Black Ops Zombies Plot:
The Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies storyline is a complex, multi-dimensional narrative that spans across several games and maps. It revolves around secret government projects, interdimensional travel, time loops, and ancient evils. Here's a detailed breakdown of the story:
Origins and World War II Experiments:
The origins of the story trace back to World War II, when Group 935, a secret Nazi scientific organization, was formed. The group's primary goal was to develop advanced weapons technology to aid the Axis powers in winning the war. They discovered Element 115, a mysterious substance with incredible properties. It could be used to power advanced technologies like teleportation devices, but it also had a dark side—it could reanimate the dead, creating zombies.
Key figures in Group 935 included:
- Dr. Ludvig Maxis: The leader of Group 935 and head of the Der Riese facility.
- Dr. Edward Richtofen: Maxis’ assistant, who had his own hidden agenda.
The discovery of Element 115 led to a series of events that spiraled out of control.
Richtofen’s Betrayal and the Aether:
Richtofen became increasingly obsessed with harnessing the power of Element 115 and began experimenting on teleportation. During one of these experiments, Richtofen was teleported to the Aether, a dark dimension that contained a powerful entity known as the Dark Aether. In the Aether, Richtofen learned of an ancient artifact called the Apothicon Blood, which granted control over reality itself.
After his time in the Aether, Richtofen returned with a new goal: to overthrow Dr. Maxis and take control of Group 935. He grew increasingly paranoid and began planning a coup. As part of his plan, he started manipulating key individuals:
- Tank Dempsey: A tough American soldier.
- Nikolai Belinski: A Russian with a love for vodka and a tragic past.
- Takeo Masaki: A Japanese warrior with a strong sense of honor.
- Samantha Maxis: Dr. Maxis' daughter, who became a key player in the story.
Richtofen’s betrayal came to fruition at the Der Riese facility. He locked Maxis and Samantha in a teleportation device and sent them into the ether, essentially killing them—or so he thought.
The Moon and Samantha’s Revenge:
Samantha was not destroyed. Instead, she was teleported to the Aether and, filled with rage, took control of the zombies. She now sought revenge against Richtofen and Group 935 for what they did to her father.
The story reaches a climactic moment in the Moon map, where Richtofen plans to switch souls with Samantha and gain control of the zombie horde. The group (Dempsey, Nikolai, and Takeo) help him in the process. Using the MPD (the Moon Pyramid Device), Richtofen succeeds in switching bodies with Samantha, gaining control over the zombies.
However, the situation goes horribly wrong. In an effort to stop Richtofen’s plans, the other characters (Dempsey and the crew) fire missiles at Earth from the Moon, causing a catastrophic apocalypse. The Earth is ravaged, but Richtofen still controls the zombies.
The Origins Timeline (The Paradox):
The storyline then branches into a multiverse as time travel and alternate realities are introduced, creating different versions of events and characters. The characters (Richtofen, Dempsey, Nikolai, and Takeo) from the future start to realize that the original versions of themselves need to be killed to break the cycle.
The story’s most significant arc begins in the Origins map, which takes place in an alternate reality in 1918. Group 935, under the guise of a mining operation during World War I, discovers Element 115 in France. The crew, now in their “young” versions, are pulled into a different timeline where they need to stop the greater threat of the Apothicons, an ancient race of evil beings tied to the Dark Aether.
The characters, particularly Richtofen, learn that they are trapped in a paradoxical cycle—repeatedly trying to stop the zombie apocalypse but ultimately restarting it in different timelines.
The Summoning Key and Monty’s Intervention:
As the crew travels through different time periods and realities, they search for an object known as the Summoning Key, which holds great power over life and death. They discover that their journey is manipulated by a godlike figure named Dr. Monty, who represents a force of good and seeks to maintain balance in the multiverse.
The Summoning Key becomes the focus of the latter half of the story, as the characters aim to use it to defeat the ultimate evil: the Apothicons and the Dark Aether.
Revelations and the End of the Cycle:
The final chapter of the storyline unfolds in Revelations, where all of the different timelines and characters converge. Dr. Monty reveals that the universe itself is unstable due to the meddling with Element 115 and the numerous timelines that have been created. In order to restore balance, the crew must erase themselves from existence by killing their original versions in every timeline.
In the final moments, after countless battles, betrayals, and paradoxes, Dr. Monty succeeds in erasing the characters from existence to restart the universe and end the zombie apocalypse once and for all.
Post-Revelations and Black Ops Cold War:
In Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the storyline continues in a new form, known as the Dark Aether narrative. While it's separate from the original story, it builds on elements from the previous games, exploring how the Dark Aether remains a lingering threat.