Pathfinder (character)

Pathfinder
Details
Real Name	MRVN
Gender	Male programming
Age	76
Relatives	Dr. Amelie Paquette (creator, deceased) Dr. Conan Shelley (creator, deceased) Prof. Milly Delgado (creator, deceased) Dr. Aleki Gibraltar (creator, deceased) Dr. Anastasia Oliveira (creator, deceased) Dr. Armen Fletcher (creator, deceased) Newton Somers (creator) Dr. Ashleigh Reid (creator)
Homeworld	Psamathe
Occupation	Sous chef (formerly) Weather reporter (formerly) Window washer (formerly) Waiter (formerly) Construction worker (formerly)
Status	Alive
Real-world Info
Voice Actor	Chris Edgerly
Appearances	Season 3 Teasers The Legacy Antigen

Pathfinder is a Legend introduced at the launch of Apex Legends. A custom-built MRVN with a grappling hook, he joined the Apex Games to find his creator.

Lore

Background

In 2640, it was discovered that the Outlands were on the verge of a critical energy crisis. By most calculations, the region would be in a state of disaster by the year 2699. To avert this, philanthropist Lillian Peck assembled a team of the greatest scientists the Outlands had ever known. Banding together as “the Group,” this collection of engineers, geologists, and other great minds began research on branthium, a newly-discovered element that could prove to be the solution to the crisis, under the codename of Project: Iris.

Work remained challenging but steady until January 2, 2658, where intern Newton Somers hypothesized that their setbacks thus far were the result of their branthium refinery requiring constant recalibration - a task that was impossible for them, as the conditions inside were inhospitable to human life. While brainstorming a solution, Dr. Ashleigh Reid proposed the use of a custom-built MRVN to calibrate in their stead. The Group agreed, and they set out to begin planning and gathering components.

Development of this MRVN lasted just over a month, and was completed on February 4. They gathered materials and support from various sources, including reinforcement materials from Hammond Robotics, surgical equipment from the IMC, tools from SARAS, and financial support from Chevrex and Silva Pharmaceuticals.

Each member of the Group programmed a bit of themselves into this MRVN. These facets included medical and combat expertise from Dr. Armen Fletcher, physics knowledge from Prof. Milly Delgado, and a love of his friends from Somers. Later that day, the MRVN, christened as Pathfinder, powered on.

Pathfinder and the scientists worked hard for the next several months, with the former manning the refinery. On December 25, the first batch of branthium was completed and prepared to be delivered across the Outlands. However, before they could complete this, a contingent of mercenaries from the Apex Predators, led by the traitorous Dr. Reid, stormed the lab and subdued the scientists. Dr. Amélie Paquette, the Group’s geologist, was able to make contact with Pathfinder, who was programmed as their failsafe. She authorized Pathfinder to activate the station’s self-destruct sequence, and he departed to fight the mercenaries. He was able to make his way to the rest of the Group, but he froze in his place when Dr. Anastasia Oliveira was shot in front of him. Reid seized the opportunity, disabling the MRVN with two shots from her Mozambique. While she taunted the fallen robot, Paquette stabbed her with her own sword. With the branthium redirected to its intended destination and the mercenaries closing in, Pathfinder activated the self-destruct sequence, becoming the hero of the Outlands.

In 2700, Pathfinder awoke in an abandoned warehouse on Solace. He stowed away on transport ships to get from planet to planet, not being noticed due to seemingly just being another part of the ships’ machinery. At some point, he broke his leg and needed to earn money for repairs.

Pathfinder held a variety of odd jobs before joining the Apex Games, and was fired from most of them due to incompetence. In 2708, Pathfinder held a job as a sous chef at Tenmei, a prestigious restaurant on Olympus, having been employed after giving the staff a “provincial” recipe for leviathan stew. Here, he witnessed the murder of Marcos and Alanza Andrade at the hands of Revenant. In 2715, he held a job as a weather reporter, being on air during the destruction of Typhon. In 2723, he worked as a window washer at Humbert Labs, where he witnessed the murder of Dr. Franklin Humbert, the burning of the lab, and the escape of Alexander Maxwell Nox.

Fight Night

In 2725, Pathfinder was employed by a restaurant in the city of Malta, Psamathe, with ex-police lieutenant Victor Maldera acting as security. After enraging a member of the local mafia and accidentally murdering him, he is apprehended by Maldera, who probes the MRVN’s memory logs for evidence. While searching, he encounters video of the murders at Humbert Labs - a case that Madera was previously assigned to and held a deep obsession over. Continuing to search Pathfinder’s memory, he uncovers a video from the Event, where Dr. Amelie Paquette authorizes Pathfinder to activate the laboratory’s self-destruct sequence.

Before he could review more footage, Maldera is confronted by the higher-ups of the deceased mobster, who demand that he hand over Pathfinder. Maldera refuses, unwilling to give up his evidence. After an altercation, the two flee, hijacking the mobsters’ ship. While being chased, the ship is twice struck by lightning and boarded by Spectres, which wound Maldera. Pathfinder fights the combat drones off and takes a grappling hook from one, allowing him and Maldera to safely flee the falling vessel.

Landing in an alley, Maldera tries to retrieve his video from the heavily damaged MRVN. However, he allows him to review the video from Paquette in what seem to be his dying moments. After Pathfinder shuts down, Maldera sets off, resolute in his quest to find Nox. However, drops of water from the falling rain short-circuit the MRVN, and he powers back on.

In 2729, Pathfinder was conned into building a house for two men, with them promising to give him information. After he found out he had been scammed, he entered the Paradise Lounge on Solace, where he met the bartender, Elliot Witt. Lamenting to him, he encouraged Pathfinder to enter the Apex Games, as the publicity they give would surely lead to his creator noticing him.

At some point, Pathfinder found himself in an alternate, dark Kings Canyon, ruled over by Revenant.

The Broken Ghost

After Loba joined the Apex Games, she solicited the assistance of the other Legends (sans Revenant) to hunt down pieces of an artifact on an alternate Kings Canyon, in the Shadowfall dimension. She especially needed Pathfinder’s help, as he held experience with the alternate plane.

During a sortie he was involved in, while he scoped out a Prowler nest, Wattson was injured.

When it was revealed that Loba’s quest was for the benefit of Hammond Robotics, Pathfinder asked why she would lie to them. She responded by branding him an “appliance,” and Mirage quickly rushed to his defense.

The First Ship

While wandering Solace City, Pathfinder peers into a dumpster to find a discarded Ash, whose head was constructed by the Legends during Loba’s quest. He allows Ash, who is suffering from amnesia, a place to stay in his warehouse home, and begins bragging to the other Legends that he has a “girlfriend”, much to her chagrin.

When Mirage and Rampart visit out of curiosity, Ash suffers a surge, and Pathfinder escorts the two out to give her privacy. After reuniting with Kuben Blisk, she departs, leaving a note thanking Pathfinder for his generosity. Mirage, working to make things up with the people he’s hurt with his shenanigans, delivers a large shipment of flowers (originally intended for Rampart) to Pathfinder’s warehouse, helping to cheer him up.

Overtime

One Saturday in 2733, Pathfinder completes an Apex Games match on Kings Canyon. He attempts to join Lifeline and Octane at a local club, but he is barred entry, as the owner does not like machines.

Walking through the streets of Solace City, he encounters a group of scrappers who quickly wound the MRVN. He stumbles into the club and collapses, with the scrappers quickly entering and taking his body. Soon after, his programming takes over the operating system of Lifeline’s D.O.C. drone, attempting to heal her after she was wounded in the scrappers’ attack.

Not long after, Pathfinder’s body is recovered by Bloodhound, who tracked down the scrappers. Crypto then returned Pathfinder’s OS to his body.

Family Portrait

Pathfinder discovers a discarded MRVN, believing that it could give him some answers as to his creation. In an attempt to find a way to turn it on, he accompanies Lifeline, Octane, and Gibraltar to a Chevrex benefit dinner, where they will meet Darion Che, Lifeline’s distant father and a collector of antique machinery. After changing into a more appropriate chassis, the four arrive, and are soon attacked by terrorists led by Creighton Sawtelle, a man who wishes for control of Psamathe. Pathfinder amicably approaches Sawtelle, who incapacitates the MRVN and commences his attack. Soon after, Pathfinder arises and attacks Sawtelle with his grappling hook, revealing that he had faked his death. The terrorists are stopped and apprehended, and Che gives the Legends a MRVN battery as thanks.

Pathfinder reactivates the MRVN with the battery, and it plays another message recorded by Dr. Paquette. Inspired by this, he sets off to find the truth once and for all. From this message, he gains several clues: “Chevrex,” “the future of the Outlands,” “The Event,” “Aleki,” “Iris,” and “Dr. Amelie Pa--.”

Pathfinder's Quest

Pathfinder begins to interview the other Legends, searching for any information he can get his manipulators on. He first meets with Lifeline, who tells him about the complete history of the Outlands, as well as her parents, their company Chevrex, and her involvement in a punk band. Then, he meets Gibraltar, who tells him about his history with his boyfriend and his ancestors’ founding of the town of Little Mouse on Solace. Pathfinder also gleans that Aleki was Gibraltar’s grandfather.

The third person he meets with is Wattson. She tells him about her childhood, having grown up with her father on Kings Canyon, and her encounter with a “ghost” when testing her prototype for the Ring. She also tells Pathfinder that Amelie was the name of her grandmother.

Fourthly, he speaks with Wraith as she searches through an ARES Division facility. She tells him about her time with ARES - or what she can remember from it - and her first time in their dimension, which she spent on Kings Canyon. During her search, the pair find files regarding Project: Iris.

He then goes to speak with Bangalore. The two discuss her family on Gridiron, her time in the IMC armed forces, and how the crew of her ship, the IMS Hestia-01, deserted the battlefield to flee to the Outlands. She also tells him about the disappearance of her brother, Jackson. Their discussion causes Bangalore to cry tears of relief after he consoles her about Jackson’s fate. Before he departs, he learns that her uncle, Al Stern, worked as part of the security forces defending the scientists in Project: Iris.

After leaving Bangalore, Pathfinder goes to meet Mirage, his “best friend.” He discusses his family, the deaths of his brothers during the Outlands Civil War, and his life at home with his mother in the aftermath. He also gives information regarding the energy crisis that the Group was formed to respond to.

He then speaks with Bloodhound. The hunter tells Pathfinder about their tragic childhood, their time with their uncle’s tribe, and their encounter with Boone. They also tell Pathfinder about branthium, which Hammond Robotics entered World’s Edge to extract. They redirect him to Loba, who possesses a crystal of branthium.

Meeting with Loba, he is surprised to also find Octane, who is rarely seen without his goggles and mask. The three discuss the planets that make up Syndicate space (excluding Salvo, which was a Fringe World at the time of their conversation). Octane tells the MRVN about a stunt from his childhood, and Loba speaks about her parents and how they met.

He then meets with Crypto, who quickly gives him a flash drive and attempts to usher him away. Before he can, however, Caustic angrily charges into Crypto’s dwelling, angry about Wattson’s ignorance of him. The pair bicker, poorly denying the truth about their real identities. Additionally, it is revealed that Victor Maldera, who was recently reassigned to Alexander Nox’s case, had also been given jurisdiction over Tae Joon Park’s murder case. Before leaving, Pathfinder deduces that the two men are step-brothers. He then meets with Horizon, who gives him first-hand knowledge about Project: Iris.

As the drive given by Crypto has information pertaining to Hammond Robotics, Pathfinder reluctantly approaches Revenant for assistance. The simulacrum interrogates him, egotistically believing that he is there at the behest of Loba. When told that this has nothing to do with her, Revenant devolves further into a narcissistic fit of rage. After calming down, Revenant speaks of his last days as a human. He then begins toying with Pathfinder, causing him to believe that he killed his creators.

Despondent, Pathfinder then wants nothing more than to disappear. When attempting to say goodbye to Mirage, he encounters Rampart, who lifts his spirits and convinces him to meet with the commissioner of the Apex Games, Kuben Blisk. Meeting with Blisk, he receives a transcript of the last days of Project: Iris, as well as a photograph of his creators. Afterwards, Blisk asks Pathfinder if he ever found “the other one,” explaining that a second MRVN had been built from his spare parts. Pathfinder conflates this as him having a “child,” much to Blisk’s confusion.

With the knowledge of Pathfinder’s role in Project: Iris, a statue in his image is created and placed on Olympus, honoring him as a hero of the Outlands. A dedication ceremony is held, with many people arriving to rent homes that are usually reserved for the battlefield. At the ceremony, Pathfinder gives a speech, stating that while he misses his creators, he has found a new family in the Legends. Ironically, the timing of this gathering is what allows the Medusa outbreak to become as severe as it was.

The Legacy Antigen

As the outbreak spread and the Medusa vines grew, Pathfinder stayed behind on Olympus with Mirage and Rampart to help combat the spread of the vines.

Season 10

To assist in Horizon’s search for her son, Pathfinder meets with her, explaining that Hammond had extracted Olympus’s access codes from Ash.

Trouble in Paradise

During an Apex Games match on Olympus, Pathfinder is placed on a team with Gibraltar and Ash. The latter attempts to access the Rift, searching for remnants from the Phase Runner Accident. After telling her that very little, if anything, was recoverable from the site, the simulacrum decides to continue her search elsewhere. Wanting to help his “ex-girlfriend,” Pathfinder directs her to Wattson and Wraith, who are conducting similar searches.

Season 13 Launch Trailer

Pathfinder helped to prepare for Bangalore's retirement party, adding a small banner for Revenant as well. He later assisted in fighting the beast that came ashore on Storm Point.

Trivia

• Pathfinder has many interactions with Bloodhound's raven Artur, who attacks him. In the Season 3 Launch Trailer, Bloodhound kills Pathfinder "for Artur," which could either be for the raven, or for Bloodhound's late uncle that the raven is named after. Bloodhound and their uncle were from a tribe that spurned technology.
• When asked if Pathfinder ever had sex, community manager Jay Frechette vaguely (and likely jokingly) replied that Pathfinder has been around for a long time and may have stories. However, writer Tom Casiello tweeted that he disagreed with the idea of Pathfinder being with anyone romantically.
• Pathfinder is not capable of lying. Originally there was a segment about it for "The Broken Ghost" but it got cut due to length.
• In the "Family Portrait" comic, Pathfinder goes to a party wearing his SRVN MRVN skin, making that skin canonical. When it was pointed out that Pathfinder changed his entire body just to go to a party, writer Tom Casiello stated the inclusion of the skin was debated internally. Ultimately, "it's just fun" won over logic and Tom asked people not to dwell on it or overthink it.
• His first words, according to Pathfinder's Quest, is "Who doesn't like ice cream? Every kid likes ice cream!" The line is likely spoken or influenced by one of his creators, Dr. Armen Fletcher, who had a love of ice cream. The same line is repeated by Ash during The Broken Ghost.
• Pathfinder can strike with a force of 1450 PSI, and has a weapon draw time of 0.9 seconds.
• Pathfinder knows how to swing on a trapeze.
• Pathfinder's Bad Bot skin is likely based on the titular character of the 2015 movie Chappie.
• Pathfinder's BP-1 skin was based on BD-1 from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and was given away to celebrate the game's launch.