David "Section" Mason

Template:Infobox/soldier

For other uses, see David and Mason.

"This is what Menendez planned all along. Taking out the G20 leaders will cripple capitalist governments across the world."

— David Mason

Lieutenant Commander David Mason (codenamed Section) is the main playable character, along with Alex Mason, and the main protagonist in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. He is the son of CIA Agent and USMC Captain Alex Mason, a member of SEAL Team Six and the Commander of all J-SOC Strike Force missions from the U.S.S. Barack Obama.

Biography

Early life

David Mason was born in between late August to early September 1979 to CIA Agent Alex Mason and his unidentified wife. Raised in his father's hometown of Fairbanks, Alaska, David's relationship with his father soured after the death of his mother. Due to his father's past experiences, harsh upbringing, and his commitment to serve the U.S., David held a deep resentment towards his dad but did not want to lose him, which was why he had his dad promise to not go on any more missions for the military.

Alex Mason's return to service

In 1986, the retired Alex Mason returned to active duty with the CIA to rescue Frank Woods, leaving the young David in the care of Jason Hudson's wife, Jenny. David tried to stop his father from going but Alex told David, Woods would do it for him.

Kidnapped by Raul Menendez

In 1989, Raul Menendez kidnapped David, drugged him unconscious, and brought him to Panama prior to Mason's mission to capture then-dictator of Panama, Manuel Noriega. Menendez taunted David about the upcoming set up, telling him that for his sister Josefina, Alex Mason would die. Menendez's moles within the CIA helped facilitate Noriega's capture and fooled both Mason and Woods into believing that they would be trading the captured dictator for Menendez. After Woods was tricked into shooting and possibly killing Alex, believing it was Menendez, the narco-terrorist killed Hudson and left both the young David and crippled Woods alive. David later came out of his trance only to see his father unresponsive. Believing his father to be dead (depending on the player's actions), David started to cry while Woods attempted to comfort him only to lose consciousness from his wounds.

Guilt-ridden about having shot his best friend, Woods took the young David in and raised him. However, to spare David the pain of the circumstances of his father's death, Woods told David that it was just "some nut" who did it. When Woods was put in the Vault retirement home, he kept several of David's childhood drawn pictures.

Early Military Career

In 1996, Mason either enlisted in the U.S. Navy or graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy as a Naval Officer and eventually made it into the Navy's elite U.S. Navy SEALs. After a few years serving with the SEALs, David was recruited into the ultra-elite SEAL Team Six, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander before the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops II occurred. Thirty years since his last encounter with David, Raul Menendez rose to power and planned to launch a cyberattack in an attempt to start the Second Cold War. On April 19th, 2025, David, became a Navy SEAL Commander codenamed 'Section' and befriends Mike Harper.

The Vault & Learning Menendez story

In light of Menendez visiting Woods at the Vault, Section, Harper and a team, went to Woods' room and asked him about his knowledge on Menendez. Woods gave Section a pendent left by Menendez but Section began to see images of Menendez and himself as a child. Harper initially thought that Woods was just a waste of time until Woods recounted his adventures with David's father Alex from his rescue at Angola where they first met Menendez and Alex tried to kill Menendez, leading him to wanting revenge. The second was his adventure with Mason and Tian Zhao in Afghanistan where they encounter Lev Kravchenko, an old enemy of Mason's who was responsible for the numbers brainwashing and Reznov being stuck in his head. Woods also commented that David was just like his dad in believing that it was Reznov who saved them from Rahmaan's betrayal. And finally his encounter with Menendez in Nicaragua, when he assumed Menendez was dead and revealed that he accidentally killed Menendez sister Josefina. They also learned that the drone fleet created was actually based on a rare earth element controlled by China which made them worried. However, when Section questioned why Woods was still alive even though Menendez paid him a visit, Woods ignored the question and told him to "go find that maniac".

Celerium

The day after, Section, along with Harper, Salazar and Crosby went to investigate the presence of Menendez's soldiers at Myanmar. Here, they discovered that Menendez was planning to use Celerium as a basis for a cyber attack that could cripple the entire cyberworld. They also learned that Menendez was using all his cartel money to hire Militia's, SDC's and Mercenaries. He was using the facility in Myanmar to build his own army of CLAWs, quadrotors (MQ-27 Dragonfires), A.S.D.s, and MQ Drones. Thanks to the Intel from Woods, Section figured out that all the money Menendez built was invested in all the weapons. Section and his team then found a scientist named Erik Breighner who had been brought in to process a Celerium core which would make all existing micro chip technologies usless. Though Erik was killed, he was able to give Section the Celerium core, which he later gave to Admiral Tommy Briggs who brought in an extraction team.

Pakistan

About a month later, Section and his team went to investigate Menendez's second-in-command, DeFalco, who was spotted in Pakistan. However, before leaving, Section began seeing images of Menendez and himself as a child again. David then realised that Menendez played a part in Alex's death 30 years previous. Once in Pakistan they were able to infiltrate Anthem, and managed to record Menendez's conversation with the leader of the Pakistani ISI, revealing that General Tian Zhao of the SDC was secretly forming an alliance with Menendez and that they would have a meeting on June 17th. They also discovered that Menendez had assigned DeFalco to managed to escape after almost being compromised, but ran into Zhao's forces. However, Zhao let them live since he assumed they were only after Menendez, and didn't know his secret because he didn't want to get captured.

Karma

The intel recorded from the conversation also revealed that Karma, which was then assumed as the cyberweapon Menendez planned to use, was on Colossus. Section, Harper and Salazar went to Colossus, and after fighting through several PMCs found out that Menendez planned to bomb the entire floating island. They also discovered that "Karma" was not a weapon, but a woman named Chloe Lynch. They located Chloe at Club Solar, but at the same time DeFalco also appeared and took several bystanders hostage. After Chloe decided to give herself in, Section and his team gave chase.

If the player manages to catch up to DeFalco, he will return fire and will be killed in the fire fight. His body will then be carried back to a VTOL by Harper and Salazar, and Chloe will be saved.

If the player fails to catch up to DeFalco (or intentionally fails), he will escape with Chloe and survive. However, the player will be given another attempt to save Chloe in the strike force mission "Second Chance".

Learning Alex Mason's true death

Knowing that Woods still had some information, Section went to The Vault and asked about what happened at Panama. As the story was told, Section was shocked to find out that his father did not die by the hands of Menendez, but rather Woods himself. Knowing that it was not his fault, Section reassured Frank that Menendez would be defeated.

Strike Force Missions

These missions can be skipped if wanted to, but to do so will result in the eventual destruction of the U.S.S. Obama.

Section and Briggs brief a group of JSOC soldiers on battles against Tian Zhao to counter his plan of taking over Russia and making SDC the largest army force on the planet. Section communicates with the JSOC assets deployed in India, Singapore, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Pakistan.

Capturing Menendez

Section assisted in the ambush on a Cordis Die rally in Yemen, and appeared in person after either Harper or Farid was killed. Harper or Farid were evacuated and Section advanced on a crashed VTOL Warship where Menendez was. Section captured Menendez without incident and brought him back to the U.S.S. Barack Obama. But Menendez tormented Section on the way back about seeking a newer world together and even referring to him as David.

U.S.S. Obama attack

Section interrogated Menendez, but he took Salazar hostage and incapacitated Section. When he came to his senses, Section fought through the Obama, defending it from an attack by the Mercs. Section attempted to contact Briggs but to no avail. Over the security cameras, he witnessed Menendez take Briggs hostage and Salazar betrays them, as well as Menendez killing or wounding of Briggs. If Farid is dead at this point then Chloe will die either at Salazar's hands or DeFalco's. If Farid is still alive, he will sacrifice himself to save Chloe, resulting in his death. Menendez used the Celerium worm in his fake eye to hack the world's defense systems. Section came down, and either Chloe (if alive) attempted to reboot the system or Section will have the technicians work on it. He then confronts the captured Salazar, who surrendered without incident. Section expresses his disappointment in Salazar for his betrayal.

If Harper is dead, Salazar will be taken into custody. If the Obama is destroyed, it is presumed that he dies with everyone else on the ship.

If Harper is alive, he will execute Salazar with a single bullet to the head from his Five Seven.

Section then escaped the U.S.S. Barack Obama with Harper (if he survived) and Crosby.

If the Strike Force Missions are finished and Briggs was spared, the U.S.S. Obama will be saved by Chinese fighters.

If the Strike Force Missions are incomplete, failed, or if Briggs was executed, the U.S.S. Obama will be destroyed by the drone fleet.

Protecting President Bosworth

Believing that Menendez might be planning to target the U.S. President, Section took charge of escorting President Bosworth through the streets of Los Angeles amidst the worldwide chaos of Menendez's hacking. He also assisted several G20 convoys (including the French President's), and piloted an FA38 to cover the convoy from above until they reach the Prom Night Hotel.

Assault on Menendez

Having finally secured the president, Section led an international team of special forces in a massive raid on Menendez's Cordis Die facility in Haiti, where the systems were being controlled. Midway, he witnessed a live broadcast by Menendez, and the self-destruction of the hacked drone army. He continued pursuing Menendez (with Harper, if he survived). As they reached a room, the floor beneath them exploded. Section managed to grab hold of the ledge, but then noticed Menendez about to escape with two Mercs soldiers (one of which could be DeFalco, if he survived; as well as Harper having his leg injured). Section slid down, while grabbing a KAP-40 from a dead soldier's holster, and shot the Mercs (and DeFalco, if he wasn't killed earlier). He then stabs Menendez in the leg with his knife, then in the shoulder, grabbed his Tac-45, and could either execute or capture him.

If the player chooses to capture him then David will stand Menendez up on his feet and walk him to a VTOL where he will be handcuffed and flown away.

If the player chooses to kill Menendez then David will execute him with his own Tac-45 and walk out of the hangar either alone or carrying a wounded Harper by his side, if the player spared him in Achilles' Veil.

Endings

Depending on Section's and Woods' actions, there are number of endings which all have rewards and consequences. These are four of the possible endings, but there are some endings that can be unlocked, depending on the actions the player makes.

If Woods shot Mason anywhere except the head, Chloe survived Salazar's betrayal and David spares Menendez, then Mason himself will reappear at age 92 to Woods in the Vault. Alex will later meet David in the vault as well and Alex then reminds David of the scar he got back in 1986, and how he made him proud that day as he got back up. Chloe will be able to stop Menendez's cyber attack and he will be stuck in custody.

Woods shot Mason in the leg, Chloe did not survive Salazar's betrayal and Section captured Menendez, then Mason will himself will reappear at age 92 to Woods in the Vault. However a year later Menendez will escape custody after a cyber attack, kill Woods and then himself.

Woods killed Mason, Chloe survived Salazar's betrayal and Section spares Menendez, then David and Woods will visit Mason's grave where David reveals that he will retire. which Frank is pleased to hear and says that Alex is glad too. Chloe will be able to stop Menendez's cyber attack and he will be stuck in custody.

Woods killed Mason, Chloe did not survive Salazar's betrayal and Menendez was killed, then David and Woods will visit Mason's grave where David reveals that he will retire. which Frank is pleased to hear and says that Alex is glad too. However Menendez will have a video triggered to play upon his death, causing massive public outrage, worldwide riots and chaos, with military and police forces weakened by Menendez's attack, hinting at the destruction of the U.S. government.

Avenged Sevenfold Party (non-canon)

David "Section" Mason attended a party held by Avenged Sevenfold playing the song "Carry On". David is seen waving around a Cordis Die sign.

Quotes

"Hey old man."
"Was Raul Menendez here today?"
"That's what Menendez wants his followers to believe. Trust me... it isn't."
"What did you just say? Come suffer ...What?"
"These flashes I'm getting...I know I was kidnapped the night my father died, but I could never see..."
"CLAW units are active, weapon systems online!"
"Salazar, we have lost Menendez near your position. Can you eyeball him?"
"He killed my father, to get to you."
"There's nothing you could've done, Frank. It wasn't your fault."
"You betrayed us all, Salazar."
"He's just a sad old man talking to himself. Let him talk."
"I got you, brother."
"Such a self-indulgent piece of shit...Stop talking in riddles!"
"I'm not a kid this time...But you can go ahead and try what you did back then."
"If he so much as moves an inch, you put a bullet in his brain! You got me?"
"What the fuck happened in Panama?"
"I hate you."
"Why don't you go back to the Army? Like you did when Mom died..."
"Lights out fucker."
"Back Off! "

Gallery

Trivia

He is the fourth playable character who sees their reflection in-game, the first being Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's John Price in "Dust to Dust", the second being Raul Menendez in "Time and Fate" and the third being Frank Woods in "Suffer with Me".
Liam O'Brien was Section's voice actor during the E3 2012 LA demo. In the finished version of the game, Rich McDonald portrays Section in 2025, while Hayden Byerly portrays a young David Mason in the 1980's.
In the mission "Cordis Die", during the E3 2012 gameplay, Section's reflection has many differences to the finished in-game cutscene, the largest being that he does not have any glasses on and he bears a resemblance more to Harper than his finished self.
Section also appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops II's outro, dancing and holding a Cordis Die sign.
Section wears HUD glasses in every mission that takes place in 2025 (Except in pre-rendered cutscenes).
Section is the only main character in Call of Duty: Black Ops II who cannot canonically die, regardless of the player's actions.
Section is currently one of two characters in the Call of Duty series who is seen as a child, as well as an adult; the other being Raul Menendez.
Also, Section is the first playable character in Call of Duty series to be the son of another playable character, Alex Mason, making this the first father-son relationship on-screen in the series.
Section is the first protagonist in the Call of Duty series to have the game go deep into his personal life.
David Mason is referenced to as 'Section' as an adult and as 'David' as a child in the subtitles.
Section wields an unusable holstered M9 as an on-duty sidearm (As well as whatever handgun(s) the player may select in the mission loadout screen), and a B23r when off duty.
Like Harper, Salazar and random SEALs, Section carries a couple of unknown Tactical Grenades.