This is a historical timeline of major events of the Borderlands setting.
Eridian History[]
The exact timeline of Eridian history is unclear, so events are presented in approximate order.
- The Eridians arrive in the Six Galaxies. The first planet they settle is Nekrotafeyo.
- The Eridians discover The Destroyer, a powerful, dangerous creature capable of eventually destroying the entire universe.
- To cage The Destroyer, the Eridians begin the construction of a planet-sized Vault (Pandora) with an equally large Vault Key in orbit (Elpis).
- As part of the Eridian's plan, a false Vault is created on Pandora to lure in those who seek to open the Vault and feed them to the Destroyer. This false Vault is eventually opened at the end of Borderlands.
- Numerous other Vaults are constructed throughout space, some defended by colossal creatures like The Graveward. A portion of these vaults are technological treasure troves. Others are designed to train future intelligent creatures who may have to battle the Destroyer themselves.
- Artificial creatures called Guardians are constructed by the Eridians to safeguard the vaults.
- Civil war breaks out between the Eridians in favor of capturing The Destroyer and those opposed to the plan, who attempt to destroy Pandora. Those Eridians supporting the plan eventually win through the use of a creature known as The Warrior.
- The Eridians' plan is put into action: The Destroyer is lured to Pandora using the entire race as bait. The siren Nyriad utilizes her powers to transfer the life force of every Eridian to The Pyre of the Stars on Nekrotafeyo, which locks The Destroyer away in the Vault of Pandora.
- Nyriad returns to Nekrotafeyo to record her story and die in a Vault, where her siren powers will be contained instead of allowed to pass to another. Millenia later these powers find their way to the Calypso Twins.[note 1]
Human History[]
All dates are relative to New Tales from the Borderlands.
The Colonial Era (320 - 107 years ago)[]
- Humanity discovers faster-than-light travel and colonizes many planets in multiple star systems over several hundred years, all under a single central government.
Revolt of the Corporations (107 - 71 y.a.)[]
- Major megacorporations revolt against humanity's central government.
The Thirty-Year Accord (69 y.a.)[]
- An alliance of megacorporations achieves victory over the government and appoint themselves the new rulers of humanity.
- Twenty-six megacorporations sign a trade and defense agreement called the Thirty-Year Accord.
The Corporate Wars (68 - 59 y.a.)[]
- War breaks out between the megacorporations less than four months after the signing of the Thirty-Year Accord.
- The Corporate Wars end with the victorious corporations—all weapons manufacturers—absorbing the others. This includes Atlas, Dahl, Hyperion, Jakobs, Maliwan, S&S Munitions, Tediore, Torgue, and Vladof. Jakobs, uniquely among the surviving companies, avoids open hostilities, instead barricading itself on its headquarters of Eden-6 for the war's duration.
Discovery of the first vault (37 y.a.)[]
An in-universe dramatization of Typhon DeLeon's discovery
- Typhon DeLeon discovers the first Vault, and Vault Key, on Promethea. Rather than opening it himself, he chooses to sell the location and key to the Atlas corporation.
- Atlas reverse-engineers the advanced Eridian technology found in the Vault on Promethea, greatly advancing their weapon designs, increasing their corporate profits, and becoming the dominant megacorporation.
Discovery of Eridian ruins on Pandora (35 y.a.)[]
- The discovery of Eridian ruins on Pandora leads the Atlas corporation to occupy the planet in search of a new Vault.
Atlas abandons Pandora (29 y.a.)[]
- Atlas abandons Pandora after six years of fruitless search for a new Vault. Many colonists are left behind. Life on the planet becomes increasingly difficult without corporate support.
Dahl on Pandora (24 y.a.)[]
- Dahl occupies Pandora, openly for eridium mining, but discreetly in search of the Vault Atlas never found themselves.
The Crackening (15 y.a.)[]
- Dahl operations to mine methane deposits on Pandora's moon Elpis end in a disaster that comes to be known as "The Crackening". Colonists who can flee the now-airless moon do, but Dahl leaves many of its military and workers unwillingly behind, including prisoners brought to Elpis as labor.
Dahl abandons Pandora (14 y.a.)[]
- Dahl abandons Pandora having never found a Vault, as Atlas had before it. And as Dahl did with Elpis, they leave behind settlements, equipment, unwilling employees, and imported prison labor.
Borderlands: Origins (13 y.a.)[]
Borderlands (13-12 y.a.)[]
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel [flashbacks] (11 y.a.)[]
Borderlands 2 (10 y.a.)[]
- Borderlands 2
- Natural Selection Annex (DLC)
- Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty (DLC)
- Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage (DLC)
- Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt (DLC)
- Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep (DLC)
- Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack Two: Digistruct Peak Challenge (DLC)
- T.K. Baha's Bloody Harvest (DLC)
- The Horrible Hunger of the Ravenous Wattle Gobbler (DLC)
- How Marcus Saved Mercenary Day (DLC)
- Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre (DLC)
- Sir Hammerlock vs. the Son of Crawmerax (DLC)
Tales from the Borderlands and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel [frame story] (9 y.a.)[]
- Tales from the Borderlands
Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary (9 y.a.)[]
Borderlands 3 (1 y.a.)[]
New Tales from the Borderlands (present day)[]
See Also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ This is implied to be the result of their birth on Nekrotafeyo and/or their parents' opening of the vault there, but this isn't stated outright.
References[]
- Barba, Rick. The Worlds of Borderlands. pp. 12-15, 60-71.