Black Ops 6 Zombies timeline, Dark Aether story & setting explained

Black Ops 6 Zombies timeline, Dark Aether story & setting explained

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of Call of Duty Zombies under my belt, I am absolutely thrilled to dive into Black Ops 6 and unravel its intricate Dark Aether storyline! The rich timeline that spans from World at War to the upcoming release is nothing short of captivating.


In Black Ops 6, the classic Zombie mode makes its return, and it links up with the Dark Aether narrative that initially unfolded in Black Ops Cold War.

The timeline of Call of Duty Zombies extends over a ten-year period, beginning with the Aether narrative. Following Richtofen’s successful break from the vicious cycle that had trapped the original team, Black Ops Cold War introduced a fresh narrative for players to explore.

Before diving into Black Ops 6 Zombies, here’s a summary of the key events and story details you should be aware of.

What happened in Cold War Zombies?

The narrative arc of the Aether, running from World at War to Black Ops 4, concluded with the catastrophic fall of the multiverse, sealing evil within the Dark Aether. Characters Samantha Maxis and Edward Richtofen then transitioned into a fresh universe, marking the beginning of the storylines in Black Ops Cold War and potentially Black Ops 6.

The new narrative, referred to as the Dark Aether saga, kicks off within Black Ops Cold War. To provide a quick recap of Cold War Zombies, a group supported by the CIA called Requiem is assigned with halting the infection spread while simultaneously confronting their adversaries, the Omega Group, from the Soviet Union.

Dr. William Peck, the chief scientist at Omega Group, is engaged in a rivalry with Requiem to locate and apprehend The Forsaken, a potentially harmful entity originating from the Dark Aether. Unfortunately, an error was made when Peck and his team, including Omega Group, accidentally released The Forsaken from its Dark Aether prison. This blunder led to Dr. Peck distancing himself from the Russian organization.

Black Ops 6 Zombies timeline, Dark Aether story & setting explainedActivisionCold War ended with the Forsaken map.

Later, he assists Requiem with constructing the Aetherium Neutralizer, designed to apprehend The Forsaken, but ends up getting trapped in an explosion during the process.

Grigori Weaver’s strike team from Requiem successfully cornered The Forsaken, thanks to the assistance of Samantha Maxis. Samantha has honed her skills in manipulating Dark Aether energies following her entrapment in a parallel dimension during the Cold War Zombies saga.

In this scenario, Samantha voluntarily gives up herself as the unique solution to ensnare the Dark Aether entity once more. This act leads to her being imprisoned within the Dark Aether.

After that, the Director from Requiem commands the detainment of the Strike Team, and it’s unmasked that he is no one other than Edward Richtofen. (Informal: The boss from Requiem tells the Strike Team to be arrested, and guess who it turns out to be? You got it – Edward Richtofen.)

Dark Aether timeline from Cold War to Black Ops 6

  • November 13, 1983: Die Maschine – Requiem shut down cyclotron and close rift.
  • January 18, 1984: Apocalypse –  Dark Aether breach in Laos cleaned up by Omega task force led by Ravenov.
  • June 15, 1984: Firebase Z – Requiem Strike Team get Samantha out of Dark Aether.
  • February 2, 1985: Mauer Der Toten – Requiem defeat Valentina and Maxis saves the Strike Team and Raptor One.
  • June 4, 1985: Forsaken – Requiem and Samantha Maxis trap The Forsaken, closing all dimensional breaches across the globe. Maixs sacrifices herself to weak The Forsaken and locked away in the Dark Aether. Director of Requiem revealed as Edward Richtofen, who then terminates Requiem and orders the arrest of all senior members, including the Strike Team.
  • Date unknown, 1990: Peck travels to Japan and rents a boat to head to the prison island known as Terminus.
  • 1991: Liberty Falls & Terminus – William Peck, accompanied by Maya Aguinaldo, free Weaver, Dr. Grey, Carver, Raptor One, and Oskar Strauss who are locked up in Terminus to hunt and kill Richtofen. Meanwhile, an outbreak has occurred in Liberty Falls, a West Virginian town in USA.

Black Ops 6 Zombies timeline explained

As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled to delve into Black Ops 6 Zombies, where my journey picks up from Cold War and finds me as part of the Requiem Strike Team, trapped within Terminus – one of the game’s initial maps. The narrative unfolds concurrently with the BO6 campaign, setting the stage in 1991.

Dr. William Peck miraculously made it through the blast caused by the conclusion of the Cold War and discovered the imprisoned members of Requiem on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. His objective is to facilitate their escape and rally them towards a shared purpose – the elimination of Edward Richtofen, who has provoked their collective ire.

Black Ops 6 Zombies timeline, Dark Aether story & setting explainedActivisionStrike Team Requiem are looking to escape Terminus with the help of Dr. William Peck.

It’s not yet confirmed by the authorities, but it’s believed that Samantha Maxis and Grigori Weaver were assigned by the CIA to eliminate Edward Richtofen prior to the Cold War Zombies storyline. This tragic event, which resulted in the death of Richtofen’s family, may have driven him to betray them and imprison Weaver and the Strike Team.

It’s plausible that Richtofen, with his deep understanding of Zombies and the Dark Aether, might be trying to retrieve his wife and son from another dimension using this knowledge. If successful, it could potentially lead to a thrilling reappearance of Samantha Maxis who is currently trapped in that alternate reality.

After Black Ops 6 hits the shelves, we’ll uncover more details about the plot and its future direction. During Call of Duty Next, we can expect to learn additional insights into the storyline, particularly focusing on the Liberty Falls map in Black Ops 6.

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2024-08-19 18:36