Astra has finally taken center stage after the VALORANT Patch 9.05 update that went live this week, with the agent getting some much needed buffs that Controller mains are now saying will bring back her original glory days all over again.

Astra’s pick rate in VALORANT took a nosedive after brutal nerfs removed one of her stars and increased her cooldowns in Patch 4.04 in 2022. Riot had to nerf the agent at the time because she’d become a must-pick in ranked and professional matches and these nerfs allowed other controllers like Omen and Viper to enter the limelight. But, with the addition of Clove, things quickly changed; players had the opportunity to support their team with their smokes while having the equally good abilities to make aggressive plays. With Astra’s fifth star returning, players are now hopeful the agent can compete with Clove and Omen, who are dominating the metagame.