Pseudo-Sci-Fi: Reaper’s condition
[Post 2 in a series on how to kinda sorta sound like you know what you’re doing when writing about Overwatch weapons and technology]
[AKA: so you need to write about Reaper and/or Moira and don’t know where to begin.]
Alright, so, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably hit one of two walls: 1) you want to write or create something either about Overwatch or set in its fictional future, and you don’t know where to start OR 2) you’ve started writing or creating something about Overwatch or set in its fictional future, and you hit a wall because none of it makes any sense.
If you’re nitpicky like me, your brain probably trips up because it doesn’t make sense, how does that work, why can this even happen, there must be some way of rationalizing this bs.
First step in the process:
Recognize that no matter how much you try to make sense of it, some parts of it will never make sense.
Overwatch operates on something the development team has called “firm sci-fi,” which Michael Chu describes as a middle ground between “hard sci-fi” (where mechanisms are explained) and “soft sci-fi” (which verges more on fantasy). They describe this as giving “high tech” sounding names to abilities, skills, and technologies and making them semi-“feasible” (in-universe, not in the real world) without getting too caught up in the details.
Second step in the process:
I’m pretty goddamn clueless on a lot of this stuff. I’ve halfassed more explanations for in-universe topics than I can count. But as long as it makes internal sense to whatever version of the Overwatch “canon” you’re creating, then that’s all that matters.
This post will work by describing: in-game and/or in-universe mechanics, comparing them to real world or “hypothetical” real world counterparts, and then developing possible combinations so you can sound kinda sorta smart on this stuff. This is not intended to be an in-depth explanation of how anything works, real or fictional. This is meant to be a starting point resource for someone who knows nothing about how both the fictional Overwatch technology and weapons and potential real world counterparts operate (like me). The purpose of this is to provide those interested with terms and concepts that they can then research further (if they want) or “stick to the basics” (if they want).
Part 1: Torbjörn and his turret
My current and favorite topic to explore in both canon-analysis and fiction-writing:
Gabriel Reyes, alias Reaper
Canon basics: Gabriel Reyes - Recall-era alias of “Reaper” - is a mercenary, Talon leader, military/covert operations strategist, and a scientific enigma. Over the course of his long canon story, Reyes has been the Crisis-era Overwatch Strike-Commander, the commander of the Overwatch covert ops division of Blackwatch, a Talon agent, and at the time of “Masquerade” a Talon leader. He wields dual shotguns and possesses a myriad of unique and enhanced capabilities including life drain, the ability to disintegrate into smoke particles, and the ability to “teleport” those particles. He might be canonically unkillable and/or physically unable to die.
Reaper is an incredibly difficult character to write science fiction theories, concepts, and plotlines for. Out of all the characters presented in Overwatch - including a talking genetically-enhanced gorilla and a mech-driving hamster - Reaper is the one that dips the most into traditional fantasy elements, including the ability to “wraith” himself, “drain life energy”, and his implied post-death immortality.
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