While Borderlands may be a serious mostly known for its looting, shooting, and mayhem, there is still a lot of heart and a great mesh of serious tones within its stories. Across a multitude of Borderlands games, there are some characters that players love, and some that they love to hate, but the common thread is that nobody (except the playable characters) is safe. This means that there are so many heartbreaking deaths across the Borderlands games, and we've listed the ones that still hurt the most to think about.
Every Borderlands Game, Ranked
The Borderlands franchise has tons of incredible games for players to explore, but some entries are more entertaining than others.
Major spoilers ahead for Borderlands 2, Borderlands 3, and Borderlands 4!
T.K. Baha
A Blind and Disabled Weapons Manufacturer Who Just Couldn't Catch a Break
- Performance by: David Eddings
- Dies in: Borderlands
T.K. Baha was a weapons manufacturer who would be constantly harassed by Hyperion, and with deadly threats, he and his wife had to leave for Pandora, the one place Hyperion wouldn't be brave enough to venture to. This desolate planet had nothing, but at least T.K. Had his wife. Sadly, Marian was killed by a deadly Skag named Scar, and T.K. Lost his legs and his eyesight in an attempt to avenge his wife. T.K. Had nothing left on Pandora, but he always tried to remain optimistic. Living on his porch, T.K. Would see out his days until Bandits would one day kill him and hang him by his leg from his ceiling fan. T.K.'s death shows how horrible Pandora was, but his poetic end makes him immortal, as not only can he return to his wife in death, but his patented weapon, T.K.'s Wave Gun, remains pretty strong across Pandora.
Zadra
The Smartest Woman on Kairos Who Designed the Bolts Was Killed by One
- Performance by: Kirsten Potter
- Dies in: Borderlands 4
Zadra has much to atone for, as she was once the Timekeeper's most trusted ally and the woman responsible for the oppression of the planet since she created the Bolts strapped to everyone's necks that control their free will. After a millennium of assistance to the Timekeeper, Zadra finally said no and decided to invest her time in freeing the people of Kairos. Zadra lives with mistakes and regret, and she dies before she can find closure in her redemption. The Timekeeper takes control of the Vault Hunter through their Bolt and puts a bullet in Zadra, ending her life before she can see the Timekeeper brought to justice. For so much pain Zadra brought to the planet, was it necessary for her life to be lost in her search for redemption? It's sad to think that she was killed by the one person she could trust, and the one person who brought her onto the side of heroes.
Borderlands 4 Legendary Loot Drop Table
Players can find the location of every boss and their dedicated Legendary loot drops in Borderlands 4, right here to help you farm for the best gear.
Handsome Jack
A Self-Proclaimed Savior Turned Mad, Killed by Ego
- Performance by: Dameon Clarke
- Dies in: Borderlands 2 and Tales from the Borderlands
Handsome Jack believed himself to be a hero, one who could unlock the secrets of the Vaults to provide worlds with knowledge and peace, but that peace came through destruction. While Jack wanted to use the Vaults to lay waste to Bandit camps and bring civilization to Pandora, the power that he craved was seen as too dangerous, and the catalyst of his fall began when those around him told him no. Handsome Jack is a villain and has done some truly evil things, but there's always a breaking point. Jack was once a company man who just wanted to provide for his wife and child, but death follows, and death breaks a man like Jack. Eventually, Jack had convinced himself that what he was doing served a grand purpose, and he led Hyperion into a golden age that was followed by death. While Jack's death at the hands of Lilith and the Vault Hunters was a form of frontier justice, there's always sadness in knowing that there was once a good man behind that mask, and redemption wouldn't be possible for him or his backup AI.
Bloodwing
Mordecai's Loyal Bird, Experimented and Murdered by Handsome Jack
- Performance by: n/a
- Dies in: Borderlands 2
Few people could connect to Mordecai like Bloodwing, the loyal bird that just wanted to be by his side. Bloodwing was loyal and loving, and her relationship with Mordecai was very sweet, even when she was picking at Bandit's eyeballs and clawing out their throats. Sadly, Bloodwing was captured by Handsome Jack and forced to undergo genetic mutations with Slag to make her a giant elemental beast, one that was enraged and forgot about those who cared for her. The way Jack destroyed what Bloodwing was, paired with Mordecai's desperation to save her, made fighting her a stressful and terrifying experience, especially as Jack detonated a bomb in her neck to explode her head and later parade her body around like a trophy. Bloodwing was just an innocent pet who didn't deserve such brutal treatment.
Angel
The Secret Siren Who Died for Freedom
- Performance by: Jennifer Greene
- Dies in: Borderlands 2
Angel has been guiding Vault Hunters to Pandora for years, and it's all been at the request of her father, Handsome Jack. Angel was locked away by Jack, both in an effort to keep her safe and as a way for her to become all-powerful by having access to every Hyperion network in the galaxy. With such incredible Siren powers, Angel was able to give Handsome Jack so much, but at the cost of her energy. Constantly used for her father's obsession, Angel became entirely dependent on Eridium to survive, and she could not live another day knowing her father was a tyrant hellbent on genocide on Pandora. As such, Angel pleaded with the Vault Hunters to locate her and free her, so that while she might die, she could at least die free and away from her father. Angel's death is a tragedy because her free will was taken from her, and the only choice she could make involved deciding to die.
Best Order To Play The Borderlands Games
If you're wanting to play through the Borderlands franchise before jumping into the newest entry, this is the order you'll want to tackle them in.
Roland
The Leader of the Crimson Raiders was Shot Dead from Behind
- Performance by: Oliver Tull
- Dies in: Borderlands 2
Roland was an incredible soldier and a man who left the confines of war and military propaganda to fight for himself, only to later believe in something worth fighting for that didn't involve loot. Roland led the Crimson Raiders to ensure that Hyperion and Handsome Jack would never take control over Pandora, and his noble cause, along with his rousing leadership, saw him raise an army of good folk to stop oppression. Roland risked it all to ensure a better tomorrow, and that would eventually come at the cost of his own life. Roland was killed in a shocking moment when Handsome Jack shot him in the back to kill him instantly. Roland's heroics were never forgotten, and the statue of him raised outside of Sanctuary, along with the entire remaining Crimson Raiders, would forever remember this incredible martyr.
Maya
The Phaselock Siren Who Had Her Life Leeched
- Performance by: Martha Harms
- Dies in: Borderlands 3
Maya was the beloved Siren of Borderlands 2, and in the years since she liberated Pandora from Hyperion's clutches, she left for Athena to be the planet's protector. Maya further grew in strength and used her meditative knowledge to understand her purpose and responsibility as a Siren. Maya was loving and kind, which is what makes the tragedy of her loss as heartbreaking as it is frustrating. Maya died after having her powers leeched from Troy Calypso, the twin brother of the Siren, Tyreen Calypso. Troy leeched Maya until she disintegrated into nothing, and much of her death was blamed on Ava, Maya's apprentice, who ran away from safety, only to be captured by Troy as a trap for Maya. Maya's death shows lost opportunities, as she would never reunite with Krieg or continue on the path of Sirens with Lilith, Amara, and now Vex.
Scooter
The Mechanic of Catch-A-Ride Rides His Last Rocket
- Performance by: Mike Neumann
- Dies in: Tales from the Borderlands
Scooter was a beloved mechanic who had been with the series since the original Borderlands, and he's truly a harmless friend of Sanctuary and the Crimson Raiders who aided them in their fight against Handsome Jack, and just genuinely brings good vibes to the table with his southern charm. While Scooter might not be the most respectful of women, he's a harmless love bug, which is what makes his demise all the more sad. Scooter joins the rag-tag crew of Fiona, Sasha, Rhys, Vaughn, and Vallery to catch a ride to Helios, but their ride has explosive rockets in need of detachment. Scooter helps detach them, but gets his hand stuck, and catches one last ride on a rocket as it barrels towards Pandora and detonates in space. Scooter's acceptance of his death is a tear-jerker, as is his iconic war-cry "Catch-a-Riiiiiiide". It's hard to forget Scooter, especially with how charismatic and friendly he was to all who knew him.
8 Most Beloved Borderlands Characters, Ranked
The Borderlands series has a complex cast of loud and violent characters, but there are some that shine through as the most lovable.