diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index e367e84..e987383 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -1637,11 +1637,15 @@ <h2 id="receipt-heading" class="sr-only">Session Receipt</h2>
 
 <!-- ── Grim Reaper ──────────────────────────────────────── -->
 <div id="grim-reaper" class="grim-reaper" aria-hidden="true">
+  <div id="reaper-bubble" class="reaper-bubble" aria-live="polite"></div>
   <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 100 155">
-    <!-- scythe handle -->
-    <line x1="77" y1="16" x2="62" y2="148" class="reaper-scythe-handle" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round"/>
-    <!-- scythe blade — large crescent sweeping left over the hood -->
-    <path d="M77,16 C72,6 55,2 38,5 C20,8 6,20 6,32 C6,44 22,48 40,38 C56,28 72,20 77,16 Z" class="reaper-scythe-blade"/>
+    <!-- scythe (handle + blade wrapped for swing animation) -->
+    <g class="reaper-scythe-group">
+      <!-- scythe handle -->
+      <line x1="77" y1="16" x2="62" y2="148" class="reaper-scythe-handle" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round"/>
+      <!-- scythe blade — large crescent sweeping left over the hood -->
+      <path d="M77,16 C72,6 55,2 38,5 C20,8 6,20 6,32 C6,44 22,48 40,38 C56,28 72,20 77,16 Z" class="reaper-scythe-blade"/>
+    </g>
     <!-- robe shadow -->
     <ellipse cx="50" cy="151" rx="28" ry="5" fill="#000" opacity="0.4"/>
     <!-- robe body -->
diff --git a/src/js/18-scary-features.js b/src/js/18-scary-features.js
index eb4c80d..8cb9243 100644
--- a/src/js/18-scary-features.js
+++ b/src/js/18-scary-features.js
@@ -425,3 +425,130 @@
     });
   }
 
+  // ── Grim Reaper: Scythe Swing, Speech Bubbles, Proximity ─────
+
+  const REAPER_IDLE_QUOTES = [
+    'Tick tock\u2026',
+    'Your queries, my harvest.',
+    'Every token is a breath closer.',
+    'The servers never sleep.',
+    'I have been very busy lately.',
+    'So many tokens\u2026 so little time.',
+    'CO\u2082 says hello.',
+    "I'm not waiting for you. I'm waiting \u2018with\u2019 you.",
+    'Did you really need to ask AI that?',
+    'One more prompt\u2026',
+    "Don\u2019t mind me.",
+    'I go where the tokens flow.',
+    'Another milestone down.',
+    'Carbon is forever.',
+    'Patience is my virtue. Time is not yours.',
+  ];
+
+  const REAPER_CLICK_QUOTES = [
+    'Oh! A visitor. How delightful.',
+    "Please don\u2019t tap the glass.",
+    "I\u2019m working. Could you not?",
+    'Ah, the curious ones. My favourite.',
+    'Touch me again and I swing the scythe.',
+    'Yes, yes. I see you.',
+    'This is not a game. (It is a bit of a game.)',
+    "You\u2019ve earned 100 doom points.",
+    "I\u2019m always watching.",
+    'Boo yourself.',
+    'Still here? Interesting.',
+    'We have so much in common, you and I.',
+    'Every click costs something.',
+    "You're not the first. You won\u2019t be the last.",
+  ];
+
+  const REAPER_HOVER_QUOTES = [
+    'Getting closer\u2026',
+    'I can feel your warmth.',
+    'Are you here to confess?',
+    'Hello there.',
+    'You seem\u2026 familiar.',
+    'Careful now.',
+  ];
+
+  let _reaperBubbleTimer = null;
+  let _reaperHoverActive = false;
+  let _reaperClickIdx    = 0;
+  let _reaperHoverIdx    = 0;
+
+  function _showReaperBubble(text, durationMs) {
+    const bubble = document.getElementById('reaper-bubble');
+    if (!bubble) return;
+    bubble.textContent = text;
+    bubble.classList.add('visible');
+    clearTimeout(_reaperBubbleTimer);
+    _reaperBubbleTimer = setTimeout(() => bubble.classList.remove('visible'), durationMs || 3500);
+  }
+
+  function _swingReaperScythe() {
+    const reaper = document.getElementById('grim-reaper');
+    if (!reaper) return;
+    reaper.classList.remove('reaper-swinging');
+    // Force reflow so re-adding the class retriggers the animation
+    void reaper.offsetWidth;
+    reaper.classList.add('reaper-swinging');
+    setTimeout(() => reaper.classList.remove('reaper-swinging'), 800);
+  }
+
+  function initGrimReaper() {
+    const reaper = document.getElementById('grim-reaper');
+    if (!reaper) return;
+
+    // Click / tap — show a click quote and swing the scythe
+    reaper.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      const quote = REAPER_CLICK_QUOTES[_reaperClickIdx % REAPER_CLICK_QUOTES.length];
+      _reaperClickIdx++;
+      _showReaperBubble(quote, 3500);
+      _swingReaperScythe();
+    });
+
+    // Mouse proximity — react when cursor comes within 140 px of the reaper.
+    // Throttled via rAF to avoid layout thrash on high-poll-rate mice.
+    let _reaperMouseFrame = null;
+    document.addEventListener('mousemove', (e) => {
+      if (_reaperMouseFrame) return;
+      _reaperMouseFrame = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        _reaperMouseFrame = null;
+        const bbox  = reaper.getBoundingClientRect();
+        const nearX = e.clientX > bbox.left - 20 && e.clientX < bbox.right + 140;
+        const nearY = e.clientY > bbox.top - 100 && e.clientY < bbox.bottom + 10;
+        const isNear = nearX && nearY;
+
+        if (isNear && !_reaperHoverActive) {
+          _reaperHoverActive = true;
+          reaper.classList.add('reaper-proximity');
+          const quote = REAPER_HOVER_QUOTES[_reaperHoverIdx % REAPER_HOVER_QUOTES.length];
+          _reaperHoverIdx++;
+          _showReaperBubble(quote, 2500);
+          _swingReaperScythe();
+        } else if (!isNear && _reaperHoverActive) {
+          _reaperHoverActive = false;
+          reaper.classList.remove('reaper-proximity');
+        }
+      });
+    });
+
+    // Periodic idle swing + quote every 25–55 seconds.
+    // The timeout ID is kept so we can avoid leaking if the element is removed.
+    let _idleSwingId = null;
+    function _scheduleIdleSwing() {
+      const delay = 25000 + Math.random() * 30000;
+      _idleSwingId = setTimeout(() => {
+        if (!document.getElementById('grim-reaper')) return; // element removed — stop
+        if (!_reaperHoverActive) {
+          const idx = Math.floor(Math.random() * REAPER_IDLE_QUOTES.length);
+          _showReaperBubble(REAPER_IDLE_QUOTES[idx], 4000);
+          _swingReaperScythe();
+        }
+        _scheduleIdleSwing();
+      }, delay);
+    }
+
+    _scheduleIdleSwing();
+  }
+
diff --git a/src/js/21-boot.js b/src/js/21-boot.js
index d6247c4..dc82661 100644
--- a/src/js/21-boot.js
+++ b/src/js/21-boot.js
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
     initShame();
     initVillainLeaderboard();
     initIntervention();
+    initGrimReaper();
 
     // Persist accelerator game state every 30 seconds and on page hide
     setInterval(saveAcceleratorState, 30000);
diff --git a/styles/scary-features.css b/styles/scary-features.css
index 1283d11..db33cca 100644
--- a/styles/scary-features.css
+++ b/styles/scary-features.css
@@ -881,9 +881,78 @@
   .grim-reaper { transform: translateX(0); }
 }
 
+/* Scythe swing — pivot near the grip point (≈84% across, 68% down the bounding box) */
+.reaper-scythe-group {
+  transform-box: fill-box;
+  transform-origin: 84% 68%;
+  will-change: transform;
+}
+
+@keyframes reaper-scythe-swing {
+  0%   { transform: rotate(0deg); }
+  15%  { transform: rotate(-26deg); }
+  45%  { transform: rotate(20deg); }
+  70%  { transform: rotate(-8deg); }
+  85%  { transform: rotate(4deg); }
+  100% { transform: rotate(0deg); }
+}
+
+.reaper-swinging .reaper-scythe-group {
+  animation: reaper-scythe-swing 0.75s ease-in-out forwards;
+}
+
+/* Chat / speech bubble */
+.reaper-bubble {
+  position: absolute;
+  bottom: calc(100% + 6px);
+  left: 0;
+  background: #0d0d0d;
+  border: 1.5px solid var(--accent);
+  color: #eee;
+  border-radius: 10px 10px 10px 2px;
+  padding: 0.45rem 0.65rem;
+  font-size: 0.68rem;
+  line-height: 1.45;
+  width: 170px;
+  white-space: normal;
+  pointer-events: none;
+  opacity: 0;
+  transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
+  box-shadow: 0 2px 14px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
+  z-index: 11;
+}
+
+.reaper-bubble.visible { opacity: 1; }
+
+/* Tail pointing down-left toward the reaper */
+.reaper-bubble::after {
+  content: '';
+  position: absolute;
+  bottom: -8px;
+  left: 14px;
+  width: 0;
+  height: 0;
+  border-left: 6px solid transparent;
+  border-right: 6px solid transparent;
+  border-top: 8px solid var(--accent);
+}
+
+:root[data-theme="light"] .reaper-bubble {
+  background: #1a0000;
+  color: #ffe0e0;
+}
+
+/* Proximity highlight — reaper eyes blaze brighter when cursor is near */
+.reaper-proximity .reaper-eye-inner {
+  animation: reaper-eye-pulse 0.8s ease-in-out infinite;
+  filter: drop-shadow(0 0 8px #ff3333);
+}
+
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
   .grim-reaper svg,
   .reaper-eye-inner { animation: none; }
   /* transition: none keeps the hover snap instant on reduced-motion devices. */
   .grim-reaper { transition: none; }
+  .reaper-swinging .reaper-scythe-group { animation: none; }
+  .reaper-bubble { transition: none; }
 }
diff --git a/tests/e2e/death-clock.spec.js b/tests/e2e/death-clock.spec.js
index 9af802d..014829c 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/death-clock.spec.js
+++ b/tests/e2e/death-clock.spec.js
@@ -351,6 +351,40 @@ test.describe('mobile layout — fixed elements within viewport', () => {
     expect(cutOff).toBeLessThan(bbox.width / 2);
   });
 
+  test('grim reaper has a speech bubble element', async ({ page }) => {
+    const bubble = page.locator('#reaper-bubble');
+    await expect(bubble).toBeAttached();
+    // Bubble should start hidden (no "visible" class)
+    await expect(bubble).not.toHaveClass(/visible/);
+  });
+
+  test('grim reaper shows speech bubble and swings scythe when clicked', async ({ page }) => {
+    const reaper = page.locator('#grim-reaper');
+    const bubble = page.locator('#reaper-bubble');
+
+    await reaper.click();
+
+    // Bubble should become visible after click
+    await expect(bubble).toHaveClass(/visible/, { timeout: 1000 });
+    // Bubble text should be non-empty
+    const text = await bubble.textContent();
+    expect(text.trim().length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    // The scythe-group wrapper must exist in the SVG
+    await expect(reaper.locator('.reaper-scythe-group')).toBeAttached();
+  });
+
+  test('grim reaper speech bubble auto-hides after a few seconds', async ({ page }) => {
+    const reaper = page.locator('#grim-reaper');
+    const bubble = page.locator('#reaper-bubble');
+
+    await reaper.click();
+    await expect(bubble).toHaveClass(/visible/, { timeout: 1000 });
+
+    // After ~4 s the bubble should disappear (default duration is 3.5 s)
+    await expect(bubble).not.toHaveClass(/visible/, { timeout: 5000 });
+  });
+
   test('Share Your Doom button is fully within the viewport on mobile', async ({ page }) => {
     // Reveal the panel immediately via the ?share=true query param
     await page.goto('/?share=true');