MEET Overwatch 2’s DEADLIEST Hero Yet: ‘The Wolf of Retribution’

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Summary

  • Teasers found in Overwatch 2 suggest Hero 45 could be a female gladiator coming in Season 20.
  • The gladiator hero may be a melee tank character based on the release cadence.
  • Fans speculate about the mysterious hero’s silhouette and weapon design seen in Arena Victoriae.

It appears that Overwatch 2 may be hinting at its 45th character through a banner and weapon display on the new Stadium map, Arena Victoriae. These recent findings align with other teasers fans have discovered about this character, strongly indicating that the enigmatic gladiator hero is likely to debut in Season 20 of Overwatch 2.

At Overwatch 2’s latest showcase, Blizzard unveiled two out of the three heroes arriving in 2025: Freja, a mobile damage dealer debuting in Season 16, and a watery support character temporarily known as “Aqua”. Yet, keen gamers have stumbled upon hints about the third hero since then. For instance, there’s a sketch of a swordsman gladiator hidden in the Overwatch 2 Spotlight, and a mysterious message on Brigitte’s character page that reads, “Gladiators Gonna Gladiate”.

Recently, enthusiasts have found hints that strongly suggest Hero 45 could be a melee combatant, possibly a gladiator-type character. During game testing for Arena Victoriae, a new map in the Stadium mode of Overwatch 2, players stumbled upon two Easter eggs: a banner depicting a silhouette of a gladiator holding a high-tech sword or spear, and a display showcasing the same weapon. Both items bear the mark XLV – representing the Roman numeral for 45. However, the banner also carries the Italian phrase “La Lupa Della Ritorsione,” which translates to “The Wolf of Retribution” or “Retaliation.” Overwatch Cavalry posted images of these hints on Twitter together.

‘The Wolf of Retribution’ – Overwatch 2’s 45th Hero?

Based on the weapon’s form, it can be inferred that the combatant isn’t Camilla, Titus, or Magnus – the three mechanical gladiators whose positions are marked on the Colosseum map. The figure on the banner bears a distinct silhouette from Zephyrus, one of the two gladiators with ads on the same map. It resembles Maximus more, but the “La” used on the banner refers to feminine nouns, hinting that this could be a female character. Furthermore, a previous teaser suggested that Overwatch 2 might have been testing Hero 45’s kit on Brigitte’s model, which further supports the notion that Hero 45 is a new female character.

If we suppose that this enigmatic gladiator goes by the name Hero 45, it’s likely they will lean towards being a character focused on close-combat damage or tanking, given their introduction in Overwatch 2 coincides well with the anticipated arrival of a tank hero in 2025. Since Damage Per Second (DPS) and support roles are already accounted for in Overwatch 2’s roster, introducing another tank character would align more closely with their release schedule. However, it’s important to note that Reinhardt is currently the dedicated melee tank, and characters like Doomfist, Hazard, and Genji all have substantial melee elements in their abilities. In Overwatch 2 at present, Genji serves as the closest equivalent to a melee damage hero.

In Overwatch 2, you can experience Season 16, Stadium, and the Arena Victoriae map starting from April 22. Don’t forget to explore the previews for “The Wolf of Retribution” within the game when the gameplay mode becomes active.

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2025-04-18 23:57