Human Response
Most normal humans are terrified of Reavers. Even the most battle-hardened will opt to leave any space where Reavers are present rather than risk the possibility of being captured. For instance, in the show, when Reavers are coming, Mal becomes very serious and escapes quickly. Reavers are also possibly the only thing that even Jayne fears, as the mere suggestion of traveling where there is a risk of encountering Reavers makes him extremely agitated; he declares that "Reavers ain't men!"
Reaver methods are considered so horrifying that, when faced with capture, victims have been known to attempt suicide. Survivors have been known to cut their own faces, act and think like Reavers, and eventually become Reavers themselves. Mercy killings of people who are captured or who fall into the hands of Reavers are considered humane, as evident in one scene in the movie Serenity when Mal shoots and kills a man who is grabbed by a few Reavers, who respond by dropping the dead man to the ground.
For various reasons, the Alliance government denies the existence of Reavers, even withholding information on them from Alliance commanders of patrol ships in or near Reaver space.
Read more about this topic: Reaver (Firefly)
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