Benjamin McCall is one of the three playable characters in Call of Juarez: The Cartel. Ben is a Vietnam War veteran and homicide detective for the Los Angeles Police Department investigating the Mendoza Cartel. He is a descendant of William "Billy Candle" Mendoza and is the spiritual successor to Ray McCall.
Ben McCall is voiced by Casey Sander.
Early Life
Ben McCall was born in 1953 in Hope, Texas. His father was a Methodist minister and his mother was the daughter of the town sheriff. Ben idolized his parents, who taught him devotion to the Bible, and a strong sense of right and wrong. At an early age, he understood the world and his place in it and decided to follow in his father's footsteps to become a man of God.
Ben was a football star in high school and won a scholarship to SMU, but his future derailed when he was drafted and sent to Vietnam.
Ben's father was a World War Two veteran, so Ben wasn't about to shirk his duty to God and country. But nothing he had seen before, prepared him for the brutality of Vietnam. He saw rural villages torched, innocent civilians murdered, and young children burned alive with napalm. The generals running the war had no idea what was happening on the ground and Ben began to lose faith in man's humanity and God's plan.
Unfortunately, things worsened for Ben. On August 15th, 1972, Ben and his friend Patrick Stone witnessed fellow soldier Antonio Alvarez rape and then murder a Vietnamese girl named Hue Pham in Saigon. Alvarez saw them, and
Ben, in Vietnam
wiped the blood off his knife while pointing a gun on them. Later, Ben filed a report, and when Alvarez was tried, they found no witnesses as Stone denied any actions by Alvarez, and so the case was thrown out. This betrayel caused Ben to become extremely bitter and cynical throughout the war, and his friendship shattered. After the war, Ben was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and was discharged with a Purple Heart. Ben ceased contact with his colleagues, and moved to Los Angeles, California.
After his tour of duty, Ben tried turning to the Bible but those familiar verses no longer offered him any solace. He had seen evil with his own eyes and decided that God couldn't be depended on to punish the wicked. Following his maternal grandfather's footsteps, he went into law enforcement and joined the LAPD. He had a wild streak, butbut was a good cop who quickly moved through the ranks. He made detective and worked for metro vice, cultivating informants among the street walkers, dealers, and drug addicts. Promoted to robbery/homocide, Ben became an expert at sex crime investigations. He's a two time recipient of the Medal of Valor, but also has over two dozen allegations of police brutality under his belt. Ben's reputation for exacting justice at whatever the cost has made him feared both inside and outside the department.
Ben in a earlier trailer of Call of Juarez the Cartel
Call of Juarez: The Cartel
Three days after the Independence Day Bombing, Ben McCall headed into his office with girlfriend, and criminal informant Suzy Hart, when he disocvered a girl in his office. Suzy left, and Ben asked what he could do. The girl, Jessica Stone, said that her father was killed in the bombing, and she needs his help. Ben denies her requests, saying that she should take her case to the DEA. Jess said that a few days earlier, a man had threatened her father, saying the man's name was "Tony". Ben, recognizing the name, takes her out of his office. Ben calls a friend named Stan, to contact someone at A.G.O. (Alpha Gamma Omega), as he found a "witness" in the bombing case.
A few days later, Shane Dickson and Joseph B. Reynolds inform Eddie Guerra (a DEA special agent) and Kim Evans (FBI Agent) about the new Interagency Task Force. Reynolds leaves to go to a meeting, and Ben slips into the door (implying he was late for the briefing). When Eddie asks about the person in charge on the "street", Shane reveals that Ben McCall is in charge of all ground operations and will be in charge of protecting Jess, and prosecuting Alvarez.
While taking Jess to a hideout, the team decides to strike at the Mendoza Cartel through their supplier, a Los Angeles street gang called Araña. They plan on attacking their rivals, the Vatos Locos, and Araña's allies the Rolling 50's, and pinning the attacks on Araña. The team start by heading into the Sequoia National Forest where they burn down cannabis fields belonging to the Vatos Locos. They then spray-paint spiders (Araña's symbol) in various locations. However, while heading to a cabin that contains a chemical factory, Ben recieves word from Dickson, that an agent in Internal Affairs (Agent Baressi), will contact him. Dickson has recieved information that Eddie has a gambling habit, and might be stealing drugs and reselling them to pay off his debts.
Later in the day, after incarcerating Deon Evans (Kim's younger brother) to protect him, the team storms a stash house that belongs to the Rolling 50's (which Kim used to be a member of), and spray paint more spiders around the house, and steal a large case of cash. However Rolling 50's gangsters raid the house and a large gunbattle spills into the streets. The team manages to escape, and while planning their next move, Ben explains that the sister of one of his friends went missing.
The team finds that Nicole Hart (Suzy's sister), was applying for a job at the Candy Store gentleman's club, and disappeared. The team inerrogates the girls, and discovers the owner of the club, Javier, is kidnapping the women, and selling them to the Mendoza Cartel which has ties to an international sex trafficking ring.
The team chase after Javier, and pin him by a highway. After brutally beating Javier, the team interrogates him to find the location of Nicole. Javier reveals that he just finds the girls, and gives them to Araña where the gang hides them in a warehouse at the Port of Los Angeles. Frustrated, Ben arrests Javier, and contacts Dickson about the trafficking ring. Dickson however reprimands Ben about the attack at the Sequoia National Forest. Dickson informs him that she needs to be notified about any operations before the news catches wind. However Dickson tells Ben, she will set up operations for the raid.
Later, the Task Force teams up with the LAPD and their SWAT division, and raid the port. However the police are immediately besieged by Araña gangsters, and the Task Force manages to fight them off. The team begins to become suspicious of the massive number of gangsters patrolling the port for a boatload of women. However the team discovers a stash of marijuana in a shipping crate. The Task Force manages to fight off the remaining gangsters and rescue the girls. Afterwards, Ben calls Suzy telling her that Nicole will be put in rehab. Kim reveals Deon called her to tell her that Araña is heading to the San Bernardino highway to trade five million dollars to fund the Cartel for the weapons deal.
The team heads to the highway, and create a stakeout. The trio finds the gangster's van and follow them to a motel. Ben discovers Alvarez riding in one of the vans, and the team strike at the gangbangers and cartel footmen. However, Alvarez escapes, and the team chases Alvarez down the highway. However, during the chase, Alvarez' van almost crashes into a gas tanker. The tanker swerves to avoid a collision, and tips over, and begins to spill gas onto the highway. The Task Force rushes out of their car, and fight the cartel footmen. Eddie and Ben retrieve the bags of money while Kim chases Alvarez. As Ben and Eddie begin to escape, the tanker explodes, causing the van to flip over several times. Kim rushes out to help her teammates, and explains she lost Alvarez. Ben, in anger tells the two agents to help get the remaining bag of money and look for a car. However a swarm of Araña gangsters and cartel hitmen open fire on the trio. The Task Force manages to fight off the gangsters and escape as the California Highway Patrol appears.
As the team drives away, Eddie recieves a phone call. Suspicious, Ben asks him who's talking, but Eddie remains silent. Eddie then says that the team should move Jess to another location. Meanwhile Ben gets a call from Jess, saying that she is worried about Eddie and Kim. Ben tells her he understands her suspiciosn of Eddie, but Kim worked hard to get where she is. Ben tells Jess she needs to trust him.
The team heads back to Los Angeles, and escort Jess into a van driven by Seargent Dempsey. As the group drives down the street, Araña gangsters appear and open fire. Dempsey veers down another street, while Ben, Eddie, and Kim open fire on the thugs. The team manages to evade the gangsters, and while driving down a sidewalk, Dempsey's car is rammed by a semi-trailer, and flips the car.
The trio rescue Jess from the wreck, and discover Dempsey had died on impact. The group heads down an alley, and fight off another group of Araña gangsters. Eddie runs off to grab a car, and the team escapes. Later in the day, the team start questioning each other on how Araña found out about the car. Jess replies that "maybe this task force was set up to fail." The trio still unsure of who the leak is, make a vow not to reveal any information to their superiors.
As the group drives Jess to a new hideout, Kim discovers a contact named "Kevin" on Jess' phone. Jess replies that her father used to work with a Kevin Donleavy. Kim, recognizing the name, reveals that Donleavy was once an FBI agent who had accidentally shot his partner. There were rumors that Donleavy was an alcoholic. Kim has Jess call Donleavy, and Donleavy reveals that he has the key to a locker that holds important evidence. Jess tells Donleavy that he should give her the key. Donleavy then tells her to meet him at the Panorama. After the call, Ben takes the phone, and tells the group not to tell anyone about the meet. He then proceeds to throw Jess' phone out the window.
That night, the Eddie, Ben, and Jess go into the Panorama while Kim goes to another building to provide sniper support, incase the worst should happen. Kim stands by a bar, while Eddie and Ben stand away from her. Donleavy comes up to Jess and starts to talk when he is suddenly shot. Eddie rushes over to Donleavy, and the man dies in his arms. Jess scared takes off, while Ben gets a glance of Alvarez, who starts after Jess. Eddie and Ben rush through the various buildings and rooftops and enagage in combat with Araña. The two men meet up with Kim, and though the team manages to wipe out the gangsters, they lose track of Alvarez and Jess.
Later into the evening, Ben makes various calls to his criminal informants, telling them to keep an eye out for Jess if they see her. As Ben is watching through window blinds, Eddie reveals that cartel prince Jesús Mendoza is in Los Angeles to get back the cash that was stolen from Araña. Eddie also mentions they should talk to one of his informants, a street dealer named "Flaco".
The team heads into an apartment complex, and bursts into Flaco's apartment. Flaco's girlfriend rushes out, while the team interrogates the naked man. Eddie gives Flaco a wire to wear "for his own protection". Flaco tells the team that he'll say "puta" incase things turn bad. The trio leave, and head back into the car and turn on the radio. Araña gangster Jorge and another man head into the apartment and Flaco tells them that he knows some cops who have Araña's cash. The men believing Flaco to be working with the "Po-Po" executes him. The men leave the apartment and head to the El Dorado nightclub. The team tail the men and sneak inside the private room where Jesús is staying. Jorge stops the trio, and Jesús motions Jorge to get rid of them. After being insulted by Jorge, Ben pulls out a pistols and kills him. The gangsters open fire on the trio as Jesús runs away. The team fights through the nightclub, and Ben calls in a police helicopter to take out the gangsters. However they are able to shoot it down. The team gets a hold of a car and chase Jesús down a highway. After narrowly avoiding an attack helicopter the team manages to apprehend Jesús.
Later, the team interrogates Jesús who is in a noose. Jesús reveals that his father is getting military grade weapony from Peacekeepers International, a bankrupt PMC that went rogue. The CEO, Michael Duke is planning on meeting Jesús to make the weapons deal.
The team then heads to the meeting with Eddie pretending to be Jesus, Kim pretending to be Jesus' mistress, and Ben as profession weapons expert. The team arrives in the town and are greeted by Micheal Duke and Alvarez who sees through their disguses but plays along. While Eddie and Ben go off with Duke to test the weapons; Alvarez makes a deal with Kim that she must protect him from Ben and make sure that both Jesus and Jess don't reveal that he is a informant fo the FBI.
After the test and deal the team regroups with Duke and has "Jesus" preform a rite of passage for his father by killing enemies of Arana. The team along with Alvarez hunts through the town and kills the criminals however afterwards Duke changes the deal by having Juan Mendoza steal the gold of juarez ex-change for the weapons.
Duke soon leaves and Ben choices to call Mendoza and tell him that the team has Jesus and they to trade him for Jess. The team then travels to Mexico and stops at a motel for the night. However early the next morning the Mendoza Cartel finds the team and tells them to surrend as well as release Jesus or they will destroy the motel with a wreacking ball. Ben and Eddie escape from their room and resuce Kim from hers.
The team then heads to the spot where they have Jesus hidden but the cartel is there first and release Jesus. The team storms the house and takes Jesus. As the team try and leave the cartel fire on them but they escape however later they crash. Jesus escapes and runs for the train tracks but is captured again.
Combat
Ben has an aggressive fighting style, preferring to wield shotguns and pistols over automatic rifles, much akin to Ray McCall. Like his ancestors and police partners, he uses Concentration Mode, slowing down time and reciting lines of scripture, usually laced with profanity.
Appearance
A modern-day gunslinger, Ben's attire and physical appearance distinctly echo those of Ray McCall in the original Call of Juarez, with a black trench-coat and a bulletproof vest and crucifix (similar to Ray's breastplate). He has long hair, slicked back and gray with age, facial wrinkles and a crescent-shaped scar next to his left eye, and a horizontal scar on the right side of his chin (Likely recieved during his time in Vietnam). While he also wears an ammunition belt and twin pistols, unlike his ancestor Ben uses a variety of modern weaponry. He also uses an AS-12 shotgun, 92FS and Eagle pistol as his preferred weapons.
Personality
Despite his numerous design congruities with Reverend Ray, Ben is irritable and foul-mouthed. He is not above threatening or carrying out acts of torture, almost hanging Jesús Mendoza and threatening to cripple his father Juan. Ben also indulges in "pleasures of the flesh", as he is involved with numerous prostitutes, and runs various errands for them during his investigation in The Cartel.
Beneath his grizzled persona, however, he also possesses a deep sense of compassion and devotion to justice, if not necessarily the word of law; Ben holds an undying grudge against Antonio Alvarez for the rape and murder of a civilian during the Vietnam War, and readily abandons mission objectives to pursue him on multiple occasions. Following the death of Patrick Stone, Ben vows to protect his late friend’s daughter, Jessica, and is visibly ashamed at his failure to prevent her eventual assassination.
Quotes
"A real page turner, huh?" Ben to Shane Dickson.
"And I saw a pale horse, and he who sat on him was Death, and he has a bullet with your fucking name on it." - Ben when using Concentration Mode
"And I shall make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, and I will bathe in the blood of my motherfucking enemies." - Ben when using Concentration Mode
"I did not come to bring peace, but a motherfucking sword." - Ben when using Concentration Mode
"And they will give this fucker immunity. And he will skate, just like he always does. Well fuck that! Not this time, no fucking way!" - Ben to Kim about Alvarez
"Okay asshole, this is just like confession. I ask and you tell, and if I don't like what I hear I give you over to my compadres." - Ben to Javier
"Everyone dies eventually Juan. But there's good ways to die, and bad ways. Like when someone shoots out your kneecaps and leaves you out in the desert to fry." - Ben to Juan Mendoza
"Nice fucking shot!" - Ben addressing the player
"Do you need an engraved invitation? Pick a fucking weapon and get in the goddamn car." - Ben during the Docks' mission lobby.
"Fistiscuffs" - Ben during fistfights.
"I'm too old for this shit." - Ben during fistfights.
"I don't know. I think a fatass desk jockey like you has no idea what street cops have to do on a day to day basis." - Ben to Baressi.
"Holy fuck!" - Ben before the car crashes in the mission "Motel".
Trivia
- At the age of 58, Ben is the oldest playable character in the Call of Juarez series.
- Ben suffers from acrophobia (fear of heights), a trait he actively hides. He also has a dislike for water, replying sarcastically, "Great." when Eddie explains they need to walk down a small stream to get to a cabin.
- Ben also seems to possess some knowledge in Old West history (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Crazy Horse), and can speak in Lakota Sioux (It is not yet known how fluent he actually is). However Ben doesn't appear to know much about the Gold of Juarez, or the impact it had on his great-grandfather. Also Ben never does mention anything about Billy or Ray, and it is more than possible that Ben doesn't realize he has a Hispanic heritage.
- Ben is one of two protagonists to be born in Hope, Texas. The other is his great-grandfather Billy Candle.
- Benjamin is a Hebrew name meaning "Son of my right hand". Coincidentally Ray McCall referred to himself as the "Right hand of God", and Ben is the spiritual successor (although not blood related) of Ray.
- While Ben physically resembles Ray McCall in appearance and attire, Ben seems to also be a reference to Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan of the Dirty Harry film series. For example, Ben and Callahan both have a tendency to resort to police brutality to enforce the law, and will not hesitate to shoot at an armed individual. Both also have a habit of making insults and remarks to fellow officers. Ben and Callahan are both homicide detectives, and both are armed with .44 Magnum weapons. Ben's being the Desert Eagle Mk. 1, and Callahan's being the Smith & Wesson Mode 29. Coincidentally they both operate in cities in California. Ben in Los Angeles, and Callahan in San Francisco.
- Originally, Ben was supposed to be a blonde man in his fifties. He was to wear a white button-up shirt, black dress jacket, blue jeans, and black shoes. His disguise was also to be a black ski mask.
- One of Ben's concentration mode quotes was also different, it went "I did not come to bring peace, but a .44 Magnum, motherfucker!"