Arian Dynas wrote...
Also, an interesting thing I noticed. During the fight with him, one of the things Kai Leng says is "We evolve, or we die" recall that Leng is fully indoctrinated. A bit more fodder for the "Reapers see themselves as the end of evolution" theory.
Arian Dynas wrote...
I've been thinking about it, and I think I've got the Reapers figured out.
Here's the "birth" of the Reapers in my opinion;
Long ago in the Milky Way, a species arises, skilled in both science and war, they are among the first to discover the Mass Effect and move out into the stars. They make many enemies along the way, perhaps even forming an empire in the process, seeking to integrate others into their might, perhaps seeing their wars as a sort of sick philanthrophism, granting might to the weak, and unity to the individual, but in the end, they are pushed back to their home world, a dying rock, exhausted by it's population. Calamity strikes, quickly and effectively, leaving them with little time.
They realize they must leave, or they will face extinction, there is no time to take everyone with them via ship, they simply don't have the means, and would far prefer to avoid becoming an endangered species in a galaxy out for their blood. So they turn to technology to preserve both their strength, and their legacy.
Their grim sciences which made them masters of what they saw, are now put to use saving their species from the ravages of natural selection. They come to a realization. Though they will never transport their bodies off, nothing precludes the traveling of the mind.
Repurposing the flagship of their fleet, the greatest of their ships, they begin to improve it, making it a worthy vessel for their continued existence, though they find themselves lacking for materials. Turning again to desperation, they use their own bodies, their sciences having made them as equally skilled in the manipulation of flesh as the manipulation of metal.
Finally, their ship is all but complete, when a mighty scientist and military mind comes to an important realization. What if the ship is damaged? She will need physical crew to repair her, and there shall be no physical crew remaining from their great work's completion.
He finds the soloution. Their species is known for the skill at manipulating the minds of others, a technology they long discovered, and one they integrate into every aspect of their ship's technology, a power that will allow them to go to war, and if ever is needed, melt down and integrate whatever building materials they need.
Thus, with the collected minds of an entire species embodied in one physical form, they leave behind their dying planet, the minds forming into one gestalt entity. And thus is born Harbinger.
Harbinger revels in his new form, a single mind, formed of many. He chooses to take this opportunity to settle old scores, using the mightiest capital ship that ever has, or ever will be seen.
After facing his own near destruction, Harbinger comes to the realization that alone, he is vulneruable.
He comes to the realization that HE is the pinnacle of creation, the greatest of all beings that has ever existed, or ever will exist. He also realizes that his is a form that all others should aspire to, NAY! A form they should be FORCED into if need be.
Forcing other species into a form such as his is doing them a kindness, allowing them the perfection of a form like his own. He conquers several of his old enemies, turning the greatest of them into capital ships, while others, those he finds more pathetic and simple, are merely made into his destroyers. Animals of all shapes and descriptions are not exempt either, rather than leaving them to die on a planet with a shattered biosphere, he creates the first Troop Transports and Processing Ships ships from their raw materials, beginning the creation of his armada.
Finally, with a galaxy stripped of his enemies, both great and small. Harbinger finds himself and his fleet without purpose, their war won forever. He then comes to a realization, life will arise again in the Milky Way, more great species will be born to accomplish great things as his own did. He could exterminate all life now if he chose.
Instead, he chooses to grant them the kindness of perfection, the opportunity to rise to his level, the peak of evolution. Though he becomes aware, they will certainly become a threat to him, so he chooses to do what his species was know best for, and turns to science. He realizes that if he provides an easy, accessable route for them, they will take it, giving him a method of control oever them. And so, the Reapers as they have now termed themselves, begin to sow the seeds of their crop of flesh, creating the Mass Relays, repurposing old enemies as the Keepers, and preparing to wait for a new crop to rise...