The Borderlands games are no strangers to jokes, pop culture references, and witty writing – and Borderlands 3 has plenty more to offer. This page will catalogue all instances of easter eggs and references found in Borderlands 3.
Other Borderlands 3 Guides:
Borderlands 3 Easter Eggs and References
Moze’s makes mid-combat references to Ariana Grande and John Wick
During combat every character has mid-combat lines. Moze the Gunner says things like Thank You, Next – a reference to Ariana Grande’s hit single of the same name – and “Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back”
Captain Zane America
Many of the skills you can choose from in a character’s Skill Tree can offer a bit of flavor text to go along with the skill’s description – but one skill in particular hides a Marvel reference.
Zane’s Quick Breather skill allows him to instantly recharge is shield and get back into the fight, and provides the flavor text “I can do this all day”. This is a recurring line spoken by Captain America in the Marvel movies who also brings an iconic shield into battle with him.
Buckler Nova Berner Shield (Bernie Sanders Reference)
This shield is one of the Legendary Weapons in Borderlands 3 and its red text effect is “Feel the Bern.” This is no typo. Bern is short for Bernie Sanders, a US Senator who ran for presidential office. “Feel the bern” was a slogan popularized by supporter of Bernie Sanders during the 2016 Presidential Election.
Speedloadin’ Hellwalker is the DOOM Shotgun
As one of the many legendary weapons that can be found in the game, Speedloadin’ Hellwalker is a Jakobs branded, double-barrelled shotgun that looks an awful lot like the beloved shotgun used by the DOOM guy. Speedloadin’ Hellwalker behaves like you’d expect a shotgun to behave, but with a neat twist. When you fire the weapon, you get a brief sound of a sick guitar shred. Also, the weapon’s bullet spread pattern also represents a devilish symbol.
Wick and Warty are Rick and Morty
Meet Wick and Warty. The name sounds extremely similar to Rick and Morty, a popular animated tv show starring a drunk scientist and his grandson going on intergalactic and dimensional adventures (the portal gun is a staple here).
Wick and Warty can be found in Lectra City on Prometha. Killing them during the Wick and Warty Side Mission will earn you some serious loot. For how to find them yourselves be sure to check out our Wick and Warty Side Mission guide.
The Mines of Moria
There is a side mission in Borderlands 3 on Pandora that will take you through an abandoned mine. At a certain point in the mission, you’ll upon a room that might appear familiar. Yep, it’s meant to be the resting place of Balin, a character in The Hobbit who is mentioned in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Instead of an actual coffin containing the late dwarf you’ll find a loot chest with nothing particular of interest inside, though if you continue the mission you’ll pick up a quest object near a well and will hear the sound of a skeleton falling down the well. Also you totally fight a gigantic Balrog.
Splodeo’s Cereal, made by Torque (weapon manufacturer)
Boxes of Splodeo’s, the official cereal of the Torgue weapon manufacturer, can be found all over the game. When you see these boxes sitting on a shelf or tucked in a corner, give it a bullet. Shooting these boxes of cereal will trigger a short guitar solo every time you hit it. You can do this about three or four times before the box is destroyed. Be warned though. Boxes of Splodeo’s found mixed in loot piles on the ground cannot be shot for this effect.
Moxxi’s Tip Jar leads to weapons and sexual innuendos
A small little jar on the counter at the bar on Sanctuary can be used to give Moxxi a cash tip to express your appreciation for… whatever it is she does. If you spam the jar with loads of money, Moxxi will eventually give you weapons. She sends you these via mail, so open your Social menu and accept the gifts. The weapons are unique and will always be accompanied with sexual innuendos in the flavor text.
Half-Life (Freeman rocket launcher)
The aptly named Freeman, a rocket launcher made by the Atlas Corporation, is a clear reference to the weapon that can be found in the Half-Life series. In Borderlands 3, the rockets fired from the weapon are player controlled. (sound up of gameplay)
Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey is a show about the Crawley Family. This Varkid that you can find on Pandora is pretty much the entire Crawley Family packed in to one. When you deplete its health, it cocoons itself then emerges as two more from the Crawley Family and does this a few times before the fight eventually comes to an end. Don’t forget to notice the ridiculous moustaches and top hats these little buggers are sporting.
Mother of Grogans is the Mother of Dragons from Game of Thrones
Have you ever just been looting randomly placed chests in a sewer and then suddenly a mother of grogans just pops up out of nowhere and sicks her fire breathing Rakks on you? Yeah happens all the time. When you travel down this optional area on Eden-6, you’ll come across a not so subtle Game of Thrones reference as Mother of Grogans, the Uncorroded, Queen of the Sewer Kingdom appears before you and sicking her three dragon-like Rakks that’ll spit fire at you if you’re not careful.
Heckle and Hyde are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
This one isn’t too subtle, considering their names. These two Goliaths are hiding out in Jakobs Estate tucked away in a corner awaiting you. Heckle and Hyde also happen to be a part of Zero’s Wanted list found in his quarters on Sanctuary. Kill them for some additional loot and XP.
Pain and Terror are Pen and Teller
These two are much more on the nose than Heckle and Hyde. Instead of Pen and Teller, we’ve got Pain and Terror. Pain is clearly modeled after Pen and it’s quite clear Pen also provides V.O. for the character. But the real star here is Teller’s excellent voicework provided for his video game counterpart, Terror.
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