By Although her role in Borderlands 3 was quite substantial, Ava has received the Jar-Jar Binks treatment in Borderlands 4, where she appears to be nearly completely marginalized. Amara, another returning character from the previous main installment, is enlisted to care for Ava’s needs, who has been off adventuring for several months before the story begins.
Where could Ava be? There’s no clarity. She exists somewhere else, sparking numerous theories regarding Gearbox‘s reasoning and what it may signify. There’s an increasing sentiment that Amara’s role is more than just convenient storytelling, suggesting she has been inserted into Ava’s role within the narrative.
Alert: Spoilers follow. The primary illustration, according to a tweet on Twitter, is a moment in Borderlands 4 where Amara employs a protective shield around the other characters, mirroring Ava’s abilities in the previous game. The identical power serves the same function, but coming from a different character. It certainly appears rather coincidental.
Some discussions regarding this topic prompted Borderlands content creator and dataminer EpicNNG to disclose information suggesting Eva was once in the latest looter-shooter, but has since been removed. Several files still found in the code include Ava’s name, indicating she was meant to share moments with Zane and utilize her bubble technique – notably similar to what Amara uses.
Alright I guess we’re gonna talk about it:AVA WAS CUT FROM BORDERLANDS 4There 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… https://t.co/QF8ESnQp0p pic.twitter.com/tBoVNJ8hpqOctober 6, 2025
EpicNNG asserts that no additional references to Ava are present, yet speculates these files may hint at her participation in DLC, though confirming this is currently impossible. Ava has become a contentious topic within the Borderlands community since the release of the third installment due to specific decisions made regarding her character.
Gearbox leader Randy Pitchford conducted a poll on Twitter questioning whether the developers should reintroduce the cast from Borderlands 3 for 4, present a completely new team, or opt for a combination. The combination won, and when he inquired specifically about Ava, he received a fervent reply.
The audience remains divided on whether she warrants a redemption arc, with some factions eager to forget her having their concerns addressed. However, given the potential discovery that Ava was excluded at some point during development, fans have expressed dissatisfaction at not receiving her complete narrative, with a hopeful glimmer in DLC. YouTuber and passionate Borderlands enthusiast SpeakingLions boldly proclaims: “Ava deserved a narrative arc. Characters should evolve, be permitted to mature, make mistakes, AND exist beyond the whims of an outraged internet mob. I adore Amara. If this holds true, I genuinely feel we were deprived of a quintessential story.”
“Hopefully she resurfaces in a DLC, where she can demonstrate her growth since 3,” another comments. “Though honestly, her being a principal character in the main narrative would have been more effective (but I also cherish Amara, so I’m conflicted).”
In conclusion, it appears that Ava may have had a more significant part in Borderlands 4 prior to being considerably reduced. If you’d like to witness her return, you might need to communicate that desire to Gearbox.