#Sp9rk1e

[zaffreberries]

It started with plat chat. The 2020 overwatch league season had ended and plat chat were discussing roster moves, specifically the Element Mystic core of Paris Eternal going over to the Dallas Fuel. There was excitement. The Dallas Fuel had made some of their moves earlier than the other teams, they had snatched the hungry fans attention and held it alone for a period of time whilst other orgs waited to make their moves and behind the scenes jockeyed and negotiateduu to sign players. For a brief window of time the focus was theirs alone. Other teams made their moves and other “Super Teams” were assembled and the hype for Dallas was tempered against these other new exciting teams that were going into the new season. My interest had been piqued and I wasn’t distracted by the other teams. I had a fondness for Sp9rk1e, Fielder had impressed me and everyone spoke about how good Hanbin was. Then they signed Fearless. That was a turning point, when they solidified my attention. I had watched Fearless on the Shanghai dragons, his Winston was legendary and he was a favourite player of mine. The fact he wanted to play on a team with his friends, refused higher offers from other teams. It was a moment that struck a cord with me, this wasn’t just another Super Team, this was THE super team, one that wanted to be together.

Their first foray as a team was the Netease esports tournament 2021. They lost 2 matches and won one. Not good results and people wrote them off. I couldn’t. Something about them stuck with me, my mind refusing to budge. There was a glimmer that I was drawn to, something special that only I could see that was more important than the victories and losses. The 2021 season started and they played a close match against Houston (a team people thought was weak) the murmurs started when they lost 2-3, Dallas Vs the Fuel, the Fuel cycle of misery. But somehow they bounced back and beat Gladiators 3-1 And then lost to Washington 1-3, they were a good team, but exactly how good no one could decide. Gladiators were a “super team” that they had beaten, but so was Washington Justice. It was just enough to qualify for the first tournament and that’s when things changed. In a rematch against Houston they dominated with a 3-0 victory and to secure their a lot to Hawaii they beat Shock 3-0 as well. Suddenly this team was shining again, suddenly others could see the glimmer growing brighter and brighter. They were going to Hawaii, they had made it to the first tournament in Hawaii. What followed was a convincing tournament run that cemented me as a fan. It wasn’t just that they had beaten (in my mind) the strongest team in the league, but that they did it twice. I watched the tournament and then I watched the replay later the next day. I suffered from lack of sleep (thankfully it was the weekend) and I watched it again at my mothers place and had to try and explain to her what I was so riveted by. I didn’t expect them to win, maybe that makes me less of a fan. But to me a fan is someone who likes them DESPITE the team not winning. It wasn’t a matter of “I like this team because I’m from Dallas” it wasn’t that I was a fan of the parent org Envy before the League. I liked the players and I liked how they played. It wasn’t a hyper flex or god gamer hard carrying them to victory, it was a legitimate team effort, every player had shining moments, every player clutched up and had stood brightly in the spotlight. They won the tournament and that glimmer I had seen shone bright and everyone could finally see it. “Those who burn blue, burn brightest”.

They remained strong throughout the year, they made it to the tournaments in Hawaii two more times and although they didn’t win again, I was still a fan. I still was mesmerised by that glimmer. Their play was analysed, it was championed, it was placed upon a deserved podium and lauded for its ingenuity, they gained new fans as they gained more victories. Long time fans were rewarded for their enduring love with a team to be proud of, despite the lack of trophies, there was something special they could finally brag about. Sparkle slowly gained renown for his impressive picking up of Tracer and learning to play at a top level.

So we (I’m just casually joining the roster at this point) didn’t win the 2021 season. Shanghai did. Shanghai had solved 6v6 and outside of hard carry metas they were the strongest team in the overwatch league. But that didn’t matter to me. Dallas had captured my heart. I didn’t follow the team because they always won (though it helped they were a strong team). I followed the team because they had that magic, that ability to coordinate and overcome arguably losing fights, they would triumph despite the odds, they would work hard to overcome set backs that would defeat other teams and turn weakness into strength. Since the roster announced, since that fateful plat chat episode where I first glimpsed a seemingly innocuous blue speck of light, I have been a Dallas Fuel Fan.

[nennechus]

same energy

[fearlessoverwatch]

"Hi everyone! I'm SP9RK1E and I play DPS for the Dallas Fuel!"

[alcyone-meissa]

You love to see it

[greyyow]

SP9RK1E struggle plays

[flickwatches]

Top Players That Have No Limits

I want to talk about some of freeiest playing players in OWL right now. Players that don't believe in limits or boundaries. Players that transcend the basics of the game and rewrite the rules. The gods of winnable.

Jinmu

Embodiment of fuck it yolo. He doesn't call the fight winnable he just decides he wants to kill things one way or another.

Yaki

Somebody who is Profit but not Profit. Literally someone cloned Profit and named them Yaki. He attacks, attacks, and most importantly he attacks. Yaki is the DPS cannon we all dream of being.

Shax

What makes this man insane is that he has historically been a situational bench player. And he just walks into the server mid match and fucks. He has zero fear about failing. He's already on the bench the majority of the time.

Sp9k1e

If being angry and yelling was a player it would be Sp9k1e. The embodiment of "I'm pissed off so I'm swapping to the hero that lets me punch people in game".

Profit

This player is actually Profit. Not a clone. Every hero Profit plays as is basically just him playing Tracer but with a different skin. There is no god because up here he sees no one but himself. Playoff Profit is year round and every team fight is a gift to us.

Honorable Mention Legend of Overwatch

[penguinathena]

anyone else excited for comms check after SP9RK1E has been playing a few games?

[mvpmunchkin]

jecse caught bullying again

[flexyatta]

x

[modwyr]

this is so fucking funny but also someone save doha

[dickdring]

he is coming

[biohazard-inevitable]

(OWL SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!)

Man that was SOME take on Nepal with Eternal absolutely dominating!!!!! That substitution of Soon was amazing with what he pulled off for them. Absolutely stunning kills.

[nennechus]

the raw emotion ... the peaking of the mic ... the dramatic music ... kdramas want what sp9rk1e has

[agilitoes]

???????????????

[sp9rk1e-blog]

SP9RK1E being murdered by Jecse on stream.

[zunbaa]

Sp9rk1e  ✨