Because of Call of Duty’s longevity and ever-changing cast, there has been a litany of different villains in the series. However, few of them have been as memorable or hateable as Vladamir Makarov. He was in the original Modern Warfare sub-series, and now he’s made it into the reboots.
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This new version of the villain is a bit different from the original. He has more respect for his allies and teammates, plus his plans aren’t quite as successful. Yet, he is still a very ruthless and dangerous man. If you want to know a bit more about his history and motivations, it’s all here.
This article is about the reboot version of Vladamir Makarov.
Makarov’s Personality
Makarov is a horrible person who serves as the main overarching villain in the Modern Warfare series. He’s ruthless and will stop at pretty much nothing to get what he wants.
But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about anyone. As mean as the man is, he does seem to appreciate his crew and is loyal to them. That is until, they make a significant mistake. Then, he’s not above brutally murdering them. Most of the time, though, he gets on well with his underlings.
They certainly respect and appreciate him. It helps that the man is very charismatic and has a way with words. This makes it easier for his men to buy into what he is saying.
Another reason they respect his leadership is because he’s very smart and is a great strategist. Yes, his plans don’t always work out, but that’s mostly because of how exceptional Captain Price and his crew are. If they weren’t around, Makarov’s success rate would be much higher.
How Makarov Became A Terrorist
Makarov grew up during the reign of the Soviet Union, which had a significant impact on how he viewed his home country.
Seeing the dominance at such a young age led him to believe that Russia should always be a powerhouse and control the world. Therefore, he joined the Russian military when he was old enough and ended up helping General Roman Barkov’s men attempt to control Urzikstan amid the Insurgency there. They failed, and Urzikstan was liberated.
The fight against the resistance wasn’t authorized by the Russian Government. So, naturally, they disagreed with Makarov’s belief that they should take the nation back and stripped him of his honors in the process.
As a result, he joined and helped establish the Konni group, which is an Ultranationalist terrorist organization. He would soon become the leader of the organization. At this point, he really began his reign of terror.
What Makarov Was Doing Before The Events Of Modern Warfare 3
By the start of Modern Warfare 3, Makarov is safely imprisoned in a Russian gulag. He ended up there as a result of a terrorist attack that he and the Konni committed. It was mostly a successful operation for the villain. However, he was captured by Captain Price in the process and handed over to Russia.
Being in the gulag didn’t completely stop Makarov, though. He still managed to oversee Konni’s evil operations even while locked up. For instance, he managed to orchestrate the theft of American missiles and gave them to the Al-Qatala.
Eventually, he was rescued from the gulag during Modern Warfare 3.
Makarov’s Goals
Makarov has a few smaller objectives throughout the series. His two main goals, though, are to restore Russia’s reputation as a military superpower and initiate a World War between the East and West.
Making Russia a powerhouse again, ala the Soviet Union, is a complicated one for him, as he’s not exactly running the Russian Government. In fact, he doesn’t even like the people in charge. So, increasing Russia’s military standing may take some time.
Yet, he makes a decent attempt at ushering in a new World War by committing terrorist attacks on Russian soil and attempting to frame others for it. The most famous example comes in Modern Warfare 3 when he attacks and blows up a plane while attempting to make it seem like the Urzikstan – who are American allies – is doing it. However, World War 3 doesn’t begin in the aftermath, largely thanks to Task Force 141.
Makarov’s Fate At The End Of Modern Warfare 3
Unlike the original Makarov, the reboot version manages to avoid death in Modern Warfare 3. I’m his final moments in the game, he catches Price and Soap attempting to foil his plan of destroying the Channel Tunnel in the UK by defusing his bombs.
He initially stops them and seems on the verge of killing Price. Yet, Soap makes the save, and Makarov kills him for his trouble. Immediately afterward, the villain has to retreat as other Task Force 414 members turn up. With him gone, they defuse his bomb, so his devious plan fails. However, he’s likely glad that he at least took out one of his biggest enemies in Soap.
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