He’s here! A year after the game’s release and mere months after the attack on Numbani teased his imminent arrival, Doomfist is here! Equipped with his signature gauntlet — which allows him to slug opponents through walls — Doomfist has finally arrived, showing up on the PTR and in the latest Overwatch animated short. But Doomfist isn’t just about punching his enemies to their…well…doom. His keen intellect and disarming charisma are just as deadly as his Rocket Punch. So who is Doomfist, and what does his arrival mean for our Overwatch heroes?
Before Doomfist was Meteor Strike-ing and Rocket Punching his enemies, he was a businessman. Akande Ogundimu was born in Nigeria to a wealthy family, which was famous for its cutting-edge prosthesis technology. His intelligence and his natural talent for leadership helped him grow the family business, while in his off hours he pursued his passion for competitive martial arts. In the ring, Ogundimu’s mind was an even greater asset than his speed or his strength. He analyzed and outwitted his opponents before using his physical strength to take them down.
When The Omnic Crisis came. It was personally devastating for Ogundimu; he lost his right arm in the conflict and, with it, his martial arts career. He became angry and depressed, searching for something that would give his life new meaning.
Enter Doomfist. Wait, Doomfist?
Ogundimu isn’t actually the Doomfist, but the latest in a lineage of men to carry the title and wear the eponymous glove. Little is known about the first Doomfist, only that his deeds earned him the nickname “The Savior.” The second Doomfist was a man named Akinjide Adeyemi, a mercenary and Talon operative who saw promise in the disheartened Ogundimu. With his prosthetic arm disqualifying him from his beloved martial arts tournaments, and his enthusiasm in the boardroom flagging, Ogundimu made for the perfect new recruit for Adeyemi and his gang of Talon mercenaries. Under the second Doomfist’s guidance, Ogundimu became the ideal Talon mercenary, and was able to test his mental and martial skills against a different and far more challenging opponent: Overwatch. And with the internal squabbles of Talon to contest against, Ogundimu was able to use his leadership skills, business savvy, and charisma to rise through the ranks until he hit a wall — Adeyemi.
Convinced that Adeyemi was standing in his way, and with a vision far beyond the petty raids that earned his mentor the name “Scourge of Numbani,” Ogundimu killed his friend, took his gauntlet, his name, and assumed his position as a leader in Talon’s inner circle. The third Doomfist, “The Successor,” was born.
As one of the most charismatic and effective leaders in Talon, Doomfist went to work enacting his vision to evolve humankind through suffering and conflict. He was a master strategist and inspired fierce loyalty in his operatives, in addition to being a devastating opponent.
He planned and plotted so thoroughly that his eventual defeat and capture by an Overwatch strike team comprised of Winston, Tracer, and Genji was likely all according to his plan — or, at the very least, not the major inconvenience that defeat and capture would normally be.
While imprisoned, Ogundimu waited for his plans to take shape. Overwatch fell. Tekartha Mondatta was assassinated. It was finally time to make his grand re-entry with a prison escape and the reclamation of his old wall-busting friend.
The Times of Numbani reports that a Helix Security prison was attacked by a “shadowy figure” who left “dozens dead,” making it obvious that Reaper had come to bust his old Talon colleague out of jail. From there, Ogundimu escaped to Numbani, causing massive destruction and terror in order to reclaim his gauntlet and assume the title of Doomfist again.
After that, who knows? Doomfist is dedicated to sowing conflict, convinced that it’s for the betterment of humanity. He could be anywhere, doing anything. And with his massive intellect, and Talon’s best and brightest behind him, it’ll be hard to stop him.
Ashley Parrish
Ash is a part-time writer/full-time gamer and has managed to successfully combine the two hobbies into one profession. She enjoys RPGs of all stripes and dreams of being a competitive Triple Triad player.