Image: Respawn
Respawn has released an animated video that dives into the backstory of its latest playable Legend.
The roster of Apex Legends’ playable characters is once again expanding with Catalyst, a trans, “terraformer and defensive conjurer.” Catalyst AKA Tressa Smith will join the game in November when Respawn launches a new season of content titled Apex Legends: Eclipse.
The developer revealed Catalyst via a new Stories From the Outlands lore video:
Catalyst will be the battle royale game’s 23rd playable Legend overall, not counting more recent additions exclusive to Apex Legends Mobile. According to Respawn, she’s an ”experienced,” defensive conjurer who, “uses her remarkable control of ferrofluid to manipulate the battlefield.” Respawn is keeping her abilities vague in the leadup to her full reveal over the next few weeks, but you can safely expect a Legend who’s more interested in defending her team than taking down enemies.
Catalyst’s Stories from the Outlands video is interesting, because it provides little to no reason why she’s joined the Apex Games in the first place - or what exactly she’s bringing to her team in battle. Instead of shedding light on her powers, the video looks into her life on the planet Boreas, where a corporation called Hammond Robotics threatens the stability of the nearby moon Cleo. After her friend Margot entices her into committing some light eco-terrorism, Hammond Robotics seemingly kills Margot and the duo fail to save Cleo from harm.
The animated video doesn’t tell us much about Catalyst's abilities, but its purpose might instead be to flesh out Cleo, a now-broken moon that seems to be the setting of next season’s map. Apex Legends: Eclipse is set to introduce a new Legend and map, along with a new gifting system that allows players to buy skins for each other. Rumour has it that this season won't introduce a new weapon, making it the second season in a row the game has gone without new additions to the Legends' arsenal. The 15th season launches on November 1, 2022.
If this year’s massive Apex Legend leak is any indication, Catalyst will have one of the most unique ability kits of any Legend in the roster thus far. Instead of having damage-dealing abilities, her powers revolve around manipulating a magnetic substance called ferrofluid to create platforms and ramps for her team to parkour around in the environment. Her leaked Ultimate ability allows her to create a tall tower out of nothing, giving her team an immediate vertical advantage in combat.
