You're running through the West Virginia streets, zombies are biting at your heels, and suddenly you aren't just a regular operator anymore. You’re a god. Or at least, a plastic-and-paint version of one with lasers coming out of your eyes. The Liberty Falls superhero easter egg is easily the most chaotic thing Treyarch has added to Black Ops 6 Zombies. It turns the match into a power fantasy that feels more like The Boys than a gritty survival horror game.
Most people stumble onto this by accident. They see a glowing figurine and wonder why it doesn't just give them points. Honestly, if you aren't hunting this down by round 15, you’re making the game way harder for yourself than it needs to be.
What the Liberty Falls Superhero Easter Egg Actually Is
Basically, you’re looking for Aetherella. She’s the fictional superhero of the Call of Duty Zombies universe, and her statues are scattered all over the map. Collecting them isn't just for a trophy or a calling card; it literally transforms your character. You become a giant, glowing version of the Aetherella figurine.
You lose your guns. You lose your tactical gear. But you gain a laser beam.
This beam melts HVTs (High Value Targets) like Manglers and Abominations in seconds. It’s a limited-time transformation, lasting about 90 seconds, but during that window, you are essentially invincible. It’s the perfect "get out of jail free" card if your team is trapped in the church or the bowling alley.
Why does this exist?
Treyarch has a history of these quirky, "mode-breaking" secrets. Think back to the Samantha's Music Box or the various prop-based transformations in previous titles. This one feels different because it’s deeply tied to the map’s 1990s aesthetic. Liberty Falls is a town frozen in time, and the comic book shop is the heart of its pop-culture soul.
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Finding the 9 Aetherella Statues
You can't just find one and call it a day. You need all nine. They are small, easily missed, and usually tucked away on shelves or inside glass cases. You’ll need the Jet Gun (the Wonder Weapon of this map) to suck them up. Trying to interact with them normally does nothing.
First, head over to Ol’板's Comic Box. This is where most of the statues are hiding. You’ll see one right on the counter near the register. Don’t just run past it. Another is tucked away on a high shelf in the back corner, near the racks of comic books. You have to aim the Jet Gun upward and hold the trigger until it flies into your inventory.
Then, you have to go outside. There’s one sitting in a window display at the Savings & Loan. Another is chilling on a table near the rooftop zip-line. The locations are consistent, but the tiny size makes them a nightmare to spot while a horde is sprinting at you.
- The Motel: Look inside one of the open rooms on the second floor. It's often on a dresser.
- The Church: Check the pews near the front. Sometimes it’s hiding right under a seat.
- The Flower Shop: One is nestled among the dead plants near the window.
- The Bowling Alley: Check the snack bar area, specifically near the soda machines.
- The Comic Shop Exterior: There’s one on the ledge above the entrance.
Finding the statues is the "chore" part of the Liberty Falls superhero easter egg. Once you have the ninth one, the game doesn't give you a massive pop-up. You just... change.
The Transformation: High Risk, High Reward
The moment that ninth statue hits your inventory, your POV shifts. You grow significantly in size—or rather, the world seems to shrink as you become the figurine. You hover slightly off the ground.
Your primary attack is a continuous concentrated beam of Aether energy. It has infinite ammo for the duration of the power-up. It deals massive tick damage. If you’ve ever used a focused beam weapon in an RPG, it feels exactly like that, but tuned for slaughtering the undead.
But here is what most players get wrong. They think they are totally immortal. While you have a massive health pool in this form, you can still be downed if you get cornered by multiple Abominations or if you let the timer run out while standing in a pool of acid. The movement is floaty. It's awesome, sure, but it's also a bit clunky.
Strategic Timing
Don't finish the Liberty Falls superhero easter egg on Round 5. It’s a waste. Save that final statue for a high-round exfil or a particularly nasty boss wave. Because you can control when you pick up the statues, you effectively control when you trigger the "superhero" mode. If you’re playing solo, this is your best chance to clear the map for a difficult Easter Egg step without worrying about standard zombie pathing.
Addressing the Common Glitches
Since the launch of Black Ops 6, players have reported some weirdness with the Aetherella statues. Sometimes the Jet Gun won't "grab" the statue even if you're looking right at it. This usually happens if the statue has been clipped into the geometry by an explosion or a stray tactical.
If a statue isn't moving, try repositioning. Stand directly on top of it if possible, or try pulling it from a different angle. Also, keep in mind that if a teammate picks one up, it counts for the whole team, but only the person who grabs the final one gets the transformation.
It’s a bit of a "first come, first served" situation, which can lead to some funny (or frustrating) moments in public lobbies.
Nuance in the Design
What's really interesting is how this reflects the shift in Zombies' philosophy. Some purists hate this. They think it's too "arcadey." They miss the days when the hardest thing you could do was get a Pack-a-Punched pistol.
But for the modern player, the Liberty Falls superhero easter egg adds a layer of variety. It breaks the monotony of the "train and shoot" gameplay loop. It’s a nod to the fact that Call of Duty doesn't always have to take itself seriously. It’s a toy in a toy box.
Practical Tips for the Hunt
- Build the Jet Gun early. You can't do this without it. Focus on the water valve, the hand, and the electrical wires parts as soon as the map opens up.
- Clear the room. Don't try to grab the comic shop statues mid-round. The Jet Gun has a "wind-up" time and uses assembly pressure; if you're being hit, it resets.
- Coordinate with your team. Decide who is going to be the "Super" before you grab the last one. Usually, your player with the least perks should take it to help them catch up on points.
- Watch the timer. There is a faint visual cue—a flickering of the Aetherella model—when you are about to revert. Make sure you aren't in the middle of a horde when it happens, or you'll be instantly swamped.
Is it worth the effort?
Honestly, yes. Even if you aren't a high-round chaser, seeing the world from the perspective of a foot-tall plastic superhero melting zombies is peak gaming. It's one of those "did you see that?" moments that makes Zombies memorable.
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The Liberty Falls superhero easter egg isn't just a gimmick; it's a powerful tool for survival. It bridges the gap between the lore (Aetherella comics) and the gameplay. Next time you're in the comic shop, stop looking for the mystery box and start looking at the shelves.
Final Steps to Mastery
- Memorize the Silhouettes: The statues are small and dark. Learn to recognize the shape of Aetherella’s cape so you can spot them in low light.
- Manage Jet Gun Pressure: Don't waste your Jet Gun charge on regular zombies while hunting statues. Keep the meter full so you can snatch a statue and move to the next one quickly.
- Test the Beam Range: The laser has a surprisingly long reach. You can snipe Manglers from the top of the bank while they are still near the spawn area.
- Use the Verticality: When transformed, you can float over some obstacles. Use this to bypass hoardes that would normally block your path in the narrow alleyways.
This isn't a permanent power-up, and it won't win the game for you on its own, but it’s the most fun you can have in Liberty Falls without a Ray Gun. Get out there, find those figurines, and start blasting.