Small Details You Missed In Apex Legends Lore

Apex Legends, the surprise hit from Respawn Entertainment, is something of a genre bender. Part battle royale, part hero shooter, the focus on Legends, pre-defined heroes with unique abilities, distinguishes it from similar games on the market. Despite this difference, you won't find most of the Apex lore in the game itself, but through supplemental material released by the developer. 

Much like the gameplay and customization options, the Apex lore is still bare-boned. Despite the lack of content, if you look closely enough, you can find interesting details scattered throughout the official website, trailers, and character design choices. Each of the Legends has a tale to tell; as the Apex Games have developed, so have the participants' motivations, connections, and personalities. Though we know some of how the events of Apex Legends fit into the Titanfall universe, a clearer picture emerges with each update. Here are the small details you missed in the Apex Legends lore.

You could say that Anita Williams, known in the Apex Games as Bangalore, was destined to become a soldier. Born into a military family, she, her parents, and her four brothers all served in the IMC Armed Forces. Bolstered by this legacy, Anita rose to the top of her class at the IMC Military Academy, gaining a reputation for her extensive weapon knowledge. But Anita's path took an unexpected turn during a mission to the Outlands. Serving with her brother, Lieutenant Jackson Williams, on the IMS Hestia, their squad received orders to retrieve a mercenary fleet. What seemed like a straightforward assignment turned into an ambush, and their unit lost contact with IMC Headquarters upon arrival. 

Though the world assumed Jackson died during the attack, an update from Respawn on May 24 raised several red flags about the mission and Jackson's fate. Presented as an article in The Outlands Journal, the fictional publication, which includes a black box transcript from the ship, implies that the siblings and their squad were the victims of a coverup. "Surprisingly, Sgt. Williams did tell us in an un-hinged tirade that her brother was not dead," says the report. "Does she know something this transcript doesn't tell us? Is the truth about Lieutenant Williams' death far more sinister?" Though the lore update raises more questions than answers, some fans believe the entry hints at the addition of Bangalore's brother as a playable character to the roster.

Though the identity of Bloodhound remains one of Apex Legends' best-kept secrets, details in their bio and gameplay hint at their true origin and affiliation. As revealed on the official website, Bloodhound openly worships Earth's Old Norse Gods, a fact supported by their kit. The tactical ability Eye of the Allfather references Odin, divine patron of rulers and outlaws, and leader of the Aesir within the Norse pantheon. Bloodhound's raven companion serves as another reference to the Allfather, who had two raven familiars: Hugin and Munin. These beings would fly around the world each day, spying for their master and bringing him the latest news.

Bloodhound's voice lines further solidify their ties. During their introduction trailer, they use the term "slatra," which translates to "slaughter" in Icelandic. During gameplay, Bloodhound calls enemies "andskoti," an Icelandic curse word used to call someone a "devil" or "bastard" that literally translates to "someone who shoots at you." Bloodhound also refers to their raven and teammates as "felagi," another Icelandic word with Old Norse roots meaning "companion" or "comrade." The hunter speaks with what Respawn seems to have intended as an Icelandic dialect, though a poor imitation of one according to some players.

If you've read through Bloodhound's official biography, you might have noticed that Respawn uses they/them pronouns to describe the character. Though many fans assumed the developer made this choice to help to obscure their identity, tweets from voice actress Allegra Clark have revealed that Bloodhound identifies as non-binary. "There's been some back and forth on the subj, but Bloodhound, through my recording process, has always been NB with they/them pronouns," said Clark. "This distinction might not be important to you, and that's fine! But it's important to others, so please be respectful and use neutral pronouns."

During an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun in February 2019, Apex Legends community manager Jay Frechette confirmed Clark's statement, reinforcing Respawn's dedication to diversity and representation. "Our studio is comprised of a diverse group of people, the playerbase of battle royale is comprised of a diverse group," explained Frechette. "Having a diverse cast is super important. You want everyone to have someone they can connect to." Bloodhound is one of two confirmed LGBTQ characters within Apex Legends, a notoriously under-represented group in the gaming world. Gibraltar is the second. According to his backstory, his parents had to rescue him and his boyfriend from a mudslide after they took his father's motorcycle for a joyride.

Like Bloodhound, you can learn a lot about Gibraltar's roots and inspirations by examining his character design, vocabulary, and speech. Though Respawn has stated that the shielded protector comes from Solace, a Frontier planet, his style draws heavily upon South Pacific island cultures. According to some fans, he speaks with a Hawaiian dialect, while the tribal design on his clothing is Samoan. When chosen, the Legend performs the haka, a Maori ceremonial dance. He also appears to wield a patu, a short-handled club used by the Maori. 

The name Gibraltar references the Rock of Gibraltar, also known simply as the Rock. Based on Gibraltar's features and nature, this may be a sly tribute to wrestler turned actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who is half-Samoan. Confused by the blend of cultures, a fan reached out to Branscombe Richmond, Gibraltar's voice actor, on Instagram for clarification. Richmond allegedly responded, saying: "All. South Pacific islander. The whole South Pacific." Given that Gibraltar hails from a fictional planet, it's not surprising that Respawn drew upon multiple real-world cultures for inspiration, a common practice in fantasy writing.

Elliott Witt, better known as Mirage, is the darling of the Apex Games. Charming and intelligent, he has won the adoration of audiences across the Outlands with his quips and clever maneuvers. Hidden behind this charismatic facade, however, you'll find a core of loss and loneliness. The youngest of four brothers, Elliott did everything he could to stand out. When all of his siblings went missing during the Frontier War, he threw himself into his work, developing holo devices with his engineer mother, to whom he grew very attached.

Dazzled by stories of wealth and glory, Elliott entered the Apex Games with his mother's encouragement and one of her custom-built holo devices in his possession. Despite his success, the trickster continues to crave attention. His Dating Service Profile, a supplementary post shared by Respawn, mentions that most of his friends have died. This dark revelation appears amidst desperately cheerful pleas for someone to like him. "You can follow your dreams," implores Witt. "I'll be a stay-at-home dad. Not that I want to settle down. I don't. Do I ...? I don't know ... maybe?" No matter how much money and fame Mirage earns in the arena, he remains a lonely man who longs for true connection and will say or become what he needs to get it. 

Octane has earned a reputation for his death-defying moves in the arena, yet had Lifeline not come to his aid, he might have lived out his remaining days crippled. The bored heir to the Silva Pharmaceuticals fortune, Octavio Silva entertained himself by performing increasingly dangerous stunts and posting videos of his antics online. Chasing ever-greater adrenaline highs, these stunts came to a jarring halt when he used a grenade to propel himself across the finish line of a local Gauntlet. He set the course record but dealt irreparable damage to his legs in the process.

Faced with the bad news, Octavio turned to his old friend, Ajay Che aka Lifeline, for assistance. Laying on the guilt, he persuaded her to forge an order to replace his damaged legs with bionic ones. Gaining the ability to repair his limbs in an instant, Octavio decided his days performing petty stunts on the internet were over and set his sights on the Apex Games. For better or worse, without Lifeline's intervention, the legendary Octane would have remained a pipe dream.

Octane is not the only competitor who ended up in the arena following the interference of another Legend. Pathfinder, the loveable robotic scout, has spent decades searching for his mysterious creator after booting up in an abandoned laboratory. This search has led down several dead-ends, as many people realized they could exploit his good nature and desire for knowledge for personal gain.

As revealed in a supplementary memory log, Pathfinder's quest brought him to a public house where the patrons offered him information in exchange for free labor. Seeing that the customers were taking advantage of the robot's ignorance, the young bartender, Elliott Witt, suggested that he compete in the Apex Games. By becoming a Legend, Pathfinder could distinguish himself and use his newfound status to hunt down his creator. Thrilled by the prospect to better pursue his goal and make some new friends, Pathfinder jumped at the opportunity.

Though she possesses powerful space-time manipulation abilities, Wraith's past and true identity remain a mystery, even to herself. Years before claiming a spot as a Legend in the arena, Wraith woke up in an IMC Detention Facility for the Mentally Ill with no memories of her life before. The subject of experimentation, she escaped the facility under the guidance of a mysterious voice. Determined to uncover the truth of what happened to her, Wraith joined the Apex Games, using the competition to gain access to old research facilities.

Wraith's search for answers continues; however, Respawn has incorporated some key hints about her past into her character design. As some fans have pointed out, Wraith has a tenth-generation Titan Pilot emblem embroidered on her chest, implying that she has regenerated ten times. During the regeneration process, a Pilot's body is refreshed, granting them combat enhancements at the cost of some memory loss. It's possible that Wraith underwent a botched or unfinished regeneration, resulting in her amnesia. The presence of the Hammond Industries logo, the company behind the regeneration program, on her jumpkit further supports this theory.

Respawn has hidden a possible reference to the next Legend slated to join the Apex Legends roster in plain sight. The newspaper shown during the opening cinematic of the game references Natalie Paquette, the daughter of the Games' late Lead Electrical Engineer, under the heading "Challengers rush to be the next Apex Legend." This article also talks about Octavio Silva, aka Octane, the Legend revealed in Season 1.

Leaks point towards the next Legend being called Wattson and that she will have electricity-based abilities, which would fit with an electrical engineer's daughter. As a fan pointed out on Reddit, Respawn may have also teased Natalie in the final moments of the Official Deep Dive Trailer. The scene shows two figures standing in a doorway. The individual on the left, who stands further into the room, was later revealed to be Octane. The second figure who stands further back, and whose design seems to match datamined concept art, may prove to be Wattson.