Kinda dissapointed with Lifeweaver

Story Discussion
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I was really hoping when they announced that Lifeweaver was going to be a Vishkar character they were going to go all in and actually keep him there. Vishkar has really been lacking as one of the shadier organizations in recent times, and a new playable character in their ranks would have made them really pop.

And I feel like it’s even more of a shame that he’s a hero, not a villain. I love villains who are veiled in good intentions, but secretly unyielding to the needs of others. An eco-warrior who is saving the world weather you like it or not is a pretty interesting concept in my book, and would certainly fit Vishkar’s ongoing theme of bending the rules of nature (specifically, through hardlight) to their will. It’s one of the archetypes were dearly missing in the villain lineup, and Lifeweaver seemed like a perfect pick to fill that void.

I guess they could turn him heel (or heal, har har) yet, but currently I’m not really seeing him as a particularly interesting addition to the cast. He’s sort of feels like he’s going to end up as the support equivalent to Sojourn. A background character who just sort of exists, rather than contributing to the story meaningfully.

Obviously, these are just knee-jerk reactions off of his origin story and limited voice work and my impressions might change when we get more information. But even just out of the recent slate of characters, I’m struggling to see a way this guy fits into Overwatch’s narrative going forwards that doesn’t render him dull.

Thoughts on the new addition? I’m interested to see people’s initial take.

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I love him waaaaaaaay more than Kiriko, that’s for sure!

A guy that discover a new way to heal nature and people? Went to Vishkar school with Symmetra, they were roomates, and then he drop-out that is now fugitive because he wanted his tech to be free, and that is actually stationned in Atlantic Arcology? Hell yeah, sign me IN! The lore is going to be good (when we’ll have more)

I can understand the disapointment, but I really like his Vishkar background. He decided to leave because Vishkar wanted to make money off his own creation and it feels a bit like Lucio’s dad story in that way, except his dad got his tech directly stolen by Vishkar. The way he discovered his tech and how he wants to help people with it kinda feels like Mercy nanobiotics and what she wanted to use it for (but got missused, like Lucio’s dad tech…)

But there is so much you can do with support heroes, right? The fact that he was described “cute” could not meet the villain standards, so i wasn’t expecting a villain support.

He as a goad heart and want to do good, and in the dark days ahead of Overwatch, they are going to need some people like him to pick up the pieces left behind the war.

Thing is : they are still doing a set up for the story to be delivered. They are droping dots everywhere, and they are not connected yet.

We know that if they kept Sojourn for so long, it’s because she ie plot relevant. But they won’t drop the plot yet, so she feels like she has no use… yet.

Also : there is a short story coming thanks to Amazon leaking Heroes Ascendant, about Symmettra retrieving a Vishkar asset and an old friend. That’s him, Lifeweaver and his tech, for sure!

It’s like always with the lore : wait and see. But I like his setup way more than Kiriko’s.

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For now, my first impressions are… very positive. Or at least, how I perceive this hero from the trailers and previews.

  • I think LifeW (I decided to shorten he like this) is perfect to give back to the community the support architect concept that Symmetra failed to be convincing, with its now iconic defensive turrets (I will always repeat, today symmetra is an excellent “defender” and “invader” in its balance). I never believed in her as a support healer just to remain faithful to her displeasure in not knowing how to heal the wounds of a little girl in her comic. She is part of her allure that sets her apart as a hero who knows her compassion but is haunted by the doubts that her academic doctrine imposes on her. I’ve never seen stone by stone as an opportunity for a SYmmetra healer, I rather think it was a growth in her character. LifeW could paradoxically create the bond of peace between Lucio (more impetuous in the revolution) and Symmetra (still influenced by corporate loyalty). It creates the good that perhaps SYmmetra needs to understand from its potential of light technology, and I believe that an excellent difference is created in its own technology between the two characters, much more evident than the one used by Lucio;
    -Obviously an interesting buff is the technological explanation of his guiarigioni: No weird magic without explanations like Kiriko’s, nor a recycling of Mercy’s technology. on the contrary, another scientific field of the Overwatch world (acology) is finally amplified through the figure of a biologist, without any connection with the science of Oasis;
  • I don’t know if they’ll introduce it into the PVe lore right away, but I find it a great opportunity for another “scientist adversary” for the Oasis community. or he will be fascinated by its research but questioned by its use that is not at all compassionate, which nonetheless makes sense.

I totally understand that maybe a villain Vishkar could be much more interesting to show the less peaceful aspect of Vishkar technology, but I also think that LifeW could actually set a great precedent for a new technology exploited by the villains. Moira for example was born after Mercy, and is Mercy’s technology nemesis. I understand that LifeW’s biolight is being appropriated by Vishkar, just like Lucio’s father’s sonic/protective technology. So… I honestly see the huge possibility of one day creating another support hero purely engaged with the Talon’s intentions… made in Vishkar. A “Moira” of biolight, perhaps a character who combines these studies with genetic ones. Could we find a hero of the Vishkar who is as perfect as… unstable? A bit like the concept of the dystopia that arises through the dream of a utopia, one could seriously unlock a lore that makes the vishkar much more dangerous than its building intention is now.

all of this makes me think of StarCraft II, where terran scientists were beginning to study the biology of the alien Zerg that allows them to self-regenerate and genetically mutate. I think OW2 could go down the road of an experiment between Oasis (moira’s contribution) and Vishkar (biolight patent exploitation). And that could give us another healer villain, I think. Or at least, ulterior motives on the evil that the vishkar does in the world beyond being involved with Talon, I don’t know.

It is true! I didn’t think about it anymore!

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Oh man, you guys raise some good points. Glad I asked for some outside viewpoints. Sometimes you just need a little perspective on the situation, you know? I totally missed him being stationed at Atlantic Arcology. Guess it wasn’t paying enough attention.

Oh man, i forgot that this was a thing. Now it all makes a little more sense. Good catch, Gwadael.

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