Since I wouldn't accept that OG Modern Warfare gave us Captain MacTavish, only for reboot Soap to never survive past Sargeant (!?😩) I've been sitting on a theory that Black Ops 6 might have actually confirmed and I can't keep this to myself any longer!
This could be spoilery for BO6's campaign, so if you haven't played it yet, come back later, maybe? 👀
In the "Emergence" mission in BO6 you are introduced to the effects of the "Cradle" a virus created by a disbanded division of the CIA, known as "Pantheon". A virus that is later weaponised and you experience first hand what this yellow gas can do... 🧟♀️🧟♂️🧟
Some folks voiced their displeasure about how un-cod it was... personally this mission was all the confirmation I needed that maybe my working theory wasn't as far fetched as I thought it could be 👀
I was going to ramble and infodump all the little things I'd been making note off, but instead I decided to make it a thing... With a Blender piece I did, because why not? 🙌🏻
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
Konni Research Division
Date: October 17, 2024
Project Lead: Dr. Aleksandr Gustev, Head of Advanced Pathological Research
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PANTHEON NEUROGAS “CRADLE VARIANT K" CASE STUDY: SERGEANT JOHN “SOAP” MACTAVISH
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Current Project Objectives
Konni Research Division’s objectives are to further refine the Cradle compound—specifically, the “Cradle Variant K” strain—to allow for long-term memory suppression, reality manipulation, and controllable cognitive reprogramming.
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Following the success in London, Cradle Variant K far surpassed our initial expectations. Not only were we successful in deceiving the Task Force into believing Sergeant MacTavish was KIA at the hands of the Commander, we have laid the groundwork for further applications of the Pantheon's weaponised neurogas on a larger scale.
Additionally, the changes made to the Cradle strain appears to have maintained the diminished uncontrollable rage as observed in our earlier controlled trials.
Curiously, the illusion may have directly fueled the sense of vengeance that drove Captain Price to retaliate in an unexpected manner.
By executing General Shepherd in a rogue act, he ultimately severed Task Force 141 from official military backing and initiated a sequence of destabilizing events.
Further testing will be required to ascertain if Price’s reckless actions were a direct result of being exposed to the Cradle’s illusion or an emotional response to failing to protect one of his men.
Regardless, the Commander's suggestion to target MacTavish for the next phase of the experiment has certainly proven fruitful.
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Test Subject Conditioning Protocol
Subject Identification
Name: Sergeant John “Soap” MacTavish
Classification: Task Force 141 Operative
Current Status: High-priority test subject under secure containment
MacTavish was expected to perform complex missions while fully immersed in an artificial narrative, where he believes he is combating a zombie outbreak as part of “Operation Deadbolt.” This ongoing experiment aims to suppress higher cognitive recall.
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Manipulated Perceptions and Key Figures in the Simulation
Kate Laswell’s Role and Conditioning: Laswell, similarly detained and conditioned, was initially positioned as MacTavish’s operational coordinator.
Her familiar voice served as a mission directive channel, further reinforcing his immersion in the Deadbolt narrative. However, Laswell’s stability deteriorated during preliminary conditioning cycles, necessitating her withdrawal from active mission guidance and her relegation to containment status.
With further extensive conditioning sessions being required, (due to her apparent excessive resistance training under the CIA) in preparation to reinstate a reconditioned Laswell within a disavowed TF141.
Confident they will attempt to rescue one of their own, a chance to witness the prolonged effects of the Cradle and MacTavish’s absence on our targets should present itself.
We hypothesise that a growing lack of external support will surely weaken morale further in preparation for the Commanders final stand against Farah Karim’s forces and her devalued allies.
Viktor Zakhaev as Adversary: Viktor Zakhaev, eliminated by Captain John Price circa 2020, has been reinstated as a familiar antagonist within MacTavish’s induced perception.
Konni scientists strategically inserted Zakhaev’s persona into the subject’s narrative, where he functions as a persistent threat linked to a global threat.
This resurrected adversary fuels MacTavish’s sense of purpose and suppresses any awareness of the Commander’s true objectives. By sustaining a continuous “enemy” figure, we maintain an environment that supports heightened vigilance, while suppressing any remnants of personal connections.
Sergei Ravenov as Mentor: Historical data on Sergei Ravenov, a former Soviet operative and Cradle test subject during the Cold War, has been utilized as a psychological anchor within MacTavish’s mental construct.
Footage of Ravenov’s conditioning sessions has been repurposed to present him as a veteran mentor in the fight against the "Undead," a fabricated threat tied to an earlier experimental initiative known as Aetherium (an internal code once used for the Cradle virus).
Ravenov serves as an authority, the “Dark Aether Expert,” providing MacTavish with insights on how to “combat the outbreak,” further reinforcing the constructed narrative and validating the subject’s current mission reality.
Despite the risks of introducing an unknown persona, the results will establish how important familiar anchors are to the Cradle test subjects.
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Subject Response and Reality Simulation: Operation Deadbolt
MacTavish has demonstrated exceptional receptivity to Cradle-Variant K, which induces controlled delusional experiences, allowing him to perceive a fictitious outbreak setting.
Under the codename “Operation Deadbolt,” MacTavish believes he is conducting a tactical offensive against “infected” entities across Urzikstan.
Farah Karim’s militia, in reality, are recast as hostiles in this outbreak scenario, instilling a sense of urgency and commitment in MacTavish as he pursues mission directives designed to ultimately bring Urzikstan under Konni control.
In this altered reality, MacTavish perceives himself as an essential operative within Operation Deadbolt, believing he is containing and eradicating “dimensional breaches” and combating the spread of Aetherium. Laswell’s pre-recorded directives have been integrated into mission audio logs, lending an air of authenticity to the simulation.
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Findings and Psychological Anchoring
To ensure compliance, MacTavish’s memories have been regressed to 2021—a period prior to the formation of his stronger bonds with Task Force members, but where his potential truly began to establish.
This strategic temporal regression isolates MacTavish from critical relationships that might disrupt his immersion in the fabricated narrative and allow his growth to better align with Konni standards.
Under these conditions, he perceives himself as a newly recruited operative, acting as “Head of Strike Team” under Operation Deadbolt, with diminished awareness of his personal history.
Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley as an Unintended Psychological Anchor: During testing, sporadic cognitive resistance has continued to manifest, specifically when MacTavish encounters stimuli reminiscent of Lieutenant Riley. Notably, Riley’s masked “Ghost” persona.
Although he cannot consciously access these memories, MacTavish displays signs of awareness regression, often reverting to behaviors and beliefs beyond 2021.
Such interactions appear to intermittently destabilize Cradle’s hold over MacTavish. The bond with his former ally has proven resilient, risking periodic disruptions in mission adherence
Countermeasures and Long-Term Stability Adjustments: To mitigate the effects of these “Ghost-associated triggers.”
Konni researchers are employing additional neuro-blocking compounds aimed at obscuring memory pathways tied to Riley. Continuous reconditioning sessions, using Ravenov’s image as an alternate anchor, have thus far yielded moderate success, although sustained behavioral control will likely necessitate further neurological suppressants or targeted memory erasure.
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Conclusion and Tactical Recommendations
Summary of Findings
High Receptivity: MacTavish’s response to Cradle-Variant K exceeds projections, with 95% adherence to mission parameters and minimal cognitive resistance when Ghost-associated stimuli are absent.
Effective Delusional Construct: The subject accepts the Operation Deadbolt scenario as reality, performing his role without critical assessment.
Resistance Countermeasures: The occasional reversion to past memory states requires enhanced countermeasures. Ravenov’s role as mentor and Zakhaev’s reintroduced presence are proving effective in reinforcing the subject’s altered perception.
Recommended Next Steps
1. Strengthen Aetherium Construct: Enhance the Dark Aether narrative by introducing mission-specific “dimensional breaches” to maintain environmental consistency.
2. Memory Reinforcement Sessions: Increase frequency of Ravenov-anchored memory sessions to deepen the mentor-student dynamic and prevent memory destabilization tied to Ghost.
Laswell’s voice should remain a final fallback command anchor in all simulations; if required, brief audio segments can be played during moments of cognitive resistance to redirect the subject’s focus back to mission directives, until a deep fake can be established.
Project Status: ACTIVE – Phase IV trials awaiting authorisation for continuation of field deployment.
Suggested Operation Target: Popov Power Plant.
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End of Report
