Every Crew’s Best Character, Ranked

Call of Duty Zombies has had a lengthy and beloved lifespan ever since that first zombie sprinted into frame in World at War’s Nacht der Untoten. The series has gifted new life to stories in the Call of Duty franchise, and Call of Duty Zombies as a whole has so many interesting concepts and characters that it’s hard to condense them.

Something that fans adore about the series isn’t just the zombies and the weapons, but the characters within. Each map from World at War to Black Ops 6 has its own unique crew, filled with four distinct characters worthy of the title of the best of the bunch, but who takes the top spot among each COD Zombies crew?

10 John F. Kennedy

The Commander in Chief who Led the Pentagon Crew

When John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Fidel Castro, and Robert McNamara held a meeting at the Pentagon, none of them could have anticipated a zombie invasion. Well, John F. Kennedy might have had a hunch, which is why he had a cabinet of weapons installed within the Pentagon for use. JFK was the 35th President of the United States, and seeing him in COD Zombies is a lot of fun.

It’s easy to see why he’s the best of the crew here. After all, he’s the U.S. President of the bunch and has a few inspirational quotes that are a tad over the top to pair with the satire of the actual politician. Playing as a President when fighting zombies is a blast, and the confidence of JFK is second to none who seems to be enjoying killing zombies over a national address.

9 Gideon Jones

A Reluctant Cowboy Thrust Into Dead of the Night’s Undead Party

The Dead of the Night crew consists of great celebrities and actors who take charge in this mansion filled with the undead. Dead of the Night has some interesting characters, bolstered by the actors that play them. Brian Blessed plays the gluttonous general of Jonathan Warwick, Helena Bonham Carter plays the fortune-telling Madame Mirela, and Charles Dance plays the loyal occultist butler of Godfrey.

Yet, one stands out with Kiefer Sutherland as Gideon Jones. Not only is it great to see Big Boss himself fighting zombies, but Gideon Jones as the character is a cowboy, and who wouldn’t want to be a gunslinger battling hordes of undead?

8 Sarah Michelle Geller

The Kickass Celebrity in Call of the Dead

Sarah Michelle Geller is famed for her role as Buffy Anne Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This cult classic is beloved for a lot of reasons and paired with Sarah Michelle Geller’s black belt, it’s nice to see her kick zombie butts and faces in the cold Siberian outpost of Call of the Dead.

Sarah Michelle Geller is a lot of fun with her quipy and confident lines, and her team alongside other celebrity castmates like Danny Trejo, Michael Rooker, and Robert Englund proves for a great crew, led by the confidence and badassery of Sarah Michelle Geller.

7 Billy Handsome

The Violent and Somewhat Psychotic Gangster in Alcatraz

The Mob of the Dead crew is another bunch with great characters, with all of these mobsters deserving a level of respect so those with a different opinion get whacked by them. Yet, it’s Billy Handsome who steals this one due to his portrayal by the late and great Ray Liotta from Goodfellas fame.

Billy Handsome is the more sick and twisted crew member here, and it’s fun to hear him spout some foul lines about how he enjoys killing the undead and to see his confusion with Alcatraz being a hell pit that he will forever be unable to escape from.

6 Nero Blackstone

A Failing Magician Who Knows About Ancient Occults

Another star-studded celebrity cast joins forces in Shadows of Evil, with Heather Graham, Neal McDonough, Ron Perlman, and Jeff Goldblum entering Call of Duty to kill some zombies. Despite the great names present, it has to be Jeff Goldblum’s Nero Blackstone who takes the winner here, just because of how iconic Jeff Goldblum is.

This mustachioed magician spouts some quirky lines that one would expect from Jeff Goldblum, but it’s also the character’s backstory and cover-up for murdering his wife and understanding the dangers of Apothicon cults that make him more knowledgeable of the situation he is in.

5 Grigori Weaver

Requiem’s Former Head of Special Operations

As part of the Ex-Requiem task force, Grigori Weaver is one that leads with a talented background of war. Weaver’s veteran status in the CIA and the Black Ops series shows why he’s the right man for the job, and his motivation to hunt down Richtofen and make him pay shows that he’s a leader with unmoving goals.

Weaver may be a tad flawed due to his responsibility in the deaths of Richtofen’s family, but his secret career and service to America with the CIA showcase someone who tries to do the right thing, even if others ultimately pay the price. Weaver is a good man, and he has a road to walk if he is to truly prove it.

4 Scarlett Rhodes

Chaos’s Own Adventurer and Zombie Slayer

Leaving behind the Aether characters, the Chaos storyline brought about 4 new protagonists, with one of the best of them being Scarlett Rhodes. An adventurer searching for her missing father, Scarlett isn’t afraid to get behind the wheel with a gun in her hand to kill those who would stop her from her heroic quest.

Scarlett Rhodes has traveled near and far in search of adventure and her goals, and whether it’s raiding ancient tombs, fighting against mythological gods, or sailing aboard the Titanic, Scarlett will not stop to save her father and to put a stop to the Order’s evil goals.

3 Samuel J. Stuhlinger

The Conspiracy Theorist Victis Member Who Hears Richtofen

Compared to the other members of Victis, Stuhlinger is easily seen as the most cowardly of the lot – and that’s saying something considering Marlton is on the team. However, Stuhlinger wins out for his funny and somewhat perverse personality, and the fact that he has links to Richtofen through the ability to hear his voice in the Aether thanks to the fact that Stuhling holds a dark past, as he used to consume zombies as part of the cult called the Flesh.

Stuhlinger is loyal to Richtofen and trusts the voice in his head completely to help him and his friends do the right thing and be free from the zombie apocalypse. Stuhlinger is a victim of Richtofen’s manipulation, and his frantic conspiracies always warrant a chuckle.

2 Edward Richtofen (Ultimis)

The German Scientist Who Manipulated Ultimis

The COD Zombies storyline wouldn’t exist without Ultimis’ Edward Richtofen, the German scientist working for Group 935, and the Illuminati who seeks the ultimate power of the MPD to control a zombie army of his own. Edward Richtofen is cunning, manipulative, and always scheming, and it was through him that the first crew formed.

Richtofen set the events of the story in motion when he teleported Dr. Maxis and Samantha, and his manipulation of his own test subjects: Dempsey, Takeo, and Nikolai would show the lengths this demented and sadistic doctor would go through. On top of being truly vile, Richtofen is also utterly hilarious with his voice lines and bubbling insanity.

1 Edward Richtofen (Primis)

The Most Important Man of Primis Who Wanted to Save His Friends

Edward Richtofen is the face of Call of Duty Zombies, so it’s no surprise that he once again beats out the likes of Takeo, Dempsey, and Nikolai – even in their revamped prime versions. Richtofen has the most story to his character, and the fact that his fate is entwined with saving the universe and the souls of himself and his friends shows just who he is so vital to the story.

Primis Richtofen has seen things that people wouldn’t be able to even comprehend, and he has caused so much pain in the necessity for the survival of himself and his allies. Richtofen is a troubled and flawed character, but one with so much depth that’s impossible not to root for him.