#Selfish Hero (Tracer)

[null-revolutionary]

@militiaofmuses

“Mondatta may have been naive but he didn’t deserve to die.” Rammatra spits out at Tracer, fist clenched tightly at his side. “And unsurprisingly, you chose to save yourself rather than him. Some hero you are.”

[foppishmuses]

Doing this quiz for some different muses under the cut

John Egbert

Your result: Bard

You’re a storyteller at heart and you may have a bit of a Thing about attention and validation. You’re a natural improviser and you’re great at adapting to situations at a moment’s notice using whatever resources you have at your disposal. You can’t stand being bored. You’re very creative and you probably have a great sense of style. You’re honestly just here for a good time, and you live for drama.

College of Valor

Bards of the College of Valor are daring skalds whose tales keep alive the memory of the great heroes of the past, and thereby inspire a new generation of heroes. These bards gather in mead halls or around great bonfires to sing the deeds of the mighty, both past and present. You think stories can be one of the most powerful things in the world and you’re especially inspired by stories of heroism, adventure, and the conflict of good vs. evil. You’re not just a bookworm, though, because you are also a physically-oriented person who enjoys expressing yourself with your body. You might be into dance, martial arts, sports, or outdoor adventuring. You’re a natural leader who finds meaning in being able to inspire others.

Dwight Fairfield

Your result: same as John because i have exactly one character type

Lena “Tracer” Oxton

Your result: Cleric

You’re dedicated, caring, and probably a sucker for happy endings. You spend so much time helping other people that you might forget to take care of yourself. You’re very idealistic and have a strong sense of faith in your beliefs, which may be actual religious beliefs or just your personal moral code. You like to be prepared for a variety of situations and you may have a bit of a protective side.

Domain of Peace

The gods of peace inspire people of all sorts to resolve conflict and to stand up against those forces that try to prevent peace from flourishing. You really just wish everyone could calm down and get along for once. You’re a gentle person who will do as much as humanly possible to avoid conflict, though others should be careful not to mistake your pacifism for passivity. When conflict does arise, you have a natural knack for guiding people to find compromise. Your calm and non-judgmental energy might draw people to seek advice from you and you’re pretty good at inspiring people when they need a little positivity boost.

Varrick

Your result: Rogue

You’re a practical and unusually resourceful person with big dreams that may or may not involve copious amounts of money or treasure. You’re ambitious, you know what you want, and you’ll do whatever you can to get it. Some people might think you’re selfish, but you know it’s important to take care of yourself first. You thrive under pressure and you might have a bit of a mischievous or chaotic side.

Swashbuckler

You focus your training on the art of the blade, relying on speed, elegance, and charm in equal parts. While some warriors are brutes clad in heavy armor, your method of fighting looks almost like a performance. Duelists and pirates typically belong to this archetype. You’re a confident person with a charming personality. People often find you likeable or easy to get along with and you probably have a distinct sense of style. You know where your strengths lie and you’re not shy about demonstrating your talents. You’re a resilient person with a knack for easily bouncing back from difficult situations.

Rhys

Your result: Warlock

You’re a charming and ambitious person who cares a lot about the people you are close to. Sometimes you might worry that you rely too much on the help of others, as if you’re not good enough on your own, but you have a knack for pulling out unexpected skills or solutions at just the right moment. You may have a bit of a lazy side at times. You have dreams for the future and you want to end up better off than where you began.

Pact of the Genie

You have made a pact with one of the rarest kinds of genie, a noble genie. Noble genies are varied in their motivations, but most are arrogant and wield power that rivals that of lesser deities. They delight in turning the table on mortals, who often bind genies into servitude, and readily enter into pacts that expand their reach. You’re an ambitious and resourceful person with big dreams, and you’re not above taking shortcuts to achieve your goals when needed. You have a certain taste for luxury and comfort. Sometimes you might find yourself running away from your problems instead of facing them head-on. Certain people in your life are really important to you and you might find yourself (consciously or unconsciously) modeling yourself after parts of them over time.

[liveslived]

                                          “  it     was    wrong .  ”

           Something went wrong and she went away; a loss, grief. Praised for the talents refined through dedication, LENA OXTON��was selected to become a legend. The first, the proper, the new standard; she was meant to soar, to conquer and prove that humanity had finally reached the point in development where they’d be a step ahead of everyone.

            Failure.

            Death.

            Lena Oxton. She served the organization so well.

            Headlines were made in her name, though burned the same evening as they were to be published. An accident sent her, and her plane, into havoc. Time and space tearing apart every fiber in her body,. She was cast aside, deemed dead and lost to the void beyond the world they knew. A mere memory, and a grim reminder, Lena spent a significant amount of time locked up in a concealed hole in reality itself. All around her was smoke and repeated collisions, time tearing itself apart only to rebuild the very same fabric it tore on. Her included. For out there, no one is safe. It’s you against the world, literally, as the dawn of time weighs own on your body and existence, holding it in a thin thread that slowly comes to twist around your throat; you’re not supposed to make it out alive.

          --- but, somehow --- she d o e s .

          and she is not happy. 

          It’s a massive explosion, the walls of Overwatch torn down by the massive, mismatched and burning fighter that collides into its structure. Piloted with anger an fear, she makes a grand entrance, Lena having taken matters into her own hands ( she’d be DAMNED if she didn’t get back HOME ). They didn’t offer her a second thought, name a mere noted in some folder somewhere, the ones who promised her excellence, experience and respect. She holds anger and resentment, Overwatch a thorn in the side of the girl who was forced to become a woman through sheer survival; she fades, mind twisted and turned from the pressure of slipping through time streams; a gunpoint, her makeshift weapons held up against the heads of the fools who sent her into the unknown. She’s mad and she demands answers; why did they leave her? Why didn’t anyone come? Why did they only send her? There’s too many questions and a too few answers --- boom.

           If they won’t give her answers, someone else will.

           T A L O N . For humanity has a far greater purpose.

           ---

           Lena Oxton is a former pilot of Overwatch, her name etched out and put on the wall of threats found outside the organization. Self-exiled, declared dead, she wanders the world under the influence of TALON as she fights for herself and the answers she never got; why did the organization leave her? why did they send her out into a suicide mission? where were they when she beeped for them? She has too many questions, and their loyalty towards her has failed to prove its worth to the wavering candidate. 

          Estranged, Lena has left her reputation as a Hero in order to seek out the truth of the world. Overwatch never got the best of her abilities, the alias of TRACER having been replaced by the name of VERTIGO; she leaves her victims in a daze, face first into the ground. They say the world needs more heroes, but what good is a hero when they’re life has been jeopardized. Can someone so broken truly become a beacon of hope? No. Not in her eyes, not anymore. There’s no hope in a world where people will openly sacrifice each other for the sake of their own selfishness; she’ll respond with revenge, one piece at a time, all under the wing of Talon.

           --

           AGE: twenty-six            NATIONALITY: british             ALIAS: vertigo            AFFILIATION: talon

[docholligay]

An unnecessarily lengthy ode to the deadlock disaster children

Decided I had to submit this instead of comment endlessly on your post… because I just love Ashe and McCree so much more than I could have ever predicted?? I would feel about characters from this game?? You already know this but you did ask for reasons, so I’m gonna give them to ya.

I was drawn to Ashe when I first picked up the game because I tend to prefer longer ranged weapons and also because I took one look at her and said ‘i choose you, criminal lesbian.’ I didn’t even watch Reunion for a little while, but I was/still am so into her weapon-focused kit and the challenge that learning to play her even relatively well has posed (I still run out of bullets and boop myself off ledges more than I care to admit). So for Ashe far more than McCree, there’s a gameplay element to her that does actually factor into loving her as a character. 

I wanted to play McCree a lot when I first got the game, because cowboy, and because me (the prism of my experience of rural life has affected a lot of what I see in mcCree and is probably a solid chunk of the reason I was able to write him into a character I liked) but his gameplay was just too hard and I didn’t love him like I did Tracer, so there was no reason for me to continue. 

Obviously we have very little canon for her, but I love a lot of what we do have. I love that she’s quick to anger and bossy and pretty selfish and quite good at what she does. I love that she clearly cares about McCree even as she isn’t prepared to ever let go of her grudge against him, that’s the kind of tension and conflict that I am always so into, perhaps in part because I have so much experience with it personally. She’s got high expectations of everyone, probably too high, and she prizes loyalty above all else - feels very relatable to me, tbh. I love her aesthetic and her ridiculous voice acting and I really really really love BOB’s mannerisms and general role in her life.

If and when I am ever tempted to do something with Ashe, I think the most interesting thing to work with would be her sort of spoiled brat mentality, and how that hits up against Actual Cowboy Ethos (I utterly, utterly reject the idea of the Deadlock Gang being a biker gang, at least before Ashe took over. I’ts a boring choice made for aesthetics.) The idea of her having conflict with everyone who taught her everything she knows and completely thinking that SHE’S RIGHT really intrigues me. 

As far as headcanons/my writing of her goes, though, I feel like I’m trying to flesh her out as a character who experiences a lot of growth, but never ends up much closer to perfect or even to good (because I don’t think she’s good, I don’t really have any interest in redeeming her at all, though I think humanizing her or exploring the ways that she can be relatable is interesting). I think one thing they did really well in introducing her (and some of the others, obviously Fareeha is similar) is that she’s a person who’s had an entire life, a childhood and a young adulthood and is now a grown woman. I find that super helpful in thinking about what particular things make her immature when she’s first meeting McCree and starting the gang, and then how she addresses or doesn’t address those things as she gets older and has to adapt. I also like that she’s a criminal, clearly not a good guy character, but also doesn’t at this point have a direct tie to the Big Bad organization of the franchise - I’ve not shared many of my ideas for where my fic series is going, but I like the idea of her flat out refusing any/all offers from Talon to team up for several reasons. Like having Vishkar and Lumerico and even Volskaya as sort of villainous presences, keeping Deadlock and Talon separate helps the world feel less manichean/more realistic to me, so I actually hope there’s not a move to tie everyone together too neatly.

I also have NO desire to see her team up with Talon except maybe in selling Talon weapons or something. BUt that’s business, not teamwork. I see Ashe as left with basically a name of the Deadlock gang, but without anyone but BOB who REALLY has her corner. 

I do wish that the whole 'her parents ignored her entirely’ and 'she’s richer than god’ things had been considered a bit more in relation to one another - it doesn’t make any sense to me at all that her parents would continue to bankroll their at large criminal daughter that they don’t care about at all, for instance. My other major gripe with how she’s been handled is actually about her legendary skins - let her look like herself, Blizzard!! Let her have her white hair and red eyes instead of just blatantly embracing the fact that you made another same face white woman who you will play Barbie with and give her dark hair or blue eyes whenever it’s more convenient. Also make her look her age, damnit. 

You’re completely right and all of this is dumb. But I’m not shocked, tbh. LET OLDER WOMEN LOOK IT!!! LET WOMEN BE OLDER!!! 

ANYWAY, her origin story and Reunion give me a lot to work with. ESPECIALLY because I’m not at all convinced that Reunion is the first time she and McCree have seen each other since he left the gang, or at least I feel very strongly that it shouldn’t be the first time. There are a lot of things about how they both act that I’ve chosen to read as suggesting this is kind of a recurring thing, he shows up and makes her mad and messes with the gang but neither of them will actually hurt the other, and then she has to go back to acting like he’s her nemesis when really he’s the one person who can make her break her own rules about punishing betrayal. I’ve got no particular investment in Blizzard telling their stories that way, but to me it makes a lot more sense than that confrontation being their first meeting after 20 years.

I haven’t decided what I think about McCree and Ashe’s relationship in specific, only in broad strokes, and I chalk a lot of that up to my general reluctance to engage with Ashe and what Blizzard seems to be trying to do with her. I’ll have to come up with something, if only in passing, but yeah, I dunno. 

AND SPEAKING OF MCCREE. He’s so sad, I love him. While I don’t see him joining Talon usually, I definitely agree with you that he just kind of bounces around from group to group and place to place throughout his life, and to me that’s in part because I see him as just kind of taking things as they come at him, but also because he’s so deeply convinced of his own 'badness’ and guilt that, without someone else prompting him like Ashe or Gabe, he’ll just default to running on his own so as not to hurt or disappoint anyone, including himself. But even as he’s convinced that he’s not a truly good man, he still works to do the right thing in the ways he knows how and feels cut out for. And I love that he’s polite, and that he seems largely to be pretty unflappable but is willing to get angry and express that anger when something is important enough to warrant it, and also that he’s a fuckin terrible dresser. 

Yeah, I think McCree is a tumbleweed, and he’s always looking for something, and he never really quite finds it, at least not for a long time, Eventually, in the fullness of time, he becomes a sort of officer for Overwatch, in my world, but even there he feels that he is doing a good and useful thing but does he “fit”? Will he ever be settled like Pharah? Loved like Tracer? Who knows! Not him! He’s just a cat dad doing his best. 

Idk, I was skeptical of getting into a game that wasn’t first-and-foremost narrative driven, but I’ve found that many of the characters are set up in such a way that even though they’re not fully fleshed out, there’s a lot to work with that’s super interesting and fun to me, so Overwatch has been an incredibly pleasant surprise. I love others, too, but these two appeal directly to my two greatest weaknesses when it comes to fictional characters (bitter lesbian who yells and sweet guy who tries really hard to do the right thing even though he fucks up a lot because the world is complicated), and it’s very fortuitous that they’re actually linked to one another within the lore. If my faves were like, Zen and Reyes, for instance, I don’t think I’d be as jazzed about the franchise as I am. But I lucked out with these two losers, and as always I love the way that you’ve written McCree (can’t wait to see what you do with Ashe) so I’ve gladly incorporated fanon into my thoughts and feelings about him, so it’s kind of just been a perfect storm for me, and now here I am writing excessively long submissions to you about why I love them.

Yeah, I think it works out nicely when you find a character that the franchise loves too. I did not go into Overwatch expecting Tracer to be my favorite, not even remotely. I expected it would be Widowmaker, actually. But Tracer just got me, something about her sense of goodness without naivete, her courage and her brightness. She’s the hero with the strength to get up and still see that corner of blue in the sky. ANd then go shoot a man to keep it. 

[tracer---speaks]

17 and 18 please

17: Who needs a buff?

//As a Tracer main, I could easily be selfish and say Tracer needs a buff (faster cooldown time on recall, specifically), but in terms of the game’s balance, I think she’s fine (I just suck at playing Overwatch haha). I think more realistically, Mercy could use a buff because she’s been nerfed a lot more than I think was necessary. I’m not sure what specifically should be done because I’m a bit hesitant about her rez reviving the entire team like it did. I mean, that’s great if you’re on the team that gets the rez. Frustrating as anything if you’re on the other side. 

18: Who needs a nerf?

//I was thinking recently that Torbjorn should get a nerf. Maybe make it so he can’t set up his turrets in certain places (directly on the payload) or make them less powerful? I don’t know. All I know is that an enemy Torb once swept my entire team in the most embarrassing way possible--they deployed the turret right in front of our main spawn door and hardly any of us were able to get out. Those of us who used the other two doors were taken out by the rest of the enemy team soon after. Come to think of it, this was an example of great teamwork on part of the opposing team.

Or, maybe Bastion? Remove the self-repair feature. I think I feel more strongly about this than Torb, even though I don’t have a personal reason for it. I just always thought Bastion was op for a damage hero with 300 hp + self-healing + rapid fire bullets + the tank mode ult.  

[ecarna]

Forgot about these golden responses. Sombra is not the "golden, pure hearted hero from da shadows" many aspire her to be. many forget why and how terrorist organizations get their rep. key word: official, actual terrorists who do more terroristic things than Overwatch ever did in it's entirety of it's lifetime (re: Baptiste's story in which they raided and slaughtered hundreds of innocents in a poor city for their own selfish gain, helping instigate the whole Lucio situation via intentionally fking over more innocents for generations, kidnapping and brutalizing innocent civilians ala Amelie etc. basically doing all of Overwatch's questionable wrongs but on a much, much more massive scale, and with innocents, and with absolutely no remorse).

Tracer is capable of many good comebacks like featured in canon (she actually had a convo with sombra! don't particularly remember what wa said tho) but we have to make her look dumb here for "ReAsOnS"

also short note: Overwatch was never imperial, they don't answer to a specific nation. They answered to the U.N.

Scrapped comic concept: Sombra deconstructing the inherent failures of an imperialist, undemocratic global military force steeped in 6 feet of bitchy drama disguised as bureaucratic infighting that 100% earned its bullet and better not fuckin come back. 

[astarlow]

Special Chapter - How you met them - Offense part

Doomfist

You thought it was going to be a normal mission like always, but it wasn’t. You had one order searched the files about Talon in a Talon’s base and went back to the ship. Overwatch told you there wasn’t Reaper at the base, nor WidowMaker or Sombra. But guess who there was? Yup, you’re right. One of the most dangerous criminals in the world. Doomfist. You already hacked the files and you were about to leave the base but you heard someone chuckled behind you. You quickly turned around and you gulped when you saw Doomfist. “Think you could go here and left this building without someone notices it?” You stepped back when he charged his gauntlet but it was too late. He hit your abdomen and you went through a window. You felt the sharp pain in your back and in your abdomen but you ignored it as you quickly got back on your feet. The files still with you. You ran to the ship with Doomfist behind you. You told the pilot to start to fly away, you succeeded to reach the ship and Doomfist looked at you with an amused face. “I’ll kill you later, (Y/n) (L/N).”

Genji

You always like adventure, it was something who fascinate you. You travelled the world a lot and you never stayed in the same place too long. You couldn’t visit the word otherwise. That’s how you met Genji. When you first saw him, you knew something was wrong. He had a murderous glance and he looked like he could kill you in a second. But you didn’t care about that, you approached him like a normal human. The fact he was a half-human and half-Omnic fascinated you more. The few times you tried to talk to him, he responded you harshly with a cold tone. But you stuck with him, you never left him. You can find this a little bit clingy but deep in his mind, Genji appreciated a lot the gest even if he won’t admit it. When you and Genji found Zenyatta, you thought it could be a great idea to let Zenyatta help him instead of you. So that’s what you did, you left them but you swore that one day, you will come back and you hoped that he’ll change because you knew he was someone great and kind. He just needed some time. And now, he was in good hands so you can back to your adventures.

McCree

With McCree, it’s another story. You met him when you worked for BlackWatch. You were just coming back from a mission and you had to give the report to Gabriel. You searched him and when you found him, he slammed a door and he seemed very angry. It didn’t stop you from going to him. “This cowboy, I swear I’m gonna kill him!” You heard him growl, you quickly gave him the report before he went away. You entered the room and you saw a cowboy with several bruises on his face and his hands tied in the back of the chair. You sat in front of him on a chair and you looked at him. “Why did they sent me ya now?” You chuckled and you shook your head. “No one sent me, I just came here on my own. And you, what are you doing here?” He tried to get rid of the cords but he didn’t succeed. You heard him sigh and you gave him a slight smile. You looked at his files that were laying on the table. “So you are called Jesse McCree, you worked for the Deadlock Gang and you’re supposed to stay in a jail for your whole life.” You kept looking at the files and you saw him looking at the ground. “We are actually giving you a chance to restart your life. What do you want to stay in prison or live your life as you want and just sometimes we give you mission?” He looked at you with embarrassment and he mumbled something you didn’t hear the first time. “Can you repeat please?” He looked at you but his hat hid his face. “OKAY! I ACCEPT YOUR OFFER!!” He yelled angrily but a little bit happy too. You laughed and you left the room, trying to search Gabriel and tell him that you have a new recruit.

Pharah

You always loved Egypt, it was one of your favourite countries. Its story was amazing and people who lived there were really kind. But even if you knew a lot about it, you never knew Fareeha’s story. Even if she was a hero there, you never heard of her. But you’ll meet her anyways. Today was certainly the best day of your life, you were finally in Egypt! You were jumping all over the place and smiling like a dumb. But you didn’t notice Fareeha coming in your way and you bumped into her. Fareeha stayed on her feet unlike you, you fell on your butt and you raised your head to see a tall and tanned woman with black hairs. She offered her hand you gladly took it. “I’m sorry, didn’t see you.” You were still smiling and you scratched the back of your neck in embarrassment. She shook her head and she looked at you with amusement. “It’s okay, the most important is that you aren’t hurt.” You nodded and you got up on your feet. You looked at your watch and you seemed a hurry. “Oh no… I have to go, maybe I’ll see your around…” “Fareeha Amari.” You registered the name and you ran off, but just before that you shouted your name. “Glad to meet you! I’m (Y/n) (L/n)!” And you left her, you never saw it but just after you started to run she was also smiling.

Reaper

Gabriel always thought he would be feared by everyone when he became Reaper. Why shouldn’t the people do it after all? He’s a murderer, a terrorist who’s working for Talon and a criminal. But you weren’t like the others, you knew his crimes but that doesn’t stop you to meet him. He didn’t have any missions today so he was just walking in the streets, his mask and his outfit still on him. A lot of people avoided him and some gangs attacked him. He spared them but he destroyed them. He had blood on him and he scared way more people now. But not you, you were walking with errands on your arm. You stopped when you saw Reaper in front of him. You raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Hello, Reaper.” He looked at you with confusion, weren’t you afraid of him? “Aren’t you scared of me?” You giggled and you shook your head. “Why should I?” He seemed kinda upset at this and he pointed at all the blood he had on him. “I killed people and I’m still killing people! I’m a terrorist, I am working for TALON!” You shrugged and you looked at the church to see what time it was. “It means nothing for me, Overwatch’s agents killed a lot of people too. But it doesn’t mean we are scared of them. It’s the same for you. Maybe we will meet in the future, goodbye.” You left him confused but a bit glad to have met someone like you.

Soldier 76

Jack… What ‘bout Jack Morrison? He was dumb, and maybe sometimes selfish? But he was still someone you would like to meet, you were only a simple agent in Overwatch but you knew the commander very well. And then, the accident came. You became a simply citizen with a normal life. Wait- did I really say that? You worked for Overwatch as a commander! It’s true that you didn’t meet one time Jack, but lived as a normal citizen? Pfff, you were known by everyone you couldn’t live a normal life. You decided to work for no one but just you. You served justice as you wanted, you were known under another name now. Jack never recognized you and he wanted to put an end to your life, because the way you served justice didn’t please him. You were a Dorado for a week, you walked to your presumed house but a man stopped you in the middle of the path. He had silver hair and a blue visor with a red, blue and white jacket, he also had a rifle in his hands. He started to shoot at you but you managed to avoid all the bullets. You ran closer to him and somehow, you succeeded to take off his visor. You let out his visor when you knew who he was. “Too stubborn to die, Jack, huh?” He looked at you with anger in his eyes. You threw him his visor and you lift up your hands. “I never thought my first meeting with you like this.” He put his visor back and he growled. “Who are you?” You pretended to be heart by his words and you put a hand on your heart. “C'mon, you are hurting me. I was a commander like you in the golden age of Overwatch. (Y/n) (L/n).” He said nothing for a moment but he offered you a hand after a moment. “I’m sorry for wishing your death agent, I’m glad to finally meet you.” You grinned and you gladly shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too commander.”

Sombra

Unexpected, that’s how you felt about meeting her. Olivia always loved to play with people, she couldn’t take a situation seriously. It was her personality after all. You started to interact with her on the net. You became quickly friends with her and you wanted to meet her. But your job as a spy didn’t help for that. These days, you had to capture a woman known as Sombra. It was hard to keep talking with Olivia but she understood your situation and she let you the time you needed. You were on the roof, your communication in your hand but it suddenly stopped to work and a purple screen appeared on it. You sighed and you got up from your position. “I know you’re here Sombra.” She giggled and she was in front of you now. “Don’t need to be so grumpy amigo. It reminds me of Gabriel.” You threw your communication away and you glanced at her. “You knew from the start that I was looking for you, why are you here?” She raised an eyebrow before smile. “I’m sure you know who’s Olivia, right?” Your eyes widened and you took out your gun. You pointed it at her. “Cálmese, you’ll be surprised but I am her. I’m Olivia.” You dropped your gun in surprise and you watched her. She wasn’t joking, she had a serious expression. But could you believe her? “I’ll let you alone for a moment mi amigo, adiós.” She disappeared just after that, using her translocator. Leaving you speechless.

Tracer

Lena always travelled a lot, and she didn’t try to be discreet. You already met her several time, but when was your first met? Like this… You finally reached your objective, being the fastest runner in the world. It took you a lot of time, but you were finally what you wanted to be. And yet, it didn’t feel like you were the fastest. You travelled the entire world to challenge all the runners you met, and you finally met someone as fast as you. She called herself Lena Oxton and she worked for Overwatch. “So you’re the fastest runner in the world?” She asked you while she trained her body for the run you were about to start. “This is what they say, but it doesn’t feel like this for me. I know there’s someone better than me but where? That’s why I challenged you.” She laughed and she pointed at her machine attached on her chest and back. “I can blink luv, this isn’t fair.” You grinned and you put yourself in position. “Where’s the fun in playing fair? I’m here for the fun but also to see if there’s someone better than me, I don’t care if you can blink. If you win, I’ll surpass you and show the world that even if someone uses tricks you can win against them.” Lena giggled and she was ready to run. “Ready? Steady, go!” You didn’t succeed to beat her, but it made you more enthusiast. You had a new goal now! And you were ready to beat it again, it’ll certainly take more time but it doesn’t matter.

[karuoke]

I really enjoy your thoughts in the game! Are there any ways you would want to change the other heros if you could?

most of them are in a good spot i feel, what makes them tough to deal with are usually combinations of heroes (pharmercy,orisa+turret bois,..), d.va im very fond of the rework, her defense matrix can’t eat whole ults, she really needed to be able to shoot while flying, make her more engaged, i’d maybe bring back that she can die to her ult just so she doesn’t get cocky and it’s fair to tracerhog i really like too the position he’s in now, if you want to pull out the hook combo,you have to put in more effort and his healing is well done now.junkrat...is too much for a defense hero. i feel like more traps instead of more mines could be more original playstyle/concept than him just spamming tons of damage without seeing those who kill. he’s also crazy mobile thanks to it and i’m not sure he should see almost eye to eye with genji in that aspect. his tire needed to be faster, im still sometimes confused about the radius but it is what it is, he’s fully vulnerable while sending it out so it seems balanced.symmetra can be taken out simply from a long range, she has very interesting kit that is very helpful for ally team, her gun however is sort of a problem i feel, the fact that it auto locks and does damage while she jumps around or run around objects and it doesn’t break and instead keeps charging more and keeps the charge for when she attacks next person is a bit too scary for a support hero. yes, you shouldn’t get in her territory, but in most of the maps, you HAVE TO get there and then it’s just a slaughter if that one ranged hero on your team doesn’t get her in time. also her teleport/shield gen should be visible for teammates cause her “protect the teleporter” is useless when no one knows where it is. i guess you can secure it with turrets, but i don’t see why such information would be kept from the team when you can see sombra’s medkit. also torb’s turret could have indicator too,i don’t know, at one hand, those heroes should care for their stuff themselves, but then again, there’s always such chaos going on that it could be nice to directly see what’s where.most of the reworks i like, hanzo’s scatter arrow is being discussed even when im not sure what could be done about it, reaper feels nicer now with the direct health steal, i’d still change wraith form so that you can enable and disable it when you please and not have directly 3 seconds of it, cause then you’re too predictable, zenyatta and lucio are pretty great, i jsut feel like people use them for literally everything else but healing, cause that’s what their kit makes it seem to be, im not gonna lie, i hate seeing solo heal lucio or zen, cause most of the composition, it jsut wont be enough and you know we either have zen for discords or lucio for sick boops and contesting.widow really needed the hook change, she’s more mobile now and her short-reveal-when-triggered mine is also improvement, i still feel like her ult is very underwhelming when the rest of her kit isn’t that much to compensate for it, she deals heavy damage,yes, for that you require skill though and she’s the most selfish when it comes to what she gives to team. her whole kit is made for her only, any other hero can kinda clutch some moments with their abilities, she only shows people through walls. im not sure what could be done about that or if it ever be looked on, probably not, i just felt like hanzo is always a better pick than widow in that aspect of being more helpful to the team with his kitsombra’s translocating animation is fucked up,cause it leaves her hitboxes in place even miliseconds after she’s already teleported and thus can still be killed in the old spot. she also feels like she has the largest head hitbox, especially when you compare her to genji or tracer, she’s the easiest to headshot. other than that i really liked how they changed her along the time and feel she’s in a good spot nowthe others that i did not mention i feel pretty good about, they might be frustrating to deal with (tracer im looking at you) but their kit makes sense to their mobility and their health and their damage. even bastion who’s mostly strong in combination with other heroes (meaning more heroes have to play around him,just like with torb) or in mystery heroes where you just can’t pick something to deal with him, other than that, he’s big and slow and can focus only one person at a time, so he’s good.if i didn’t look at heroes one by one, i’d mention it many times before, i’d either increase everyone’s health, or decrease the damage a bit, jsut so the fights last longer and are more intense. also we need to stop with DPS characters and need more supports and tanks, both of those classes are so interesting to play as, but have only so many characters that people already know them by now and rather grab one of the many DPS characters the game offers to have fun with

[alexiela73]

Hey I'm new and don't know if you'll still do requests for the s/o with prosthetic limbs, if you still will could you do it Pharah, 76, Tracer and Torbjörn? Sorry if you don't.

I do xD I’m sorry. I hope you forgive me but I don’t think I feel comfortable doing Torb’s. I think he’s a character I can only do friendship/parent-like behavior but don’t worry! he’s happily married ;) i’m sure he’d be just as supportive as any of them.

Pharah

   The two of you were together before the accident

Between the two of you, you were both considered a rather elite fighting team

Pharah was all about the high ground attacks and you were more up close and personal

One day a mission went wrong and a bomb trap went off in a building Pharah had seen you enter but a minute ago

Instantly she had dropped from the sky, panic filling her as she yelled into her mic your name

  The building, or what was left of it, was crumbling

She’d found you beneath rubble, your limbs at odd angles. Lifting you, the two of you had your first retreat

You ended up going into intensive care in the hospital

Pharah didn’t leave your side once. She was so scared that she might lose you….

When the doctors told you that they couldn’t save most of your body, she was heart broken. Not because your body was most important to her: because she was afraid of how you might react when you woke up

   It was a few days before you woke up at all

  When you did, you were really groggy. Everything was a blur, but slowly the world came into focus

And the first thing your eyes locked on was Pharah

   Instantly relief filled you. She was okay. When the bomb had gone off, your first thought had been was what if she walked in and another went off too?

   “Your okay…” you breathed, instantly trying to reach for her…but you realized your hand wasn’t held out to her. It felt like it was….but it wasn’t….

You froze, and Pharah instantly moved to the bed, gently smoothing her hand through your hair.

“How….how much could they save?” you asked finally, swallowing.

   Pharah’s fingers tucked a strand behind your ear. “None of your limbs made it,” she says softly. “They’re just waiting for the new prosthetic limbs to get in.”

  For a moment you said nothing, as your mind raced around in a panic in your head. “I…oh….” you whispered, before you focused on one thought in particular.

Eyes meeting hers, you swallowed hard. “Pharah…Prosthetic limbs don’t bother you, do they?” you asked, nervous.

Pharah stared down at you, before her eyes welled with tears and she tried to blink them back. “Y/n, you idiot,” she whispers. “Of course they don’t. This doesn’t change how I feel about you. Its us, till the end.

   Breathing in and out, you slowly nodded. If Pharah was unhurt, and wouldn’t leave you with this obvious change, then…

“Its us,” you agreed, as Pharah leaned in and pressed a kiss to your forehead. “Till the end.”

Soldier 76

   You two have been married for a long, happy 9 years

  The two of you met before Soldier reunited with Ana

Now you usually stay Overwatch, helping Mercy take care of them all

   Your not a fighter, more of a lover

  Although Soldier would have agree with that, he had to admit you didn’t have a mean bone in your body and he loved you for it

You rarely go on missions with them, just because of how dangerous it is

  After 9 years, Soldier found you unconscious on the floor in the kitchen

Instantly you were in Mercy’s medical room, with Soldier being forced to wait outside for what seemed like forever

Finally, Mercy allowed him in, but only after you’d woken up

You sat there in the bed, watching him with a rather gentle look on your face

Soldier swallowed hard. You looked so small in the medical bed…

“Hey,” he said quietly, coming and sitting on the edge of the bed and taking your hand in his. “How…how do you feel?”

For a moment you watched him, tracing your fingers across his hand. It had a faded scars and the fingers were rough with calluses. Your husband was such a hard worker, you though. He always tried his best…

“I feel good,” you said after a moment, giving him a soft smile.

Soldier realized that that smile…wasn’t good. It meant that something was wrong, something you had easily come to terms with.

“Baby…I..Apparently I have a disease,” you said slowly, reaching up to brush your hand across his cheek.

“Apparently I’ve had it for a long time, but the symptoms don’t show up for years sometimes. My…my body is dying. The tissues and nerves are dying. My limbs will be the first to go…I already can’t wiggle my toes or feel below my knees. And I’ll get faint or dizzy spells,” you say gently.

Soldier’s heart broke in his chest. His love for you was endless, and your pain was his. But he knew that you’d try to hide your feelings, as not to upset him

“Y/n…” he said softly.

“Mercy says there’s treatment, but…it’ll only prolong my life by another eight years at best. At worst, I could die as early as next year,” you continued, watching the stunned look on his face. It hurt you just as much. But you couldn’t cry, you had to stay-

Pulling you tight in his arms, Soldier stroked his fingers through your hair tenderly. “Don’t,” Soldier whispers. “Don’t pretend you don’t care. Its my job to be strong for you, not the other way around.”

You felt yourself freeze, your heart beating wildly. The gentle feeling of his hand in your hair soothed you a bit as you let out a shuddering breath.

“My health is just going to decline, Jack-” you whispered.

“I don’t care,” he said raggedly. “I love you. With everything I have. Eight years, one year, five minutes….every second is worth being with you, even if we know the outcome. I love you, y/n, and by your side is where i will remain. So don’t give me some kind of bullshit about how you don’t want me to see,” he whispers into your ear, cradling you to him.

That was what broke you though. You didn’t want him to see. But even more selfish was the fact that you didn’t want to die alone. You didn’t want to never see him again. You didn’t want to leave him.

The tears spilled over and you clutched him, pressing your face into his chest. It was amazing how so much could change in five minutes….One moment you thought you had a lifetime and the next it was so much shorter…

“We’re in this together,” Jack whispered, rocking you gently. He knew he could never and would never want to leave you. He’d be there till your last breath and longer.

“I’m sorry,” you sobbed, shaking against him as you let your emotions take you.

Jack just held you the rest of the night, humming the song the two of you had danced to at your wedding.

Mercy stood outside, tears spilling down her own cheeks. She wished she could have saved you.

Tracer

The two of you fell in love after

Every year Tracer likes to take a small vacation from Overwatch and go to England to compete in the track and field there. There’s a contest every year for the fastest runner

She competes, not using her device in any way

After all, Tracer hates cheating

She first saw you when you were getting ready to compete. You were stretching over at the far side, wearing shorts and t-shirt. Her first thought was you were incredibly attractive

Lena’s second thought was that she wanted to know your name. Unable to help herself, she’d begun toward you and then noticed you were talking to some people there

You looked mildly irritated, hands on your hips, as four people stood there. As Tracer got closer, she could hear them more clearly, though honestly she was halfway through the crowd. Everyone could hear them

“That’s cheating, mate. Omnic’s aren’t allowed to participate,” one sneered, to her shock. What on earth?

“Ya, why don’t ya go back to the scrap yard?” another laughed.

That’s when you noticed the glimmer of metal and realized you had one prosthetic leg and two prosthetic arms. But why did that matter, she thought?

“What’s going on here?” Tracer said cheerfully, bouncing up beside you. Her eyes were like daggers on the men.

“Nothing,” you muttered, wondering if the pretty woman was going to make fun of you too. You used to run all the time till an accident took it away. But these prosthetic limbs allowed for you to continue your dream…and they enhanced you as much as normal limbs.

“This bag o’bolts wants to compete!” snickered one.

“So? Its open to the public. What does it matter?” Tracer demanded, to both their and your surprise.

One sputtered a bit. “Its cheating! Look at that!” they said and pointed at his leg.

Tracer looked down at the leg and then up at the men with a challenge. “I see. Having a prosthetic isn’t cheating, nor is it a choice. So bug off,” she said seriously, and glared when they looked like they were going to protest. “Before you find you need a prosthetic too.”

The men glanced at each other. The lady was small and slim but there was something about her that was slightly scary. After a moment they headed off, getting ready for the race.

Turning, you scowled adorably, cheeks pink. “You didn’t have to do that,” you muttered.

Raising an eyebrow, Lena let out the prettiest laugh you’d ever heard. “No, but I wanted to. I’m Lena, by the way,” she said, winking at you. “And since I saved you, you can repay me by taking me out to lunch later?”

“I thought heroes saved others to be nice?” you said, flustered. Why was this woman flirting with you? Did she not see the limbs?

Tracer sticks out her tongue at you playfully. “I guess I’m not your typical hero, love.”

“You…do see the prosthetics, right?” you asked hesitantly, wondering if she was blind.

Tracer blinked in surprise. “Of course I do. They’re very nice. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow at Ariel’s Diner at 1pm,” she said with a wink, leaning up and sneaking a kiss on the cheek.

Face burning hot, you rubbed your cheek in awe as she walked off. She liked you? Even with these hunks of metal?

The two of you ended up competing. Lena won, to your happiness, and you came in third. And the next day, you surprised yourself by going to the diner. It was that smile that captivated you…

And there it was, beaming at you from a table

The two of you began going steady and never once did she make you feel inferior or less then your true worth

[null-revolutionary]

Tag dump

[overwatchcannons]

Mercy guide/tips

Before I go on, I want to tell you guys that I’m obviously not a grandmaster Mercy but I am a damn good one and these are some things I gathered while playing her. Notice that some of these things aren’t immediate, but must be worked on and honed. Mercy is a character who requires practice and aren’t really for people who seek instant glorification. And also these are very basic??? stuff I’m covering and before I start, yes, these aren’t rules you MUST follow. You can play the game however you damn please. These are just my opinions that, I hope, can help someone.

1) Check your settings. I know messing with the settings are kinda scary but they will help you lots! Go to options > controls > Mercy and then stroll down to hero. Firstly, there is a setting called Allied Health Bars. I highly recommend it on. Its pretty self explanatory so I wont explain it but it will help you see who need immediate help and those who can wait, etc. Then there is Toggle Beam. I have this on. This is helpful because instead of holding down on your mouse for your beam you can just click it once. This gives you more time to focus on your position and where everyone else is. Your beam is already on them  Next, there is Guardian Angel Prefers Beam Target. I highly recommend it off. What it does is when you’re healing someone you are locked on to that person until you let go of your beam. It is tedious to heal. wait. let go. find another person. fly to them. With this setting off, it will give you much more freedom. You can fly to others while healing someone else. Next we have Toggle Guardian Angel. Now have you ever used guardian angel to fly to a friend in aid and once there, realizing its a war zone? yeah, me too. that’s why I have this setting off. You fly with guardian angel and stop flying to them by letting go of the button. so you can go halfway, heal, and then repeat, avoiding danger. The rest. guardian angel and beam sensitivity, are personal preference. The lower it is the more accurate you’ll be, basically, but don’t go overboard. Find a sensitivity that works with you

2) Abuse guardian angel. I have watched a lot of competitive Mercy players and almost never do they stand in one place or walk to place to place. Move around. I heard this guy compare her to a pendulum. She goes to one person, healing. Then the other and the other, etc. Try also to find kinda of a “ rock”, someone you can fly back to when things are getting ugly. Plus, when you use it, your hit box is hella crazy. Use that to your advantage.

3) Ditch the pistol/BOOST YOUR ALLIES. Mercy is a very unique support and in her core, she is pure support unlike the other characters. Her only ability is guardian angel and everything she does is based on helping. Your boost does 30% of what damage the character does. For example, boosting a pharah on her basic attack could kill a tracer who had almost full health. Sure, your pistol can charge up that ult faster, but by boosting another character you charge BOTH ults. Of course, I’m not talking about the times where your team is all dead, or if you’re all alone. These are red flags. But notice. All these red flags involve not having a team mate. Most mercy player rarely use their boost. That’s wrong. It is there for a reason. This can help a less experienced teammate use less bullets or take down that one annoying enemy, etc.

4) Please……. for the love of everything that is holy……. don’t…. pocket heal. If you don’t know what that is, pocket healing is when you pick a character and stay with and heal them, like their own personal healer. Now hear me out. Yes, I understand that in some cases pocking is helpful and swell, but most of the time, you aren’t paying enough attention to your other teammates. For example, pharah and mercy. Boosting/Healing Pharah is great!! But staying with her 24/7, take your attention away from other really needing it. If you follow your Pharah to the point, what if all your other teammates left behind go critical and desperately need healing? Not only that but your team counts on you and they should be able to trust you to help them. A team that scrambles for health packs every time while having healers isn’t a very good one

5) Stop being selfish. This sounds mean and I know what you’re thinking. “What????? How can I be selfish??????” As I said before, mercy is a PURE support. She isn’t like Ana with other offensive abilities, or like Lucio, who can speed boost and push people. Her primary function is healing/boosting. helping. You can not be selfish with your ults, your time, your health, etc. This is a hard mentality to have but you constantly have to think about it.

6) Reviving. This is a really big thing and I can write literal pages but for now I’ll give you the biggest points. The main question: When should I ult???? There isn’t an easy answer for this. Its entirely situational but I will say this. You probably won’t get that 5 player Rez. Get that in your mind. Withholding your ult. And waiting for when all your team mates die is, what I believe, wrong. Don’t be greedy. Imagine this. The more people you have, the higher the chances of you winning. You are trading one ultimate, for theirs. Maybe you only have one dsp and he dies. Or many that rein that was carrying the team dies. Find the more “important” characters in your team and keep track of them. But warning. What you shouldn’t do is a rushing ult, as I like to call it. By that I mean, maybe that soldier dies after getting out of the respawn room or maybe the lucio dies on his way to catch up to you guys at the payload. don’t.

7) Take responsibility for yourself. As a mercy player, it is super easy to blame others. “No one protected me” “I kept dying” “I’m on the losing team” “That genji on the enemy team keeps attacking me” Please don’t do this. You keep dying? OK, take a breath, find another route. You should strive to be the best you can be and with such a toxic/// mindset, it will hinder your progress. Know and acknowledge when your wrong. At the end of a match or even when you die, think/list things that you could’ve done better, even if it was out of your control

9) Kick ass and have fun!

[calamitycons]

A character analysis for Jack Morrison from Overwatch

Because fuck it I’m thinking about him and I feel like writing about him too so here we go

Soldier 76, aka Jack Morrison, is very, VERY much like a typical 90’s comic book antihero. He seems to be deeply inspired by the comic books of the 1990’s, which were progressively grittier and filled with explorations of the kind of absolute psychopaths an independent vigilante superhero would have to be. Heroes created during this time period include Cable (a very gruff and stoic mutant who pals around with Deadpool all the time), Deathstroke (aka Slade from Teen Titans, notable for his psychological manipulation of teenagers and villainous methods), and many other, less remembered characters created at the time.

The 90’s were a time when superheroes were allowed be needlessly, sadistically violent. They were allowed to fight crime just because they like kicking the due to see if blood comes out, and a major plot focus for these comics (which were honestly mostly pinups of blood-splattered hunks doing superhero things lol) was selfishness and ruthless bloodlust. These were angry, gory, and ultimately unsavory people who would either do the right thing but for the wrong reasons, or would just be a straight up villain.

How does this all come back to Jack Morrison?

Something very key to Morrison’s character is his sheer meanness. He has a tragic and edgy past, little tolerance for things like defeat or fooling around, he smashed a burning piñata into the face of a local thug in Dorado, all because he is driven only by one main goal: to find out what really caused the fall of Overwatch. That’s his only motivation, and that’s what he’s willing to shoot and mutilate people for. He’s an asshole, he never lightens up, he doesn’t stop doing unquestionably rotten things because he’s gotten to the point where he’s willing to do whatever it takes to answer the burning question he still hasn’t managed to answer.

But the key to him is, he wasn’t always that way.

Take another look at the smaller things he does. The exhausted “welp, guess I’m hanging out with the kids today” attitude he has in-game. The small criticisms he gives to Tracer and D.Va about their attitude and behaviors. The fact that when presented with a choice between following the lead he has with Los Muertos or saving the life of this random little girl who got caught in the crossfire…

he chose to save the little girl.

One of the key things toward understanding fictional characters (in my opinion) is to see what the character does when under pressure. What decisions they make when they don’t have the time to think about it, the snap-of-a-finger perilous choices lead to the actions that speak the loudest.

No matter what Soldier 76 wants to tell himself, no matter how angry or gruff or just fundamentally abrasive of a person he is, at his core he’s got a sense of integrity and justice that burns brighter than any question he could ever have in his life. The desire to rescue the innocent, protect those in danger, and serve humanity.

He’s not nice about it, not by a long shot. He doesn’t have a bleeding heart, and he doesn’t have the same Peace-Above-All-Other-Options attitude that Mercy has. But he has a moral core that’s stronger than anything else in his character, and that moral core is what pushed him to join the military, what pushed him to volunteer for the SEP, what made him a better fit for the face of Overwatch, and what compelled him to save a little girl’s life instead of chase after the answers to his questions.

At his core, he is the golden boy. He’s a hero. He might be a huge fucking dick about it, he might regret and hate and try his damnedest to be a ruthless, badass motherfucker, and don’t get me wrong, he totally IS all of that. But that’s the thing. He’s both. He is the moral core of a Superman with the bloodlust of a 90’s antihero to try and hide it. He’s a lot more complex than I thought he was, and I’m glad I took the time to put my thoughts into words.

[joshtheoverlander]

Doomfist's Gauntlet Conundrum

Bear in mind that this rant is coming from an outside perspective, a guy who has yet to play the game, but personally, I think the heroes of Overwatch really screwed the pooch on handling Doomfist's gauntlet. In one of the cinematic trailers for Overwatch, we see Widowmaker and Reaper going after the gauntlet, which is on display in a museum. During a clash with Tracer and Winston, with a couple kids looking on, the older of the two kids takes the gauntlet, giving Widowmaker a big wallop with it and basically ensures Tracer and Winston's success in pushing them backing and forcing a retreat. After that, I just ignored the whole gauntlet thing for a while because, at the time, Doomfist hadn't been added to the character roster yet. But when he did get added, I questioned a friend of mine, who's played and still plays Overwatch what happened, as I recognized the gauntlet and wanted to know how they got their hands on it because A. Tracer and Winston beat Widowmaker and Reaper back, and B. It was broken and needed repairs. What he told me made me groan in irritation towards the heroes of Overwatch. He told me that they themselves fixed the gauntlet and sent it off to a different museum, an event of which had its own game mode for a time at one point where the payload was the gauntlet. Let me explain why this grates my nerves. First off, in the battle for the gauntlet in the trailer, I have to question why the hell they decided it'd be a good idea to put Doomfist's gauntlet, a gauntlet that can be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands, in a fucking museum display. Not a replica or anything sensible like that, no, they put the REAL FUCKING THING IN A FUCKING MUSEUM DISPLAY. A MUSEUM THAT HAS SHIT SECURITY AND COULD BE INFILTRATED BY A GODDAMNED SIMPLE THIEF ON THE STREETS! Next, is how they treated the damages to the gauntlet. Now, if I were a hero of Overwatch, I would've said that it would've been for the best that it was damaged and that perhaps it should stay that way. But no, the heroes of Overwatch fixed it themselves. WHY!? Even if the villains of Talon retake the gauntlet and manage to repair it themselves, I'd consider that a big middle finger to the villains, making so they'd have to fix it themselves if they wanted it to work. Oh, hey, Talon members, I know we're enemies and all, but why don't I help you with that broken weapon of ABSOLUTE DESTRUCTION! WANT SOME POPCORN AND SODA TOO!? MAYBE TICKETS TO A THEATRE PLAY WHILE WE'RE AT IT! Finally, there's the location they decided to bring the gauntlet to after it was repaired. ANOTHER MUSEUM! Oh, sure, let's not take it to a more secure location with more heavy security where it's less likely to be stolen, let's just take it another museum! Now, what would I do differently? First, I would probably let them put it in the first museum, albeit very reluctantly. It was after the war, things were starting to look up, if only just a little and there was apparently less of a need for heroes like Winston and the others, (If not, then the world government needs new management) so it would be safer to have it in a museum then than it is now. And seeing as Widow and Reaper seem to be the only ones implied to have attempted stealing it at the time of the trailer, it certainly was fine to do that, but regardless I would've posted the idea of making a replica and putting THAT in the museum, but if they insist it would be fine, I'd just say, "It's on you if something happens" and let them put it on display. Then, after the gauntlet gets broken, under the assumption that in this hypothetical scenario I have input into what to do next, I'd suggest it stay busted up, if nothing else than in spite of the villains of Talon, but mostly for safety reasons. Then finally, when the idea of putting it in another museum, I once again propose the idea of making a replica and putting THAT up for display while hiding the real thing in a secure location or possibly breaking it to the point beyond repair. Preferably the latter, because sending the villains on a wild goose chase under the assumption the gauntlet on display is the real thing just sounds so satisfying to me for when they finally realize it's a fake. Hell, as a hero of Overwatch, I'd guard the fake just to make the villains think it's real because I'd be a very neutral Good and very selfish hero if I were in Overwatch, but judging from the actual heroes' actions, apparently I'd be the only sensible one. I don't claim to know a lot about Overwatch, but I just can't believe that some of these guys are geniuses when they pull actions like this. Granted if it turns out the museum thing was the government's idea or someone outside of Overwatch, then I take back all of my badmouthing towards Winston and the others and I propose that they be dealt with as well, because they seem to be just as big of a problem as Talon for their ignorance and arrogance if for nothing else.

[docholligay]

D Va, Lies we tell

Takes place directly after Purple and Blue.  Entire OW verse is here.  800 words or so. You can find me on patreon or my ko-fi! Comments welcomed!

“It���s none of my business.” That was the first lie she told, to herself, in her bedroom in the Overwatch house, sitting on her pink bed cross-legged, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone.

It had been such a fun night, up to that moment, the moment she couldn’t forget, the spray of blue light against the purple of her skin, their eyes closed, drinking deeply of each other. She knew, secretly, that it was very much her business, that Overwatch was her business and her team and a part of her that she could never separate from, and that Tracer’s choice dwelled between stupidity and treason.

She was going to get the whole team killed, Dva assured herself, which was why she cared at all that Tracer was dallying around with a deadly assassin.

“I don’t care.” She said as she went down the hall, the second lie she told, knowing it was a lie even as she went toward Tracer’s room.

She liked it here, if she was telling herself the truth. She felt respected. Appreciated. They had all had a rocky start, but…they were her people, now, even though Pharah was too strict, and Tracer was annoying, and Winston was boring, and Mercy was a worrywart. That was all true. But they were all hers.

She knocked at Tracer’s door, and turned back to the hall. She didn’t want to be here. She had to be here. It felt like her whole life, in one moment.

There was the clip of the accelerator, the dropping of the buzz of her room, and she opened the door. “‘ana?”  

“Can I come in?” There was a flash in her eyes that Tracer must have noticed, because she studied her carefully, and then motioned her inside.

“You all right, love?”

Be gentle and be patient with people, Hana, she heard her father say, give them a chance, first. If you force a flower to open, it only destroys it, but if–

“I saw you with her.” Dva barked, harsher than she meant to.

“With who?” The look on her face suggested that she might not know, in fact, who Dva was talking about.

“Widowmaker,” she hissed, as if someone might hear, even in the privacy of Tracer’s bedroom. “What were you thinking? She’s our enemy, Lena!”

“Oh, she is not,” Tracer put her hands on her hips, “She just…’as gotten caught up in a bit of madness. She’s not–she’s not bad, ‘ana. I know that. You don’t know, and you can’t–”

“Um, she shot you?” Dva gestured into the air.

Tracer protested. “No, she didn’t! McCree shot me! And when she came round to the ‘ouse to kill me, she didn’t, and–”

Dva’s eyes widened. “She’s been in the HOUSE?” She shook her head. “Pharah’s not going to stop at killing you, that’s for sure.”

“Pharah’s not going to find out!” They were close now, Tracer’s eyes desperate. “At least, at least not til I’ve ‘ad the chance to discuss it with ‘er. ‘Ana? Please? Amelie’s, she just, she needs time.”

Dva rolled her eyes. “It’s Amelie now? I thought, when I came here, I’d hear about how drunk you were or something, but you’re just stupid.”

That was the third lie she told. She had known Tracer had met with her before, had sensed it in that moment, had sensed Tracer’s belief, that love really would conquer all and she and Widowmaker could be together. Wanting something not to be true, and not knowing if it’s true, are not quite the same.

“Six weeks.” Tracer grabbed her shoulder, her eyes wide. “Just six weeks, and then you can tattle on me to Pharah all you want.”

“It isn’t tattling when you could get us all murdered.” She crossed her arms and stepped back.

Tracer shook her head. “She’s wouldn’t do that.”

“She killed Pharah’s Mom, Lena.”

Dva was in disbelief. She had grown up seeing posters of Tracer, thinking she was a role model, and now she stood here, forced to square with the humanity of her in a way that she hadn’t before, even watching her in eat kippers out of the tin in her boxers. Tracer wasn’t a hero at all. She was stupid and selfish and delusional and wrong.

“That was–” Tracer hung her head a little, her resistance fading, “that was a long time ago..” She looked at Dva with a note of sadness and resignation. “I love her, ‘ana.”

“Six weeks.” Dva threw her hands up in the air, not quite knowing why she’d conceded, but unable to get over the soft look in Tracer’s eyes. “Then I’m blowing this place up.”

Tracer hugged her tightly and lifted her off the ground. “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! It’ll all be just fine, just right as a rose, you’ll see.”

“I know.” She lied, again.

[akedaran]

Okay so

Oh boy. Okay. I’d love to talk about all things Overwatch with you! Just… be prepared for some salt about certain characters. These are just my opinions.

I’m gonna put this under read more because this is gonna be long, my friend.

OKAY okay so. Let’s start at the beginning. The Overwatch timeline is really, really confusing. The Overwatch lore is confusing in general. I have no idea what happens when, but thankfully someone (I can’t remember who, but they’re a savior) made a reasonable timeline of the Overwatch events.

However, new things keep getting added and I’m???? I’m confused but. Like. The Uprising event. I thought Ana died 10 years prior to present Overwatch time but the Null Sector mission took place 7 years ago so like???? You just have to freestyle. The timeline is basically nonexistent so all I have to say on that is I just do whatever the hell I want with the timeline and nobody makes a fuss because we all share that apathy. No one cares about the timeline. It’s not even worth the effort to try to piece it together.

And I mean, the information we have on most of the characters is really vague??? I mean it gives me a lot of room to experiment and stuff but I’d love to have something solid on the characters that aren’t part of the original strike team or the Shimada Bros (because god knows how much Chu favors those two).

Like, D.Va, Symmetra, Zarya, Mei, Emily… they get ignored. Entirely. We only have mere snippets of them to work with and even then, I don’t have a fucking clue. It’s upsetting, really, but I assume (and hope, and pray, and wish, and need) we’ll get like a comic or an animation on one of theme here soon.

Well, we’d better. Or something for Pharah or Mercy because I SWEAR TO GOD if its something for the characters that already have SUBSTANTIAL LORE to work with I’m gonna be upset. I’m already upset. I’ll just be even more upset.

Like at this point there’s only a select few characters I even relatively give a shit about? But I figure I’ll just go through every character and state my opinion on them.

Genji - “I NEED HEALING I NEED HEALING I NEED HE—“ This is the ultimatum of Genji. He’s a double-edged sword. I can’t find it in myself to like him, not after everything. I won’t let myself say that I hate him, but I just… I can’t appreciate his character. In theory, his design in aesthetically appealing, and his backstory is dark in a way that I might have been able to enjoy were it not Genji. But at this point, he’s too far out of reach. His gameplay is not one that works well with mine, as a Mercy main, and the people who play him are THE MOST toxic in all the Overwatch community, hands down. And when I don’t heal him, Genji players don’t understand that maybe it’s because I have no idea where the fuck they are. Maybe it’s because they’re on the other side of the goddamn map and boy, would I love to heal you, but I can’t if you aren’t within reach of my health noodle. Maybe it’s because they’re jumping head first into the enemy team, and I may be healer, but my priority first and foremost is to keep MYSELF alive, so if you die in .2 seconds it’s not my fault.

In my opinion, Genji contributes nothing to a team, and where Overwatch is TEAM FOCUSED game, I can’t see the point in having him on a team. I can’t see the point in risking my life to heal him. I don’t see what he brings to the table. I won’t let myself hate him because Genji, as a character, deserves better than what people who play him make him, but I don’t see his value.

McCree - I could care less about McCree. I don’t have a set opinion in him. His character is extra in a way that is almost comical, and I can appreciate the McCree & Pharah sibling dynamic. It’s cute. And McCree is fun to play, I will admit. But as for what happens to him, I could care less. His character interactions are boring. His personality isn’t interesting. So while I don’t dislike him, simply because he’s fun and weird, I really just don’t care about him. At all.

Pharah - I LOVE HER I love her so much. I love Fareeha “Pharah” Amari. I love her because she’s everything you need for a commander, and I love her because she loves everyone. Like, she can be stern and strategic and harsh but she also cares so much for her teammates. I love her because of her morals— her tendency to defend, her instinctual need to protect. This is her life. This is what she was born to do— protect, and love, and if anyone should be the face of net-overwatch it had damn well better be her. I love her because her comfort can be the wisest of words and it can be the smallest of brushes of shoulders in the hallways and I love her because both of those comforts can mean the same thing in different contexts. I love her because when her mother left, she wasn’t understanding, fucking hell she was bitter. And you can hear it in her interactions that, maybe, she’s still bitter, she’s still mad at her mom for leaving. She certainly isn't upset for her mother putting her work above her child, but she’s bitter because she’s doing what she loves in protecting people and the only thing she can think of is how much her mother would disapprove. I don’t like what the fandom has done to her in making her character revolve solely around her mother, because while Ana certainly made her who she is, she doesn't define her. She’s the Strike Commander that the new Overwatch deserves.

Reaper - At the beginning, before we had any background on what he was like before the fall, I disliked him. I thought he was boring and his gameplay was dull and he was just some angsty teen wearing every clusterfucked article of clothing in Hot Topic. But now, now that I have lore, I love this man. I love his dedication and the fact that it wasn’t jealousy, it never was, but it was the fact that Overwatch wasn’t doing jack shit while the world crumbled in London. He deserved so much more than what he got— his strike team of fuck-ugly Overwatch rejects. Talon fucked him up but I think, deep down, he’s still just sad about what could have been and he just wants to take Widow and Sombra on vacation to Hawaii and not have to think about war or blood or Blackwatch or Talon ever again. If Pharah is the leader Overwatch needs now, he was the leader Overwatch deserved but never got, the one who cared about the troops and the cause so much that he would go so far as to forsake the law to fight for what he believed in. Easily one of my favorites.

Soldier: 76 - FUCK THIS MAN fuck him and his stupid white bread face and fuck his dumb aimbot let and FUCK the 12 year olds who can’t aim that play him. Fuck the people that see him as some dumb fucking father figure because he’s not he's a dumb, salty asshat who can’t accept the fact that Overwatch’s fall was his own dumb fault like the selfish fucking motherfucker he is. But most importantly, FUCK his stupid, unoriginal gameplay and his stupid unoriginal backstory. Blizzard thought they were being clever when they took Call of Duty and slapped a Yankee cap on it and called him Soldier: 76 but they weren’t. Fuck this dumb blonde-haired-blue-eyed poster boy that can’t get over his cardboard ass. Fuck him.

Sombra - Her voice actress is a gift and her gameplay is actually super useful if used correctly and her character has a lot of potential and dynamic, especially with Reaper and Widowmaker, but I just can’t get super into her??? Like she’s really, really cool in terms of overall design and people who write her, kudos to you, but I can only appreciate her from a distance. Sometimes I wish I could like her more, but I can’t I just… can’t. She’s not for me.

Tracer - SHE’S SO IMPORTANT so important in so many ways. First and foremost, she’s the face of Overwatch and she’s gay and that’s cool. That’s super cool. I mean, it’s a small step forwards, but it’s a step in the right direction. Furthermore, she is important in that she is the heart and soul of Overwatch. She is what makes it a hero organization. She gives it that natural, friendly appeal. But even further, she loves so freely and openly. But she’s not perfect, and thats what I think is the best thing about her. She couldn't save Mondatta, and she beat herself up over it. She fell through time and space and she wasn't fine afterwards. She still isn't fine, but the most important thing is that she moves forward. That’s why she is one of my top three favorite characters. (In relation to There’s Blood in the Water, I gave her the ‘healing hands’ trope for this reason. It’s in her nature to care, so when she helps Hana along her way, it comes naturally to her not because she pities Hana, but because it’s in her nature to care.)

Bastion - Play of the Game Simulator 2k17. A one-button masterpiece of a game where you look in one direction and shoot and wow! Look! You got a kill. Good job, you special snowflake you. A+ gameplay 10/10 would recommend.

Hanzo - I don’t like him. He’s just a fucking idiot is what he is. Nothing, absolutely nothing of what he did to Genji was justified. Like, if I was mad at my brother for enjoying the simple things in life would I be mad? I mean, sure, but like if I were the heir to the empire anyways I wouldn’t see a damn problem. But like, even if I were mad, why the fuck would I kill him over it? It just makes no fucking sense. There’s no reason. There is absolutely no reason someone should ever be so angry as to see murder as the only solution. There’s just no situation, especially with a sibling, someone you share your flesh and blood and your fucking life with, where murder is justifiable. Hanzo fucked up when he ‘killed’ Genji and any guilt he feels by that decision is what he deserves. Anything that comes his way, he fucking deserves that shit. Honestly, he’s lucky that his brother found in in himself to forgive him because, if like, my older sister tried to kill me because she was upset I was having sex rather than, say, paying my bills, I would be pretty fucking upset.

Junkrat - This dumb fcuking garbage man. You don’t need to aim to play him. You don’t need any level of experience with Overwatch to play him. Honestly he’s just so dislikeable???? I honestly can’t believe there are people that actually LIKE his character and ENJOY his play style. It’s just… so hard for me to believe. He’s so dumb. He’s SO DUMB. You don’t need to AIM to play him. And the people that ship him with Symmetra and Mei I’m just??? You really think they would let him within 10 feet of them??? Because you are sorely mistaken. This stinky rat man needs to go in the trash bin where he belongs.

Mei - Okay like she’s actually a fucked up character?? People overlook the fact that she was the sole survivor of the Ecopoint incident. Like, can you imagine that? Waking up one day after everything had gone to shit, coming out of the cryopod and looking around and realizing that you were the only one that made it out alive. And it would be weeks before help arrived so just waking up every morning and seeing those frozen bodies in the windows of the cryopods. Can you imagine what that would do to someone? So like the fact that she is able to stay so upbeat and focus on her dreams is beyond me. Like the nightmares from that shit would be fucking wild. Just… respect Mei, man. She’s got her scars.

Torbjörn - I mean, despite the nonexistent level of skill that is required to play him, he’s not that bad? I like envisioning him as a total family man. Like, drops everything to cal his wife just to tell her he loves her. Even in the middle of battle. Loves all of his children and sends them souvenirs from wherever his missions take him. Names every single one of his turrets and encourages them, like ‘I believe in you, Linda, you can do it!’ or ‘Come on Olaf, just a little longer and then we win!’ I feel like he would just… take in anyone under his wing. You need help fixing something? He’ll help. You need to rant? He’ll listen. Albeit, it’s in a bit of a roundabout way, but he has seven kids and he knows how to listen. Fuck Dad: 76, where are my Dad Torb fics? You know, the guy who actually has children?

Widowmaker - Out of every character in this goddamn shitting addictive game, I think her lore is, by far, the most interesting. Capture by Talon and programmed to kill her husband at just the right moment, then released back under pretenses that everything was fine— I doubt even she knew what was wrong with her until it was too late, and then that guilt was manipulated and twisted until they had their perfect weapon. The Widowmaker. And I think, subconsciously, she’s aware of what she’s done, aware that she’s messed up beyond repair and that she’s done horrible things. And I think that’s what drives her to, eventually, let herself be taken in by Overwatch (purely a headcanon of mine). Eventually, she will have a redemption arc, and it will be long and hard and she won’t be the same. The idea that Amélie is still in there, somewhere, is pretty childish in my opinion because nobody’s the same after torture, and on the degree hers was supposedly at, there’s no possible way. She won’t revert back to what she was. After all that happened to her, she’ll never be the same. But she can start over.

D.Va - DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON D.VA don’t even. I love her SO FUCKING MUCH. I love her SO MUCH that I wrote 85k words that’s basically torture porn that was put in a blender with a healthy dose of introspection and PTSD. I love her character, I love her gameplay, and more than anything else, I love her ult. But I also hate her, and before you ask why, I’ll make my case.

I hate what this fandom and Blizzard have done to her. I fucking hate it. There’s nothing that could get me to hate you more, or shut you out of my life more than saying you think the ‘gaming gremlin’ thing is funny. Because that shit’s disrespectful. It attacks D.Va’s character and it attacks gamers and it attacks 19-year-olds and the case they make? “It’s funny. It’s just a joke.” No. Shut the fuck up. That shit hurts. You don’t know how hurtful it is. You don’t know how hurtful it is to be disrespected like that. And that’s why Blood in the Water is the way it is because I know that shit and it fucking hurts.

The only thing I could possible hate more than that is infantilizing her. Is lowering to such a standard where she’s nothing more than a child in a catsuit. There is nothing more disrespectful than taking her character— a soldier, a war hero, a celebrity, and a survivor— and thinking: “She’s just a child!” Fuck you. She’s nineteen. She’s every bit an adult as the rest of them. She has seen war and she has seen death. People she loved have died. Her home was destroyed, but that doesn't matter to the fandom, does it? They take her and degrade her into nothing more than Jack Fucking Morrison’s “baby girl” and there’s nothing that makes me angrier. Write stories about her and her PTSD. Write stories about her and the imminent guilt that comes with being a commander in a war. Write stories about her coping with the weight of a country on her shoulders. But I swear to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, don’t write stories about her being nothing more than a fucking Dorito imp. Because I see enough of that shit in her tag already.

Orisa - I mean, I don’t really have enough information to come to a solid conclusion about Orisa, but I can go with some basics. Her gameplay is a little dull— it copies off of way too many preexisting characters. Her design is fucking brilliant, but her skill set is almost as dull as Soldier: 76’s. Despite that, I actually like her quite a bit— she’s the Baymax of Overwatch, and Efi’s the Hiro. I’d let this centaur robocop lady hold me any day.

Reinhardt - I love sad grandpa who just wants to support everyone in whatever they do. He’s such a pure and wholesome character. Even if you don’t believe in yourself, you can bet your ass he’ll pick you up off the ground and help you the rest of the way. He cares so deeply about his comrades, and I think that’s what makes him such a lovable character. He just cares so deeply, even about people he doesn’t know too well. Love this grandpa. Also, did I hear dad figure to Mercy because you bet your ass I headcanon that shit.

Roadhog - I often forget he’s a character until I get hooked through 16 walls, the multiverse, and my entire team. It’s a fucking adventure.

Winston - He’s trying his best to lead Overwatch but I don’t think he’s cut out for it. And honestly, his character is really bizarre in a way that I don’t even know how to react to it. He’s a genetically modified gorilla from the fuck shitting moon, not to mention he can talk and his only friend is an unbelievable mom-like voice on a futuristic iPad. He’s like McCree in that he’s extra, but it isn’t even funny with him. It’s just plain weird.

Zarya - Zarya, I feel, is the most underrated in Overwatch’s roster. You don’t see any stories delving into her, you don’t see lore in her favor. She has few character interactions (but the ones she has are, by far, amazing). I would love to see more work of her, just because she’s such a likable character (come on, that pink hair just takes the cake). Maybe, someday, I’ll get around to writing her more because writing her is fun as all hell. I just want her to hold me in those big, strong arms of hers and make my depression and anxiety back the fuck off. Holy damn. She’s like the cool older sister that everybody needs.

Ana - Honestly, I’m actually kind of bitter about Ana. I can’t forgive what she did to Pharah. I don’t understand why or how she could bring herself to do that. But I believe that, more than any other character, she has the potential to make amends. You can tell, in the dialogue they have, the backstory they could potentially share, that they want to make amends, but it’ll be hard because who can blame Pharah for being bitter? Ana understands. In fact, she probably thinks she deserves it herself. I can’t imagine how guilty she would feel, how much she would worry that after so long, her only daughter might not want anything to do with her anymore, but she’ll try because she refuses not to make amends before her time comes. And, in time, things will ease into the way it should have been all along, and all she can think of is how lucky she is to have such a daughter.

Lúcio - This boy. He believes in you. The most supportive support to ever support. But his story isn’t that deep. His character is shallow in a way I can’t interest myself in. Like, sweet prince, I love you, but you aren’t really all that important to me. But I will always do my best to protect this boy.

Mercy - You know, when I got this game, I told myself I wouldn’t become a Mercy main. I told myself that because I’d read how hard and unrewarding it was. But now, with somewhere close to 85 hours clocked into her, I can only laugh at myself. And really, it is unrewarding. You gain nothing from playing her. It’s hard and it’s stressful and it makes you bitter and there just… isn't an upside. But I’ll keep playing her because if I’m good at being stressed and bitter and exhausted. My friends jokingly call me the ‘Unsupportive Support’ and really, that’s what Mercy is in-game. But no matter how unrewarding it is, I swear to god, there is NO BETTER feeling than watching your teammates all getting sucked into a graviton surge, knowing they’re going to die, and looking down and seeing that you have rez. There’s no better feeling than gliding in there and watching that 5x appear on your screen and this grin spreads across your face because you know, and the enemy team that failed to kill you knows they’ve fucked up big time. NO BETTER FEELING than a five-man rez.

But in terms of lore, personality, and interaction, she’s actually really interesting and fun to write just because I can relate to her so heavily. There’s no way she sleeps on a normal schedule. There’s no way she’s all sunshine and rainbows and pretty pearly smiles. There’s no way she’s anything other than exhausted all the time, kept awake only by heavy overdoses of caffeine. Like, the so obviously hypocritical factor about her is such a likable work. She makes sure everyone else keeps their health in check and then neglects her own. It makes her feel like such a human character. And her interactions? Some of the best in the game (namely with Pharah because that is the good shit). I love Mercy. Second favorite character, and by far the most relatable.

Symmetra - And here she is, the most ignored, underplayed character in the game. She has like, a grand total of ONE character interaction. And what’s worse is that she’s such an interesting character? Her internal conflict of work vs ethic is such a cool concept, and yet we don’t see anything of it. We just have to speculate. Does she regret what she’s done? Is she aware of the wrongness of it? Her comic didn’t help settle anything other than clarify that, at heart, she really is a good person. She really is just trying to make the world a better place, but the interesting thing is that she doesn’t know, perhaps, that what she’s doing with Vishkar isn’t good. It’s hurting more people than it helps. Her character has so much potential for grown, not that Blizzard will ever delve into it. She has potential to realize what she’s done and it’s not in her to wallow in it, but to do what she can to make it better. Which is why, I think, she joined Overwatch. That’s the thing about Blizzard— their little eggshell biographies don’t show the true intents of the characters, it doesn’t show their scars or their morals. And that’s what Satya needs most— her morals have been twisted from the beginning, her scars covered in invisible ink. Her life, all she knows, has been a lie, and when she realizes that, it’ll be a shitshow.

Also, that death noodle. It melts so fast. Why isn’t she played more? Who needs Reaper as a tankbuster when you could have Symmetra?

Zenyatta - Zenyatta is cool, but I think everyone always overlooks the fact that he’s only 20 years old? Like yeah he’s a monk but if you’ve seen 20 year olds they ain’t exactly saints. Let Zenyatta wear hoodies. Let Zenyatta make off-kilter jokes that no one expects because, well, its Zenyatta. He’s the universal vent-station and resident therapist of Overwatch, but let Zenny have some quirks, too. Writing him is super fun though because it’s just like ‘if I wasn’t constantly having an existential crisis what would I be like?’

[spywitch]

I literally fucking hate overwatch players because its like 50% people who are like “omg I only play comp hehe im like platinum 1000 hours hehe and im gonna be totally toxic and everyone has to play the characters I say or else” and 50% “im the last person to pick my hero but im going to be a total inconsiderate douche and pick tracer as our 3rd or 4th fucking dps while not even being good at her either and just use ‘iTs JuSt ArCaDe ItS jUsT qUiCkPlAy” as my excuse for being selfish and creating a miserable game where either my teammates all have to switch to work around me or we get stomped”