Season 14 ofOverwatch 2will introduce Hazard as the newest member of the tank role. Teased at the end of the Season 13 trailer and featured in an origin story, gameplay trailer, and comic, anticipation for the Scottish hero is steadily rising. Hazard is already drawing attention for having one of the most intriguing backstories ofOverwatch 2’s playable characters.
While Hazard’s kit, blending brawl and dive features with a partial wall-climbing ability, is undoubtedly attractive, lore enthusiasts are also in for a treat. InOverwatch 2, Hazard’s backstoryreveals that the accident that resulted in the loss of both his feet and an arm was due to anOverwatchjet crashing into a building nearby. Interestingly, this defining moment from his past may result in an incredibly unique dynamic between him and Ramattra.
Hazard Is The First Playable Character To Have Romantic Relations With An Omnic
Hazard’s Hero Trailermakes it clear that he shares a deep bond with his found family, a group of vandal hackers who helped him enhance his body with cybernetic modifications. Anesports.gg interviewwith Hazard’s voice actor, Conor McLeod, and Blizzard’s senior narrative designer, Jude Stacey, revealed that Hazard met his partner through the group. According to Stacey, Susannah, typically referred to as Susie, an Omnic member of The Phreaks, is Hazard’s romantic partner. This aligns with Susie’s concern in the trailer when he injects himself with a substance without knowing its full effects.
Hazard isn’t necessarily the first human to have an Omnic as a partner, as seen in a few instances throughout the game’s lore. For instance, an Omnic is seen with its arms wrapped around a human woman during Mondatta’s speech in theOverwatchanimated short Alive. An even briefer scene in Sombra’s Origin Story depicts a woman holding an Omnic in what could be interpreted as an intimate manner. Regardless, Hazard is the first playable character to openly partner with an Omnic, which could mean the community may soon glean more about the ongoing oppression of Omnics and their relationships with humans.
Hazard’s Relationship Could Draw the Attention of Null Sector
While Blizzard’s narrative designers confirm that Hazard gets along well with characters like Ashe and Kiriko, he has strained relationships with many ofOverwatch 2’s roster members, as he holds little regard for Overwatch, Talon, or the Junkers. His distaste for Overwatch makes sense, considering his belief that “the system” has failed him and because Overwatch was directly involved in the accident that nearly killed him. Talon is also confirmed to be on his bad side due to the Phreaks being anti-establishment, in addition tothe Junkers, who are known to be anti-Omnic.
With few characters and organizations seemingly on friendly terms with him and the criminal group known as The Phreaks becoming a force to be reckoned with, Hazard extending favor to the Omnics may attract the interest of Ramattra, the leader of the Omnic liberation group Null Sector. ThoughOverwatch 2’s PvE missions are at an indefinite standstill, and Ramattra’s story is left ambiguous due to this, in-game interactions and stories could explore The Phreaks' growing reputation. Their recent heist at Oasis University, where they stole a sample of vanadium ferrofluid, could be a surprising yet satisfying way to further Ramattra’s narrative.
Information on the vanadium isotope effects is limited, but it was revealed that it was formerly in Venture’s possession, followed by Moira.
Ramattra and Hazard Share Similar Perspectives
InOverwatchlore, after the Awakening and the end ofthe Omnic Crisis, Omnics were freed from the malevolent AI programming of Anubis and granted sentience. Though this conflict ended, a new issue arose because most humanity did not acknowledge Omnics as their equals. With Ramattra vowing to forge a path to co-existence and peace, even if it means this must be achieved through battle, Hazard’s ongoing relationship with Susie may spark a connection between them.
In-game, this, at the very least, guarantees engaging voice lines between the characters as they are both open to using violence and supporting Omnic rights. Though Role Queue modes might limit their interactions, dialogue between the two, whether on opposing teams or the same team inOverwatch2’s 6v6 playtestsor Open Queue should still be compelling. Unfortunately, Hazard’s limited trial weekend didn’t feature voice interactions with other characters, but fans can expect new exchanges to follow when he officially debuts in Season 14.
