If Dispatch Season 1 could redeem Flambae, I’m ready for Season 2 to salvage its most unlikable character

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Spoilers for Dispatch ahead.

Dispatch is my second favorite game of 2025. In a year full of sequels and big-budget titles, it stood out as something truly new and exciting. It’s a really fun game thanks to its unique episodic format, clever writing, and interesting take on the superhero genre. But what I really loved about Dispatch was its memorable characters.

The characters in Dispatch feel like real people – flawed, funny, and easy to connect with. Even when they behave strangely, like the character Invisigal, it’s simple to understand their motivations and feelings. This focus on well-developed characters is what makes the game so effective. It creates challenging moral dilemmas, then heartwarming moments of connection and teamwork. Ultimately, Dispatch asks players to take a chance on the struggling Z-Team and help them turn things around.

AdHoc Studios’ first game focuses on the idea of second chances, and like many fans, I’m eagerly awaiting news about a potential Season 2 of Dispatch. I’m especially excited to see which characters return and what established storylines continue. But out of all the possibilities, there’s one character I’m particularly interested in—and if you followed the themes of Season 1, you probably will be too.

Toxic Should Get the Flambae Treatment for Dispatch Season 2

The first episode of Dispatch quickly sets a tense and chaotic mood. It immediately puts players in a difficult situation: Robert confronts Toxic and forces him to make an impossible choice – either be saved or fall from a balcony. This scene is unsettling not only because of the violence, but because it shows Robert’s character: he’s both compassionate and deeply desperate.

While Dispatch usually makes your choices feel important, this situation doesn’t really offer that. No matter what you decide, the character Toxic always ends up surviving. If you try to spare him, he’ll betray you. If you eliminate him, he somehow manages to bounce back and even helps Shroud later on. The game makes it clear that Toxic isn’t a problem you can just solve – he’s a constant threat and a sign of a bigger issue.

Initially, Toxic appears to be everything the game Dispatch encourages players to dislike. He’s harsh, self-centered, and often inappropriate, and doesn’t seem to learn from his mistakes. The way he’s used in the final moments relies heavily on surprising or shocking the audience, reducing him to a joke rather than a fully developed character. However, this is precisely what makes him feel unresolved. It’s interesting to note that Flambae previously filled a similar role.

Flambae’s Redemption Proves Dispatch Knows How to Rebuild Trust

At first glance, Flambae in Dispatch Season 1 seems unlikeable – he’s boastful, confrontational, and clearly doesn’t like Robert. This makes sense later on, as we learn about their past and how Robert caused a lasting injury. When Robert reveals he’s Mecha Man, the story could have become a simple conflict. However, Dispatch takes a more compelling approach by putting Flambae and Robert in a situation where they’re forced to be near each other.

Flambae doesn’t instantly forgive Robert. It takes time for him to rebuild trust, and his anger is understandable. His progress is gradual, with ups and downs. By episode 5 of Dispatch, when he has his musical performance, it doesn’t feel like he’s suddenly become a villain. It feels like he’s finally expressing himself. Flambae becomes popular with fans not because the game overlooks his past actions, but because it lets him grow as a character without pretending the harm he caused or experienced never happened. This shows that AdHoc Studios knows how to develop characters in a realistic way – allowing them to change without losing their complexity. This brings us to the topic of Toxic.

Why Dispatch’s Toxic Works Better as a Teammate Than a Punchline

If the second season of Dispatch fully explores its core ideas, the character Toxic shouldn’t be sidelined. Reluctantly adding him to the main team would instantly create compelling conflict. Here’s how making Toxic a teammate could be far more interesting than simply portraying him as a villain:

  • His dynamic with Robert could mirror Flambae’s early hostility. However, this relationship can start with a different emotional texture: less wounded pride, more corrosive resentment.
  • Toxic’s defining trait—his cruelty—begs to be interrogated. Dispatch excels when it asks why people behave the way they do, not just what they’re doing wrong. Giving Toxic more screen time could uncover the insecurity, fear, or survival instinct underpinning his behavior. Not to excuse it, but to contextualize it.
  • Toxic has value, mechanically. Sure, Toxic is an emotionally charged character ripe for the taking. But his powers would work wonders for the Z-Team. He possesses regenerative abilities, has the power to manipulate acids, and can fly. Combined with Dispatch pair synergies, he can be unstoppable.

As a film fan, I’m really intrigued by this character. I think his confrontational nature could actually improve the team’s interactions, really pushing Robert as a leader. And if done right, his presence could give us some genuinely funny, but not just for the sake of it, darkly humorous moments. Honestly, he doesn’t need to be a good guy, or even someone we like. But he does need to be complex. I’m thinking his story could mirror another character’s journey – if Flambae learned to trust someone who hurt him, maybe this guy could learn to navigate a world where being mean doesn’t actually get you anywhere.

Image via AdHoc Studio

Dispatch Has Already Earned My Trust

The first season of Dispatch demonstrated a willingness to tackle difficult stories with honesty. It didn’t offer easy resolutions, gloss over painful experiences, or suggest that turning your life around is simple. The show’s downbeat ending proved this point. If the creators maintain this realistic approach in Season 2, the character of Toxic has the potential to undergo a truly captivating development.

If the character Flambae can transform from someone annoying into a source of emotional support, then the show should take the same chance with Toxic. He doesn’t necessarily deserve redemption, but the show has already demonstrated that redemption isn’t about being worthy of it. It’s about how someone acts when they get a second opportunity. And frankly, I’m eager to see what Toxic would do with that chance.

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2026-01-06 15:05