Overwatch: A Guide to Tracer's Story

Tracer is perhaps Overwatch's most iconic character, and the time splitting, dual pistol welding Brit has captured the hearts and minds of many.

 

Uniquely situated in the story because of her chronal dissociation, you may be wondering just how this heroine came to be. 

 

Well, it all starts with a brave upstart recruit in Overwatch's experimental flight program. 

 

Lena Oxton, callsign Tracer, was a fearless and renowned fighter pilot. As the youngest person to ever be inducted to the program, Tracer was handpicked to test Overwatch's new experimental fighter.

 

This experimental fighter, dubbed "Slipstream," was a teleporting fighter jet prototype.

 

During the first flight of the jet, the teleportation matrix failed, and the aircraft disappeared. 

 

Presumed dead, Lena's colleagues mourned her passing. Until she showed up out of the blue months later. 

 

The failed experiment had taken its toll on her, however. Her molecules had been desynchronized from the flow of time, leading Tracer to suffer from what is known as chronal disassociation. 

 

The result of this was Tracer never being able to remain present at any given time. She would vanish for hours or days at a time, and she struggled to maintain her physical form. 

 

Overwatch's doctors tried and failed to find a solution to the problem. That is, until Winston came along. The gorilla genius designed Tracer's chronal accelerator, which gave her control back over her own time and body. 

 

More than that, the device changed the way her body aged and gave her the power to control her place in time at will.

 

After this, Tracer began to train as an Overwatch agent. She trained under Winston and Mercy, and notably trained in sparring matches against Genji. 

 

After the beginning of the King's Row Uprising, Tracer was promoted to active duty by Overwatch commander Jack Morrison (later known as Soldier 76).

 

Lena's first deployment was an unsanctioned mission on the command of Morrison. Tracer, Mercy, Reinhardt, and Torbjorn were deployed to quell the King's Row Uprising. 

 

The four of them fought through the streets, battling waves of Null Sector omnics. 

 

After a long and grueling battle, Null Sector was defeated. The records of this mission were, however, stricken and classified in the Overwatch archives.  

 

Later on, Tracer was a part of the team that took part in the operation to apprehend Maximilien in Havana. 

 

Alongside Winston, Genji, Mercy, and under the command of Sojourn, the team engaged with the Talon convoy. 

 

After wiping out the Talon operatives, the five Overwatch agents pursued and captured Maximilien, who offered to sell out Talon leader Doomfist in exchange for legal protection. 

 

Alongside Winston and Genji, Tracer traveled to Singapore to capture Doomfist. There the three operatives battled the terrorist mastermind, only for Genji and Tracer both to be defeated. 

 

Seeing his teammates fall to Doomfist, Winston became enraged and engaged him in hand to hand combat, eventually getting the upper hand.

 

After the end of Overwatch, Tracer was the first one to get in touch with Winston after the recall order. 

 

Shortly thereafter, she attempted to stop Widowmaker from assassinating omnic leader Tekhartha Mondatta, but failed. 

 

She was also part of the defense when Widowmaker and Reaper attempted to steal Doomfist's gauntlet. 

 

These events bring us up to the present day, where Tracer continues to fight for justice.