Why don't reavers kill each other off? by Shiny

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Why don't reavers kill each other off?

POSTED BY: SHINY
UPDATED: Friday, January 23, 2004 07:44
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Thursday, January 22, 2004 11:55 AM

Why don't Reavers just eat each other? How can they maintain enough order and sophistication to maintain ships and coordinate attacks large enough to take out whole towns?

Any theories about the organizational/social structure of the Reavers?

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

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Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:11 PM

NITEHAWK

Well, their reputation probably helps - most of the defenders are prob'ly crappin their pants rather than fighting. And they only hit small towns and transport/small ships -- they wouldn't mess with alliance unless they were, oh, hypothetically brought on board an alliance cruiser . . .

Plus, they seem to have that bezerker thing going, so i bet they just scream on through, killing everything an refusing to die even after they're shot 30 times, only to die when the adrenaline wears off.

But mostly just making sure the numbers are in their favor i think.

Re towns, in 'Serenity' Mal makes reference to a town "hit by reavers" - they "burned it to the ground" - so they may use their ships to launch an aerial strike - mebbe firebombing any fortifications, and dropping the assault force inside of the perimeter. Or doing what Wash was supposed to in "Heart of Gold" - low-pass flyovers using engine wash as a weapon. Having the only air capability makes for a massive advantage in any engagement, so they have bunches and bunches of tactical options.

As far as between-group social structure - probably not a lot (not needed because the individual groups are large enough), and within a ship its probably tribal-esque.

*click* *click*
"You, uh, know each other?"

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Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:15 PM

LTNOWIS

Maybe they have some sort of tribal honor type thing. Like in D & D, how barbarians are chaotic, yet they value honor. Or maybe they're simply dedicated to destroying all beauty/life in the galaxy, which would exclude themselves. Or maybe they have a strong leader uniting them, like Sauron in LOTR uniting the evil orcs.

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Friday, January 23, 2004 12:22 AM

DRAKON

Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
Why don't Reavers just eat each other? How can they maintain enough order and sophistication to maintain ships and coordinate attacks large enough to take out whole towns?

Any theories about the organizational/social structure of the Reavers?

Its all hype and bull. They want left alone by the Alliance and those settling out in their area of the black. So they create this scary image of flesh eating, torturing monsters to frighten off everyone, and get everyone to leave them alone. Sometimes they perform raids and such, just to boost their scariness quotient.

Actually they are very nice folks.

In all seriousness, I think they are made to parallel the various plains tribes of the American west, notably the more frightening ones, like the Apache or Commanche. Tribal structure, but not based on bloodlines, but whomever the captain and crew decide is one of them. Anyway, that's my guess and I am sticking to it.

"Wash, where is my damn spaceship?"

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Friday, January 23, 2004 1:17 AM

CAPNRAHN

Actually I would lean more toward a Aztec or Inca comparision ... nasty folks when it came to outsiders ...

"Remember, there is only ONE absolute - There ARE NO absolutes!!!"

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Friday, January 23, 2004 4:59 AM

SHINY

Quote:
Originally posted by Drakon:
Its all hype and bull. They want left alone by the Alliance and those settling out in their area of the black. So they create this scary image of flesh eating, torturing monsters to frighten off everyone, and get everyone to leave them alone. Sometimes they perform raids and such, just to boost their scariness quotient.

Actually they are very nice folks.

But then how do you explain the poor 'survivor' on Bushwhacked that was driven insane by what he saw on his ship? Was it all an act just to mess with him?

RIVER
Purple elephants are flying.
MAL
Good. Thanks for the update.

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Friday, January 23, 2004 5:21 AM

DRAKON

Quote:
Originally posted by Shiny:
Quote:

Actually they are very nice folks.

But then how do you explain the poor 'survivor' on Bushwhacked that was driven insane by what he saw on his ship? Was it all an act just to mess with him?

Kinda sorta. When dealing with outsiders, or potential invaders, they act one way. When acting amoung their own, they act quite differently. Its a matter of self defense really.

I am sure they did slaughter the folks on the ship in an incredably heartless, brutal, and gross fashion. Even the women and children. But in their way of looking at things, they are outsiders anyway, and have to be stopped.

"Wash, where is my damn spaceship?"

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Friday, January 23, 2004 7:44 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

I think that the Reavers are brutal, rutheless, and vile when dealing with any outsiders. I am sure that their social structure would be something like the barbarians of Earth's history that work and interact within their own society. They obviously not mindless as some might think, or they would not be able to pilot spacecraft and maintain them, at least in the minimal fashion.

I would think that a strong leader rules each group and fear of him keeps the others in check. I would imagine there are the occasional fights or challenges, but they would be handled between the individuals involved, so long as it does not disrupt the entire group.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

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