Who is Edward Richtofen?

Doctor Edward Richtofen is one of the most pivotal characters across the entire Call of Duty Zombies storyline. First introduced as a playable character in 2008‘s Call of Duty: World at War, Richtofen has emerged as a central figure across multiple Treyarch COD titles – spanning fan-favorite maps like Kino Der Toten, Moon, Origins and more. Read on for a comprehensive deep dive into the history, abilities, motivations and shifting allegiances of this iconic Zombies persona.

Origins: Richtofen‘s Backstory Prior to His Zombies Experiments

Before spearheading unethical experiments to create the undead monsters that COD Zombies fans know and love today, Edward Richtofen had an intriguing backstory shrouded in mystery. Many fans speculate his name was inspired by real-life WW1 flying ace Manfred von Richtofen (aka ‘The Red Baron‘).

According to the Call of Duty wiki, Richtofen was born in Germany on August 15, 1881. Details on his early life are scarce, but he pursued medicine to become a physician and scientist. Richtofen joined Group 935 – a secretive research group dedicated to developing advanced weaponry and conducting unethical experiments. He quickly rose up the ranks due to his brilliance and obsessive dedication.

By 1942, during WW2, Richtofen was Group 935‘s most prominent scientist. Based out of the organization‘s main facility at Der Riese (German for ‘The Giant‘), he led development of their Wonder Weapons program to create powerful elemental armaments. Richtofen also spearheaded sadistic human experiments – with his cruelty earning him the sinister nicknames ‘The Butcher‘ and ‘The Doctor of the Damned‘.

Behind the Undead Scourge: Richtofen‘s Creation of the Zombies

Richtofen‘s demented human experiments at Der Riese eventually led him to conduct sick tiral-and-error tests exposing human subjects to Element 115. This unstable elemental material mutated his victims into the first zombie specimens in 1943.

As the undead outbreak spread, Richtofen continued using live human prisoners in his twisted experiments to try improving the zombies via exposure to 115-powered Wonder Weapons. He operated out of facilities like Shi No Numa and Kino Der Toten to carry out these tests.

By 1945, allied forces had closed in – forcing Richtofen to abandon Group 935‘s key research centers. During the war‘s final days, desperate schemes to evade capture led Richtofen to unleash a zombie horde at Griffen Station before fleeing to a moon base.

Ultimately Richtofen‘s unethical experiments proved his undoing – as his very own undead mutated creations turned against their creator. Poetic justice.

Stats and Abilities – What Makes Doctor Richtofen Such a Formidable Foe?

As a Boss Zombie, Richtofen has some formidable stats and abilities that pose a threat to players:

His high intelligence and engineering expertise allows Richtofen to wield devastating Wonder Weapons and oversee complex facilities like Der Riese with masterful efficiency.

Richtofen also uses unconventional tactics – teleporting around the map to surprise attackers or mind-controlling zombies to do his bidding. He‘s certainly a tough cookie!

Shifting Allegiances: Richtofen as Protagonist, Anti-Hero and Villain Across the Zombies Story Arc

Spanning 2008-2022 over numerous titles, Richtofen has emerged as the most prominently featured character throughout the entire COD Zombies storyline. He‘s donned many hats – including protagonist, villainous antagonist and anti-hero at various points.

Originally introduced as a playable character in World at War, Richtofen teamed up with fellow soldiers Tank Dempsey, Takeo Masaki and Nikolai Belinski as they battled the undead forces accidentally unleashed by Richtofen himself. Their unlikely partnership established Richtofen as a protagonist – albeit a morally questionable one!

As more titles expanded the lore, Edward was revealed to be the brilliant Group 935 scientist behind the zombies. His amoral human experiments caused the carnage facing our heroes! This shifted Richtofen into more of a villainous role as his former allies turned against him.

However in later DLC chapters, Richtofen‘s soul merges with heroes like Samantha Maxis. He reluctantly aids Dempsey, Takeo and Nikolai in order to stop greater evils like Shadowman and the Apothicons. This grey area established Richtofen as an anti-hero – sometimes helping or betraying the team to serve his own mysterious ends.

By Cold War, Richtofen‘s soul had ended up damned inside the Dark Aether realm – being punished for unleashing zombies onto the world. As protagonists like Weaver rescued him in later Easter Eggs, Richtofen proved helpful in stopping the demonic Dark Aether entity known as Forsaken. He played the role of a ‘good‘ Richtofen variant, making amends for sins committed by his original self back in WW2.

My Take: What Makes Richtofen Such An Iconic Character?

As a hardcore COD Zombies buff since 2008‘s World At War kicked off this legendary mode, I‘ve loved witnessing Richtofen evolve across so many games over 15 years of DLC content.

He‘s emerged as the most prominently featured character – outshining even mainstays like Dempsey and Nikolai. Richtofen has undergone a fascinating character arc – shifting from mad scientist villain to conflicted anti-hero to even becoming a destined hero against greater evils.

I feel Treyarch struck narrative gold with the dimensional travel elements tying together different variants of Richtofen. It reinforced his importance while allowing the character to continue playing new roles. ‘Primis‘ Richtofen was a destinied hero – while the soul of ‘Ultimis‘ Richtofen faced condemnation for his sins unleashing the undead.

Richtofen has left an indelible mark on COD Zombies lore. His eccentric personality, mysterious motivations, ethical complexities and importance transforming into different villains/heroes across twisted timelines has cemented his status as the single most iconic character in this beloved mode!