Who Killed Makarov in Modern Warfare? An In-Depth Investigation
As any Call of Duty fan knows, Vladimir Makarov was one of the most ruthless and elusive villains in the smash-hit Modern Warfare trilogy. This terrorist mastermind sparked World War 3 with his brazen ‘No Russian‘ attack on Zakhaev International Airport, which left over 200 civilians dead.
Makarov sparking World War 3 in the infamous "No Russian" mission
Over the next few years, Makarov wreaked havoc across Europe and the Middle East, catching the focus of Task Force 141. After countless battles and clashes, Makarov met his eventual demise at the hands of Captain John Price.
But when and where did this happen? How did Price finally get his revenge? As a die-hard Call of Duty expert, I‘m here to break down the riveting final chapter of Makarov‘s saga across two distinct timelines.
Makarov‘s Death in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Remastered
Believe it or not, Makarov originally met his maker all the way back in 1996 during the Chernobyl disaster. In the remastered version of the classic Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, a sniper shot from Captain Price ends Makarov decades before he can instigate World War 3.
The exact details, according to the remastered campaign, play out as follows:
Price learns from Russian informant Nikolai that arms dealer Imran Zakhaev is selling weapons-grade uranium fuel rods salvaged from Chernobyl at the disaster site. On this bombed-out battlefield, Price infiltrates the deal in disguise alongside ally Lieutenant Yuri.
In the aftermath of the transaction, Makarov converses with Yuri inside a jeep, explaining his burgeoning anti-Western ideology. Suddenly, a loud gunshot rings out – Price‘s Barrett .50 cal pierces the jeep window and strikes Makarov directly between the eyes.
Sgt. Kamarov and teammate Soap barely manage to rescue Price as enemy forces swarm their sniping position. This surprise assassination not only averts the airport massacre, but persuades Zakhaev to abandon his extremist cause. Peace reigns…for now.
Key Details:
- Year: 1996
- Location: Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine
- Killer: Captain John Price
- Weapon Used: Barrett .50 Cal Sniper Rifle
So in the remastered timeline, Price successfully averts Makarov‘s entire reign of terror before it can commence. But series veterans know this is just an alternate history Easter egg. Across the core Modern Warfare saga, Makarov meets a very different end…
Makarov‘s Death in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The original arc of the Modern Warfare series sees Makarov survive his activities at Chernobyl and continue stoking tensions between Russia and the West. In 2016, his assault on Zakhaev International Airport and the American blame that follows kicks off World War 3 in earnest.
Let‘s break down the key events across MW2 and MW3 that set the stage for Makarov‘s brutal demise:
2009 – Makarov sparks a Russian civil war and oversees a devastating attack on a Moscow airport. Undercover CIA agent Joseph Allen is killed casting American blame.
2016 – Makarov‘s No Russian attack and follow-up chemical warfare in Europe draws the globe into Word War 3. Captain Price‘s Task Force 141 attempts to capture Makarov in Prague and Rio De Janeiro but fails.
2017 – With the war worsening and Makarov in hiding, Price and Task Force 141 unite with Russian forces to uncover his location in Dubai…
The Scene of the Crime: Dubai
After chasing Makarov‘s tail across the planet, Price finally tracks the terrorist leader to the Hotel Oasis in Dubai. Infiltrating the heavily guarded tower, Price corners a wounded Makarov on the hotel roof. Following an exchange of gunfire, a desperate Makarov attempts to flee via an emergency escape cable.
Price manages to loop the loose cable around Makarov‘s neck as he slides away. The steel cord snaps tight, leaving Makarov hanging lifeless against the Dubai skyline as Price looks on from the roof.
The Killshot Breakdown
- Date: January 21, 2017
- Location: Hotel Oasis Rooftop, Dubai
- Killer: Captain John Price
- Cause of Death: Broken neck via hanging from steel cord
With their leader gone and Zakhaev International secured by Russian forces, Makarov‘s Inner Circle splinters and the ulra-nationalist threat diminishes. Price‘s long pursuit of vengeance ultimately led him to save the world.
Impact of Makarov‘s Death
Neutralizing the tactical mastermind behind Russia‘s terrorist element helped stabilize the outcome of World War 3. While the road to peace was still long and brutal, Price struck a blow that shifted momentum.
By analyzing communications and intel recovered from Makarov‘s Dubai hideout, allied forces gained insight into remaining enemy operations. Striking these targets ultimately allowed Russia‘s internal military to regain control of the government from extremist factions.
Additionally, eliminating Makarov severely hindered coordination and leadership of many remaining terrorist cells still carrying out attacks. Once devoted followers descended into infighting over power and resources.
While the full resolution of WW3 stretched beyond 2017, this successful raid proved a vital tipping point as the coalition began reclaiming Eurasia from the last remnants of the Inner Circle.
Comparing Makarov‘s Death Between Timelines
As discussed so far, Captain Price killed Makarov via long-range sniper shot in 1996 during the Chernobyl mission in Call of Duty 4 Remastered. By sharp contrast, Makarov meets his end via brutal hanging in 2017 on a Dubai rooftop at the climax of Modern Warfare 3.
A few key details stand out when analyzing Price‘s takedown of Makarov across these alternate timelines:
| Metric | Remastered COD4 | Modern Warfare 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 1996 | 2017 |
| Location | Chernobyl Disaster Site | Dubai Hotel Rooftop |
| Age of Makarov | ~30 years old | ~50 years old |
| Weapon Used | Barrett Sniper Rifle | Steel Hanging Cable |
| War Impact | Averted WW3 | Contributed to WW3 End |
| Satisfaction for Price | High | Extremely High |
Ultimately, Price‘s silent sniping takedown holds more practical purpose – nipping a destructive force before its born. Meanwhile, the brutal hanging scene provides Price immense, visceral gratification after years pursuing Makarov post-airport attack and through the peak war years.
Both versions tap into interesting ‘what if…‘ scenarios. Could eliminating young Makarov truly prevent WW3? Would the Inner Circle proceed unimpeded without its brilliant leader? We can only speculate as fans…
Unanswered Questions in Makarov‘s Legacy
While the official Modern Warfare games leave some loose threads, Makarov‘s serialized story reaches a decisive conclusion in MW3. Still, mysteries and theories continue swirling around this lunatic who brought the world to its knees:
Who rescued Makarov at Chernobyl in the original timeline? – A nameless Russian ultranationalist commandeered a helicopter to extract Makarov from the Pripyat ruins back in 1996. His identity remains unknown…
Is Makarov alive in his own alternate dimension? – Some fans speculate that by killing Makarov in the past, Price splintered the MW reality into the Remastered timeline and the Core timeline where Makarov lives on.
Could Makarov return if MW3‘s ending was just his deception? – Other theorists suggest Makarov faked his Dubai death and has gone deeper underground…but still lurks in Core timeline shadows plotting global domination!
While fun for speculation, most evidence suggests Makarov thoroughly perished by Price‘s hand atop the Hotel Oasis. But for many gamers, Makarov remains an endless source of possibilities – a terrifying villain we still haven‘t seen the last of!
Closing Thoughts on Makarov‘s Legacy
As this comprehensive breakdown shows, Vladimir Makarov climbed to the top of Call of Duty infamy – and domination – before suffering an inglorious defeat. Across a criminal career spanning over 20 volatile years, his extraterrestrial charisma and strategic prowess fueled campaigns of chaos lucrative to his nationalist interests, and catastrophic for the rest of civilization.
For devotees of the series, Makarov represents a perfect antagonistic foil to Price and Task Force 141. Driven by ideological extremism, yet calm under fire, Makarov keeps even the savviest special forces shocked and scattered. Ultimately he pushes all of Europe to the literal brink through orchestrating World War 3.
In death, Makarov leaves a vast power vacuum in the Russian underworld and extremist circles, allowing remnants to splinter and struggle internal power plays. Love him or hate him, similar figures rarely emerge with such blistering revolutionary conviction paired and tactical brilliance paired with stunning cruelty.
Few can match wits with John Price for long, and despite evading America‘s elite hunter-killer teams, even Makarov‘s tricks and safeguards couldn‘t preserve his savage reign. In the end, Price observes Russian forces restoring order upon a grateful populace below Makarov’s lifeless corpse left hanging…an iconic image cementing the end of a destructive era for Call of Duty fans everywhere.
