K.C. Kirkland
A member of the Ghosts who only appears in the first
Advanced Warfighter game. He serves as a support gunner in the Xbox 360 version and as a rifleman in the PC version. Is most notable for being one of your 3 squadmates alongside Marcus Brown and Richard Allen in the PC version.
- Adapted Out: Doesn't appear at all in the PS2/Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter.
- A Day in the Limelight: He's one of the less developed Ghosts in the console versions, and doesn't even make the transfer to Advanced Warfighter 2. However, he's one of your 3 pre-assigned squadmates (alongside Marcus Brown and Richard Allen) in the PC version of the first game.
- More Dakka: He's a support gunner in the console versions of Advanced Warfighter, but is instead a standard rifleman in the PC version.
- Demoted to Extra: He's no longer a selectable Ghost in Advanced Warfighter 2, though he does show up as part of Derrick Parker's Bravo Team.
Richard Allen
A member of the Ghosts who only appears in the first
Advanced Warfighter game. He serves as a grenadier in the Xbox 360 version and as a sniper in the PC version. Is most notable for being one of your 3 squadmates alongside Marcus Brown and K.C. Kirkland in the PC version. In
Advanced Warfighter 2, he's replaced by John Hume.
- Adapted Out: Doesn't appear at all in the PS2/Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter.
- A Day in the Limelight: He's one of the less developed Ghosts in the console versions, and doesn't even make the transfer to Advanced Warfighter 2. However, he's one of your 3 pre-assigned squadmates (alongside Marcus Brown and K.C. Kirkland) in the PC version of the first game.
- Demolitions Expert: He's a grenadier in the Xbox 360 version of Advanced Warfighter. In the PC version, he's a sniper instead.
- Killed Off for Real/Back for the Dead: He dies along with Joe Ramirez in the prologue mission of Future Soldier.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: He disappears between Advanced Warfighter and Advanced Warfighter 2, being replaced by John Hume. He reappears in the prologue of Future Soldier, where he dies alongside Joe Ramirez.
Matt Beasley
A loner from the inner-city streets of Oakland, Beasley is independent and highly talented. After serving as infantry during the invasion of Iraq and later as a member of the 82nd Airborne Rangers, Beasley joined the Ghosts after being impressed fighting alongside them as a member of the Airborne. Beasley, Ramirez, and Smith serve as riflemen in Mitchell's squad in both
Advanced Warfighter games.
- Adapted Out: He's missing from the PC version of Advanced Warfighter 1 (where only Brown, Kirkland, and Allen are available as squadmates), and Demoted to Extra in the PS2/Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter 1 (which has a much greater focus on the older Ghosts from Ghost Recon 2).
- Bus Crash: He's killed by a suicide bomber in the Ghost Recon novel, which takes place after Advanced Warfighter 2.
- Cunning Linguist: Seems to have a knack for picking up languages. He picked up Spanish from growing up in Oakland and learned Farsi and a few other Afghan dialects during his time in the Army.
- Death by Adaptation: He and Derrick Parker are killed by Carlos in the bad ending of the PS2/Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter if you fail to save them or defeat Carlos.
- Demoted to Extra: In the PS2/Xbox version of the first Advanced Warfighter, Beasley is part of Derrick Parker's Bravo team. Unlike Parker, he has zero dialogue.
- Genius Bruiser: While he isn't engaged in any professional fields, he's described as an unusually fast learner, having done well in high school without even putting in much effort as well as being a quick learner in his military training. He also seems to have a knack for picking up languages.
- Jack of All Stats: Like Ramirez and Smith, he's a rifleman and serves a general purpose role in combat.
- Unexplained Accent: Downplayed; but despite the Ghosts having several members of Latin American heritage, Beasley is the only team member with a noticeable Latin American accent, even though you wouldn't expect this from his name or background (his bio lists him as "some kid from Oakland").
Bo Jenkins
An easy-going though undisciplined jock from Alaska. A large and somewhat impatient man with a knack for blowing stuff up, he serves as the primary demolitions man in Mitchell's Ghost squad in both
Advanced Warfighter games.
- Adapted Out: He's missing from the PC version of Advanced Warfighter 1 (where only Brown, Kirkland, and Allen are available as squadmates) as well as the PS2/Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter 1 (which has a much greater focus on the older Ghosts from Ghost Recon 2).
- Artificial Stupidity: In the PC version of Advanced Warfighter 2, there's a very real risk he'll blow up you or his other teammates with his grenade launcher unless you're very careful to maneuver him separate from the rest of the squad with very specific movement orders.
- Awesome, but Impractical: He's the squad's demolitions specialist and in the PC version of Advanced Warfighter 2, his infinite ammo grenade launcher can be very powerful against groups of rebel soldiers. Unfortunately due to the Artificial Stupidity issues mentioned above he can be as much of a danger to your squad as he is to the enemy.
- The Big Guy: His bio mentions him as being this, being a large, outgoing man as well as a bodybuilder and sports enthusiast. His bio lists him as being 6' 5" tall and 280 pounds. Though it's downplayed in-game since all Ghosts use 90% the same character model.
- Demolitions Expert: He's your squad's grenadier/demolitions soldier in both the console and PC versions of Advanced Warfighter 2. He also shares this role with Richard Allen and Derrick Parker in the Xbox 360 version of the first Advanced Warfighter.
- Leeroy Jenkins: He's a grenade launcher-wielding demolitions specialist and his bio mentions that his combat style is aggressive and impatient, though not completely reckless. This is news for anyone who picks him as a team member in the PC version, as (due to flaky A.I.) he tends to fire recklessly and blow up teammates with friendly fire if you don't keep him separated from the rest of the team via team formation orders. Rather fitting given his name.
Paul Smith
An outdoorsman from rural California. Although quiet and disciplined as a soldier, he's also easily bored, and wasn't planning on re-upping after his first tour of duty in the Army, until meeting and being impressed by Captain Mitchell, who was serving as a combat instructor at the time. After learning from Mitchell, Smith joined the Green Berets and later the Ghosts, serving as a rifleman and the youngest member of Mitchell's squad during the Mexican uprising in both Mexico City and Juarez.
- Adapted Out: Doesn't appear at all in the PC version of the series, likely due to GRIN deciding the squad didn't need another general purpose rifleman in addition to Ramirez and Beasley.
- The Apprentice: His bio lists him as being a former Army student of Captain Mitchell's who joined the Ghosts after being impressed by the Captain's abilities and demeanor. He's also the youngest member of the Ghosts in the Advanced Warfighter games.
- Jack of All Stats: Like Ramirez and Beasley, he's a rifleman and serves a general purpose role in combat.
Annibale Cruz
A support gunner in Mitchell's Ghost squad. Has the distinction of being the least seen or developed Ghost in the Mitchell games, only appearing in the Xbox 360 version of the first
Advanced Warfighter game.
- Adapted Out: Doesn't appear at all in the PC version of the series, or the PS2/Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter. As a result, his sole appearance is in the Xbox 360 version of the first Advanced Warfighter game.
- More Dakka: He's a support gunner, alongside Marcus Brown and K.C. Kirkland.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: He disappears between Advanced Warfighter and Advanced Warfighter 2.
John Hume
A farmer, hunter, and outdoorsman from Salt Lake City, Utah who served both in General Infantry and the Green Berets before joining the Ghosts. He joins Mitchell's Ghost squad in
Advanced Warfighter 2, where he serves as either the squad's anti-armor soldier (console versions) or the squad's sniper (PC version).
- Ascended Extra: "Jhon Hume" was one of the anonymous supporting American infantry from the Xbox 360 version of Advanced Warfighter. In Advanced Warfighter 2 he's ascended to a member of Mitchell's Ghost squad, replacing Richard Allen as a demolitions soldier (console version) or the squad's sniper (PC version).
- Cunning Linguist: His bio mentions that he speaks Spanish and also picked up Tagalog during a deployment in the Philippines.
- Demolitions Expert: He's your squad's anti-tank soldier in the console versions of Advanced Warfighter 2. His weaponry is focused on anti-armor, in contrast to Bo Jenkins whose explosive equipment is focused on anti-infantry or anti-light vehicle. For some reason in the PC version he's a sniper instead.
- Genius Bruiser: Excelled in high school and was going to enroll in M.I.T., before the death of his father forced him to take over the family farm. After a few years of farming he decided to enlist in the military instead.
Alex Nolan
A nerd from a long line of doctors, he graduated medical school, but enlisted in the military as a field medic after encountering the Ghosts while doing humanitarian volunteer work in Eritrea and being greatly impressed by them. He joins Mitchell's Ghost squad in
Advanced Warfighter 2 as a combat medic.
- Adapted Out: Doesn't appear at all in the PC version of the series.
- Badass Bookworm: He was a nerd in high school and went to med school and became a family doctor; he then joined the military after witnessing the Ghosts in action as a medical volunteer during the Eritrea conflict (Desert Siege), eventually becoming a member of the Ghosts himself. He also wears Nerd Glasses and is the only character in the series to wear corrective eyewear.
- Bus Crash: He's killed fighting the Taliban in the Ghost Recon novel, which takes place after Advanced Warfighter 2.
- The Medic/Combat Medic: He serves as the squad's medic in Advanced Warfighter 2, and is the only Ghost medic in the series.
Allies
General Joshua Keating
The commander of U.S. SOCOM and Captain Mitchell's commanding officer during the events of the two
Advanced Warfighter games. He also appears in
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.
- Big Good: He's the commander of U.S. SOCOM and your commanding officer in the Advanced Warfighter series and serves this role.
- It Has Been an Honor: Keating gives this to Mitchell at the end of Advanced Warfighter 2 when it appears that Mitchell is about to pull a Heroic Sacrifice to stop the mercs from nuking the U.S.
- Large Ham: General Keating whenever he gives orders to the Ghosts, especially if the situation is tense that he's forced to shout to make his point.
- Mission Control: He's the primary source of orders for Captain Mitchell and the Ghosts.
- Sudden Name Change: His first name is "Joshua" in the 2008 Ghost Recon novel, but he's identified as "Tom Keating" in H.A.W.X..
Major General "Bulldog" Martin
The commander of the U.S. Marine forces on the ground during the Mexican rebellion.
- Big Good: He's the commander of the U.S. forces in Panama during the co-op campaign of the console versions of Advanced Warfighter 2.
- Frontline General: In the console versions of Advanced Warfighter, at the end of the game he personally leads the assault on the Palacio Nacional to attempt to capture General Ontiveros. He's also personally active during the conflict, even meeting up with the Ghosts face-to-face a couple of times, instead of simply directing the action from the safety of some bunker war-room; this causes an issue when his helicopter gets shot down and the Ghosts have to detour to rescue him.
- Semper Fi: He's the commander of the U.S. Marine forces on the ground during the Mexican rebellion and a tough-as-nails leader.
Lt. Barnes
A U.S. intelligence officer who works closely with General Keating.
- The Smart Guy: He's the Ghosts' intelligence officer and briefs them regarding U.S. intelligence and advanced technology.
Louie
The Ghosts' quartermaster, who briefs them regarding their weaponry selection as well as the features of their Integrated Warfighter System suits. He was added in the PC version of the first
Advanced Warfighter.
- Adapted Out: Inverted; Louie was added to the PC version of Advanced Warfighter to serve as the Ghosts' quartermaster and explain the more complex weapon selection system in the PC version. He also serves this role in Future Soldier, though he's only heard in voice-over and never seen in person.
- Career-Ending Injury: He mentions being forced out of field operations after losing his left knee in Columbia.
"Bud" Aldridge
A Blackhawk helicopter pilot and former instructor at WHINSEC. He serves as the Ghosts' "eye in the sky", relaying them airborne intelligence as well as mission objectives from Command, as well as serving as their helicopter transport pilot.
- Getaway Driver: He and Rosen take turns serving as the Ghosts' Blackhawk transport pilot.
- Mission Control: He directs Mitchell and the Ghosts throughout the game over the cross-com system.
- A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil: Bud mentions having trained Carlos Ontiveros at WHINSEC. Carlos later gloats about how Bud never appreciated his talents after killing him.
- Sacrificial Lion: He's killed by Carlos Ontiveros near the end of the first Advanced Warfighter.
Lt. Josh Rosen
A Blackhawk helicopter pilot who provides air transport and support to the Ghosts, similar to Bud, and also trains the team on the features of the Cross Com interface. He has a more prominent role in
Advanced Warfighter 2.
- Adapted Out: He doesn't appear in the PC version of Advanced Warfighter due to his role as the tutorial host being taken by Louie.
- Ascended Extra: He received minimum characterization or screentime in Advanced Warfighter (where you didn't even see his face due to his flight helmet), but has a much larger role in Advanced Warfighter 2.
- Getaway Driver: He and Bud take turns serving as the Ghosts' Blackhawk transport pilot.
- Hellish Copter: His Blackhawk gets shot down by the Mercs in Advanced Warfighter 2, forcing the Ghosts to find an alternate escape route. They also later launch a rescue mission to retrieve Rosen from a Hacienda where he's being held captive.
- The Smart Guy: In the standard Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter, he serves as Mitchell's tech support for his Integrated Warfighter System equipment.
Colonel Jimenez
The leader of the Mexican Loyalist forces on the ground in Juarez in
Advanced Warfighter 2.
- Doomed Hometown: Jimenez laments the rather abysmal state of Juarez after days of fighting and the detonation of at least one nuclear warhead by the rebels.
- Frontline General: He's the leader of the Mexican Loyalist forces in Juarez and is active in ground combat.
- Redshirt Army: Jimenez's Mexican Loyalist troops are often in peril and frequently have to be rescued by the Ghosts. For their part, they're at least able to hold out relatively well until the Ghosts actually arrive at their position. They also appear as a controllable support squad in a couple of missions.
President Ballantine
The President of the United States at the time of the Mexican uprising. He's in Mexico City along with the Canadian Prime Minister and President of Mexico to sign the North American Joint Security Agreement, when Mexican military elements hostile to the treaty stage a coup d'état, killing the Canadian Prime Minister and putting the two Presidents in mortal danger.
- Honor Before Reason: At the end of Advanced Warfighter 2, he refuses the Pentagon's advice to nuke Juarez to prevent the mercs from launching nukes into the U.S., reasoning the civilian casualties would be too great.
- Our Presidents Are Different: Of the President Target variety, as he gets captured by Carlos and Aguila 7 about halfway through the game. Turns into a mild case of President Action when you rescue him, as he pulls out a pistol and will happily engage any Aguila 7 Elite Mooks that get between you and the helicopter sent to extract him. He's not exactly the greatest combatant, but hey, points for effort.
President Ruiz-Pena
The President of Mexico at the time of the Mexican uprising, who wishes for closer relations with the United States. General Ontiveros and the military forces loyal to him, who are hostile to the idea of closer ties with the United States, end up staging a coup against Ruiz-Pena.
- Adapted Out: In the Xbox 360 version he actually has a decent amount of dialogue; in the PC version, he has zero dialogue and the only time you actually see him in person he's an unconscious body. You don't even see him at all in the PS2/Xbox version, only hear about him in dialogue.
- Our Presidents Are Different: President Target. You have to save him twice from rebel soldiers. In the Xbox 360 version, he's able to escape on his own two feet; in the PC version, he's seriously injured by the U.S. embassy bomb and has to be carried to a medevac chopper by you.
Private First Class Provenanzo
A Humvee driver who ends up transporting Captain Mitchell and the squad a few times throughout
Advanced Warfighter 2.
Antagonists
Colonel Carlos Ontiveros
A Mexican special forces officer and the leader of Aguila 7 (the 7 Eagles), a Mexican special forces group that spearheads a coup d'état against the Mexican President in an attempt to stop the North American Joint Security Agreement. He's the main antagonist of the first
Advanced Warfighter game and has the distinction of being the most active villain in the
Ghost Recon series.
- The Ace: In the PS2/Xbox version, Bud describes him as the cleverest and most vicious student he's ever trained.
- Badass Normal:
- Carlos and his Aguila 7 special forces manage to inflict far more casualties on the Ghosts and their allies than Bodark or Santa Blanca, despite lacking the advanced technology of the former or the infinite money of the latter. It's revealed in the ending that a large part of his success comes from having access to the Ghosts' communications channels due to a high-level mole inside the U.S. military.
- Aguila 7 in general is this compared to the Ghosts; they have special forces training, body armor, and high-grade weaponry, but lack the Ghosts' high-tech cross-coms systems.
- Boss Banter: Carlos has a lot of unique dialogue taunting Captain Mitchell in the PS2/Xbox version of the game, both when attacking you in an Apache attack chopper and later in the final boss fight in the basement of the U.S. embassy. He has less dialogue in the Xbox 360 and PC versions, but does still taunt you over the cross-com several times during the final level.
- Big Bad: Of the first Advanced Warfighter game.
- Co-Dragons: In the PS2/Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter, Carlos has a pair of high-ranking officers, Colonel Valdez and Colonel Obregon, serving as his seconds-in-command.
- Cold-Blooded Torture: He carves up Captain Bowman with a combat knife to get the codes to unlock the nuclear football.
- Combat Pragmatist:
- In the PC version, if you try to face him mano-a-mano, Carlos can fake a reload to bait you into rushing him, at which point he'll ventilate you with his LMG.
- In the PS2 version, Carlos shoots down Bravo Team's Blackhawk by ambushing them in a stolen Apache. By the time the Blackhawk pilot and gunners realizes the "friendly" air unit isn't at all friendly, Carlos has already done enough damage for the rest of the fight to be a foregone conclusion.
- The end of the game reveals that a large part of Carlos' success against the Ghosts is due to listening in on their communications channels, due to a high-level mole in the U.S. military telling him how to do so.
- Composite Character: In the console versions of Advanced Warfighter, General Ontiveros (the actual leader of the coup) and his son special forces Colonel Carlos Ontiveros are two separate characters. In the PC version, General Ontiveros is removed completely, and Carlos is promoted to General Carlos Ontiveros and serves as the sole leader of the coup.
- Disc-One Final Boss: You defeat his personal special forces unit and kill him at the end of the first Advanced Warfighter, but another guy takes his place in the second game. To make matters worse, the rebels hire Panamanian mercenaries to aid them. Juan de la Barrera, the rebel leader in the second game, gets shot down in a gunship duel about 3/4ths of the way through the game, but that does nothing to stop the mercs he hired to continue carrying out his plan to nuke the U.S.
- Disney Villain Death: In the Xbox 360 version of the game, you shoot him off the roof of the U.S. Embassy, and watch him plunge to his death on your cross-com.
- Dragon Their Feet: In the console versions of the game, Carlos escapes with the nuclear football and tries to start World War III after his father General Ontiveros is captured by U.S. forces.
- Evil Gloating: Towards the end of the game, he kills Bud and steals his cross-com, spending the rest of the game taunting Mitchell over the Ghosts' comm systems.
- False Flag Operation: After his coup is broken and the Mexican loyalists retake the National Palace, Carlos escapes to the U.S. Embassy and attempts to use the nuclear football to launch America's nukes, likely in the hopes of triggering a SKYNET scenario with Russia and China which will result in a Mutual Kill of the superpowers, leaving Mexico as the last nation standing.
- The PS2/Xbox version elaborates that Carlos isn't targeting anyone in particular with the nukes, and is merely trying to demonstrate to the American people that their national security is nonexistent by proving that a third party can launch their nukes.
- Frontline General: Carlos is by far the most active villain in the series, acting against the Ghosts throughout the game rather than simply engaging in politics offscreen and only being encountered just immediately before you kill him like all other Ghost Recon Big Bads. He's also one of the few Big Bads to actually fight the Ghosts directly at the end instead of being a Non-Action Big Bad who's either The Unfought or a Cutscene Boss.
- Glass Cannon: Carlos is no tougher than the rest of his Elite Mooks, but in the PC version he's equipped with a mk48 LMG and has insanely good aim and reaction times, and can cut you down in a split second if you step into his line of sight. Instead of facing him mano-a-mano, your best bet is to either chuck a couple of grenades into the room he's camping in, or send your entire squad in to rush him.
- Hellish Copter: In the PS2/Xbox version he steals an Apache attack chopper and uses it to shoot down Bravo team's Blackhawk and capture them before engaging Mitchell in a straight-up helicopter boss fight.
- Hero Killer: Carlos gets Ramirez injured in the opening level, and later he and his Aguila 7 Elite Mooks blow up Captain Abreu and succeed in taking out Ghost teams led by Jennifer Burke and Nick Salvatore, likely killing the former and critically wounding the latter, which allows him to capture the U.S. President and his nuclear football. He then tortures football carrier Captain Bowman for the access codes, and kills Bud and steals his helicopter to escape to the U.S. Embassy to try and launch America's nukes. In the PS2/Xbox version he even captures and potentially kills Derrick Parker and Matt Beasley. Of all the series' villains he's by far the most successful in inflicting losses against the Ghosts and their allies; hell, in the PS2/Xbox version it's possible for him to have killed half of the cast of Ghost Recon 2 by the end of the game.
- It's Personal: He's the only Ghost Recon villain (besides Asad Rahil from Summmit Strike) that Mitchell ever develops a personal vendetta against, due to his killing of Bud towards the end of the game. He's also the only Ghost Recon villain who ever refers to Mitchell by name or even knows who he even is.
- Majored in Western Hypocrisy: It's mentioned that he was a former pupil of Bud's at WHINSEC in America. This isn't very surprising since he's a member of the Mexican military and the U.S. and Mexico are allies, so it would make sense for a Mexican special forces soldier to receive some training in America. It's also Truth in Television; former alumni of SOA, the precursor to WHINSEC, have included such South American luminaries as Manuel Noriega and the founders of the Zetas Cartel.
- My Death Is Only The Beginning: Killing Carlos brings stability back to Mexico City, but doesn't end the Mexican rebellion; Juan De La Barrera takes over the Mexican rebels in the sequel, and anti-U.S. insurrections spring up in multiple other Latin American nations as well.
- Rank Scales with Asskicking: In the PS2/Xbox version of Advanced Warfighter, Carlos is a straight-up Made of Iron Final Boss who you fight in a boss arena in the basement of the U.S. embassy and who can take a few dozen bullets before dropping. This gives him the distinction of being by far the toughest enemy in the series, other than the Predator Superboss fight in Wildlands, up until the similarly Made of Iron Final Boss fight with Cole Walker in 2019's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. Downplayed in the PC version; Carlos is very dangerous due to his ideal camping position and the skill level of his A.I., but he realistically drops in a couple of shots just like any other human.
- Skippable Boss: It's possible to completely miss the Final Boss fight with him in the PS2 version of the game, although this results in you getting the bad ending and him becoming a Karma Houdini.
- The Sociopath: In the Xbox 360 version, President Ruiz-Pena warns Mitchell that Carlos feels no fear and kills without hesitation. Mitchell quips that the "man without fear" is about to see a Ghost.
- Wolfpack Boss: In all versions of Advanced Warfighter he and his remaining Aguila 7 Elite Mooks make a last stand at the remains of the U.S. Embassy while attempting to use the nuclear football to launch America's nukes. In the Xbox 360 version he starts shooting at you from the roof of the embassy after you kill enough waves of his soldiers. In the PC version he's positioned in the perfect camping spot in a back room of the embassy, which cannot be sniped from outside and has only one entry point with no cover. He's diligently covering said entry point with an LMG and protected by two Elite Mooks, while you also have to fight you way through a couple dozen Elite Mooks outside just to get to him.
Commandante Juan De La Barrera
Takes over the Mexican uprising after the death of Carlos Ontiveros, in a continued attempt to overthrow the current Mexican administration and prevent the signing of the North American Joint Security Agreement. In contrast to Carlos, De La Barrera is an older politician in a suit and seems to be more focused on giving news interviews than actively engaging in combat. He's the main antagonist of
Advanced Warfighter 2.
- Big Bad: Of Advanced Warfighter 2.
- Dirty Communists: While not explicitly stated, his anti-U.S. rhetoric and promise to seize and nationalize all foreign businesses to "give the means of production back to the people" certainly give off this vibe. This is further reinforced by the rebel emblem being a red fist with yellow stars in the multiplayer.
- Dragon Ascendant: He takes over the Mexican rebellion after the death of Carlos Ontiveros.
- Hellish Copter: He attacks you in a Havok attack helicopter at the end of the first of the three endgame levels. In the console version you duel him in an attack helicopter of your own, while in the PC version you and your Ghost squad fight him from the ground alongside a U.S. tank while a massive wave of rebel fighters, including an enemy tank, bear down on your position. Bringing a missile launcher into the mission makes the fight go much easier, as otherwise his Havok can soak several magazines of gunfire before going down, and his missiles can really do a number on your squad and your tank.
- My Death Is Only The Beginning: Killing him does nothing to impede his plan to have mercenaries launch a stolen nuclear missile into the United States; even after killing him, Mitchell has to continue putting considerable effort into foiling the plot.
- Named After Somebody Famous: Appears to have taken a nomme de guerre naming himself after the leader of the Los Niños Héroes from the 1847 Battle of Chapultepec of the Mexican-American War. Either that or his parents actually named him that, in which case they sure were setting him up to become the leader of an anti-US insurrection.
- Non-Action Big Bad: Unlike Carlos Ontiveros, who was a special forces officer, De La Barrera seems to be a politician in a suit and never engages in combat himself. You fight a helicopter gunship duel against him about 3/4ths of the way through the game, but it seems like he's just a passenger in the gunship and rather unlikely that he's actually piloting it himself.
- Orcus on His Throne: De La Barrera only appears in two or three television broadcasts early in the game, as well as the mission in which you kill him later in the game (during said mission he has zero dialogue and is never seen personally).
- Private Military Contractor: With Carlos' Aguila 7 defeated, De La Barrera turns to a Panamanian PMC to supply him with Elite Mooks and steal Ukrainian nuclear warheads and the Pakistani medium-range missiles he needs to launch them into the U.S.
- Revenge Before Reason: In the PC version of Advanced Warfighter 2. Rather like Colonel Bliss from The Division, he manages to escape in an attack helicopter and likely would have succeeded if he had just made a run for it like General Jung tried to. Instead, his attack chopper sticks around to try and kill you, giving you plenty of time to shoot it down.
Colonel Gabriel Alvaro
The leader of the rebels in Panama, who is working closely with De La Barerra and his Mexican rebels in an anti-U.S. insurrection springing up in several countries across Latin America. He serves as the main antagonist of
Advanced Warfighter 2's co-op campaign, and is also briefly mentioned once in a news broadcast early in the main game.
- Adapted Out: Doesn't appear at all in the PC version, due to the lack of a separate co-op campaign. He's only mentioned once in one of the news reports in the beginning of the game, which mentions him as being the leader of the Panamanian rebels working together with De La Barrera's Mexican rebels.
- Big Bad: Of the Advanced Warfighter 2 co-op campaign.
- Flat Character: Colonel Alvaro has zero dialogue and is only mentioned in mission briefings and serving as your final target in the last level of the co-op campaign.
- Rogue Agent: He's a former Panamanian military Colonel who joins in on the continent-wide anti-U.S. uprising triggered by Ontiveros.
- Wolfpack Boss: Colonel Alvaro is a standard infantry unit and is armed only with a pistol; however, he's camped out behind a building at the rear of his main base with several rebel infantrymen protecting him.
