User blog comment:Ironreaper/Retcons and Contradictions in the Reapers/@comment-2250460-20120419054338/@comment-3325589-20120422214144

@Cellwood: I think the gun analogy breaks down when you involve other conscious agents. Like, say, when your "gun" is a fleet of human or quarian ships piloted and commanded by various humans or quarians. If I had to credit someone with the kill on Sovereign, for instance, it would be Joker. It's fairer to say that Shepard was instrumental in the deaths of Sovereign and the destroyers on Tuchanka and Rannoch, and directly responsible for the deaths of the derelict Reaper, Human Reaper larva, and the destroyer in London.

Then again, as Sovereign004 points out, that's not quite as punchy and inspirational as the shorter version.