Reapers (Mass Effect)
The Reapers are a fictional fleet of sentient starships that serve as the main antagonists of the Mass Effect trilogy. The design of the Reapers was inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos deities. Within the series, the Reapers cause galactic-level mass extinctions every fifty-thousand years. The Reapers and their technology are capable of brainwashing organic life through a mind control process called indoctrination. The Reapers employ servants who are often altered into synthetic-organic life forms.
| The Reapers | |
|---|---|
| Mass Effect race | |
3D model of a Reaper Destroyer, as presented in The Art of the Mass Effect Universe (2012). | |
| First appearance | Mass Effect (2007) |
| Last appearance | Mass Effect 3 (2012) |
| Created by | Drew Karpyshyn |
| In-universe information | |
| Created by | The Catalyst |
| Leader | Harbinger |
Notable Reapers include Sovereign, first mentioned in the 2007 novel Mass Effect: Revelation, and Harbinger, a major antagonist of Mass Effect 2, and leader of the Reaper invasion on Earth in Mass Effect 3. Sovereign and Harbinger are voiced by Peter Jessop and Keith Szarabajka, respectively.
The Reapers were generally well received by critics, and regularly feature on lists of the greatest video game antagonists.