8 Surprising Video Game Villain Turns You Never Saw Coming

8. General Shepherd - Modern Warfare 2

Considering how much they get shat on every single year, the Call of Duty franchise has always consistently excelled when it comes to delivering surprisingly engaging stories. The Modern Warfare sub series in particular weaved one epic plot over three games, delivering jaw-dropping scenes like the nuclear blast in the original or the death of Soap in the third game.

It's also boasted a fair share of great villains, including Modern Warfare 2's General Shepherd. Initially the leader of Task Force 141 and the man in charge of stopping the impending war between Russia and the US, he betrays his men at the story's midpoint in order to keep the conflict in full swing.

Brutally murdering both the player and his companion Ghost, Shepherd reveals his true motivations lie squarely in his own ego, wanting the war to rage so he can eventually be remembered as a hero when the dust has settled.