Up and rising, up and coming, Archives is here for another year! Now to preface, despite being the wholly impartial CEO of Skinsational Reviews that hates to pass judgement or any kind of rating… This is my least favourite event in the game. I recognise how much fans enjoy seeing lore based skins as they build backstory and further develop characters. That’s why the event’s debut was so successful and why it remains a fan favourite. But fashion-wise, lore based skins are never really that exciting. Seeing Widowmaker before the blue, Sombra with the Karen cut, McCree literally the same but in black…they don’t exactly reinvent the wheel. Moreover, the longer this event has gone on, the further it has strayed from the original theme. Five years in this event is now pretty inconsistent which means fans have no idea what to expect for better or for worse! Will Blizzard go back to the original lore based skins maybe teasing upcoming projects like the McCree novel coming later this year? Or will we get something completely out-of-the-box?
Soldier 1776 5/5
After a pretty decent wait, he’s finally back with a pretty decent skin. Soldier has been in a difficult place cosmetics-wise. His more edgy designs have been poorly received and the rest of his skins are unthreateningly comedic skins. After a long break since his last, this was the perfect time for Blizzard to breach that middle ground. They did that with some fourth of July flare.
Representing his American heritage, Soldier is dressed as a Patriot from 1776, the year that the declaration of independence was signed that fuelled the American Revolution. ‘The war followed more than a decade of growing estrangement between the British crown and a large and influential segment of its North American colonies that was caused by British attempts to assert greater control over colonial affairs after having long adhered to a policy of salutary neglect.’ (Wallace, 2020)
This is Soldier 76 reimagined three hundred years ago with perfect accuracy, aside from all the technology. ‘Men’s clothing during the American Revolution was extremely form fitted and individually tailored to fit the wearer’s body. A suite of clothing which consisted of a coat, waistcoat, and breeches was often a “ditto suit.”’(Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, N.D.) Though sometimes monochromatic, often ditto suits could have a selection of different colours which is certainly the case here. Soldier is wearing red, white and blue reflecting his patronage to the American flag. Notice that the placements of the colours, the jacket mostly blue with elements of red for example. This palette mirrors his base design which shows that personalisation that Blizzard never leave out.
The sheer amount of detail on the jacket is impressive. The gold shoulder pads, the straps across the chest, the emblems on the arms, the embroided elements, the red lining and high neckline. The shape of the dresscoat is accurate to the time while showing high status, ‘‘with a small cuff at the wrist, the front sloping away to the back in two narrow coat-tails.’. (Colonial Clothing). Alongside the jacket, the accessories being accurate to the time as well. ‘The plain folded stock, buckled in the back with a frill of lace, the jabot decorating the opening of the waistcoat at the throat, was worn throughout the period’ (americanrevolution.org, 2014–2020). All of these features are balanced out by the white waistcoat and breeches that provide a stable base while also completing the colour story akin to the American flag.
Not only is Soldier a Patriot but a leader, similar to his position in Overwatch. This can only be explain by the wealth in each piece. Going back to the dress coat, it was ‘a formal garment constructed of the finest materials, finely tailored, and was often reserved for the social elite.’ The mask furthers this. Instead of a visor it’s now full face, darker and adorned with gold linings. This is built into the three cornered hat of a similar style which could be, ‘extravagant — trimmed in gold or silver lace, dressed with a cockade, and sometimes adorned with ostrich feathers.’ The final touch is the great periwig underneath. Certainly an item of status, they came into fashion, ‘In spite of the great discomfort, untidiness, and expense’. (americanrevolution.org, 2014–2020) This portrays Soldier as a high ranking Patriot.
This skin is such a great match for Soldier. He’s been perfectly reimagined back three hundred years. This is his only skin that seems referential while also pretty fashionable and definitely battle ready. The uniform has been used for a victory before so why not use it again?
Tracer Cavalry 5/5
Again a really nice skin from a similar part of history as Soldier but on a different side of the battlefield with a clever pun in the name. Once again, this skin is highly accurate although a little more couture in Tracer’s case to suit her model.
Although using similar colours as Soldier to represent the British flag, notice the difference in the placements. ‘The British soldiers were often called the “Red Coats” because of their bright red coats’ (Ducksters) or sometimes as ‘Lobster backs’. There’s more white in the jacket for decoration here while the blue is a much more sparse, only on the trousers and cuffs. The hat is similar to Soldier’s but with a cockade which, as mentioned before, showed off status. The white on the bottom is similar but the item is different. ‘On the bottom, the British soldier wore slim-fitting white or buff breeches that ended in a buttoned cuff just below the knee. They would pair these with white stockings. ‘(Miller-Wilson, N.D.) The effect are that her legs look really quite long especially below the jacket which is cut a little shorter. As well as this, the bunching of the fabric at the thighs and the arm cuffs on her elbows instead of wrists… in the picture above she looks about ten feet tall! The overall effect is of a stylish British icon that fought for her country with pride. If only she was that big in game. She wouldn’t be nearly as annoying!
Although presented as the rival side, not all of the Brits agreed with the treatment of America and the choice to go into war. ‘Some, though, blamed the British government for what was happening, and willed their leaders to give up and abandon the war with the Americans.’ (Nugent, 2018)
A good example of this resistance was the, ‘Olive Branch Petition, a last-ditch attempt to convince the King to back off so that the British subjects in the colonies could continue to live happily under his rule alongside their counterparts in England.’ In a fantasy world, Tracer may have wanted to team up with Soldier later on and sympathised allowing the war to be resolved more peacefully. They could’ve gone on to make some sort of international crime solving organisation with the help of a scientifically enhanced monkey and some other agents across the world…
Widowmaker Mousqueraire 4/5
‘Until early in 1778 the conflict was a civil war within the British Empire, but afterward it became an international war’ (Wallace, 2020) Enter stage left, Widowmaker representing France as one of the Mousqueteires du Roi or King’s Musketeer’s to you and me.
‘France entered the American Revolution on the side of the colonists in 1778, turning what had essentially been a civil war into an international conflict. After French assistance helped the Continental Army force the British surrender at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the Americans had effectively won their independence, though fighting would not formally end until 1783.’ (History.com Editors, 2019)
The Mousquetaires ‘were known for their exquisite dress. a hybrid infantry & cavalry unit with much fewer numbers and a much more elite fighting force. They were a hybrid unit that found both on and off horseback and evolved from a unit ‘renowned for their shooting accuracy.’ (Aucoin, 2018)
Once again, the accuracy is there. the blue tunic, which is very short because it hangs just to the horse’s croup. It’s a sort of pelerine with broad, open sleeves upon which appear four white crosses: one on each side, one on the front, one on the back. The sight of these blue [tunics] with their white crosses terrorized their adversaries, such was the fighting skill and bravery of the musketeers!” — Clément Bosson. Some changes have been made to suit her a little better. Instead of the blue, it’s more of a lilac to match her skin tone. Another source went on to say, ‘In 1657, Phillipe de Villers gave us what might be the most detailed description of the uniform, noting that the Musketeers “had a blue cassock with a large silver crosses… The whole cassock is edged with silver lace.” Though not silver the white lacing adds a level of delicacy to this portraying her femme fatale character. The cross on the tunic is more of a fleur-de-lis which is much more internationally understood nowadays as an undeniably French symbol. The bottom loses me a little bit unfortunately. ‘As a general rule, Musketeers would wear their normal clothing underneath their cassocks.’ (Aucoin, 2018) Though it balances out the rest it’s a little drab.
There are of course other styling elements that push this beyond a re-enactment of the traditional uniform. There’s nothing written about the plume on her hat but the striking red finishes off the French flag colours here while mirroring her usual high ponytail. The crimpling of the hair is stylish and the earpiece is similar to her usual headgear. The pop of pink on the wrist is a nice girly twist that breaks up the skin a bit. Overall though, this is refined French flair, the French cousin of Ashe’s Socialite skin.
Genji Bushi 4/5
It’s crazy this is came at this point straight after Apex’s Chaos Theory event. The downside is that we kinda just saw this concept on Gibraltar. The good news is we already know everything about the background for this skin, plus this is just as good. Bushi, better known as Samurai were the hereditary military nobility of Japan. Though the theme of conquest and an imperial army fits in, it’s a big jump from Europe to Asia and also at a totally different time in history with little relevance to rebellion.
This is full custom armour that really puts Genji in the force honourably. The essence of his character is still there mainly with his mask built into the helmet. This is an amazing authentic piece with the symbol for his ultimate as an emblem, as if he belongs to a house. The rest of the armour follows suit-literally! Over the black padding this custom armour that makes Genji a little more fortified as Samurai would’ve been. The plating elements on the arms and kusazuri (armour over the thighs) are stylish yet practical. The rope at the waist again accurate while really popping against the darker elements. The shruken symbol on the chest being his primary weapon again connoting some devotion to a house. Going all the way down to the shoes that incorporate sandals.
Despite the amount of detail in this skin that pushes it over the edge into full designer, it really stands out amongst the rest of the skins for the wrong reasons. Different continent, different time period, no relation to the theme. That doesn’t take away from the amazing detail and outside of the event it will stand out as one of his best!
For further detail on the further details of tradition Samurai armour, check out the Gibraltar review on my Chaos Theory Review!
https://tominthesnow.medium.com/skinsational-apex-legends-chaos-theory-46f69ccbc719
Zarya Polyanitsa 3/5
Back to medieval times, Zarya is geared up in medieval armour to slay the competition. @Overfire_ru on Twitter pretty concisely defines this on their Twitter. To summarise, they describe Polyanitsa as a woman from Slavic folklore and legend. Rides free with her sisters in arms looking for a noble fight. Also known as Bogatyrsha being a warrior of immense strength courage and bravery which suits her character. With reference to her gun, Overfire_ru explains, ‘Her gun is a reference to to three-headed Zmey Gorynich. This fire-breathing, cunning beast was an enemy to many Polyanitsi.’ (Overfire_ru, 2021) All the heads can be seen on the gun.
The goal was achieved. The whole thing makes sense after I get the explanation. Having said that, this is so far away from the original theme. Is the theme just history in general? Am I reaching too far? Either way the colours on this are very medieval. The decoration is more in the cloth elements with the sun sash at the waist and the scarf. The hair is pretty in blonde and practical in it’s short and tied back style while looking a little European. The silver in the armour is much more practical but the scale style of it is very stylish. The gun really pops against the rest, mirroring the scarf, sash and boots. As many Zarya mains know, the gun is usually a focus point of the skin and this one is possibly one the most stylish she has ever sported. She slayed the dragon and now she uses it’s firepower to lead the charge.
Lucio Corredor 3/5
The classic hot rod skin. Gibrlatar skins seems to be a trend alert as this is another look he’s worn during the Apex Legends Aftermarket Event. This concept on Lucio is done just as well as it suits his speed based character. The firey skates are a real statement that stand out from the black rebel t shirt. It’s nice to not see him completely covered and showing off some tattoos on his arms. The sun glasses give him a more badass edge and the biker helmet put fashion and safety into one. The firey hair coming out of the top matches the bottom and makes for a cohesive firey and fresh look. This is a powerful punk look for any heated player.
Unfortunately there was no noticeable connection between this skin and the revolutionary theme. Corredor is Spanish for Runner and has been the surname for a plethora of famous cyclists and also several freeways across the Americas. This lets it down a little and seems more like a cool idea than a skin that added to the cohesion of the first three skins. It’s a hot look but it fizzled out in that respect.
Zenyetta Subaquatic 2/5
The theme for this skin is certainly unique and interesting. Fittingly Zenyetta’s head has changed a mariner’s helmet but the stained glass style makes it look almost mystical. The gold body looks nice with the pops of cyan in the chest and the orbs, matching the head. This is balanced out by the matte brown trousers. The sash is a matching muddy green with some sort of mystical symbol on it, furthering the effect.
Really struggling to find a connection to the other skins here! From the history of diving suits, one notable point was that in 1776, the Turtle was invented and used in the American Revolution. This was the world’s first submarine attack, This would place the skin at the same time as Soldier, Tracer and Widowmaker. Dutch inventor Cornelius van Drebel, ‘Deciding that a submarine would be the best means of delivering his mines in warfare, he built an eight-foot-long wooden submersible that was christened the Turtle for its shape.’ (History.com Editors, 2020)
Having said that, the first use of the diving suit represented by Zen here was much later so the link is tenuous. ‘In the year 1837 German-born inventor Augustus Siebe, living in England, developed a Diving Helmet which was sealed to a watertight, air-containing rubber suit.’ (O’Neill, 2010) The gold colours in Zen’s skin represent the usual copper and brass colours from this original design. Either way, the link is again pretty hard to find. Maybe this is just meant to be a cool look for Zen! And that it is.
Mercy Camoflauge 1/5
A little underwhelming for the last reward skin of the event. It’s basically just Mercy in a darker colour palette. Most fans seem to enjoy the dark hair being a pretty noticeable change from her usual blonde. Having said that, the style ages her and is one step away from making her the second Karen in the queue. The yellow shines in parts matching the crown but is a bit too sparing. With the reference, it’s a pretty big stretch. Judging by her spray this could potentially pay homage to Florence Nightingale:
‘Famous for being the ‘Lady with the Lamp’ who organised the nursing of sick and wounded soldiers during the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale’s far-sighted ideas and reforms have influenced the very nature of modern healthcare. Her greatest achievement was to transform nursing into a respectable profession for women and in 1860, she established the first professional training school for nurses, the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas’ Hospital.’ (Florence Nightingale Museum, N.D.)
This is certainly an admirable reference but the skin reflects next to no likeness, only in the spray. Maybe if she had more accurate uniform or if her staff was an actual lamp. Either way do you like the dark over the blonde? Drop me a clap if you do!
Fans have widely acknowledged their dislike of this more historical theme which is certainly understandable. For one, the theme is unclear. Half of the skins are very clearly American Revolution related while the others are either at completely unrelated parts of history or nothing to do with history at all! The tie in to the Omnic Crisis which started this event with the revolution theme is clever but the designers should’ve gone all or nothing. Furthermore, a lot of fans were hoping for some underappreciated heroes to get skins here, namely Symmetra. It’s been three years since her last event legendary and her mains, myself for one, are getting pretty fed up. That aside, there are some pretty great additions for this event with real attention to detail. As I mentioned in the Lunar New Year event, these skins can teach something new and hopefully everyone leaves this event feeling much more patriotic.
References:
americanrevolution.org. (2014–2020) The Revolution and The New Republic 1775–1800. Retrieved from: Colonial Clothing — Revolution and the New Republic 1775–1800 (americanrevolution.org)
americanrevolution.org. (2014–2020) Growth and Change in the Colonies. Retrieved from: Growth and Change in the Colonies (americanrevolution.org)
Aucoin, J. (2018) So What Did The King’s Musketeer’s (Mousquetaires Du Roi) Uniforms Look Like? [1622–1660] Retrieved from: So What Did The King’s Musketeers’ (Mousquetaires du Roi) Uniforms Look Like? [1622–1660] | The Tavern Knight’s Barracks (wordpress.com)
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. (N.D.) Uniforms of the American Revolution. Retrieved from: Uniforms of the American Revolution (bostonteapartyship.com)
Florence Nightingale Museum. (N.D.) Florence Nightingale Biography. Retrieved from: Florence Nightingale — Florence Nightingale Museum London (florence-nightingale.co.uk)
History.com Editors. (2019) Revolutionary War. Retrieved from: Revolutionary War — Timeline, Facts & Battles — HISTORY
History.com Editors, (2020) World’s First Submarine Attack. Retrieved from: World’s first submarine attack — HISTORY
Miller-Wilson, K. (N.D.) British Revolutionary War Uniform. Retrieved from: British Revolutionary War Uniform | LoveToKnow
Nugent, C. (2018) What British People in 1776 Really Thought of American Independence. Retrieved from: (American Independence in 1776: What British Really Thought | Time)
O’Neill, L. (2010) Diving Helmet, Siebe Gorman & Co. Retrieved from: Diving Helmet, Augustus Siebe The father of Deep Sea Diving | Scuba-Explorers.com
Overfire_ru (2021) What’s the story behind the new Zarya legendary skin “Polyanitsa”? Retrieved from: OverFire on Twitter: “What’s the story behind the new Zarya legendary skin “Polyanitsa”? As a Russian Overwatch fan-community, we are happy to tell you about the origins of this amazing look! Polyanitsa — is a warrior woman from Slavic legends and folklore 1/8 https://t.co/hisHamkOT4" / Twitter
Wallace, W. (2020) The American Revolution. Retrieved from: American Revolution | Causes, Battles, Aftermath, & Facts | Britannica
