Tian Zhao

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Tian Zhao is the tertiary antagonist (secondary depending on the player's actions) in Call of Duty: Black Ops II as the leader of the Strategic Defense Coalition (SDC), a Chinese-led East Asian military alliance that serves as America's primary strategic rival in the year 2025. Zhao was once an ally of Alex Mason in the Afghan war in the 1980's, but 40 years later, he became an uncontrollable megalomaniac, bent on having Russia join SDC and becoming the largest military force on the planet. Depending on the player's actions, he can be killed by a JSOC soldier in an operation led by Mason's son David.

Biography

Soviet War in Afghanistan

Zhao appeared as a Chinese agent and an ally of Alex Mason, Frank Woods, and Jason Hudson during the mission Old Wounds in Afghanistan in 1986. He, along with other Chinese soldiers and the C.I.A. agents, assisted the Mujahideen in defending against the Soviet attacks. After their leader, Mullah Rahmaan, revealed his true nature, Zhao was beaten up along with the C.I.A. agents and was left to die in the desert along with them. They were saved by two unknown travelers, one of whom was seen by Mason as Viktor Reznov.

Rise to power

Sometime after this, Zhao attained a high-ranking position within the Chinese government, eventually becoming Chairman of the SDC.

Pakistan

After David Mason and Harper escaped Anthem, they ran straight into SDC troops. Tian Zhao, who recognized David as Alex Mason's son, ordered his troops to stand down, stating that if David was attempting to kill Menendez, Zhao would have no reason to harm David.

If the player successfully eavesdrops on Menendez's conversations in "Fallen Angel", it is revealed that Menendez was planning to form an alliance with Zhao.

Assassination

U.S. Command authorized Zhao's assassination in the final Strike Force Mission, "Dispatch", where three Navy SEALs shooting down his VTOL transport and two escorts. Zhao's remnant security forces attempted to defend the crash site, but failed to stop the door from being hacked open by the SEALs. As Zhao stumbled out of the smoke in his crashed VTOL, he was killed by a Navy SEAL, who shot him in the chest with his KAP-40 and took a picture of his body to command as confirmation. With Zhao's death, less hard-line Chinese leadership takes over the SDC and JSOC end up forming an alliance against Raul Menendez.

Two outcomes will occur depending on Zhao's fate.

• Outcome 1
• Outcome 2

If Tian Zhao was not killed, then the SDC will invade Russia and Strike Force will be failed. This will result in the Chinese fighters not being sent to save the Obama and it will result in the death of Chloe and/or Briggs. 

If Tian Zhao was killed in "Dispatch", the SDC will be weakened, and join the U.S. against Menendez. This also will ensure the U.S.S. Obama's survival assuming that Briggs lived.

Gallery

Meeting with Zhao.

Zhao with Mason and Woods.

A hologram of Tian Zhao in Dispatch.

Zhao's death.

Zhao's corpse.

Zhao's model.

Young Zhao's model.

Trivia

• Zhao and Briggs can be seen dancing together and hi-fiving at the outro dance.