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Fans of Call of Duty are, of course, familiar with Lieutenant General Shepherd. First appearing in Modern Warfare 2, Shepherd commanded the USMC, the U.S. Army Rangers, Task Force 141, and even his own elite army, the Shadow Company. Although starting as a seemingly supporting NPC, players soon discover his role in the story, in a twist that surprised more than one.
The general led a complex and violent life, starting as a kind and loyal military man before becoming ruthless and unforgiving. Shepherd's life was full of secrets, so it makes sense that there are still many details that remain hidden from even the franchise's most loyal fans.
History's Many General Shepherds
Over the many wars fought over the years, there has been at least one prominent army General with the last name Shepherd. Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. was a four-star General in the U.S. Marine Corps who served in three wars: WWI, WWII, and the Korean War.
Three more generals share the similar-sounding last name of Shephard. Gordon Strachey Shephard was the highest-ranking officer of the flying services to die in service during WWI. Two more Generals exist, both last-named Shepard; one, William Shepard, served as a General during the American Revolutionary War and was a U.S. Representative for Massachusetts; the other, Isaac F. Shepard, served in the Union Army in the American Civil War.
Full Name
Throughout the game, other characters only refer to the General as Shepherd. His full name never appears, providing the series with yet another minor mystery.
Infinity Ward's former Creative Strategist and Community Manager, Robert Bowling, once claimed on Twitter that the General's full name was Hershel von Sheperd III. However, the tweet was probably a lighthearted joke, considering he misspelled "Shepherd," so the General's name remains a mystery.
Voice Actor
Video games' voice actors hardly ever get the credit they deserve. A ton of craftsmanship goes into bringing these characters to life, as these performers need to convey a wide array of emotions using only their voices. Lance Henriksen provides Shepherd's low, menacing voice, and his work during the reveal of the General's betrayal and his death scene is nothing short of impressive.
Henriksen is a versatile voice actor with credits in several other video game franchises like Mass Effect and Star Wars. As an actor, he played notable roles in DC's Legends of Tomorrow and The Blacklist.
Weapon Of Choice
Shepherd's signature weapon was a .44 Magnum. The revolver has a long history with the franchise, being featured in numerous titles starting with Modern Warfare 2 in which it's called Colt Anaconda.
The .44 Magnum has several names written on the side of the barrel across the games. In Modern Warfare 2, it has "BRAD ALLENCONDA .44 MAGNUM," a reference to Infinity Ward's lead artist, Brad Allen. In Call of Duty: Ghosts, it has "Roaring Wolf" and "454 Casull," also on the side of the barrel.
A Classic Villain
The General's goal of ruffling the U.S. and Russia's feathers is one that many others tried before. The United States and Russia are sworn enemies, at least in the media, where the latter country often gets portrayed as a frozen and cruel land full of communists and despots.
Many movies, television shows, and comics, from GoldenEye to Watchmen, take advantage of the two countries' rivalry. Furthermore, Shepherd's intent on launching World War III is also mirrored in numerous other video game franchises, most prominently Battlefield and Fallout.
His Level Of Intellect
Shepherd is a brilliant and strategic villain, capable of single-handedly executing a plan that led to World War 3. He also displayed a remarkable visionary mind, which, coupled with his lack of empathy, allowed him to manipulate everyone around him.
His psychopathic behavior is understandably the thing everyone remembers about him, and his killing of Ghost and Roach cemented him as one of the franchise's most loathsome villains. Still, he was a gifted man, who could've done many good things had he not followed such an irredeemable path.
His Tragic Backstory
As previously mentioned, Shepherd wasn't always evil. At the beginning of his career, he was a decent and perhaps even kind man who cared deeply for his men. During the search for Al-Asad in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, a nuclear device goes off, killing all 30,000 in Shepherd's troops, shaking him to his core.
The loss of his men changed Shepherd forever. He grew resentful of the world's inaction at his tragedy and became disgusted with politics. After the incident, and despite his reservations, Shepherd still tried to restore the US's reputation on the world stage while also attempting to repair his own.
A Change of Heart
By the time Modern Warfare 2 comes along, Shepherd's soft side is gone for good. He becomes cruel and implacable, and players can tell the true extent of his malice from his many subtle hints.
Shepherd, a heavy smoker, infamously throws his cigar on Ghost and Roach's corpses. The remastered version enhances his hardened and unforgiving features, confirming his lack of empathy for those he harms. In the original Modern Warfare, Shepherd's cruelty wasn't as evident, and he even seemed a tad friendly, despite being a traitor.
Shadow Company
During this time, he created his infallible Shadow Company. The elite unit consists of independent contractors, all fiercely loyal to the General.
Like any good villain, Shepherd needs an army of his own, and the Shadow Company is ideal for the job. Interestingly, all of their helmets have the name HOLT written on them, suggesting that Shepherd no longer cares about the men at his service, viewing them instead as disposable tools with no individuality.
His Lasting Legacy
After his death, Shepherd becomes a war hero, buried in Arlington National Cemetery. For their part, the government declares Soap and Price war criminals, forcing them to go on the run while attempting to clear their names.
Once they do, it's safe to assume Shepherd's reputation gets irreparably destroyed. His role as the architect of World War III would make him one of history's most infamous traitors, akin to Brutus and Cassius. His name would then become synonym with evil and untrustworthiness, a fitting ending for such a ruthless character.