By the end of the original Mass Effect trilogy, most all of the story’s plot threads can be tied up. Or at least, they can if you’ve completed every game and finished every bit of DLC tied to them. This is especially true for one of the series’ biggest mysteries, and if you accidentally skipped one of Mass Effect 3’s chunkier expansions, then you’ve probably been left wondering: Who made the Reapers in Mass Effect, and why did they make them?
Fortunately for you, we have the answers you’re looking for. Read on to find out who made these galaxy-destroying monsters, and why they were made to destroy all organic life in the first place. Before going any further though, it should be noted: We’re going into *Massive Spoilers* for Mass Effect 3’s story and Leviathan DLC expansion.
Who Made the Reapers in Mass Effect? Answered
Mass Effect’s Reapers were created by none other than the Catalyst AI that appears at the end of Mass Effect 3.
This AI was designed by an ancient species currently known as the Leviathans – a race of massive squid-like creatures capable of manipulating other lifeforms through a form of indoctrination or mind control. The AI’s sole purpose was to monitor organic lifeforms throughout the galaxy and find a way to prevent them from wiping themselves out with conflict.
At a certain point, the AI determined that the only way to preserve organic life indefinitely was to keep it from advancing past a certain stage of evolution. It then created the Reapers in the image of the Leviathans, and gave them an ability similar to the Leviathans’ indoctrination ability.
When any form of organic life reached a certain stage of evolution, it’d send the Reapers in to eliminate it or synthesize it into new Reapers. They’d use their indoctrination ability to ensure there was minimal resistance, and in time these advanced organic races would be wiped out.
Any organic life that was deemed to still be primitive, meanwhile, would be left alone and allowed to evolve further. This led to the cycles of civilizations being destroyed and other civilizations using their technology to evolve further, resulting in the repeated use of technology like the Mass Relays, the Citadel, and so forth.
What Happened to the Leviathans?
As for what happened to the Leviathans after the AI made the Reapers, it’s a little unclear.
By all appearances, they were forced into hiding in order to escape the fate of all other organic life in the Reapers’ first purge. They secluded themselves on 2181 Despoina, and used their indoctrination abilities to monitor the new cycles that rose and fell over the millennia. In the cycle taking place during Mass Effect 3 though, the Reapers have finally tracked them down, and they end up siding with Shepard in order to survive.
Hopefully this cleared up who made the Reapers in Mass Effect. For more lore explanations and guides on other topics, be sure to check out our Mass Effect Legendary Edition guide wiki.
