Pre Ominic & Crisis

Before the Omnic Crisis, Gabriel Reyes had an extensive military background that shaped him into the soldier and leader he would become. Though little is known about his early life, his rise through the ranks of the U.S. military and his role in the Soldier Enhancement Program played a crucial part in his transformation into one of the most formidable warriors of his time.Early Life & Military Career
Gabriel Reyes' exact birthplace remains unknown, though his name and fluency in Spanish suggest Latino heritage, possibly from the United States or Mexico. His childhood and family background are not well-documented, but he showed early promise as a skilled fighter and strategist.Reyes joined the U.S. military at a young age, excelling in combat, leadership, and tactical operations. His natural abilities and battlefield expertise led to his selection for the Soldier Enhancement Program, a government initiative designed to create physically and mentally superior soldiers. As “Soldier: 24,” Reyes underwent extensive genetic and cybernetic augmentations, increasing his strength, speed, endurance, and reflexes. His enhancements made him an elite operative, outpacing even his counterpart, Jack Morrison (Soldier: 76), in many areas.Special Operations & Leadership
Reyes quickly established himself as a brilliant yet ruthless commander, favoring decisive action over diplomacy. His leadership style was aggressive and results-driven, earning him both respect and fear among his peers. While Morrison focused on teamwork and discipline, Reyes prioritized efficiency, tactical superiority, and achieving objectives by any means necessary.Overwatch Formation
During the Omnic Crisis, the United Nations formed Overwatch, a specialized strike force to combat the global omnic uprising. Reyes was chosen as Overwatch’s first commander due to his military experience and combat prowess. However, as Overwatch grew, internal conflicts between him and Morrison intensified. While Reyes was the official leader, many within Overwatch gravitated toward Morrison’s charismatic, idealistic leadership, causing friction that would later contribute to the organization’s downfall.Traits & Skills Before the Omnic Crisis
✔ Elite Combatant: One of the most skilled soldiers of his generation.
✔ Strategic & Ruthless: Focused on winning battles with calculated efficiency.
✔ Respected Yet Feared: A natural leader, though his aggressive methods raised concerns.
✔ Physically Enhanced: Possessed superhuman abilities due to the Soldier Enhancement Program.Gabriel Reyes' pre-Omnic Crisis era was defined by his military excellence, leadership skills, and growing ideological divide with Jack Morrison—a conflict that would later lead to Overwatch’s collapse and Reyes’ eventual transformation into Reaper.

Ominic Crisis

The Omnic Crisis and Overwatch Formation
During the Omnic Crisis, Gabriel Reyes' military experience, strategic mind, and skill as a soldier earned him a critical role in combating the global threat. As omnics—robots and machines created by humans—rebelled against humanity, world governments scrambled to form a unified response to the crisis. The United Nations established Overwatch, a global task force meant to end the Omnic Crisis and restore order.Reyes was chosen alongside Jack Morrison to serve as the leaders of Overwatch due to their combat prowess and leadership abilities. Morrison was a charismatic and tactical genius, while Reyes was a ruthless, results-driven strategist with an emphasis on decisive action. Together, they formed a powerful leadership team that was instrumental in leading Overwatch during the war against the omnics.Reyes’ Leadership in the Omnic Crisis
Reyes, as the Commander of Overwatch, took charge of the highly dangerous and covert operations during the crisis, focusing on direct strikes against the Omnic forces. His leadership was defined by his pragmatism and ruthless efficiency. Under his command, Overwatch successfully defeated key omnic strongholds, securing major victories and saving countless lives in the process. However, Reyes’ tactical decisions often meant making hard, morally ambiguous choices—decisions that led some to question his methods.Despite the immense success of Overwatch under his command, Reyes and Morrison’s differing leadership styles began to show. While Reyes valued results above all, often resorting to aggressive and direct action, Morrison believed in diplomacy, teamwork, and the idealistic vision of Overwatch as a force for peace. These differences would eventually strain their relationship and lay the foundation for later conflicts.Blackwatch: Reyes Takes Control
As Overwatch’s official leader was chosen, Morrison was promoted to the official Commander of Overwatch, and Reyes was appointed to lead Blackwatch, the covert operations division of Overwatch. Blackwatch was tasked with undercover missions, including espionage, counter-terrorism, and assassination—operations that often required tougher, more morally gray tactics than the open, public-facing role of Overwatch.While Morrison focused on maintaining the public image and maintaining global peace, Reyes took charge of Blackwatch’s secretive and often brutal missions. Reyes became more disillusioned with the world’s growing corruption, and as he watched Overwatch become entangled in politics, he increasingly saw his division as the only place where real change could happen—albeit in a dark, shadowy manner. His leadership in Blackwatch solidified his reputation as a leader who would do anything necessary to get the job done, even if it meant making ruthless decisions.Rising Tensions and Reyes' Discontent
Though successful in his covert operations, Reyes’ role in Blackwatch pushed him further apart from Morrison. The growing divide between them was not just due to their differing approaches to leadership, but also due to the ideological differences that started to show.Morrison, as the Commander of Overwatch, emphasized cooperation, diplomacy, and international goodwill, working to maintain the public face of Overwatch as a peacekeeping organization.
Reyes, on the other hand, began to view Overwatch as increasingly ineffective and compromised by politics. He questioned the organization’s direction, and his ruthlessness began to intensify, especially in Blackwatch.
Reyes' role as leader of Blackwatch would eventually fuel his disillusionment with Overwatch and cause him to seek more extreme measures for achieving his goals. This intensified conflict between Reyes and Morrison set the stage for the eventual downfall of Overwatch.Summary of Reyes’ Role in the Omnic Crisis Timeline
Reyes and Morrison were both chosen as leaders of Overwatch during the Omnic Crisis, with Reyes leading Blackwatch while Morrison served as official Commander.
Reyes’ aggressive and decisive leadership style contributed significantly to Overwatch’s success in defeating the omnics, but growing tensions with Morrison began to strain their relationship.
As Blackwatch leader, Reyes carried out covert, morally gray operations, which contrasted with Morrison’s more diplomatic approach to leadership.
Reyes’ increasing disillusionment with Overwatch and the rising internal conflict between him and Morrison eventually led to the collapse of Overwatch and Reyes’ eventual transformation into Reaper.

Blackwatch Scandal

The Blackwatch Scandal was a critical turning point in the history of Overwatch and Gabriel Reyes' life, as it marked the unraveling of both the covert operations unit and the Overwatch organization as a whole. The scandal primarily involved the covert division known as Blackwatch, which was led by Gabriel Reyes and tasked with conducting highly secretive and morally ambiguous operations. It would eventually lead to the public downfall of Overwatch and contribute to the fractured relationship between Reyes and his fellow leaders, especially Jack Morrison.What Was Blackwatch?
Blackwatch was a secret division within Overwatch, created to carry out operations that were too sensitive, too controversial, or too dangerous to be made public. These missions included espionage, assassinations, and covert sabotage—essentially the dirty work that could not be associated with the more public-facing Overwatch forces.As the leader of Blackwatch, Gabriel Reyes was in charge of overseeing the most ruthless and extreme operations. Under his leadership, Blackwatch grew notorious for taking on missions that involved not only military threats but also political and economic subversion. Reyes and his team didn’t shy away from morally grey tactics, often prioritizing results over ethical considerations.Key Events Leading to the Blackwatch ScandalGrowing Discontent within OverwatchWhile Overwatch as a whole was seen as a unified force for peace, Reyes began to feel increasingly disillusioned with the organization's politics. The higher-ups in Overwatch started making decisions that contradicted the original ideals of the group. Overwatch, originally a group of warriors dedicated to peace, became more bureaucratic, and Reyes saw it as ineffective in the face of the world’s corruption. This fueled his desire to use Blackwatch to tackle more extreme threats, even if that meant breaking the very principles Overwatch had been founded upon.The Rise of Morally Grey Operations
Blackwatch was involved in a variety of operations that, in hindsight, would be considered controversial at best. Some of the key missions included:Espionage against global powers.
Assassinations of political figures seen as threats to Overwatch's goals.
Sabotage of enemy equipment and installations.
Reyes and his team were blurring the lines between heroism and villainy. In the name of security, Blackwatch engaged in covert missions that often led to unintended consequences, including the deaths of innocent civilians. These actions sparked growing resentment within the organization and within the wider world.Internal Conflict: Reyes vs. Morrison
The relationship between Gabriel Reyes and Jack Morrison began to deteriorate, largely because of their differing views on how Overwatch should function. Morrison represented the idealistic and public-facing side of Overwatch, focused on maintaining good relations and moral high ground. In contrast, Reyes, as Blackwatch’s leader, was willing to do whatever necessary to get results—often resorting to drastic measures that Morrison viewed as unacceptable.Their relationship became further strained when Morrison’s promotion to the official Commander of Overwatch led to Reyes’ demotion to the more secretive and controversial role of Blackwatch leader. Reyes felt betrayed by the UN and Overwatch leadership, believing he had earned the right to lead the organization. As a result, he became more radical and disillusioned, increasingly pushing for darker, more clandestine operations.The Overwatch Breach
The Blackwatch Scandal reached its peak when internal leaks within Overwatch led to public exposure of Blackwatch's unsanctioned activities. While the organization had operated in secrecy, rumors of its shadowy dealings eventually surfaced. The press, public, and even members of the UN began to question the legitimacy of Overwatch’s covert actions. Reyes, who had grown increasingly paranoid and disillusioned, was blamed for pushing Blackwatch to the edge of ethical and legal boundaries.The Swiss Headquarters Incident
The final blow came when the Overwatch Swiss Headquarters was attacked, resulting in the destruction of the facility and the presumed deaths of Gabriel Reyes and Jack Morrison. It was during this event that Reyes and Morrison had a final confrontation that highlighted the ideological rift between them. Reyes, believed to be dead, was left to recover in secret. The attack on Overwatch’s headquarters also brought about the collapse of the organization, leading to its disbandment.Aftermath and Reyes’ Transformation into Reaper
The Blackwatch Scandal contributed heavily to the collapse of Overwatch. The public outcry over Reyes’ actions in Blackwatch, along with the exposure of covert operations, led to a loss of trust in the organization’s mission and the fate of its leadership. Morrison was also presumed dead, leaving Overwatch without its central figurehead.Meanwhile, Reyes survived the explosion, but his body was severely damaged, leaving him in a state of constant decay. After his survival, he was found and recruited by Talon, a mercenary organization, where he was transformed into Reaper, a merciless assassin. His experiences in Blackwatch and the fallout from the scandal left him with a profound sense of betrayal, disillusionment, and a desire for vengeance, which would later define his actions as Reaper.The Blackwatch Scandal’s Legacy
The Blackwatch Scandal served as a catalyst for the collapse of Overwatch, the disbandment of its ranks, and the fragmentation of its leadership. The exposure of Blackwatch’s controversial actions revealed the darker side of Overwatch, and the shadowy nature of Blackwatch led to widespread distrust in the organization. Reyes, disillusioned by the failure of Overwatch and his own fall from grace, ultimately embraced his role as Reaper, becoming a figure consumed by revenge and bitterness toward both his past and the world he once fought to protect.

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