| Spoiler warning! The following section contains details about the plot or ending. |
- "Home? We can’t go home. There’s a line men like us have to cross. If we’re lucky, we do what’s necessary, and then we die. No…all I really want, Captain, is peace."
- — John Konrad
Lieutenant Colonel John Konrad is the commander of the 33rd Infantry Battalion and apparent main antagonist in Spec Ops: The Line.
Biography[]
Life before the Storm[]
Little is known about Konrad's past but he had a wife named Elizabeth and a son named Jeremy. He was a decorated military commander, often compared with General Patton. He led the 33rd Battalion in Afghanistan and was accompanied by Robert Darden, a reporter who became the Radioman in Dubai. During a battle in Afghanistan, Walker was rescued by Konrad, leading to Walker having a lot of respect for him.
However, the U.S. operations in Afghanistan began to fail which distressed the commander's psyche, worsening his PTSD and failing mental health.
The Storm Incident[]
When the storm hit Dubai and stranded the immigrant population in the city, Konrad and the 33rd volunteered to assist in the evacuation and depart from Afghanistan. Both the Red Cross and U.S. Government had abandoned Dubai as the sandstorm got worse with Konrad being ordered to abandon the city as well. However, as a way to regain his hero status, defied the order and ordered the 33rd to stay within Dubai to keep the peace.
Konrad's attempt to evacuate Dubai from the sandstorm ended in catastrophic failure with 1300 civilians dying in the journey, this forced the 33rd to stay in within the city. They soon began martial law of which resources like water became restricted, making the civilians angrier. The martial rule became harsh with the executions of people who attempted to steal water. Konrad slowly began to hate the United States, with him ordering an U.S. flag to have its stars covered in black paint.
Soon, Konrad's inner circle deserted him and became the Exiles, instigating a civil war between the Loyalists and the Exiles. The Damned won the civil war and Konrad brutally executed his enemies with white phosphorus burning of the inner circle. The stay had entoiled Konrad's mind and made him more recluse.
125 days/4 months after the storm, Konrad wrote a confession letter that he deserted his unit in Dubai and only him should be blame for this. Due to warped reality of Walker, it is really unknown whether he is still alive or he genuinely committed suicide. Considering the Forbes and Radioman words, it is implied that Konrad did died and committed suicide.
6 months after the storm, Konrad's radio message is heard and Delta Force was sent to scout Dubai for any survivors.
Delta Attempted Scouting and Destruction[]
Konrad is first appear in the game's intro where he goes through what seemingly a normal life in Burj Khalifa flat.
He is constantly mentioned by Walker as he is asking 33rd members for Konrad status. After a brief skirmish with the 33rd in the Nest, Walker lead his team to dive deep into Dubai in an attempt to search for Konrad as a way to stop the 33rd rogue actions.
Konrad is first heard through a radio when Delta Squad investigate the burnt corpses of the Command Team, justifying his brutal actions and clarifying that Konrad is in control of the 33rd. He is heard shortly when Delta Squad proceed forward to a highway where two men are facing execution by snipers. Konrad test Walker for his actions.
If Walker shoot the soldier, Konrad is surprised but appreciate the action and think that Walker would fit in the wasteland. If Walker shoot the civilian, Konrad agree with Walker's action. If Walker defied Konrad by attacking the snipers or freeing the prisoners, Konrad felt disappointed in Walker actions. He can heard once more during the ambush if comply with Konrad orders, Walker attempt to convince Konrad to stand down the 33rd, but he refuses as vengeance for the white phosphorus bombing at the Gate.
Konrad is heard once more in the Aquatic Colosseum where he warned Walker that Riggs wants to destroy the water supply in order to wipe out the survivors to cover up Konrad crimes. As Riggs and Delta Squad capture the water trucks, Konrad warn Walker of the consequences and apparently sent the 33rd forces to intervene the trucks. He reappear as a hallucination when Konrad berate Walker for his actions.
Konrad is heard again in Chapter 12 where he warn Walker that evacuation is near impossible and he is just damning all of the people. He becomes angry after Walker made the evacuation announcement that he risking people lives as he did and assumed to break contact.
Konrad began to appear to Walker more hallucinatory than ever with Konrad showing Walker the true consequences of his crimes and that he is the true danger. He then appear to welcome Walker to Hell after the white phosphorus bombing in the Mariana. He is heard again to taunt Walker for his failures and noted the similarities between the two.
As Walker approach Konrad at the balcony in the penthouse, he ask Walker whether he was crazy which Walker hoped he was, Konrad replied that he was still sane. He is finally seen painting an event of the white phosphorus bombing at the Gate, reminding Walker of his crime. As Walker approach Konrad at the end of the balcony, he is found as rotting corpse who had committed suicide. Konrad revealed himself to be Walker hallucination as a way to cope and justify his action at the Gate and reminding Walker of his crimes and true purpose of the events, to feel like a hero.
Konrad soon tell Walker for things to end with Konrad pulling a pistol at Walker. Forcing Walker to either shoot Konrad or let Konrad shoot him, ending in suicide. As Konrad countdown to 5, Walker begins to deny, blame and begging for forgiveness before Walker takes action. If Walker committed suicide, what's left is Walker corpse sitting opposite of Konrad corpse as the radio message is heard once more. If Walker shoot Konrad, Konrad remind that it takes a stronger man to deny and comfort Walker that he can still go home before finally disappearing.
Quotes[]
- "You must think that I'm a monster...that I've gone insane. I came to terms with what I am a long time ago, Captain. What about you?"
- — Konrad to Walker.
- "Survival Captain, plain and simple. "
- — Konrad to Walker.
- "You aren't the first man they sent to find me...I doubt you'll be the last."
- — Konrad to Walker.
- "This is Colonel John Konrad, United States Army. The attempted evacuation of Dubai ended in...complete failure. Convoy stalled. Trapped in the storm 18 klicks out of Dubai. Death toll: too many. We are walking back."
- — Konrad's distress call.
- "No matter what happens next, don't be too hard on yourself. Even now, after all you've done, you can still go home. Lucky you."
- — The hallucinatory Konrad's last words to Walker
- "Everything is teetering on the edge of everything. But this you already know. The rest, you'll have to see for yourself."
- — Konrad to Walker.
- "Do you feel like a hero yet?"
- — Konrad to Walker.
Trivia[]
- Konrad saved Captain Walker's life during a combat mission in Kabul by dragging him half a mile to an evacuation flight. One ending has Walker talk about Kabul "before it all went bad," implying that some major offensive occurred around the time the 33rd withdrew. Most likely this is a parallel with the US withdrawal from Vietnam.
- Colonel Konrad's surname is a combined reference to the author of Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, a novel that the game is based on, and Kurtz, the antagonist in both Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now, the loose movie adaptation of the novella.
- He had a wife named Elizabeth and a son named Jeremy who he writes to in two of the pieces of intel.
- His depicted awards in the introduction are, from left to right, a Congressional Medal of Honor, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Soldier's Medal. The "fruit salad" ribbons on the right pocket of his jacket are a Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Meritous Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, and what appears to be an Army Superior Unit Award. The other side includes a Vietnam Service ribbon. The jacket itself is the older green service uniform.
- Konrad's descent into madness and grief over his failures and the atrocities he has committed is the same fate that eventually befalls Walker.
- If Walker choose to shoot ''Konrad'', later was found by another team of US soldiers wearing the colonel's jacket filled with condecorations, which can be seen as an allegory about his inner Konrad.
- In the last Chapter, when Konrad finishes his painting, he asks Walker his feeling about it. The painting depicts the horror of civilian killed by the white phosphorus because of Delta's actions. Walker says "You did this". Konrad replies "No, you did." This is a reference the famous Guernica painting, exposed at the 1937 world exposition in Paris. A German officer asked Pablo Picasso if he did it, and the painter answered "No, you did." The Spanish town of Guernica was bombed several months before by German airstrike, during the Spanish civil war. It was the first time a city filled with innocent civilians was bombed for psychological effect, as there were no military objectives. Telling to the German officer "No, you did." was a way for Picasso to make him face the responsibility for this warcrime.
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