A dedicated dataminer exploring the depths of Borderlands 4’s game files has made a fascinating claim: the latest installment in the popular franchise almost included a character known for being highly divisive among fans. These intriguing discoveries were shared online by EpicNNG.
Warning: Significant spoilers for both Borderlands 3 and Borderlands 4 follow.
In Borderlands 4, players embark on a quest to track down the menacing Vile Lector, which leads them to the planet Kairos where they eventually encounter the Siren, Amara. Amara, a fan-favorite playable character from 2019’s Borderlands 3, appears to have been a late-stage replacement. According to EpicNNG’s findings, initial plans suggest players were originally meant to join forces with a different Siren during this part of the narrative: the often-controversial Ava.
Alright I guess we’re gonna talk about it:
AVA WAS CUT FROM BORDERLANDS 4
There are numerous files related to her in the game, more specifically outlining that she was completely replaced by Amara late in development. This means yes, she was originally going to team up with…— EpicNNG (@EpicNNG) October 6, 2025
(An embedded tweet from EpicNNG discussing the discovery was originally here.)
Ava, who was introduced as a Siren-in-training in Borderlands 3, quickly became one of the franchise’s most unpopular characters, even more so than the notoriously annoying Claptrap. Her narrative arc in that game drew significant criticism. The unearthed files contain various ‘Ava’ related titles, and it’s notable that Amara’s current Siren abilities in Borderlands 4 bear a striking resemblance to those Ava inherited from her fallen mentor, Maya.
EpicNNG further elaborated that “everything aside from references has been completely scrubbed, including audio files, models, and more.” They suggested that this discovery might be an “intentional blunder” by a Gearbox employee, emphasizing the difficulty of datamining Borderlands 4 for post-release content. “This game is airtight on datamining,” EpicNNG stated, explaining, “Nothing pre-or post release is in the files as of now. More credibility to this being intentional[ly] left in by a dev.”
The strong backlash against Ava in Borderlands 3 stemmed from her irritating personality, her involvement in the death of the beloved character Maya at the hands of the Calypso Twins, and her frequent immature behavior. She became, for many, the “Scrappy-Doo” of the Borderlands universe. Interestingly, a cut scene from the game hinted at a potential redemption arc, showing her coming to terms with how her choices contributed to Maya’s demise.
(An embedded YouTube video discussing Ava’s character in Borderlands 3 was originally here.)
Adding to the ongoing discussion, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford previously polled his audience on their thoughts about Ava’s potential return. The overwhelming sentiment was clearly against her inclusion in Borderlands 4.
While Ava’s future in the series is still uncertain, it has been confirmed that Moxxi’s daughter, Ellie, will play a significant role in Borderlands 4’s first post-launch expansion. This expansion will also introduce a brand-new Vault Hunter known as C4sh.
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