New Overwatch Mercy Outfit Is Being Called The 'Karen Skin'
Mercy is here in Overwatch and she'd like to speak to the manager. Taking no "mercy", the fan-favourite support character has had a bit of a revamp and looks like a completely different woman. While the kind-hearted Doctor Angela Ziegler is a beloved addition to Overwatch's complicated cast of heroes and villains, her latest look has players asking what's going on. Sporting a bold new haircut and ditching her signature golden locks, Mercy has become a meme-worthy part of the game's lore and is already being branded a "Karen".
Despite plenty of fanfare surrounding the Overwatch Archives Event to hopefully fill the void left behind by a lack of Overwatch 2 news, most agreed that Blizzard missed the mark on this one. If that wasn't enough, critics are less than impressed by Mercy's trip to the hairdressers and introduction of her Karen skin.
What is the Mercy Karen skin in Overwatch?
A hilarious consequence of Archives 2021 is Mercy's Karen skin, which is actually called Camouflage Mercy. It's obtained through the Week 3 challenge, where players need to nab 30 stars through PvE missions. As the name suggests, Mercy's usual white armour and golden wings are swapped out with a camo-inspired look. Her feathers are dyed dark, and although her staff/halo stay the same, her hair has also taken on a striking alteration. The trend took off with redditor u/koltie posting a picture of Camouflage Mercy alongside the caption, "Jeff can I speak to your manager" - aimed at Overwatch boss Jeff Kaplan
It didn't take long for the savage Overwatch playerbase to rip Mercy apart online and call her a Karen. For those who don't know, a Karen is a derogatory term that's usually used against middle-aged women with short haircuts Dictionary.com describes a Karen as the following: "Karen is a pejorative slang term for an obnoxious, angry, entitled, and often racist middle-aged white woman who uses her privilege to get her way or police other people's behaviors". We've all seen the Karen and "Can I speak to the manager?" memes, however, we've got to admit Mercy bob fits the bill of your stereotypical Karen.
What have fans said about Mercy's Overwatch Karen skin?
Turning Mercy into a "proper" Karen, Reddit user u/Donkronk17 gave her a more suitable hair colour. Voila, the Megakaren Mercy is born. One saddened players said designers "did her dirty". Someone else on Reddit asked whether Camouflage Mercy was actually Catherine O'Hara's Moira Rose from Schitt's Creek - well, she did love a wig. A third said she looks likes Scarlett Johannsson's Major from Ghost in the Shell, while a final fan said they loved that it made her look like Elsatigirl from The Incredibles.
The original post has since blown up to receive 8.5k upvotes. However, it also sparked a debate on whether the Karen meme trend is offensive in itself for marginalising people and making fun of them. We're guessing Blizzard didn't mean to make a "Karen" skin or cause any offence. Still, this year's Overwatch Archives will go down in history for all the wrong reasons.
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