Reaper/Soldier: 76
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Jack Morrison (Soldier: 76)/Gabriel Reyes (Reaper) |
| Alternative name(s): | Reaper76 |
| Gender category: | Slash, m/m |
| Fandom: | Overwatch |
| Canonical?: | none canon |
| Prevalence: | popular |
| Archives: | |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Reaper/Soldier: 76 is a popular Overwatch ship. It centres around two Offense Heroes, Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes, known respectively as Soldier: 76 and Reaper. They are a popular ship due to their canon connection through Overwatch, although the ship itself is not canon.
Canon
Jack Morrison used to be the Strike Commander of Overwatch during the Omnic Invasion[1]. However, Overwatch was destroyed in an explosion and Jack was presumed dead. He became a vigilante and fights for justice, as seen in the animated short 'Hero'.
Gabriel Reyes used to be the leader of Overwatch before becoming part of Blackwatch, Overwatch's covert black ops division. Eventually he led a rebellion against the main part of Overwatch, which led to the explosion that destroyed its headquarters.[2] he was nearly killed by the explosion, like Jack, but mysteriously survived and is kept alive by constantly regenerating nanoparticles. Due to this, he no longer has a true physical form and can become wraithlike. He is now part of the illegal organisation Talon.
While Reaper/Soldier: 76 is not canon, the two characters have a long history together through Overwatch. They used to be best friends before Jack's promotion to Strike Commander.
Fanon
Reaper/Soldier: 76 is a popular pairing in the Overwatch fandom due to the duo's history together. Other factors include: they are both Offense heroes, are roughly the same age, and since Jack was the leader of Overwatch and Gabriel was the leader of Blackwatch, there is a sense of yin and yang to shipping them. Jack symbolises justice, while Gabriel symbolises chaos. Their in-game character designs reflect this; Reaper is predominantly black, whereas Soldier: 76 is predominantly colourful and bright.
Fanfiction tends to focus on angst or hurt/comfort situations. This is due to both characters being both physically and emotionally scarred, carrying deep regrets and dark histories. As well as this, due to Overwatch's strong lore yet vague timeline, Reaper/Soldier: 76 stories are written for every time period in (and out of) Overwatch canon. Common topics for fanfics include:
- Modern Day Fanfiction (i.e. the same time as the video game)
- Overwatch/Blackwatch Fanfiction (When the two were both in Overwatch, or beforehand when they were best friends)
- Alternate Universe Fanfiction
There are many fanworks dedicated to this ship. It is the second most popular Overwatch ship on Archive Of Our Own, with nearly 2,000 works as of Sat. 11 March 2017.[3]
Prominent fan artists include:
Fanworks
Zines
Archives and Communities
- Reaper76 on Deviantart
- Soldier: 76 / Reaper on Archive Of Our Own
- Reaper76 on Tumblr
- Reaper76 Week official blog on Tumblr