Rascal heading back to North America, possible reunion with Dallas Fuel?

In the final week of regular season play, former Dallas Fuel and London Spitfire DPS main Kim ‘Rascal’ Dong-jun returns to North America with the promise of ‘good news’ for his fan base. The Korean import enjoyed a few eclectic weeks of play before being tossed to the side in favor of EFFECT and aKm on a struggling Dallas Fuel roster.

Gone but not forgotten

The Dallas Fuel have been a rollercoaster team to say the least this year. After a dismal three stages of nonstop drama and inner roster squabbles costing them dearly on stage, it seems like Dallas Fuel have found a formula for success with new head coach Aero.

The players on the roster are finally settling into their roles as Seagull and Taimou have retaken their positions on the starting line-up. The diversity shift from a half Korean, half Western line-up cost the team heavily in communication, but now it seems like the Dallas Fuel are on the winning path without some of their most potent players in the line-up.

The drama that has followed former Dallas Fuel players EFFECT and Rascal is a testament to that fact. In many regards, EFFECT was seen as the best Tracer on a bad team this season and his absence on Dallas hasn’t been missed with their recent run of form. While yes, the meta is in their favor for this stage, with certain maps and heroes coming into their hand, the results go far beyond just a lucky set of circumstances.

Time to bounce back

So where does that leave the benched players from a Dallas Fuel team previously in shambles? As of right now, both Rascal and EFFECT are still contracted to Dallas Fuel, with Rascal having the ability to speak with and negotiate with teams within the OWL.

That’s why the news of him promising ‘good news’ to his fans is so tantalizing. There is no way to determine if that good news means he’s even talking with Dallas Fuel on a renegotiation basis in the first place. If EFFECT is really on his way out the door, then there seems to be little to no reason for Rascal to stay with a team that doesn’t have that many native Korean speakers on the main roster. The move that makes the most sense now would be possible negotiations with a team like Seoul Dynasty or New York Excelsior.

For all the bright spots Seoul Dynasty may have on their roster, there is no denying they are in need of a duo DPS threat that can rival the impact of Fleta. If Rascal has the ability to speak with teams on that basis, that may very well be an avenue to entertain at the start of Season Two.

Then again, there are a slew of Asian teams entering the Overwatch League next season that may benefit from having a talent like Rascal on their roster. With a new Korean team all but confirmed for the start of season two, Rascal may end up joining a team we haven’t even heard of yet en route to the new season.

Regardless of his move, there is an appetite to watch one of the slickest DPS threats in the game back in the trenches next season. Rascal showed very little in his time with London Spitfire and Dallas Fuel, but the impact he made in that brief time was more than noteworthy. Time will tell what’s next for the young DPS main.