Shepherd

"Five years ago, I lost 30,000 men in the blink of an eye. And the world just fuckin' watched."

- General Shepherd

Lieutenant General Shepherd was an officer in the United States Army in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 that commanded both Task Force 141 and Shadow Company. He starts out as a supporting character for the player, only to reveal himself as the main antagonist in Modern Warfare 2.

Biography
General Shepherd served as the supreme commander of the U.S. forces in the Middle East during the course of the Second Russian Civil War (see Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare), including the Marine Force Recon units killed when Al-Asad detonated a nuclear weapon in the capital city of an un-named Middle Eastern country. Losing the 30,000 troops under his command affected the General greatly and Shepherd developed a cynic's view of the world and international politics. In the time following his botched invasion of the Persian Gulf, Shepherd sought new ways of restoring the United States' standing as a global power as well as its military might (and his own reputation as a military commander), focusing his efforts on the occupation of Afghanistan and seemingly, the hunt for international terrorist Vladimir Makarov. All the while, Shepherd felt that no justice had been sought for the men he had lost 5 years prior. These feelings would eventually drive him to carry out his goal of escalating a second Cold War between Ultranationalist Russia and the United States.

To increase the power and standing of the military, Shepherd needed an enemy, something to rally the entire nation behind him. After hearing of his many terrorists attacks throughout Europe, Shepherd believed Russian Ultranationalist Vladimir Makarov could indirectly help bring the recruitment plan into play. Shepherd developed "Task Force 141", an international coalition of counter-terrorism operators, created with the intent of stopping Makarov. Shepherd hand-picked Joseph Allen to go undercover within Makarov's terrorist group during their attack on Zakhaev International Airport. Allen's body was left at the scene and he alone was implicated in the attack, all according to Shepherd's plan. Most importantly, the only individuals who knew of the operation were the men serving in Task Force 141 and Makarov's terrorist cell. The Russian government retaliated and the United States was invaded, and as result, Shepherd was named supreme commander of all US military forces by the Secretary of Defense for his insight into the threat Russia posed, just as he had planned. With the full power of the 3.5 million soldiers (as of 2016) of the United States Armed Forces at his fingertips, Shepherd was in a perfect position to bring about his ultimate goals: to make the United States the mightiest power on the planet, and style himself as the hero who made it so by eventually bringing Ultranationalist Russia to its knees. Besides the United States military forces he officially commanded, Shepherd, through unknown means, also acquired the services of the clandestine Shadow Company, which openly operated for Shepherd after Day 6 of the global crisis of 2016.

Shepherd would soon start a second, personal war, eliminating anyone with knowledge of Joseph Allen and his final op, be they terrorist or member of his own Task Force. Shepherd sends Task Force 141 to recover intelligence pertaining to his scapegoat, Vladimir Makarov. Shepherd eventually reveals his true colors when he executed Roach and Ghost in the Caucasus Mountains after the latter raid an Ultranationalist safehouse and retrieve intelligence that could implicate him, while his Shadow Company men make attempts on the lives of Captain Price and Captain "Soap" MacTavish in Afghanistan. With his status as a war hero secured, the ruthless officer betrays the task force in an attempt to destroy any link to his treacherous actions and so that he could bring down Vladimir Makarov himself. Price and MacTavish figured out Shepherd's agenda and infiltrate his base in the Afghan cave system known as Site Hotel Bravo.

Shepherd escapes Site Hotel Bravo with Soap and Price in pursuit. After Shepherd's helicopter was shot down, MacTavish and Price's Zodiac plunges into the waterfalls below. Shepherd survives the crash as an injured, followed by dazed MacTavish who attempts to kill Shepherd with a knife. Shepherd took down MacTavish, and stab him in the chest. Just as Shepherd attempts to execute MacTavish with his .44 Magnum, Price tackles Shepherd, causing him to miss the shot, and the two get into a hand-to-hand fight. Shepherd eventually overpowers Price, gaining the upper hand. However, MacTavish regains consciousness in time to pull out the knife he had been stabbed with and take aim at Shepherd, throwing it. The knife pierces Shepherd's left eye, killing him.

Voice actor
General Shepherd is voiced by Lance Henriksen. Henriksen worked previously with Keith David (Sgt. Foley) in Mass Effect, providing the voice of Admiral Hackett. This is the second time Henriksen has voiced Keith's superior officer. He has played Charles Bishop Weyland in the Alien vs Predator film and has appeared in over 100 other films.

Quotes
"The more things change, the more they stay the same. Boundaries shift, new players step in; but power always finds a place to rest its head. We fought and bled alongside the Russians; we should've known they’d hate us for it. History is written by the victor, and here I am, thinking we'd won. But you bring down one enemy and they find someone even worse to replace him. Locations change, the rationale, the objective. Yesterday's enemies are today’s recruits. Train them to fight alongside you and pray they don’t eventually decide to hate you for it, too."

- Shepherd's speech during the intro to S.S.D.D.

"We are the most powerful military force in the history of man. Every fight is our fight, because what happens over here matters over there. We don't get to sit one out. Learning to use the tools of modern warfare is the difference between the prospering of your people, and utter destruction. We can't give you freedom. But we can give you the know-how to acquire it. And that, my friends, is worth more than a whole army base of steel. Sure it matters who's got the biggest stick, but it matters a helluva lot more who's swinging it. This is a time for heroes. A time for legends. History is written by the victors. Let's get to work."

- Shepherd discussing the military might of the United States, during the briefing of Team Player

"Get up, Private Allen! Rangers lead the way! Move!"

- Shepherd telling Joseph Allen to go with the rest of the Rangers

"Five years ago, I lost 30,000 men in the blink of an eye, and the world just fuckin' watched. Tomorrow there will be no shortage of volunteers, no shortage of patriots. I know you understand."

- Shepherd before attempting to execute "Soap" MacTavish at the end of Endgame

"It's been a tough week, gentlemen. We've lost more than ever dreamed. But we will recover. I've got a blank check. And we're gonna use every cent of it killin' Makarov. Despite what the world may say, we are not savages, we don't kill civilians. We use precision. There's an evil man hiding in these shadows and we're gonna bring him into the light. Once his face is revealed, we will write history, gentlemen."

- Shepherd in a speech to Task Force 141 during the briefing of Loose Ends

"Do you have the DSM? Good, that's one less loose end.""

- Shepherd, when Ghost and Roach bring the DSM to the extraction point

"You don't want to know what it's cost to put you next to him. It will cost you a piece of yourself. It will cost nothing compared to everything you'll save."

- Last speech of Shepherd to Joseph Allen

"Makarov's no prize. He's a whore. A mad-dog killer for the highest bidder. Just remember your new identity. It'll keep you alive."

- Shepherd to Joseph Allen

"Cain was the first man ever to strike down another. And when the Lord came to him and said "What have you done?", Cain could not hide his crime - for the voice of his brother's blood cried out from the very ground."

- Shepherd during the Infamy trailer

"You know what they say about revenge: you better be ready to dig two graves... (long pause) Go ahead and end it. It won't change anything. (long pause) Hmph. I know you couldn't do it. (long pause) You're a good warrior, but you can never take that extra step to do what was absolutely necessary."

- Shepherd, if the player does not immediately attempt to kill him at the car in Endgame.

Unused quotes
These quotes were meant to be said by Shepherd during "Endgame". These quotes are said, with a damaged voice and a sore throat. They also give more insight behind Shepherd's motives.

Trivia

 * General Shepherd wears USAJFKSWCS (United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School) patches. At the rank of Lieutenant General, this would infer that he is the commander of SWC (The real SWC Commander is an MG). This would also mean he is Special Forces qualified and should be wearing a green beret, not black. Also, since it is a school, it never deploys personnel, however Shepherd wears a SWC combat patch.
 * General Shepherd's betrayal is similar to how Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars, gains power. Both use a powerful organization to help them. (TF141, Jedi Order), in the end they turn on them using their elite force to obey their orders without question. (Shadow Company, Clone Army)
 * Shepherd's quote "Every fight is our fight, because what happens over here matters over there. We don't get to sit one out" actually belongs to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic.
 * If the player looks closely at the picture to the right, it shows Shepherd's character model without the revolver in the holster. This is and "Endgame" where Shepherd also reloads his revolver is the only time this happens.
 * Though there are many chances to shoot Shepherd throughout the campaign, most times if the player does, it gives the player a "Mission Failed" Notice. However, during the mission Team Player, when the Rangers arrive at the school, Shepherd can be seen outside the gates with his M4A1. He can be killed here with no penalty, but still shows up at the end of the mission.
 * When he is pinned down with Hunter 2-3 in "Team Player", he can be seen using an M4A1. This is the only time he is seen with a firearm other than his revolver.
 * It could be noticed from the picture that he holds the M4A1 as if it were an unequipped rifle, while ignoring the foregrip.
 * Shepherd's rank is unusual in that a Supreme Commander would be a four-star general, or else be promoted to one to fill the position.
 * He is also the first main villain to be American, as he is secretly manipulating the storyline from behind the scenes, until he executes Ghost and Roach and reveals his true motives.
 * His catchphrase, "history is written by the victors," though commonly attributed to Winston Churchill, it is alleged to have originally been said by Mithridates IV of Pontus.
 * Shepherd only fires his .44 Magnum three times in the whole game, and only one shot has the original gunshot audio.
 * During the events of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Shepherd seems to be leading the United States Army, Navy and Air Force, despite being a three-star Army General. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible for an Army General to be in control of a joint operation that involves other factions of the U.S. military, given his history of controlling many thousands of Marines during the events of Shock and Awe, it isn't beyond the realm of possibility that he would be given control of other factions.
 * In Museum, he can be seen reloading his pistol like the other, non-revolver pistols in-game.
 * Shepherd's mustache appears brown in some levels of the game (noticeable in Team Player) and appears to be more gray in others (noticeable in Endgame). This, however, is possibly due to dust from the crash in Endgame, which would have caused the illusion of a color change.
 * Shepherd can go into last stand if wounded in the Museum. He will pull out another .44 Magnum and will use it until he gets killed. So there will be 2 revolvers on the floor. But what's strange is that if the player picks both up, they will count as one gun with the same ammo counter at all times. If the player shoots a bullet from the first one, one bullet will also disappear from the second one, if the player reloads, both will be reloaded with ammo needed to load one. This is similar to the moment in Call of Duty 4, when a Soldier wielding a Desert Eagle will attack the player on the mission Crew Expendable, and will drop 2 Desert Eagles that count as one.
 * Shepherd seems to be strong despite his age. He survived a helicopter crash with little or no injuries and managed to incapacitate both Captain Price and Soap.