What Happens If You Shoot Harper in Call of Duty: Black Ops II?
The decision to shoot Harper in Call of Duty: Black Ops II has significant ramifications, altering character fates and even impacting the game’s ending. In the mission “Achilles’ Veil,” you are confronted with a difficult choice: kill your comrade Harper, or let Farid die. This single choice unravels a chain of events that reshape the narrative.
If you choose to shoot Harper, your character, playing as Farid, will execute him with a shot to the head using your Five Seven pistol. This action, while seemingly harsh, spares Farid’s life as an allied VTOL subsequently arrives to eliminate the militia. However, Farid is left emotionally devastated, forced to kill a friend to survive. This decision is not made in isolation; it sets into motion several cascading consequences for the overall story.
The Immediate and Long-Term Consequences of Killing Harper
Farid’s Survival and Future Role
The immediate benefit of killing Harper is that Farid survives. This survival is crucial for later in the game because, if Harper is alive, Farid will die. Farid’s continued existence directly affects the USS Barack Obama Mission, during which he will sacrifice himself to save Karma, another crucial character. By saving Farid here, you ensure his later heroic role.
Salazar’s Fate
Another consequence of eliminating Harper in “Achilles’ Veil” is the fate of Salazar. He will be taken into custody and never seen again within the game’s story. If you have successfully completed all the Strike Force missions, Salazar will survive while in custody. However, his presence in the broader story is concluded.
Impact on the Game’s Ending
The decision to kill Harper is far from inconsequential; it drastically changes the potential ending of the game. Allowing Harper to live means that Farid dies instead, preventing his heroic act on the USS Obama during Menendez’s attack. Therefore, your decision directly affects the story’s course and shapes the narrative’s ultimate conclusion. It’s arguably better to kill Harper here to ensure Farid’s survival to the point of saving Karma later.
The Ripple Effect: Why the Choice Matters
The Harper vs. Farid Dilemma
The choice to eliminate either Harper or Farid is a pivotal one. This is not just about choosing one character’s survival over another; it impacts the entire narrative arc. If Harper survives, Farid dies while trying to protect Karma. This act of self-sacrifice is necessary to ensure that Karma lives. Therefore, killing Harper enables Farid to be in the position to die a more heroic death, saving Karma on the USS Obama.
The “Best” Ending and Menendez
The “best” ending in Call of Duty: Black Ops II does not revolve around saving everyone. Instead, it revolves around capturing Menendez, not killing him. This is a vital choice later in the story. By making sure Farid survives (by killing Harper), you ensure that he can play his part later to enable the conditions that lead to capturing Menendez.
The Canonical Ending
Interestingly, the canonical ending involves Menendez being captured, and not killed. However, this canonical ending also includes a very dark outcome where he uploads a video to YouTube, inciting his followers, Cordis Die, into a global revolt. It’s a bleak outcome, and the act of shooting Harper initially, can help to set that ending.
FAQs About Shooting Harper in Black Ops II
1. Is it necessary to kill Harper for the “good” ending?
No, killing Harper isn’t necessary for a “good” ending, but it is necessary for Farid to live and take a bullet for Karma on the USS Barack Obama during the Menendez attack, which is arguably part of the ‘best ending’ criteria. The “best” ending depends primarily on the player capturing Menendez rather than killing him. However, killing Harper allows Farid to survive to this moment.
2. What if I try to kill Menendez instead of Harper?
If you try to kill Menendez instead of Harper, Farid will be killed. Keeping Farid alive is necessary for ensuring that Karma is alive later on and for that, you have to kill Harper.
3. What happens to Salazar if Harper lives?
If Harper is kept alive, Salazar will simply be taken into custody and disappears from the story. His fate is not impacted by Harper’s survival, only by the completion of the Strike Force missions.
4. Can Harper be saved from being burned?
Yes, Harper’s face can be saved from being burned during the “Fallen Angel” mission. You need to stay to the far right when driving your drone as the screen slows down near the fire. This is an unrelated point, however. The burn has no connection to whether or not to shoot Harper.
5. Does Menendez know Farid was a traitor when he forces him to kill Harper?
Yes, Menendez was testing Farid’s loyalty by forcing him to kill Harper. He suspected Farid was the traitor.
6. Can you save Mason in Black Ops 2?
Yes, you can save Mason. You must shoot him in the leg; doing so will ensure he survives the encounter and appears in the game’s ending.
7. How can I ensure Karma survives?
To ensure Karma’s survival, you need both Farid and DeFalco alive on the ship. Then Defalco will knock Karma out and Farid will shoot him. Also, it’s crucial that you choose to save her during the mission “Second Chance” as this impacts her fate in the end. If you don’t save her in “Second Chance” she will be shot and killed by Defalco.
8. What is the canon ending of Black Ops 2?
The canon ending of Black Ops II involves Menendez being captured, but his subsequent upload of a video to YouTube triggers a global insurrection by Cordis Die.
9. How many endings does Black Ops 2 have?
Call of Duty: Black Ops II has multiple endings, and these vary based on choices made throughout the game.
10. What is considered the worst ending?
The worst ending in Black Ops 2 is the Pyrrhic Victory ending, which involves several negative outcomes, including Harper’s face being burned (among other things).
11. What happens if DeFalco lives?
If DeFalco survives the mission “Colossus”, he will appear again in “Achilles’ Veil,” further complicating the game’s narrative. However, killing DeFalco later on in the USS Barack Obama mission will have no bearing on the outcome of the game, unlike the choice of saving Harper.
12. Is it better to kill Farid or Harper?
It’s arguably better to kill Harper, as this ensures that Farid is alive later in the game to protect Karma on the USS Barack Obama, leading towards a more positive ending.
13. Can you save the French president in Black Ops 2?
You can protect the French President during the mission, but losing the trucks carrying G20 leaders has no significant repercussion. The game will end with an objective failure if you do not protect the President at all.
14. What happens if Farid dies?
If Farid dies, he will not be present on the USS Barack Obama during Menendez’s attack. Then Karma will likely die as well. Also, if Chloe (Karma) lives, Farid’s death is not entirely in vain. However, it will mean the more favourable outcome of capturing Menendez isn’t possible as it requires Farid to be alive at that point in the story.
15. Does Black Ops Cold War retcon Black Ops 2?
Black Ops Cold War serves as a direct continuation of the original Black Ops, but Black Ops 2 remains canon. It expands upon the narrative introduced in the first game, while Black Ops 2 retains its place in the overall storyline.
Conclusion
The choice to shoot Harper in Call of Duty: Black Ops II is a stark example of how a single decision can have a substantial impact on the overall game’s outcome. Understanding these consequences allows players to strategically navigate the narrative and aim for their desired ending. The choice is more nuanced than just saving one character over the other. It’s about understanding the ripple effect and how it reshapes the overall narrative.