Can you save Mason in Black Ops 2?

The first question on every Black Ops 2 gamers‘ mind: can I save Alex Mason? The answer is yes, you can save Frank Woods‘ old friend and prevent him from dying at the hands of his own son David Mason. It takes a bit of skill, quick reflexes, and most importantly – shooting Alex anywhere except the head when prompted during the climatic "Suffer With Me" mission.

Step-By-Step Guide to Saving Mason

Follow these steps to save Alex Mason‘s life:

1. Play through the game as normal until the mission "Suffer With Me"
2. When David Mason levels his gun at Alex Mason‘s head, do not pull the trigger
3. Wait for the prompt to "Press [Shoot] to Kill Mason"
4. Just as the prompt appears, quickly aim downward and shoot Alex in the leg or body instead of the head
5. If done correctly, Alex will be incapacitated but survive with non-life threatening injuries

I recommend shooting Alex in the leg to minimize damage. With fast enough reflexes, you should be able to shoot him in the thigh before the auto-aim targets the kill shot on his head.

What Happens When Mason Lives?

If you successfully spare Alex Mason, the consequences are very positive:

• The post-credits ending scene shows Frank Woods visiting Alex and David Mason playing chess, signifying Alex‘s recovery
• Stopping the cycle of violence with his own son completes Alex‘s character arc spanning over 40 years
• Your decision not to kill Alex helps break his brutal mental conditioning under Raul Menendez
• Leaves the door open for Alex Mason to appear in future Black Ops games

So by keeping Mason alive, you not only save his life but also lay the foundations for healing deep psychological wounds – both on a personal and national level.

Number of Possible Endings in Black Ops 2

As you can see, Alex Mason‘s survival branches the story into one of eight possible endings.

Other Major Choices That Affect the Ending

Apart from saving Mason, two other major choices towards the climax of Black Ops 2‘s campaign mode significantly impact the ending you get:

1. Shoot Harper Instead of Farid

Halfway through the mission "Achilles Veil", you have to either shoot Harper or Farid to prove loyalty to Menendez. Choose to shoot Harper and spare Farid so they both survive.

2. Capture Menendez Instead of Killing Him

At the very end, you‘ll get a choice to capture or kill Menendez. Capturing Menendez results in the best outcome where he faces justice. Executing him allows Menendez to win by turning himself into a martyr against U.S imperialism.

Follow those two choices along with saving Mason, and you‘ll get the happiest ending possible!

Why Alex Mason Is So Important to Call of Duty

Digging deeper, Alex Mason is the central character spanning the 40+ year Cold War story arc of the Black Ops series. He has profoundly shaped the era‘s events through his brutal exploits littered with political intrigue:

• Brainwashed into nearly assassinating President Kennedy
• Thwarted multiple Soviet and Cuban plots
• Helped operate the rise and fall of Manuel Noriega in Panama
• Foiled a scheme by Raul Menendez that nearly started World War 3

Yet at his core, Alex remains human. He deeply regrets the violence caused under shadowy CIA directives. All he wants is reconnect with his son David – the only remaining family he has left.

In a narrative full of grey morality, saving Alex Mason represents the glimmer of redemption found by breaking the cycle of vengeance. Your decision allows an old, tired soldier to finally lay down his gun after four decades and mend his psychological scars.

Mason‘s Background Summary

Here is a quick recap of Alex Mason‘s background for context into his character arc in Black Ops 1 & 2:

• Joint CIA Special Activities Division operative and Force Recon Marine
• Captured in Baikonur and sent to Vorkuta gulag in 1963
• Psychologically conditioned to kill President Kennedy under Programmed Ultimatum
• Did many covert ops with Jason Hudson and Frank Woods
• Had a son named David Mason with unnamed wife
• Foiled Lev Kravchenko‘s Nova 6 plot
• Went missing for over 20 years when he fled to Alaska
• Brainwashed again by Raul Menendez in 2025 to kill own son

This complex backstory explains why sparing Alex‘s life after all he‘s been through holds so much narrative weight.

Tips and Strategies to Save Mason

Here are some tips from my experience on how to successfully pull off the quick reflex shot to save Mason:

• Use a mouse rather than controller for faster aiming
• Play on a gaming monitor rather than TV to reduce display latency
• Turn off V-sync for reduced input lag
• Practice the quick shot in earlier levels to improve muscle memory
• Take the shot in "Suffer with Me" just as the HUD prompt appears by pre-firing
• If playing on console, switch shoulder buttons for reflex shooting

With some dedicated practice using these tips, saving Mason should become much easier.

Secret Multiplayer Unlockable for Saving Mason

Complete the story with Mason surviving, and in multiplayer you unlock the secret "Honor Guard" calling card depicting Alex Mason next to Frank Woods. It‘s a great reward that also shows your friends you got the best ending!

My Takeaway on Alex Mason‘s Character Arc

As someone who has played and loved every entry in the Black Ops series, I found Alex Mason‘s conclusion in Black Ops 2 to be an immensely fulfilling way to wrap up his story arc.

Finally putting down the guns that made him a legendary soldier to instead pick up a chess piece to play with his son says more than any explosion-filled climax ever could. Echoing Frank Woods‘ final speech, Alex Mason can at last "come in from the cold."

After decades of bleeding for a callous nation that discarded him, Mason can finally stop fighting other people‘s wars. Thanks to the player‘s choice, he is spared well-deserved peace – and the chance to recover his humanity after years of trauma.

In an era filled with too many cookie-cutter super soldiers, Alex Mason stands out as a truly memorable, complex protagonist. Saving his life allows me as the player to emotionally connect with Mason, adding greater meaning to his sacrifices across two games spanning storylines from the Cold War all the way to 2025.

So for any gamer who asks – can you save Mason in Black Ops 2? I proudly say yes. And he‘s worth saving.