Wolfenstein Timeline

[jpb6891]

We know that Wolfenstein 3D, Return To Castle Wolfenstein, and Wolfenstein 2009 take place in 1943. I thought that RTCW and Wolfenstein 2009 were a sequel to episode 1 of Wolfenstein 3D. If you look at the Wolfenstein Graphic novels, this is not the case. I thought when BJ killed Hitler in episode 3 of Wolfenstein 3D, it ended WWII. Was Hitler ressurected in Return to Castle Wolfenstein? There are graphic novels that puts Spear of Destiny, Wolfenstein 3D, RTCW as prequels to Wolfenstein 2009. I think episode 3 of Wolfenstein 3D takes place in 1945. Does anyone have any ideas on the timeline?

[King Duke]

I'd say RTCW was a reboot of the Wolfenstein franchise. This would explain why Hitler is still alive and Hans Grosse (boss of the first episode in Wolf3D) appeared as a boss in Wolfenstein 2009. The timeline for the original games was this:

Spear of Destiny -> Wolf3D Episodes 4-6 -> Wolf3D Episodes 1-3

The new Wolfenstein (2009) is obviously a sequel to RTCW.

[ZuljinRaynor]

Those graphic novels are just marketing.

And I'd say King Duke is 100% on the timelines.

[K100]

Personally, I think it is:

Wolf3D ep4 -> Wolf3D ep 5 -> Wolf3D ep 6 -> Wolf3D ep1 -> Wolf3D ep2 -> SOD -> Wolf 3D ep 3.


At the start of Wolf 3D Episode 2, the mutant army of Dr Schabbs is just a rumor, so I think that BJ never fought against them before. But they appear in SOD. So I think SOD take place between Episode 2 and 3.


Actually, I think we can count the newest games in the timeline.


I think that Wolf 2009 is taking place between SOD and Episode 3. In Wolf 2009, some people are talking about the spear, and before the final battle with Hans Grosse, Strauss tell him to not disappoint him again. So maybe Hans Gross survive the fight at the end of Wolf 3D Ep 1.


And finally, I think that RTCW is taking place before Wolf 3D Ep1 because at the beginning of the game, we learn that the OSA know almost nothing about the castle wolfenstein.


And in both games, Hitler is alive, so this is before Wolf 3D Ep 3.


So the timeline with all the games could be something like this:


Wolf 3D Ep 4 -> Wolf 3D Ep 5 -> Wolf 3D Ep 6 -> RTCW -> Wolf 3D Ep 1 -> Wolf 3D Ep 2 -> SOD -> Wolf 2009 -> Wolf 3D Ep 3.


I hope it is clear, I am french and my english is not very good. ^^

[MrFlibble]

Originally Posted by King Duke

I'd say RTCW was a reboot of the Wolfenstein franchise.

I agree with this, but I think the franchise owners will always find a way to fit all the games into a single "canonical" timeline (with or without retconning anything) - if they deem that necessary, that is. Other than that, why bother? After all, the plot itself didn't play such a great role in the original games, it was more part of the setting/flavour.

Oh, and by the way, by "original games" I did not mean these two MobyGames, however, counts them in as part of the series.

[jpb6891]

I use to think that it was like this, SOD, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 4-6, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 1, RTCW, Wolfenstein 2009, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 2-3. I think that Deathshead is Schabbs. Think about it. Deathshead never died in the two new games. It is possible that they could be the same person. The Graphic novel timeline seem to be this, SOD, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 4-6, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 1-3, RTCW, and Wolfenstein 2009. I think that the nazis were experimenting around with time. BJ did kill Hitler in 1945 and it ended the war. The nazis must have done something to time and it brought Hitler and Schabbs as Deathshead back. I wish ID could explain the timeline. There are a lot of plot holes. Maybe BJ killed Hitler in 1943 and Hitler was brought back to life. Hitler commited suicide in 1945. There is an explanation also. The 1943 killing of Hitler does not make sense as in the graphic novels it ended the war. The war ended in 1945. I think the Nazis experimenting with time is the best theory.

[ZuljinRaynor]

Originally Posted by K100

At the start of Wolf 3D Episode 2, the mutant army of Dr Schabbs is just a rumor, so I think that BJ never fought against them before. But they appear in SOD. So I think SOD take place between Episode 2 and 3.

No, this doesn't work. Yes, the mutants in Spear of Destiny are a little of a retcon, but that's what happens when you make a game prequel. In the manual of SoD, I believe, it's mention that Dr Schabbs is alive so it happens before Episode 2. The game is also a prequel to Wolfenstein 3D, which means everything in Wolfenstein 3D happens after Spear of Destiny.

Originally Posted by K100

And finally, I think that RTCW is taking place before Wolf 3D Ep1 because at the beginning of the game, we learn that the OSA know almost nothing about the castle wolfenstein.

Yes, because it's the first time BJ gets captured. The title RTCW has two meanings. The first is of course that we as a player are returning to Castle Wolfenstein. The second is that the end of the game happens in Castle Wolfenstein. I doubt they would use Castle Wolfenstein anymore after the events of the game.

Originally Posted by K100

Wolf 3D Ep 4 -> Wolf 3D Ep 5 -> Wolf 3D Ep 6 -> RTCW -> Wolf 3D Ep 1 -> Wolf 3D Ep 2 -> SOD -> Wolf 2009 -> Wolf 3D Ep 3.

This timeline doesn't work because Wolf 2009 is a direct sequel to RTCW, which takes place in 1943. Also events from RTCW are mentioned in Wolf 2009. There is no mention of the other stuff.

Hans in Wolf 2009 is nothing more than a cameo. His last name is only mentioned at the end of the game in the objectives box.

Spear of Destiny also cannot happen after any Wolfenstein episode.

Originally Posted by MrFlibble

I agree with this, but I think the franchise owners will always find a way to fit all the games into a single "canonical" timeline (with or without retconning anything) - if they deem that necessary, that is. Other than that, why bother? After all, the plot itself didn't play such a great role in the original games, it was more part of the setting/flavour.

Yes, but id has in no way said anything about it being more than a reboot and new series. There was no mention of it being one timeline from id ever as far as I know.

Originally Posted by jpb6891

I use to think that it was like this, SOD, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 4-6, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 1, RTCW, Wolfenstein 2009, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 2-3. I think that Deathshead is Schabbs. Think about it. Deathshead never died in the two new games. It is possible that they could be the same person. The Graphic novel timeline seem to be this, SOD, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 4-6, Wolfenstein 3D Episode 1-3, RTCW, and Wolfenstein 2009. I think that the nazis were experimenting around with time. BJ did kill Hitler in 1945 and it ended the war. The nazis must have done something to time and it brought Hitler and Schabbs as Deathshead back. I wish ID could explain the timeline. There are a lot of plot holes. Maybe BJ killed Hitler in 1943 and Hitler was brought back to life. Hitler commited suicide in 1945. There is an explanation also. The 1943 killing of Hitler does not make sense as in the graphic novels it ended the war. The war ended in 1945. I think the Nazis experimenting with time is the best theory.

The graphic novels are just marketing. Ignore them 100%. RTCW is not a sequel to Wolfenstein 3D. Hitler died in 1945 and RTCW takes place in 1943. This alone completely discredits the graphic novels. Also they mention a Fourth Reich in the Wolf 2009 graphic novel but it is never mentioned in the game.

Oh, and Deathshead was inspired by Schabbs but he isn't Schabbs.

There are no plot holes if you consider it two timelines, as it should be.