| Cpt. John Price | |
|---|---|
| Call Of Duty character | |
Price, as he appeared in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare |
|
| Created by | Infinity Ward |
| Voiced by | Michael Gough (Call Of Duty) Billy Murray (Modern Warfare•2•3) David Kinsman (Find Makarov) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) |
The Red Devil (Call Of Duty), Desert Rat (Call Of Duty 2), Prisoner 627 (Modern Warfare 2), 9051210 (serial number in "Endgame" mission), $ (Modern Warfare 3) |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | British Army, S.A.S. |
| Nationality | British |
Captain John Price is the major fictional character in the Call of Duty series, appearing as an experienced soldier and a strong leader in the series. He is somewhat compassionate, but can be rather ruthless at times. His traits and abilities has remained unchanged throughout the series even with his Cockney accent. In all games, he appears with a large, iconic moustache. Captain Price is given the first name "John" in the fourth game of the series.
Captain Price first appeared as an English soldier featured in Call of Duty and Call of Duty 2 as a member of the British Army and British SAS during World War II. He appeared again in the Modern Warfare series, where he is playable in two flashback missions in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and in the final mission of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
It may be speculated whether it is the same Captain Price who appears in both the WW2-era games and the Modern Warfare games, set roughly 70 years apart. Sami Onur of the model department of Infinity Ward offers a retcon explanation for this—the Price from the Modern Warfare series is the grandson of the original Price.[1]
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The characters are said to have been based upon SAS soldier John McAleese[2] who was involved in the Iranian Embassy siege and also hosted the BBC series SAS: Are You Tough Enough? in 2003. It is also said that he was modeled after Jim Shortt[3] who is known throughout the whole of the British Army and to most of the people in the security industry worldwide as a Walter Mitty. (the term Walter Mitty comes from a short story by James Thurber about a man who leads a fantasy life.)
Chronologically, Captain Price first appeared on October 29, 1942 in Call of Duty 2. He was leading the 7th Armoured Division as part of the Second Battle of El Alamein. After succeeding their mission, the division is immediately redeployed to defend a small town 30 miles south of El Alamein. After this Price and the 7th Armoured Division took part in Operation Supercharge on November 3, 1942, to secure the gaps in the antitank minefield, so that the British armour can pass through safely. They then successfully charged through the trenches, taking out many Flak 88 crews along the way. It was followed by an assault on El Daba which Price had only a small part. The assault on Matmata on March 30, 1943 was the last of the campaign. The division were ambushed before entering, leaving Price and his men to fight their way in and through the town, Price and MacGregor provide covering fire as Davis takes out the German dive bombing planes, after this the team collects all intel and supplies before moving out of Matmata and ending the North African Campaign.
After the victory in North Africa he served at Pegasus Bridge on the 5th and 6 June 1944 with fellow soldier Sgt. Evans. After the gliders that brought them in landed, Price ordered Evans to suppress a bunker before preceding. They successfully held the bridge until they were relieved by friendlies. A week after the D-Day landings the Allied forces were struggling in the Battle for Caen. To break the stalemate, the 7th Armoured Division including Captain Price were brought in. They started off by securing the village of Beltot 18 miles east of Caen. Price orders Davis and MacGregor to get a German truck to evacuate the soldiers, stating that he is almost envious that for the American prisoners, the war is over. A German counter-attack left them pinned down in the barn by a German Tiger Tank. Captain Price kept calm despite morale running low, and they were saved when the RAF took out the Tiger. They kept moving in toward Caen and by midday on June 12, 1944 they arrived at St. Louet, 15 miles east of Caen. However due to the loss of the tanks because of another German Tiger tank, they were ordered to pull back to Caumout. While retreating they came under heavy mortar fire. They held their own at Amaye sur Seulles and managed to assist the rest of the division in retreating to Caumout.
Captain Price was transferred to the SAS. At some point, during an unspecified mission, Price's plane was shot down behind Nazi lines in Austria. Price was captured, and he was taken to a chateau in the Alps. He was rescued by U.S. Marines on August 7, 1944. Later, on September 2, 1944, Price was sent to the Eder Dam in a special operation to destroy the anti-air defenses and the electrical generators. Price then makes a getaway from the dam to the airfield. At the airfield, he defends Evans with a Bren Gun while the latter mounted a Flakvierling stationed at the airfield. They were then successfully extracted.
Price's final mission on October 27, 1944, was to sabotage the Tirpitz, a Nazi battleship that was considered a threat by the RAF. He used his knowledge of German language and forged papers to infiltrate the battleship along with Sgt. Evans. Evans and Price then managed to get to the armory. Unfortunately, after another soldier checked the duo's papers at the armory, Price killed him and blew their cover. While attempting to defend Evans as he planted explosives on the ship's boilers, he was surrounded and killed.
In the winter of 1996, when he was a Lieutenant, he went on an assanation attempt on Imran Zakheav, a Russian arms dealer, with his commanding officer Captain MacMillan. After sneaking through the grounds they go to a hotel, where he shoots off Imran's arm with a Barret M82 sniper rifle. He thought Zakhaev would die of blood loss and he escaped with MacMillan. Fifteen years later in Call of Duty 4 he is a Captain in the S.A.S. 22nd regiment. He is Soap's (the main playable character) commanding officer of S.A.S. squad designated Bravo Team. He lead the team to get some cargo from a Ultranationalist cargo ship. They could only however get the manifest. Where he also saves Soap from falling to death. Next his squad was assigned to save loyalist codename: Nikolai from a Russian camp. With some help from Russian Loyalist Sergeant Kamarov, they got Nikolai out. However he and his team where shot down but thanks to an airforce ship he and his squad got out again. After a nuke went off killing 30,000 marines, he led the squad to capture OpFor leader Khaled Al-Asad at a safehouse in Azerbaijan. After capturing Al-Asad he finds out that he works for ultranationalist leader Imran Zakhaev. He then shoots Al-Asad in the head. Eight hours later the ultranationalists surround the safehouse and after heavy fighting they are rescued by Marines led by Ssgt. Griggs. The S.A.S. and Marines form a task Force and go to get Zakhaev's son Victor Zakhaev. However Victor shoots himself. With the Task Force still going on they head to Altai Mountains (Russia) because there is a base there. However two Nuclear weapons go off and head for the East Coast. He and his team go in the ultranationalist base and send the abort codes, destroying the nukes. During the last mission, after deactivating the nukes, Price, together with a joint Task Force (consisting of SAS, Marines, Loyalists), were chased on a highway in trucks, but an enemy Hind takes out the bridge. A tanker truck explodes, badly wounding Price and the others. Griggs and Gaz are killed but Price managed to slide his M1911 to Soap, who kills Zakhaev and his bodyguards. Afterwards, Russian Loyalists arrive and extract survivors including Soap but a Russian medic can be seen trying, seemingly in vain, to revive Price. Despite this he survives and he starts to respect Soap like a brother.
In Modern Warfare 2, Price, who is still alive, has been incarcerated in a Russian gulag by the Ultranationalists for being involved with killing Zakhaev. During a daring rescue attempt sent for him, Price initially is hostile, knocking Roach to the ground and pointing a gun at him. However, when he recognizes John 'Soap' MacTavish (who is now a Captain of the Task Force 141.), he lowers the gun and joins the unit. Soap hands him back his M1911 pistol - the weapon that was used to kill Imran Zakhaev. Once Price is broken out of the Gulag, he returns as captain of Task Force 141. He led the team in helping save Washington D.C. However, during an arms deal that is raided by Price and Soap, they realize the real threat is not Makarov, and is instead the American Lt. General Shepherd (who has killed Ghost and Roach) Price asks Makarov for information, and he reluctantly reveals the location Shepherd's corrupt forces, telling Price that he'll "see him in hell" to which Price replies "Looking forward to it. Give my regards to Zakhaev if you get there first." In the face of Sheperd's betrayal, Price and Soap decide to avenge Roach, Ghost, The Task Force and themselves. They head to Site Hotel Bravo, Afghanistan, and stealthily infiltrate (then fight) their way through the facility. Shepherd orders a danger-close airstrike on the base, intending to kill the two at the cost of his own men. After surviving Price and Soap pursue Shepherd's Pave Low down a river, before disabling the helicopter by damaging its rotor blades. However, the RHIB boat that they traveled on drops down a waterfall.
Soap and him survive along with Shepard. Soap chases Shepard with a knife, but Shepard takes it and stabs him.Just as Shepherd is about to kill Soap, Price tackles Shepherd, engaging him in a lengthy hand-to-hand fight. Price is close to being overpowered by Shepherd, but is saved when Soap pulls the knife out of his chest and throws it at Shepherd's eye, killing the traitorous general. Price wakes up and starts to patch up Soap injuries. The two are then evacuated by Nikolai, who informs them of a potential hiding place. During the course of the betrayal, Price and Soap are labeled as the world's most wanted war criminals, and the Task Force is disavowed.
Modern Warfare 3 picks up where its prior game left off: on the way to a safehouse in India. Price and Nikolai arrive with a wounded John "Soap" MacTavish, whose knife wound needs medical attention. Price then meets Yuri, who Nikolai vouches for, saying that he is the "only man I know who hates Makarov more than you."[4] After him and Yuri have to fight their way out of India, they decide that they will go after Makarov themselves as soon as Soap's wounds heal. Price calls in favors from people he had worked with before: Captain MacMillain from Price's assassination mission, now callsigned "Baseplate";[5] and Delta Force operative Master Sergeant Sandman, from Operation Kingfish 3 years prior to Modern Warfare 2. Price, Soap, Yuri, Nikolai work behind the scenes, while Sandman and his partner Sgt. Derek "Frost" Westbrook work with the army to stop the attacks. The now disavowed Task Force 141 (Price, Soap, Yuri, Nikolia, and loyalist) go on missions around the globe with one objective, to kill Makarov. They first go to arms transport in Sierra Leone (information from Yuri) because there is an unknown cargo Makarov wants. After fighting through the militia there, they find the cargo was already shipped to Paris, London, Berlin (where the cargo is found out to be a deadly gas.) Price finds out from MacMillan also known as Baseplate, that they traced back to Bosaso, Somalia run by Waraabe. The TF 141 head there with support from PMC (Loyalist army) and find Waraabe. After getting information about bomb maker,Volk, He shoots Waraabe in the head. He shares this with Sandman and Team Metal. Team Metal then goes and interogates Volk. Volk tells Sandman about a meeting in Hotel Lustig in Prague, Czech Republic the TF 141 along with help from Chez resistance they manage to sneak in.With Soap and Yuri giving sniper support from the church across the street, Price sneaks in the hotel. While Makarov arrives and goes in the garage, he with sniper support, clear out the upstairs. Then however he finds Kamarov (Russian loyalist from Cod 4) strapped to a chair with C4. Makarov then detonates the C4 on Kamarov killing him, but Price manages to jump out the window. Makarov aware of their plan also hid C4 in the church. After seeing it go off he runs over and he see's Yuri and Soap on the ground. However a pile of derbies fell on Soap and cut open his wound. With help from Yuri they manage to get Soap to a safehouse. However Soap (who lost a massive amount of blood) tells him that "Makarov knows Yuri." Then his greatest friend, John 'Soap' MacTavish dies. Price places his M1911 pistol on his chest, he also takes Soap's diary and dog tags. Then, in a rage, he punches Yuri down 3 flights of stairs, and Yuri tells him how he knows Makarov. After that Price tells him he's "Bought yourself some time.........for now.". After Soap's untimely death (which he is heavily distraught by), Captain Price forms a plan to kill his sworn enemy, Makarov. With intel from Yuri (who he loses trust with) and MacMillan he sneaks into a castle in Prague, which is being used as a hideout. Him and Yuri find out that Alena Vorshevsky (Russian presidents, who was captured by Makarov, daughter) is hiding in Berlin and that the Russians plan to go get her. Price informs Sandman of this. However Sandman's team could not reach her in time, but found out that they took her to a diamond mind in Siberia. The Delta Force and TF 141 put together a joint task force and go to rescue the president and Alena. After rescuing Alena (who gets carried off by Delta members) they go get the president. A Black Hawk comes to get them after they got the president. When Yuri and him get President Vorshevshy on board, Team Metal stays behind to get them more time. The mine then explodes and only him and Yuri get off. Now that he lost Ghost, Roach, Soap, and Sandman Price wants revenge.Despite the fact President Vorshevsky made peace between Russia and the Allies Price still hunts down Makarov. Three months after the war on January 21, 2017 Price and Yuri suit up in full Juggernaut gear and assault Makarov's hotel hideout.[6] (which he is playable) During that process their armor breaks and he is wounded. He however runs on the roof jumps in Makarovs helicopter, kills the pilot, and crashes the helicopter on the roof. When he wakes up Price sees a pistol lying a few feet away, him and Makarov fight to get there first but Makarov gets there first and points the gun at Price but then Yuri comes. Yuri is then shot and killed by Makarov. Captain Price finally receives revenge when he and Makarov fall through a glass roof and Makarov is hung by a steel cable. With police approaching, Captain Price then pulls out a lighter and smokes a cigar.
Price was ranked #8 on Game Informer's list of "30 Characters Who Defined a Decade".[7] Both Price are listed as #2 in "Top 11 Mustaches In Gaming" in 360magazine[8] saying that "Graham Linehan famously stated that it was the only reason to care about the character at all, that it defined him apart from any of the other dial-a-grunt stereotypes in the game". He's also listed in GameSpot's All-Time Greatest sidekick.[9]
Price was ranked #17 in Guinness World Records 2011 Gamers' Edition. Where Guinness World Records, the global authority on record breaking, announce the top 50 videogame characters of all time in the latest edition of their best-selling gaming book. Over 13,000 readers voted for their favorite character and the end result is a “who’s who” of the top heroes and villains from more than 30 years of video game history, 3 of them are Call Of Duty characters.[10]
He's ranked #4 in "Top 10 best and worst of Videogame Hair" [11] where he is listed as having the best haircut and facial hair. Botchweed Gaming listed him in "Gaming's Greatest Badasses",[12] saying "Call of Duty’s moustachioed macho man has had his fair share of rough times. He’s been tortured, shot at, fought in every war humanity has ever faced without getting visibly older – even seemingly killed, only to come back bigger, better and more bearded than when you last saw him. He’s tougher than a month-old baguette, ruthless, and disobeys direct orders from his CO to do what he thinks is right. He’s exactly the kind of stereotypical war-hero you want on your side when all hell breaks loose."
In Games Radar, the Modern Warfare series were listed in "Top 7 Games that needs Prequel"[13] saying "We want more than those two flashback missions - we want a whole game starring Captain Price" because "Call of Duty 4’s best missions are the ones in which you play as Captain Price: sneaking through the grass in a ghillie suit, sniping a dude’s arm off from a hotel window and outrunning a crashed helicopter are the greatest and most defining moments of the single player campaign"