'Black Ops 4' Blood of the Dead Easter Egg Ending Explained: Did Richtofen Die?

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 players recently uncovered the Blood of the Dead Easter egg, and its ending cutscene prompts more questions than it answers. With a little help from Zombies theorists like FantasticalGamer and JohnyJ25, we'll fully explain what Richtofen's fate means for the Aether timeline.

The end cutscene for Blood of the Dead shows us there are two versions of Richtofen from different dimensions. The first Richtofen is our playable character. We'll call him Primis Richtofen. The second Richtofen wears the Red Cross Uniform seen in Revelations. He was presumably frozen under Blood of the Dead and was freed once Primis Richtofen used his blood to power the Warden's machine.

From the very beginning, we learn that these two Richtofens are communicating with one another via the Kronorium. When Primis Richtofen says "My blood? No you can't possibly let this happen" in the opening cutscene, the implication here is that Revelations Richtofen has told him what he must do. He must sacrifice himself so that Revelations Richtofen can break the cycle and prevent the anticlimactic events of Revelations from happening.

Blood of the Dead My blood
Primis Richtofen isn't too happy about having to give up his blood. Treyarch/Activision

The key to completing that mission is, unfortunately, the Aether-rich blood of Primis Richtofen. It carries enough energy to not only unearth Revelations Richtofen, but to also produce portals to get all the other characters out of Alcatraz. Maxis radio entries on the Blood of the Dead map speak to this very idea.

"Richtofen! I now believe that either you have been killed or you are clearly trapped in the Pocket Dimension.' Now, worst case: imprisoned by those who mean to undo existence. In the off chance that you are still on the move, I may have a solution; the power of your blood could theoretically be used to open a portal and escape your present reality. If you can direct and focus enough energy through your blood, you may be able to tear a hole through the Aether and step through. How much blood will be required? I do not know. But given the concentration of Aether in your veins, it's likely best to not over do it. Oh, and there is more. I recall you mentioning something about needing protection for you and your companions; you are right to worry. The Blood Vials alone preserve aspects of other dimensions, yes, but if you were to ingest them and combine their Aether with your own, that would be an formidable 'Insurance Policy.'"

Blood of the Dead Take the Blood vials
Revelations Richtofen sees no need for the Blood Vials in his future plans. Treyarch/Activision

Once Revelations Richtofen is free, he uses a red purification stone to wipe all the lost spirits from Alcatraz. He then approaches Primis Richtofen and takes his prized Blood Vials because there is "no need for the insurance plans." Instead, Primis Richtofen's blood has created portals for all of his friends and future self to leave. Per the words of Revelations Richtofen, it is now Nikolai's responsibility to set things right by confronting Monty. It's unclear where our quartet will head next.

Blood of the Dead Richtofen and Nickolai
Nikolai will carry the Kronorium with him for the next chapter of the Aether story. Treyarch/Activision

So is Richtofen Dead?

In typical Zombies fashion, the answer is both yes and no. This exact version of Primis Richtofen is dead, but, as we've seen, there could be many other versions of him in different dimensions. At least for now, it looks like players might control Revelations Richtofen in future chapters.

Other Cool Ideas

  • Is Richtofen Jesus: The story of Richtofen sacrificing his sinful blood is in some ways analogous to the biblical narrative of Jesus Christ. His ability to essentially be everywhere at once is also somewhat god-like. It might be worth keeping this concept in mind moving forward.
  • The Red Stone: Does the red stone possessed by Revelations Richtofen have something to do with the Fire Staff? Will we get other stones for other staves?
  • Will Nikolai Go to Classified Next: Classified has Nikolai Easter eggs on it. Are these a sign of where he'll be headed next? Will Treyarch add a complete Easter egg quest to this Season Pass map in the future?
  • Filling in the Blanks: Does Blood of the Dead simply fill in some of the plot holes leading up to Revelations rather than start a whole new chapter? Given how abrupt some parts of Revelations are, that's still a possibility.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available now on PS4, Xbox One and PC. If you want to beat the Blood of the Dead Easter egg for yourself, use our guide.

What do you think of Richtofen's "death" and the Blood of the Dead ending cutscene? Did this Easter egg deliver? Tell us in the comments section!

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Christopher Groux is a Gaming and TV reporter with bylines at Newsweek, Player.One, iDigitalTimes, IBTimes, QJ.Net and more. Now, his primary ... Read more

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