This article contains spoilers for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

With the highly anticipated worldwide reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 just around the corner at Gamescom Opening Night Live, Activision has dropped a tantalizing teaser video in Call of Duty: Warzone. The teaser features the infamous villain Raul Menendez, hinting at his unexpected return in the upcoming sequel. As Black Ops 7 is set to be a direct follow-up to 2012's Black Ops 2, fans can expect to see several iconic characters making a comeback—some of whom were thought to be long gone.

The Call of Duty franchise is a household name, known for its intense first-person shooter gameplay and gripping narratives. Black Ops 7 will be the series' twenty-second installment and is poised to continue the story directly from Black Ops 2. While subsequent titles like Black Ops 3 and 4 took place after Black Ops 2, this new entry will pick up a decade later, bringing back fan-favorite characters such as David Mason and the enigmatic Raul Menendez.

Earlier this year, during the Xbox Games Showcase, a teaser trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 confirmed the shocking return of Black Ops 2's antagonist, Raul Menendez. This revelation left the community buzzing with theories and questions. Now, as the full reveal approaches, Activision has added another teaser to Call of Duty: Warzone, featuring Menendez addressing the public from the TV Station on Verdansk. His chilling message: "My name is Raul Menendez. As you can see, I am alive and well. 2025 was just the beginning. A necessary first step. Once again, you shall know fear."

The big question on everyone's mind is how Black Ops 7 will reconcile its story with Black Ops 2, given that the latter had multiple endings depending on player choices. The most widely accepted canon ending saw Mason eliminating Menendez, making his resurrection a puzzling yet intriguing plot point. Treyarch's approach to explaining this twist remains one of the game's most anticipated mysteries.