Athena
Gender	Female
Race	Human
Faction	NPC
Status	Alive
Location	Lockdown Palace (during rescue) T-Bone Junction (once rescued)
Game	Borderlands

Athena is an NPC in The Secret Armory of General Knoxx. She used to be a Lance Assassin, even claiming to be the "top operative" of the Crimson Lance and a leader of an Omega Squad, but has since defected.

Involvement

Athena realises the goals of the Vault hunters are aligned with her own and contacts them when they first enter T-Bone Junction, to propose an alliance. Her identity is initially masked, with her being referred to as an "Atlas informant" at this time. Her first errand sends the adventurers to see Scooter for further instructions. Scooter reveals that Athena is hiding in Moxxi's Red Light, but upon arriving there players learn that Athena had been kidnapped by Mr. Shank, who plans to turn her over to the Crimson Lance for the bounty on her head.

Missions

Athena then appears in T-Bone Junction after being freed from Lockdown Palace in the mission Prison Break: Try Not to Get Shanked. Once there, she offers several main story missions, and some side missions aimed at hampering the Crimson Lance efforts, as well.

Main

• Rendezvous
• Code Breaker: Analysis
• Athena Set Up Us The Bomb
• Bridging the Gap
• Armory Assault
• Loot Larceny

Side

• This Bitch is Payback
• This Bitch is Payback, pt. 2
• Knoxxed Out

Notes

• After The Secret Armory of General Knoxx is completed, Athena will offer a gun named 'Athena's Wisdom', a repeater with the flavor text 'War is the final option'.
• She was a Lance Assassin before she went AWOL. She is seen using dual plasma swords and wearing an assassin mask during the intro to the General Knoxx DLC. Also, the fifth and final recording in Knoxxed Out mentions that she assassinated the Dahl undersecretary five or more years before the events of the DLC.
• Her motivation for rebelling against the Lance is partially due to the death of her sisters whom she was "duped" into killing. She is a former member of an all female (cloned) assassin force for the clandestine military of the Atlas Corporation.^[1]
• Athena evidently possesses formidable combat skills, as she has killed a very large number of bandits, including numerous Badasses, in cramped close quarters at Moxxi's Red Light prior to ultimately being subdued and captured. Moxxi likewise comments, with regards to Athena, that "that kitty has claws". However we do not directly see her in action aside from the DLC's intro movie.
• Opening the door to Athena's former prison cell in Lockdown Palace still triggers her introductory cut-scene, even after completing the associated mission, Prison Break: Try Not to Get Shanked.

Quotes

Story Quotes:

• "Bullshit. I have choked on the disingenuous lies forged by their corporate greed my entire life and it is a meal I will no longer stomach. Atlas is here for two things: Power and revenge, and the order they do it in is irrelevant. We share a common enemy, you and I. The reward for your death is second only to mine. That alone should be reason for you to join my cause, but if it is not, and your greed precedes you, then you will gain access to all of their weapons. Their invasion stockpile will be yours. Athena out." - Intro cinematics for The Secret Armory of General Knoxx.
• "You're late. We must speak immediately but I'm afraid for my own security and therefore you must jump through a hoop or two. Talk to the mechanic, he knows where to find me. And a word of caution, don't touch him if you ever want to eat with your hands again." - Upon arriving in T-Bone Junction and after seeing Scooter.
• "An Omega-Senshu order has been issued for you. There will be 5 teams assembled to guarantee the objective is successful. That was the first. The Omegas are relentless and highly trained, the elite's elite. The only advantage you have is that their top operative recently... left their employ. Stay alert. Athena out." - After defeating Vulcana's assassin squad during Boost the Monster.
• "Your rescue is most agreeable. Thank you. But to be honest, mostly they just wanted to do my nails and talk about boys all the time. I almost sort of liked it here. They were like the sisters I never had because Atlas duped me into killing them-- Wow, that got heavy, didn't it? Nevermind. I don't have time to explain everything right now. I need the teleporter straight away. Just give me the PTD." - Cut scene upon finding Athena in Prison Break: Try Not to Get Shanked.
• "Meet me back at Scooter's. Sorry, this thing only has enough juice for one. Athena out." - After you rescue her in Lockdown Palace.
• "I've managed to use some of Scooter's equipment to mask my signal inside a promotion for a male enhancement product, so it should be safe for us to communicate by ECHO now. Athena out." - After freeing Athena upon entering The Ridgeway, preceded by an ad for Engorge.
• "Sit rep is go. Atlas has been stockpiling weapons in a base on the far side of the Fathoms, past Moxxi's. This armory is the key to their invasion plan. If we destroy it, the cost to their bottom line could jeopardize their strategy. At the very least it will buy the resistance, that is, me, time to prepare. I'll have more when you arrive. Athena out." - Later on the Ridgeway, preceded by an ad for Engorge.
• "I'm not going to waste any time. There are two objective that must be fulfilled to destroy the armory. Number 1: Construct a detonator that will send a signal to the bombs stored in the Atlas depot activating their detonation sequence. It will require my knowledge of their computer networks to gather the pieces and construct it, so that is my mission. Number 2: The access code to enter the depot was changed after I went AWOL. Acquiring the new code is your mission." - Athena's briefing for the mission Code Breaker: Analysis.
• "You should start your investigation at the Lance bunker to the north. If you infiltrate the base, you may be able to locate some record of the access code." - Upon accepting Code Breaker: Analysis.
• "Progress report: I've acquired the necessary pieces and the mission is on schedule. The detonator should be prepared by the time you have acquired the code. Athena out." - During Code Breaker: Time is Bullets.
• "My mission is accomplished. When you have the code, rendezvous at our previous location. Athena out." - Upon completing Code Breaker: Time is Bullets.
• "Good. You're here. This is the detonator. Time to take the fight to Atlas. I'll monitor your progress and provide support from here. Good luck." - After Athena Set Up Us The Bomb and before Bridging the Gap.
• "Walking in the front door of the depot is not an option. The code you acquired is for the side utility entrance. Be cautious. Athena out." - At the roadblock approaching the Crimson Armory in Road's End.
• "Thank you. With Knoxx out of the way I don't need to hide my signal anymore. Find the control room overlooking the warehouse floor. The computer interface for the detonator should be there. Athena out." - After killing General Knoxx and gaining access into the Crimson Armory in Loot Larceny.
• "Before you place the detonator, you need to expose the munitions to ensure their destruction. The controls should be nearby. Athena out." - During Loot Larceny
• "As soon as you place the detonator, the countdown will begin. I suggest you steal as much weaponry as you can carry before the timer reaches zero. Consider this payment for all of the help. Athena out." - During Loot Larceny.
• "T-minus two minutes." - During Loot Larceny, Super-Marcus Sweep and It's Like Christmas! (though Athena is not involved in the latter two missions)
• "One minute until you are a read smear on the sand. Hurry!" - During Loot Larceny, Super-Marcus Sweep and It's Like Christmas! (although Athena is not involved in the latter two missions).
• "You only have 30 seconds left." - During Loot Larceny, Super-Marcus Sweep and It's Like Christmas! (although Athena is not involved in the latter two missions)
• "10 seconds," - During Loot Larceny, Super-Marcus Sweep and It's Like Christmas! (although Athena is not involved in the latter two missions.)
• "5... 4... 3... 2... 1..." - During Loot Larceny, Super-Marcus Sweep and It's Like Christmas! (although Athena is not involved in the latter two missions).
• "I appreciate all your effort. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you. Take this. You deserve it." - Upon turning in Loot Larceny.

Idle Quotes:

• "How can I be of service?"
• "Is your mission accomplished?"
• "I need a briefing."
• "There you are. Good."
• "We've got work to do."
• "What's the sitrep?"
• "What's the situation?"
• "Dismissed!"
• "What are you waiting for? Get going."

Trivia

• In Greek mythology, Athena was a goddess of strategy, just war, and wisdom.
  • One of the Lance Assassin leaders in Wanted: Dead! is named Minerva. Minerva is the Roman name for the Goddess Athena.
• Shooting Athena will cause her to bleed, although this doesn't affect her in any other way. This differs from most un-harmable NPCs, who show sparks instead of blood when bullets impact upon them.

References

1. ↑ The Secret Armory of General Knoxx playtime (gametrailers.com)