Call of Duty: Vanguard features several unique characters known as Operators, whom you embody in the campaign and multiplayer as well as in Warzone. But who are the characters Arthur Kingsley, Daniel Take Yatsu, Padmavati Balan, or Polina Petrova? Four fun trailers reveal more about the Operators in the new Call of Duty.
What are Operators? The term “Operator” refers to a playable character in Call of Duty. Essentially, it represents the protagonist. The Operators in Vanguard, such as the Russian sniper Polina Petrova, also play a role in the campaign of the game. They are also playable in multiplayer and after the merge in Warzone.
Which characters do we meet? In the mini-trailers released on YouTube so far, we get to know the following Operators:
- The brave leader Arthur Kingsley
- The loyal shooter Daniel Take Yatsu
- The ruthless jungle fighter Padmavati Balan
- The cunning sniper Polina Petrova
These are the first four Operator trailers for Vanguard
The following paragraphs showcase each of the four Operators in action and provide some background about them. Since there are indeed more than four playable characters, EA will likely release more videos about the remaining characters before the release of Vanguard on November 5, 2021.
Arthur Kingsley
Who is he? Arthur Kingsley has the name of a mystical king, and even his last name sounds “royal.” Thus, he is depicted in his trailer as a leader who does not retreat to a comfortable chair far from the front but leads his people directly into the fray and selflessly cares for them.
Arthur Kingsley thus represents the archetype of the stoic, heroic leader who does not shy away from any challenge and respects and protects the lives of his soldiers. Kingsley is a member of the British Army in the game and originally hails from Cameroon.
Daniel Take Yatsu
Who is he? The soldier Daniel Take Yatsu is portrayed as a reliable soldier in the game who never abandons his comrades. This is impressively demonstrated in the trailer, where a desperate field medic tries to rescue an injured comrade while nasty Nazis are closing in from all sides.
However, Yatsu has taken cover with a sniper rifle and provides reliable cover fire so that the wounded can eventually be brought to safety. Daniel Take Yatsu belongs to the US Armed Forces and is of Japanese descent. Therefore, he may potentially be part of the famous 442nd Infantry Regiment of the US Army.
This unit consisted almost entirely of the descendants of Japanese immigrants during World War II and is still regarded as the most decorated regiment of the US Army.
Padmavati Balan
Who is she? Padmavati Balan is a former nurse from India who, out of hatred towards the rude colonial powers, has joined the active combat troops. She is an expert in jungle warfare and acts brutally and cruelly in her trailer.
She brutally shoots off limbs from opponents, and those who surrender or hope for mercy are especially ruthlessly taken down. Padmavati is from India and is likely part of the British colonial forces.
Polina Petrova
Who is she? Polina Petrova is one of the playable characters in the campaign, and her experiences in the Battle of Stalingrad were already showcased during E3. Polina was originally assigned as a nurse, but she is a gifted shooter, and during the brutal Battle of Stalingrad, the killer instinct awakens in her.
In her trailer, which strongly resembles the film “Enemy at the Gates,” she takes out an entire Nazi scouting team by herself. Polina comes from Russia and belongs to the Red Army of the Soviet Union.
What stands out? Looking at the first four trailers, it is noticeable that they all feature diverse characters who represented a minority in society during the time of the war.
Kingsley originally hails from Africa, Yatsu likely would not have been considered an equal US citizen due to his descent, and Balan and Petrova are indeed oddities as women in a male-dominated military force.
The Operators of Vanguard appear to be a colorful, mixed group. It will be exciting to see which characters will come next.
Less cool, however, is a video about Vanguard that many users find distasteful.
