Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsfeatures some standout characters, but a few only exist inside of Tina’s fictional world. Wastard, for example, could not appear inside of theBorderlandsuniverse, as he is only a figment of Tina’s imagination. Likewise, while theDragon Lord’s tragic backstorymakes him a memorable villain that many would like to see again, he too is just someone that Tina made up from scratch for her campaign.
The same cannot be said for theTiny Tina’s Wonderlandscharacters Frette and Valentine, as these two are very much real and exist outside of The Wonderlands. After Valentine crashes the ship that they were using to get around, the two find themselves in Tina’s cave playing Bunkers and Badasses. With theseBorderlandscharacters being real and not figments of Tina’s imagination, they are free to appear in the mainlineBorderlandsseries, and they absolutely should.
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Why Frette and Valentine Returning is The Right Move
Both Frette and Valentine add a lot toTiny Tina’s Wonderlands, as it is hard to imagine the story being as funny without them. The former’s focus on following the rules and the latter’s willingness to break them leads to some excellent exchanges, and the two add some different kinds of humor than what players might be used to fromBorderlands. While it would have been nice to seeLilith and Mordecaiagain, it was good to hear some fresh voices and opinions on Tina’s campaign.
Bringing Valentine and Frette back could open some interesting storytelling opportunities as well. WithTiny Tina’s Wonderlandstaking place shortly afterBorderlands 2, andBorderlands 3happening seven years after that game, there is no telling what the pair has been up to. Not only couldGearboxkeep tellingTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsstories between those game, but it could be fun to see how Frette and Valentine have changed over the years.
Bringing back Frette and Valentine inBorderlands 4or eventhe upcomingTales from theBorderlands 2could provide an opportunity for character development. Frette could be a bit more carefree and understanding of human culture, while Valentine could be more patient and careful - while still maintaining his goofy charm. Though Frette would obviously not have changed much over the years, Valentine would be a bit older, allowing for an updated character model.
The only thing working against the idea of a Frette and Valentine comeback is that celebrity actors played theseTiny Tina’s Wonderlandscharacters. Wanda Sykes and Andy Samberg surely have busy schedules, so bringing them in to voice their respective characters whenever Gearbox wants to use them could prove difficult. While the developer could always recast Frette and Valentine, thecontroversy around Rhys’ actorbeing changed shows why this would be a questionable move. Further, both actors nailed their parts, bringing their characters to life and making them stand out.
Hopefully, Gearbox is able to bring back Wanda Sykes and Andy Samberg in the future, as the two were integral to Frette and Valentine working as well as they did. These characters were hilarious and interesting, and it would be great to learn more about them going forward. Considering how lovableTiny Tinais, it would make sense for her to have plenty of friends beyond the B Team. Bringing back Frette and Valentine will show that this is the case while also giving them an opportunity to interact with otherBorderlandscharacters that fans love.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
