Borderlands’ most iconic character and mascot, Claptrap. This talkative Hyperion robot has been a player’s reliable NPC or an enjoyable DLC character.
Whether you love him, hate him, or really hate him, Claptrap has some interesting secrets, cameos and even a little prestige to his name. Here are some hidden facts you never knew about Claptrap!
12 Claptrap Had A Web Series
To promote the first Borderlands game and DLC, Gearbox created short video clips. Of course, Claptrap was the “host” but would get into bouts of rage, drama, and comedy.
There were six episodes total in the series, and each one usually snuck in a movie industry reference. These clips provide a bit of insight into the universe and characters, so fans of the series should check them out.
11 He’s A Robotic Book of IRL References
Claptrap manages to get some cheeky and clever lines out once in a while. Some of his voice lines over the course of the series are IRL references, mostly from pop culture. One of his voice lines was a killing curse from the Harry Potter series: "Avada Kedavra!"
Claptrap also said, “come over here, I’ll gnaw your legs off!” That quote came from Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, where King Arthur lops off all the Black Knight’s limbs. The Black Knight accepts his predicament as a challenge and said, "come back here and take what's coming to ya! I'll bite your legs off!".
10 What Does His Name Mean?
Believe it or not, “claptrap” is an actual word in the English language, dating back to the early 1700s. Merriam-Webster defines it as “pretentious nonsense,” synonymous with foolishness, nonsense, stupidity, and senselessness.
This makes sense since Claptap prides himself on his silly behavior and constant babble. Speaking of names…
9 He’s The Only Unit With A Designated Name
Out of all the units that were around before Claptrap, he is the only unit with an actual name. Hilariously enough, his name is Claptrap P. Claptrappington. One wonders what the “P” initial stands for...
All the other Claptrap units have their unit names, despite being just as vivacious as the franchise mascot.
8 How Gearbox Created Him
Claptrap was never meant to be an important or recurring character in the series, according to an article from The Verge on the robot’s origins. Claptrap’s design was meant to maximize simplicity, and merely teach you how to play the game with a little humor. It wasn’t until David Eddings brought life into the role that they decided to make Claptrap a permanent part of the Borderlands cast.
"I figured I’d challenge myself and come up with the simplest, most generic robot I could think of," Lorin concept designer Lorin Wood said in the article. Claptrap’s chattiness and dark humor were meant to add to the cartoony and comical nature of Borderlands, to keep the series from getting too grim.
7 Claptrap Offers A Gameplay Advantage In The Pre-Sequel
Since Claptrap is a robot, he doesn’t need to breathe oxygen like other organic lifeforms. That works to the player’s advantage in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel since the Hyperion robot “does not consume oxygen in a vacuum and will not suffocate even with a depleted oz kit,” according to the Borderlands Wiki.
So, does that make Claptrap the best vault hunter in The Pre-Sequel?
6 Claptrap Had A Cameo In Ready Player One
Remember Ready Player One? That film adaptation of the book with a hodge-podge of every video game icon and Easter Egg imaginable? Of, course the Gearbox mascot made a cameo, but a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it one.
After protagonist Parzival wins a Copper Key Race, he goes shopping. While browsing, he passes by a booth with Claptrap in it.
5 Poker Night at the Inventory 2 Cameo
Claptrap’s second video game appearance is in Telltale Games’ Poker Night at the Inventory 2. The robot is capable of betting a Spike Game Award and can give the player access to the Borderlands inventory. He also has an attraction to GLaDOS, another iconic video game robot character from Valve’s Portal.
Claptrap delivers an interesting piece of lore about the Claptrap units in Borderlands: “All Claptraps are equipped with 8th Generation Emotive Resonators, allowing them to mimic a wide range of emotions,” according to the Borderlands Wiki.
4 Talking Car Charger
Any notable video game franchise is no stranger to merchandising, including Borderlands; but this Claptrap talking car charger definitely takes the cake. The charger can fit into a cup holder, features two USB charging ports and has a mute button. This mini-Claptrap only comes with 3 phrases:
- Hahaaaa! I am alive! Let's get moving o' noble henchman.
- .. I finally got an excuse to turn this on.
- How ya feelin' minion? Ya feelin' good? I'm feelin' good.
PC Gamer argues that it should have at least 10 “annoying” phrases for the price one needs to pay for it.
3 Easter Egg in Torchlight 2
Claptrap is an Easter Egg in the hack-and-slash game Torchlight II by Runic Games. When you interact with him, he is sitting on the side of the path and asks the player for directions to the “nearest Fast Travel Station.”
Shocked but humbled to learn that fast travel is not a thing in the Torchlight world, the robot gives you an item called “Claptrap’s Nut” for helping him anyways. If you sit idle, Claptrap will chant “Look at me! I’m an Easter Egg, I’m an Easter Egg!”
2 Claptrap Threw Shade At Gearbox
In Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, you can find Claptrap typing away and banging a computer system while making many hilarious references to video game company culture and work-life.
Phrases include “Bugs? Not in MY beautiful code,” “F*ck, ship it,” and “This is probably fixed. Someone else will probably test it, anyway.” Technically, it’s Gearbox making fun of itself, but it is nonetheless amusing.
1 He Won An Award
Before The Game Awards, there was the Spike TV Video Game Awards. Like the Game Awards, they commemorated achievements in the video game industry. One of the categories was "Character Of The Year," and the Hyperion robot won in 2012.
Surprisingly, Claptrap beat out Connor (Assassin’s Creed III), Commander Shepard (Mass Effect 3), Master Chief (Halo 4), and Raul Menendez (Call of Duty: Black Ops II).
It will be interesting to see how Gearbox inserts the robot into more areas of video game culture and mainstream consciousness now that Borderlands 3 is available. Here's to hoping he becomes a playable character again!