The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboot series has woven a tangled narrative across its three installments, making it challenging to keep track of key plot points, especially with events extending into Warzone. As Infinity Ward's saga approaches its end with the release of Modern Warfare 4, a recap of the preceding games is essential for understanding the unfolding story.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
The story of 2019's Modern Warfare centers on the formation of Task Force 141, an elite unit led by Captain John Price. The campaign begins with CIA Agent Alex Keller and British SAS operatives working with CIA Chief Kate Laswell to recover stolen chemical weapons gas. The theft, orchestrated by an unidentified team en route to the fictional country of Urzikstan, escalates tensions between Russia and the West. This leads to an attack on London's Piccadilly Circus by the Urzikstan-connected terrorist group Al-Qatala, drawing Kyle “Gaz” Garrick into the conflict. Price and Gaz team up to pursue Al-Qatala's leader, Omar “The Wolf” Sulaman, to Urzikstan.
In Urzikstan, Alex collaborates with Farah Karim, leader of the Urzikstan Liberation Force, to combat the Russian general Roman Barkov, who has occupied her homeland. Farah agrees to help recover the stolen gas in exchange for Alex's assistance. After capturing Sulaman, the team faces an attack by his lieutenant, Jamal “The Butcher” Rahar, who successfully extracts his leader. A subsequent ambush on the “Highway of Death” goes awry when Russian forces intervene, attacking both the terrorists and Farah's forces. It's revealed that Farah's brother, Hadir, orchestrated the gas theft out of revenge for the Russian invasion that orphaned them.
Hadir joins Al-Qatala, and the protagonists launch a joint operation to infiltrate the terrorist group's base, capturing and killing Sulaman but failing to find Hadir or the gas. The Urzikstan Liberation Force is labeled a terrorist threat by the CIA, prompting Alex to defect to Farah's group. Meanwhile, Price and Gaz pursue Hadir in Russia, capturing Rahar, who reveals Hadir's target is Barkov. They apprehend Hadir and learn of Barkov's chemical weapons operation. The CIA takes custody of Hadir, allowing Price, Gaz, Farah, and Alex to proceed with destroying Barkov's factory. Alex appears to sacrifice himself, though a later update reveals he only lost a leg. Farah kills Barkov before he can escape. Laswell then establishes Task Force 141, with their first mission being to hunt Victor Zakhaev.
Post-campaign events in Special Ops revealed Zakhaev profited from arms trading with Al-Qatala. Zakhaev's activities later continued in Warzone, where he was found to be supplying weapons to bunkers. Alex, now equipped with a prosthetic leg, returns alongside new recruit Simon “Ghost” Riley. They, along with Farah and Nikolai, discover Zakhaev's base in a nuclear silo. After Zakhaev threatens a nuclear launch, Price kills him. John “Soap” MacTavish then joins Task Force 141, reuniting the core cast of the original Modern Warfare trilogy.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
Modern Warfare 2 begins with Task Force 141 killing Iranian General Ghorbrani on behalf of US General Shepherd. Ghorbrani's second-in-command, Hassan Zyani, seeks revenge, leading Soap and Ghost to attempt his capture. They discover an American ballistic missile at Zyani's base, sparking an investigation into its origins. The pursuit leads to the Las Almas Cartel in Mexico, who are protecting Zyani. Price and his team, aided by the mercenary group Shadow Company, capture Zyani. However, they are forced to release him to prevent a US-Iran war. The investigation into the missiles uncovers Russian GPS trackers on missiles supplied by the cartel, increasing the complexity of the situation.
Al-Qatala reappears, kidnapping Laswell. While Price and Gaz, with Farah's help, rescue her, Soap and Vargas capture Valeria Garza, the leader of Las Almas. She reveals the missiles are on a Gulf of Mexico oil rig. A joint operation involving 141, Alejandro, and Shadow Company is launched. Shadow Company betrays the allies, with Graves ordering an attack on Vargas's associates. 141 intervenes, saving Alejandro. It's revealed that the US supplied the missiles, with Graves and Shepherd orchestrating the operation. A Russian military group ambushed the convoy and stole three missiles, a fact Shepherd covered up.
Price focuses on confronting Graves and Shadow Company, storming their base, killing Graves, and learning Zyani is in Chicago. The team eliminates Zyani and prevents a missile strike on the Pentagon. The narrative then shifts to Vladimir Makarov, the antagonist from the original Modern Warfare trilogy, as a new threat. Special Ops missions see Alex Keller return, seeking assistance against Al-Qatala, now led by Hadir. They eventually confront and kill Hadir. In Warzone, Graves' Shadow Company takes control of Al Mazrah, reigniting hostilities with the Las Almas cartel. The Peacekeepers, a new military organization in Vondel, are revealed to be a front for the Konni Group, the Russian military unit responsible for stealing Shepherd's missiles. Graves, who faked his death, attempts to ally with Farah against Konni, but his forces are infiltrated and destroyed, leading to the theft of crucial gas components.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
Modern Warfare 3's campaign begins with Makarov's escape from a gulag, where he was imprisoned by Soap and Price. His Konni Group intercepts Grave's Shadow Company and steals missiles intended for Farah's liberation efforts. Price attempts to intercept Makarov at a facility containing Barkov's chemical materials, but the mission fails, and Konni acquires the weapon fuel. Makarov stages a terrorist attack on a commercial airplane, mimicking the original "No Russian" mission, to frame Farah's Urzikstan Liberation Force. Alex and Farah thwart this plan.
Price tracks a shipment but discovers General Shepherd, who has been kidnapped by Makarov. Shepherd reveals Makarov's plan to destroy the Gora Dam. After saving the city of Verdansk from flooding, Task Force 141 shoots down a helicopter they believe is carrying Makarov. Price continues his pursuit in London, uncovering Makarov's intent to bomb the Channel Tunnel. During the ensuing confrontation, Soap is killed. Price defuses a bomb, but the mission is a grim success. Soap's ashes are later scattered, and a post-credits scene shows Price killing Shepherd in retribution for the events in Mexico. Makarov remains at large.
The story concludes with Price and Task Force 141 poised to confront Makarov. The impending Modern Warfare 4 will likely resolve these remaining threads and explore the role of a new character, "The Archer."