Deadpool Has Wasted Zero Time Trolling Marvel Rivals Players

Not only did Marvel Rivals give Deadpool a dedicated animated short at The Game Awards to showcase how the game is nailing his personality, but some clever in-game teases are further evidence that NetEase has a good grasp on the anti-hero. Specifically, Marvel Rivals is leveraging Deadpool’s fourth-wall breaks to play with the idea of what role he’ll be in, as he just switched categories.

Fourth-wall breaking is integral to Deadpool’s character. Whether it’s animated projects, video game appearances, comic books, or the successful Deadpool films, one of the most consistent traits of the Merc With a Mouth is his ability to speak directly to the audience. Having Deadpool mess with the Marvel Rivals community is a brilliant piece of in-character marketing, as it keeps fans talking about his January 16 debut. Specifically, they’re wondering what role he’ll actually be in, as he’s just “switched” from Duelist to Vanguard. His new position is shown in Reddit posts like the one from SunDay322.

Deadpool switching roles could be happening as a direct result of the massive debates that took place regarding hero roles over the last several Seasons. When Blade first leaked, there was hope he’d be a Vanguard given his height, though he turned out to be a Duelist. Daredevil’s situation was similar, as his bulky size proved promising to fans of tanky heroes, but history repeated itself, and he wound up as a damage-dealer. Come Season 5, fans were wrong about both roles, as they expected Gambit to be a Duelist and Rogue to be a Strategist. It feels like Deadpool is warning players not to predict what role he’ll be, as it’s in his nature to keep people on their toes.

With Deadpool’s mid-January release still weeks away, he has plenty of time to move categories at least one more time, and he’s sure to end up in the Strategist role next. Whichever category he ends up being part of could determine what fellow Season 6 hero Elsa Bloodstone ends up being, though the double-Duelist Season 3 means practically anything could happen.

What Role Makes the Most Sense for Marvel Rivals’ Deadpool?

While Deadpool trolling the Marvel Rivals community is extremely fun, it does seem most likely for him to be a Duelist. Whether he’s tossing grenades, firing guns, or wielding his katanas, he’s almost always dishing out damage whenever he appears. His regeneration means he takes his fair share, too, and while a Strategist or Vanguard kit could maybe find a way to have him share his healing ability, he does seem like a natural fit for the Duelist category. With Season 5 bringing a Vanguard and a Strategist, it’s only natural for Season 6 to drop a character for the game’s biggest and most active role. However, there is still room for a fun surprise.

If NetEase really wanted to go all-in on making Deadpool unique, it could create three versions of the loud-mouthed mercenary, one for each role. Every Deadpool could have his own kit, ensuring that he could be played every match and that there could be multiple Deadpools on the same team, leading to some hilarious fourth-wall breaking conversations where they chat back-and-forth with each other. Alternatively, Redditors like Lyfultruth have suggested making him the first true Flex hero, with his kit’s abilities shifting depending on which role the team has the least of. While Deadpool forcing the player to flex is a funny concept that would make him more interesting, this clever idea would have the downside of the Damage abilities rarely being seen, as there are always multiple Duelists on a team.

Image via NetEase

Regardless of where Deadpool ends up — or if he has a version in all three categories — this playful trolling has made it fun to check the hero gallery every so often and see what Deadpool is up to. It feels like he’s listening in on the speculation and changing positions whenever players get too comfortable with the idea of him being part of a certain role, so fans will just have to wait and see how he really plays when the next Season of Marvel Rivals content kicks off.