Top 10 Craziest Overwatch Fan Theories

#10: Overwatch is Evil

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It all started with the Omnica Corporation and their promise of a bright future driven by automated machines. As is common in most sci-fi stories, the creation rebelled against the creator, and a man vs machine war broke. Overwatch, an international task force, was formed out of necessity. After the war, the organization rose in popularity and influence, even creating a black ops division called Blackwatch. Although we do not know how much is true, after 20 years, Overwatch fell into ruin amidst allegations of corruption and assassinations. Now operating without any real oversight, are they really as heroic as their posters make them seem?

Everyone has their own favorite couple, but these two have quite a bit of history. Dr. Angela Mercy Ziegler is a god-like healer and an advocate for peace. She worked for Overwatch, despite disagreeing with most of their actions, as it provided a platform to help as many people as possible. There, she saved Genji’s life, who was left for dead by his brother Hanzo, by turning him into a cyborg. The lore pretty much stops there for the two, but a small in-game exchange around Valentine’s Day suggested that Mercy and Genji were more than just doctor and patient.

#8: Symmetra is autistic

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This one is no longer just a theory, as Jeffrey Kaplan – Overwatch’s Game Director – and writer Michael Chu confirmed that Symmetra is on the spectrum. Prior to these announcements, fans picked up on some rather obvious hints in the webcomic, A Better World, suggesting she might be autistic. Besides, the part when she literally mentions the spectrum, Symmetra hates crowded places and struggles to understand someone’s point of view when it differs from her own. Blizzard received near universal praise for their sensitive depiction of the highly capable reality-bending warrior.

#7: The Secret of Junkrat's Treasure

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After the Omnic War, humans and machines were struggling to coexist and things went belly up when an omnium fusion core was attacked by the Australian Liberation Front. This left the Outback eradicated, with only scavengers surviving in this Mad Max style world. One of these survivors, Junkrat rose to infamy after discovering something of value in the remnants of an omnium factory. With a bounty of 25 million, many wondered what the explosion expert had uncovered. With interest shown from Hanzo, it could have something to do with human-machine hybrids, although Blizzard promised to confirm in the future.

Created by Winston, Athena serves as the main artificial intelligence system for Overwatch. Arguably one of the most powerful entities in the universe, she has access to all of Overwatch’s files and software. During the Recall animated short, the terrorist organization Talon stage an assault on Winston’s laboratory to try and hack Athena. She is saved in the nick of time, before sending out a recall to the retired agents, despite being against it throughout the short. As Talon’s goal is to kill all Overwatch operatives and Recall ends with Reaper laughing, it is likely Athena was compromised.

Introduced during the animated movie Hero, meant as a showcase for Soldier: 76, this young girl stole the show. Set in Dorado, she runs into the Los Muertos gang who are beating up an omnic and planning a robbery. She ends up getting involved, before Soldier: 76 intervenes and saves her life. As there is no time stamp on the video, and Dorado’s LumeriCo tower is not shown, some wondered whether this served as an origin story for Sombra – a hacker affiliated with the Los Muertos gang. Writer Michael Chu eventually stepped in and squashed this theory, confirming Hero takes place in the present.

Speculating on what hero Blizzard will release next is always a heap of fun, as it is one of those rare instances when the game and lore actually came together. Athena is an in-game character, guiding new players through the tutorial and serving as an announcer, so she could be a realistic addition to the roster. Youtuber Curse Entertainment brought this theory to the forefront, pointing towards an unidentified omnic seen in the cinematic trailer as perhaps being Athena’s physical form. With Blizzard yet to say anything, this AI looks destined to remain out of a player’s reach.

#3: The Shimada Dragons Represent Their Owners

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The brothers Genji and Hanzo hail from the Shimada Ninja Clan, who used their assassination skills to establish a criminal empire. The older of the two, Hanzo trained from a young age to inherit the family business, while Genji lived the good life. After their father's death, Hanzo tried to straighten Genji out but ended up killing him when he refused. Or so he thought. Their special abilities involve summoning dragons, with Hanzo having two while his younger brother only one. The community believes this discrepancy reflects Hanzo’s inner turmoil, as he is torn apart by what he did to Genji.

For a while, it seemed like every dude in the game could be Pharah’s father. The daughter of Ana Amari, who was a founding member of Overwatch, it seemed highly likely that Pharah’s father was also part of the organization. Reaper, Soldier: 76, and Reinhardt were all considered viable candidates, due to their history with Ana. Reinhardt received an even bigger push when Blizzard released matching skins for Ana, Pharah, and the aging crusader. With the stars seemingly aligning, the entire theory was debunked during the recent Uprising Event – which included a spray showing the baby Pharah, Ana, and an unnamed man.

The focal point of many theories, most depict this ambassador of peace as far more sinister than meets the eye. Reddit users like OJPaper go as far to declare Mercy the game’s main villain, due to her fascination with necromancy. After the fall of Overwatch, Mercy birthed Reaper by bringing Reyes back from the brink of death, which might or might not have been an accident. Spending her time in war zones – which tend to be littered with corpses ripe for experimentation – the names of Mercy’s equipment have more to do with death than healing and she appears to be immune to aging.