Treyarch maybe realized they made a mistake.

[Evil Eric]

I liked them, Marlton would have to be my second favourite character

1. Dempsey

2. Marlton

3. Richtofen

4. Misty

5. Billy Handsome

Anyway, it's not really a mistake, my bet would be they'd make a return in the next game to wrap up their storyline completley

[thegreatpoopy]

But that's where our opinion differs. I actually really liked the N4. They brought something fresh the O4 could not provide. Were they replacing the O4? Defiantly not. ~~ Could the N4 have been better? Yes, and so could the maps to reflect them (Die Rise could've been made Broken Arrow's HQ, much needed backstory on Russ and Stuh would've been given, but nope). But they weren't as bad as most people made them out to be.

This.

They were actually fine characters, much better written than the O4.

Furthermore Treyarch 'killing the N4' just to bring back the O4 because "we" don't like the N4 seems illogical. As any good writer will tell you once you've established a good cast of characters that people love and can relate to, as soon as you replace them with a completely different set of new characters, people will always get pissed off. Treyarch knew this and still went with it, I'm sure they won't switch back to the O4 'just because a part of the community' dislikes the N4.

For me, if a character's not funny, they suck. I don't care if they're interesting, quirky or whatever. I just want to laugh as I'm slaying zombies with my friends. The N4 are pretty much complete failures in the funny department. Only like two or three of the quotes I've ever heard from them have made me laugh.

[Slade]

For me, if a character's not funny, they suck. I don't care if they're interesting, quirky or whatever. I just want to laugh as I'm slaying zombies with my friends. The N4 are pretty much complete failures in the funny department. Only like two or three of the quotes I've ever heard from them have made me laugh.

Funny ≠ good written characters. (Russman's more funnier than the 04 together tbh)

The problem with the 04 in the writing department was that they got to the point where they were just making silly 4th wall-breaking jokes every 2 seconds. (except for Takeo)

The jokes got worse and worse and they even repeated jokes from previous maps. (disarmed the enemy, haha.)

Of course the characters gotta be funny, but there has to be a line between how funny one can be, and how serious one should be about their surroundings/situation.

[The Clay Bird]

It's impossible for Tank and Misty to be related. That's common sense.

He didn't mean it like brother and sister, that should be common sense....

But I don't they changed the story to kill off the n4, I think it was already planned. I don't think that the zombie team makes up the story as they go. No great story is made up while its written. They usually brainstorm in the beginning and get am outline. That's why a teacher says to make an outline before you start writing an essay or some other form of writing.

Yea some small things are made up as they go, but the big pieces were probably thought about before bo2 was made. And yea I do believe that treyarch has saw some of the errors of the past and are going to try to avoid those. You can see that in buried. One of misty's quotes is "I'm on fire. Not literally, remember when we were, that SUCKED." That quote shows that they know that we really don't like fire that much and treyarch know that.

Is it possible that they could have had two ideas ready, one if the N4 were to continue, and one if the O4 came back?

I think the zombies story is made up as they go. I think there is something to this, because the community just wasn't responding to the N4 and their story. Why would they finally make an effort to begin to give some of the characters some background and bring up things like the flesh and whatever secret project Russman was in broken arrow or whatever, and then just kill them and abandon it all together? If it was pre-planned then that kinda refutes the "no great story is made up as its written" statement, because just killing them and ending their narrative without any resolution or character development is a pretty shit story imo.

I think Origins will get us back on point as far as zombies goes, and I think, God willing, a 4th title with zombies in it will feature the O4 and will get us back to glory like we had in waw and blops1

[The Clay Bird]

{quote="feedthemachine94"}Exactly why I said Treyarch made a mistake, or it's too soon to replace our favorite heroes.{/quote}

But that's where our opinion differs. I actually really liked the N4. They brought something fresh the O4 could not provide. Were they replacing the O4? Defiantly not. It just that this portion of the story was told through their eyes. I don't think it was a mistake to tell the story through a set of different eyes. A different perspective, a fresh view on things, and a chance to provide fresh side-stories that had nothing to do with Group 935 or the Vril-Ya. It was well needed to have a set of new characters to co-exist along with the O4, as they were getting repetitive and stale. Could the N4 have been better? Yes, and so could the maps to reflect them (Die Rise could've been made Broken Arrow's HQ, much needed backstory on Russ and Stuh would've been given, but nope). But they weren't as bad as most people made them out to be.

Oh no, I'm not saying they weren't bad characters, they did bore me in Tranzit, but they got better developed in Die Rise and Buried. I don't mind them, but the amount of people who are almost revolting that the O4 need to be back are being noticed by Treyarch.

I personally found them to be really crappy characters (besides my girl Misty), they were all under developed, boring, annoying to listen too and had no substance, they were just, bleh, bland and lifeless, Zombies hasen't been the same for me since the O4 were replaced by the N4/T4 (Not that I didn't like Tranzit, Die Rise and Buried, I do, but I DESPISE THE N4) I hate pretty much everything about the N4, so I am a happy camper with Origins.

i liked Russman and Marlton as characters but thats about it. Misty and Stu bored me.

They had some good stuff with the N4 but they just completely whiffed on it imo.

[thegreatpoopy]

For me, if a character's not funny, they suck. I don't care if they're interesting, quirky or whatever. I just want to laugh as I'm slaying zombies with my friends. The N4 are pretty much complete failures in the funny department. Only like two or three of the quotes I've ever heard from them have made me laugh.

Funny ≠ good written characters. (Russman's more funnier than the 04 together tbh)

The problem with the 04 in the writing department was that they got to the point where they were just making silly 4th wall-breaking jokes every 2 seconds. (except for Takeo)

The jokes got worse and worse and they even repeated jokes from previous maps. (disarmed the enemy, haha.)

Of course the characters gotta be funny, but there has to be a line between how funny one can be, and how serious one should be about their surroundings/situation.

Really? I didn't notice that many 4th wall-breaking jokes. I actually thought the writing stayed excellent throughout each map and they worked hard to not have too many repeat quotes. I also really enjoyed the "Five" characters. It's too bad that that will probably be the only map they ever appear in. About the seriousness of the characters, pretty much every character in zombies ever has been non-serious and goofy about the situation, except for the MOTD characters.

[Tattoo247]

I don't see the N4 having the lasting power the O4 has, I can still put in W@W or BO1 and laugh my ass off at the same old quotes I've been hearing for years.

In a 3-4 hours game of BO2 I may laugh a few times at quotes. They have better (or more I should say) story than the old four, but that could be changed easily. They are not comical enough for me. I can't say for they are dead, but if they are, it won't bother me in the least, even though I thought Misty should survive, she is the only one who looks like a survivor.

That's the other thing, not believable that Marleton,Stu and Russman could be candidates for this task, so old and out of shape and Marleton....I won't even start on him. They were ok while they lasted, but I always just wanted to play the old crew, and now I get to.

[Critikal_Damage]

The N4 are dead?!?

Way to go out with a bang Treyarch. '-_-

Also Misty and Dempsey aren't related. Dempsey had a 5 year old daughter in 1945.... in 2025.... she'd be 80. Misty doesn't look 80.

It's like Samuel and Richtofen are related because they're German.

It's probably a coincidence but Tank and Misty are the only characters who ask the player for ammo, in fact I think she says that as a way of treyarch saying they hear all our theories

[feedthemachine94]

My post is still alive! I guess we won't know what happens after all of this now, I feel like the cut scene is just not enough to explain what's happening. Moon was a better Easter egg, but I have yet to play Origins so the gameplay could be different.

[Your Dearest Sailor]

If the N4 for are dead I will be mad.

I personally loved our new crew I thought they were brilliant especially Marlton he has made me laugh multiple times. I think some of the fans who complained to Treyarch are incredibly selfish (not saying you guys are) just because you want the O4 back doesn't mean that people like me have to let go of characters we like. Some people need to know that story doesn't exactly revolve around the O4 it is told from other views like COTD crew, Five crew, MOTD crew and other small characters in our story. I understand that people want our old gang back trust me I understand I absolutely loved them.. but i'm glad Treyarch gave us a new crew I think they were very good and enjoyable. I'm just a bit annoyed they weren't the crew that they decided to do the finale with. Plus I connected more to the N4 then I ever did O4.. but I guess that's because I saw a lot of myself in Misty and Marlton..

[TheRealMistyBriarton]

I may have said this before, but I absoulutely despised the N4, I hated them with a burning passion of a 1000 suns, only Misty had any redeemable qualities, the other's were just so extremely annoying and gave me a bloody ear-splitting headache everytime I played as them, I actually didn't enjoy playing Tranzit, Dei Rise, and Buried as much as I could have because the N4, are by far some of the worst, things, I literally can not describe in words how much I hate the N4, and how happy I am back the O4 is back, without the O4 it didn't feel like true Zombies, and with them back now, my Zombies is sane again.

I don't begrudge anyone who does like the N4, but I could not and never will be able to stand them, I think Treyarch made a huge mistake and they are rectifying that, just my opinion

[Tridalo]

The N4 didn't click with me for some reason. I don't know why but the only one I could remotely stand is Russman. The rest just, bugged me, can't explain why for Marlton but Stu and Misty I can explain easily.

Stu, Tranzit he just was that annoying guy who was always talking about conspiracies, Die rise the voices, and buried he flat out said nothing memorable in my book.

Misty, the way she dresses or doesn't dress is a start, then her voice just makes me want to kick babies. I cannot stand her voice at all, don't know why but I just, bleh if I am playing solo and get her I restart until I get someone else because I can barely stand hearing her in a co-op game let alone a solo game that could take hours and it's only her.

[feedthemachine94]

Honestly, the N4 was useless throughout Black Ops 2. Tranzit, and Die Rise are the least story driven maps and it makes the characters look bad. In Tranzit they were all annoying, Misty wouldn't shut up sometimes. But they progressed in development, which is how it's supposed to be. But when I really look at Tranzit, Die Rise, and Buried, it just feels like it was a waste to use them. I've said this before, Treyarch could have easily kept the O4 for Black Ops 2, but decided on new characters which is perfectly fine.

But in the end, the strong hatred of the characters were digging at Treyarch, and I believe it screwed up the story a bit. WaW, and Black Ops had some of the best narrative I've ever witnessed. It was all truly engaging and in a way, believe able. But Black Ops 2 became a cluster fest of trying to out do themselves. I just wish the N4 had a proper story line, unless it continues. I really am disappointed with Black Ops 2 storyline, Origins has really nothing to do with what was going on in the other maps, so it's a stand alone map, same with MOTD.

It reminds me of the show True Blood, in the beginning, it was simple and genuine. Now it's just too much, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. In the end, I think they should just make a new storyline. Don't screw up any further than they have already, which I believe they did. The next zombies experience should just be a fresh start, and Treyarch should take the time to fully flesh out a new story without making it up as they go, which in my opinion, was the reason it just didnt work in the end.

[Rissole25]

If the N4 for are dead I will be mad.

I personally loved our new crew I thought they were brilliant especially Marlton he has made me laugh multiple times. I think some of the fans who complained to Treyarch are incredibly selfish (not saying you guys are) just because you want the O4 back doesn't mean that people like me have to let go of characters we like. Some people need to know that story doesn't exactly revolve around the O4 it is told from other views like COTD crew, Five crew, MOTD crew and other small characters in our story. I understand that people want our old gang back trust me I understand I absolutely loved them.. but i'm glad Treyarch gave us a new crew I think they were very good and enjoyable. I'm just a bit annoyed they weren't the crew that they decided to do the finale with. Plus I connected more to the N4 then I ever did O4.. but I guess that's because I saw a lot of myself in Misty and Marlton..

This all the way. Black Ops 2 should've been their story, instead it gets overshadowed by the O4. Personally, I don't think we were going to finish with the O4 originally. But due to "demand" and all the hate, I think put the O4 in.

Treyarch's handling of the N4 just pisses me off. Die Rise could've been great storywise, like it being Broken Arrow's HQ. Or radios. Just SOMETHING that gave character to them.

[Flammenwerfer]

Sadly, most of the maps in Black Ops II offered very little storywise. The main thing to happen was seeing Richtofen's role as the zombie controller, and the beginnings our the O4. Unfortunately, maps like Die Rise and TranZit offered almost nothing to be gained from the story, which really hurt the N4's reputation, I feel.

[AwesomeSauce117]

I really don't get all this 'the N4 are dead' talk.

First of all, one argument many people use is that Richtofen tells them they're dead in the future so bam they won't come back.

Well that's kind of true, IF and if only you do Richtofen's side which may not even be canon.

The other argument is that well Maxis destroys the earth so there you go - they're dead either way.

This also is not exactly true, he specifically says 'once the gateway is open' meaning that the gateway is currently still closed and whatever Maxis needs to do to open it will take a considerable amount of time. Time that the N4 can use to foil his plans.

It's most likely that Zombies will return in Treyarch's next game.

[Of course we'll have to see how Origins ties in with the story], but chances are

the N4 story arc will continue in Treyarch's next game. With them of course trying to stop Maxis' plans from reaching fruition.

First of all, I do agree with you that they are not dead. When Richtofen shows them the future, he says that it can be prevented. So they aren't dead, technically. Plus, I don't think Richtofen would go through all that trouble just to let them die. And he's in partial control of samuel -I don't think he'll let himself die. If you chose maxis... Well I guess you are right about them being able to stop him, but I don't see how they could. Richtofen isn't there to help them anymore. So they're stuck there, really. Well, who knows. That's just my opinion. :D