/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24830726/sojourn__1_.png "The Latest Cinematic for Overwatch 2 Marks an Exciting Milestone in the Game’s Advancement")
From the initial introduction of Vivian Chase, also known as Sojourn, in a thumbnail portrait in 2016 to her official debut in Overwatch 2 six years later, her character has undergone quite a journey. Today, Blizzard reveals her first animated short, which provides a deeper understanding of her character and adds to the overall narrative of the Overwatch franchise. In an exclusive interview with The Verge, the creators of Sojourn discuss her new cinematic and her central role in Overwatch 2’s story.
Sojourn holds a unique position in Overwatch’s lore. She is a significant figure in the game’s story, serving as a leader in the Overwatch organization, a global military force created to defend the world against a dangerous robot uprising, and as the catalyst for its eventual downfall. Despite being in development for quite some time and being integral to the game’s narrative, Sojourn was only introduced in 2022. The Overwatch development team stated that they wanted to wait until the game’s story was ready to progress before revealing Sojourn, as she moves the storyline forward.
The majority of Overwatch’s animated shorts have primarily served as introductions to the heroes, providing insight into their characters and motivations, but without significantly advancing the game’s story. The first animated short, “Recall,” released in 2016, kickstarts Overwatch’s story by showcasing the revival of the Omnic Crisis and Winston’s call to action. The story progressed six years later with the release of the “Zero Hour” short, and now with Sojourn’s short, “Calling.”
In “Calling,” which interestingly debuts within the Overwatch 2 game client rather than online, Sojourn finds herself unexpectedly interrogated by Tremblay, a former friend. Tremblay suspects her involvement in vigilante activities that violated the law that led to the disbanding of Overwatch. As the interrogation takes place, the evil robot faction known as Null Sector launches an invasion in Sojourn’s hometown of Toronto. Sojourn takes swift action, confirming Tremblay’s suspicions by revealing herself as the vigilante he sought. It is worth noting that this reveal, where her quaint home is transformed into a high-tech command center, evokes Batman-like energy, but to me, Sojourn resembles more of a magical girl, particularly Sailor Moon’s Sailor V. Like Sailor V, she is already a hero who adopts a second heroic identity, and Sojourn even undergoes a transformation sequence, replacing her civilian cybernetic limbs with tactical ones. Additionally, Sojourn has a charming cybernetic corgi named Murphy, adding to her character.
I was curious as to why the developers chose Sojourn, out of all the heroes, to be the driving force behind Overwatch 2’s story. Overwatch 2 is the successor to the first game, and within Overwatch’s universe, there are several heroes who are the successors, either biologically or ideologically, to other heroes. For example, Pharah is Ana’s daughter, Brigitte is Torbjörn’s daughter, Genji is Zenyatta’s disciple, and Kiriko, the newest hero, is a little sister-like figure to Hanzo and Genji. It would make sense for any of them to take the spotlight in Overwatch 2.
According to Overwatch 2’s art director, Dion Rogers, Sojourn’s role in the story is pragmatic. She represents Overwatch’s old guard more than any other character and is the best fit to mentor the new members joining Overwatch, such as Lúcio and Baptiste. However, despite becoming a mentor, she has a complicated history with the older members.
“Some of the new Overwatch members grew up watching her on TV,” explained Gavin Jurgens-Fyhrie, lead narrative designer for Overwatch 2. “But then there’s people like Jack Morrison [Soldier 76], who used to be in charge of Overwatch, and he absolutely holds a grudge.”
While the development team couldn’t delve into further details, they hinted at the conflict that arises when Sojourn interacts with the old guard operatives whose lives were affected by the disbanding of Overwatch, particularly due to Sojourn’s involvement.
Sojourn is a complex character with a strong moral code that clashes with the realities of life. As Overwatch’s cinematic director, Ben Dai, explained, she testified against Overwatch because she believed it operated in a morally grey area, according to her black-and-white code. However, it is interesting to see that after years of retirement, she herself started to engage in morally ambiguous activities.
This conflict lies at the core of Overwatch’s entire story. While Sojourn may not be the literal representation of Overwatch’s next generation like Pharah, Brigitte, Lúcio, and Baptiste, her journey embodies Overwatch’s central theme. As Jurgens-Fyhrie stated, “Sojourn played a major part in why Overwatch was shut down […] that’s a direct challenge to the decisions she made. Her whole story is that she sees what Overwatch can become and is going to be working through that in her own time.”
This response may resonate with Overwatch lore enthusiasts. In the “Recall” short, Harold Winston, the scientist who acted as a father figure to Winston, encouraged him to see the world beyond what it appeared to be and instead envision what it could be. This philosophy is woven throughout the game’s history. Sojourn’s struggle with what Overwatch was and what it has the potential to become aligns with Overwatch’s overarching vision of an idealistic and optimistic future.
Sojourn’s story is, in essence, Overwatch’s story, and the time has finally come for it to unfold. As Overwatch 2’s art director, Dion Rogers, expressed, “What I really like about the cinematic is that it has a super direct connection to what’s next for the game. She thinks she’s going to save her city, but ultimately she’s going to need to save the world. So her journey is still going.”