Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment released the latest episode in its Stories From The Outlands series today, finally unveiling Season 17’s debut legend, Ballistic. Titled Encore, the animated short introduces players to August “Ballistic” Brinkman, a former champion of the Thunderdome. The Thunderdome Games were a bloodsport held on Kings Canyon, and served as a precursor to the Apex Games. There is, however, one major difference between the two competitions: When a competitor died in the Thunderdome, they stayed dead.
This is revealed to be a major reason why August eventually chose to retire–the new episode reveals that Brinkman’s love for attention and in-game “peacocking” lead to the death of a member of his squad, and he swore the Games off for good. Well, almost for good. “Encore” depicts a possibly drunken, definitely depressed August watching an OTV newscast about his failed career, eventually smashing his drink into the television in a fit of rage. But things quickly change when the news story reveals that his son, Nathaniel, is now joining the games.
After suiting up in combat gear (and, evidently, getting a slick new haircut), August storms the facility where Syndicate leader and Silva Pharmaceuticals CEO Torres Silva is working, knocking out Syndicate security personnel left and right. Eventually, he drags a member of the security team into Silva’s office, knocks him unconscious, and holds Torres (who goes by “Duardo”) at gunpoint. August tells Torres that they’re going to make a deal: August will join the Apex Games–something sure to raise their television ratings–on the condition that Silva kicks Nathaniel out of the Games entirely. Silva agrees and, interestingly, refers to August as an “old friend,” suggesting the two have a history.