Who is Ghost? A history on Call of Duty’s favorite Grim Reaper

With the release of the remaster of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, we are treated to the return of Ghost. He made his debut in the original Modern Warfare 2 series and has been a fan-favorite character since. So, with his return in the remaster, a lot of newer players haven't had the time to get to know Ghost. So, let's dive into who Ghost is and the history of what makes him so iconic.

Simon "Ghost" Riley made his debut back in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. Although he wasn't the player character, Ghost was your right-hand man throughout the majority of the game. The British Special Forces officer was infamously known for his skull pattern mask that never leaves his face. He was the partner in crime of the protagonist of the games. A cold-hearted killer on the outside but a truly good friend to those close to him. He's cemented himself as one of the best characters in the series for his role in the Modern Warfare trilogy.

It's hard to specify one reason as to why the CoD community loves Ghost. Modern Warfare 2 had incredible missions like "No Russian" or "Hotel Whiskey" that became iconic in the game's history and Ghost was with you through it all. But it's hard to pinpoint a specific reason. For some, it's because Modern Warfare 2 was their childhood game, for others it was his loyalty to his partner. But for most, it was his tragic end in the series that cemented his position as an all-time great character.

One mission in CoD MW2 cemented Ghost's position in the hearts of players, which was "loose ends". This mission starts with a phenomenal infiltration of a cottage safehouse that's been occupied by Makarov. And after a narrow escape and important documents acquired, fighting through tooth and nail Roach and Ghost make it out.

At the extraction point, the two meet with Col. Shepard. And seemingly out of nowhere, Shepard ties his loose ends, and shoots both Roach and Ghost. This was an utter shock to every player who's touched the game, as few games kill the main character out of nowhere. And as Ghost lays on the ground, being covered by gasoline, he hears on the radio about Shepard's betrayal. And as Ghost's eyes begin to close, Shepard tosses his cigar onto their bodies, and the pair meet their end. You can check out the full scene here.

The CoD Modern Warfare series as a whole had a great story throughout its trilogy and really made players fall in love with characters like Ghost. And to see such a cold betrayal of not only the player character, but his-ever loyal partner too? That is a therapy session waiting to happen. But out of the sadness comes love. And that's why the community loves Ghost so much, because of his history with the franchise and how good of a friend he was.

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