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Aleksandra Zaryanova
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Aleksandra Zaryanova, Zarya |
| Occupation: | Athlete (formerly), Soldier |
| Relationships: | |
| Fandom: | Overwatch |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Aleksandra Zaryanova, commonly known as Zarya is a playable character from Overwatch, a first-person shooter game by Blizzard.
Canon
Zarya used to be a weightlifter[1] but after the omnic invasion she abandoned her weightlifting career to join her local defence forces and protect her country. She is a tank character that uses a gravity-manipulating particle cannon to fight.
Fandom
Zarya is very popular in fandom, especially because she is a positive depiction of a muscular woman. She was introduced into the game by Blizzard because of criticism of their designs of women, and many fans felt happy that a larger woman was represented in a triple-A game.
Some fans of Overwatch are critical of Zarya's appearance and reason for creation, considering her to be an example of creators bowing to angry fans' demands.[2] This, however, is not a widely held opinion and most fans were positive about her inclusion in the game.
Fanart featuring Zarya commonly has themes emphasising strength, since it is an integral part of her character design.[3] Crossover fanart including Zarya often features the Team Fortress 2 character Heavy, as the two are similar in personality and physical build.[4]
Shipping
The juggernaut ship featuring Zarya is Zarya/Mei. Other ships include Zarya/Mercy and Zarya/Doomfist.
Example Fanworks
Fanfiction
- Flush by goldengoddess
- A Gift For Zarya by LightningStrike83
Fanart
- ZARYA - 21 days of overwatch by serafleur
- Zarya and Friend by Jedi-Art-Trick
- Zarya by dcwj
Fan Vids
- Hi I'm Sombra from Overwatch by Genowhirl70
Zarya-centric Communities
References
- ^ "Zarya - Overwatch Wiki". Archived from the original on 2018-10-23.
- ^ "Zarya and the imaginary SJW conspiracy - Reddit".
- ^ "Overwatch - Zarya by ladyrosse". Archived from the original on 2016-02-19.
- ^ "Zarya & Heavy Fanart - Tumblr". Archived from the original on 2018-12-04.