It’s been seventeen years since Infinity Ward and Activision published their first-ever game for the Call of Duty franchise. Since then, the franchise, which is continuously hailed as one of the most influential titles in the gaming industry, has generated over $15 billion gross and 250 million copies shipped worldwide.
Aside from its sales performance, Call of Duty would never be an internationally chart-topping franchise if it wasn’t for their engaging stories and perplexing antagonists & protagonists, working against each other. Two of the most recognizable villains in the game are Vladimir Makarov from the Modern Warfare series and Raul Menendez from the Black Ops series. The following list will contain five reasons why one is better than another and major spoilers too!
10 Makarov: He’s Never Afraid Of Crossing the Line
Vladimir Makarov was no stranger in doing all he had to do to get what he wanted, even if it means sacrificing others and eventually, 243 innocent lives at the Zakhaev International Airport.
On the controversial mission “No Russian” from Modern Warfare 2, Makarov ordered his men to massacre all the attendants. He also told them to not speak any Russian to spark a tense between Russia and the United States of America and putting Uncle Sam at the blame for the attack. The level was so traumatizing & dreadful that the game has an option to skip it.
9 Menendez: He’s So Influential That He’s Been Nicknamed ‘The Messiah Of The 99%’
Makarov might be a powerful leader, but Raul Menendez got the vote on this one. The Nicaraguan political figure was so charismatic that he’s often hailed as ‘The Messiah of the 99%’ by his followers, including Americans, the countrymen he held a harbored-deep hatred against for so long.
In his glory days, Menendez led an impactful terrorist organization, Cordis Die, with a number-one objective to overthrow the US Military reign and takeover. His anti-West attitude seemed to grow since he was very little, having to witness the bloodshed of the Nicaraguan Revolution and the loss of his sister Josefina in the hand of Americans.
8 Makarov: He’s Not Easy to Fool
Speaking about the controversial ‘No Russian’ level from Modern Warfare 2, after Makarov & co swiped an entire airport, all the men headed to their runaway vehicle. Makarov and the rest of the crew were on board, but the Russian shot the players’ character and CIA spy, Joseph ‘Alexei Borodin’ Allen, to send a message to America.
Later, Allen’s death served as the turning point of the game because Makarov killed him in the hope that the Russian government will eventually blame the US. Makarov is not the man to cross.
7 Menendez: He’s Technologically More Advanced Than Makarov
Being born later has its perks. On Modern Warfare, Makarov’s track record might be a lot more violent than Menendez’s, but he was active between the 1990s until he died in 2017.
In the same year of his death, Menendez’s Cordis Die network was only three years old. The pinnacle of his terrorism acts peaked between the 2020s before he passed away (determinant) in 2025, in a much more modernized era of weaponry. With the latest inventions in the military world, Menendez won the score for this one.
6 Makarov: He Fought His Way to the Top
It takes a lot to be the game’s most hated villain, and Makarov always fought his way to the top. Before jumping into criminal activities, young Makarov graduated from the Frunze Military Academy and served as a loyal soldier for years until the leader of Inner Circle Ultranationalist Party, Imran Zakhaev, noticed his anti-West belief and took him under his wing.
“This man Makarov is fighting his own war ,and he has no rules. No boundaries,” General Shepherd talked about Makarov’s record. “He doesn’t flinch at torture, human trafficking, or genocide. He’s not loyal to a flag or country or any set of ideals. He trades blood for money.”
5 Menendez: He’s A Charismatic Leader
As mentioned before, Menendez was ‘The Messiah of 99%.’ If it wasn’t for his charismatic kind of leadership and attitude, he wouldn’t be leading socio-political movement Cordis Die and having so many people following him. Albeit his hatred against America was so blatant, he still had a big following numbers from the US citizens. With over two billion followers worldwide and vast material resources, Cordis Die emerged to be a dangerous threat to the United States, even more, more significant than Osama bin Laden.
4 Makarov: He’s Far More Superior In Terms of Combat Skill
Coming up from a military background, unlike the guerrilla Menendez, Makarov actually had formal military training, thus making him a better villain when it comes to a physical altercation and combat skills. Sure, both might be old, but Makarov won the vote for his days at Spetsnaz, while Menendez’s vision was hampered by the burn scars on his eye.
Menendez spent almost 30 years in his hideout before eventually launched Cordis Die, while Makarov had spent so many years risking his life by putting his body at the front row of any battlefield he’s in.
3 Menendez: His Fate Is Determinant
However, gameplay-wise, Menendez is the winner on this one. Players are free to choose the villain’s endgame with three possible exits: Menendez dies, or Chloe dies and Menendez survives (and dies afterward), or both Chloe and Menendez survive.
With Makarov, you will only face one fate: spoiler alert, the death by hanging from the hands of Captain John Price at the Hotel Oasis in the Arabian Peninsula at the end of Modern Warfare 3. The Captain wrapped a steel cable around Makarov’s throat before slamming him into the hotel’s glass roof.
2 Final Conclusion: Vladimir Makarov
Vladimir Makarov has all it takes to a ruthless, bloodthirsty, remorseless, and stony-hearted villain. Young Makarov spent his youth in a military environment of the Frunze Military Academy, and later found himself in a deep-rooted hatred against the United States of America and joined the notorious Imran Zakhaev’s racist party.
Makarov’s also never afraid to go the extra mile to get what he wants, proven by his reckless ‘No Russian’ command at the Zakhaev International Airport where 243 innocent souls were taken. While it’s such a terrible terrorism act to do, it’s what makes him a perfect villain in the history of video games.
1 Final Conclusion: Raul Menendez
On the other hand, Raul ‘The Messiah of the 99%’ Menendez is the winner when it comes to weaponry for being active in the 2020s. He’s also a charming kind of leader: a personality trait that every villain must have to turn people against the protagonist.
However, his hatred against America was built around his personal problems. The Nicaraguan Revolution and the death of his sister had troubled him for so many years. Sometimes, his mental health situation gets the best of him, like when he bashed his head into a TV or burnt himself to death at his sister’s grave. Either way, it will be interesting to see both go head-to-head.
