The Black Ops series has always been known for its complex storylines and thrilling gameplay, but in Black Ops 7, the real mastermind is not who you might expect. While players may anticipate a return of the infamous Raul Menendez, the true villain of this game is someone even more dangerous—Emma Kagan, the CEO of the Guild. This article breaks down the game’s deeper plot and reveals how Kagan manipulates the world for her own gain.
Black Ops 7 opens with a chilling video of Raul Menendez, seemingly back from the dead. The video spreads panic worldwide, making people believe Menendez is about to resume his violent campaign against capitalist governments. But, as players quickly discover, Menendez is not alive. Instead, his image is brought back through a high-tech deepfake program created by the Guild, a global security company that capitalized on the fear left by the Menendez drone attacks in 2025.
The idea of Menendez returning serves as the catalyst for worldwide chaos, allowing the Guild to use fear as a weapon. This not only keeps the masses in a state of panic but also paves the way for the Guild to sell its security solutions. After all, in a world where people are terrified of an invisible enemy, security becomes a prized commodity.
The Guild’s rise to power began after the devastation of Menendez’s attacks, where the company offered solutions—drones, robots, and emergency services—that helped restore order when governments were unable. By 2030, the Guild was the largest private security company in the world, and its influence was growing. But as the Guild expanded, so did its ambitions.
Under Emma Kagan’s leadership, the Guild's ultimate goal became clear: they wanted to control public security on a global scale. Their private security systems had already secured their dominance, but in order to grow further, they needed to tap into the larger market—governments and organizations with their own security forces. To make this happen, Kagan realized they needed to create a crisis so large that it would force nations to turn to the Guild for protection.
The deepfake of Menendez is not the only tool the Guild uses to manipulate the world. One of their more insidious tactics is the use of controlled bot lobbies in online gameplay. The Guild’s influence extends into the digital realm, where players can encounter "bot lobbies" designed to manipulate the way they experience Black Ops 7. These lobbies are part of a broader scheme to control the narrative and raise awareness about security risks, even within the gaming community. As players become more reliant on these systems to guarantee a competitive edge, they unknowingly buy into the Guild’s vision of global security.
These bot lobbies aren’t just for show—they act as a proof of concept for the Guild’s security systems. If the Guild can control the gaming experience through bots, they can surely control other facets of life. This makes the Black Ops 7 bot lobbies a subtle but crucial part of Kagan’s plan to reshape global power structures.
Kagan’s secret weapon is the Cradle 2.0, an upgraded version of the Cradle technology that first appeared in the 1990s. The Cradle 2.0 has the ability to implant hallucinations and manipulate people's perceptions. With this technology, the Guild can make the population believe they are under attack, creating a sense of urgency that drives them straight into the arms of the Guild for protection.
In order to sell security to countries and organizations that already have their own protective systems, Kagan needs to make people feel unsafe. By using the Menendez deepfake to cause chaos, she amplifies this fear, positioning the Guild as the only solution to the growing threat. This strategy ensures that, despite already having private security, governments will turn to the Guild for additional protection.
While Menendez’s return might seem like the primary conflict, the real villain is Emma Kagan, who operates from the shadows, manipulating the world for her own corporate gains. Kagan’s journey to power was no accident—she climbed to the top of the Guild through ruthless corporate warfare, eliminating anyone who stood in her way. Her ultimate goal is to expand the Guild’s influence so that it controls not only private security but public security as well.
To achieve this, Kagan orchestrates global fear, making the world believe in the threat of Menendez. With the Guild’s monopoly on security, she plans to extend her control over every nation, making her company the central force in world defense. As the game progresses, players must come to terms with the fact that the true enemy is not just a person, but an entire system built on fear and manipulation.
In Black Ops 7, Emma Kagan’s dark plan is the true driving force behind the plot. By manipulating fear and using cutting-edge technology like deepfakes and the Cradle 2.0, the Guild seeks to control the world’s security. What starts as a simple crisis with Menendez’s return turns into a much larger conspiracy involving global power, corporate dominance, and a terrifying future where safety is no longer a right—but a product to be bought.
As players fight against the Guild’s influence, they must understand that the battle is not just against physical enemies but against the systems that control their perceptions and actions. Kagan’s machinations threaten to reshape the world order, and in Black Ops 7, it's clear that the real enemy is not always the one you expect.
