Years ago, following the Omnic Crisis, a group of outcast omnic robots, known as the Shambali monks, abandoned their preprogrammed lives to establish a communal monastery deep in the Himalayas. After many years of meditation on the nature of existence, they came to the belief that they were more than artificial intelligences and that, like humans, they possessed the essence of a soul.

Recognizing the spiritual equality they held with humans, the monks, led by their leader, Tekhartha Mondatta, sought to heal the wounds caused by the Omnic Crisis a generation earlier and bring humans and robots back into societal harmony. Their message was embraced by millions around the world, and they became global celebrities.

Zenyatta was one such lost soul who embraced their message after meeting the monk Ramattra at a protest for omnic equality. Ramattra saw in him great spiritual potential, and the two became as brothers.

After some time at the Shambali Monastery in Nepal, Zenyatta was able to help his own student find peace: the ex-Overwatch agent, Genji Shimada. Genji sought healing from many wounds he’d suffered, beginning with the horrific duel he’d fought with his brother, through his questionable missions in Blackwatch, to the fall of Overwatch. In time, Zenyatta helped his student see both his trials and his cybernetic form as a unique strength.

But after Genji left his tutelage, Zenyatta began to see the limits of the Shambali path. He believed that the way to repair the problems between humans and omnics was not through dogmatic teaching but through interpersonal connection and engagement.

Ultimately, Zenyatta followed his own path. He chose to leave the monastery and wander the world, helping those he met to overcome their personal struggles and find inner peace.

One of these chance encounters came in Suravasa, after a statue of Aurora, a figure at the center of Shambali teachings, was destroyed due to the aggressive construction efforts of the Vishkar Corporation. Zenyatta met with Satya Vaswani—Symmetra—whom the company had dispatched to fix the issue, sharing Aurora’s story and opening her eyes to the beauty of imperfection. Little did Satya know that Zenyatta had come to the temple in Suravasa to mourn and meditate on the loss of his master, Tekhartha Mondatta, who had been assassinated in King’s Row. Her gift to the people of the temple meant a great deal to him and to all the pilgrims there.

Zenyatta continues to forge connections and impart knowledge worldwide, and when necessary, he will fight to protect the innocent, be they omnic or human.

Just before Null Sector retreated, Ramattra visited Zenyatta asking him to join his cause. Zenyatta declined his offer, refusing to abandon both omnics and humanity, and choosing to fight for a better world as his master once had.