Did Richtofen create zombies?
Who is Edward Richtofen?
Dr. Edward Richtofen is a fictional character and one of the four main playable protagonists in the Call of Duty: Zombies game mode. Originally introduced in Call of Duty: World at War, Richtofen appears across several Zombies maps and modes spanning different titles in the Call of Duty series.
According to background information on the Call of Duty wiki, Edward Richtofen was born in the early 1900s in Germany. He became a scientist with Group 935, a secret research group focused on new weapons development. Richtofen served as one of Group 935‘s senior officers.
Richtofen‘s Experiments with Element 115
In his weapons research for Group 935, Dr. Richtofen began experimenting with a mysterious elemental material known only as Element 115. This element held unusual properties and was a key aspect of Richtofen‘s secret weapons projects.
However, exposure to Element 115 also caused severe side effects. Those working closely with the element, including Richtofen himself, began experiencing significant mental instability and schizophrenia-like symptoms. Their sanity slowly eroded, dramatically shifting personalities and moral compasses.
The Accidental Creation of Zombies
According to the Call of Duty storyline, Richtofen‘s experiments with weapons involving Element 115 were the genesis of zombies as we know them. Element 115 had unexplained reanimating effects on dead cells, essentially bringing the dead back to life.
Richtofen was conducting tests using Element 115-powered weapons when his lab endured a catastrophic accident. The accident caused a zombie outbreak, resulting in the dead reanimating as violent zombies.
So while Richtofen was conducting weapons experiments that inadvertently created zombies, it is unclear if he intentionally meant to create the undead. The zombies seemed to be an unexpected side effect of his overall Element 115 research.
Richtofen‘s Evolving Role and Morality
Across various Zombies maps and modes spanning World at War, Black Ops 1, 2, 3, and 4, we see Richtofen evolve from mad scientist to unstable antihero. His personality shifts multiple times from chaotic evil to more reasonable as he works alongside other protagonists like Tank Dempsey and Nikolai Belinski.
At times Richtofen searches for ways to control the zombies. In other instances, we see him fight against the undead hordes. Throughout his evolution across the storyline, Richtofen fluctuates from villain to reluctant ally in the fight for survival.
This complex backstory highlights how while instrumental in the accidental creation of zombies, Richtofen is more tragic figure than purely evil mastermind. Exposure to Element 115s side effects slowly robbed him of sanity, making his intentions and morality debatable as the overall story progresses.
Key Facts on Richtofen‘s Role as Zombie Creator
To summarize key facts on Richtofen‘s role:
- Richtofen did not intentionally create zombies initially but was conducting weapons research
- Experiments involving mysterious Element 115 led to first zombie outbreak
- Extended contact with Element 115 caused Richtofen to become unstable
- As story progresses across games, Richtofen shifts between villain and antihero roles
- His evolving intentions make him complex figure, neither purely good nor evil
So while intricately tied to the origins of zombies in the Call of Duty series, Richtofen remains a complicated character who drifts the line between mad scientist and victim as his contact with Element 115 corrodes his sanity over time.
