John MacTavish
Encyclopedia
John "Soap" MacTavish, is a Scottish fictional character and one of the two main protagonists in the Modern Warfare series of the Call of Duty
game franchise. His debut was in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
as an "FNG" sergeant of the Special Air Service
, serving as the team's sniper and demolitions expert, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
as a captain and field commander of Task Force 141 (TF-141). Near the end of Modern Warfare 2, Soap and his comrade and former mentor, Captain John Price
, are labeled fugitives
following the betrayal by their commanding officer, US Army General Shepherd. Shepherd had stabbed Soap in the chest, but he is saved by Price and Nikolai, beginning Modern Warfare 3. Soap helps Task Force 141 continue their hunt for Makarov. However, Soap falls from a great height in the mission "Blood Brothers", and dies during rescue with Price at his side.
He plays a major and important role during the game's Russian civil war crisis, a newcomer to the British SAS and part of Captain Price's Bravo Team. Players assume the role of Soap in Modern Warfare as well as others. He is present as an NPC
in Modern Warfare 2 except the last three levels of the game, where the player retakes his role. He is voiced by the Scottish actor Kevin McKidd
.
Whilst in the SAS's training camp in Credenhill
, Soap received a quick training session in weapons and techniques by a fellow SAS member Gaz, before being introduced to Captain Price
and the rest of Bravo Team. He is referred to as, "the F.N.G." by Gaz. After passing the C.Q.B.
test (intended to be reminiscent of the real SAS "Killing Houses"), Soap is briefed on the mission to infiltrate and assault a suspicious cargo ship in the Bering Strait
. On board the ship, they discover a nuclear device bound for Russia, though enemy MiG
s interrupt their investigations by sinking the ship. In the process of escaping the doomed vessel, Soap was forced to leap for the ramp of the team's helicopter just as it was beginning to fly away. However, he lost his grip, and mere seconds before he was bound to fall off the vehicle, was rescued by Captain Price.
Upon completing the mission, Soap, Price, and Gaz travel to the Caucasus Mountains
in Russia to extract the compromised informant who supplied them with the intelligence for the cargo ship mission, a man codenamed "Nikolai". Working in close conjunction with Russian government loyalists led by Sergeant Kamarov, they successfully locate and extract Nikolai from the battle zone, though their helicopter is shot down by an Ultranationalist SAM
. Bravo Team, Nikolai and another SAS operator are forced to fight their way through enemy lines on foot, before being provided with heavy air support from an AC-130H Spectre gunship call-signed "Warhammer", which enables their extraction by helicopters.
Soap's next mission with Bravo Team would take him to Azerbaijan
, clearing through an abandoned village in search of the Arab warlord Khaled Al-Asad. Upon locating him, Soap witnessed Al-Asad's interrogation and execution at the hands of Captain Price, learning that the Russian Ultranationalist leader Imran Zakhaev had been Al-Asad's weapons supplier. The next day, it appears Soap was designated the team's support man, being equipped with both an M249 and M21 sniper rifle. He was placed in charge of covering the team's retreat with the Minigun
from a downed Black Hawk (destroying several Ultranationalist helicopters in the process) and detonating the explosive charges placed at Phase Line Bravo. Afterwards, he was the point man when the squad had to backtrack to the lower part of the village due to heavy coverage of anti-aircraft weapons in the vicinity. Following this, Soap and the rest of Bravo Team were extracted by US Marines led by Staff Sergeant Griggs.
Soap's final mission in the Russian civil war saw him infiltrating Russia as part of the joint taskforce of US Marines and SAS operators in order to eliminate Imran Zakhaev's nuclear capability. After grouping with US forces, Soap and his allies proceeded to enter a Ultranationalist outpost and secure it, as part of plan to capture Zakhaev's son, Victor Zakhaev. The following day, a convoy arrives in the outpost, led by Victor himself. Bravo Team, disguised as Russian guards, allow Victor to enter the facility, though quickly reveal their true intentions and attack his forces. During the battle that followed, Soap and Griggs provided sniper support for the rest of the team from a high tower. However, Victor Zakhaev rams his jeep
into one of the legs of the tower, sending it tumbling to the ground, providing the perfect distraction to get away. Stunned, Soap was unable to take down Victor before he could get away. After chasing him through a small village, and a five story building, Soap and the rest of the team corner Victor. Unwilling to betray his father's secrets, Victor committed suicide before Soap could take away his weapon.
Angered at his son's death, Zakhaev threatened to launch nuclear missiles at the East Coast of America if US and British forces did not withdraw from Russia. In order to handicap Zakhaev's nuclear threat, Soap, Price, Gaz, Griggs, and several other SAS members parachuted into the Altay Mountains
in order to reach his launch facility. However, their mission was delayed by Griggs' separation and subsequent capture. After eventually locating and recovering him, Soap planted a set of C4 on a power tower, destroying the electricity supply to the facility. Following this, the team regrouped with US sniping forces before witnessing a double nuclear missile launch at Zakhaev's hands. Entering the facility, the team furiously fought against time to reach the launch control center, and eventually deactivated the missiles. However, the team was unable to prevent Zakhaev's escape, and he managed to depart the facility before anything could be done.
The group then attempted to escape, with Soap provided all-around covering fire for their jeep as they made their way to the extraction site. However, Zakhaev's Mi-24 Hind damaged the bridge, forcing Soap and his companions to fight their way on foot. Fighting fiercely at the bridge in a massive penultimate battle, Soap was thrown to the ground and severely injured by an exploding oil truck. He was pulled into cover by Sgt. Griggs, moments before Griggs himself was killed. He then watched helplessly as Imran Zakhaev and his bodyguards executed Gaz and two other SAS operatives. Just as all hope seemed lost, a Loyalist Mi-28 arrived and destroyed the Hind, forcing Zakhaev and his henchmen to turn away from Soap in return fire. A heavily wounded Price slid Soap his M1911 pistol, which Soap used to kill Zakhaev and his two bodyguards.
Moments later, Loyalist forces fast-roped down and flooded the scene with Kamarov coming to Soap's aid, placing him onto a stretcher, assuring him that he will be all right. Soap passed out during the middle of extraction, though survived his wounds alongside Price.
When the Russians get their hands on a downed US satellite, MacTavish and Sanderson are sent to infiltrate a Russian airbase within the Tian Shan
mountain range in Kazakhstan
to recover the ACS module. After scaling the mountain and sneaking through base, the two recover the module inside a hangar. However, they are quickly compromised by Major Petrov and his forces. In a daring escape, Roach and MacTavish fight their way out of the base and commandeer snowmobile
s, leading to a thrilling chase down the mountainside to the awaiting evacuation team.
Shortly after the mission in Kazakhstan, MacTavish led Task Force 141 into Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
, to capture Rojas, an arms dealer who had supplied the Russian terrorist Vladimir Makarov with his weapons during his massacre in Zakhaev International Airport. While Soap and Ghost interrogated Rojas' right-hand man, Roach and two other task force members (Royce and Meat) went into the favela
in search of Rojas. The two are killed in the fighting, leaving Roach to tackle the favela alone. After fighting his way through, Roach eventually links up with MacTavish and Ghost, whom have just captured Rojas. However, the only thing they managed to get out of Rojas is that Makarov has a strong hatred for "Prisoner 627", who is incarcerated in a Russian gulag
.
Due to the surprise invasion of the United States by Russian forces, the airspace around Brazil is locked down, leaving the 141 stranded in the middle of enemy territory. In order to escape, MacTavish calls in Nikolai, whom he had saved during the events of the Second Russian Civil War. Surrounded by militia, the Task Force fights its way to a market, where Nikolai was supposed to pick them up in a helicopter. However, due to the fire from the militia he is forced to the secondary extraction point. During the escape, Roach is nearly left behind when he falls off a rooftop. However, he makes his way back to the top, militia in tow, and makes it aboard the helicopter.
Shortly after the extraction, the Navy SEALs and Task Force 141 initiated a two-stage operation; the first stage being to secure a modified oil platform in order to disable SAM
sites on the platform, and the second phase to infiltrate the gulag itself. After infiltrating the prison, MacTavish led his troops through the Russian gulag, and eventually reach Prisoner 627, who turns out to be Captain Price
. Although Price is at first hostile towards Roach (thinking that he was one of the Russians), he rejoins after recognizing MacTavish, and the squad manages to extract (via SPIE rig) from the gulag before it was blown up. During this time, MacTavish returns Price his M1911 pistol that was used to kill Imran Zakhaev five years ago.
Task Force 141 then headed into Petropavlovsk, Russia
, seemingly on a mission to destroy a nuclear submarine. During the course of the mission, Roach facilitated Price's infiltration inside a submarine by providing Predator drone support. However, in a sudden twist of events, Price used the submarine to launch a nuclear missile, using it as an EMP
to incapacitate the Russian's attack on America.
After the events of the nuclear launch, Task Force 141 was split up to investigate two locations, with Price and MacTavish investigating an arms deal in Afghanistan
, while Ghost and Roach and the bulk of the task force investigate one of Makarov's safehouses in Russia. Price and MacTavish are attacked by Shepherd's men and attempt to warn Ghost and Roach, only to realize that they are too late. Soap and Price manage to escape the arms deal with the help of Nikolai while getting some intelligence from Makarov, focusing on killing Shepherd.
The two then pursue Shepherd through Afghanistan, fighting through his Shadow Company and into Site Hotel Bravo. They then prevent Shepherd's escape by shooting down the general's Pave Low where they eventually corner him and attempt to kill him. However, as MacTavish attempts to stab Shepherd, the latter disarms Soap, slams his head into a broken down car (thus knocking him to the ground) and impales him with the knife. Before Shepherd can execute Soap with a .44 Magnum
, Price tackles Shepherd, causing him to drop the gun. As Soap crawls towards the gun, Shepherd manages to push Price away from him, kicking the gun away and stomping Soap's head. Price and Shepherd then engage in a long, brutal fistfight
that Soap can see as he drifts in and out of consciousness, with Shepherd eventually gaining the upper hand. However Soap, now awake, manages to pull out the knife from his chest, and throws it
into Shepherd's left eye, killing the traitorous general. Price, who had been beaten unconscious, awakens moments later, pushing Shepherd´s body off of him. Seeing Soap's mangled state, Price then comes to his aid and the two are evacuated by Nikolai, who arrives in a MH-6 Little Bird
, even though told by Price that it was "a one-way trip". During the course of Shepherd's betrayal, Soap and Price were labeled as international fugitives, and were on the run following their victory over Shepherd.
Soap helps set up an assassination attempt of Makarov, with support from Loyalist Kamarov. However the plan goes awry when Kamarov is captured and wired with explosives. Makarov detonates the explosives, killing Kamarov and nearly taking Price in the explosion. He also detonates concealed explosives in Soap and Yuri's location—but not before saying, "Yuri, my friend. You never should have come here." Soap pushes Yuri out of the way, who lands on construction equipment; however, Soap falls the entire way and is partially crushed by debris, reopening his stab wound. Price and Yuri eventually manage to drag Soap to safety, but by then his condition has deteriorated and his wounds become fatal. In his final moments, Soap tells Price: "You need to know: Makarov...knows...Yuri." He then dies, and Price symbolically places his M1911 pistol (the same pistol Soap used to kill Zakhaev and then returned to Price upon his breakout) on MacTavish's chest, saying, "I'm sorry." His death is the final straw for Price's motivation to kill Makarov, even after the end of World War III.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in 2003. It is the first game in a series with the same name. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. The game is based on the Quake III: Team Arena engine...
game franchise. His debut was in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A handheld game was made for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America, Australia, and...
as an "FNG" sergeant of the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
, serving as the team's sniper and demolitions expert, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles and the Microsoft Windows operating system. Officially announced on February 11, 2009, the game was released worldwide on...
as a captain and field commander of Task Force 141 (TF-141). Near the end of Modern Warfare 2, Soap and his comrade and former mentor, Captain John Price
Captain Price (Call of Duty)
, $ Captain Price is the major fictional character in the Call of Duty series. Price appears as an experienced soldier and a strong leader. He is somewhat compassionate, but can be rather ruthless at times. He speaks with a cockney accent. In all games, he appears with a large, characteristic...
, are labeled fugitives
Fugitives
The Fugitives were a group of poets and literary scholars who came together at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, around 1920. They published a small literary magazine called The Fugitive from 1922-1925 which showcased their works...
following the betrayal by their commanding officer, US Army General Shepherd. Shepherd had stabbed Soap in the chest, but he is saved by Price and Nikolai, beginning Modern Warfare 3. Soap helps Task Force 141 continue their hunt for Makarov. However, Soap falls from a great height in the mission "Blood Brothers", and dies during rescue with Price at his side.
He plays a major and important role during the game's Russian civil war crisis, a newcomer to the British SAS and part of Captain Price's Bravo Team. Players assume the role of Soap in Modern Warfare as well as others. He is present as an NPC
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
in Modern Warfare 2 except the last three levels of the game, where the player retakes his role. He is voiced by the Scottish actor Kevin McKidd
Kevin McKidd
Kevin McKidd is a Scottish television and film actor and director. Before playing the role of Owen Hunt in Grey's Anatomy, McKidd starred as Lucius Vorenus in the historical drama series Rome, and provided the voice of Captain John "Soap" Mactavish in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and the sequel...
.
Modern Warfare
Soap begins his SAS career hours before the six-day global war begins. Initially, Soap started out as a sergeant, unusual in that newcomers to the SAS are usually demoted to trooper (however they still retain their rank and the level of pay they previously received; the rank of trooper is only given to show that all the new recruits are equal), fresh out of Selection.Whilst in the SAS's training camp in Credenhill
Credenhill
Credenhill is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England,Near Credenhill is the site of the former Royal Air Force station RAF Hereford, which is now the headquarters of 22 Special Air Service Regiment.-Notable residents:...
, Soap received a quick training session in weapons and techniques by a fellow SAS member Gaz, before being introduced to Captain Price
Captain Price (Call of Duty)
, $ Captain Price is the major fictional character in the Call of Duty series. Price appears as an experienced soldier and a strong leader. He is somewhat compassionate, but can be rather ruthless at times. He speaks with a cockney accent. In all games, he appears with a large, characteristic...
and the rest of Bravo Team. He is referred to as, "the F.N.G." by Gaz. After passing the C.Q.B.
Close quarters battle
Close quarters combat or close quarters battle is a type of fighting in which small units engage the enemy with personal weapons at very short range, potentially to the point of hand-to-hand combat or fighting with hand weapons such as swords or knives...
test (intended to be reminiscent of the real SAS "Killing Houses"), Soap is briefed on the mission to infiltrate and assault a suspicious cargo ship in the Bering Strait
Bering Strait
The Bering Strait , known to natives as Imakpik, is a sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, the easternmost point of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, USA, the westernmost point of the North American continent, with latitude of about 65°40'N,...
. On board the ship, they discover a nuclear device bound for Russia, though enemy MiG
Mig
-Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...
s interrupt their investigations by sinking the ship. In the process of escaping the doomed vessel, Soap was forced to leap for the ramp of the team's helicopter just as it was beginning to fly away. However, he lost his grip, and mere seconds before he was bound to fall off the vehicle, was rescued by Captain Price.
Upon completing the mission, Soap, Price, and Gaz travel to the Caucasus Mountains
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains is a mountain system in Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region .The Caucasus Mountains includes:* the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and* the Lesser Caucasus Mountains....
in Russia to extract the compromised informant who supplied them with the intelligence for the cargo ship mission, a man codenamed "Nikolai". Working in close conjunction with Russian government loyalists led by Sergeant Kamarov, they successfully locate and extract Nikolai from the battle zone, though their helicopter is shot down by an Ultranationalist SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
. Bravo Team, Nikolai and another SAS operator are forced to fight their way through enemy lines on foot, before being provided with heavy air support from an AC-130H Spectre gunship call-signed "Warhammer", which enables their extraction by helicopters.
Soap's next mission with Bravo Team would take him to Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, clearing through an abandoned village in search of the Arab warlord Khaled Al-Asad. Upon locating him, Soap witnessed Al-Asad's interrogation and execution at the hands of Captain Price, learning that the Russian Ultranationalist leader Imran Zakhaev had been Al-Asad's weapons supplier. The next day, it appears Soap was designated the team's support man, being equipped with both an M249 and M21 sniper rifle. He was placed in charge of covering the team's retreat with the Minigun
Minigun
The Minigun is a 7.62 mm, multi-barrel heavy machine gun with a high rate of fire , employing Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source...
from a downed Black Hawk (destroying several Ultranationalist helicopters in the process) and detonating the explosive charges placed at Phase Line Bravo. Afterwards, he was the point man when the squad had to backtrack to the lower part of the village due to heavy coverage of anti-aircraft weapons in the vicinity. Following this, Soap and the rest of Bravo Team were extracted by US Marines led by Staff Sergeant Griggs.
Soap's final mission in the Russian civil war saw him infiltrating Russia as part of the joint taskforce of US Marines and SAS operators in order to eliminate Imran Zakhaev's nuclear capability. After grouping with US forces, Soap and his allies proceeded to enter a Ultranationalist outpost and secure it, as part of plan to capture Zakhaev's son, Victor Zakhaev. The following day, a convoy arrives in the outpost, led by Victor himself. Bravo Team, disguised as Russian guards, allow Victor to enter the facility, though quickly reveal their true intentions and attack his forces. During the battle that followed, Soap and Griggs provided sniper support for the rest of the team from a high tower. However, Victor Zakhaev rams his jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
into one of the legs of the tower, sending it tumbling to the ground, providing the perfect distraction to get away. Stunned, Soap was unable to take down Victor before he could get away. After chasing him through a small village, and a five story building, Soap and the rest of the team corner Victor. Unwilling to betray his father's secrets, Victor committed suicide before Soap could take away his weapon.
Angered at his son's death, Zakhaev threatened to launch nuclear missiles at the East Coast of America if US and British forces did not withdraw from Russia. In order to handicap Zakhaev's nuclear threat, Soap, Price, Gaz, Griggs, and several other SAS members parachuted into the Altay Mountains
Altay Mountains
The Altai Mountains are a mountain range in East-Central Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob have their sources. The Altai Mountains are known as the original locus of the speakers of Turkic as well as other members of the proposed...
in order to reach his launch facility. However, their mission was delayed by Griggs' separation and subsequent capture. After eventually locating and recovering him, Soap planted a set of C4 on a power tower, destroying the electricity supply to the facility. Following this, the team regrouped with US sniping forces before witnessing a double nuclear missile launch at Zakhaev's hands. Entering the facility, the team furiously fought against time to reach the launch control center, and eventually deactivated the missiles. However, the team was unable to prevent Zakhaev's escape, and he managed to depart the facility before anything could be done.
The group then attempted to escape, with Soap provided all-around covering fire for their jeep as they made their way to the extraction site. However, Zakhaev's Mi-24 Hind damaged the bridge, forcing Soap and his companions to fight their way on foot. Fighting fiercely at the bridge in a massive penultimate battle, Soap was thrown to the ground and severely injured by an exploding oil truck. He was pulled into cover by Sgt. Griggs, moments before Griggs himself was killed. He then watched helplessly as Imran Zakhaev and his bodyguards executed Gaz and two other SAS operatives. Just as all hope seemed lost, a Loyalist Mi-28 arrived and destroyed the Hind, forcing Zakhaev and his henchmen to turn away from Soap in return fire. A heavily wounded Price slid Soap his M1911 pistol, which Soap used to kill Zakhaev and his two bodyguards.
Moments later, Loyalist forces fast-roped down and flooded the scene with Kamarov coming to Soap's aid, placing him onto a stretcher, assuring him that he will be all right. Soap passed out during the middle of extraction, though survived his wounds alongside Price.
Modern Warfare 2
During the next five years after the events of the civil war, MacTavish was rising in the SAS taking part in an unknown number of operations throughout the world. It was during these five years MacTavish would be promoted to Lieutenant and eventually promoted to the rank of Captain, and was also recruited into the elite Task Force 141, composed of only the best and most experienced special operations soldiers. By 2016, MacTavish had become the taskforce's field commander, leading the 141's operations with Lt. Simon "Ghost" Riley and Sgt. Gary "Roach" Sanderson under his command. MacTavish evidently did not reveal his SAS nickname to any of the members.When the Russians get their hands on a downed US satellite, MacTavish and Sanderson are sent to infiltrate a Russian airbase within the Tian Shan
Tian Shan
The Tian Shan , also spelled Tien Shan, is a large mountain system located in Central Asia. The highest peak in the Tian Shan is Victory Peak , ....
mountain range in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
to recover the ACS module. After scaling the mountain and sneaking through base, the two recover the module inside a hangar. However, they are quickly compromised by Major Petrov and his forces. In a daring escape, Roach and MacTavish fight their way out of the base and commandeer snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
s, leading to a thrilling chase down the mountainside to the awaiting evacuation team.
Shortly after the mission in Kazakhstan, MacTavish led Task Force 141 into Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, to capture Rojas, an arms dealer who had supplied the Russian terrorist Vladimir Makarov with his weapons during his massacre in Zakhaev International Airport. While Soap and Ghost interrogated Rojas' right-hand man, Roach and two other task force members (Royce and Meat) went into the favela
Favela
A favela is the generally used term for a shanty town in Brazil. In the late 18th century, the first settlements were called bairros africanos . This was the place where former slaves with no land ownership and no options for work lived. Over the years, many freed black slaves moved in...
in search of Rojas. The two are killed in the fighting, leaving Roach to tackle the favela alone. After fighting his way through, Roach eventually links up with MacTavish and Ghost, whom have just captured Rojas. However, the only thing they managed to get out of Rojas is that Makarov has a strong hatred for "Prisoner 627", who is incarcerated in a Russian gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
.
Due to the surprise invasion of the United States by Russian forces, the airspace around Brazil is locked down, leaving the 141 stranded in the middle of enemy territory. In order to escape, MacTavish calls in Nikolai, whom he had saved during the events of the Second Russian Civil War. Surrounded by militia, the Task Force fights its way to a market, where Nikolai was supposed to pick them up in a helicopter. However, due to the fire from the militia he is forced to the secondary extraction point. During the escape, Roach is nearly left behind when he falls off a rooftop. However, he makes his way back to the top, militia in tow, and makes it aboard the helicopter.
Shortly after the extraction, the Navy SEALs and Task Force 141 initiated a two-stage operation; the first stage being to secure a modified oil platform in order to disable SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
sites on the platform, and the second phase to infiltrate the gulag itself. After infiltrating the prison, MacTavish led his troops through the Russian gulag, and eventually reach Prisoner 627, who turns out to be Captain Price
Captain Price (Call of Duty)
, $ Captain Price is the major fictional character in the Call of Duty series. Price appears as an experienced soldier and a strong leader. He is somewhat compassionate, but can be rather ruthless at times. He speaks with a cockney accent. In all games, he appears with a large, characteristic...
. Although Price is at first hostile towards Roach (thinking that he was one of the Russians), he rejoins after recognizing MacTavish, and the squad manages to extract (via SPIE rig) from the gulag before it was blown up. During this time, MacTavish returns Price his M1911 pistol that was used to kill Imran Zakhaev five years ago.
Task Force 141 then headed into Petropavlovsk, Russia
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is the main city and the administrative, industrial, scientific, and cultural center of Kamchatka Krai, Russia. Population: .-History:It was founded by Danish navigator Vitus Bering, in the service of the Russian Navy...
, seemingly on a mission to destroy a nuclear submarine. During the course of the mission, Roach facilitated Price's infiltration inside a submarine by providing Predator drone support. However, in a sudden twist of events, Price used the submarine to launch a nuclear missile, using it as an EMP
Electromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
to incapacitate the Russian's attack on America.
After the events of the nuclear launch, Task Force 141 was split up to investigate two locations, with Price and MacTavish investigating an arms deal in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, while Ghost and Roach and the bulk of the task force investigate one of Makarov's safehouses in Russia. Price and MacTavish are attacked by Shepherd's men and attempt to warn Ghost and Roach, only to realize that they are too late. Soap and Price manage to escape the arms deal with the help of Nikolai while getting some intelligence from Makarov, focusing on killing Shepherd.
The two then pursue Shepherd through Afghanistan, fighting through his Shadow Company and into Site Hotel Bravo. They then prevent Shepherd's escape by shooting down the general's Pave Low where they eventually corner him and attempt to kill him. However, as MacTavish attempts to stab Shepherd, the latter disarms Soap, slams his head into a broken down car (thus knocking him to the ground) and impales him with the knife. Before Shepherd can execute Soap with a .44 Magnum
.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, or simply .44 Magnum, is a large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers. After introduction, it was quickly adopted for carbines and rifles...
, Price tackles Shepherd, causing him to drop the gun. As Soap crawls towards the gun, Shepherd manages to push Price away from him, kicking the gun away and stomping Soap's head. Price and Shepherd then engage in a long, brutal fistfight
Fistfight
Russian fist fighting is the traditional bare-knuckle boxing of Russia.-History:The earliest accounts concerning the sport date to the 13th century...
that Soap can see as he drifts in and out of consciousness, with Shepherd eventually gaining the upper hand. However Soap, now awake, manages to pull out the knife from his chest, and throws it
Throwing knife
Throwing knives are knives that are specially designed and weighted so that they can be thrown effectively. They are a distinct category from ordinary knives....
into Shepherd's left eye, killing the traitorous general. Price, who had been beaten unconscious, awakens moments later, pushing Shepherd´s body off of him. Seeing Soap's mangled state, Price then comes to his aid and the two are evacuated by Nikolai, who arrives in a MH-6 Little Bird
MH-6 Little Bird
The MH-6 Little Bird , and its attack variant AH-6, are light helicopters used for special operations in the United States Army. Originally based on a modified OH-6A, it was later based on the MD 500E, with a single five-bladed main rotor...
, even though told by Price that it was "a one-way trip". During the course of Shepherd's betrayal, Soap and Price were labeled as international fugitives, and were on the run following their victory over Shepherd.
Modern Warfare 3
In Modern Warfare 3, Captain "Soap" MacTavish is an unplayable character. The game begins hours after the events of MW2, with Soap being evacuated to Nikolai's safe house in India. After experiencing extreme trauma, Soap flatlines, but is quickly revived. Nikolai's ex-Spetsnaz ally Yuri later gives Soap a shot of adrenaline to keep his heart going, before helping evacuate the safehouse. Two months later, when he heals up enough to be combat-effective, Soap assists Price, Yuri, and Nikolai throughout the hunt for Makarov, beginning with pursuing a lead in Sierra Leone. The group traces the lead to Somalia, where Price interrogates and kills a warlord that was distributing chemical weapons to Makarov.Soap helps set up an assassination attempt of Makarov, with support from Loyalist Kamarov. However the plan goes awry when Kamarov is captured and wired with explosives. Makarov detonates the explosives, killing Kamarov and nearly taking Price in the explosion. He also detonates concealed explosives in Soap and Yuri's location—but not before saying, "Yuri, my friend. You never should have come here." Soap pushes Yuri out of the way, who lands on construction equipment; however, Soap falls the entire way and is partially crushed by debris, reopening his stab wound. Price and Yuri eventually manage to drag Soap to safety, but by then his condition has deteriorated and his wounds become fatal. In his final moments, Soap tells Price: "You need to know: Makarov...knows...Yuri." He then dies, and Price symbolically places his M1911 pistol (the same pistol Soap used to kill Zakhaev and then returned to Price upon his breakout) on MacTavish's chest, saying, "I'm sorry." His death is the final straw for Price's motivation to kill Makarov, even after the end of World War III.
See also
- Captain PriceCaptain Price (Call of Duty), $ Captain Price is the major fictional character in the Call of Duty series. Price appears as an experienced soldier and a strong leader. He is somewhat compassionate, but can be rather ruthless at times. He speaks with a cockney accent. In all games, he appears with a large, characteristic...
- List of characters in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- List of characters in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2