A now-deleted leak claims Overwatch 2’s 45th hero is named Vendetta, and this character will kill Doomfist in an upcoming comic or animation while assuming leadership of the terrorist organization Talon. The source, who deleted both their Reddit and X accounts after posting, previously leaked accurate details about the Ramattra comic that launched last week, lending credibility to these explosive Season 20 and 21 story spoilers. If true, the leak represents the first permanent death of a playable Overwatch hero and dramatically shifts the game’s narrative trajectory heading into 2026.
The Leaked Story Details
According to the now-deleted leak, Hero 45 will be introduced as Vendetta, though whether that’s a codename, alias, or actual name remains unclear. This character apparently eliminates Doomfist, the powerful Nigerian martial artist who serves as one of Talon’s three leaders alongside Reaper and Moira. Doomfist’s death wouldn’t occur through gameplay mechanics but rather in narrative content like the comics or animations Blizzard produces to advance Overwatch’s lore between seasons.
Following Doomfist’s assassination, Vendetta takes his place as the new leader of Talon. That power consolidation suggests Vendetta operates as an ambitious internal rival rather than an external threat, positioning the character as someone who’s been working within Talon’s hierarchy waiting for the opportunity to seize control. The leak specified this storyline unfolds across Seasons 20 and 21, meaning the assassination and leadership transition happen over multiple content drops rather than a single event.
The Ramattra Comic Connection
The leaker’s credibility stems from correctly predicting details about the Ramattra comic that released last week. While the specific details they leaked weren’t mentioned in available sources, the fact they accurately called story beats before official release establishes them as having genuine insider access rather than making wild speculation. Ramattra, the omnic revolutionary and tank hero added in Season 2, has been central to Overwatch 2’s narrative exploring tensions between humans and omnics.
Blizzard has increasingly used comics and animations to advance Overwatch’s story since the shift to Overwatch 2’s free-to-play model. The promised PvE story missions that justified the sequel largely never materialized after being cancelled in 2024, forcing Blizzard to deliver narrative content through cheaper mediums like comics rather than fully produced story campaigns. That makes comics the primary vehicle for major plot developments like character deaths, which explains why Doomfist’s assassination would happen in that format rather than an in-game cinematic.
Why Delete Everything After Leaking
The leaker’s decision to delete their Reddit and X accounts immediately after posting suggests either genuine fear of Blizzard’s legal team or an attempt to add mystery that makes the leak seem more credible. Companies like Blizzard aggressively pursue leakers through NDAs and confidentiality agreements, often threatening or filing lawsuits against employees or contractors who share unreleased information. If the leaker works at Blizzard or a partner studio, deleting accounts protects their identity by removing potential trails back to their real identity.
Alternatively, deleting accounts could be calculated drama designed to make the leak feel more legitimate. Legitimate leaks do happen, but the internet is also full of attention-seeking fabrications. By deleting everything, the leaker prevents follow-up questions that could expose inconsistencies while ensuring their claims get archived and discussed across forums like r/GamingLeaksAndRumours. The Ramattra comic accuracy provides one data point supporting legitimacy, but one correct prediction doesn’t guarantee everything else is true.
Doomfist’s Role in Overwatch Lore
Akande Ogundimu, known as Doomfist, became the third person to take that title after defeating his predecessor in combat. The Nigerian martial artist wields the Doomfist gauntlet, a powerful weapon that amplifies his already formidable hand-to-hand combat abilities. He believes humanity grows stronger through conflict and orchestrates wars to push civilization toward what he considers necessary evolution. That philosophy drove him to lead Talon alongside like-minded extremists pursuing destabilization and chaos.
Doomfist’s in-game presence as a dive tank makes him crucial to competitive metas, particularly at higher ranks where coordinated Doomfist plays devastate backlines. His abilities include Rocket Punch for mobility and burst damage, Seismic Slam for crowd control, and Meteor Strike as an ultimate that lets him escape danger or secure kills. Permanently killing Doomfist in the lore while keeping him playable creates narrative dissonance that Blizzard would need to address, likely through in-game acknowledgments that multiplayer exists outside canon timeline continuity.
Who Could Vendetta Be
The name Vendetta implies a character motivated by revenge, suggesting personal history with Doomfist or Talon that drives them to murder the organization’s leader. Several existing Overwatch characters have reasons to want Doomfist dead. Winston and Tracer both fought against him during the original Overwatch’s operations. Genji has indirect connections through the Shimada clan’s criminal activities intersecting with Talon’s operations. Widowmaker, Reaper, and Sombra all serve under Doomfist in Talon’s hierarchy and could betray him for their own ambitions.
However, Hero 45 being an entirely new character makes more sense narratively. Introducing Vendetta as a fresh face allows Blizzard to create someone specifically designed around the assassination storyline without ret-conning existing character motivations. The name Vendetta works as both a codename fitting Overwatch’s tradition of heroes operating under aliases, and as thematic statement about the character’s driving purpose. Whether Vendetta operates as hero or villain remains unclear, though taking control of a terrorist organization suggests complicated morality at best.
Season 20 and 21 Timeline
Season 19 starts October 14, 2025 according to Blizzard’s announced schedule, meaning Season 20 would begin around December 2025 or January 2026 depending on season length. Season 21 would follow approximately February-March 2026. That timeline gives Blizzard’s narrative team substantial runway to build tension toward Doomfist’s assassination across multiple story beats rather than rushing the development in a single season.
The leak mentioned it looks like we’re in for a rich narrative experience with Season 20, although it doesn’t appear we’ll be getting missions this time around. That last detail aligns with Blizzard’s post-cancellation strategy of avoiding expensive PvE mission development in favor of cheaper comics and animations. Players hoping for story missions will be disappointed, but those invested in Overwatch’s lore get major character developments and shakeups that genuine PvE content wouldn’t necessarily provide anyway given the limited scope of what Blizzard was producing before cancellation.
Impact on the Competitive Roster
Killing Doomfist in the lore doesn’t mean removing him from multiplayer. Overwatch 2 already treats its competitive mode as existing outside strict canon timeline, allowing players to create nonsensical team compositions like having multiple copies of the same hero in custom games or putting characters who are canonically dead on the same team as those who killed them. Doomfist will remain playable regardless of his narrative fate, just as Widowmaker remains selectable despite story content advancing her arc.
However, Blizzard could acknowledge the lore change through cosmetic additions like memorial skins, voice line updates referencing his death, or spawn room interactions where characters discuss his absence. The game’s menus might feature updated lore descriptions explaining Vendetta’s rise to Talon leadership and Doomfist’s demise. These subtle touches let invested players feel narrative progression without disrupting gameplay for those who don’t follow story content closely.
Community Reaction and Skepticism
Reddit’s r/GamingLeaksAndRumours gave the leak 125 upvotes with 34 comments, indicating moderate interest mixed with healthy skepticism. Some users expressed excitement about major narrative developments after years of Overwatch 2 lore moving glacially. Others questioned whether Blizzard would actually follow through on killing a playable hero given the company’s history of playing it safe with their established roster.
The deleted account issue generated particular debate. Commenters noted that while legitimate leakers do delete accounts to avoid Blizzard’s lawyers, attention-seekers also use that tactic to add false credibility to fabricated claims. The Ramattra comic accuracy provides one supporting data point, but as one user noted, getting one thing right doesn’t automatically validate everything else someone claims. The Overwatch community has been burned by fake leaks enough times that most fans adopt wait-and-see approaches rather than treating unverified information as confirmed.
What This Means for Talon’s Future
If Vendetta successfully takes control of Talon, the organization’s strategic direction could shift dramatically depending on the new leader’s motivations and philosophy. Doomfist’s belief in conflict-driven evolution shaped Talon’s operations, making them agents of controlled chaos rather than simple terrorists. A new leader with different ideology could pivot Talon toward more traditional villainy, or conversely, introduce moral complexity that makes them sympathetic anti-heroes rather than clear antagonists.
The power vacuum created by Doomfist’s death also threatens Talon’s internal stability. Reaper and Moira both serve as co-leaders alongside Doomfist, and neither would likely accept Vendetta’s authority without resistance. Sombra operates as a wildcard pursuing her own agenda within Talon’s structure. Widowmaker functions as an emotionless assassin who follows orders without personal ambition. That mix of personalities creates opportunities for civil war storylines exploring what happens when Talon fractures under new leadership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hero 45 in Overwatch 2?
According to a now-deleted leak, Hero 45 is named Vendetta. This character allegedly kills Doomfist and becomes the new leader of Talon across Seasons 20 and 21, though the leak remains unverified.
Is Doomfist actually dying in Overwatch 2?
A leaker claims Doomfist will be killed in an upcoming comic or animation, with Vendetta taking his place as Talon’s leader. The source correctly predicted last week’s Ramattra comic but deleted their accounts after posting, so verification is impossible.
When do Seasons 20 and 21 start?
Season 19 begins October 14, 2025, meaning Season 20 likely starts December 2025 or January 2026, with Season 21 following around February-March 2026 depending on season lengths.
Will Doomfist be removed from Overwatch 2 gameplay?
No. Even if Doomfist dies in the lore, he’ll remain playable in multiplayer. Overwatch 2’s competitive modes exist outside strict canon timeline, allowing all heroes to be selectable regardless of their narrative status.
Who is Vendetta in Overwatch lore?
If the leak is accurate, Vendetta is Hero 45 who assassinates Doomfist and takes control of Talon. Nothing else is known about the character’s background, motivations, or whether they’re hero, villain, or morally ambiguous.
Did Blizzard confirm this leak?
No. Blizzard has not commented on the leak. The information comes from a deleted Reddit account that correctly predicted details about last week’s Ramattra comic, lending some credibility but not confirmation.
Will there be story missions in Season 20?
The leak specifically mentioned Season 20 won’t include missions despite the rich narrative content. This aligns with Blizzard cancelling PvE story campaigns in favor of cheaper comics and animations.
Conclusion
The Hero 45 Vendetta leak claiming Doomfist’s assassination and Talon leadership transition represents either explosive genuine spoilers or elaborate fiction from someone with one lucky guess. The leaker’s accurate Ramattra comic prediction establishes they had at least some insider information, but one correct detail doesn’t automatically validate everything else they claimed. Doomfist’s permanent death would mark unprecedented narrative boldness for Overwatch 2, finally delivering major character stakes that the game’s lore has largely avoided despite years of conflict buildup. Whether Blizzard actually follows through on killing a playable hero remains to be seen, but if Vendetta does emerge as the new Talon leader across Seasons 20 and 21, the ripple effects would reshape Overwatch’s story more dramatically than anything since the original organization’s collapse. For now, fans wait to see if the deleted leaker spoke truth or simply spun compelling fiction that momentarily captured the community’s imagination before disappearing into the internet void.