Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022) Short Thoughts #6 - Graves

This thought has a bit of a spoiler, so be warned before reading!

Phillip Graves (yes, as in "Fill Graves") is the leader of the Shadows PMC, currently contracted by the U.S. military to run special missions in the Middle East. While those familiar with the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 from 2009 will know the Shadow Company mercs, Graves is actually a new character — and an interesting one at that. He is a stereotypical all-American man, with a thick Southern accent and a no-nonsense attitude; he simply loves to blow stuff up and get paid for it.

Again if you played the original Modern Warfare 2 you know full well that the Shadows are in league with General Shepherd and eventually turn heel, and ultimately try to kill off the members of Task Force 141 to cover their tracks. They do the same here in the remake, but rather than simply following Shepherd they now have Graves as their mouthpiece. He's hardcore and charismatic, and he joins you personally for a good few missions. You build a solid bond with the character before he mercilessly turns on you.

I didn't want him to be a bad guy, even though I knew he would eventually turn on me; it was inevitable that he'd do so. But that's good writing I suppose — allow me to like the character and then flip it on its head.