Axton

Axton is the playable Commando class character in Borderlands 2. He was revealed on February 21, 2012, in the Borderlands 2 Launch Date Trailer.

Background

Originally from Hieronymous, Axton spent 10 years with the Dahl military force, reaching the rank of Sergeant. After his pursuit of personal glory and disregard for orders led to numerous compromised missions, his wife and commanding officer Sarah discharged him from the military, which would have led to his death by firing squad, while not-so-subtlely suggesting that he flee to the border worlds. Taking her suggestion, Axton went AWOL, using his skills and turret as a mercenary on other planets.

Axton became aware of the Vault thanks to a radio advertisement orchestrated by Handsome Jack, who had been monitoring the Commando's most recent bounty hunt.^[1] Although Axton was turning in more bounties and making far more money than anyone else in Sherriff Youngblood's jurisdiction, he found that it was too easy, and the lure of fame, fortune, and challenging combat drew him to Pandora.

Skills

Action Skill: Sabre Turret

Axton is able to deploy a versatile Dahl Sabre Turret, a mounted gun featuring 360° rotation that can be upgraded with many weapons and abilities. The turret's duration is 20 seconds and its cooldown is 42 seconds.

Guerrilla

This tree focuses on close-range combat and improves the turret's duration and damage capabilities. Essentially it allows a player to drop the turret to let it support him while he closes distance to engage enemies.

Skill	Tier	Levels	Effect
Sentry	1	5	+1 shot per burst and +2s duration for Sabre Turret per level.
Ready	1	5	+8% Reload Speed per level.
Laser Sight	2	5	+10% Turret Accuracy per level.
Willing	2	5	+15% Shield Recharge Rate and -12% Shield Recharge Delay per level.
Onslaught	3	5	Kill Skill. killing an enemy gives you +6% Gun Damage and +12% Movement Speed per level for a short time.
Able	3	5	Damaging an enemy regenerates 0.4% of your Maximum Health per second per level for 3 seconds.
Scorched Earth	3	1	Adds Multi-Rocket Pods to your Sabre Turret. 22 Rockets per Volley.
Grenadier	4	5	+1 Grenade Capacity per level.
Crisis Management	5	5	+7% Gun Damage and +6% Melee Damage per level when shields are depleted.
Double Up	6	1	Adds a second gun to the Sabre Turret and both guns fire Slag bullets.

Gunpowder

This tree focuses on medium range combat, providing many boosts to weapon damage of all kinds and general combat skills. Also allows for tactical deployment of the turret as "another soldier on the field" via the Longbow skill.

Skill	Tier	Levels	Effect
Impact	1	5	+4% Gun Damage and +3% Melee Damage per level.
Expertise	1	5	+14% weapon swap and aim speed per level; +7% movement speed when aiming per level.
Overload	2	5	+10% Magazine Size for Assault Rifles.
Metal Storm	2	5	Kill Skill. Killing an enemy gives +12% Fire Rate and +15% Recoil Reduction per level for a short time.
Steady	3	5	+8% Recoil Reduction, +5% Grenade Damage, and +4% Rocket Launcher damage per level.
Battlefront	3	5	+6% Gun, Melee, and Grenade damage per level while turret is deployed.
Longbow Turret	3	1	+10000% Turret Deploy Range, +110% Turret Health.
Duty Calls	4	5	+5% Gun Damage and +3% Fire Rate with non-elemental guns.
Do or Die	4	1	Allows you to throw grenades while in Fight for Your Life. +10% Grenade and Rocket Launcher damage.
Ranger	5	5	+1% Gun Damage, Accuracy, Critical Hit Damage, Fire Rate, Magazine Size, Reload Speed, and Maximum Health per level.
Nuke	6	1	Deploying your Sabre Turret sets off a small Nuclear Blast.

Survival

This tree is defense oriented, providing general defensive stat boosts as well as abilities that can pull the player back from the brink of death. It also improves the turret's deployment versatility.

Skill	Tier	Levels	Effect
Healthy	1	5	+6% Maximum Health per level.
Preparation	1	5	+3% shield capacity per level; regenerate 0.4% health per second per level when shields are full.
Last Ditch Effort	2	5	+8% Gun Damage and +14% Movement Speed per level during Fight For Your Life.
Pressure	2	5	Up to +14% Reload Speed and -12% Shield Recharge Delay per level depending on how low your health is.
Forbearance	3	5	-8% Status Effect duration on you and +1% Maximum Health per level.
Quick Charge	3	5	Kill Skill. Killing an enemy regenerates 1% of your shield per second per level for a short time.
Phalanx Shield	3	1	Your Sabre Turret projects a shield that attempts to block enemy ranged fire but lets friendly ranged attacks pass through.
Resourceful	4	5	+5% Action Skill Cooldown Rate per level.
Mag-Lock	4	1	Your Sabre Turret can be deployed on walls and ceilings.
Grit	5	5	You have a 4% chance per level to ignore damage that would otherwise kill you. In addition to not taking damage from the attack, you will also regain half your Maximum health.
Gemini	6	1	Allows you to deploy two Sabre Turrets.

Notes

Axton's melee weapon is a hatchet.

Quotes

When joining a game

Ten years of Dahl military experience at your service.
Commando here, lets get moving.
Just point me in the right direction.

When reviving an ally

I'm not going to say you owe me, but I'm implying it.
Wow. Do you work out?
Don't worry. I won't tell anyone.
Hey, It happens to the best of us.
On your feet, soldier!

When being revived

Didn't know you cared!
Damn, you're strong!

Critical Kill

Hello! (mocking).
You deserved it. Bitch.
See ya...bitch.
Cool story bro.
Ha! Did you see his face?
Splooge!
Boom-Shaka-Laka!

Throwing a grenade

Throwing masher!
Catch this!
Grenade!

When recovering [Kill Revive]

Like I was gonna die!
Not dead yet!
I don't die so easy!
Oscar-mike!

Deploying a turret

You fellas meet the missus?
Wanna meet my girlfriend?
Go get 'em, honey!
Let's get to killing, sweetheart!
Hey, stand in front of this!
Say hello, darling!
Now you be careful, honey.
Sorry, boys, I've got turret syndrome! Get it? 'Cuz of the turret...? Sorry.
Meet my lady friend!
Tossin' the little lady!

General Combat

YOU get a bullet! And YOU get a bullet! EVERYBODY gets a bullet! (When killing many enemies in rapid succession)
(in falsetto, 'female' voice) "Oh soldier, you're so great!" (in regular voice) "Come on, Lady, I'm not that cool..." (after killing multiple badasses?)
And the crowd goes wild! (Killing a badass)

Level Up

STRONGER, SMARTER, more sexually attractive.
Plus one to awesome-ness.
Beats the hell outta basic training.

Turret Kill

Bad guys zero! Turret, a whole bunch!
Autogun's chewin' 'em up!
That's mah girl!
Turret, what would I do withou'cha?
That's right! Let her mow you down!
News flash bitches; Turrets kill!
Autogun's wreckin' FACE!

When ramming another player in a vehicle

Didn't mean to do that...Yes I did.
My bad!
What is this bumper car?
Hope is insured!
So does this thing not have air bags?
Out of the way!
Okay that was mostly my fault.
Jeeze!
I got somewhere to be here!

When idle

This... This is nice. Who want's to be out killin' stuff anyway? Me. I do.
I left the military to get away from pointless waiting, dammit. And because I got dishonorably discharged... But mostly the first thing.
Leave the military, come to Pandora, Stare at stuff...
Heard of a guy stationed on Isolus got so bored he shot himself in the foot just to break the monotony. I know why that comes to mind right now.
(singing) Duh duh Duh duh Duh duh duh daaa dah daaa dah daaa, but I got bored just standin' around, I wish someone would move me 'round... Sorry, I do that when I'm bored. Really, really bored.
I dunno about you, but I'm on the edge of my seat... about to fall off of it.
I could not be more bored. But hey, at least my C.O.'s not screaming at me and my friends aren't gettin' blasted to hell left and right. So there's that.

When looking at the map

I should of paid attention in nav training.

Issuing a duel challenge

If I win, we're totally making out.

With Handsome Jack's voice

Testing? Testing one two? One two. And now I have the voice of a douchebag. Great.
"I'm Handsome Jack! Commando, don't kill me! I'm so sorry!" Pow! "Augh, oh no, you're so much cooler than me, Commando..."
Oh, I'm so bored-- ohh, forgot I had Jack's voice.
Jesus, this feels weird.
I somehow always knew I'd be stuck in the middle of nowhere trying to protect a city from a facist whose voice I stole.
Turret on the field!
Turret kill confirmed.
God let's do this quick, can't stand sounding like this bastard!

Trivia

Axton's ex-wife Sarah was also his former commanding officer, and Axton wears her dog tag and wedding band.
Axton is wanted for war crimes, the bounty on his head is $5,000,000,000.
Axton dislikes cats.
Axton's Battalion is deployed on Themis.
Axton was to be executed by a firing squad, avoiding the execution only because he went to Pandora.
If Axton is the chosen as the starting character, an ECHOlog will be in the inventory about Axton and his wife, Sarah. It plays the dialogue between them of Sarah discharging Axton from the military and suggesting that he go AWOL to the border worlds. She also gave him back her wedding ring, saying she never liked diamonds.
When Axton deploys his Sabre Turret he sometimes addresses it with pet names such as "sweetie", "honey", "the Mrs.", or his "girlfriend".
With careful point spending it is possible to get the turret featured in the opening title sequence. (Double Up and Mag Lock)
Axton quote "Throwing a masher" is a reference to the nickname of the German Model 24 grenade "the potato masher".

Media

Sources

References

↑ (See Lynchwood ECHO recordings)

[1] (See Lynchwood ECHO recordings)

[1]