Send me a ship + a word, and I’ll tell you the first headcanon that comes to mind!
Doomfist/Hanzo
So, I wasn’t going to do anything with this one, to be honest. But, after kind of rethinking the word “puppet,” my immediate thought was Doomzo, but not in the best light.
Now, I’m going to preface that, as much as I like ships being portrayed as healthy relationships, I also like it when it’s strained. And, this goes for all of the ships that I have. They’re not always going to be portrayed as healthy depending on how I want to take it, but it also doesn’t mean that it’s my only take on a ship.
With that being said, Doomzo in the canon-verse of OW would not be the most healthy. Of course, maybe, in the beginning, it’s fine. Hanzo and Akande first see one another in a meeting that Sojiro was unable to attend, with Akande representing Talon and Hanzo representing the Shimada Clan.
After some business talk, the two strike up a conversation once done and both of them are smitten with one another. Of course, this leads to both of them talking more, getting to know one another, spending time with one another, etc etc. And, really, it’s great. Hanzo likes how Akande is level-headed and calculated in everything that he does, and Akande likes how cunning and precise Hanzo is, especially when he watches the Shimada train when he visits the Shimada Castle. To each other, they’re equals.
However, the strain in the relationship comes into play when, after much talk with his father, Hanzo and Sojiro both conclude that their partnership with Talon must come to an end. And, while Hanzo is saddened by this, he hopes that Akande will understand. Besides, just because the partnership between organizations is ending doesn’t mean that their own relationship has to end. Right?
Well, upon telling Akande this news, it doesn’t go well. Not terribly bad, but Hanzo can see that Akande tenses up when he tells him of his father’s decision. And, while Akande presses a bit more about the decision, Hanzo is quick to reiterate that, if he had the choice, the Clan would stay, which keeps Akande quiet for some time, making Hanzo think that all was well.
And, for a time, it was. But, Akande is not patient and doesn’t take rejection well. I mean, with persuasive he is, it doesn’t take a lot for someone to be on his side. So, after a few months, Akande starts asking Hanzo to join Talon as a member. And, at first, Hanzo is ecstatic, mostly because it gives them more time to be together. But, being his with the realization that he is to lead the Clan someday, and that his father would probably not approve of it, Hanzo says “No” and Akande leaves it be, but not for long.
Over time, Akande gets more insistent in wanting Hanzo to join, and, each time, Hanzo says no. And, while Hanzo was ok the first few times, it became draining as the asking went on. However, when it finally came to be more demanding, that’s when Hanzo had enough and proceeded to cut all contact with Akande.
Of course, Hanzo didn’t want to, especially when he loved and cared for Akande. But, the constant asking became too much, and, in the back of his mind, Hanzo knew that Akande was not going to stop until he got what he wanted.
And, if the voice lines in-game have given us anything, he was right.
Very disappointed in the lack of fighting content between these two so I decided to do it myself. I’m a sucker for the two young proud princes duking it out and eventually just end up grinding on the sparing mat.