The Overwatch 2 hero roster is full of characters with varying moralities. There are proper villains like Moira, Reaper, and Doomfist, neutral characters like Hanzo, Sombra, and Symmetra, and do-gooders like Mercy, Tracer, and Winston. One character with limited lore that is hard to place is Hammond, also known as Wrecking Ball. However, his bond with a certain genetically engineered Gorilla could help determine where he’ll eventually end up.
Alongside Tracer and Mercy, Winston is a purely kindhearted character seeking to make the world a better place. With that in mind, it only makes sense that the friend of a beacon of light like Winston would be a good person - or rodent. Once Wrecking Ball moves on from fighting in the Junkertown combat arenas, he could easily roll his way onto the new Overwatch team.
Wrecking Ball Was Likely a Kind Character Prior To Landing in Australia
Based on the little bit of lore fans have about Wrecking Ball, the character’s friendship with Winston spans back to his younger years, as both were test subjects in the Horizon Lunar Colony. Though Winston being a more evolved animal allows him to speak and display his intelligence through words, Hammond is highly intelligent as well. This likely served as the basis for their bond, with the two able to discuss concepts only they would understand.
After the test subjects revolted on Horizon Lunar Colony, Winston planned to escape to Earth, with Hammond tagging along. The hamster attached their escape pod’s cable to Winston’s shuttle, but unfortunately, it malfunctioned and Hammond was knocked loose. The adorable hero crash-landed near Junkertown, and from there, the rest is history. Hammond turned his pod into a battle mech and began to dominate Junkertown’s combat arena.
Wrecking Ball’s lore ends after becoming champion in Junker Queen’s combat tournaments, but it can be assumed that he does not want to fight for the entertainment of others forever. Clearly a genius despite his small form, Hammond will surely want better things for himself eventually. With the return of Overwatch sure to make news worldwide, Hammond may be reminded of his old friend, seeking him out and joining the organization. Overwatch could provide Wrecking Ball with a purpose, and the only character that means anything to him being its leader would only make it more enticing.
Though Overwatch 2 fans likely look at Wrecking Ball as a neutral character or even a villain, that is likely just a product of where he has spent his time on Earth. His mech having a deep, intimidating voice would surely serve to make him seem scarier, as Junkertown’s residents would likely laugh at Hammond otherwise due to his cuddly appearance. Had Hammond landed with Winston in a less hostile area, he likely would not have needed to make a battle mech right out the gate.
Though Hammond has seemingly known nothing but violence since he arrived on Earth, that will hopefully change in Overwatch 2. Like Zenyatta, Hammond is begging for more lore and some proper character development. Though Blizzard could keep him as a character of minor importance like the other Junkers, Hammond’s bond with Winston could open the door for a more prominent role in the PvE campaign. Even if Blizzard were to take Hammond down the path of villainy, saying he was warped by his time in Junkertown, exploring his relationship with Winston would still be worthwhile. Like Baptise and Mauga or Zenyatta and Ramattra, hero and villain pairings can provide some strong moments of storytelling.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
