so i just discovered when zenyatta gets hit with a discord orb he shouts “i welcome adversity” and im laughing bc he’s just really politely saying fUCKING FIGHT ME BRING IT ON
Ok because of this post I want to talk about Reaper and the people who care about him. And I don’t mean the people of Overwatch, who probably all miss him to some degree. Nah, I mean his fans.
The people to whom he was Major Gabriel Reyes, hero of the Omnic Crisis. Gabriel Reyes, one of the leaders of Overwatch, a public figure despite his less-than-public job. Until Overwatch was first formed the war seemed all but unwinnable and suddenly there’s a strike team, led by Gabriel, who pretty much single handedly wins the war. He has the adoration of the public. We know there are posters of Reinhardt and Jack. There were posters of Gabriel, too. He appeared in talk shows, making a dramatic entrance everytime that his fans lapped right up because it made the stern figure from the war footage human in a way they could all relate to. He was on Sesame Street, explaining the concept of teamwork. He did a silly dance with the characters. Millions of teenagers had his poster hanging above their beds, swooning over him on the internet and following every one of his public appearances religiously. He attended charity events, the kind that make the celebrities collect money by doing silly or crazy things. Gabe led a team of twelve-year olds in a lasertag battle against Reinhardt’s team of twelve-year olds. They won, although Gabriel came fourth in the statistics. He hasn’t lived it down yet.
And then Gabriel dies. The Swiss base goes up in flames and millions mourn. His fans don’t give a crap what the news say, making him a villain. It’s a conspiracy, anti-blackness, the UN’s probably involved. They all have their own theories, but one thing they all have in common. They lost the man they all loved. Cut to Reaper roaming the streets of the city he’s in. Maybe he’s on a mission, maybe he’s just brooding. In the end it doesn’t matter. Because there, surrounded by flowers and lights, is a memorial dedicated to him. It’s obvious it’s not sanctioned from the city. There’s a note hanging on the wall that reminds people mourning for a man who was a terrorist and a traitor will get them placed on watchlists. But it’s there, nonetheless. So many flowers they hide the dirty concrete of the wall against which the memorial has been built. Drawings, digital and traditional, of him are placed between them and in all he looks so much more vibrant and handsome than he’s felt in decades. The day of the dead is nearing and though he’s nowhere near Mexico there are bread and calaveras placed on small pedestals. There are letters and he reads them with a feeling he doesn’t dare inspect closer. We miss you, Gabriel. We love you still. We wish you were here.
The message is clear. Six years after he died. People still remember him. Drawn on colourful ribbons that sway lightly in the breeze is another message.
Never forget.
The public and media have forgotten Reyes. They despise him. These people do not. To them he’s still a hero. A man worth loving.
whitemanning critical 