Speculation Soars: Could Handsome Jack Return in Borderlands 4?

Fans of Borderlands 4 are buzzing with speculation regarding the possible return of a beloved villain, which could resurrect an old storyline that many presumed Gearbox had set aside a decade ago.

Following the announcement of Borderlands 4 during Gamescom Opening Night Live, players began to scrutinize the visuals at the end of the announcement trailer. It didn't take long for enthusiasts to decode the symbols displayed in the trailer, written in the ancient Eridian language, with interpretations suggesting a message that reads, "He is watching. Break free."

The exact interpretation remains ambiguous, yet it appears to correlate with another image shown during those brief moments. This image, visible at the top of the article, presents a man's face with the Vault logo placed over it. Several fans have pointed out that the logo aligns perfectly with the features of Handsome Jack.

Jack is recognized as the principal antagonist in Borderlands 2 and has a significant role in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. During the climax of that game, he gains entry to a Vault, encounters the logo suspended in the air, and then has it seared onto his face by Lilith, another important character. This event leaves Jack grotesquely scarred, leading him to don a mask of his own likeness to conceal his injuries in Borderlands 2, but the Pre-Sequel makes the aftermath abundantly clear.

While Jack meets his end in Borderlands 2, the wildly imaginative nature of this universe creates possibilities for his return. Enthusiastic fans have pointed out that his comeback could breathe life into another intriguing theory. The Pre-Sequel is set on Elpis, the moon orbiting Pandora, which we already know will not be the primary setting in Borderlands 4. Observers noticed that Elpis features in the trailer, while some astute players suggest that the hand depicted picking up the psycho mask toward the end might belong to The Watcher, a potent character from The Pre-Sequel.

At the conclusion of The Pre-Sequel, The Watcher warns players of an impending Great War, indicating the need for preparation. However, in Borderlands 3, this conflict is notably absent, leading some to speculate that the expanded focus of that game, compounded by the significant lapse of time since The Pre-Sequel, meant that this teaser would never come to fruition. It now appears that the forthcoming Borderlands 4 may finally resolve this decade-long enigma when it launches next year.

Another piece of speculation arises from the timing of the Borderlands 4 reveal, which occurred merely two weeks after the lackluster performance of the Borderlands movie, suggesting that Randy Pitchford’s strategy was a masterstroke.