Overwatch 2 is full of delightful characters that would be fun to talk to in real life, like Lucio, Tracer, and Winston. However, it also has its share of villains who would be a lot less kind, like the mad scientist Moira and human-hating Ramattra. No character would be more of a terrifying mood-killer than Reaper, though online, players are more likely to laugh at him than cower in fear.
The main reason that Overwatch 2 fans poke fun at Reaper is because of his edginess, as everything from his name to his dialogue to his skull mask suit the term well. Reaper being such an edgelord not only makes him stand out among the rest of the cast, but it has resulted in Blizzard embracing the memes through some fun gags like his dance emote. However, while Reaper may seemingly overdo it with his death obsession and constant rage, those that take the time to learn his story will start to understand why he is that way. Beneath his iconic raspy voice and occasionally cheesy lines is a man that suffered greatly, with every minute being painful for the shotgun-wielding Damage hero.
How Gabriel Reyes Became Overwatch 2’s Reaper
Gabriel Reyes was a founding member of Overwatch, and for a time, things were going well for him. Part of the same supersoldier program as Jack Morrison, AKA Soldier: 76, Reyes was in a place where he felt he could do some good deeds following his military service. Unfortunately, as Morrison climbed the ranks, Reyes stayed in the same place, with higher-ups deciding that Jack would be a superior leader to Gabriel. As opportunity after opportunity passed him by, Gabriel became jealous.
As a way to give Reyes a bit more power and keep him calm, he was given leadership of a covert ops group called Blackwatch. This faction was built around doing off-the-books missions, and with Reyes as the leader, his own views on justice started to influence the group. After years as a cop witnessing criminals be let off the hook, Blackwatch gave Reyes a chance to dish out real justice, with an example being seen in the Retribution Archives mission. After apprehending a high profile criminal named Antonio who was responsible for the death of several Overwatch agents, Antonio confidently proclaimed that he would be freed very quickly if arrested. As a result, Reyes killed him, a controversial event that helped lead to the downfall of Overwatch.
During his time in Overwatch, the corrupt scientist Moira helped give Reyes new abilities that allowed him to teleport and phase through objects, shifting his form whenever he pleased. Unfortunately, these abilities had their downside. While they allowed him to survive a battle with Jack Morrison at Overwatch’s Swiss HQ that should have been fatal, he would have died if Moira did not experiment on him further. This experimentation turned him into the smokey being he is today, with his powers intact but his original body lost. Even worse, Reaper is in constant pain at all times, never feeling a break from his suffering.
After years of playing second fiddle to Morrison and failing to lead an uprising against him, Reaper found himself joining Talon, Doomfist’s group. Detailed as part of the Code of Violence short story, this decision stemmed from an old meeting Reyes had with Doomfist after he had been apprehended. Here, he was reminded that all his work had not helped to stop corruption. Convinced that he could finally distribute true justice as a part of the terrorist organization, while also using its resources to hunt down the members of Overwatch that he felt wronged him, Reyes had a new purpose.
Unfortunately, Reyes’ suffering does not end there, as he is in constant emotional anguish alongside his physical pain. Due to his monstrous wraith form and his terrorist activities, he is unable to return to his family, permanently forced to watch his wife and son from a distance. With this knowledge in mind, it becomes easy to understand why Reaper is so angry and violent all the time. Though he is certainly misguided, his failure to change the world as part of a good organization explains his choice to try fixing it within a corrupt on. Additionally, his snappiness and strictness are likely due to his physical pain, as small talk seems a lot less appealing if someone is always hurting. Though Reaper will surely never stop being a meme for players, his backstory is just as strong as those of the other Overwatch 2 characters.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
