The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has seen the Call of Duty Zombies community reinvigorated, with many that soured on the mode during Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 finding enjoyment in the new direction. Featuring clever improvements to the gameplay loop, shared progression between Zombies and multiplayer, and positive HUD additions such as a mini map, the mode feels better than ever. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s take on Zombies also introduces a new storyline, though it does take place in the same universe.
The Dark Aether storyline picks up where the original Aether story left off, seeing a single universe created as opposed to the multiverse of the last story. However, with the new universe of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War seeing old elements bleed through, there is the potential for some old characters to return. While Samantha Maxis has a big role to play in the new storyline, she may not be alone, as Treyarch could be including another old character in the Dark Aether universe. Based on numerous hints and leftover story threads, none other than Nikolai Belinski could be facing off with Samantha Maxis at the end of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies’ DLC season.
With lead writer Craig Houston warning fans to “not be surprised if some things don’t stay dead” in the Black Ops Cold War Zombies reveal trailer, the writing seems to be on the wall in regard to old characters appearing in the Dark Aether storyline. Intriguingly, the latest version of Call of Duty Zombies sees a familiar voice actor being used for the announcer of Die Maschine. Calling out the names of perk drops and uttering the classic phrase of “fetch me their souls” when the plaguehound round kicks off, the new announcer does many of the same things as the original — albeit with an extremely noticeable Russian accent.
The accent has quickly led players to theorize about the announcer, with the consensus being that the speaker is Nikolai himself. While the voice is deepened and distorted, it sounds much like the Nikolai players controlled in countless Zombies maps and Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode. Though Nikolai voice actor Fred Tatasciore has not been credited for any Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War roles thus far, this could be an intentional decision so that Treyarch can hide the surprise from fans.
If this twist regarding the announcer’s voice does indeed happen, it has some serious implications for the Dark Aether storyline. In the previous Zombies story, the game mode’s announcer had direct control over the undead hordes — meaning that Nikolai’s new role could place him as the latest controller of the undead. Why Nikolai could be leading Zombies into the new universe he created during Tag Der Toten’s easter egg is still unclear, but there are a few potential motives for the character’s surprising (and possibly villainous) turn.
One option sees Nikolai reaching out to the Russia-backed Omega Group to open access to the Dark Aether for pure intentions. With his wife possibly being reborn in this new universe created at the end of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, a trapped Nikolai may simply want to see her again. Another possibility sees Nikolai reaching out to Sam, calling her back to the Dark Aether so that she can kill him and finish the job. After all, like the rest of Primis and Ultimis, Nikolai needed to die for the new universe to be free from the Zombies — and his failure to do so could explain the arrival of the undead in the world of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. However, there is one final option, and it seems to fit the best with the story that has been told thus far.
In the final cutscene of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies, it is revealed that Nikolai has killed the remaining versions of Richtofen, Takeo, and Dempsey. Handing Samantha a gun and tasking her with killing him, she seemingly follows orders, firing the weapon as the scene cuts to black. While the gunshot would indicate that Sam succeeded and killed Nikolai, it is interesting that his death is the only one that occurs off-screen. While a body is seen for every other member of the cast, Primis Nikolai’s death is only implied — not confirmed. With there being a possibility that Samantha fired away from Nikolai, too afraid to kill her comrade and protector, Nikolai may have been trapped in the Dark Aether when the old universe was closed.
One important detail regarding Nikolai’s Black Ops 4 role is that his soul was never collected. When the timeline was broken in the Blood of the Dead easter egg, the only soul to never be gathered was Nikolai’s, something that could make him susceptible to being controlled by outside forces. Like Richtofen, Nikolai also read the Kronorium, a major plot point that could have an impact on his sanity. With his family gone, his companions dead, and no escape from the Dark Aether, Nikolai’s potential to become the announcer is certainly there if Treyarch is interested in exploring it. With Die Maschine’s easter egg song even containing the line “they buried a well where the seven fell,” the idea that one of the eight Primis and Ultimis characters survived seems to be hinted at — and Nikolai is the only valid option.
As seen with Edward Richtofen and Samantha Maxis herself, the Dark Aether corrupts those trapped within it for too long. Both characters became much more villainous versions of themselves when they became trapped in the Dark Aether, losing their minds and becoming the controller of the Zombies. If Samantha failed to kill Nikolai, either because she could not stomach the action or because the bullet wound was not fatal, Nikolai would be easy prey for the Dark Aether. Becoming a husk used to carry out the will of the supernatural forces trapped within the dimension, a fully corrupt Nikolai calling out to Omega Group and pushing for the Dark Aether to be opened makes sense.
As of now, this is purely a theory built on speculation regarding an off-screen death and voice actor Fred Tatasciore seemingly being used for the announcer role. With the actor also playing Zombies antagonist Ludvig Maxis and other Call of Duty roles, he could just as easily be voicing a brand-new character that is controlling the Zombies. Still, many fans would agree that the announcer being Nikolai is a far more interesting possibility. The character’s return as a villain could set up an emotional moment for fans and the much older Samantha. With Sam forced to finally finish the job, killing the beloved Nikolai once and for all, yet another unforgettable moment in the Zombies storyline could be delivered.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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