so long, this drastic change for the character presented an intriguing mystery. However, much like other ideas introduced by New Tales from the Borderlands, this may not have a satisfying payoff in Borderlands 4. Whether Hyperion’s smaller presence in the game brings Athena down with it, or if the decision is ultimately retconned, fans will surely be hoping to learn more as the game nears its release on September 12, 2025.