Every Overwatch fan can probably sympathize with how all over the place the lore has been in recent times. While some characters have tons of backstory, others seem to have none. That being said, Blizzard doesn't always market their lore the proper way and it's easy to miss out on some key details.
You'd be surprised by how in-depth the world of Overwatch is, and how the voice lines we hear our heroes say often references events and dynamics between competing factions. Let's take a look at 10 lore details that were so hidden you probably never even knew them yourself.
10 Why The Omnics Attacked
The whole premise of Overwatch is that the Omnics, a kind of robotic species created by humans, one day rose up against humanity and decided to obliterate everyone. This started the current crisis the world is going through, with Talon rising up and Null Sector becoming a powerful Omnic faction.
However, to this day, we still don't quite know or understand why this happened. The Omnics haven't provided us with a reason as to why some of them fight humans, and why some have chosen the path of peace.
9 An Overwatch Connection
Everyone's favorite French sniper Widowmaker is infamous for her inability to feel remorse or any kind of emotion. Her blue skin is due to the slowing of her heartbeat, which has contained blood flow into the rest of her body, making her the most composed and deadly killer out there.
However, what you might not know is that Widowmaker was once the happy wife of a powerful and key Overwatch operative known as Gérard Lacroix. Through association to him, Amelie, now known as Widowmaker, was captured and turned into a human weapon, who assassinated her own husband.
8 Genji Used To Be Lazy
Genji's story is one with many ups and downs, paired with a tumultuous bond with his brother Hanzo. Their home clan, the Shimadas, is a group of talented assassins with money for days.
Genji and Hanzo were meant to inherit the family business, but Genji had little interest in it. Instead, he would spend his days flirting with women, drinking and partying to his heart's content. It wasn't until his brother nearly killed him and he was saved by Doctor Ziegler that he joined Overwatch and reformed himself.
7 Wealthy Heiress Gone Thief
Ashe seems like your typical outlaw leader, capable of ordering any group of thieves around. The truth, however, is very different. Through several in-game voice lines and her Socialite skin, we can determine that she was once the daughter of an incredibly wealthy family in the United States.
Ashe grew tired of her life in the lap of luxury and discovered the thrill of heists and thievery through the Deadlock Gang and Jesse McCree.
6 Mercy's Pacifism
Mercy is the ultimate healer in Overwatch, known for her caring and kind personality. Her desire to help brought her to Overwatch, but her story isn't as straightforward as you would imagine. In fact, long before she joined the group, her parents were killed in combat, which planted a seed of loathing in her heart towards all violence.
Nowadays, Mercy is still actively at odds with Overwatch's methods of dealing with the Omnics. However, she's made her decision to help because she believes she can make the biggest difference that way.
5 Sigma Is Not Inherently Evil
Sigma is a genius unlike anyone else in Overwatch. Obsessed with unlocking the true potential behind gravity and black holes, his research spelled his own demise to him when it split his personality and drove him partly insane. He might come across a bit strange and eccentric, but he's actually not evil.
Talon employs his knowledge and powers without him even being fully aware of it, which puts into question his true allegiance. Would he truly support Talon if he knew what was going on? Hopefully, we'll have answers in the future.
4 Shrike
You may have always wondered what exactly is the story behind Ana's unique black skin with turquoise neon details. After Overwatch was disbanded and the operatives were forbidden to work in any way shape or form, Ana still continued her operations against Talon under a secret identity known as Shrike.
This is similar in some regards to Soldier 76's vigilante identity, both of them hiding their faces while doing good and actively fighting Overwatch's fight even after its dismissal.
3 The Conspiracy
While it's evident that the main players in the game's universe are Overwatch and Talon, and to some degree Null Sector, the idea that there are other more powerful players in the mix is exciting, to say the least. Even in the far future, there are conspiracies and, as we know from Sombra's short, even people who seem good can associate with evil.
It was Sombra herself that uncovered what is simply known as the Conspiracy. It's an entity similar to our Illuminati, mysteriously connected to all parties involved in the conflict, be it Vishkar, Talon, or Overwatch itself. While we lack information, future lore might provide more answers.
2 The Real Meaning Of MEKA
When Omnics began fighting humans, South Korea specifically came under attack when an Omnic rose from the sea. In Busan, D.Va and other MEKA fighters were tasked with defending their country from the MEKA base using their mechs.
While you would think MEKA is a reference to their robot-like battle vehicles, it's actually an abbreviation for Mobile Exo-Force of the Korean Army. This is the organization that D.Va and her allies belong to, which undoubtedly forms part of the Korean military.
1 Moira's True Alignment
Moira is one of those characters that we saw switch sides during her introduction story. She initially worked for Blackwatch along with Gabriel Reyes, McCree, and Genji. However, through circumstances, she was rejected from Overwatch due to her merciless pursuit of science.
While not necessarily evil, Moira is incredibly obsessed with her research and will join whatever side that allows her to develop it freely with enough funding. Jeff Kaplan even described her more as a Chaotic Neutral character, who's in it for herself only.