Is Primis Older Than Ultimis? No, Here‘s Why Ultimis is the Elder Group

As experienced COD Zombies gamers well know, Ultimis and Primis represent two iterations of the same characters from different timelines. Ultimis consists of the original playable four – "Tank" Dempsey, Nikolai Belinski, Takeo Masaki, and Edward Richtofen. They drive the plot lines in early classics like Kino Der Toten and Moon.

Primis emerges later as younger, alternate versions trying to break the cycle of the undead once and for all. As fellow undead slayers, it‘s worth our time diving into their backstories. While convoluted, Treyarch expertly intertwines the two across space and time itself.

So to answer plainly: Yes, Ultimis is older.

They are the wizened originals who set the Zombies storyline into motion. Primis may exhibit more personal growth and cooperation as characters, but Ultimis got there first by decades. Of course, given time travel is in play, parsing exactly how many years between them gets tricky. Let‘s break down what we know and a few fascinating fan theories:

When Was Each Group Introduced?

Ultimis entered the scene first in COD: World at War‘s initial Zombies map, Nacht der Untoten:

• November 2008 – Players battle the undead as an unnamed character model, later retconned to be a Marine in Verruckt
• February 2009 – Shi No Numa‘s release names Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, Richtofen

Based on in-game Intel:

• They are test subjects exposed to Element 115 at Der Riese facility
• Origins for their Zombies encounters unspecified at this point

Meanwhile we awaited 7 whole years until Primis‘ debut:

• August 2013 – Young alternate versions revealed in Origins (Black Ops 2)
• Tank Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, Richtofen on WW1 French battlefield
• Encounter Element 115 meteor, explanation for their Zombies destiny

As far as age itself goes, Primis obviously appears decades younger models:

We‘ll analyze their actual ages later, but the visual design communicates Primis‘ younger statuses clearly. Origins furnishes them as such to refresh the storyline and characters.

How Do Their Timelines and Ages Match Up?

Here‘s where unraveling space-time continuity makes even Richtofen‘s head spin!

In the Ultimis timeline, Richtofen oversees test experiments on soldiers Dempsey, Nikolai, and Takeo as Nazi Germany falls in 1945. Via teleporters and Element 115, they continually return to Der Reise facility.

But after Shangri-La, the group fractures across space-time. Richtofen swaps bodies with Samantha Maxis on Moon, leaving the others stranded on Earth as zombies overrun it in 2025. They reunite years later, but are far past middle age based on visuals:

Of course, Element 115‘s mutative effects may also accelerate aging. Now cue Primis – their timeline splits apart all the way back in 1918! So if they looked early 30s by Origins in 1943, presumptions are:

There is certainly evidence Richtofen participated in the Great War before being stationed at Der Eisendrache in 1917. And the rest of Primis could easily be battle-tested soldiers in their late 20s there.

Extrapolating further, 1918 Richtofen would be ~24 years old chronologically when he encounters Element 115. That splits his timeline into the far future witnessing older Ultimis Richtofen‘s test cases. Wild stuff!

But regardless of exact ages, Ultimis remains the elder group across appearances and original introduction years earlier.

How Are Their Backgrounds and Experiences Different?

The life events shaping these soldiers-turned-zombie killers diverge in fascinating ways:

Ultimis

• Forcibly enlisted as Group 935 test subjects
• Repeated exposure to Element 115
• Drive early Zombies installments seeking ascension/revenge

They ultimately fracture across space-time, never fully reuniting the original four again. Primis eliminates them one by one eventually.

Primis

• Young WW1 soldiers encountering 115 meteor shards
• Fight undead forces across fractured timelines
• Cooperate to uphold "The Cycle" until Richtofen breaks it

What I find most intriguing is Ultimis‘ pure chaos vs Primis‘ purpose.

As the name suggests, Ultimis operates on self interest without higher motivations beyond survival and vengeance. But Primis works to maintain the Cycle for some greater good…before Richtofen‘s sacrifice frees them into unknown fates post-Revelations.

We still don‘t know where they went or if they‘ll return later. But like every classic hero team, bitter infighting can tear them apart as the Shadowman unleashes his forces against them.

There‘s certainly rich narrative potential if Treyarch ever revisits Primis or Ultimis alike in future COD zombies experiences!

The Wrap Up: Ultimis Blazes the Zombie Killing Trail

And there we have it folks – Ultimis stands as the older, original Nazi Zombies crew across the maps and storyline we know so well. Primis emerges later as their crucial multiverse counterparts working to uphold the Cycle.

It‘s been fascinating watching these expert COD developers interweave the two groups across years and fractured timelines. Here‘s hoping Treyarch returns to Ultimis or Primis someday to tie up loose ends or ignite new adventures!

But I turn it over to you undead slayers: Which group do you prefer? Are you an Ultimis purist who wants Tank and the gang back? Or is Primis‘ fate after Revelations something you want resolved with DLC expansions?

Let‘s keep debating and dissecting the lore of our veteran zombie annihilators! It‘s intricacies like these that make replaying Nacht or SOE so rewarding all these years later.

Until next time, addicts: be sure to Pack-A-Punch twice and revive your squadmates in style!