You’ve seen the hype, you’ve seen the reactions – but what about the Easter eggs? They’re not all obvious, so here are the five most obscure Easter eggs hidden in the Borderlands movie.
We might as well address the elephant in the room… Borderlands already isn’t having a great time in theaters. The new movie debuted with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 0% (ouch), with fans slamming it as a “disaster” and the “worst movie of the year.”
But it’s not all bad! Director Eli Roth has explained why the film is its own canon, and also hinted that we could see more characters further down the line (*ahem* Mordecai, Handsome Jack).
However, what about what we’ve already seen? There are a number of very obvious Easter eggs – around 40, to be exact – but not all of them are as easy to spot. Here are the five you’re most likely to have missed in the Borderlands movie. Obviously, spoilers ahead.
Krom
Okay, so it was no secret that Krom was going to appear in the Borderlands movie after casting announcements were reported in 2021. However, the Easter egg is Krom himself – it’s not the fact he’s a character, it’s how he appears.
Long-time fans might notice that film Krom and video game Krom are two completely different characters. In the games, he appears as you see him above, previously working as a prison warden before becoming a bandit leader.
The action movie version of Krom is still a prison warden, wearing a black helmet rather than his trademark face mask. We’re introduced to him working alongside Atlas as Lilith tries to find the second key for the vault.
Bloodshot Stronghold references
While looking for the keys to open the vault – though they’re not going to get very far, but they don’t know that yet – the group enters a classic Borderlands 2 location, the Caustic Caverns.
It’s a recognizable setting, but what might not have been noticed were references to Bloodshot Stronghold during these scenes. Bloodshots and Raiders are both referenced during the gang’s adventures.
You’ll also see references to Psychos, a villain who has an unhealthy obsession with the Vault.
Psychos are a huge difficulty for players to overcome in Bloodshot Stronghold during Borderlands 2, while Raiders are another fast-moving enemy… though they’re not really going anywhere in the film’s plot.
Lectra City
The Lectra City Easter egg in Borderlands is almost a red herring – but listen closely and it is mentioned in passing.
Before Lilith lands back on Pandora, she’s operating as a lone ranger. It’s clear that she likes to keep her distance from those who employ her, but if the pay is good, she’s there.
When Atlas comes to find her and get her on the Tiny Tina case, she’s seen on Promethea — a prominent Borderlands 3 location.
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While at a bar, Lilith mentions a big bounty from a previous heist she’d done, and her description matches that of Lectra City.
It’s another location found in Borderlands 3, though not quite as prominent as Promethea.
Claptrap’s greatest enemy
Class clown Claptrap provides the biggest dose of toilet humor in the Borderlands movie, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have his own personal issues.
Claptrap has been programmed to help Lilith on her journey if she ever came back to Pandora, and he’s lying in wait for her. But a franchise in-joke that follows through the movie is Claptrap’s fear of stairs.
Whether he’s booted down them by Roland or perplexed at how to get up them, it seems strange to the untrained eye that we’re always seeing the one-eyed robot face off against his non-living nemesis.
This all stems from Borderlands 2, where players try to confront Handsome Jack, with Claptrap talking the entire way there. That all changes when you’re confronted with stairs – though Borderlands 3 goes some way to proving he can climb them after all.
The Destroyer
What is lurking in the vault? According to the Borderlands movie, we’re not too sure. Lilith rescues Tina from the vault after Atlas tries to hold her hostage there, and something drags him into the darkness as punishment.
The vault then gets sealed back up, and nobody really comments on the fact a potentially massive life force is hiding down there too.
In Borderlands 1, this shakes out differently. Once the vault is open, the lifeforce is named as The Destroyer, who emerges and kills villain Commandant Steele in an instant, alongside her team.
Players then kill The Destroyer on site, before sealing the vault back up for good.
Borderlands is in cinemas now. Find out more about the Borderlands movies and game differences and everything we know about Borderlands 4.
You can also find the latest updates on Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and new movies streaming this month.