Overwatch fans are in love with this alternate Mercy concept art

The Art of Overwatch is finally arriving in fans’ eager hands, and one character in particular has caught the fan base’s attention. We all know Mercy as Angela Ziegler, the Swiss Valkryie who rolls around in her white suit and halo. What if Mercy was completely different? What if someone else wore the Valkyrie armor? One of the Mercy concepts explores the possibility of a buff dude wearing very similar armor, with very similar wings, and a Caduceus staff.

It didn’t take long for Overwatch fans to share the image, with a wistful tone of what could have been. It is a very cool character concept, after all.

A few different tweets of concept Mercy (and people going nuts over him) went viral, but this is by far the most popular one. (EDIT: We’ve replaced the viral tweet with the original tweet that distributed these images.) It quickly snowballed into a whole succession of people who are absolutely in love with this broad shouldered, buff as heck medic.

When the Overwatch fandom love something, they tend to depict it in the most noble of forms: the humble fan art.

While there’s always a weird sort of fascination that comes with getting a glimpse of what a hero could have been, the response to Concept Mercy is above and beyond that usual interest. Part of it is that Mercy, as she exists in game, is a very, very safe character. Sure, she’s expertly modeled and depicted, but a white blonde woman rolling around as an angelic medic is... well, it’s not breaking down any barriers.

Concept Mercy, on the other hand, is a massive breath of fresh air.

The good news is that in Overwatch’s vast universe, there’s nothing really stopping Concept Mercy from existing to some degree. We’re never going to see him in game, but it’s certainly conceivable that Mercy has shared her Valkyrie tech with other medics. I mean, she’s all about the healing, sure, but she’s also just one woman. Maybe what she needs is a sidekick. A big buff sidekick with white hair and a blue halo. The two of them can go on adventures!

While fans are absolutely in love with Concept Mercy, there are a few other awesome bits of concept art that are making the rounds online, including an incredibly muscular and multi-armed Zenyatta.

Of course, the best way to experience all of these wonderful, wildly attractive concepts that didn’t make it into the final game is to pick up The Art of Overwatch for yourself. Not every piece of art can be as stunning and instantly popular as Concept Mercy, but that’s okay. Every character is beautiful in their own way.