Summary
Rumors and expectations are flying high ahead of this year’sCall of Dutyrelease. While a new installment is inspiring excitement and anxiety alike, the potential for further exploration of elements inCall of Duty: Vanguardis just as intriguing. More specifically, the upcoming iteration ofCall of Dutywould benefit from addressing the Construct-sized elephant in the room.
While much of the gameplay in the Zombies mode ofCall of Duty: Vanguardwas met with criticism, one consistently engaging aspect was the presence of the Dark Aether entities. InVanguardZombies, players utilize the Artifacts of four rival Dark Aether lords for in-game benefit. Yet these omnipotent, ultra-dimensional beings went far beyond some momentary gameplay advantages; they were central to some phenomenally rich lore. Considering that the Lords were one of the strongest elements inVanguard, the upcomingCall of Duty(rumored to be titledCall of Duty: Black Ops Gulf War) would get a lot out of incorporating these Dark Aether entities.
Rich Lore of Dark Aether Lords in Call of Duty
The Dark Aether Lords have some of the most fascinating and emotionally resonant backstories intheCall of Dutyuniverse. An ultra-dimensional realm that’s existed since time began, the Dark Aether is full of warring factions trying to harness the power of the Construct, a large sentient Monolith that hangs over the Dark Aether. One of these entities, an Elder God named Kortifex the Deathless, spent millennia in an unsuccessful campaign to become an Archon, a recipient of the Construct’s powers.
In an attempt to cross over into the Earth dimension, severalDark Aether entitiesimparted themselves onto Artifacts that were then sent to different human civilizations. Saraxis the Shadow created a dragon and sent it to Japan; Bellekar the Warlock created a mask for the Mayans; Inviktor the Conqueror, a legendary soldier, created a shortsword used by the Ancient Greeks, binding himself to Achilles during the siege of Troy. Nauticus, commander of Kortifex’s night legions, created a war horn received by the Norsemen, who believed him to be the Emir, the father of the Frost Giants. Kortifex, living up to his rather uncaring reputation, simply put two pyramids on a stick and sent them to the Egyptians.
Fast-forward to theVanguardZombies story-line. The dreaded SS officer Wolfram Von List employs demonologist Gabriel Krafft to summon Kortifex the Deathless. Kortifex tells Von List that if he summons an army of the Nazi undead, he’ll be able to win the war. Bellekar unleashes a call to Allied Commandos to stop Von List in Stalingrad, where the gameplay ofVanguardZombies begins.
The defeat of Kortifex inCall of Duty: Vanguardleaves a Dark Aether power vacuum that may prove instrumental in this year’sCall of Dutyinstallment.
Rumors for Gulf War iteration of Call of Duty Zombies
With such incredible background lore, it’s clear how these Dark Aether entities have the potential to create fascinating plot lines. There are several rumors concerning how the Dark Aether entities could play into theupcoming release ofCall of Duty.
Mr. Peeks in Vanguard Zombies
While the lore of the Dark Aether is sprawling, one fascinating detail surrounds the backstory of Kortifex and Saraxis. Saraxis had Kortifex’s child, who was then punished by Kortifex in an act of “unspeakable cruelty.” The recurring appearance of Mr. Peeks, a blood-covered stuffed rabbit that sometimes exhibits sentience, shows in enough ofthe best moments inVanguardZombiesto suggest that this cursed toy is the vessel for Kortifex’s child. This would certainly have implications for the next Zombies mode installment ofCall of Duty.
Project Janus in the Upcoming Release of Call of Duty
InCall of Duty:Vanguard,the Societe Occulteis a secret organization who attempt to harness the power of the Dark Aether. As the upcoming Gulf War iteration ofCall of Dutyis chronologically positioned to pick up where 2020’sCold Warleft off, it would follow that elements of that installment would be making returns. Though the Societe Occulte isn’t mentioned inCall of Duty: Cold War,institutional projects such as Requiem and Project Janus share similar aims of capturing Dark Aether powers. Perhaps the Societe Occulte and Project Janus will be more firmly connected in the upcoming storylines, further exploring the Dark Aether’s influence on the human realm.
Dark Aether Lords Can Make Call of Duty 2024 a Gold Mine of Lore
The Dark Aether Lords were one of the most engaging and celebrated aspects ofCall of Duty: VanguardZombies. Getting to know more about them in the nextCall of Dutyiteration will not only enrich the world, but offer a more fascinating portrait of the universe’s human characters. While having to contend with omnipotent entities in previous installments ofCall of Duty, the human characters show their true colors. Further exploring the Dark Aether can lend the nextZombies mode ofCall of Dutya better story.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
WHERE TO PLAY
Rise on every front in the latest installment of the critically-acclaimed Call of Duty franchise. For years, the world has endured the largest and deadliest war ever seen, but the tides of World War II are finally turning. Now a select few must rise to finish the job and change the landscape of the war for good. The critically-acclaimed Call of Duty franchise returns with Call of Duty: Vanguard, in which players will experience global combat through the eyes of heroes of World War II and the fateful events that brought them together. Developed by Sledgehammer Games, Vanguard is a deeply engaging narrative, featuring a select group of soldiers from different countries and backgrounds who rise together to meet the world’s gravest threat, change the fortunes of the war and set the table for what we know today as special forces combat. Through the remarkable journey of these steeled soldiers, players will experience influential battles of World War II as they fight for victory across multiple theaters of war – the Eastern and Western Fronts of Europe, the Pacific and North Africa. This is their story. This is Call of Duty: Vanguard.
