I know there is not quite a lot for Mercy’s character yet (I hope this changes soon with OW2), but several aspects of her character have always made me… suspicious as to her true intentions. Or rather — her true perception of her work and the reality around here, to the point where I believe she believes herself to always be a savior, and that she always has to be somehow defying death for herself, and others. That something far more sinister is afoot with her intentions, something she herself may not be aware of.
I have no idea if anyone else has thought of this or if I’m just reading in too deep but I thought it would be nice to share my theory on her character with Blizzcon fresh in our minds and get some opinions.
I lack the rank to use images or links, so I shall try my best to provide sources and stamps all the way at the bottom.
First off, here is the definition of a Messiah complex for those that may be unsure of what I mean. From the APA Dictionary of Psychology:
“the desire and compulsion to redeem or save others or the world. The individual may harbor the delusion of being divine.”
Whenever we see Mercy, oftentimes it is always in the context of healing, providing guidance, support, goodness.
Despite all the changes to her kit, we all associate her with that holy, angelic image: her descending from above in golden light, the blonde head of hair, the shades of golds and whites, the literal suit and wings that mimic that of an actual angel from the Heavens. She is our literal guardian angel, always there to save us at the heart of battle. The almost poetic, invigorating voiceline we all know her for: “Heroes never die!”
Of course, some would argue that there is no subtlety to her design, that Blizzard merely wanted to capture what her character was all about for gameplay purposes. To some extent, I agree. But what we do have her story could potentially tell otherwise beyond some clever marketing.
Here are some things I’ve noticed from her background, gameplay, and lore, that could provide some evidence to this idea:
- We know from her backstory that her parents were “taken by the war”, which later on explains why Mercy took issue with Overwatch’s “organization’s militaristic approach to keeping global peace.”
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- Mercy’s technology has been specifically described as life-saving. That she made a breakthrough in the “field of applied nanobiology that radically improved the treatment of life-threatening illnesses and injuries.” Her medicine specifically centers on preventing death, and I imagine some of this drive comes from the fact she could not prevent the deaths of those most close to her. Thus, she is always ensuring that she never has to face that again by looking to prevent death all together.
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- We know it has gone as far as anti-ageing. Jeff Kaplan shared with WIRED that Mercy’s nano-technology is most likely reversing the process of ageing for her and, potentially from this, making her live much more longer than she should. She is quite literally altering her body and preventing her own death for as long as she can if this is true.
- The Valkyrie Suit and the Caduceus Staff are references to medicine, healing, and the control of life and death. “Valkyrie” referring to, in Old Norse, the “chooser of the slain”, referencing the women who would decide the fates of souls from battlefields, that is, who would live to see Valhalla and who would simply fade on into death. “Caduceus” is a reference to how the caduceus symbol is now a national symbol of medicine (two serpents circling around a staff; though this is theologically incorrect; the healing staff is actually the Rod of Asclepius), letting others know that she intentionally named it such to represent its purpose.
- Her entire design is based on an angel… but why? Beyond letting viewers know what her entire character is about, when you really think on it: why did Mercy purposefully make herself resemble a figure of Biblical and divine proportions? She calls herself a “guardian angel”. Her entire purpose from her schooling in Switzerland to post-Overwatch is this almost obsessive nature with healing others.
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- Angels in many Biblical myths were seen as nebulously terrifying creatures that could bring down great benevolence or great destruction. Mercy, with her nanotechnology, is able to choose who lives and who dies, much like the name of her suit recalls. What business does she have mimicking a divine creature?
- Mercy expresses dissent to Overwatch’s morals and to those who have used her technology or medicine in ways she deems unacceptable. That is, literally anything that does not relate to healing someone, even if said mutations or discoveries are necessary and perhaps even more helpful than it seems. To Ana, a woman we know she respects, she still shares this voiceline:
- Mercy : Ana. I don’t approve of what you’ve done with my biotic technology.
Ana : I’m sorry you feel that way, but it suits my purposes now.
- To Moira, who has been portrayed as the bad doctor to Mercy’s good doctor:
- Mercy : Describing your work as unethical would be a kindness.
Moira : But the true question is whether or not you can deny my discoveries… No, I didn’t think so.
- In contrast, Mercy shows exceptional fondness for those who have been at her care and under her medical supervision/power, such as Genji. She comments with Genji in fondness.
- Mercy: You seem well, Genji.
Genji: I am a different man now. I am whole.
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- They were even chosen to have Valentine’s Day lines together. Admittedly they are rather innocuous, but there is still something eyebrow raising about a previous patient who was nearly dead trying to offer chocolates to what’s essentially their savior, something that Mercy approves the attention of in spite of the chocolates being bad.
- Genji : Angela, I have some chocolates for you. …Not Swiss.
Mercy : sigh I suppose it will have to do. Thank you, Genji.
- Genji always seems to approve of her gifts.
- Mercy (on Hanamura) : I got you some chocolates, Genji. Swiss, they’re the best!
Genji: Thank you, Angela. Perhaps you could share them with me?
- We even know that Genji is the only one that can stand her terrible coffee when no one else will (from Strom Rising). Does this not signal a kind of power imbalance, at least an unintentional one, in regards to Genji feeling indebted to Angela for his life, and Angela in turn always knowing that she was the one who gave him that life back? At best, this is harmless banter. At worst, this could be outright Erotomania.
- In several promotional media and even in the new Overwatch 2 trailer, “Zero Hour”, we watch Mercy angelically coming down from the heavens, seemingly out of nowhere — much like a miracle and much like how angels are described.
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- Especially for “Zero Hour”: she shines down a blinding beacon of light that drops down from the skies in a giant yellow glow to make her entrance. Is this not purposefully done to show herself as a great being of healing? To provoke a divine image? Why do so? Would not simply flying in have been enough?
- The fact Angela calls herself “Mercy.” While the word mercy sounds benevolent at first… When you consider her capabilities and the power we know her to have from saving people from death (resurrection unconfirmed, but definitely hinted to be the end goal), then you come to also realize the definition of what “mercy” means in two contexts, and her sudden choice of name goes from comforting to unsettling, those being (from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary):
- compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power also : lenient or compassionate treatment
i.e: (to have) begged for mercy
- a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion
“May God have mercy on us.”
- Going further beyond the canonical lore, there is also the way Blizzard chose to represent her in “Junkenstein” and “Halloween Terror” as The Witch of the Wilds.
We know that in both these comics, it is not Dr. Junkenstein who obtained the gift of life, but rather The Witch herself gave it to him, making a bargain with Junkenstein by granting him the gift of life in exchange for a price. -
- Even in a different universe comic, Mercy’s theme and character is still centered around bringing people back from beyond the grave in what appears to be miracle-based ways. There is also the very menacing, sinister expression she makes for one of the panels.
My sources:
https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/heroes/mercy/
https://overwatch.gamepedia.com/Mercy
https://static.playoverwatch.com/media/wallpaper/mercy-theatrical-wide.jpg (The referenced promotional image)
https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/media
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Valkyrie-Norse-mythology
https://youtu.be/GKXS_YA9s7E?t=318 (Zero Hour)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKg7_qGhWVc (WIRED Interview)
http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/138/8/673 (Caduceus symbol)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercy
https://dictionary.apa.org/messiah-complex
That’s about it. Would love to hear thoughts!
I’m probably reading far too into it, but I thought it would be a fun angle to share, and it would definitely provide some depth and gray morality to one of Overwatch’s seemingly most goodie-goodie two shoes characters in my opinion. Something about Mercy’s… almost obsessive need to heal others and always be healing and finding ways to circumvent death always made me curious, so I thought to write out what I think it could be and why!