D.Va is a 19 Year Old Former Pro Gamer Turned Mech Pilot

Hana "D.Va" Song brought her professional gaming skills into battle at the incredibly young age of 19 when she joined MEKA to defend her homeland using her high-tech mech, Tokki. Behind the confidence and swagger lies a complex backstory and versatile array of tank abilities that makes D.Va one of the most beloved heroes in Overwatch.

From Pro Gamer to Mech Pilot: D.Va‘s Call of Duty

Long before jumping into a mech cockpit, Hana Song made a name for herself in South Korea‘s elite pro gaming scene, competing in tournaments since the age of 16 and racking up awards under her handle "D.Va." According to Overwatch lore, her skills drew the attention of MEKA, South Korea‘s last line of defense against an enormous Omnic that rose from the sea. They recognized the quick reflexes and precision required in pro gaming translated perfectly into piloting an agile mech into battle.

At just 19 years old, D.Va‘s confidence and courage saw her become one of MEKA‘s top pilots. Backed by her noteworthy gunning and piloting talents developed from years perfecting her gaming craft, D.Va charges into action with Tokki to confront towering omnic threats head-on. Her fans watch in awe as she live streams the action like her old pro gaming matches!

D.Va‘s Gaming Accolades & Highlights

Breaking Down D.Va‘s Versatile Tank Toolkit

D.Va requires equal parts precision and aggression to maximize her damage-dealing and defensive capabilities. Let‘s analyze her abilities that make her such a formidable – and popular – tank hero:

Fusion Cannons

D.Va‘s mech comes equipped with rapid-firing Fusion Cannons that deliver continuous damage without needing to reload, albeit at shorter ranges requiring her to get up close and personal. By peppering her enemies as she boosts around the battlefield with no ammo limitations, D.Va provides reliable thick damage.

Veteran D.Va players have mastered quick trigger tapping to optimize her cannon fire for targets while on the move. Binding secondary fire to scroll wheel lets seasoned gamers like D.Va "scrub" the wheel for split-second timing in crucial battles.

Boosters & Defense Matrix

D.Va‘s signature aggression comes from her Boosters, enabling her to rocket towards enemies for a close-quarters brawl or make a quick escape by flying out of danger. According to in-game stats, D.Va‘s boosters propel her mech at speeds exceeding 65 mph!

While closing distance, D.Va can also activate her rear-facing Defense Matrix, a short-term energy shield that protects her mech from heavy ranged damage for a few precious seconds when timed properly. This combination allows savvy D.Va players to fly into the fray, absorb some abuse with her matrix while unloading her cannons, then boost back out once the matrix expires.

Micro Missiles & Ejecting

D.Va has one more ace up her sleeve to pour on additional burst damage at opportune times – her Micro Missiles secondary fire launches a concentrated volley of explosive firepower. Veterans advise not wasting this ability if enemies have shields still raised, but once you crack those defenses open, missile barrages quickly soften up targets.

As enemies whittle down her mech‘s health over the course of her aggressive harassment, D.Va eventually reaches an ejection point which also sets her devastating Self-Destruct ultimate ability into motion. By ejecting just before destruction, D.Va herself narrowly avoids defeat, granted a second chance to fight on in weaker but still dangerous light blaster form. Meanwhile, her now vacant mech careers out of control, its reactor overloading until the entire machine detonates in a wide radius blast.

Calling Another Mech From Orbit

Ejected from her smoking battle mech, the unarmored D.Va relies solely on her sidearm blaster and incredible gamer reflexes to stay in the fight while slowly charging up another special ability – Call Mech. After several tense seconds of vulnerability, D.Va exhibits her ultimate gaming clutch gene by summoning and dropping directly into a fresh mech from orbit! Only the savviest and bravest gamers could pull off such a feat!

According to Game Director Jeff Kaplan, pro gamer Song paved the way for other heroes by exhibiting how ordinary humans can still make a difference on the battlefields of the future. D.Va demonstrates cunning few possess according to such a young age.

D.Va‘s Relationships, Rivalries and Romances

D.Va‘s confidence, bravery and sassy charm endeared her to Overwatch fans, making Hana Song a beloved hero both on and off the battlefield. She mingles comfortably with humans and omnics alike given her modern sensibilities. And her pro gaming background grants her unique connections with other heroes passionate about video game competition.

Potential for Somva Sparks?

Hacker extraordinaire Sombra enjoys playfully teasing D.Va during skirmishes, admiring the young pilot‘s swagger perhaps with a dash of flirtation behind the scenes. This spawned speculation of a "Somva" romance amongst fans, a sentiment gaining traction especially after Sombra‘s Old Hollywood epic skin premiere.

"I admire D.Va‘s confidence – and mine outmatches hers!" Sombra boasted at a recent Talon press conference.

Heated Meihem Rivalry

While no romantic overtures exist between them, D.Va and climatologist Mei clash often during battles, trading barbed insults surrounding Mei‘s use of controversial cryostasis research. Their heated "Meihem" rivalry entertained viewers whenever streamed matches pitted their teams against one another.

Mei recently one-upped D.Va during an ill-fated combat trial of her mech prototype dubbed "Snowball."

"I don‘t think Tokyo is ready for a giantROLLING AROUND AT THE SPEED OF SOUND," Mei quipped on social media before fleeing the scene as local authorities swooped in.

Potential Crush on Lúcio?

As fellow celebrities-turned-heroes, D.Va and freedom fighting musician Lúcio have teamed up effective both on livestreams and actual missions. The natural chemistry and camaraderie between these two often sparked rumors that D.Va harbored a secret crush on the Brazilian DJ.

The duo dazzled fans last month while streaming themselves dancing to Lúcio‘s latest album. Viewers spammed chat with marriage proposals for "Casino" shipping rumors between the pair!

D.Va By The Numbers

D.Va‘s immense popularity manifests itself quantifiably through various metrics that highlight her status as a true gaming icon and global sensation:

D.Va All-Time Streaming Records

D.Va‘s fame and influence even extends beyond gaming circles due to her compelling backstory and brave public service heroism.

D.Va‘s Brand Value

While some decried D.Va early on as merely eSports eye candy, she quickly proved skeptics and rivals wrong with her deadly mech combat prowess and courageous willingness to live stream herself defending cities against enormous Omnic threats.

So in summary, behind D.Va‘s youthful swagger lies immense piloting and gunning skills polished over years of high stakes pro gaming, ready at age 19 to heed her nation‘s call for help. Hana "D.Va" Song charges confidently into the future, bringing a much needed spirit of hope and bravery to these trying times for her fellow citizens.