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segadores-y-soldados · 6 years

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Reaper and Soldier: 76 Resources

I will write this once: there IS a “Read more” link.

This post is meant to be a collection of “in-universe” canon, “in-game” official, “out-of-game” official, and non-official discussion sources about Reaper (Gabriel Reyes), Soldier: 76 (Jack Morrison), and their relationship. It is not specifically an analysis, discussion, or write-up, but at times it will include those.

This is going to include shipping topics or discussions, specifically the ones focused on a romantic relationship between Reaper and Soldier: 76.

It will occasionally bring up additional characters - such as Ana Amari, Reinhardt Wilhelm, and Moira O’Deorain (to name a few) - in order to discuss how their relationships contrast with the one between Reaper and Soldier: 76.

The resources are organized as follows:

Canon story resources: resources that tell parts of the story events.

In-game details: official in-game details such as map details and interactions, and what they reference

Official statements made by Blizzard developers, specifically Michael Chu, Jeff Kaplan, and Geoff Goodman

Unofficial discussion posts on Reaper, Soldier: 76, Moira, Doomfist, and other characters (e.g. my essays, posts about map details, posts about interactions, etc).

Here we go:

Canonical Resources (“in-universe” story events):

In order of in-story timeline events:

SEP and the Omnic Crisis: Thirty years “in the future” (with 2016 being the year the game launched, rough projections are about 2046) and thirty years before the events of “Recall” (2076), the robot models built by the defunct and bankrupt Omnica Corporation launch a global attack on humanity. The war rapidly escalates, with “human” problems - politics, mismanagement, and egos, for example - complicating humanity’s ability to counterattack. The United States government begins a secret military program called “The Soldier Enhancement Program” which injects nanobiological genetic modifications into soldiers, “enhancing” their abilities. In this program, Gabriel Reyes - given the id number of “Soldier: 24″ - meets Jack Morrison, a relatively new “recruit” with the id number of “Soldier: 76.”

At an unspecified point, both Gabriel and Jack agree to leave the U.S. military and Soldier Enhancement Program for a new, secret United Nations task force called “Overwatch.” Overwatch was charged with developing a new, unconventional strategy to end the war, and recruited a few specialized paramilitary soldiers and engineers: an Egyptian sniper with a cybernetic eye, a German “Crusader” with a rocket powered armor set, and the Swedish engineer who designed the Omnics.

Under the command of Gabriel Reyes, the group of five (known) soldiers set out to save humanity...and change history.

---

The Golden Age of Overwatch: The above image occurs 10 years after the start of the Omnic Crisis, and 20 years before the events of “Recall.” Michael Chu has said the following:

“You’ve got your prime, original generation characters: Gabriel, Ana, Jack, Reinhardt, and Torbjörn. You have an 11-to-12 year old Pharah, you have McCree who’s just been recruited into Blackwatch, you have university-student Mercy who’s visiting the Overwatch base.”

Ages in the photo:

Gabriel: 38 years old (50 at “Retribution,” 58 at “Recall”) Jack: age unknown, approximately 28-35 years old Ana: 40 years old Reinhardt: 41 years old Torbjörn: 37 years old Fareeha: 11-12 years old McCree: 16-17 years old Angela: 16-17 years old

After the end of the Omnic Crisis, Overwatch transforms from a task force of approximately 5 people to a global peacekeeping organization. Jack is promoted to Strike-Commander, and Gabriel becomes the commander of Overwatch’s covert ops division, Blackwatch. The two men work together publically and privately to lead the two major halves of the organization, and while their personal lives are not fully detailed, Jeff Kaplan has stated that “they loved each other”. He has also stated that “Gabriel Reyes was Jack Morrison’s partner.” Both sources are linked below.

Despite all the issues the organization faces, the two men remain constant and lifelong companions, even though the next several events.

(A lot more under the cut. I’m not kidding. This is pretty much everything I have on Reaper and Soldier: 76 - canon, “official”, and unofficial. It is not a lore analysis or discussion essay: it is, by and large, simply an archive of all the stuff I have. It’s a summary of a summary, a reference of references.)

(You have been warned.)

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Moira’s recruitment: Approximately 10 to 8 years before the events of “Recall.” Roughly twenty to twenty-two years have passed since the events of the Omnic Crisis. Something is beginning to occur in Gabriel, possibly as a side effect of the SEP “enhancements” he received during the war. He recruits Moira O’Deorain, a geneticist described as “equal parts brilliant and controversial”. Gabriel is interested in seeking her help for his condition, and begins participating in Moira’s experiments...

Though who knows if she is genuinely trying to help him find a cure, or if she has her own ambitions for Gabriel’s “true potential”...

Moira’s Origin video: Youtube link

Michael Chu’s statements on Gabriel’s condition:

Twitter conversation with a fan on Reaper’s condition: twitter link

> User: But does that mean Reyes has been Reaper before Overwatch fell? > Michael: I’ll let you draw your own conclusions but the wording on Reaper’s bio is intentional.

Twitter conversation with a fan on if Reaper ages: twitter link

> Michael: One more PSA for the day: Tracer does age. The characters some people assume are trapped in time (Tracer, Mercy, Widowmaker, Mei) all age. > User: You missed an important one there - What about Reaper? Can he even still be considered alive in his state? > Michael: That's a good question. ;)

Moira Blizzcon 2017 Panel: transcript

> Quote: “She was recruited by Gabriel Reyes to be a member of Blackwatch. And uh, during that time she had relationships with the Blackwatch crew - McCree, Genji - they all have their own sort of likes and dislikes for each other. Reyes wanted someone could help advise him on, uh, some matters of genetics that he was, uh, interested in, shall we say.” - Michael Chu

Though this will be discussed in the “in-game” section in more detail, the following can be found on Oasis, in the University level:

In Moira’s lab:

A folder labeled: “Soldier ID: 24 | Classified”

“Genetic Conditioning and Regenerative Properties of Applied Nanobiotics.” by Dr. Angela Zieglder, MD, Ph. D.

And in the Chemistry lab (NOT Moira’s):

“Repairing Degenerative Genetic Structures.” Labeled with a “Draft” note, and the logo for Moira’s Genetics lab.

---

Retribution: The events of “Retribution” occur 8 years before Winston initiates “Recall.” After an Overwatch facility is attacked in Oslo, Norway, Blackwatch agent Gérard Lacroix connects the attack to Antonio, a major Talon leader based in Venice. He briefs Blackwatch Commander Gabriel Reyes and Blackwatch agent Jesse McCree on the situation at a new facility in Rome, Italy. However, the facility is attacked, leaving Gérard in a critical condition (though he is expected to make a full recovery). Gabriel turns to Overwatch Strike-Commander and his lifelong partner Jack Morrison to discuss Overwatch’s options in dealing with Talon and Antonio.

Attack on the Oslo Overwatch base: Blizzard official archives link

“Retribution” comic: Blizzard post; PDF link

Gabriel’s debriefing: “Retribution” game mode trailer; PlayOverwatch official audio

All Retribution interactions: Hammeh/Failcraft link; Overwatch Interactions link

McCree’s ending narration: Youtube link

---

Uprising: The events of “Uprising” take place approximately 1 year after “Retribution” and 7 years before Winston initiates “Recall.” An Omnic leader named Tekhartha Mondatta arrives in King’s Row, London for a groundbreaking ceremony on a new Omnic housing project. However, the hostile Omnic group named “Null Sector” attacks, taking him, the London mayor, and many others as hostages. Null Sector takes over the city, and even though Overwatch offers to help, the United Kingdom denies the organization access to the country. With the situation growing increasingly critical, pressure is placed on Jack to make a decision. However, Gabriel has a few plans of his own, and sends McCree into King’s Row to investigate - I mean, for a “vacation.”

“Uprising” comic: Blizzard official; PDF link

Uprising teaser: Youtube link

Uprising Interactions: Hammeh/Failcraft link - while these are primarily between the four playable characters (Tracer, Reinhardt, Mercy, and Torbjörn), I’ve included the link just in case.

Uprising - Reyes and the team: Youtube link

---

Legacy: The events of “Legacy” occur sometime after “Uprising” but before the “fall” of Overwatch, approximately 6-7 years before Winston initiates “Recall.” One of the Overwatch Strike Teams, led by Jack and Ana, conduct a mission to rescue some scientists who were taken hostage by Talon forces. During the mission, a “new sniper” shows up and begins taking down Overwatch forces. Ana starts engaging in a shoot-off with the sniper, and sends in her remote drones to blow up the sniper’s position. During the explosion, Jack manages to get the rest of the team and the scientists to the dropship. However, Ana refuses to regroup, and when Jack orders her to return, she defies his instructions and turns off her communication device. Ana manages to get a shot off on the sniper, but when the sniper’s helmet is damaged, she is shocked to see that the sniper is Amélie Lacroix, who had been presumed dead. Ana hesitates, allowing Widowmaker to get a critical shot on Ana’s rifle and her cybernetic eye.

“Legacy” comic: Blizzard official; PDF link

Ana Origin video: Youtube link

This comic is included because it shows a major plot point - Ana’s “death” - which becomes something of an “issue” between Gabriel and Jack. The comic also shows Jack and Ana’s relationship, in which Ana defies Jack’s orders to pursue a sniper battle with Widowmaker.

The video is included because it is later referenced by Michael Chu in his 2017 GDC talk. Also important in the video is a group shot of the “early” Overwatch team, and includes an image of Reinhardt’s hand on Ana’s shoulders.

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The fall: The “fall” of Overwatch takes place approximately 6 years before Winston initiates “Recall.” Almost no in-universe sources exist that fully detail the events of the explosion of the Swiss Base.

Soldier: 76 Origin video: Youtube link

“Fading Glory: On the Trail of Jack Morrison”: Blizzard official

The article link is italicized because personally, I would not cite this as an accurate, in-universe source any more. Close to 100% of the article’s details, quotes, and “news” have been retconned (e.g. Jack’s enlistment has changed completely), rewritten (e.g. Mercy’s age and the source of her quote), or proven unreliable (e.g. the “promotion” caused some sort of schism between Jack and Gabriel, which Retribution proves isn’t true). In the real world Overwatch development timeline, the article is nearly three years old at the time of this post. However, for the sake of completeness, I have included it here.

While the Soldier: 76 Origin video is just as old as the article, the details in it are “vague enough” that they remain semi-reliable. Furthermore, the map in “Uprising” remains comparable to the map in the video.

---

Recall: Approximately six years after the explosion of the Swiss Base and the official disbandment of Overwatch by the Petras Act, Winston lives with the AI program Athena in the remains of Watchpoint: Gibraltar. He is testing a new type of spherical shield, but his prototype fails. Frustrated, Winston starts watching the news, but hears about the rising tolls of the Second Omnic Crisis in Russia. He starts the process of initiating the recall of Overwatch agents, but is chided by Athena not to put himself or the others in danger. However, Winston’s lab is suddenly attacked by a Talon squad, led by the mercenary “Reaper.”

Recall: Youtube link

“Recall” is included in this collection as the first time “Reaper” officially appears in the in-universe timeline. While he likely worked on unknown events before this, this is our current “starting point” for him.

---

Hero: Shortly after “Recall” is initiated, Alejandra is sent by her mother to get more flour for their bakery. Alejandra is annoyed with her mother because she keeps treating her “like a baby,” but Alejandra does not realize that her mother is worried her daughter will be forced to make a choice between standing up for what’s right, and doing what’s easy. On the way to the store, Alejandra runs into members of Los Muertos, an arms-dealing gang that terrorize the streets of Dorado. They attempt to pressure her into bullying an Omnic, but when Alejandra backs down, they take her coin purse and drive off with it. Angry, Alejandra chases their truck down, but stumbles across a different sort of terrifying confrontation as the vigilante “Soldier: 76″ attacks the Los Muertos members...

Hero: Youtube link

Prior to “Hero”:

Soldier: 76 breaks into Watchpoint: Grand Mesa: “Experimental Weapon Stolen from Watchpoint: Grand Mesa”; PlayOverwatch official teaser

Following “Hero”: “LumériCo Vision for Mexico Unveiled, but Threats to Safety Remain a Concern”

Like “Recall”, this is the “first official” appearance of “Soldier: 76″ in the in-universe story events. Articles detail how he stole the new model of the Heavy Pulse Rifle from the now-Helix-run Watchpoint: Grand Mesa, and then eventually made his way into Mexico. It is important to note that Soldier: 76 is almost an exact “mirror” to Retribution-era Gabriel, including everything from his more intense, renegade personality down to the way he dresses.

Though it will be covered more in-depth in the “in-game” official section, Soldier: 76 is the only character besides Sombra to be interested in LumériCo’s activities.

---

Old Soldiers: Soldier: 76 has made his way to Giza, Egypt: he is looking for the bounty hunter known as “The Shrike.” He finds out that Hakim - a Talon associate - is particularly frustrated by the Shrike’s actions and is looking to bring the bounty hunter down. Soldier: 76 heads to Hakim’s compound, where he hears an exchange between Hakim and Reaper on the comms. Soldier: 76 recognizes Reaper by voice alone, and (after defeating the guards) enters Hakim’s compound on his own. Reaper shadow steps in behind him and shoots him in the back. However, “the Shrike” comes to Soldier: 76′s rescue, shooting him with a healing dart, revitalizing him. The Shrike removes their facemask to reveal Ana Amari, who is still alive. Soldier: 76 and Reaper engage in a fistfight (where Ana recognizes who Reaper is even with his “costume”), and Ana takes several shots to hinder Reaper. Reaper rushes up to her, discovers that Ana is alive, and engages in another fistfight with her. As the two are falling, Ana unmasks Reaper is is horrified by what she sees:

Reaper then flees, leaving Soldier: 76 to reveal himself as Jack. Jack asks Ana to join him in his “war.” Ana accepts because even though she’s not interested in fighting for “his war”, she believes Jack needs someone to watch his back.

“Old Soldiers” comic: Blizzard official; PDF link

This comic was one of the first major “plot twists” released by Blizzard after Overwatch launched. It revealed that Ana Amari was still alive, that Reaper had been “left to suffer” by Overwatch - and by Jack.

However, several major things stand out:

1. Ana Amari had not been left to die, meaning that part of Reaper’s explanation to her was either outright misguided or a lie.

2. Since the comic’s release, we now know that a combination of other factors “created” Gabriel’s current condition: the SEP experiments, Moira’s experiments, and the Swiss Base explosion.

3. At no point in the comic does Jack ever blame Gabriel for the explosion of the Swiss Base or the fall of Overwatch.

4. Since the comic’s release, we have seen additional comics that show that Gabriel and Jack had a significantly closer relationship than had previously been implied. This includes Jack being semi-aware of or granting his personal approval to unsanctioned Blackwatch missions.

5. We now know that Gabriel’s driving motivation (at the time of “Retribution”) was actually protecting Jack and keeping him and other Overwatch members safe.

Followed by:

While we still know very little about the actual fall of Overwatch and the Swiss Base explosion, more recent story revelations have shown that a lot of the “plot points” of “Old Soldiers” are either invalidated, misguided (on Reaper’s part), or possibly intentionally misleading.

The last point is especially important for the next two events:

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Infiltration: “Infiltration” occurs several “months” after “Hero” and sometime after the Sombra ARG concludes on Día de Muertos, 2076. During the course of the half-in-universe, half-in-game Augmented Reality Game to “unlock” Sombra, it is revealed that LumériCo has direct and probably corrupt ties to the Vishkar Corporation and Volskaya Industries. A small Talon squad composed of Reaper, Widowmaker, and Sombra go to assassinate Katya Volskaya, the CEO, on orders of the Talon leader, Vialli. The mission is set up so that Widowmaker can snipe her from across her facilitity; however, before Widowmaker can take the shot, the alarm goes off. Reaper “makes an attempt” to slip in and kill Katya, but is stopped from his “long-range” shotgun shot by the new Volskaya mech. He instructs Sombra to recover the rest of the mission. However, Sombra has her own plans...

Infiltration: Youtube link

Prior to “Infiltration”: the LumériCo website is updated for the Sombra ARG, showing an email from Sanjay Korpal of Vishkar.

“Infiltration” is the second official mission we have seen Reaper in - the first is “Recall”, and the second is the “Cinematic Trailer”, where Reaper and Widowmaker attempt to steal Doomfist’s Gauntlet from a museum, but are stopped by Winston and Tracer.

“Infiltration” is important because Sombra is finally introducted directly in the story. “Infiltration” is also important because it is the first time we know 100% that Reaper deliberately undermined and “threw” a mission (based on his statements in “Masquerade”).

This leads to the following questions: has Reaper “thrown” other missions in the past (the database collection from “Recall,” the museum heist from the “Cinematic Trailer,” his “trap” in “Old Soldiers”, etc)?

And if he has thrown other missions, why did he do it?

Reaper and Sombra received the following interactions upon her release:

Sombra: What are we doing today, Gabe? You don't mind if I call you 'Gabe', do you?

Reaper: Stick to the mission.

Reaper: Try to stick to the plan, Sombra.

Sombra: Look, someone has to be ready when all your ‘careful planning’ doesn't pan out.

According to Michael Chu, these interactions can be confirmed as effectively canon.

(Source)

There are a few key takeaways here:

1. Widowmaker does not know who Reaper is.

2. The interactions between Reaper, Soldier: 76, and Ana can be treated as “canon or potentially canon.” Therefore, they can be used as part of the discussion on what Soldier: 76 and Ana Amari know about Reaper.

3. Soldier: 76 and Ana Amari would and do recognize Reaper on sight and sound alone (confirming that those details in “Old Soldiers” were intentional).

4. McCree and Reinhardt canonically do not know what has happened to Gabriel, but would also recognize him as Reaper. This implies that Gabriel’s “condition” existed in some form before the fall of Overwatch, and that some members of Overwatch and Blackwatch were aware of his powers.

Returning to Sombra, we can see that Sombra knows Jack’s personal and rather intimate nickname for Gabriel (“Gabe”), which Ana knows of but apparently does not use herself:

Reaper: Guess you're going back on my list, Ana.

Ana: What happened to you, Gabriel?

Reaper appears to “tolerate” Sombra using Jack’s nickname for him, and taken with their other interaction, implies an unusual level of trust between Reaper and Sombra. Elsewhere, Michael Chu has said the following:

“[Sombra] gets on [Reaper’s] nerves a little bit, but I think that ultimately, Reaper knows that Sombra is effective. And so he respects that, because he is a good eye for talent. …Look at that Blackwatch team - it’s amazing!”

(Source: Michael Chu, Anime Expo 2017)

“Infiltration” shows us that Sombra is up to something, with the “canon” interactions between her and Reaper implying that Reaper might be “in” on her plan.

This is further implied by:

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Masquerade: After the events of “Reflection,” occurring shortingly before and during Venetian Carnevale in late February 2077, Akande Ogundimu - also known as “The Successor” Doomfist - breaks out of prison. He is retrieved by Reaper in a dropship, who “debriefs” him on the current situation. Akande then heads to Monaco, to secure the alliance (and wealth) of the Omnic Talon leader, Maximilien, at Maximilien’s casino. While there, forces from the rival Talon leader, Vialli (Antonio’s successor), attempt to attack Akande and Widowmaker, but they are defeated. After that, Akande, Widowmaker, Sombra, and Reaper dress up for the masquerade of Carnevale in Rialto, Venice. While Widowmaker, Sombra, and Reaper destroy Vialli’s remaining forces, Vialli confronts Akande. The two discuss the different “visions” for Talon, with Vialli saying that profit and power are good enough for the organization, while Akande argues that they must see themselves as something greater. Akande then throws Vialli off the bridge or cliff (literally). Reaper sees this action but does not recognize Vialli by appearance. Akande and Reaper then head into the Talon headquarters to begin their meeting with some of the other Talon leaders. Sanjay Korpal is shown in the background, and Moira is partially revealed for the first time.

“Masquerade” comic: Blizzard official; PDF link

“The Masque of the Red Death”: free text; PDF link

Unpacking the full impact and implications of this comic in a relatively short summary is a challenge in its own right.

Perhaps the most important aspect of the comic is that it directly alludes to the Edgar Allan Poe short story “The Masque of the Red Death”: first, the setting of both stories take place during a masquerade. The second is that the two major “characters” - in this case, Akande and Reaper - are dressed as a prince and the Red Death respectively.

The third is that - at the end of the Poe story - the Red Death kills everyone in the building.

In the original short story, the “Red Death” is both a plague and a personification of the same disease who “arrives” unannouced “like a thief in the night” at Prince Prospero’s masquerade party. When the prince and his guests confront the ghastly visitor and “unmask” it, they discover that there is nothing beneath the costume - only Death itself, “untenanted by any tangible form.”

And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.

The original story is relatively short and rather precise in its pacing and development. However, beneath the “layers” of the masquerade is the implication that hubris and arrogance on part of the Prince and his guests “invited” the Red Death into their castle - as if they could “hide” from Death itself by just locking themselves up.

The “revolutionary” tone of Poe’s story is that no one - not even the wealthy, or the brave, or the powerful - can “hide” from Death.

That Death is retributive in its deliverance.

Plot-wise, the point of the Blizzard “Masquerade” comic is two-fold: 1) it introduces Akande and shows how powerful he is...and how strong-willed he is, and 2) it heavily implies that Reaper - who is dressed as the Red Death - is playing a “masquerade” against Talon, and that when he is eventually “unmasked” by the Talon leaders, he will kill them.

Understanding and interpreting “Masquerade” through the lens of “The Masque of the Red Death” is, quite bluntly, one of the only major ways to make sense of Gabriel’s actions from Retribution to Masquerade. It provides solid analysis and textual evidence for the idea that he is infiltrating Talon to enact retribution on the Talon leaders and destroy them, just as they destroyed Overwatch.

The use of literary and other cultural references for Gabriel/Reaper’s behavior is important, as it is clearly part of both his in-universe characterization, and his in-game/non-canon characterization.

For example, “Reaper” also has not one, not two, but three skins that refer to literary references:

Respectively, they are: “Nevermore”, “Pumpkin”, and “Dracula” and they refer to the following pieces:

The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, by William Irving

“Dracula”, by Bram Stoker

While Nevermore and Dracula are not “canon” to the plot of Overwatch, “Pumpkin” actually is:

Interestingly, the Headless Horseman character in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is also attempting to trick other characters, specifically Ichabod Crane.

The next morning the old horse was found without his saddle, and with the bridle under his feet, soberly cropping the grass at his master’s gate. Ichabod did not make his appearance at breakfast; dinner-hour came, but no Ichabod. The boys assembled at the schoolhouse, and strolled idly about the banks of the brook; but no schoolmaster. Hans Van Ripper now began to feel some uneasiness about the fate of poor Ichabod, and his saddle. An inquiry was set on foot, and after diligent investigation they came upon his traces. In one part of the road leading to the church was found the saddle trampled in the dirt; the tracks of horses’ hoofs deeply dented in the road, and evidently at furious speed, were traced to the bridge, beyond which, on the bank of a broad part of the brook, where the water ran deep and black, was found the hat of the unfortunate Ichabod, and close beside it a shattered pumpkin.

[...] Brom Bones, too, who, shortly after his rival’s disappearance conducted the blooming Katrina in triumph to the altar, was observed to look exceedingly knowing whenever the story of Ichabod was related, and always burst into a hearty laugh at the mention of the pumpkin; which led some to suspect that he knew more about the matter than he chose to tell.

And of course, we have the very telling interactions from Retribution:

Moira: Pity we’ll miss the masquerade - I have the perfect costume. Reyes: Didn’t think that would be your scene. Moira: There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me…

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Moira: Pity we’ll miss the masquerade - I have the perfect costume. Reyes: Didn’t think that would be your scene. Moira: You’re not the only one who likes to dress up.

---

Gabriel: It’s not exactly Carnevale McCree: You serious? Gabriel: I was looking forward to the masquerade! McCree: Fair enough.

Which now brings me to:

In-game official resources:

As a reminder, here is what Michael Chu has had to say about the interactions:

(Source)

(Source 2)

Because of these, the interactions between Reaper and Soldier: 76 can be deemed as “canon or potentially canon”:

Soldier: 76: Aren't you supposed to be dead?

Reaper: Didn't take.

Soldier: 76: One of these days someone is gonna to put an end to you.

Reaper: I invite them to try.

Soldier: 76: Well, you sure take to this “bad guy” thing easily, don't ya?

Reaper: And you sure know how to play “boy scout”.

Important here is that Soldier: 76 never accuses Reaper of being the cause of the fall of Overwatch or the cause of the Swiss Base explosion. This is in direct contrast with Soldier: 76′s new interaction with Moira:

Soldier: 76: You were a disgrace to Overwatch. If I had known what Reyes had been planning, I would never have allowed it.

Moira: It seems to me that it was convenient for you not to look too closely into Gabriel’s business.

(Audio clip)

While Soldier: 76′s interaction with Moira is not specifically canon, we can conclude that this is what he would say if he met her in the present day of Overwatch. Unlike his interactions with Reaper, he specifically calls Moira a “disgrace to Overwatch,” and implies that if he could have stopped her and/or Gabriel’s “plan”, he would have.

However, note that he also never directly describes “what Reyes had been planning”. This leaves the interaction very open to interpretation, and leaves just enough room to create a “plot twist” where Jack actually knows or and/or approves of Gabriel’s infiltration of Talon, while still allowing him enough room to be angry with Moira for her role in bringing Overwatch down.

Related to this, the interactions between Reaper and Ana (which also fall in the “canon or potentially canon” category) have a decidedly different tone than his interactions with Soldier: 76:

Reaper: Guess you're going back on my list, Ana.

Ana: What happened to you, Gabriel?

Reaper: I shouldn't be surprised you took his side.

Ana: You never gave me much choice.

Reaper: Just like old times.

Ana: Right. Except for the part where you became a homicidal maniac.

It appears that Ana might not be “aware” of whatever Gabriel is planning in Talon.

This also calls into question the “explanation” Gabriel gave Ana in “Old Soldiers.” Since we know that like, all of it is wrong, we need to ask why it is wrong: is it that Gabriel actually believes Jack and Overwatch left him behind “to suffer”, or is it that Gabriel is attempting to put on a “masquerade”, both for Ana and Hakim (who may be listening to him or watching him)?

It’s interesting that Reaper tells Hakim that:

Reaper: Once you set a trap...you never know what will fall into it.

Though we are told Reaper and Hakim “set the trap” to catch The Shrike, the juxtaposition of Soldier: 76, the cameras, the comms, and the wording can imply that Reaper and Soldier: 76 are the ones setting “the real trap”, to lure “the Shrike” out of hiding while still tricking both Ana and Hakim into their “trap”.

This goes along with the following in-game details:

Sombra’s apartment

I personally find it interesting that no one ever asks how Jack knew to search for the Shrike.

In-game details on maps are canonical in the sense that they provide us environmental story-telling details: while they do not “speak” parts of the story, they give us important clues about characters, their connections, and the overall plot.

Sombra’s apartment is a treasure trove of all these details, pointing to how important she is in the overall story.

Sombra knows: 1) who Soldier: 76, the Shrike, and Jesse McCree are, 2) how they interact with each other, and 3) possibly how to contact them.

She also, very obviously, knows Gabriel’s “biggest emotional secret”:

Sombra: What’s the plan today, Gabe? You don’t mind if I call you ‘Gabe,’ do you? Reaper: Stick to the mission.

No other characters have been shown to use this nickname for Gabriel.

Just Jack and, as a “joke”, Sombra.

Remember that names are important to Jack - arguably, more important to him than to Gabriel given Jack’s role as Strike-Commander. Jack’s usage of “Gabe”, “Gabriel”, “Commander Reyes”, and “Reyes” is almost entirely dictated by the people he is talking to or his immediate situation, not by his emotional state of being: “Gabe” is used twice, in personal and intimate moments, “Gabriel” is used during Gabriel’s debriefing (when McCree and Gérard are present), “Commander Reyes” is used when he talks to Lena Oxton for the first time, and “Reyes” is used in other “public” situations (e.g. Route 66, the Moira interaction). This appears to be part of Jack’s “soldier identity”: he has been the Strike-Commander and a soldier for so long that “code-switching” his names for Gabriel is automatic for him.

Gabriel, on the other hand, is more casual: he permits pretty much every character to call him “Gabriel” or “Reyes”, with Sombra and McCree (and interestingly, Jack as well) also calling him “boss.” At all points in his life, Gabriel is much less interested in maintaining military decorum than Jack is.

However, there’s obviously one particular nickname which only 1-2 people are “allowed” to use.

Sombra using “Gabe” carries significantly more emotional weight than initial appearances imply. Ana, Moira, McCree, and Pharah calling Gabriel “Gabriel” does not carry the same connotation - nor emotional power - as Sombra calling him “Gabe,” even as a joke.

On the flipside of this, Jack literally wearing the number “76″ on his back is a huge “reverse tell”:

Because Gabriel/Reaper is arguably the only person to fully understand what the name of “Soldier: 76″ represents:

Jack using a “title” that “Reaper” can easily identify is suspicious for many reasons: why does Jack want to draw attention to that? Why is he falling back on an identity that only Gabriel really truly understands? Is it a warning to “Reaper”, or is it an olive branch?

(And speaking of names, isn’t it interesting that Sombra’s real name is “Olivia”?)

Necropolis

Necropolis is the current hideout of Soldier: 76 and Ana - and one very blatant and obvious fact should stick out:

Not only do they sleep in separate beds, they literally sleep in separate “rooms”.

In fact, as part of the “canon or potentially canon” interactions between Soldier: 76 and Ana, there’s a semi-broken or unused one that can maybe be triggered on Necropolis:

Ana: Jack, we’re adults! You don’t have to sleep outside! Soldier: 76: I’m...fine where I am.

(Source)

Living in a separate building in the Necropolis is Jack’s choice.

The second obvious thing that sticks out:

The “Reaper sightings” map.

The locations are:

Los Angeles, California - Gabriel’s home city (which he visits in “Reflections”)

Watchpoint: Gibraltar - “Recall”

Numbani, Nigeria - “Masquerade”

St. Petersburg, Russia - “Infiltration”

Oasis, Iraq - no specific known event yet

The Oasis one is very important because so far, only “two people” are confirmed to know Reaper has been there. One is, obviously, Moira, who lives and works there as the Minister of Genetics -

And who appears to be working on a “cure” for Reaper’s condition.

The second is:

Sombra: So what are we doing here, boss?

Reaper: I need to pay a visit to a friend.

Sombra.

It is heavily implied that Sombra is “leaking” Reaper’s locations to Soldier: 76 and Ana.

Now, it is not known if she is doing this with or without his permission. At the moment, I am personally leaning towards the former: Sombra and Reaper are shown to have a tentative trust with each other, and Sombra not only knows who he is, but what is Gabriel’s driving goal:

There’s also this image which is all over Necropolis:

(source)

The imagery and iconography of it is basically summarized as Ana, Jack, and Gabriel, in that order. Both men wear crowns, though the crown on the “pharaoh” is not colored, and the crown on the last man is actually the “double-feathers” crown, symbolizing Amun and Amun-Ra, “king of the gods.”

While the implication of the image isn’t exactly clear, all the details on Necropolis, Sombra’s apartment in Castillo, and in-game interactions point to an ambiguous relationship between Reaper and Soldier: 76. Not only are there clearer demonstrations of genuinely bitter or angry interactions (for Reaper, see Ana and McCree, and for Soldier, see Moira), but everything about them - including their implied shared ties to Sombra as their information “go-between” - is extremely open-ended for two men who supposedly “hate” each other.

There is only one instance of one of them - Reaper - “blaming” the other for his condition, but not only are Reaper’s statements genuinely incorrect or wrong, the circumstances under which he says them (when Hakim is watching and listening) and the vague implication that Soldier: 76 helped him “set the trap” for Ana makes the entire series of statements skeptical and effectively unreliable in a literal sense:

I won’t discount the idea that Reaper is genuinely, truly angry and upset here, but I’m reaching the point where too many details add up and make it difficult to argue. Reaper is “putting on a masquerade” in a least two to three other plot events (Retribution, Infiltration, and Masquerade), so this “explanation” seems more and more like it’s part of that persona.

Other than that, no other remarks are made by Reaper, Soldier: 76, Ana, Sombra, or any other character that either Reaper or Soldier: 76 are responsible for the “fall” of Overwatch. The only article which alludes to the idea that Gabriel blew up the Swiss Base is incredibly unreliable as a source, even by in-universe standards.

Instead, an increasing amount of details and evidence points to Jack either being aware of Gabriel’s infiltration plan from the start, or becoming aware of it later. He may or may not directly approve of the plan, but he does not “reveal” Gabriel’s intentions to other people either.

Oasis

As someone who has watched the majority of these story developments get revealed “in real time”, it’s tricky to find a spot to describe Moira, her role in the story, how she influenced Gabriel and his relationship with Jack, and the contents in Oasis. The contents in Oasis are canon story details that tie the past to the present, and give an indication of how complicated Gabriel’s position with Moira and Talon has become.

In the present day, after “Recall” and throughout “Old Soldiers”, “Reflections”, and “Masquerade”, Moira is the Minister of Genetics in Oasis, Iraq. Oasis is a city specifically made for - and designed for - free and unrestricted scientific and technological advancement and experimentation. Like Necropolis, Oasis includes a handful of “semi-mythological references”, including a reference to the Tower of Babel and everything that implies.

Oasis Travel Tips: Blizzard official

For the University level, the two spawn points are two laboratories. One is the Genetics lab, which is run by Moira.

In this lab, you can find the following items:

Gabriel’s “Soldier 24″ folder, which implies that his “condition” was partially or mostly caused by the Soldier Enhancement Program:

And Mercy’s research, which implies that Moira is...rather liberally taking a few “inspirations” from Angela’s work:

(Or rather, it implies that Moira’s Healing Biotic Grasp uses Mercy’s technology.)

However, the opposite spawn room is the Chemistry lab.

And it is here where you will find Moira’s research on Gabriel’s condition and how to cure it.

This leads to a very interesting question:

Is Moira “sharing” her research?

Or did the Minister of Chemistry - currently unknown - take it, just like how Moira has “taken” Mercy’s research?

Moira’s paper on curing Gabriel’s condition, and the fact that it is currently in jeopardy, indicates a few things:

1. This plus Michael’s statements about Gabriel’s condition and his “interests” in genetics indicates that Gabriel recruited Moira to help cure his pre-fall “Reaper” condition.

2. It is highly probable that Gabriel has claimed that the cure for his condition is the main reason he is working for Moira and Talon, even though his actual motivations for joining Talon are probably significantly different (basically, that he wants to enact retribution upon them).

3. It makes his statements to Ana in “Old Soldiers” very suspicious, as we know SEP, Moira, and the Swiss Base explosion are the biggest factors in his current “Reaper condition.”

4. There is the potential for Gabriel and Jack to have genuinely disagreed on “curing” Gabriel’s condition, as well as his plan for infiltrating Talon. In an archetypal “undercover” trope fashion, they may have disagreed out of love for each other rather than anger over differences in methods.

5. There is also the potential for Gabriel and Jack to currently (as in, post-Recall) be working together to “cover” each other. With Sombra acting as their go-between, Gabriel might be delaying his retribution plan until he knows Moira can cure him, or he gets ahold of the cure or paper himself.

Based on the Necropolis map, Reaper’s “visit” to Oasis is currently canon, and both Soldier: 76 and Ana know about it.

“Out-of-game” Official Resources: Statements by Jeff Kaplan and Michael Chu

In chronological order:

1. Michael Chu’s Spring 2017 GDC talk titled “Thinking Globally: Building the Optimistic Future of Overwatch”

Full quote (bold and italics are for emphasis and do not reflect speaking tone):

“And then I’d like to talk about one of my favorite relationships in the Overwatch universe, which is the one between Gabriel Reyes - now Reaper, Jack Morrison - now Soldier: 76, and Ana Amari. Cause it’s a story about power, friendship, and how a changing world can bring people together and split them apart. It’s a relationship that defines the story of Overwatch, and how Overwatch grew as an organization, and even now today, what they’re all up to is important to driving forward the current story of the game. And what I really like about it is that it is a deep, complex relationship that’s not necessarily only driven by romance, and it highlights how different people can see and experience different events.

“Which brings me…to ‘Perspective.’ One of the things we really like doing with Overwatch is playing with perspective. We utilize perspective when we analyze or when we tell stories about characters, what they’re thinking, what their goals are. And we have a lot of unreliable narrators. We want people to pay careful attention to what characters think about in particular situations. We want them to use their judgment and their knowledge of a character’s thoughts to come up with their own ideas about the universe. You know, I’m asked often - with characters like Sombra or Soldier: 76, you know, ‘Are they anti-heroes? Are they villains?’ And I think, you know, you look at someone like Sombra, and it’s all about looking at, ‘What does she want? What is she willing to do to get it?’

“And you have to remember that when she’s telling you something, she’s serving her own ends too. So you know, you have to kinda make the decision for yourself. And I think you can take a character like Soldier: 76 - like obviously, he has this mission that he is on that he believes is good, he seems to be sometimes willing to do things which are… maybe not super heroic, and so it makes him complicated. We always have a lot of fun, uh - every once and awhile we’ll try and plot all the characters on like the traditional D’n’D alignment scale, and I think, you know, it’s fun exercise, but at the end of the day, I think what’s interesting about characters is that those alignments change depending on what situation you put them in, what’s important to them, and what decisions they have to make.

“[…] The world needs heroes, but it also needs villains. And we have a number of villainous characters in Overwatch. And what’s important to us is that their internal motivations are not purely rooted in ‘being evil,’ despite how they might seem on the surface. You know, as we reveal more about these characters, we want people to be able to empathize and understand their beliefs. Because sometimes what makes a villain a villain is the extent to which they’re willing to go to reach their goals. And one thing that we find most important when we’re talking about our villain characters is that there is nothing to say that a villain cannot be as charismatic - or more charismatic - or as likeable as a hero character. Because like the old saying goes, ‘Every villain is the hero of their own story.’”

---

As described above, there is relatively little evidence to support the idea that Michael’s line about romance was focused solely on Ana and one of the other masculine characters. Instead, since this talk, more and more details have shown that Ana - though absolutely an important part of the Overwatch leadership and an important friend to both Gabriel and Jack - is not a romantic interest of either character. Outside of the actual story and the “in-game” canon elements, Ana has other “suitors”, in particular Fareeha’s biological father Sam, and Reinhardt Wilhelm, who makes a number of admiring and flirtatious comments about Ana in Junkenstein’s Revenge.

Furthermore, Michael makes a good deal of effort to compare Sombra with Soldier: 76. As a reminder, both characters occupy a sort of “elevated status” with Gabriel and have permission (perhaps reluctantly, in Sombra’s case) to call him “Gabe.”

Lastly, Michael ends this part of the conversation by talking about how Overwatch writes and perceives its “villain” characters. Since that time, we have seen the release of Doomfist and the “Masquerade” comic, Moira and her Origin video, and the “Retribution” event, all of which give us more multifaceted sides to Gabriel, portraying him as far more empathetic and emotionally-vulnerable than previous story elements.

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2. Michael Chu and Geoff Goodman on Reaper and Moira’s working relationship, Moira reveal panel, Blizzcon November 2017: transcript

Geoff Goodman: “It [Her Fade ability] has some similarities to Reaper’s wraith form…uh which is…it’s funny how that works out.” Michael Chu: “You know, we obviously - there’s a…there’s a close relationship between Moira and Reyes-slash-Reaper, and I think one of the fun things we were able to do is to sort of hint at some of those things in her, uh, abilities.” Geoff Goodman: “She’s helping Reaper out and is like, ‘You know, I think I could make this better, I have an idea.’” Michael Chu: “Professional relationship.” Geoff Goodman: “Ahaha, yes…good call.” Michael Chu: “You know what I’m talking about.” [Whole panel laughs]

---

This comment is included to show the level of effort Michael Chu made to immediately deflect questions about a romantic relationship between Gabriel and Moira. Like, within minutes of Moira being revealed publically, the lead writer of Overwatch made a deliberate and intentional effort to preemptively diffuse discussions on if they were romantic. While the transcript downplays the little back-and-forth on the panel, both Michael and Geoff’s tone make it apparent that Gabriel and Moira are purely platonic associates, and that their relationship, while “close” in the sense that they share abilities (or rather, that Moira modified Gabriel’s abilities for her own use), is one that is strictly professional.

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3. Jeff Kaplan’s November 8, 2017 lecture: transcript and audio

Text: At one point, Reyes was in charge of Overwatch when it formed, and when ti becaome more of a thing after they defeated the Omnic Crisis, Morrison was actually given the top position of power and Reyes was overlooked because he was too rogue, he was too maverick in his leadership style - he ruffled too many feathers. And a lot of our fans have assumed, “Oh, that’s why Reyes and Morrison hate each other,” and the story that we’re developing is actually like, “No, these guys loved each other.” Like, they’re like, best war buddies. And in a lot of ways, Reyes was relieved that Morrison had to have the more political role, and like, he was like kind of - it’s always easier being the Number 2 guy because you’re not ultimately accountable for all that.

---

“Best war buddies” lol

Regardless of what happens or where the story goes, the fact that the lead game developer for a triple-A game title with over 40 million players stated that two military men genuinely loved each other is honestly very poignant and moving. As a reminder, “that depth of relationship” spanned almost 25 years before the “fall” of Overwatch, and currently stands at about 30 years when Recall is included.

Again, no matter where the plot goes or why, the fact remains that Gabriel and Jack did, at one point, love each other, and that currently, they very suspiciously “refuse” to actually fight or even really hurt each other. Reaper had the chance to do serious damage to Soldier: 76 (and then Ana) and basically “threw” his chances - a recurring “issue” for him, it seems. Not only is he incapable of killing Soldier: 76 or Ana, he does not manage to actually kill or do serious harm to Winston or Tracer either.

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4. Jeff Kaplan’s interview podcast with AIAS, May 2018: audio and transcript

Segment:

Ted Price: Who’s the oldest character? Or what’s the age of the oldest character?

Jeff Kaplan: I think, um…I think it’s Gabriel Reyes, who is Reaper. But it’s kinda not a fair answer, because technically Reaper is dead? But I think that’s a little bit questionable. So Gabriel Reyes was, like, Jack Morrison’s partner - they were Soldier: 76 - and he was in Overwatch, and then he kinda goes bad and there’s a horrific thing that happens and he becomes Reaper.

---

So like I’ve said elsewhere:

Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a pattern.

As part of the “context” of this line, Jeff had specifically been talking about how Overwatch integrates diversity into its story: that it doesn’t want to do a “checklist” of representation, but rather make the characters feel real and emotional and substantial. That, as part of that effort, they’ve included stories about two Japanese brothers having a falling out, or an Egyptian sniper and her heroic daughter -

Or the story of a brave, determined fighter pilot-turned-adventurer who loves her girlfriend.

The fact of the matter is:

You can now write “Gabriel and Jack loved each other. Gabriel was Jack’s partner.” and these lines are 100% accurate to actual statements made by the lead developer of the game himself. You can write that their relationship was and is “a deep, complex relationship that’s not necessarily only driven by romance” and it is 100% accurate to statements made by the lead writer of the game.

You can write things like “so far, only Jack Morrison was allowed to call Gabriel Reyes ‘Gabe’ (until Sombra decided to tease him about it)” and that’s 100% accurate to everything that’s been represented in the story of Overwatch itself.

You can write that “protecting Jack Morrison was Gabriel Reyes’ guiding and decision-making motivation” and that is 100% accurate to the comic of “Retribution.”

You can write that “Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes represented two halves of a single whole” and that is 100% accurate to all that they are:

And the lead writer of Overwatch himself has said the following:

We want people to pay careful attention to what characters think about in particular situations. We want them to use their judgment and their knowledge of a character’s thoughts to come up with their own ideas about the universe.

That he wants you to pay attention, look at the details, analyze them, and develop your own interpretation.

In light of the relatively recent revelations about Lúcio’s father, or the newest addition to the playable roster (Brigitte, at the time of this writing), it is true that Overwatch isn’t done telling stories about relationships, interconnectivity, families, friendships, and companionship. So yes, I realize that there could be additional “plot twists” along the way, and that these could concern Gabriel and Jack.

But as a counterpoint, the recent burst of new interactions (that came with the 2nd Anniversary update) remains...suspiciously “light” in terms of Reaper and Soldier: 76.

Compare and contrast:

Lúcio and Pharah get new interactions focusing on their parents: Lúcio gets two abotu his father, and Pharah gets one with Ana about her biological father Sam, and one with Sombra about her mother, Ana (who prevented her daughter from being accepted into Overwatch). Torbjörn, Bastion, and Brigitte get a handful of new interactions talking about Torbjörn “adopting” Bastion, and Zenyatta gets one with Torbjörn where he patiently (and a bit mischievously) observes that Torbjörn “has taken in an Omnic”. Orisa tells Reinhardt how she is analyzing his combat abilities, and Genji gets a new interaction with Zenyatta about Hanzo.

Moira gets a lot of new interactions: one with Mercy, two with Winston, one with Pharah, one with McCree, one with Mei -

And one with Reaper...and then one with Soldier: 76.

The interconnectivity of relationships in Overwatch is important. In fact, it is arguably what makes the characters and world so compelling, even if the story has fluctuated in retaining a strong audience at times. With the recent interactions update, that interconnectivity increased almost exponentially, and Overwatch did not shy away from interactions about familial relationships.

It even introduced a new one - Lúcio and his father, and returned to one that it had previously only implied in “Reflections” - the relationship between Ana, Fareeha, and Sam.

In contrast, Gabriel got a huge story moment in “Retribution”: his personality, his motivations, his methods, and his focus were all explored with a relatively emotional depth.

And what we saw is that - when asked to consider what will help “keep the world safe”:

Gabriel Reyes did not think of “a family” - unknown and distant. He did not think of “home” - like Los Angeles or the Swiss Base. He did not think of his life’s work with Overwatch, nor his “power” in Blackwatch. He did not think of his “Reaper” condition, nor enacting revenge on Antonio.

He did not even think of Talon, and how he wanted to destroy them, eye for an eye.

When asked to think about keeping “the world” safe:

Gabriel thought of Jack.

And while there are numerous ways to interpret and discuss their current relationship as “Reaper” and “Soldier: 76″, it is clear that Gabriel is still very much on the forefront of Jack’s mind:

Soldier: 76: You were a disgrace to Overwatch. If I had known what Reyes had been planning, I would never have allowed it.

Moira: It seems to me that it was convenient for you not to look too closely into Gabriel’s business.

(Audio clip)

The details in the comics and shorts matter. The details in the game matter. The details in the interactions matter. The details in the developer and writer comments matter.

And that is why I am compiling this.

This is a story with so much potential. But it is important to realize that even what is present here, now, two years after the game launched, has come a long ways. Sometimes it feels like it’s not enough.

And sometimes, we get a glimpse into the true “depth” of that relationship.

Which brings me to the final part.

Unofficial discussions, write-ups, posts, and interpretations

Like the official developer and writer comments section, this one will go in real-world chronological order. I prefer this method so that both the readers and myself can see the analytical and interpretative changes that my personal thoughts and ideas have gone through over the last 18 months.

Again, not all of these are true: many of these ideas have been proven incorrect, many only “half correct”, etc. The vast majority are still waiting “to be confirmed” or denied.

If you read or reference these, please keep in mind my two main “purposes” in writing them:

1. I write them for myself and my closest friends. Pretty much all of these posts are written from my own ideas and conversations I have with a handful of other Overwatch fans. I have always written these down to basically document my ideas, conversations, and theories. Many are extremely informal in tone, and are written specifically for tumblr’s kinda insane blog format.

I write them because I enjoy the exploration of the characters and world of Overwatch. I write them because I enjoy analyzing and discussing story details, character development, and changing plot points. I write them because I enjoy reflexively engaging with the stories and media I consume.

Therefore, the structures of the posts vary wildly, based mainly on my mindset and mood at the time of the post, and the ideas and analysis I was trying to explore then. The best examples of these are “Quick Reasons Not to Trust Moira in Retribution” and “Long Reasons Not to Trust Moira in Retribution.” I wrote “Quick” at 2 am, on my phone, less than 24 hours (2 am, April 11) after Retribution had become globally playable. In contrast, I wrote “Long” two days later (April 13), after I had more time to collect more pieces of the story, build a case, cite my sources, and use better formatting (and also get more sleep, lol).

2. The secondary “objective” of the posts is always subsumed by Point 1: I am glad, happy, grateful, and humbled that people enjoy the posts. I really am. But again, it is not about being “right or wrong, correct or incorrect, confirmed or denied.”

If the posts generate discussions, or they get other people to think and engage with Overwatch in a critical, analytical manner, then to me, that is what makes them important. I do not particularly care if you don’t believe Moira was the double-agent in Retribution - but if it made you stop and think about Moira’s goals, her ambitions, her methods, and her character development, then that is what I’m happy for.

“An Eye for An Eye” (17) is a good, more recent example of the “second objective” of these posts: it’s not about settling on one particular interpretation (though I do that with stuff like “Death Becomes You” and “Long Reasons Not to Trust Moira in Retribution”). Sometimes, many times, these posts are just about analyzing what some evidence shows and discussing how it can fit into different interpretations and then into different story narratives that Blizzard could use.

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1. a post about the “Reaper sightings” map in the then-new Necropolis map on the PTR. Date: May 23, 2017. Discusses canon locations Reaper had visited between Recall and “Reflections.” Includes a small discussion Oasis, and why Reaper would go there (well before Moira was revealed).

2. “Talon: Clawing to the Top.” Date: July 06, 2017. Written after Doomfist was revealed (July 06, 2017) but before the “Masquerade” comic was released (July 16, 2017). Is not totally correct (e.g. on the Volskaya part) but more discusses the changing world of Overwatch and why Doomfist is so focused on conflict as a source of growth. First essay to discuss the implication that Reaper is working with Sombra to bring down Talon.

3. a post about the significance of Reaper wearing the Red Death disguise at a literal masquerade, and how it compares to Edgar Allan Poe’s short story. Date: July 16, 2017.

4. “Death Becomes You”. Date: July 16, 2017. Analyzed the “Masquerade” comic from the lens of “The Masque of the Red Death.” Discussed how Doomfist and Reaper compare to the principal characters of the story - Prince Prospero and the Red Death. Argues that the “main character” who is “masquerading” in Talon is Reaper.

5. a post about the imagery of Necropolis, and how it appears to symbolize the relationships between Reaper, Soldier: 76, and Ana. Date: August 01, 2017. Taken with Number 1, Necropolis seems to hint that there is “more going on” between the three old soldiers, that it’s possible Soldier: 76 and Ana are either trying to help Reaper or are actively working with him, and that Sombra may act as a point of contact between them all.

6. “Devil in the Details.” Date: August 20, 2017. An essay analyzing the map of active Overwatch investigations, and how one key location (Switzerland) is highly suspicious. Also discusses if Gabriel and Jack are currently working together in the Recall area.

7. “Moira: A Fate Fulfilled.” Date: November 05, 2017. Compares a timeline of fan ideas (e.g. “Evil Mercy,” “Mercy failed to resurrect Reyes,” and “we need a Talon support character”) with Moira’s design, her backstory, and her abilities. Discusses how Moira seemsto fill a “void” that was missing in the plot for a long time, as well as her research on Reaper.

8. “Everything You Want to Know About Reaper and Soldier: 76.” Date: November 09, 2017. Reviews and analyzes the then-available information about Reaper and Soldier: 76, particularly in light of Jeff Kaplan’s lecture. Discusses speculation on the Venice Mission before we fully knew what it would be. Importantly, it also discusses how Jack Morrison was probably aware of Blackwatch missions, which was later confirmed by “Retribution”.

9. “Quick Reasons Not to Trust Moira in Retribution.” Date: April 11, 2018. 10. “Long Reasons Not to Trust Moira in Retribution.” Date: April 13, 2018. Please. Please read this. Especially if you have questions at the end of “Quick Reasons.” For the love of everything, I can guarantee you that if you have a question about Gabriel/Reaper and Moira, I have probably answered it in this essay. If you ask me “Why would Moira want more funding from Talon if she works for Blackwatch?” I will literally just send you a link to this essay.

11. things I found interesting about the Blackwatch Venice memos. Date: April 24, 2018. Basically summarizes “Long Reasons” but in a lot less detail. Goes over the “declassified” memos about the Venice Mission.

12. An important detail people are missing. Date: April 24, 2018. Reviews both Retribution and “Devil in the Details” but with more current information.

13. “A Clash of Kings”. Date: April 28, 2018. Discusses if Akande knows who Reaper is. Describes my method for interpreting unreliable narrators and perspectives in Overwatch (e.g. in the shorts and comics). Also talks about Moira’s role as a sort of mediator between Akande and Reaper, and “whose side” she would take if she was forced to choose.

14. “The Immortal Soldier?”. Date: May 4, 2018. Hypothesizes on if Jack Morrison has achieved a sort of “pre-fall Reaper state of existence” (e.g. that he can get hurt, feel pain, and accumulate scars, but that he might be unintentionally self-healing/self-sustaining).

15. A reply to “A Clash of Kings” where I talk about the “canon” or “in-game” evidence for Reaper76 and Anahardt. Date: May 7, 2018.

16. “Retribution and Reapercussions”. Date: May 13, 2018. An extremely long write-up on the consequences of the Blackwatch Venice mission in the immediate aftermath. Talks about Gabriel’s debriefing, and how he might have “negotiated” with Moira to buy her silence. Also explores how the mission may have emotionally wounded both Gabriel and Jack on a very personal level, and while the mission didn’t specifically tear them apart, it certainly cut very deep.

17. “An Eye for An Eye”. Date: May 25, 2018. A write-up on the Soldier: 76-Moira interaction, and how the wording of Soldier’s lines is just vague enough to imply a few different interpretations. Explores if Jack: 1) knew or did not know about Gabriel’s infiltration plans for Talon and 2) approved or disapproved of them. Also talks about how Jack’s personality has become almost a mirror of pre-fall Gabriel’s.

18. A reply to an ask about Jack’s use of different names for Gabriel. Date: May 25, 2018. Personally, I think that - more than any other character “pair” in the game - Jack’s use of different names for Gabriel (Gabe, Gabriel, Reyes, Commander Reyes, boss, bad guy, etc) are almost 100% contextual/situational, which shows a considerable depth between both of them. Jack’s use of different names is not necessarily correlated with emotion or “emotional distance”, but with his sense of military protocol and situational contexts (e.g. “private personal discussions” vs “public, formal ones”).

19. Michael Chu’s interview where he confirms that none of the characters have gone in “completely different directions” (aka major retcons) since the game started, but he also confirms that the way they’ve been releasing and telling the stories has had an impact on what they can show and represent about characters, specifically Reaper. Date: May 30, 2018.

20. “Those Who Rise Up”. Date: June 1, 2018. Part 2 of the exploration on the consequences of Retribution, this time from Talon’s end. Discusses Akande and the “Doomfist legacy”, the creation of Widowmaker and her parallels to Reaper, and if Tracer’s Slipstream flight was an accident or sabotage.

21. Three “quick pieces” on newer interpretations on the “Old Soldiers” and “Legacy” comics, using more knowledge from Uprising, Retribution, and other sources: (Post where Soldier’s actions are suspicious), (Post about how Reaper’s explanation to Ana about his condition is incorrect), (Post about how Gabriel was actually probably empathetic with Jack after Ana’s “death”). Date: June 5, 2018.

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All in all, I hope these resources are useful. Again, even with this actual “collection of resources” post, I’m really basically writing this for myself (because I’m getting tired of search through my own blog for this stuff, lol). but please feel free to use any and all resources for your own stuff. Save them, like them, reblog them, link them - that is precisely what this post is for.

#long post #reaper76 #r76 #reaper #gabriel reyes #soldier: 76 #jack morrison #soldier 76 #overwatch #overwatch lore #overwatch resources #resources #references #mega post #reaper resources #soldier: 76 resources #my essays #my writing

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