Jeff Kaplan has confirmed what many fans of Overwatch have already suspected. The hero Symmetra is an autistic.
Symmetra is one of the characters from Overwatch who cannot easily be categorized as “good” or “evil”. While she fights for a “better future” and is convinced that she and the Vishkar Corp. are doing what is best for humanity, her actions can sometimes be quite evil. In order to eliminate competing rivals, there is often an attack or a “terrible accident” that plays into Vishkar’s hands. Many examples of this can be found in her comic “A Better World” .
However, Symmetra is special in another way: She “suffers” from autism.
Jeff Kaplan confirmed this in a letter to a fan who shared how Overwatch brought him and his brother closer together. In the letter, Kaplan extensively discussed Symmetra and revealed that she is indeed autistic.
After the letter was posted on Tumblr, Blizzard confirmed to the magazine Polygon that it indeed came from Kaplan.
Autism exists in numerous different forms, but it can usually be identified in three areas: problems with social interaction, communication issues (understanding verbal and nonverbal language), and noticeable behaviors or highly restricted interests.
Symmetra has overcome what many see as “problems” and instead utilizes her autism to accomplish things others cannot. She easily notices the smallest errors, and her drive for perfection makes her an excellent agent for Vishkar.
Overall, this is yet another sign of how strong the diversity in Overwatch is and a clear symbol that illness or disability does not make a person “worse”, but – as in the case of Symmetra’s autism – can even come with special talents and abilities.
Cortyn says: This is probably one of the more unspectacular fan theories, but at least there is now no more doubt. Many hints in the game have already indicated this, such as the highlight intros where she meticulously adjusts a camera or her constant drive for perfection and symmetry. Her quotes like “Welcome to my reality” also hinted that Symmetra views the world from a different perspective than most people. However, a shifted perspective often allows for the most beautiful images.
