Picture this: it’s November 13th, 2012, you’re eight missions deep into Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and you’ve got a choice to make. With Raul Menendez testing your loyalty, you have to either kill or spare actor Michael Rooker’s character, Mike Harper. That figure may not feel like a huge pivot point to some, to this very day CoD fans are protective of his fate; which probably helped Harper return in 2025’s very promising Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Though as you’re about to read in the story below, it’s a surprise he wasn’t bugging the folks in charge to do so sooner; as he totally gets why his contribution was a milestone for the flagship FPS series.

Black Ops II’s Mike Harper Still Has Fans Saluting Michael Rooker

Rooker, the veteran character actor who’s played everything from a disturbed serial killer to everyone’s favorite Ravager/father figure in Guardians of the Galaxy, understands that goodwill first hand. He shared as much with me in our recent interview, on behalf of Activision’s latest Call of Duty offering. Sharing his thoughts with That Hashtag Show, Michael Rooker shared these thoughts on his place in the hearts and history of video game fans: 

 I think it was the first time they ever did that … even [giving] the inkling of killing a main character like that. … It was a very big deal. I mean, people come up to me all the time, they look me in the eye, [and] they just go ‘I refused to kill you! I did not kill you!’ And [I’m] like, ‘You’re the man, dude!’ 

Knowing the man as we do now, it’s not surprising that the man who helped James Gunn bring Yondu to life would be such a fan favorite. However, the debut of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s returning hero came just before Michael Rooker would land that part.

That didn’t stop players from digitally bonding with the Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer star’s video game avatar. While there’s clearly no substitute to actually playing Black Ops II’s shocking level “Achilles’ Veil,” you can watch it play out right here: 

As one of the many who felt the pain of this Black Ops II decision first hand, I can safely say that Mike Harper lived by my hand. At least, that’s what happened the first time around; as I’ll admit, I had to replay that game to see how the alternative played out in the game’s narrative. That same sort of thinking is about to return, thanks to Black Ops 7’s own set of choices. 

Not to mention, there’s an entire mode known as “Endgame,” which bridges the campaign proper to online play via a multiplayer skirmish. Which only seems set to further remind us all of how the branching fate of Mike Harper, and other Call of Duty characters, has helped evolve the gameplay at hand.

How Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7’s Future Harkens Back To Black Ops II’s Legacy

The open ended/branching storylines of Call of Duty have been revisited in various shapes and forms over the past couple of years. Most notably 2016’s Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and this year’s Black Ops 6 both presented optional quests that rejected the streamlined questing experience.

Infinite Warfare even had consequences similar to those presented in Black Ops II, leaving some events open to change depending on your choices. That was thanks to those first risks taken back in 2012, and Michael Rooker reflected further on that historical note through additional recollections: 

It gave the player a choice! You get to make that moral choice within the game: you shoot Mike Harper and save the world, or you [decide] ‘To hell with the world! I’m saving my buddy Mike Harper.’ I became their buddies, I became their main guy. 

Black Ops 7 carries that torch by giving you an entire mode that enlists other combatants from around the net. Chances are, we may even see Mike Harper still in the fight before this Call of Duty has been answered. Of course, that very subject is still under scrutiny – especially when considering what Michael Rooker would say about this upcoming adventure.

Michael Rooker poses in front of a branded backdrop during the press junket for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

Michael Rooker’s Very On Brand “Tease” For Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7

The sort of virtual friendship between Mr. Rooker and his Call of Duty fans isn’t a one-sided one. But while our Days of Thunder vet has nothing but love for his admirers, don’t mistake that goodwill for weakness when it comes to secrets. The man of the hour would only give me the following comment when I asked for a tease on what to expect in Black Ops 7: 

You get no inkling. You’re gonna have to be surprised. … Go buy the game, and play it!

You know something? I can’t blame Michael Rooker for keeping mum on the secrets that await in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s campaign, multiplayer, or Zombies modes. Also, it’s kinda cool to get a dose of his trademark sass and grit, even if it’s obviously all in good fun. And seeing as we’re this close to that experience being unveiled to the world at large, we should listen to the man’s advice! 

With that in mind, Black Ops 7 is still available for pre-order and pre-loading, going live this Friday, November 14th. If you’re already an XBox Game Pass subscriber, certain tiers will have you covered with the base game, leaving you to invest upgrades such as the Vault Edition.

As always, don’t forget to keep up with THS’ Black Ops 7 archives, as you’ll want to learn about all future developments as they occur. Trust me, this is just the start of the conversation between myself and Mr. Rooker; and he has some awesome things to say about that upcoming Call of Duty movie that’s in the works.

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