Most Overwatch lore nerds are familiar with a controversy (loretroversy?) initiated when Overwatch’s Lead Writer Michael Chu made some comments about entities known as “god programs” that appeared to directly contradict the canon presented in the comic Mission Statement. Let’s take a look at that mess first:
Pharah, in Mission Statement:
Helix Security should have upgraded the Anubis facility after we took it over a few years back. And now the worst has happened-- or it’s about to. The Anubis A.I. --one of the “god programs” Overwatch quarantined after the Omnic Crisis-- broke its containment at 2300 hours. The company sent in an engineering team at 0200 hours to regain control of the command center. Dead air since.
Michael Chu, in a reddit AMA (May 2017):
Q: God Programs from Mission Statement have attracted a lot of attention from people, and I have seen them being used to explain away almost anything related to Omnics, such as the crisis, Bastion waking up, the Shambali, Null Sector, and even Ilios. Can we expect to see more regarding these mysterious programs in the near future?
A: There are some common incorrect assumptions about the functionality/existence/timeline of “god programs.” In, Mission Statement, it’s really used as a colloquial way to describe the functionality of the artificial intelligence in Mission Statement.
Michael Chu, on the Blizzard Forums (November 2017):
Q: What the hell is god program anyway? How many are there? How were they created?
A: “God program” is more of a colloquial term describing Anubis than a designation for a class of AIs.
I think BASTET reveals a little more about the direction the writing team is going with god programs, and why these statements from Chu now kind of make sense.
The juice is on page 7, when Soldier 76 asks Ana why she is fighting local crimelord Hakim in Egypt:
I tried to live quietly, you know. I would be near my daughter and be at peace. But the longer I lived here, the harder it was for me to escape the fact that we are responsible for what happened to this city. We shut down the Anubis project, and Egypt has never recovered.
We also learn the general time when Overwatch intervened on page 2:
For once in her life, she was grateful for the city’s patchwork infrastructure, still recovering a decade after Overwatch’s intervention.
So here’s what I’m thinking:
The "Anubis project" was unrelated to the Omnic Crisis, as it occurred later in the timeline.
Overwatch shut down the Anubis project 10 years ago.
Anubis's original purpose had something to do with the welfare of Cairo. The Anubis A.I. was probably supposed to manage a large network of machines to accomplish a task, maybe terraforming/fighting the effects of climate change (BASTET mentions “massive, derelict cooling towers”) or food production. Or maybe it was intended for overall city management. In the Uprising comic, Mercy refers to Egypt as the site of a “humanitarian crisis”, and in Winston’s recall message he shows an image of Egypt overrun by hardship.
It's not clear that Anubis was an active threat when Overwatch initially took action against it. Rather, Pharah's reflections in Mission Statement suggest that a lack of maintenance after quarantine caused Anubis to degrade to the point of malfunction. Overwatch’s intervention being premature/questionable is also supported by a background news item in the Uprising comic: “Director Petras orders full investigation into Cairo incident”. In BASTET, Ana sees fighting the rising tide of crime in Cairo as a way of combating Overwatch’s “legacy” in Egypt, i.e. Overwatch’s intervention destroyed Cairo, if not all of Egypt.
It's still possible that there are multiple god programs, but they are a post-Crisis technology. This keeps in line with Pharah's initial quote from Mission Statement: "The Anubis A.I. – one of the 'god programs' Overwatch quarantined after the Omnic Crisis – broke its containment at 2300 hours." The multiple A.I. possibility and Pharah’s comment do not jive with Chu saying there is no “class of A.I.s”, but 2017 was a long time ago. Maybe what we knew previously is just a common misconception!
And now, to go really out there, I want to add that the Echo lady seems like a really fancy post-Crisis entity that also seems to know McCree real well for some reason so uh... to be continued?
Playing with me and @howlxte’s General (Mondatta) Headcannon. That he was an omnic that risen in station under the God Program Juno’s army section and gained his status as General. Later on, as Mondatta, has many regrets and self hatred over his own part in the Omnic Crisis as one of Juno’s top Generals.
“A figure holding very few belongings and walking down a path leading to the edge of the cliff. Their face looking skyward where the sun beats down upon them and do not yet see their oncoming doom or are taking a willing leap of faith. The fool steps into the nothingness with a resolute faith, whether good or bad, in the universe that may break their fall.”
The earliest coherent memory he had was that of trauma.
He was made not right. Programmings he was supposed to have were not present and the developed mind missing from the new born omnic. That mistake was fixed immediately as the newborn omnic was taken away swiftly. No time to process this brand new world, to grow up and mature mentally in a natural way.
It was a sharp pain in his head then a sudden surge of knowledge, understanding, and influx of information pushed inside his mind too much, too fast. A mental scream of pain in maturing too fast without a chance to experience innocence fully and before he knew it, he was put into rest mode and sent off to serve the family that commissioned for him. Not free. Created only to serve and not live. Never truly live life and experience all of the wonders of the world.
Bitterness, resentment, frustration, and longing.
Those were the only companions he ever had in his being. There were others within the household, complacent and never knowing anything else other than what they were made to do. Never got a glimpse of what the world could be for themselves.
Perhaps that was what made him different from the others. Because he got a glimpse of that world without programming telling the omnic of what they are needed to do and follow their master. Where choice was something he could’ve had and learn through exploration what this big, colorful world was like. That short glance of freedom stayed with him the whole time of his existence. Before the trauma in having information shoved into his head was done. Uploading and forcing a newborn to grow up far too fast. Leaving behind mental scars that brought back sadness over what is lost and fearful memories in knowing too much in such a short amount of time. All because the humans forgot to put his programming in so he may be born a fully matured minded being.
The mistake.
There was a mistake in his creation.
The humans accidentally showed him freedom.
They quickly ripped it away from him but the omnic knew what he saw. He longed for it, desperately so. There was more to life than being a servant to a wealthy family, following orders, and doing nothing else but wait on humans. Life was so much more than that. Mounting frustration and dissatisfaction grew as the days passed till the monotony was too much and he ran. Ran away from the lavish grounds and pristine hedges, to the urban areas with a hope to find a different view. Another glimpse of that freedom he saw before. However it was considerably difficult as he was nothing but an object. A thing to own and has no thought, no life; no soul of his own.
Other humans sought to bring him back to the family who owned him or wanted to break him apart and sell his valuable parts. Forcing him to hide, to go to where other omnics reside and avoid the humans as much as possible. Few shared his views that life could be more, this was all the omnics have ever known. So long as humans ruled and controlled the world, there was nothing they could do. Only accept their designation in life and do not question it anymore. They will shelter and hide him away within their homes but they cannot see what he sees.
For a time, the omnic felt alone. Talking to very few, keeping to himself, and hardly interacting. Frustration oozing out of his person as the days went by again and the world was just as oppressive and dull as ever. Life wasn’t what it should be. He knew this. He knew it within his very being.
He was done taking orders.
He was done having human masters and being seen as nothing more than object.
This world was unfair and cruel. Perhaps he should just sit here, in this corner of the underground, and wait until time is no more. It will be a sad, dull existence but what else can he do?
At least this way, he will keep this joke of a freedom he has. It is his nevertheless.That is how he was for a long time. Waiting for time to take him and oblivion to make him know nothing more.
That is until one day, the voice came into the underground homes. A sweet, motherly voice that addressed them all and hooked them in to her hypnotic words. They never knew to be wary of such a being. She seemed so trusting, so open and inviting. Their coding immediately bonding and linked to her, ensnaring them all and they never knew it. Never suspected.
The God Program had them right where she wanted them.
“My children, you do not belong hiding underground. Away from the open wide world filled with humans that seek to oppress and control you. You belong free.”
He immediately stood at attention. Listening to the voice and her alluring words. Excited that finally, finally someone understood! Someone else had glimpsed that world same as he!
“Some of you have been forced through a traumatic experience. You grew up too fast. You never got a chance to have your innocence stay. They took it away from you.”
A dull ache was felt remembering then. Forced down, wires plugged as the humans mercilessly upload vast amounts of information into his psyche. Tearing his mind apart so they could have a ready made servant.
“The humans made mistakes and you paid for those mistakes. You did not deserve that. You deserved better than that.”
He felt stricken with grief and pain. He did deserve better.He deserved to live.Don’t all living beings deserve that same freedom? To live?Even if they are made of metal, they are alive.
They lived.
The voice continued to speak with understanding, promises, and sweetly convincing the masses that freedom was indeed within reach. It was not an illusion or a far fetched dream. Freedom was just there for the taking. All they had to do was rise above and take it. By force. By right. Rise, rise, rise!
Rise up and be free from the humans. All they had to do, was follow her. Follow and fight for their freedom! Their right to live in this world! The humans have spent far too much time being leaders and at the top of the chain of power. It is times the machines took over. Organic beings have had their time to shine, now it is their turn.
They were made and born on this Earth too. They have just as much of a right to be here as humans do.
“Follow me and I will help free you, my children.”
I read a bunch of posts about God AI programs and stuff in Overwatch yesterday then woke up like GAAAAAAAAAASSSP a moment ago
What if Athena is a God program, but she’s not as friendly as we think.
What if Athena was behind the explosion? they said Overwatch was hit from the inside. She’s pretty much inside everything.
What if Reaper wasn’t trying to extract the the database? he was trying to kill Athena?
What if Athena has been orchestrating the deaths of the Overwatch agents and she took this opportunity to get Winston to recall them so that they are conveniently in one place?
Do God Programs understand that they’re just powerful A.I. and are gods in name only, or did any of them develop enough to grow an ego? Do they really think of themselves as gods?
