Apex Legends: Eclipse Will Bring A New, Defense-Focused Character Named Catalyst

The 15th season for "Apex Legends," titled Eclipse, is slated to go live on November 1, 2022, and there are three major things being added to the long-standing free-to-play Battle Royale. There's going to be a new map called Boreas' Shadow, a name that reminded some of the leaked "moon" map from an "Apex Legends" leak in early 2022, as well as a new system that lets players gift items to each other via the in-game store. The addition on most players' minds, though, is this season's obligatory new legend: Catalyst, who was also named in leaks earlier this year.

Catalyst is described as a defensive legend, placing her in the company of legends like Gibraltar, Wattson, Rampart, Newcastle, and Caustic. Each of these "Apex Legends" characters has a different definition of what it means to be a defender, but defensive legends tend to be good at holding areas and controlling the battlefield — Gibraltar and Caustic's ultimate abilities are good examples of how offensive abilities can really work defensively. Though we don't know much about Catalyst's abilities, thanks to a video highlighting her past, we know a bit about who she is beneath all the inky black ferrofluid.

In the "Apex Legends: Stories from the Outlands" chapter "Last Hope," Respawn reveals some broad details on Catalyst's history. Brought up in an unnamed settlement beneath the specter of a shattered moon, Tressa Smith and her friends are shown talking about how it "cries out for help." After two of her friends leave, Tressa is left alone with her friend Margo, who invites her to go look at the moon Cleo. It is revealed here that Tressa is a trans woman, who says "I feel like the whole world has opened up, now that I'm myself" after Margo says "this suits you." They then compare the shattered moon to their settlement, and Margo reveals a dangerous plan to "save Cleo."

Tressa and Margo go down the hill towards a Hammond Robotics facility, who Margo says is trying to "consume" their moon, and the pair break through the outer fence. They avoid searchlights and dash across the facility, then Tressa becomes entranced by ferrofluid rushing by and reaches out her hand to feel it. In this moment of distraction, Margo begins her true plan: to blow up the facility once and for all. Tressa tells Margo to stop, then an enforcer suddenly appears behind the duo. Tressa pulls an assailant into the ferrofluid before Margo gets dragged away right before the explosion triggers. The scene cuts back to Catalyst and Rampart, where Catalyst says she's in the Apex Games to protect her moon.

Her passive ability, called Reinforce by leaker SWL, strengthens doors, destructible terrain, and player-placed objects like Caustic's gas tanks, Newcastle's and Rampart's shield walls around Catalyst. Her tactical ability, supposedly called Resin Shot, lets her construct ramps out of ferrofluid on a three-charge limit, ramps that can be destroyed by damage and buffed by her passive Reinforce ability. Catalyst's ultimate ability, called Ferro Wall, lets her construct a veritable tower of ferrofluid at the target location, including at her feet, which can give a huge height advantage in places where there might not normally be one. 

The "Apex Legends" site for the Eclipse season describes Catalyst as an "experienced terraformer and defensive conjurer" who uses ferrofluid to manipulate her surroundings. Though EA and Respawn have yet to officially reveal the toolkit she has to work with, leaks have all but confirmed the newest character and her abilities. Oriented around manipulating the battlefield, Catalyst's tactical and ultimate create new structures on demand, while her passive makes other destructible objects much more resilient to damage. 

By all appearances, Catalyst is a legend who will excel on a squad with other defensive types on every "Apex Legends" map. Her tactical and ultimate may take some getting used to, though, especially when friendly fire can reportedly break these constructs just like enemy damage.