Forget Pickle, Borderlands 4’s Mad Ellie DLC is Bringing Back One of the Series’ Oldest Characters

The Borderlands franchise has no shortage of memorable characters, with many hopeful that their favorites will eventually return through Borderlands 4’s DLC content. The Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned expansion seems to be getting the ball rolling in this regard, as in addition to the return of Moxxi’s vehicle-loving daughter, Mancubus Bloodtooth is coming back. The fan favorite host of the lodge featured in Borderlands 3’s excellent Guns, Love, and Tentacles DLC won many over for his silly voice and strange mannerisms, and he’s a perfect fit for another horror-focused experience. However, Ellie and Mancubus aren’t alone, as a controversial character (and a niche but memorable figure) have also been confirmed for the DLC: Pickle and Crazy Earl.

Pickle is… an interesting Borderlands character to say the least. Having only appeared in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, this 10-year-old Australian was the definition of a love-him-or-hate-him figure. Some found him unfunny, annoying, and grating, looking at him as a failed attempt to recapture the success of the now-iconic Tiny Tina. Others viewed him as a charming addition that they wanted to see grow older as the series progressed. While Lilith “firehawking” Elpis had many wondering about the character’s fate, regardless of what camp they fell into, they now know he’s alive and well. He’ll feature prominently in Borderlands 4’s Mad Ellie story missions, and while it remains to be seen if Gearbox can win over his haters with the new content, the studio will likely have an easier time with fellow returning character Crazy Earl.

Who is Borderlands’ Crazy Earl?

Voiced by none other than Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, Crazy Earl was a vendor or quest-giver in every single Borderlands game prior to Borderlands 4. Like his name suggests, he’s unhinged, and he’ll regularly shout Zelda references, remark about his fingers rotting off, or mention his lone fear of cotton balls. He’s also, apparently, resorted to cannibalism in the past. Players only ever see Earl’s head in the Borderlands franchise, as he peaks through the hole of a metal door he hides behind in locations that range from Elpis to Sanctuary. He’s taken on the following roles across the games:

• Borderlands: Quest-giver for main and side quests.
• Borderlands 2: Vendor, trading Eridium for vendor and bank slots.
• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel: Vendor, trading Eridium for vendor and bank slots.
• Borderlands 3: Vendor, trading Eridium for currency.
• Borderlands 4: ???

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Crazy Earl is a memorable and strange NPC that hardcore fans will remember well, though casual players are likely to forget about him. After all, he has never appeared in a cutscene, only impacting the main plot of the original Borderlands game. Still, there’s a chance for the Vault of the Damned to give him his biggest role yet, as the animation quality for the close-up on his eye (around 20 seconds into the trailer) is quite high. This suggests he could get an appearance in a cinematic or a splash screen, which would certainly be fun to see.

What Could Crazy Earl’s Role Be in Borderlands 4’s Vault of the Damned Expansion?

There are a few paths that Gearbox could take with Crazy Earl in this upcoming expansion. The first would bring things full circle, with him impacting the main story somehow. Perhaps he could be revealed as some otherworldy creature, explaining why he hid behind a door for so long and why he’s returning in a spooky expansion. The other (and more likely) option is to make Crazy Earl a vendor like he’s been for over a decade. In addition to new Pearlescent gear and Legendary weapons for players to chase in the DLC, there will be 28 cosmetics available, from heads and skins to weapon camos and ECHO-4 items. Perhaps Crazy Early could trade this cosmetic loot for Eridium just like he did in Borderlands 3, which would give Eridium another purpose in BL4, something it desperately needs since players usually have more than they need for the rerolls and boss re-runs it’s currently used for. No matter how Earl is used, though, seeing him again in this expansion is sure to provide a nice little burst of nostalgia.