The MW3 Campaign has many twists and turns but one of the more shocking moments was the assassination of Shepherd by Price. But many players are wondering why he committed cold-blooded murder.
Spoiler Warning: Of course, the fate of Shepherd is a spoiler but many characters and their story are tied closely to the question. You’ve been warned!
Why Did Price Kill Shepherd in MW3? Explained
The exact reason Price kills Shepard isn’t entirely laid out, and is instead inferred through events that took place throughout the game and series.
In Modern Warfare 2’s campaign, Shepherd sent his Shadow Company to assassinate Task Force 141, but the lads quickly escaped to fight another day. This plot thread wasn’t resolved in MW2, and instead led to MW3 where Shepherd and Price have to bury their fight.
Modern Warfare 3’s campaign then sees very little tension between the two characters as a whole. Price and Shepherd do meet face-to-face and the former threatens to kill the latter, but they decide to let bygones be bygones.
A few missions later though, we are taken back in time to the capture of Makarov who promises to see Soap again and that you shouldn’t bury your enemies alive. Soon after, we are faced with the final mission in the London underground where Soap and Price must defuse a chemical bomb that threatens thousands of innocent lives. Out of seemingly nowhere, Makarov appears and kills Soap, and Price is then forced to complete his mission bearing the weight of his friend’s death.
The credits then roll after a scene of the main characters mourning Soap, and we are greeted with the final scene between Shepherd and Price. Price then kills Shepherd, most likely due to the betrayal in Modern Warfare 2 and to tie up loose ends by adopting Makarov’s saying of ‘don’t bury your enemy alive.’
Did Price Kill Shepherd Because of Soap’s Death?
With all of this said though, Soap’s fate was likely the biggest catalyst that sent Price over the edge.
Price likely blames Shepherd and himself for not allowing Soap to pull the trigger once they had captured Makarov the first time. Thanks to this pivotal moment, Makarov would eventually go on to kill Soap, and sew chaos and destruction across the world as he furthers his mad goals besides. Coupled with the fact that Shepherd tried to have Price’s squad killed, it’s fair to assume Soap’s death was the main spark behind his actions.
There is an interesting theory buried here. The words Makarov spoke to Price were ‘don’t bury your enemy alive.’, and it may be true that Price heeded these words and decided to cut the head off the snake. His killing then becomes a preemptive strike against General Shepherd before he could send another squad to kill Price in the future, and an attempt to stop any of his men falling victim to Makarov or Shepherd.
Still, regardless of his reasoning, Price killed a Four-Star General of the USA; one that was in the public eye due to the events of the MW3 campaign. This now leaves a very worrying loose plot thread that spells disaster for Price; and possibly his whole squad.
That’s all we have on Why Price killed Shepherd in Modern Warfare 3. Feel free to check out our other Call of Duty news, guides, and updates below if you want to know even more about the series.
