Long theory about Nuketown and Broken Arrow

[Cheesegrater28]

Wanted to elaborate more on a theory about Nuketown. Went into it briefly in another post but wanted to expand on it more then I had.

 

One of the main topics BO2 added to the story line was Broken Arrow. It seems like the main story line on Die Rise, since it’s mentioned the most there, but it was also part of Buried. It’s the only real backstory we got to the N4. I can’t say for sure what Broken Arrow is, but I do have a theory of where it is and part of what it might have been researching.  This theory is based on two assumptions. The first being that we never have a global outbreak till after the Moon rockets hit. And the other is that the TV messages on Tranzit and Die Rise are not live messages, but rather recordings from pre and post Moon transmissions. This is based on the obvious transmissions talking about Maxis and Richtofen controlling people and telling them what to do. But its also based on the Saber 10 message that talks about an outbreak and a facilities responsibility.

 

Saber 10: "Recon 5, this is Saber 10. Our sweep failed to find evidence of any survivors on site. Broken Arrow is not viable for new FOB (Foward Operating Base)." ... "That's a negative sir, records appear to have been destroyed in a fire prior to the facility being overrun." ... "Sir, we believe staff may have been trying to destroy evidence implicating them in the outbreak." ... "Understood sir, confirmed drop in T minus 5. Retreating to safe distance."

 

Saber 10’s message describes Broken Arrow as a facility of some sort that been overrun and cause an outbreak of zombies. This message can be used as a strong reference to where Broken Arrow is. Clearly there is already an outbreak and another base has been over run, hence the need to see if Broken Arrow can be a “new FOB”.  But a ground team has already searched Broken Arrow and it too is over run and the workers there burning files that possibly showed the base was responsible for the outbreak. The Saber 10 confirms a drop. To me, this sounds like a pilot about to drop a bomb on something. Other than the Moon bombings, Nuketown is the only place that we are aware of that has been bombed. Or at least right next to Nuketown.

 

Something else about this message that seems important, unlike a lot of the other messages, is that it seems to be recorded before the Moon bombing. If the Earth was blown to bits and falling apart, why would someone care about burning files? And why would any military group be concerned about bombing a facility that’s over run, when the whole world is over run? These seem like actions someone would take when dealing with a smaller incident. Meaning that the outbreak they are describing is only confined to that general area, much like the WaW and BO1 maps.

 

So let’s say that Nuketown was right next to where Broken Arrow was. And let’s say that the other base over run from Saber 10’s message was referring to No Man’s Land from Moon. What else support these claims? For starter, we can look at the Nuketown Zombies description.

 

"Nuketown Zombies is set during the events of Moon, and after the end of the multiplayer level from the original Black Ops game. A group of radiation scientists are investigating the Nuketown remains and discover soldiers that have been revived by Element 115 from a nearby Nevada base. The zombie soldiers attack the radiation scientists and turn them, and after receiving a distress signal, the base in Nevada sends in CIA and CDC agents to investigate. Upon arrival in Nuketown the agents lose communication with Hangar 18 and become stranded…setting the stage for Nuketown Zombies."

 

Set after the event of the multiplayer level just means any time after the 60s MP map. Could be immediately after or could be in the year 2090. It doesn’t say exactly when. But it does say a group of radiation scientists goes in to investigate the remains for an unknown reason, and then are killed by zombies. Then a second team is sent in to investigate and the second team loses communication with Hanger 18. Hanger 18 being where No Man’s Land most likely takes place. Well what if this is the ground team that is investigating Broken Arrow in the Saber 10 message?

 

There is an unexplained outbreak caused by Broken Arrow. People are sent to investigate. The first team is killed and the second team, some of whom aren’t wearing radiation suites, are sent in to find out what’s going on. They can’t find any survivors but do find evidence of records being destroyed. And then Saber 10, who is now aware of Hanger 18 being overrun as the outbreak is spreading to the nearby base, explains that Broken Arrow is also overrun, and then bombs the facility. Then we start Nuketown zombies as some of the survivors who weren’t directly in the base, are next to the explosion that is similar to a nuke but less powerful, has weird orange beams shooting out of it, and no radiation since they would instantly die being that close.  On top of that, perk machines drop down from the mushroom cloud. Possibly perk machines that were being worked on in the Broken Arrow base.

 

If any of this is the case, we can then look at the Nuketown Loading screen and what it possibly means.

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One of the first things that I notice about it are the human like creatures around the crater. Some people have said that these are the structures in Nuketown, but if you compare the bottom left image with the big image, you can see that the objects around the crater are these “people”. The size of them matches if you do a (really) rough estimate of the hole.  It looks like there is 3 of them.

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And if you take a closer look at the person in the bottom left corner you can notice a couple of things. First being the weird glow around it. And second being the weird suit it’s wearing. Looks like the alien’s space suit in Prometheus. It also looks almost identical to the Mictlantecuhtli statue.  The “Pilot” image also has an odd mask and either a weird neck, unlike a typical human pilot.

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And even the image on the side of the ship in the bottom right picture looks a little like Mictlantecuhtli, The big eyes, triangle nose, and squarish head resemble the Aztec Calendar and the sculptures of him.

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Now a possible explanation for what this all means. Obviously the loading screen has to do with Nuketown. So what if this is the area of Nuketown before the town was built. The Aztecs were descendants of tribes that came from the southern portions of Northern America. So what if this loading screen takes place a long time ago when these tribes were around. The tribes saw these Aliens as gods and worshipped them. What if the piece of the ship that is hanging was actually buried there. If you look at the description of Mictlantecuhtli, he was a god of the underworld, placed there by other gods. And the ship does have what could be seen as his likeness on the side.

 

Now maybe that misses the mark, but I still think it depicts an event from a long time ago happening at that site. Whether or not they are burying or taking something from the Earth, who can say. But there appears to be something important there.

 

Now back to Broken Arrow. We know the US were experimenting with 115 and that there was a large quantity of it in Nevada prior to 1945. So it makes sense for military bases to be in this area. A good way to keep people away would be a nuclear test site. SO what if that’s what Nuketown’s true purpose was. Obviouslt to test Nukes, but to also keep people away. I wouldn’t want to go any where near a radiation site. And let’s say that the Nuke tested at the end of the Multiplayer map was just a test. Why is that so important to be mentioned in the zombies story? What if the Nuke’s blast revealed what was hidden under the ground. Either what the Aliens buried or what they were trying to get to. Then Majestic 12, or whoever, started an operation to study whatever it was they found. Broken Arrow, a term sometimes referring to a nuclear blast, seems like a logical name for that operation.

 

Then through quotes mostly on Die Rise, we can gather that Russman worked there, and most likely also Marlton. And from the Buried cutscene, we know that Russman is fire from the project before the Moon rockets hit. We see him standing outside a large building with boxes and his head down as a taxi drives by. And from the quotes, we can gather that he knowingly did something wrong “Drink once from the wrong well and everyone call you a monster”, and that Marlton seemed to get him in trouble for it “Damn Marlton and his dumbass mouth ruined everything”. Marlton’s quote on Nuketown was about how he was the one who reported the disgusting behaviors. So it does seem like Marlton got Russman fired. And during the Buried cutscene, he seems to be hiding something when talking about Russman’s path. His voice slows and lowers as he mentions Russman “wondering the Earth since the incident.” Does he mean he wondered the Earth since he got fired, or since the world fell apart. Either way, he appears to be hiding something.

 

We also know that Marlton was banished for something before he ended up in the bunker on Nuketown. And we know that Russman and Stu meet up with the others later by getting off the bus. We also hear the bus leaving Nuketown before the bomb hits it at the end of the map. So what if Russman went back to Broken Arrow to get his revenge on Marlton, he mentions getting revenge on him in some in game quotes, and somehow he caused the initial outbreak. Possibly framing Marlton for it. Marlton is thrown out of the base, then the outbreak grows out of control, Marlton takes refuge in the bunker, the site is bombed, and then Russman can be heard make his escape. Possibly rescuing Stu, who might have been getting experimented on, which is what took him so long to leave. Then the remaining CDC and CIA members left have to survive the outbreak as perk Machines being worked on in the now destroyed Broken Arrow base drop from the sky. 

[FatedTitan]

This is a super great theory!  I like it a lot!  

 

So something that made me wonder when reading this was why they would burn all the files before the rockets hit from the Moon.  As you noted in the quote, it seems as though they are responsible for the outbreak.  

 

What if Broken Arrow was responsible?  What if Maxis worked with Broken Arrow?  What if Maxis never died on Moon, but was saved my someone, possibly Groph or Shusta, and brought back and healed?  

 

Now, with that stated, let's look at the bunker in Nuketown.  Many people believe that there is more than one Pyramid Device located somewhere.  What if the aliens you mentioned that were there in ancient times left the second pyramid device buried under the present location of Nuketown.  The bunker is its location.  That's why Marlton is there and why there's an outbreak there before the rockets hit.  Broken Arrow, or the US Government, wanting to hide the Pyramid Device, nuked the area.  No one is going to go there if it's nuked.  

 

So Maxis, communicating through electronics, is trying to gain power within his own Pyramid Device.  That's why he's not dead.  He's in a Pyramid Device as well.  The towers are attempting shift where the control is located, from the Moon to the Earth, which is Maxis' Pyramid Device.  

 

Broken Arrow did not want people to know they were responsible for the nukes hitting earth.  When we use the Gersche Device on Moon, we are sending the needed materials to Maxis on Earth.  He now has the "egg" and can use it to try to put power into this Pyramid Device.  And to hold off Richtofen's Master Plan, they nuke the earth.  

 

Lots of potential for good story here.  Great theory man!  Brains!

[FatedTitan]

Another thought, what if Broken Arrow was CoD Zombie Labs.

[InfestLithium]

These connections are extremely solid, I must say. There are confirmed reports of 115 within Area 51 according to the Data Servant file sin the Black Ops Terminal (which is certainly not far off from Nuketown's location). Nuketown held as a testing grounds that were not meant for actual people to be in nor near it. Thus, to say that Broken Arrow is in relation to Nuketown is very plausible.

 

I'd like to see more theories like this. Haven't read something like this in a good while.

 

Cheers friendo.

[Cheesegrater28]

Thanks FatedTitan.

 

I still think Maxis died on the Moon around 1945 just because it seems too hard to explain them not shooting him in the radio messages, and why Sam wants revenge so bad. We never really physically see him get shot, but the story puts a lot on that happening. But I do think he somehow continued to plot and scheme after being killed. On Moon, Richtofen is even caught off guard by Maxis still being alive in the machines. One possible explanation is that the SOUL is a real thing in the game. We know that souls from humans and rats were absorbed by the MPD as energy. And we know that Sam and Richtofen basically swap bodies. So the soul in the game is something that retains consciousness and can be used in some way. This raises more theories for MotD and Origins, and brings up the questions of why would the Aliens, or Vrill Ya, make machines that store our souls, but I don't want to get too deep into that. So something happened to Maxis after getting shot that put him in the machines on the Moon. 

 

And as you suggest, he could have done a lot of things since he apparently isn't restricted to just the Moon. We know he communicates with the N4 on Tranzit, and we know from the TV messages that he has reached out to others. One of his quotes on Tranzit was about how he had been searching for decades for someone to help him. Maxis is a proven liar, so quotes he makes to others aren't that reliable, (as apposed to his radios where he has no reason to lie) but I think he was searching for decades before the Moon rockets hit, not decades after. At some point after he was shot in the 40s, he must of gained the ability to communicate through electronics and reach out to people. He could have been behind Broken Arrow, the Moon rockets being built, and many other things, including whatever experiments were going on at Tranzit. Another quote he has was about making a plan B, which was the towers. So he could have planned blowing up the Earth and using the towers as gateways as far back as the 60s. 

 

But great point about Call of Duty Zombie Labs. They were doing tests for Moon's gravity, so it could mean the Labs were either at Hanger 18 or possibly Broken Arrow since its close by. And i would assume Zombie Labs had perk machines there, which Nuketown has falling from the sky.

[DeathBringerZen]

Great read Cheese, and I agree, it is a very solid theory. Best one I have seen yet for explaining Broken Arrow and the purpose of Nuketown. +1

[Cheesegrater28]

Thanks Death. Its basically all the small theories you, Lukey and I kept messing with about Broken Arrow over the past year+ put together. I had to track down some of those conversations to recycle the images. 

[Tac]

This is a great thread, well thought out. I've been wondering for some time now if Broken Arrow was actually the CDC Headquarters.

 

 

 

George Barkley: Attention to all on this channel. This is George Barkley, former Assistant Director of the CDC facility in Druid Hills, Georgia. Prior to the destruction of our headquarters, our research found evidence that contaminants are now infecting the very air we breathe. As such, exposure of some sort appears inevitable for all survivors. Symptoms are variable, but most subjects display short-term memory loss, psychosis, delusion, and paranoia. Short-term memory loss has also been reported, but as of yet, I have been unable to confirm this.

 

We advise all individuals to monitor their fellow survivors, for the signs of the above symptoms, paranoia in particular. Ask yourself, are those closest to you really who you think they are? Are they following their own secret agenda? Are they, perhaps, plotting against you? The dangers presented by such symptoms cannot be understated. It was with deep sadness that I myself was forced to euthanize fourteen members of my own team. My condolences to their families. I hope this message serves as a warning to all survivors. We must all do whatever it takes, to ensure our future as a species. Thank you.

 

He mentions how the headquarters was destroyed, which would be on par with Saber 10 dropped a bomb on Broken Arrow. Saber 10 mentions that there were no survivors and not a viable FOB, and Barkley mentions that before the destruction, there was contamination on site, which seems like a good reason for there not to be a viable FOB. We know that Russman worked at Broken Arrow and in the opening cinematic for one of the maps, I don't remember which right now, he is walking out of a tall building, which I could see as the CDCHQ as opposed to Nuketown. Plus, Saber 10 mentioned that Broken Arrow was burning files to cover up their part in the outbreak, which seems plausible, perhaps they were working with a disease and it accidentally gets released, which happens in labs all the time.

 

I really like your theory though, this is a great thread!

[swappingspit]

Very good stuff.

 

In regards to the hanging thing, we found out from a blueprint in Origins that it is actually a 115 extraction drill, as noted here: http://www.callofdutyzombies.com/forum/index.php/topic/152716-the-ultimate-nuketown-zombies-loading-screen-analysis/?p=1476829

[Cheesegrater28]

 Tac- "if Broken Arrow wasn't actually the CDC Headquarters." 

 

I was thinking something similar since they are on the same TV in DIe Rise and Russman, who worked at Broken Arrow, has the same symptoms being described. I even remember Google Earthing Druid Hills to see if it had tall buildings like in the cutscene and if they had yellow taxis. But my main problem with that was I couldn't get passed how the Saber 10 recording sounded like it was before the bombs, and George Barkely's message sounds like its after the bombing. His message is more about "the future of our species" and for "all survivors". Makes it seem like a wide spread thing. Also reminded me of The Walking Dead first season ending. My only explanation for my theory was Russman had to go somewhere else to get fired. Like one might have a hearing somewhere where they need to bring evidence, hence the boxes. Or maybe that was just where his main office was and he had to go clean his stuff out. But you are right. The city image in Buried's cutscene is clearly not next to Nuketown. 

 

swapping spit- Thanks so much for that image. I haven't had my Xbox for a month so I've been compensating by digging into the forums again. Kept reading about the drill image on Origins and couldn't check for myself and couldn't find a picture of it online. It does kind of kill my theory about Aliens burying something, but I am still one of those people who thinks Origins is all made up in some way. An afterlife type map like MotD or maybe someone's dream or vision. Anything that keeps it from being a complete alternate dimension in a universe of infinite realities, a time paradox, or that it is all just 2 American kids playing with toys. If it is an Aferlife MotD like map, then maybe the image of the drill is just what Maxis and others think it is. Thats what I've been telling myself. But seeing it now, that image makes it hard to suggest that it is nothing more than a drill. 

 

[InfestLithium]

You weren't totally incorrect, though. You claimed that the location of Nuketown and any area in Nevada really contained some traces of 115. It isn't to say that any operatives working in Broken Arrow couldn't take part in the 115 excavation from the location of Nuketown. After all, the drilling is what unearthed the element thus brought the fallen Black Ops and Spetnaz soldiers into zombies, killing off the radiation scientists soon after. I would think that Broken Arrow would want to confiscate and erase any data related to it.

 

Aliens may not have "buried" anything in the area, but the concept of them being a part of it is not all excluded.

[DeathBringerZen]

Thanks Death. Its basically all the small theories you, Lukey and I kept messing with about Broken Arrow over the past year+ put together. I had to track down some of those conversations to recycle the images. 

 

Yeah, I have not seen Lukey post in a while. He really dug deep into Die Rise. Dedicated his time to that one map and drew some interesting conclusions from the character quotes regarding Broken Arrow.

 

You have managed to put together a much more in-depth version of the events thought, and it is definitely the most plausable one I have read. Good job man.

[nayrcraig]

I looked at russmans connections to broken arrow a while ago, while I couldn't really find anything solid or as impressive as this I did find a few interesting things regarding the N4's connections to Broken arrow
 

Obviously we know Russman was a member of Broken Arrow
"Broken Arrow seems like a long time ago... back then Stu was little more than a babyfaced-brat."
 
Russman was actually very well respected at the height of his career at Broken Arrow (If we are to believe what he and Stu say)
Russ: "I miss the good old days when people did what I told them to do without talking back and giving sass. One day fools"

           "I used to be somebody. Now I'm a cypher, a delirious character of my former self... Why is that?"

 

Stu:"Hey! You leave that Hero alone!"

 

 

Presumably at Broken Arrow, Russ trained Stu. Judging by the tone of the conversation It is even possible he was specifically trained to kill zombies.

Russ:"Come on, Stu! Remember your training! .. I did train you didn't I?"

 

         "Time to put that training into play Stuhlinger!"
         "Come on! Show Russman you were paying attention!"
         "Stay alive boy. Like you've been taught how to do"
         "Time to push you outta the nest"
         "Buck up Son, you can take 'em!"

 

And as we know, Russman didn't leave broken arrow on good terms, possibly due to Marltons actions

Russ:"Damn Marlton and his dumbass mouth. Ruined everything"
         "Drink once from the wrong well and everyone calls you a monster"

         "I hate these quiet moments. Too much time to think about how I messed up my life"

 

I also noticed a strange quote about teleporters, and I don't remember any teleporters on any of the N4 maps (At least any that "Zap" you) so that suggests there were teleportation tests of some kind at Broken Arrow

Russ:"Did we just get zapped like we do with the teleporters?"

 

I also found a quote that suggests a relationship between stu and Russ that I hadn't considered before.

Stu:"I'm coming to help Daddy [Russman]! ... err, ehh.. daddy-o!"

Stu and Russ do seem to have a bit of a Father-Son relationship in some of there quotes and of course this could simply be due to the time they spent together, with Russ having a very protective role over Stu, but it is still an interesting idea.

 

(All quotes took form Slades All BO2 Story Quotes Scripted)

 

 

I hope It's ok me throwing this in here but I though it was appropriate if you were interested in Broken Arrow