Told from the perspective of a weary Roadhog that has nothing but contempt for the apocalypse he lives in, Blizzard's latest Overwatch comic sheds new light into the fan-beloved pairing of Australia's most unpredictable outlaws. It is the 14th Overwatch comic and, while not necessarily providing any new revelations about Overwatch lore, we learn a whole lot more about the enigmatic Roadhog.

According to Roadhog and the title of this comic, the land he fought for has been thoroughly wasted. Roadhog fought a war to "protect his home" and, technically, he was on the winning side. But, as he would describe it, victory only brought on an "apocalypse". The resulting chaos brings Roadhog to loathe his surroundings. Thankfully, his massive size and combat prowess provide one easy solution to almost all of his problems: effortless violence.

In Wasted lands, we learn that Roadhog's silence isn't because he is simple or shy. Instead, his relative silence stems from a deeply rooted cynism that borders on nihilism. Throughout the comic, Roadhog's inner dialogue makes repeated mention of how the world "deserves" misery and how people "deserve" the violence he brings. Roadhog is is fueled by his desire to bring upon a reckoning that no one will forget.

This comic highlights how vastly different Junkrat and Roadhog really are. Where as Roadhog tries to reject the madness brought on by the apocalypse in Australia (remember, he was only protecting his home), Junkrat dove head first into the rat-race. From the audience's perspective, there really isn't anything that separates Junkrat from any other Junkertown inhabitant: he's criminal, skeezy, loud-mouthed and revels in mayhem and personal gain.

So why does Roadhog grow so fond of Junkrat? The last words of the comics (portrayed as the thoughts of Roadhog) give us insight as to why:


"He's a liar, lies to himself most of all. But he's not the quiet type. The world deserves him. Deserves both of us. And we'll make sure they don't forget it."

Roadhog sees through Junkrat's lies and immediately recognizes that, above all, Junkrat lies to himself. How could he have made such a quick read of Junkrat's character type? Isn't it possible that Roadhog is merely projecting his own denial onto Junkrat? After all, for someone who laments the sorry state of the world, Roadhog seems to enjoy violence and the carnage he delivers to Junkrat's bullies.

Why then, does Roadhog agree to help Junkrat? Is it really just for the loot at the end of the journey? That seems unlikely considering the inner monologue that reveals Roadhog own desire to punish a  world he deems unworthy of nice things. The most logical conclusion is that Roadhog correctly identifies that Junkrat is his perfect foil-- the opposite of a quiet cynic wearily traveling from one brawl to the next.

On the contrary, Junkrat is a loud mouthed opportunist that, despite the condition of the world, still believes he can come out on top. Despite his total lack of big-picture thinking (or planning, as seen in the Junkertown cinematic), Junkrat manages to survive on his own. Roadhog may have met Junkrat through sheer chance, but their partnership likely solidified after the two realized their ying and yang dynamic.

Whatever carnage Roadhog has planned for the world, he believes it will be amplified with Junkrat by his side. 

You can read the full comic your self at the Official Blizzard website.