The light hearted and cartoony feel of Overwatch has a sinister past.
Reaper is the badass masked villain in Overwatches offence class. His front-line execution style can be a true horror when your up against him. There is more behind the mask then meets the eye though and his skins tell the deeper story.
10. Classic
Reaping souls and erasing names.
This masked villain has an identity largely unknown to the greater Overwatch Universe. For those who do know, he’s Gabriel Reyes. He organized a coup which destroyed Overwatch from the inside. Reaper’s genetically modified ability to ender and leave a room in a puff of smoke gives him his ghostly presence.
Since the fall of Overwatch, Reaper has been sighted in many battle fields. H His allegiance belongs to no one other than his revenge and mission to assassinate all former Overwatch members. The mask doesn’t just hide his identity. It also hides the horrors done to his face in the explosive destruction of Overwatch.
See him in action.
9. Hellfire
There is no scorn like Hell's fire.
Hellfire is the names of Reaper’s guns. This Thrasher/Ed Hardy looking skin plays to all the influences on the character’s conception. Reapers are a class from StarCraft II who also wield duel weapons. The mask seems to be a relic right out of Diablo III.
Reaper's shotguns have "RPNT" printed on their sides. This likely means "Repent." On this skin we also get an added flame detail. This skin is a true hot rod.
Watch him burn.
8. Shiver
Death comes over you like a chill.
Reaper has been given the reputation of a cold-blooded killer. He’s known to leave a horrific battle field without a scratch on him. This Winder Wonderland Event skin plays right into that notion of him. The cool frost that pours out from his mask is like the chilly breath of death’s whisper.
Like the coldest night, Reaper will kill with little motive. However, on Christmas he was spotted stalking an unknown family on their winter streets. Developers have since commented saying that is was not just some random family. Maybe this grinches heart can grow bigger yet.
Grab a blanket for this one.
7. Mariachi
Every day is the Day of the Dead for Reaper.
The names for death varies on the regions and cultures you are looking at. All of them have a name for Reaper. Sugar skull mask. Sombrero. Embordered duster and boots to match. This skin represents the celebration of the day of the dead, his favorite time of the year.
Reapers normal mask could also be interpreted as the barn owl. Mexican folklore regards them as the messengers of the land of the dead. Reaper's Wraith Form also looks somewhat like an owl in flight.
Your next Comic Con outfit.
6. Wight
Fallen angels will always land on earth.
Reaper always shoots his left gun first. He also has a pose with his hands crisscrossed – right arm in front- a characteristic of left handed people. This beautifully angelic white with platinum finish seems out of character for the mercenary. The designers of Overwatch are always thinking way deeper then stitching. However, the fabric work of this skins white leather cape is incredible.
In the Christian belief system, God’s right-hand man was the archangel Gabriel. The intention doesn’t come simply from the name but also from the fact the Gabriel is the angel of death.
Say your prayers before watching this one.
5. Pumpkin
Try not yo lose your head.
If you don’t immediately understand the reference of this skin, check out the tale of The Headless Horseman. This skin was a great redesign of all of Reaper’s aesthetics. It has been reported that the few bodies recovered from a Reaper execution are pale, empty, drained of all life. Your souls only make him stronger.
In the Second Halloween Terror event he also received a Dracula skin which might be a better representation of him, but this is the better skin. During the event in Hollywood the theater features a movie poster of Reaper riding on the back of a phantom horse.
Don't watch this in the dark.
4. Biker
Olympic games, meet olimpic kill streaks.
Does biking really have much to do with Reaper? No, probably not. But who cares, look at this skin. His shot guns have that sports car like speed about them. The orange to red gradient will always be a good color on him as well. I love all the armor traded in for knee pads, a jump suit and a bitching racing helmet.
Reaper’s guns on this skin say, “Speed Fang”, “T4” and “Reaper”. In the Summer Games you probably have guessed that his signature sport is BMX.
See this look in action.
3. Plague Doctor
Don't bother bringing out your dead, he'll do it for you.
Reaper holds the skulls of two birds chocking on his barrel. A tattered green robe give the skin an air of something old world. It feels sickly just to look at. The mask is the pièce de résistance. The bird like shape is the exact type of mask worn by some witch doctors during the black plague.
Reaper's shotguns read "CRW-ND", which likely refers to the Left 4 Dead 2 achievement "cr0wned". The achievement is earned by killing a witch with one shotgun shot.
Watch this twice and call your doctor in the morning.
2. Blackwatch
Watch your back. He comes in the cover of the night.
After Overwatch brought an end to the Omnic Crisis promotions were in order. Reyes was passed over to make Morrison strike commander. Instead, Reyes became the head of Blackwatch, Overwatches secretive covert ops cell. This skin was one of the first event skins to be released for Reaper. Yet you saw it in the Retribution event in which he and his team aim to extract a terrorist mobster in the cover of night. What was best about the release of this skin was the reveal of what Reyes looked like before the mask.
Most of his skins have him strapped with grenades of some kind. You can’t use them in game, but, in the Overwatch Short “Recall” he uses a grenade launcher attached to the bottom on his gun. It’s a possible ability that was scrapped before the game. Another scrapped ability, reaping the souls of your enemies not just for health but to also prevent Mercy from a resurrection.
This video will self destruct.
1. Soldier 24
The streets of LA meet the tech of Overwatch
Here we have Gabriel at his very beginning. Heenlisted in the U.S. Soldier Enhancement Program as Soldier: 24, along with Morrison. The U.N. invited the both to join Overwatch at its beginning because of their gifts in battle. His guns are their most rudimentary here, and his outfit is some kind of U.S. army/war machine hybrid. He was quit the looker before you had to fear him as you fear death itself.
Soldier: 24 guns say "RVGR" and "US ADVANCED MILITARY ARMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE ALLOY SUPERFOIL TYPE-24" According to Reaper's dog tag on his Soldier: 24 skin his blood type is AB Negative, his soldier ID number is 06 0000 0024, and he has no religion.
Step one, watch. Step two, hop onto battle.net and play.
