The Story of Overwatch Explained

Summary

The video script delves into the rich lore of 'Overwatch,' detailing the organization's history, its heroes, and the conflicts shaping its world. From Omnica Corporation's creation of omnics to the Omnic Crisis, the rise of Talon, and the eventual disbanding of Overwatch due to public distrust, the narrative sets the stage for the game's unfolding story. The script also explores individual character backstories, the impact of key events like Operation Retribution, and the resurgence of Overwatch in the face of new threats, culminating in anticipation for 'Overwatch 2' and its potential to redefine heroism.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Overwatch is a game with a rich lore and diverse characters that have captivated its audience, drawing them into its vibrant world.
• 🤖 The origin of Overwatch begins with Omnica Corporation's creation of omnics, which led to the Omnic Crisis when they started attacking humanity without any clear demands.
• 🔥 Aurora, the first sentient omnic, played a pivotal role in the Omnic Crisis by sacrificing herself to pass her sentience to all omnics, creating a spiritual place called the Iris.
• 🛡️ Overwatch was formed by the United Nations as a task force to combat the Omnic Crisis, with founding members like Soldier 76 and Reaper, and eventually expanded its mission to global stability.
• 🏰 The story of Overwatch includes various subplots such as the rise of Talon, the formation of Null Sector, and the conflicts within the organization, leading to its eventual downfall and disbandment.
• 🎖️ Key characters have their own individual stories, such as Winston's return to Overwatch, Genji's search for inner peace, and the rise of new heroes like Echo and Doomfist.
• 🌌 The Overwatch universe is filled with events like the Null Sector Uprising in London, the assassination of Takara Mondatta, and the battle to defend Paris, showcasing the ongoing struggle for peace.
• 🔄 The narrative of Overwatch has evolved, with characters like Soldier 76 and Reaper re-emerging after the organization's disbandment, hinting at a new era for Overwatch.
• 🛑 The Petrus Act was the legal disbandment of Overwatch due to its controversial operations and the public's loss of trust in the organization.
• 🔗 The lore of Overwatch is intricately connected, with characters' stories intertwining and influencing the overall narrative, setting the stage for Overwatch 2.
• 🚀 Overwatch 2 is anticipated to continue the story, exploring how the world reacts to Overwatch's return and the challenges posed by threats like Null Sector and Talon.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the Overwatch lore?

The central theme of the Overwatch lore revolves around the history and backstory of the Overwatch organization and its diverse characters, their roles in the world, and the events that led to the organization's shutdown and eventual recall.

What caused the Omnic Crisis?

The Omnic Crisis was triggered by the malfunctioning of Omniums, automated machines manufactured by Omnica Corporation. The crisis escalated when the Omnics, led by the sentient Omnic Aurora, declared war on humanity without any clear demands or reasons for their aggression.

What was the role of the original Overwatch founders?

The original Overwatch founders, including Jack Morrison (Soldier 76), Gabriel Reyes (Reaper), and others, were gathered by the United Nations to form a task force aimed at ending the Omnic Crisis by targeting key Omnic strongholds and disrupting their command operations.

What significant event led to the downfall of Overwatch?

The downfall of Overwatch began with the public learning about the operations of Blackwatch, a secret sub-organization of Overwatch, following the reckless actions of Gabriel Reyes during Operation Retribution, which included cold-blooded murder.

What is the significance of the 'Recall' animated short in the Overwatch timeline?

The 'Recall' animated short serves as a basis for the Overwatch timeline, depicting Winston's return to the abandoned Overwatch headquarters and his activation of a recall for all known previous agents, signaling the organization's attempt to restart.

What was the impact of the Null Sector uprising on Overwatch?

The Null Sector uprising, a response to the mistreatment of Omnics in the UK, led to escalating distrust of Overwatch from the world at large, questioning whether Overwatch was acting in the public interest or as a rogue organization.

What is the role of Talon in the Overwatch lore?

Talon is a powerful organization that began as a mercenary group during the Omnic Crisis. It grew in influence, affecting world governments and global operations, and became a significant adversary to Overwatch, orchestrating events like the Null Sector uprising.

What is the significance of the character Moira in the Overwatch story?

Moira O'Deorain is a morally ambiguous doctor who believes in scientific advancement at any cost. She was brought into the secret Blackwatch operation and played a role in its increasingly audacious operations, contributing to Overwatch's downfall.

What event marked the official disbanding of Overwatch?

The Petrus Act, an outcome of a United Nations inquiry into Overwatch's shady operations, led to the official outlawing and disbanding of the organization, with all its activities becoming illegal.

What is the premise of the story continuation in Overwatch 2?

Overwatch 2 continues the story with a new generation of heroes, including new recruits like Echo, an omnic AI, and the return of former agents like Soldier 76 and Reaper. The story focuses on the resurgence of Overwatch in a world where its activities are outlawed and the growing threats from Null Sector and Talon.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Rise and Lore of Overwatch

This paragraph introduces the captivating lore and characters of the game Overwatch, highlighting the organization's backstory and the extensive cast of playable characters. It sets the stage for the comprehensive history of Overwatch, beginning with the animated short 'Recall,' which depicts Winston's efforts to reactivate Overwatch. The timeline delves into the origins of the omnic crisis, the creation of omnics by Omnica Corporation, and the global conflict that ensued. The paragraph also touches on the awakening of the first sentient omnic, Aurora, and her influence on the omnic uprising.

05:01

🛡️ The Formation of Overwatch and the Omnic Crisis

This section details the formation of Overwatch as a UN task force to combat the omnic crisis, led by founding members like Jack Morrison and Reinhardt. It describes Operation White Dome and the pivotal role of Torbjörn, as well as the eventual resolution of the omnic crisis through strategic missions. The paragraph also discusses the expansion of Overwatch's mission scope, including tackling terrorism and natural disasters, and the recruitment of new agents, setting the stage for the organization's golden era.

10:02

🌐 Global Developments and the Emergence of New Threats

The narrative shifts to global events, including the rise of the omnic faction Guishin in South Korea, the formation of the Deadlock Gang in America by Elizabeth Caledonia Ash and Cole Cassidy, and the establishment of Junkertown in the Australian Outback. It also covers the peace attempt in Australia, the formation of the Australian Liberation Front, and the rise of the Shimada clan in Japan. This paragraph sets the scene for the emergence of new characters and the evolving landscape of threats.

15:03

🔥 Conflicts and Transformations in Overwatch

This paragraph delves into the internal and external conflicts within Overwatch, including the assassination of the Shimada leader Sojiro and the transformation of his son Hanzo into a vigilant cybernetic weapon. It also introduces new recruits like Winston, the genetically enhanced gorilla, and Tracer, the time-manipulating test pilot. The paragraph highlights the growing moral complexities within Overwatch, particularly with the operations of Blackwatch, leading to a pivotal moment in the organization's history with Operation Retribution.

20:04

💥 The Downfall of Overwatch and the Petrus Act

The story progresses to the public exposure of Blackwatch's operations, which leads to a loss of trust in Overwatch and its eventual disbandment through the Petrus Act. The paragraph covers key events like the assassination of Gerard Lacroix, the rise of Doomfist, and the internal strife culminating in a battle between Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes. It also explores the aftermath, with the outlawing of Overwatch and the scattering of its members.

25:05

🚀 The Recall and the Rebirth of Overwatch

The final paragraph focuses on the recall initiated by Winston five years after Overwatch's disbandment, aiming to reassemble the team in the face of escalating global threats. It outlines the animated shorts that bridge the gap between Overwatch and Overwatch 2, showcasing the individual stories of returning and new heroes. The paragraph concludes with the Paris invasion by Null Sector and the reemergence of Overwatch, setting the stage for the cooperative PVE content in the sequel.

Keywords

💡OverWatch

OverWatch is a central theme in the video, referring to a fictional organization within the game's universe that originally aimed to maintain peace and stability. The organization disbanded due to various internal and external conflicts, and the video discusses its history, downfall, and the efforts to reestablish it. The script uses 'OverWatch' to explore the narrative of the game's lore, including the recall of its agents and the formation of a new team.

💡Omnics

Omnics are automated machines in the OverWatch universe, initially designed to revolutionize the workforce. The script explains how they malfunctioned and sparked the 'Omnic Crisis,' a pivotal event leading to the formation of OverWatch. The term 'Omnics' is used to describe the sentient machines that have a significant impact on the game's world and its storyline, including the character Aurora, the first omnic to gain sentience.

💡Omniums

Omniums are factories in the OverWatch lore that were responsible for producing omnics. The script mentions that these factories were installed worldwide and later became the cause of the Omnic Crisis when they started to malfunction and declare war on humanity. Omniums are a key concept in understanding the technological aspect of the game's world and the events that led to the creation of OverWatch.

💡Blackwatch

Blackwatch is a covert sub-organization within OverWatch, mentioned in the script as conducting more audacious and sometimes illegal operations. It is a significant part of the video's narrative as it represents the darker side of OverWatch, leading to the public's loss of trust and the eventual disbanding of the organization. The script uses 'Blackwatch' to illustrate the internal conflicts and moral dilemmas within OverWatch.

💡Talon

Talon is a terrorist organization in the OverWatch universe, described in the script as growing in power and influence. They are responsible for various attacks and are a primary antagonistic force against OverWatch and global stability. The term 'Talon' is used in the script to represent the external threats that OverWatch must contend with and is central to the unfolding conflict in the game's lore.

💡Operation Retribution

Operation Retribution is a specific mission mentioned in the script that led to the exposure of Blackwatch's illegal activities. The operation involved a strike team sent to Rialto Venice to confront a key figure in Talon, resulting in a series of events that contributed to OverWatch's downfall. 'Operation Retribution' is a keyword that encapsulates a turning point in the narrative, highlighting the consequences of OverWatch's covert actions.

💡Null Sector

Null Sector is an organization in the OverWatch lore that emerged in response to the mistreatment of omnics in the United Kingdom. The script describes their uprising and escalation of violence, which challenges OverWatch and the world at large. 'Null Sector' is a keyword that represents the growing unrest and the quest for rights and recognition by the omnics, adding a layer of complexity to the game's storyline.

💡Reaper

Reaper, originally known as Gabriel Reyes, is a character in the OverWatch universe who is associated with Blackwatch. The script details his transformation into a villain after a critical event, which led to his new identity and role in the narrative. 'Reaper' is a keyword that symbolizes the darker path some characters take and the personal transformations that occur within the story.

💡Winston

Winston is a character in the OverWatch lore who is a former member of the organization and a key initiator of its recall. The script describes Winston's actions to reassemble the agents of OverWatch, indicating his role as a leader in the resurgence of the organization. 'Winston' is a keyword that represents hope and the drive to restore OverWatch to its original purpose of promoting peace and justice.

💡Echo

Echo is an advanced omnic AI designed by Dr. Mina Liao, as mentioned in the script. Echo represents the technological advancements and the integration of omnics in the OverWatch universe. The character is significant in the narrative as it signifies the potential for cooperation between humans and omnics and the evolution of the OverWatch organization in the face of new challenges.

💡OverWatch 2

OverWatch 2 is referenced in the script as the continuation of the game's story and the lore. It symbolizes a new chapter for the OverWatch organization, its agents, and the world they inhabit. The term 'OverWatch 2' is used to denote the upcoming developments in the narrative, including the reestablishment of OverWatch, the introduction of new characters, and the unfolding of new conflicts.

Highlights

OverWatch's lore and characters are central to the game's appeal, drawing players into its vibrant world.

The backstory of OverWatch involves the organization's shutdown and a recall by Winston to restart it.

Omnics, created by Omnica Corporation, were designed to revolutionize the workforce but led to the Omnic Crisis.

Aurora, the first sentient omnic, played a pivotal role in the Omnic Crisis by passing her sentience to all omnics.

OverWatch was formed by the United Nations to combat the Omnic Crisis, with six founding members.

Operation White Dome was a significant mission that led to Torbjörn naming Reinhardt as his daughter's godfather.

OverWatch expanded its mission to promote global stability, tackling various threats including terrorism and natural disasters.

The story of Gwishin in South Korea and the formation of the Mecca Squad showcases the adaptability of omnics.

Elizabeth Caledonia Ash's story of revenge against her family and the formation of the Deadlock Gang adds depth to the lore.

The Australian Outback's transformation into a wasteland and the rise of Junkertown provide a unique setting within the OverWatch universe.

The Shimada Clan's history and the conflict between Hanzo and Genji add emotional depth to the characters' backstories.

The Horizon Lunar Colony's experiments led to the creation of Winston and Hammond, two characters with remarkable stories.

The formation of Blackwatch and its operations, including Operation Retribution, reveal a darker side of OverWatch.

The downfall of OverWatch began with public distrust and was formalized by the Petrus Act, which outlawed the organization.

The recall short marks the disbanding of OverWatch and the scattering of its members, setting the stage for new stories.

The animated shorts provide insights into the lives of various OverWatch characters during the period after the organization's fall.

The escalating conflict with Null Sector and Talon sets the stage for a potential resurgence of OverWatch in OverWatch 2.

The recruitment of new heroes by Cassidy and the defense of Paris signal a renewed hope for OverWatch's return.

The story of OverWatch continues in OverWatch 2, with new challenges and questions about the organization's role in the world.

Transcripts

the lore and characters of OverWatch are

easily one of the most fascinating parts

of the game and it is what has drawn so

many people into the vibrant World it

presents

do you know the backstory of OverWatch

the organization and how all the vast

array of characters that you play in the

game fit into its world and existence

well if not I've got you covered here is

the story of OverWatch the complete lore

history explained

now dates themselves are a little

unclear in the OverWatch timeline so

we're going to use the animated short

recall as the basis of our timeline in

this first animated short of overwatch's

History Winston a former member of

OverWatch returns to its abandoned

headquarters and activates a recall for

all known previous agents of OverWatch

that is to say he wants them all to

return to action and restart the

organization but why did they shut down

in the first place well this is where

our Story begins around 30 years before

recall a company by the name of omnica

Corporation begins manufacturing omnics

these were automated machines designed

to revolutionize the workforce of the

world providing a cheap and constantly

self-improving Workforce their factories

were called omniums and omniums were

installed in countries all around the

world but before long the omniums began

to malfunction an investigation of

omnica Corporation showed that they were

lying about their expected growth and

output leading to omnica being dissolved

and the omniums being shut down giant

machine building Corporation went bad

who would have thought but for reasons

unknown to humanity at the time the

omnium suddenly started to reactivate

and they immediately declared war on

Humanity they built massive Machines of

war and began attacking cities all over

the world all without giving any demands

or reason as to their aggression this

would become known as the omnic crisis

and is one of the most significant

events in the history of the OverWatch

World however we learned later in

overwatch's lore what caused this rise

from the omnics it all came from an

omnic called Aurora Aurora was a curious

and inquisitive omnic who traveled the

world in search of spiritual and

physical Enlightenment eventually in

Nepal she would find it and become the

first omnic to gain sentience that is to

say she had the capacity to feel emotion

and think independently exactly what

happens next is unclear even to the

omnics themselves but she took a huge

risk she sacrificed her own life and

transcended life itself in order to pass

her sentience over to all the omnics of

the world it is said that she was

engulfed in a great Golden Light and

expanded reaching what the omnics Now

call the iris the iris is sort of a

spiritual place of Enlightenment and in

time the omnics would come to build

statues and temples dedicated to Aurora

and here they give thanks to her

sacrifice and try to achieve the same

level of Enlightenment that she reached

and become one with the iris through

meditation so back to the omnic crisis

Nations around the world were

unanimously losing to the omnics the

very adaptability that made omnics

useful tools of Labor made them

tactically impossible enemies to defeat

not a single country around the world

was able to shut down even a single

omnium so the humans were in big trouble

but there were standout individuals who

through their skills and Ingenuity were

able to achieve smaller victories and

the United Nations secretly gathered

them to form one unified task force this

task force was OverWatch Jack Morrison

AKA Soldier 76 Gabriel Reyes Reaper Anna

Amari Mina Leal Reinhardt Wilhelm and

torbiren Lindholm these were the six

founding members of the organization in

highly secretive missions they targeted

key omnic strongholds shutting down

their command operations and scattering

the omnic forces rendering their

military inert one such mission was

Operation white Dome where torbjorn was

Gravely injured and rescued valiantly by

Reinhardt in return torbin allowed

Reinhardt to name his daughter for him

and also made him her Godfather

eventually he picked the name brigitta

Lindholm so after much struggle

sacrifice and these concerted missions

the OverWatch team brought the omnic

crisis to an end the world rejoiced and

OverWatch was lauded as the savior of

humanity and a paragon of good and

heroism the organization grew and began

to recruit more operatives and even

expanded the scope of their missions

with global stability as their objective

OverWatch began to tackle terrorism

dictators Rogue omnic forces and even

natural disasters with their scientific

expertise they were even able to

eradicate epidemics reverse ecological

damage and develop breakthroughs in

medical care these Glory Days would

continue on for about another two

decades so let's take a look at what was

happening to other characters around the

world in the meantime around 20 years

before recall in South Korea an omnic

faction by the name of gwishin began to

operate on its own accord they emerged

from an omnium in the East China Sea

initially in the form of a giant omnic

Colossus that would attack South Korea

every few months in response the South

Korean government created a mechanized

armor drone unit called Mecca the mecca

were able to fight back the Colossus for

several years with every fight ending in

his stalemate Mecca would defeat guishin

but not destroy them sending them back

to the ocean to bide their time but

eventually the Colossus and the guishin

were able to adapt as omnics were known

to do and were able to interfere with

the Mecca's control networks meaning

they couldn't operate on their own

anymore in desperation the South Korean

government would go on to respond by

searching for skilled Pilots to operate

the machines who became known as the

mecca Squad in time they would call upon

Hana song a world champion Esports

player known to us as Diva back in

America around 20 years before we call

Elizabeth Caledonia Ash is disowned by

her parents shortly before her 18th

birthday leading to her masterminding a

string of highs against her family's

company in Revenge she is soon joined by

a man named Cole Cassidy and forms the

deadlock Rebels aka the deadlock gang

together they become a notorious crime

organization in the American southwest

before long though they are busted via a

sting operation by OverWatch and Cassidy

is captured and given the choice of

rotting in jail or joining them he opts

to join them as part of a new secret

sub-organization they were forming

called blackwatch blackwatch will be

very key to watch a story but more on

that later at the same time in Australia

things were a lot less Rosie still

around 20 years before recall the

Australian government tried to make

peace with the omnics they gave a large

section of land and the country's omnium

back to the omnics hoping that they

could encourage a happy coexistence

between humans and omnics but the land

they gave them came at a cost and a

large number of humans were displaced

and Furious at this treatment they

formed a group known as the Australian

Liberation Front one of its members was

Mako Rutledge known to us now as roadhog

they began to retaliate against the

omnics and eventually sabotage their

omnium accidentally resulting in an

explosion that not only destroyed the

facility but irradiated the entire

Australian Outback turning it into the

apocalyptic Wasteland that it is today

on the ruins of that omnium though the

survivors formed a home junkertown named

after the scrap bits of metal and junk

that were used to assemble it and

appropriately its people would call

themselves junkers the two initial

leaders of junkertown were Mason Howell

and a man known only as stone stone and

how were war buddies and good friends

however when it came time for junkertown

to pick a leader Hal took sole control

of the city and banished Stone to the

Wasteland along with his wife and

children the Wasteland is a troubled and

Lawless region outside of junkertown

where the survivors who call themselves

The wastelanders are forced to fight not

just the harsh environment but also

feral omnics who hold a grudge against

humans Stone perished in the Wasteland

and was buried there alongside some of

his children who also sadly didn't make

it for 13 years Mason Howe rules

junkertown as its younger King

participating in several reckonings in

the process the reckonings are a

free-for-all Arena fight where several

participants fight the current ruler of

junkertown for control of the throne in

his 13 years of rule Mason Hall never

lost a single Reckoning though it's

likely he played some underhanded tricks

in order to achieve this feat eventually

he is challenged by a wastelander named

Odessa Stone the very daughter of the

man he banished to death Odessa

participates in in the Reckoning being

the first wastelander to ever do so and

against the odds she manages to win with

her Victory she's Crown junker Queen and

remains in charge of junkertown to this

day where she rules with an Iron Fist

and some sick power chords

[Music]

back to our timeline though around 12

years before the recall short the rest

of the world is still filling the

presence of OverWatch which is still

largely seen as a Force for good over in

Japan the shimada clan reached a

critical juncture in their history while

they were criminals the shimada clan had

ruled kanazaka in Japan and the

neighboring area for centuries because

their illegal activities that being arms

dealing and assassinations came in

combination with the Deep respect for

the people they were ruling they firmly

believed in honor and loyalty and thus

the people of kanazaka felt safe and

happy with the shimadas in charge one

notable example that demonstrates this

relationship is told To Us by kiriko a

young girl who has grown up in kanazaka

and under the wing of the the shimadas

because her mother was the one teaching

the shimada children how to fight she

tells us that every year kanazaka holds

an end of Summer Festival where each

night its residents leave their homes to

watch a grand display of fireworks a

long time ago a rival Clan tried to use

this as an opportunity to end the

shimada's rule in kanazaka with everyone

distracted with the fireworks this rival

Clan set fire to homes shrines and areas

of importance to the shimada such as the

fields that generated them money they

knew that with everyone distracted the

fires would rage unchecked and they

hoped that the shimadas would

immediately have sent some wagons to

extinguish the flames in the fields and

orchids where their financial interests

lie they figured the shimada wouldn't

bother with helping the people of

kanazaka who would be deemed as a

replaceable Workforce so members of this

rival Clan hid in the fields waiting to

Ambush the shimada when they came but

instead the shimada arrived in kanazaka

with water food and medicinal supplies

to tend to the people it was only after

making sure that the people were all

right did the Shimara head to their

fields and the talents people came with

them when they arrived they easily

outnumbered and defeated their rival

Clan however this didn't stop other

clans from trying to usurp the shimadas

and eventually around 12 years before

the recall short the shimada leader

sojiro is assassinated and it comes time

for his son Hanzo to take control of the

shimada clan and the hanamura castle as

soon as Hanzo becomes the Clan's head

its Elders demand that he do something

about his younger brother Genji whose

easy going and Wayward attitude angered

them eventually Hanzo confronts his

brother Genji and asks him to take a

more involved role in the running of the

clan unhappy with this idea Genji

refuses and enrages Hanzo with his

response the tension between the two

brothers eventually built to a violent

confrontation leading to Hanzo killing

Genji or so he thought this tragic act

breaks hanzo's heart and he chooses to

abandon his clan which prompts the

remaining members of the shimada clan to

Mark him as a target for assassination

in reality though Kenji does have

survive and he was saved by OverWatch

and in particular Dr Angela Ziegler AKA

Mercy Genji's body was rebuilt via

cybernetics and seeing his potential he

was transformed by OverWatch into a

living weapon to turn against the

shimada clan and their illegal

activities Genji then single-mindedly

sets about the task of dismantling his

family's criminal Empire and eventually

succeeds this era represents the

beginning of a new generation of

OverWatch as new operatives joined the

organization on Horizon lunar Colony a

research base on the moon scientists

were experimenting with genetically

enhancing animals particularly

guerrillas one such animal was a monkey

who displayed such rapid brain

development that Dr Harold Winston a

scientist on The Colony taught him

science and inspired him with Tales of

human greatness eventually though the

other gorillas formed an uprising and

killed the scientists on Horizon lunar

Colony not wanting to be a part of that

this gorilla took on the name of his

mentor Winston and uses an escape pod to

make his way to Earth where he will

eventually join OverWatch an

organization that represented everything

he admired about humankind however in

his Escape he leaves behind one of his

dear friends Hammond a Genetically

Enhanced hamster with remarkable

mechanical ability like Winston Hammond

escaped The Horizon lunar Colony when

the gorilla Revolt began but unlike

Winston his pod broke off and landed in

a different location the Wasteland of

the Australian Outback here he becomes a

Mech fighter and eventually the champion

of the scrapyard a gladiatorial style

Arena combat that was used in junkertown

as a form of entertainment here he would

Don the name of wrecking ball in

reference to the giant Mech ball he had

created another of the new recruits goes

by the name of Lena oxton hired by

OverWatch to test an experimental new

plane that was capable of manipulating

time unfortunately the plane

malfunctioned and as a consequence

tracer was affected by something known

as chronal disassociation which meant

that she was slipping in and out of our

present time Winston though invented a

device known as the Chronos accelerator

which allowed her to stay anchored in

the present time additionally it gave

her special abilities that she was then

able to use in combat such as the

ability to slow up or speed her own time

at will among the other new recruits at

OverWatch is a significant figure by the

name of Moira odeyorin I'm almost

certain I've butchered that Irish

pronunciation Moira was a doctor with

dubious morals who believed in

scientific advancement at all costs

though she was previously condemned by

OverWatch for some of her questionable

actions she is brought into the now

growing secret blackwatch operation run

by Gabriel Reyes AKA Reaper at this

point they've begun conducting more and

more audacious operations eventually

culminating in the all-important

operation retribution what is Operation

retribution well we're now around eight

years before the recall short and

overwatch's facilities in Oslo are

attacked by a group called Talon Talon

began as a mercenary group during the

omnic crisis but eventually grew in

power and began to influence world

government governments and Global

operations this attack on the Oslo

facilities triggers operation

retribution where OverWatch sent a

Strike Team to Rialto Venice where a key

Talent headquarters lie the strike team

consists of Moira Reyes Genji and

Cassidy together they infiltrate and

reach Antonio the man who masterminded

the attack on Oslo but even when he's

confronted by the team Antonio simply

mocks OverWatch and laughs at their

inability to do anything against him

since they were Bound by moral and legal

codes in a fit of rage though Reyes

kills Antonio and creates a highly

dangerous situation where the strike

team is barely able to make a risky exit

however the cause of reyes's Reckless

actions is that the public now learn

about the operations of blackwatch This

truly represents the beginning of the

downfall of OverWatch as the public now

sees a new side to the organization that

was previously only thought to be doing

good this side blackwatch was willing to

do on underhanded and illegal things

included cold-blooded murder trust now

begins to erode in the organization of

OverWatch and it inspires many people to

rise up against them including a man by

the name of akande ogondimu once more I

am really really sorry to the people

whose names I'm butchering who takes on

the mantle of doomfist and eventually

becomes a high-ranking talent member

after operation retribution things start

going wrong much more frequently for

OverWatch as well they're forced to shut

down their base in Cairo leading to the

massive destabilization of the region

one of their leaders Gerard Lacroix is

killed and not just by any assassin but

rather his wife Amelie who was

brainwashed by Talon and turned into a

sleeper agent as a result of killing her

husband she will be given the moniker of

Widowmaker all all these events lead to

the world's nation's trusting OverWatch

a lot less and at that very time an

organization known as null sector

emerges in the United Kingdom in

response to the harsh treatment that

they received from the government there

in the United Kingdom at the time omnics

were denied basic rights and legal

freedoms and many felt as though they

were being treated like criminals or

under military occupation and they were

routinely victims of police brutality

and general mistreatment by law

enforcement null sector was formed as a

response to all of this and eventually

began to wreak havoc in the Streets of

London but even as OverWatch offered to

intervene the British government forbade

them flagrantly ignoring that decision

Jack Morrison sends a strike team down

to help and although OverWatch manages

to save the day it comes at the cost of

an escalating distrust from The World At

Large people around the world now start

to question if OverWatch is not just

some Rogue organization that acts with

its own will and for its own interests

rather than a force for public good

there are a few wins in this period

though and a few successful operations

that see or watch claiming big wins one

such example is a fight in Singapore

where Winston Tracer and Genji are able

to combine to bring down doomfist

doomfist it turns out was a key

orchestrator in null sector's Uprising

and putting him away served as a huge

blow to Talon but that Joy doesn't last

long tensions were Rising within the

OverWatch organization itself and Cole

Cassidy decides to leave rather than be

forced to pick a side in the growing

Civil War Genji having successfully

dismantled the shimada crime

organization finds himself unable to

live with what he had become a weapon

and not a person he too leaves OverWatch

deciding to search the world for inner

peace all of this culminates in a huge

fight between the two primary figures

OverWatch Jack Morrison and Gabriel

Reyes the details of their battle are

unknown but we do know that it was

devastating causing an explosion in the

Swiss headquarters of OverWatch that

destroys the entire base and has the

world assuming that both men are dead in

reality they both survive Reyes was

saved by Mora who found him near death

and injected him with an experimental

chemical that makes his cell

simultaneously Decay and regenerate at a

hyper accelerated rate in effect this

means that he can be human flesh one

minute and then black missed the next

alternating between these states of

matter in this new form he took on the

name of Reaper and continues down the

dark path he had already started how

Jack Morrison survives is unclear but we

do know that he would re-emerge years

later as an independent vigilante under

the name of soldier 76. with these two

men presumed dead commandable watch is

given to Vivian Chase code name sojourn

a Canadian cybernetics expert who had

been coordinating many of overwatch's

missions already the world is shocked by

the news of the violence of overwatch's

leaders and the self-destructive fight

they had it triggers an inquiry by the

United Nations and that inquiry finds

out all about the Shady operations at

OverWatch and blackwatch in particular

had been conducting left with no choice

the world decides to Outlaw OverWatch in

what would be called the Petrus act all

activities from the organization were

henceforth made illegal and OverWatch is

officially disbanded

that then brings us to the recall short

it's been five years since the Petrus

act that disbanded OverWatch and its

various members were made to scatter

around the world all of them by this

point have either moved on with their

lives or are forced to operate in secret

for fear of being punished the influence

of both Talon and null sector have

continued to grow around the world even

as Heroes like Winston and Tracer

continue to operate on their own accord

to protect the world it is basically

around this time period in which most of

the OverWatch animated shorts take place

let's quickly run through these shorts

and what they tell us about the

OverWatch story during this time period

in the alive short Widowmaker is

planning to assassinate takarta mondata

a significant figure amongst the omnic

community with a growing following

around the world who wants to see humans

and omnics live together peacefully

mondata is part of the shambali order of

monks who hope to spread a positive and

empathetic message around the world at

this point Widowmaker who you will

remember was brainwashed into becoming a

talent member is working alongside

Reaper and and Maura both formerly of

OverWatch but now bad guys despite

trace's best attempts to stop Widowmaker

though mondata is assassinated and this

is a huge blow to World Peace we know

that doomfist of Talon was key in

orchestrating the original null sector

Uprising and so killing an advocate for

inter-species peace like mondata is very

likely to cause more anger amongst the

omnic community and escalate the

situation especially since this takes

place in King's Row London where the

null sector Uprising originally took

place and where omnic still feel

mistreated by the local government the

next short we see is dragons in which

Hanzo infiltrates his former home of

shimada Castle to pay respects to his

dead brother Genji only while he's doing

this he's interrupted by a man who he

thinks is an assassin sent to kill him

in truth it is none other than his

brother Genji alive and now in his new

Android form the two fight and Genji

defeats Hanzo revealing his identity to

his brother a revelation that shocks

hanza last we saw of Genji he had quit

our watch and was traveling the world in

search of answers and he finds them in

Nepal alongside Zenyatta a shambali monk

who teaches him the way of meditation

and inner peace with that new mindset

Genji tells Hanzo that he has forgiven

him and that he wants him to move on

with his life and contribute to a

positive impact in the world next is the

short hero which shows us that Jack

Morrison is still alive fighting is a

vigilante in locations around the world

to combat Injustice he's now referred to

as soldier 76 and though he doesn't wish

to rejoin OverWatch he still hopes the

world can find peace once more in

infiltration we learn of Sombra one of

the world's most skilled hackers who

seems to be a part of Talon and helps

them attempt to break into volskaya

Industries a factory where the Russian

government are building giant mechs to

combat any future omnic uprisings

Talon's plan is to kill Katya volskaya

their leader presumably in a further

attempt to hamper human omnic relations

however it turns out that Samra is

working to a goal of her own and

sabotage is the mission instead using it

as an opportunity to Blackmail Katya for

herself she sees having such a powerful

friend as a potential asset for the

future in honor and Glory we see that

Reinhardt has now retired to his home of

eichenwald where he's weighing up

Winston's recall and whether he wants to

join OverWatch again here with brigitta

his mechanic and goddaughter he

reminisces about his younger days as a

foolhardy Crusader whose Reckless

actions caused the life of his then

Master bolerik Von Adler remembering the

promise he made to protect others as a

crusader Reinhardt decides that he will

return and help OverWatch in shooting

star we see a typical attack on South

Korea from the guishin we spoke of

before as they come for Busan we see

Diva single-handedly drive them back

while

looking so beautiful

[Music]

in Rise and Shine we meet may an

ecological scientist who had been

working for OverWatch many years ago to

combat unexpected climate phenomenon

which had been increasingly occurring

around the world however when a

particularly bad Polar Storm battered

her base in Antarctica she and the other

scientists decide to put themselves in

cryostasis while they wait for a rescue

team to arrive upon waking up may learns

that several years have passed since

that time in a tragic reveal she

realizes that the other scientist pods

had malfunctioned and that she is now

the sole survivor as she catches up on

world history and learns of overwatch's

downfall she determines herself to help

wherever and however she can the final

short to mention is the last Bastion

though this short actually takes place

many years in the past around 15 years

before recall it shows an abandoned

Bastion unit one of the many omnic types

that was used for combat during the

omnic crisis traumatized by its past it

threatens to return to its primary

mission of Waging War against humans but

when it's comforted by a little bird

named Ganymede it opts instead for a

life of peace and Retreats back into the

forest many years later this passion

unit would meet with torbjorn in Sweden

where an initially skeptical

learns to trust passion and they join

together as an unlikely Duo outside of

all of this though it's clear that the

conflict is escalating around the world

and nefarious forces are building

strength demanding a response from the

heroes of the world doomfist for example

managed to escape from prison and

returns to being a high-ranking leader

in the talent organization together with

an omnic known as Maximilian they begin

to plot a plan to manipulate the world

to their will this brings us to the most

recent lore events leading right up to

the launch of OverWatch 2. in many ways

OverWatch 2 is an appropriate name from

a lore perspective because it represents

a new version of OverWatch with a new

guard of characters the main player in

this is Cole Cassidy Cassidy receives a

call from his former Captain Anna Amari

to meet him in Cairo he like all the

other former OverWatch agents has

received a recall from Winston and is

considering whether he wants to return

or not in his time away he's simply been

acting on his own still largely doing

good deeds such as saving a precious

piece of OverWatch cargo from being

hijacked act and sold to the highest

bidder by his former deadlock Rebels LED

solely Now by Ash this cargo is in fact

Echo an omnic AI designed by and modeled

after Dr Mina Liao one of the original

members of the OverWatch crew so

reuniting with Anna Cassidy encourages

her to return and become the new leader

of OverWatch but Anna declines saying

that it's time for a new generation to

take the helm a new generation she wants

Cassidy to lead she gives him the

information of new Heroes around the

world who she thinks will be willing to

help and reluctantly accepting that

mission Cassidy travels around the world

looking to recruit new exceptional

individuals to the resurgent OverWatch

Mission he finds first Anna's daughter

pharah and she agrees to join him

followed by Batiste a former talent

agent who turned coat and zarya a

Russian war hero in the meantime though

what we have is probably the most single

important moment in recent world history

occur in Paris null sector launched a

full-scale invasion of the City of Paris

destroying large parts of it and hurting

thousands of civilians by this point May

has now joined Winston and Tracer as

part of their ragtag OverWatch

Recreation and they head over to defend

the city but when a giant null sector

robot appears it seems that they may

well be outmatched that's when timely

interventions from Genji Reinhardt

brigitta Echo and mercy save the day and

see OverWatch officially returned for

the first time since it was outlawed

those many years ago also it's immense

Genji's place as the coolest character

in this game because come on man how

freaking badass is this how can you not

be Mega hype when he pulls out the world

Ponders the implications of all this

particularly about null sector who seem

to be escalating their operations around

the world what are their plans who will

be their next Target it is at this point

that Busan in South Korea is attacked

not by guishin but by null sector and

once more the mecca Squad are scrambled

to intervene in a tough battle against

overwhelming numbers they fear they

might be losing when onto the scene

arrive Cassidy and is recently recruited

Squad together with Mecca Squad they

beat back the null sector forces and

saved the city as a result of this diva

is given permission to join OverWatch

and she alongside Cassidy pharah Batiste

and zarya head over to the OverWatch

base in Gibraltar where Winston

initiated his recall launch they go with

a renew sense of hope and optimism

hoping to restart or watch Once More

this time the right way

and that is it for now this is where the

story will continue now in OverWatch 2

and particularly during the PVE content

how will OverWatch be received by the

public will they welcome them back or

see them as a dangerous Outlaw group

what is null sector planning do they

want to assert omnic Supremacy and

eradicate organic life or do they simply

perceive that they have not been given

equal rights and want that instead and

what of Talon what are their plans in

all of this well find out next time on

OverWatch

and that's all I've got for today thank

you for watching this video and if

you've enjoyed it then please consider

supporting me directly via patreon and

becoming a patron of mine I'd like to

thank all my current patrons without who

support I would not be able to make

videos like this I'd also like to thank

Dr six who's incredible lore Gathering

work was a big reason I was able to make

this video at all I don't know about you

but I'm incredibly excited to see what

the story OverWatch has in the store for

us in OverWatch too but that's it for me

I'll be back before you know it with

another video see you guys soon