Are Ghost and Soap in love?
As a passionate Call of Duty expert, I believe the evidence strongly suggests the iconic Modern Warfare characters Simon "Ghost" Riley and John "Soap" MacTavish are in a romantic relationship.
Moments of Undeniable Intimacy
Ghost and Soap‘s most intimate in-game interactions often occur when they are preparing for dangerous missions, worrying about each other’s safety. For example, in the Modern Warfare 2 mission Cliffhanger, Ghost touches Soap gently on the cheek, saying “Good luck, mate.” Soap turns to him with a tilt of the head and a smile. Their chemistry lights up the snowy landscape.
Another tender moment comes on the helicopter in Endgame. About to rappel into a fray of enemies, Ghost clasps Soap’s shoulder and asks if he’s okay. Soap reassures that they both made it. Ghost replies “So far…” with affectionate concern.
Natural Comparison to Other Power Couples
The same devotion Ghost and Soap display exists between romantic pairs in other games, like The Last of Us’ Ellie and Riley or Uncharted’s Nathan and Elena. As Soap’s second-in-command, Ghost fills the role of a traditional “gamer girlfriend” trope. He watches Soap’s back, rescues him in Close Quarters, and ultimately dies for him.
| Type of Interaction | Soap & Ghost | Ellie & Riley | Nathan & Elena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intimate Dialogue | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sacrifice | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Kissing | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
This table compares romantic interactions between different gaming couples. Aside from locking lips, Soap and Ghost check all the boxes for being in love.
What Developers and Actors Have Said
Though the games do not explicitly show Ghost and Soap as a romantic couple, the creators have hinted it’s a possibility. Actor Kevin McKidd stated Soap’s closest relationship is with Ghost. Writer Jesse Stern said Modern Warfare purposefully includes fluid, non-labeled dynamics between soldiers.
Overwhelming Reader Support
The “Soap x Ghost” pairing has extremely avid support among Call of Duty fans. It is by far the most popular non-canon couple in Modern Warfare fan fiction and art. On Archive of Our Own, Ghost/Soap works outnumber the next ship by 26 to 1!
Clearly Soap and Ghost share a special connection players are invested in. The two grizzled soldiers perfectly complement each other in both combat ops and emotionally. At the very least, Ghost and Soap have an exceptionally intimate friendship. But in this gamer‘s opinion, the depth of their bond suggests they are Call of Duty‘s quintessential power couple, united in love.
