What Happens If You Lie to Adler in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War?

Lying to Russell Adler in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has significant repercussions, steering the game towards one of its darker, bad endings. Instead of leading the team to the correct location of Perseus, you will lead them into a trap, ultimately contributing to a catastrophic outcome. Specifically, choosing the “Lie” option during the interrogation sequence triggers a drastic shift in the final missions and the overall narrative. Instead of the mission “Final Countdown,” you’ll find yourself in the alternate scenario titled “Ashes to Ashes.”

Here’s a breakdown of what happens when you lie:

• The Mission Shift: The most immediate consequence is that the game’s final mission changes. Rather than going to the Solovetsky Islands, where Perseus intends to broadcast the nuclear detonation signal, you are instead sent to Duga, an abandoned facility. This is a crucial diversion, as Perseus is not there.

• A Rushed and Doomed Mission: Upon arrival at Duga, the squad believes they are moments away from stopping Perseus, unaware of the deception. You’re immediately pulled from the medical cart you’ve been resting in, ready for action. Instead of the traditional ending’s infiltration, you’ll quickly learn the truth about your betrayal.

• The Russian Connection: After a brief period of exploration and tension, a 30-second countdown timer appears, offering a last-minute opportunity to radio the Russians. This allows you to betray Adler and your team entirely.

• No Foiling the Plan: By leading the team to Duga instead of Solovetsky, you essentially allow Perseus to proceed uninhibited with his plan to detonate nuclear weapons across Europe. The mission ends with the team discovering that they were duped.

• Consequences and Player Agency: While choosing to lie gives you a sense of control in that moment and the chance to help Perseus, it seals the fate of the world within the game, ushering in the bad ending. This demonstrates a powerful way in which player choices affect the outcome of the game. The lies undermine the squad, highlighting the serious consequences of your deception. It ultimately serves as a harsh warning regarding the power of information and its impact on geopolitical events.

In summary, lying to Adler not only changes the mission objectives and locations but also propels you down a path that results in the success of Perseus’s plan. This path drastically changes the nature of the final mission into a desperate and doomed attempt and is considered one of the darker endings in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the “Ashes to Ashes” Mission?

“Ashes to Ashes” is the mission triggered when you lie to Adler during the interrogation sequence. It replaces the “Final Countdown” mission and sees you and your squad travelling to the wrong location, Duga, allowing Perseus to execute his plan. This is part of one of the “bad endings” of the game.

How do I trigger the “good ending” in Black Ops Cold War?

To achieve the “good ending”, you must tell the truth to Adler when he asks about Perseus’s location. This will lead you to the mission “Final Countdown,” where you try to stop Perseus from detonating the Greenlight nukes across Europe.

Is Adler really a good guy?

Russell Adler is presented as an anti-villainous deuteragonist. While he works to stop Perseus, his methods are often morally ambiguous. His past and connections to the Soviet Union as a possible spy raises questions about his true motivations. He is not a straightforward hero figure.

Can you betray Adler in other ways?

While lying about Perseus’ location is the most prominent act of betrayal, you can also disobey Adler’s instructions throughout the game, particularly during the level when he interrogates you. Repeated disobedience, even outside of the “lie” option will contribute to earning the “The Red Door” Trophy/Achievement.

What happens if you keep disobeying Adler?

Repeatedly disobeying Adler throughout the game and particularly in that sequence earns you “The Red Door” Trophy/Achievement. While it does not immediately change the overall story as much as lying, it does reveal some additional information and build on the idea that Bell may not be as easily controlled as Adler hopes.

Why did Adler brainwash Bell?

Adler brainwashed Bell because Bell was originally a trusted ally of Perseus, and Adler and his team needed to find out Perseus’s plans. Traditional interrogation methods did not work. The brainwashing was a desperate attempt to make Bell believe he was on their side and willingly reveal information.

What is Perseus’s plan?

Perseus is attempting to destabilize the world by detonating hidden nuclear weapons throughout Europe and aims to bring down the United States. He wants to restart Russia from the ashes with a new and stronger influence.

Does Bell survive if you lie to Adler?

The ending involving lying to Adler usually ends with Bell’s death or capture as it’s part of the bad ending where the team fails to stop Perseus and Adler’s trust in Bell is likely broken completely. The situation isn’t directly revealed, but the “lie” ending is a dark conclusion where Bell’s fate is negative.

What is the significance of the “Red Door”?

The Red Door is a recurring symbol throughout Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and it represents a mind-altering pathway into Bell’s past and the truth about their relationship with Perseus. It’s also where Bell can go through memory-altering and brainwashing experiences. The repeated disobediences lead to this trophy.

Is Bell brainwashed?

Yes, Bell was brainwashed by the CIA. They were originally a right-hand of Perseus before they were captured and had their memories altered to serve the US team. This creates a conflict of identity and trust that underlies the game’s narrative.

What are the different endings in Black Ops Cold War?

There are multiple endings in Black Ops Cold War, including a good ending, and two possible bad endings, primarily differentiated by whether you tell the truth or lie to Adler about Perseus’s location and which of the secondary characters you choose to save.

Who is considered the main antagonist of the game?

While Adler has anti-heroic traits and does some cruel things, Perseus is the main antagonist of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. He is the mastermind behind the destabilizing plot.

Can you save both Park and Lazar?

No, you cannot save both Park and Lazar. You are forced to choose which character to save, which changes the fate of the secondary characters involved. Park surviving is considered the canon ending.

What is the best psychological profile?

One of the best psychological profiles in the game is considered “Violent Tendencies”, which increases bullet damage by 25%. Several other profiles offer benefits as well. The optimal choice depends on your preferred playstyle.

Is the ending where Bell lives considered canon?

Based on the events and storylines in the Call of Duty franchise, the ending where Bell tells the truth about Solovetsky and helps stop Perseus is considered the canon ending. The other endings contradict the events of subsequent games.

By understanding the consequences of lying to Adler, players can better navigate the complex narrative of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and achieve their preferred ending.