Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's ending leaves plenty of plot threads unresolved to set up the presumed sequel, Modern Warfare 3. From General Shepherd's unknown whereabouts to revealing the return of a fan-favorite villain, there are plenty of story beats set up in Modern Warfare 2's final cutscenes and credits scene that hint at Modern Warfare 3's story. By taking what is shown in these final scenes, players can make an educated guess as to the plot points that Modern Warfare 3 will presumably include.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's conclusion drops several major story developments that will presumably be expanded upon in a sequel. General Shepherd, who betrayed Task Force 141 and allowed American missiles to fall into the hands of terrorists, is stated to have gone completely off the grid. The original Modern Warfare 2's infamous "No Russian" mission is referenced in a mid-credits scene. What's more, the Russians who stole the missiles are said to be led by "someone new," according to Kate Laswell, 141's CIA handler.
General Shepherd Has Vanished At The End Of MW2
General Shepherd started Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as an ostensible ally to Task Force 141. He and his contracted private army Shadow Company spend the first half of the game fighting alongside Ghost, Soap, and Colonel Vargas as they attempt to capture main villain Hassan Zyani and discover where he's hidden stolen American missiles. Once Hassan is released, however, Shepherd and Shadow Company show their true colors by relieving 141 and Vargas of their duty and locking them out of their base. It is then revealed that Shepherd was responsible for the missiles falling into the hands of terrorists, and his actions have only been in the interest of covering it up. This is just one of the many crimes characters commit in Modern Warfare 2. Price promises revenge, but by the time they are done dealing with Zyani and the remaining missile, Shepherd has gone underground.
A Familiar Threat Emerges In MW2's Final Story Cutscene
After giving the news that Shepherd had gone to ground, Laswell then moves on to more pressing matters. She had dug deeper into the theft of the missiles that Shepherd was trying to cover up, and discovered that the Russian Ultranationalists were responsible. Not only that, but their leader was unknown to her. She then slides a picture of the leader to Price, who quickly identifies it as Makarov. Makarov was the main villain of the original Modern Warfare 2, and his presence in the reboot confirms that he will play a role in the next game. Makarov was the inciting actor in much of Modern Warfare 2 and 3's plot, so his involvement proves that the rebooted Modern Warfare 3 may be wonderfully complicated, like Modern Warfare 2's Gunsmith.
MW2's Credits Scene Is A New Take On An Infamous Moment
After a brief credits roll, the game starts another cutscene set on a plane. This cutscene depicts someone assembling a handgun from smuggled parts, and texting others asking if they are ready. When they confirm, a text comes through that harkens back to the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, simply stating "No Russian." This implies that the infamous airport raid from the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will either be featured in or talked about in Modern Warfare 3, and that the attack now takes place on a plane. The phone's , known only as M, is likely an allusion to Makarov, who orchestrated the original "No Russian" mission.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 took some plot elements and characters of the original game and used them to tell a fresh, new story with engaging missions and satisfying gunplay, despite MW2's big twist being incredibly obvious. The ending reveals that the reboot series is continuing its tradition of returning to Modern Warfare's roots with the introduction of Makarov and the infamous "No Russian" sequence. With these threads in place, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 looks to be an explosive sequel even before it's been announced.
