Warning: Spoilers ahead for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's campaign.The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 campaign does not get a lot right. Clearly suffering from a short development time, Open Combat Missions are used to pad out the singleplayer mode’s runtime, and most fans are in agreement that this approach was dreadful. Not only do Open Combat Missions have poorly integrated stealth mechanics, a bizarre checkpoint system, and a lack of flashy setpiece moments, but fans have also been quick to criticize the campaign's narrative as well. Fortunately, despite all the mistakes, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 does right by the villain Makarov in one way: it leaves him alive.
Soap MacTavish was not as lucky as Makarov, as he dies at the villain’s hand in the campaign’s final mission, a moment that many fans are outraged by. Not only did fans think that he was just beginning to get interesting as a character, making his death a waste of some intriguing development, but fans were disappointed that the campaign ends right when they should be about to avenge Soap. While him dying directly at Makarov's hands as opposed to the way in which he dies in the original trilogy is an improvement, him dying in the first place is strange. Additionally, General Shepherd dies in a post credits scene, something that fans have also criticized for being similarly wasteful, so it is a relief that Makarov was not killed too soon like other characters were.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Campaign Forgets What Makes CoD Special
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s campaign has been criticized for many reasons, but one of its biggest flaws is a noticeable lack of special moments.
Makarov Has a Lot More To Give The Modern Warfare Reboot
Killing Makarov in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Would Have Been a Waste
Much like Soap should not have died because it felt like a lot of story has been left untold, making Makarov a one-and-done antagonist would have been a terrible decision. One of Call of Duty’s best villains, and undoubtedly its most well-known, fans have waited a long time to see Makarov again. Not only is he a terrifying threat that can carry multiple games in a franchise, but he has not yet succeeded in his goal of starting World War 3.
The version of World War 3 in 2011’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 had some real highlights, such as the Eiffel Tower collapsing and a mission where Russia’s president had to be rescued. Seeing another take on a global conflict that features fights around and inside several modern day landmarks, with the graphics of a modern day FPS, could be unforgettable. Not only is Makarov a tool to bring about another World War 3 Call of Duty game, but succeeding in his plan is what made him such a great villain in the past. Right now, he is a bit of a failure, as the potential impact of his new No Russian terrorist attack was immediately undone when Farah got rid of the evidence. Makarov needs a second chance to cause the conflict that he is so desperate for.
In the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare trilogy, Makarov was a multi-game villain. This was the right decision, as not only did it make his eventual defeat more satisfying, but it allowed for some interesting character work via his backstory with MW3 ’s Yuri . A new version of the Yuri-Makarov dynamic is now a possibility since both characters survived this game.
Makarov Deserves Better Than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Makarov also deserves to go out in a strong Call of Duty campaign as opposed to the forgettable experience that was Modern Warfare 3. Had he been killed in a mission right after Soap’s death, he would have felt wasted, being completely inferior to the original version of Makarov. Obviously, handling him better before that point could have helped, as letting the new No Russian attack keep its impact would have meant Makarov succeeded, and he could then die with a smile on his face as the world falls into chaos. That did not happen, though, so Makarov living to fight another day really is the best-case scenario. With the character surviving Modern Warfare 3’s critically panned campaign, he will have a chance to shine in another singleplayer offering that is hopefully much better.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
Released in November of 2023, Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023) continues Captain Price's story from the 2019 and 2022 games.
