Following Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s disappointing critical performance, fans are hoping that Call of Duty 2024 will be a return to form. With four years of development, Treyarch has a chance to deliver plenty of polished content for multiplayer and Zombies fans, though players are hoping that a lot of attention will be given to the campaign as well. After all, this was the part of Modern Warfare 3 that has been criticized the most, as Open Combat Missions and a lackluster story are something the next game has to avoid. It also needs to get its characters right, something that MW3 was criticized for.

Whether it was Gaz having very little to do or Soap being written out of the story before he gets a chance to shine, it can be argued that the latest Modern Warfare game fumbled the iconic Task Force 141. Fortunately for Call of Duty 2024, this is unlikely to happen thanks to the title's rumored Gulf War setting. While the game is expected to be a continuation of the Black Ops subseries, the existing timeline means that it cannot feature the franchise’s two most iconic protagonists. However, that does not mean that a returning figure cannot be the campaign’s lead, as Russell Adler is an ideal candidate for a playable character.

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Why Adler Makes Sense as Call of Duty’s Next Protagonist

Mason and Woods Will Be Out of Commission In The Gulf War

Assuming that the Gulf War setting leak turns out to be true, Adler is an ideal candidate for Call of Duty 2024’s protagonist by default. This is because the Gulf War took place between 1990 and 1991, starting one year after Raul Menedez’ revenge. In 1989, the iconic Black Ops 2 villain tricked Frank Woods into shooting Alex Mason. While Mason can live through this event if players aim for his lower body, he apparently goes into hiding for a few decades if that happens. After all, if he were to fight in the Gulf War, surely word would get back to Woods. Speaking of Woods, he is crippled by Menendez after Mason’s apparent death no matter what choice players make, so he could not fight in the Gulf War.

Adler is an Interesting Call of Duty Character That Deserves a Leading Role

If Call of Duty 2024 wants to use an existing character within its campaign, Adler is the only option that makes sense, as David Mason would only be 10 years old and the other characters are out of action by the time of the Gulf War. Fortunately, Adler would make a fine protagonist for a Call of Duty campaign. While Modern Warfare’s Task Force 141 consists of charismatic action heroes, Black Ops’ protagonists tend to be tortured individuals that reflect the horrors of war - and Adler certainly fits that description. Not only was he forced to deceive and kill the player character Bell in Black Ops Cold War, but he was then brainwashed by Stitch in the game’s post-launch story.

In Call of Duty 2024, classic Black Ops storytelling elements like the Numbers could be reintroduced if Adler were to return, as they could be a lingering symptom of his brainwashing just like what Alex Mason experienced. Seeing Adler feeling guilt over what happened with Bell could lead to some strong character moments, and his continued struggles after what Stitch did to him would make him likable. While another player-created protagonist could be introduced in a Gulf War Call of Duty campaign, more can be done with Adler, as he is a complex character who was well-acted in Black Ops Cold War and has a unique look thanks to his facial scar that makes him marketable.

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