#Cod cold war

[minnowink]

🔔，who're u picking?

[tomialtooth]

*Adler & Park to Bell*

Hey we saw you from across the bar and we fucking hate your vibe. We're going to kidnap and brainwash you now

[duckarchives]

Maybe there should be an option to pick up a chair and throw it at Adler on cw, that's just my opinion, but maybe there could even be an achievement with a name like "fuck you Adler"

Ironically, I don't hate him, but he would easily be a character I would beat without thinking twice.

[necroounicorn]

[miako120]

Updated the prices :)

[makeila04]

Midlife crisis?

Why would Adler feel like he wasn’t enough?

Personal rejection and abandonment: We know he was married and that his marriage ended badly. There are hints that, if you’ve seen my other theories, he lost children, which suggests he may have faced a devastating loss or a conflicted relationship with his family. His attitude toward women in Black Ops 6 and his constant coldness toward female figures like Helen Park and Sevati Dumas could indicate a deeper issue with attachment and intimacy. It’s not about them; it’s about Adler.

Relationship with the CIA: Disposable and irrelevant. The CIA tried to retire him at 49, which must have been a brutal blow for someone whose sense of identity is so tied to his work. His line, "The CIA is like my ex-wife," suggests strong resentment, as if the organization used and discarded him. This fits the idea that he fears becoming irrelevant.

Fear of obsolescence: In Black Ops 6, he’s 54 and still in the field. He could have accepted retirement, but he didn’t. Why? Maybe because without his work, he feels like he’s nobody. His fascination with upgraded weapons in Zombies mode ("The sweet, sweet aroma of capitalism…") can be read as a metaphor: improving his gear is a way to stay competitive, to avoid feeling old or useless.

Adler Complex / Napoleon Complex: This is where the subtext comes in. His language is loaded with references to power, dominance, and compensation:

"You put in money, spit out firepower, and that’s the American way." → The association between money, power, and masculinity reinforces the idea that he needs external symbols to affirm his status.

"I think it even strengthened my hair." → A subtle reference to virility; hair is a classic symbol of youth and masculinity. If Adler feels like he’s aging or that his physical attractiveness and ability aren’t what they used to be, he’s likely compensating with an exaggerated attitude. His seductive and boastful tone could be his way of reaffirming himself: "I’m still dominant. I’m still desirable."

The desire for absolute control: Lines like "Did I give you permission to look at me?" and "Consider it a mercy kill" show that he needs to be in control of every interaction. In Zombies mode, the world is literally collapsing, but he maintains his image of superiority. This suggests that control is his defense mechanism against chaos. His insecurities aren’t about his work. Professionally, Adler is impeccable. There’s no doubt about his competence as an agent or his leadership skills. But personally… that’s where things change.

Yes, we could say he’s having a midlife crisis, though in his case, it’s more intense than the typical midlife crisis because his identity is too tied to his youth and virility. His luxurious lifestyle (expensive clothes, premium cigarettes, and whiskey) doesn’t just reflect refined taste but also a conscious effort to project power, status, and masculinity.

Fear of impotence (in every sense): It’s not just about sex. Impotence can also mean loss of control, loss of dominance, loss of relevance. Men going through age-related crises often seek to reaffirm themselves with symbols of power: expensive cars, premium alcohol, the company of younger women, or extreme adventures. In Adler’s case, these symbols are in his personality: the expensive clothes, his boastful tone, the way he enjoys upgrading his weapons, his seductive and dominant demeanor.

Some lines that reinforce this:

"I think it even strengthened my hair." → Strong hair = youth, virility. If he’s mentioning it, it’s because the idea of losing it worries him.

"The sweet, sweet aroma of capitalism…" → He says it with almost orgasmic pleasure, as if money and power give him a satisfaction that other things no longer can.

"You put in money, spit out firepower, and that’s the American way." → Again, money and power = masculinity.

So… is Adler compensating? Yes, and on multiple levels.

Emotional compensation: He may have once tried to build a personal life and failed. His divorce and the possible loss of his children reinforce this. He doesn’t try again because his defense mechanism is coldness and detachment.

Virility compensation: He’s no longer the young soldier from Vietnam, but he wants to keep seeing and feeling like one. The references to power, dominance, and strength may be his way of reaffirming himself in an aging body.

Existential compensation: If the CIA retires him, he stops being relevant. If he stops fighting, he stops existing. His ego can’t handle being irrelevant, so he keeps fighting even though his time has passed.

Conclusion Adler isn’t a man who doubts his ability on the battlefield, but he is a man who might doubt his ability in his personal life. His crisis isn’t professional; it’s emotional. His language, habits, and attitude are a shield to avoid facing that fear of irrelevance, impotence (in every sense), and loneliness.

You know, you can tell me what you think. How do you see it?

As a bonus: And yes, I’m going to repeat myself and quote myself (in case you didn’t read my other post, no worries), sorry, but I feel like this is an aspect that reinforces my hypothesis, and it’s:

It really broke me how in Black Ops 6, Adler drops a line that says, "Drinking on the job is like going back to Berlin…" while drinking a lethal daiquiri. And, I don’t know why Adler says it with so much pride or bravado (I wouldn’t be proud to say that). The line is a reference to Cold War… so… was Adler really drinking while working, and we just didn’t see it during Cold War? Wow… I guess his alcohol problem started in the 80s and not in 1991, as we see in Black Ops 6, and… that destroys me. How did we never see it? We only realize it in Black Ops 6 when we see his room for the first time while rescuing him from prison—his room is full of beer cans and whiskey bottles, but after the next mission, none of that is there… it’s… weird… and… painful… as if I could do something… ha… but… why does he do it? We always see him so strong, and then suddenly… we discover he has alcohol problems… ouch… and in 1981, Adler was 44, and in 1991, he’s 54…

¿Crisis de la mediana edad?

¿Por qué Adler sentiría que no fue suficiente?

Rechazo y abandono personal

Sabemos que estuvo casado y que su matrimonio terminó mal. Hay indicios de que, si vieron mis otras teorías, perdió hijos, lo que sugiere que pudo haber enfrentado una pérdida devastadora o una relación conflictiva con su familia.

Su actitud con las mujeres en Black Ops 6 y su constante frialdad con figuras femeninas como Helen Park y Sevati Dumas podrían indicar un problema más profundo con el apego y la intimidad, no tiene nada que ver con ellas, sino más bien con Adler.

Relación con la CIA: Descartable e irrelevante

La CIA intentó jubilarlo desde los 49 años, lo cual debió ser un golpe brutal para alguien cuyo sentido de identidad está tan ligado a su trabajo.

Su frase "La CIA es como mi ex esposa" sugiere un resentimiento fuerte, como si la organización lo hubiera usado y desechado. Esto encaja con la idea de que teme volverse irrelevante.

El miedo a la obsolescencia

En Black Ops 6, tiene 54 años y sigue en campo. Podría haber aceptado la jubilación, pero no lo hizo. ¿Por qué? Quizás porque sin su trabajo, siente que no es nadie.

Su fascinación con las armas mejoradas en el modo Zombies ("El dulce, dulce aroma del capitalismo...") puede leerse como una metáfora: mejorar su equipo es una forma de mantenerse competitivo, de evitar sentirse viejo o inútil.

Complejo de Adler / Complejo de Napoleón

Aquí es donde entran los subtextos. Su lenguaje está cargado de referencias a poder, dominio y compensación:

"Metes dinero, escupes potencia de fuego y ese es el estilo estadounidense." → La asociación entre dinero, poder y masculinidad refuerza la idea de que necesita símbolos externos para afirmar su estatus.

"Creo que hasta me fortaleció el cabello." → Una referencia sutil a la virilidad; el cabello es un símbolo clásico de juventud y masculinidad.

Si Adler siente que está envejeciendo o que su atractivo y capacidad física ya no son lo que eran, es probable que compense con una actitud más exagerada. Su tono seductor y sobrador podría ser su manera de reafirmarse: "Sigo siendo dominante. Sigo siendo deseable."

El deseo de control absoluto

Frases como "¿Acaso te di permiso para mirarme?" y "Tómalo como una muerte piadosa" muestran que necesita estar en control de cada interacción.

En el modo Zombies, el mundo está literalmente colapsando, pero él mantiene su imagen de superioridad. Esto sugiere que el control es su mecanismo de defensa contra el caos.

Sus inseguridades no tienen que ver con su trabajo. Profesionalmente, Adler es impecable. No hay dudas sobre su competencia como agente ni sobre su capacidad de liderazgo. Pero en lo personal… ahí es donde la cosa cambia.Sí, podríamos decir que está en una crisis de los 50s, aunque en su caso, es más intensa que la típica crisis de la mediana edad porque su identidad está demasiado ligada a su juventud y virilidad. Su estilo de vida lujoso (ropa cara, cigarrillos y whisky premium) no solo refleja un gusto refinado, sino también un esfuerzo consciente por proyectar poder, estatus y masculinidad.

Miedo a la impotencia (en todos los sentidos)

No es solo lo sexual. La impotencia también puede ser pérdida de control, pérdida de dominio, pérdida de relevancia.

Los hombres con crisis de edad suelen buscar reafirmarse con símbolos de poder: autos caros, alcohol premium, compañía de mujeres jóvenes o aventuras extremas.

En el caso de Adler, estos símbolos están en su personalidad: la ropa cara, su tono sobrador, la forma en que disfruta mejorar sus armas, su tono seductor y dominante.

Algunas frases que refuerzan esto:

"Creo que hasta me fortaleció el cabello." → Cabello fuerte = juventud, virilidad. Si lo está mencionando, es porque la idea de perderlo le preocupa.

"El dulce, dulce aroma del capitalismo..." → Lo dice con un placer casi orgásmico, como si el dinero y el poder le dieran una satisfacción que otras cosas ya no pueden.

"Metes dinero, escupes potencia de fuego y ese es el estilo estadounidense." → Otra vez, dinero y poder = masculinidad.

Entonces… ¿Adler está compensando?

Sí, y en múltiples niveles.

Compensación emocional:

Puede que alguna vez haya intentado construir una vida personal y fracasó. Su divorcio y la posible pérdida de hijos refuerzan esto.

No busca volver a intentarlo porque su mecanismo de defensa es la frialdad y el desapego.

Compensación viril:

Ya no es el joven soldado de Vietnam, pero quiere seguir viéndose y sintiéndose como uno.

Las referencias a poder, dominio y fuerza pueden ser su forma de reafirmarse en un cuerpo que envejece.

Compensación existencial:

Si la CIA lo jubila, deja de ser relevante.

Si deja de pelear, deja de existir.

Su ego no soporta ser irrelevante, así que sigue peleando aunque su tiempo ya haya pasado.

Conclusión

Adler no es un hombre que duda de su capacidad en el campo de batalla, pero sí es un hombre que podría dudar de su capacidad en lo personal. Su crisis no es profesional, es emocional. Su lenguaje, sus hábitos y su actitud son un escudo para no enfrentar ese miedo a la irrelevancia, a la impotencia (en todos los sentidos) y a la soledad.Ya saben, ustedes pueden decirme lo que quieran y qué opinan, ¿cómo lo ven?

Como bonus: Y si, me voy a repetir, y autocitarme (por si no leyeron mi otra publicación, no pasa nada), perdón, pero siento que es un aspecto que refuerza mi hipótesis y es:

Me destrozó mucho como en black ops 6 Adler suelta una frase que dice "Beber en el trabajo, es como volver a Berlín..." al beber daiquiri letal. Y, no sé por qué Adler lo dice con mucho orgullo o fanfarronería (yo no estaría orgulloso de decir eso). La frase es una referencia a cold war... entonces... ¿Adler bebía en serio mientras trabajaba y no lo vimos durante cold war? Wow...supongo que su problema con el alcohol venía desde los 80s y no desde 1991 como sí vemos en black ops 6, y...eso me destroza ¿cómo nunca lo vimos? Solo nos damos cuenta en black ops 6 cuando vemos en su habitación por única vez al rescatarlo de una prisión que su habitación queda llena de botellas de latas de cerveza y whisky pero al terminar la siguiente misión nada de eso está...es...raro...y...doloroso... como si yo pudiera hacer algo...ja....pero...¿por qué lo hace? Lo vemos siempre tan fuerte y de pronto... descubrimos que tiene problemas con el alcohol... auch... y en 1981 Adler tenía 44 años y en 1991 tiene 54 años...

[sushibubbies]

don't go sleeping with the enemy 🚬

[imjustsocute]

what was Lisette and Russell’s wedding like?(if they ever got married)

I’m not sure how to explain about Lisette and Russell’s wedding be like but….

Let the picture told you:

(When they married while they’re on duty)

[lorvdz]

‼️This post is literally just gonna be me explaining why in my opinion, Adler x Bell doesn't work. No this doesn't mean that I hate/dislike people who ship the pair, and also no this isn't a post to criticise people who ship Adler x Bell. This is just my view on Adler x Bell, since people think it's okay to force this ship down people's throats, and force it to be 'canon'.‼️

For context/historical acknowledgement The CIA was established in 1947 under the National Security Act to conduct covert operations, gather intelligence, and counter Soviet influence. It was deeply anti-communist, hyper-masculine, and conservative, reflecting the broader U.S political culture. The CIA literally used covert manipulation, propaganda, assassinations, and psychological warfare to maintain American superiority. Loyalty to the agency came before personal relationships--agents were often forced to compromise their own morals, emotions, and personal lives.

Why Adler x Bell doesn't work, canonically and logically.

1.) Bell is literally an Enemy of the State. Canonically, Bell was a high-ranking agent of Perseus, which means that they were a literal active threat to the U.S. and its allies. Considering that they were brainwashed by the CIA, that does NOT erase their past as a soviet asset.

For the Duga ending, where Bell chooses to betray Adler. Bell KILLS Adler. For the 'Good' ending where bell doesn't betray the CIA, Adler chooses to kill Bell; the CIA would either way have eliminated or imprisoned them because Bell is an unreliable asset with foreign loyalties.

There's literally no canon scenario in which Bell walks away free and happy- as in, left alone and ends up in a relationship with Adler.

The Power Imbalance(Trauma of brainwashing) 2.) Russell Adler, tortured and brainwashed Bell. Lets be for real we all saw the moment Adler pulled out the needle, and stabbed Bell in the eye, in the safe house; and even if people say that didn't happen, there was an entire mission of Bell getting brainwashed by Adler(the flashbacks, and relying on his voice to proceed the mission).

The game itself makes it clear that Bell's memories are fabricated, and Adler is the one who personally breaks their mind apart, and rebuilds them as a puppet.

Any "relationship" would be built on lies, manipulation, and abuse. Bell isn't even themselves fully- since they're whatever the CIA wanted them to be.

Incidentally, Russell Adler used psychological warfare on Bell.

Adler x Bell Doesn’t Work Because: ❌ Bell was an asset, not a real person in Adler’s life. ❌ There was no emotional depth between them—only control. ❌ Bell, if they were truly with Perseus, was an enemy of the state. ❌ The CIA didn’t form romantic bonds with assets—they used them and discarded them.

For further information(now I'm just being nit picky..😔) Adler using "Kid" to refer to Bell/calling Bell "Kid" Honestly Adler call's Bell kid so many times throughout the game- and this isn't some casual term of endearment. Its literally a power dynamic- Adler sees Bell as a rookie, a novice- someone who's figuring shit out. Its a literal professional term of address reserved for someone younger, or less experienced, usually in a mentor-mentee relationship.

Now let’s pause and think about this, chat. Would someone in a mentor-mentee relationship—especially someone as hardened and professional as Adler—start getting romantically involved with the person they’re literally calling "kid"? That's not just weird; it’s problematic, and actually, it's creepy as hell. Adler is treating Bell as a subordinate. Even the thought of him switching from “kid” to “lover” is insane, and not one for Adler, with his experience, would make. He's not a predator—he’s an operator guys😭

Again. This is not a post coming after people who ship Russell Adler x Bell. I'm genuinely happy that people have found a unique pairing, if you personally ship Russell Adler x Bell, go for it(this post is NOT condoning this ship), have fun- this fandom should be about expressing yourself. NOT, forcing ships into people's faces. I've addressed my viewpoint on this ship because I've been spammed non-stop about Russell Adler x Bell, like I've been genuinely harassed, where anons and actual users have sent me messages about why I'm in the 'wrong' for not shipping this pair. I'll be serious, I never liked Russell Adler x Bell, but with these interactions? I started hating the ship(NOT THE PEOPLE). Thank you for reading my yap session<3

[septic-salad]

hiya, I’m curious in what inspired your version of Bell? I love hear about how people develop and evolve their OCs.

I think subconsciously my biggest inspiration for my bell was my c!Wilbur design

Specifically my older design where he was more heavily based off of a great horned owl

At the time I was still "grieving" my previous hyperfixation that I, sadly, had to drop due to a controversy. I just could not get myself to fully separate the creator from the character I loved so dearly.

Other than that the original design was just a big conglomerate of what I found attractive or cool 🥹

^^^This was my very first attempt at drawing him, for me the hardest part was just figuring out what I was gonna do with his hair (mostly trying to make sure be wasn't just a carbon copy of c!Wilbur.) He was supposed to have a lot more owl-like elements in his character design and personality, but now the only thing that's really left are the hair spikes.

He also had glasses for a while, along with a big scar across his face (which my very old c!Wilbur design had, and now that I think about it it's quite funny), but those disappeared over time due to me mostly forgetting to draw them and then deciding if I keep forgetting they must not be that important anyways to his design.

^^^At first I tried to mainly use him for comfort (this is gonna sound really autistic so bear with me) because I'd project onto Adler quite a bit and sort of use him as my gateway to feeling comforted. At the time I was recovering from a previous relationship and found it incredibly difficult to be open about my feelings again, I think this helped ease me back into it.

Then, of course, I couldn't help but play around with Adler being an absolute loser incel and Bell being his beautiful alt gf that he somehow pulled. This is actually what morphed into my modern AU :)

A lot of him stayed the same really, the biggest part was how his personality changed as time went on. Originally I went the lazy route where he was just this big dumb limbo guy, which is pretty clear in his first ref sheet. Now I like to think he's at least slightly more complex than that ^^'

[grave-robber-grim]

You know the campaign's good when at the end you feel sick to your stomach about the canon/"good" ending.

[darlingor]

Genuinely the ending where Bell kills Adler makes me sick. This has gone too far.

[j0hnpr1c3sm1ssus]

Imagine Johnny coming back from deployment and he goes to open 'er (your legs) up and then all you see is horror on his face.

You shaved. That's it. No period, nothing scary down there. But to him?

Guys he's fucking BAWLING. I think if this was his first time since coming back from deployment he'd lose his shit AND ACTUALLY CRY.

"bonnie... Ye shaved 'er bald," he says, having to keep from crying, "what'll keep 'er warm in the winter?"

[transmascsimonriley]

That's their relationship, right?

[artistcalledbella]

sketches of Bell + portrait of Woods

[miako120]

Russell Adler