Catalyst is the newest character revealed to be joining the roster of Apex Legends in its 15th season, Eclipse, which launches on Nov. 1.
While the theatrical use of ferrofluid and her witchy, gothic appearance are stealing most of the spotlight, the intricacies of her identity have also been a topic of discussion in the days since the release of her Stories from the Outlands cinematic. More specifically, whether or not she is transgender.
Is Catalyst trans in Apex Legends?
Yes, Catalyst is Apex‘s first binary trans character and an out and proud transgender woman. This was explicitly stated in the Stories from the Outlands cinematic, when she confided in her friend Margo that transitioning had been a difficult process, before being further confirmed by Respawn developers on social media after the fact. While she may be the first binary trans character in Apex, she is second when it comes to overall transgender representation, with Bloodhound being non-binary.
It’s an element of her character that has been handled with care, from making sure that a trans woman—Meli Grant—was hired as her voice actress, to working with GLAAD and transgender employees to ensure Catalyst was authentic.
“We were very aligned from the very beginning that we wanted her trans identity to be super impactful to her character,” GLAAD’s associate director of gaming Blair Durkee said in an interview with GamesRadar. “I think players will be pleasantly surprised that her trans identity sort of shines through in every aspect. And that’s something that distinguishes her from some other trans characters that have come before – it’s not just a footnote in her bio that players will read once and then never think about again.”
