Apex Legends has leaned more and more into its Titanfall roots over time, and now Ash, the murderous simulacrum from Titanfall 2, is coming to the game as a playable Legend. Along with her is the C.A.R. SMG, another Titanfall franchise fan favorite.
Respawn Entertainment announced the news on October 18 with a Stories from the Outlands short animation that reveals the catalyst for Ash’s joining the Apex Games. In addition, Respawn announced the name of the new season, Escape, on its website.
Horizon is seen poking through Ash’s memories in the released video, “Ashes to Ash,” as she is likely looking for answers about her son. Instead, she ends up unlocking memories that Ash intends to use for her own benefit going into the next season, though it is unclear what exactly Ash’s plans are.
The video also teases the Apex Legends Escape launch trailer, which will be released on October 21. In the key art for Escape, Ash is seen holding an electric energy-powered sword similar to the one wielded by her Titan in Titanfall 2.
Ash has been a character in Apex Legends that has been mostly shrouded in mystery since players resurrected her in Season 5. While it is unclear why she has decided to participate in the games, it is clear that she is at odds with her inner self, the version of herself that is resisting her simulacrum programming.
Escape could be the start of an arc that finally offers some resolution to Horizon’s storyline, in which she is trying to find her son after her time travel incident. In any case, Escape will significantly advance Apex’s story, as Ash is important to so many major players in the game. Horizon, Blisk, and Pathfinder all have ties to her, and now that her memories are surfacing, they’ll all want to interact with her.
Fans of Titanfall 2 have been clamoring for Ash to join the Apex games for quite some time, and now that she has arrived as a playable character, anticipation for the next season is building. Apex Legends Legacy already gave players a Legend tied to Titanfall 2 in Valkyrie, but this is the first time a character from the Titanfall games is making an appearance in the game. The return of the C.A.R. SMG, another iconic symbol of the Titanfall franchise, adds to the nostalgia and hype.
