The rumor mill has been working 24/7 for months trying to figure out who Overwatch‘s next hero is. The leading contender has been Doomfist. However, in a recent thread on the Battle.net forum, game director Jeff Kaplan went and put a stop to that. He said that “24 is not who you think it is.” While Doomfist was not guaranteed to be the next hero, that answer silenced those who thought he was 24.

Now, we have somebody new to speculate over! In a recent blog post on playoverwatch.com, an “interview” was published by Atlas News. The same “organization” to release details about previous heroes on the Overwatch team. The “Spotlight of Numbani” is focused on an 11-year-old Numbani native who happens to be a robotics and A.I.(artificial intelligence) prodigy. Meet Efi Oladele:

Now, we know what you are thinking. How is an 11-year-old going to be Overwatch‘s next hero? Are we really going to watch a child get caught in Junkrat’s trap, or be dealt a storm full of justice? Well, probably not. However, with her experience in the field of robotics and A.I., who’s to say she isn’t the creator of the next hero? In the interview with Atlas News, she even expresses her desire to build something that keeps others safe. Take a look:

How did you get into robots and artificial intelligence?

Well, I’ve always been interested. After my mom and dad got me my first robotics kit, I became obsessed with putting together little drones. When I started to get good at it, I tried to build robots to do my chores and help around the house. My parents think it’s cheating… It’s no fair! (laughs)

I want to create things that make our lives better. And someday, my dream is to build something that can keep us safe, like the new OR15s! I think that would be great.

Not only is she a prodigy in the aforementioned fields, but she has also recently received a grant. According to the post, “Last month, she became the most recent recipient of the Adawe Foundation’s prestigious “genius grant,” in recognition of her many accomplishments.” To close out the interview, she was asked what her plans were for the money:

Oh… I have an idea…

No hint?

It’s a secret for now… but my parents are taking me on a trip to celebrate! It’ll be my first time flying, so I can’t wait.

It’s all a bit intriguing, don’t you think? Do you really believe that Overwatch‘s next hero is going to be an 11-year-old robotics and A.I. prodigy from Numbani? Not to say a child can’t kick some serious ass. *cough* Tiny Tina *cough* But, it might not be the best to feature one in a first person shooter. Only time will tell who 24 is going to be.

What do you think, heroes? Do you think Efi is the next hero, or do you believe that this is all a ruse not unlike the Doomfist clues? OR, do you think Efi is the creator of the next hero, if not a future one? Let us know down in the comments section or start a discussion over on our Disqus! We always love hearing from you. Of course, what would the end of one of my articles be without a wonderful segue? If you love all things wonderful, be sure to follow us on Twitter so you don’t miss out on our 24/7 gaming and entertainment news!