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The Legend of McSmugger is an optional mission in the Bounty of Blood, a downloadable content pack for the Borderlands 3.

Background[]

"Some say he's the wisest cowboy to ever walk the land. Other know it goes without sayin'."

Walkthrough[]

Objectives[]

  • Refuse the call
  • Accept the call
  • Climb Mount Maraboshi
    • Kill devils
    • Collect badass devil hearts (3)
    • Investigate statue
    • Take gift
  • Place hearts (3)
  • Kill Father of Eagles
  • Collect claw
  • Return to McSmugger
  • Give claw

Strategy[]

Notes[]

  • Mission items:
    • Devil Heart
    • Father of Eagles' Claw

Trivia[]

  • The entire mission is a reference to the Hero's Journey, a theory on world mythology and storytelling created by Joseph Campbell in his book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces". Since its publication, the Hero's Journey has been exemplified in many works of popular fiction, whether intentionally or not— two popular stories that are exemplary of the Hero's Journey are the original Star Wars trilogy and Lord of the Rings. Some of the steps can be seen clearly within the mission, while others are implied through the narration.
    • Stage One: The Call to Adventure. The main character experiences something that acts as a call to the unknown.
      • The Vault Hunter meets McSmugger.
    • Stage Two: Refusal of the Call. The main character chooses not to follow the call, whether due to personal hesitation or a sense of obligation to something else.
      • The Vault Hunter literally refuses the call to seek cowboy wisdom.
    • Stage Three: Supernatural Aid. Once they commit to their quest, the main character encounters a mentor or guide of some kind that will help them on their journey.
      • McSmugger tells the Vault Hunter that to find cowboy wisdom, they must climb Mount Maraboshi.
    • Stage Four: Crossing the First Threshold. This is when the main character first encounters some sort of unknown or danger that is separate from the world that they are used to.
      • The Vault Hunter begins to climb the mountain.
    • Stage Five: The Belly of the Whale. This is when the main character passes the "point of no return"; they cannot go back to their mundane life, they have fully committed to their quest.
      • The Vault Hunter comments on whales.
    • Stage Six: The Road of Trials. The main character encounters a series of trials (often in sets of three) that test their abilities.
      • The Vault Hunter kills the badass Devils and collects their hearts.
    • Stage Seven: The Meeting with the Goddess. The main character attains something that will assist them in the future.
      • The Vault Hunter interacts with a literal goddess statue.
    • Stage Eight: The Woman as Temptress. The main character faces temptations of some kind that might cause them to abandon their quest. However, these are overcome.
      • There is a fork in the trail up the mountain, with the left continuing the journey, and the right leading to a chest. However, if the Vault Hunter approaches the chest, a hidden Breezebloom will push them into a pit below and a horde of Wyrms will spawn. With a bit of careful movement, the Vault Hunter can climb over the rocks hiding the Breezebloom and reach the chest.
    • Stage Nine: Atonement with the Father. The main character must confront whatever holds the ultimate power in their life. It marks the turning point in the story.
      • The Vault Hunter confesses their life's sins to the Father of Eagles.
    • Stage Ten: Apotheosis. At this moment, the main character achieves a greater understanding of their quest, which prepares them for whatever is ahead of them.
      • The Vault Hunter kills the Father of Eagles.
    • Stage Eleven: The Ultimate Boon. The main character completes the goal of their quest.
    • Stage Twelve: Refusal of the Return. Though they must return to their ordinary life, the main character initially refuses to do so.
      • The Narrator says that the Vault Hunter initially considered refusing to return.
    • Stage Thirteen: The Magic Flight. The main character escapes with the boon.
      • The Vault Hunter slides back down the mountain.
    • Stage Fourteen: Rescue from Without. Sometimes, the main character needs assistance in returning to the ordinary world, whether they are physically wounded from the experience or damaged in a mental or spiritual way.
    • Stage Fifteen: The Crossing of the Return Threshold. The main character returns to their ordinary life, but they have been changed by their quest.
      • The Vault Hunter talks to McSmugger.
    • Stage Sixteen: Master of Two Worlds. The main character must find a balance between their life in the ordinary world and what they gained and experienced in their quest.
      • The Vault Hunter becomes McSmugger.
    • Stage Seventeen: Freedom to Live. Having achieved what they set out to do in their quest, the main character no longer fears death/the future/the unknown and chooses to live their life the way they want to.
      • The Vault Hunter comments that they have learned nothing from this journey.

Video Walkthrough[]

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