What Happened to Richtofen in Call of Duty Zombies?
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Dr. Edward Richtofen is a central, complex, and often morally ambiguous character in the Call of Duty Zombies universe. His story is a tangled web of scientific ambition, betrayal, dimensional travel, and a desperate attempt to break free from a seemingly inescapable cycle. The short answer is this: Richtofen experiences multiple deaths, rebirths, and transformations across different dimensions and timelines. Ultimately, a version of him sacrifices himself to try and break the cycle, leading to the emergence of a post-Revelations Richtofen, who continues the fight against the forces of the Dark Aether. This summary, however, barely scratches the surface of his tumultuous narrative.
The Origins of a Mad Scientist
Early Life and Group 935
Richtofen’s journey begins as a brilliant but ethically challenged scientist working for Group 935. This German scientific organization was responsible for developing advanced weaponry during World War II, including the teleporters and the infamous Wunderwaffe DG-2. Richtofen’s relentless pursuit of scientific advancement, often at the expense of morality, would define his character. He believed his research into Element 115, a substance with the power to reanimate dead cells, was essential, even though it ultimately led to the zombie apocalypse.
The Betrayal of Maxis
Richtofen’s ambitions led him to betray his mentor, Dr. Ludvig Maxis. Believing Maxis to be distracted and unfit to lead Group 935, particularly after Maxis failed to mass-produce the Wunderwaffe DG-2, Richtofen conspired against him. This betrayal, along with the experiments with Element 115, set the stage for the creation of the zombies and the catastrophic events that followed. It was a pivotal moment that highlighted his ruthlessness and set his path in motion.
Navigating Dimensions and Timelines
Ultimis and Primis
The Call of Duty Zombies storyline introduces two key versions of Richtofen: Ultimis Richtofen and Primis Richtofen. Ultimis is the original group from the first few Call of Duty Zombies maps, characterized by their fractured dynamic and intense rivalries, especially the mutual hate between Ultimis Richtofen and Ultimis Dempsey. Primis, on the other hand, is a version of Richtofen from an alternate timeline. While still flawed, Primis Richtofen shows moments of growth, especially his relationships with the rest of his crew where they become strained friends throughout Black Ops III.
The Cycle and Its Implications
The Zombies storyline heavily revolves around a cyclical narrative, where the events of the past constantly repeat themselves across different dimensions. Richtofen becomes a key player in trying to understand and ultimately break this cycle. His actions are often driven by his knowledge of past events and the desire to alter the course of destiny. This cycle is what causes the continuous rebirths and deaths of characters.
The Quest for Power
Throughout the storyline, Richtofen manipulates situations to obtain powerful artifacts, like the Summoning Key and the Fire Stone/Gem. He seeks these powerful items to control his destiny and the fate of the universe itself. These artifacts grant him the ability to travel between dimensions, manipulate souls, and influence the narrative. He attempts to use the power of these items to rewrite the course of events, often with disastrous consequences.
Death, Rebirth, and Sacrifice
Richtofen’s Many Deaths
Richtofen dies multiple times throughout the Zombies saga. One significant death occurs when he loses his fight with Maxis and becomes corrupted by the Dark Aether, trapping his soul in a zombie. However, because of the nature of the dimensional travel, these deaths are rarely permanent, and versions of Richtofen often reappear.
Blood of the Dead and Sacrifice
In the map Blood of the Dead, Richtofen sacrifices himself to break the cycle. This sacrifice results in a post-Revelations Richtofen emerging from a cryogenic pod. This new Richtofen, who had not yet been corrupted, understands the need to defeat Dr. Monty, the seemingly benevolent but ultimately corrupt figure behind the cycles, and to fight against the Dark Aether.
The Continuing Fight
Even after his sacrifice, the story of Richtofen isn’t over. Post-Revelations Richtofen continues to lead the fight against Dr. Monty, who betrayed Primis by creating a paradox of their existence, and the forces of the Dark Aether, marking a continuation of his character’s journey in the ongoing saga.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who killed Richtofen in World War I?
The historical figure, Manfred von Richthofen, known as the “Red Baron”, was not related to the Call of Duty character. The Red Baron was generally believed to be shot down by a pilot named Brown, however it’s generally agreed among historians that he was actually shot down by an anti-aircraft (AA) machine gunner from the ground. This, of course, has nothing to do with the COD character who was never a pilot during WWI.
2. Why did Richtofen turn into a zombie?
Richtofen turned into a zombie after losing his fight with Maxis. Corrupted by the Dark Aether, Maxis punished Richtofen by trapping his soul in a zombie.
3. Is the original Richtofen dead?
The original version of Primis Richtofen is dead after sacrificing himself in Blood of the Dead. However, due to the nature of the dimensional travel in the Zombies universe, other versions of him exist and can reappear.
4. Why does Nikolai hate Richtofen?
In the Origins storyline, Nikolai dislikes Richtofen from the beginning for creating the zombies, setting up their animosity in many versions of the story.
5. Why is Dr. Monty evil?
Dr. Monty was corrupted by the Dark Aether while trying to save the Shadowman. Despite seemingly being a benevolent figure, his actions were driven by a dark purpose. This corruption is what fuels the conflict in the later parts of the Zombies storyline.
6. Where did Richtofen go after Origins?
After the events of Origins, Richtofen traveled to the Siberian Facility to do further research on “live specimens,” taking Samantha with him as her guardian.
7. Does Richtofen like Dempsey?
Ultimis Richtofen and Ultimis Dempsey have a mutual dislike for each other. However, the Primis versions of the characters are shown to have a strained friendship, though with tensions still present.
8. How powerful is Richtofen?
Richtofen has superhuman physical characteristics and athleticism, the ability to create portals and dimensional travel using the Summoning Key and soul manipulation using both the Summoning Key and Fire Stone/Gem. He has the power to remove the souls of beings like Apothicons.
9. Why did they need Richtofen’s blood?
Richtofen’s blood, enriched with the power of the Aether, is essential to completing the mission to both unearth Revelations Richtofen from his cryogenic pod and create portals to help the other characters escape Alcatraz.
10. Is the Zombies story over?
The Aether story concluded with the map Tag Der Toten in Black Ops 4. However, the Dark Aether story continues in Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard, following the same timeline.
11. Why did Richtofen give his blood?
Richtofen gave his blood to lead Primis on a journey that would trick the cycle into thinking that Primis was dead, which he believed would ultimately break the cycle.
12. How many kills did the real-life Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, have?
The real-life Manfred von Richthofen officially shot down 80 enemy aircraft during World War I, which made him the highest-scoring fighter pilot of the war. This fact is completely unrelated to the Call of Duty character.
13. Who can hear Richtofen in the Zombies storyline?
Samuel Stuhlinger is the only character that can hear Richtofen in some of the earlier maps, because he has consumed zombie flesh in the past and is schizophrenic.
14. Why did Richtofen betray Maxis?
Richtofen believed that Maxis was unfit to lead Group 935 and had lost sight of the end goal, leading to their confrontation and the eventual corruption of Maxis. Richtofen also conspired against him when he didn’t keep his promise to mass produce the Wunderwaffe DG-2.
15. What is Element 115 in Call of Duty Zombies?
Element 115 is the substance used to create the zombies. One of its side effects is the reanimation of dead cells, which led to the creation of the undead army. It was originally used as a power source for weapons and teleporters, but quickly became the cause of many of the major events of the Zombies storyline.
Richtofen’s story is a constantly evolving saga, a testament to the complexity and depth of the Call of Duty Zombies universe. His actions continue to impact the narrative, making him a cornerstone of the series’ lore.