Solid Snake

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Solid Snake
Akio Ōtsuka
Portrayed byGiacomo Talamini (Metal Gear Solid: Philanthropy)
Oscar Isaac (upcoming film adaptation)

Solid Snake (

Metal Gear. Controlled by the player, he must act alone, supported via radio by commanding officers and specialists. While his first appearances in the original Metal Gear games were references to Hollywood films, the Metal Gear Solid series has given a consistent design by artist Yoji Shinkawa alongside an established personality while also exploring his relationship with his mentor and father
.

During the Metal Gear Solid games, the character has been voiced by voice actor

Akio Ōtsuka in the Japanese version and by Canadian screenwriter and actor David Hayter in the English version. He also appears in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series as a playable fighter, as well as the battle royale game Fortnite
. Considered to be one of the most iconic protagonists in video game history, Solid Snake has been acclaimed by critics, with his personality and both Ōtsuka's and Hayter's voice acting being noted as primary factors of the character's appeal.

Characteristics

In the early games, Solid Snake's visual appearances were references to popular actors. He was given his own consistent design in

, he has access to OctoCamo, which allows him to change his appearance to match the surface he is leaning on. And FaceCamo, which can change his facial appearance to make him look like other characters, as well as his younger self.

Snake possesses an IQ of 180 and is fluent in six languages. Solid Snake has been on the battlefield for most of his life,[1] and says that it is the only place he feels truly alive.[2] He is a hardened veteran, burying his emotions within himself during missions, every one of which has different motives.[3] He is also immediately shown as a loner,[4][5] often with no intentions of taking orders from anyone anymore[6] and he shows no sign of longing for the army or the country he was part of.[7] However, along with these traits he has a more human side, being flirtatious,[8] self-sacrificing[9] and with a strong belief that even on a battlefield friendship[10] and love[11] can flourish, and that violence is not glorious.[12] Snake's perceived stance on violence may be a case of denial, as Snake's enemies and at least one of his allies have claimed that he enjoys killing, and label him as more evil than the people he has killed.[2][13][14] When he is not on duty, he acts as a musher.[15]

Appearances

Video games

Metal Gear & Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake

Metal Gear" is.[16][17] As his mission progresses, Snake finds out that he has been set up; Big Boss's phantom intended to use TX-55 Metal Gear (the experimental, nuclear-armed weapon) to establish Outer Heaven as a nuclear power.[18] After destroying the Metal Gear, Snake confronts and defeats Big Boss's phantom.[19]

The sequel

Pettrovich Madnar.[21] Snake infiltrates the base and discovers that Pettrovich as well as Fox has defected to Zanzibar Land, and that Zanzibar Land is led by the true Big Boss.[22] Snake destroys Metal Gear D, and defeats both Fox and the true Big Boss.[23][24]

Metal Gear Solid / The Twin Snakes

Roy Campbell to deal with Liquid Snake
's "Sons of Big Boss" who seized an isolated American nuclear weapons disposal facility on Shadow Moses Island.

Snake's mission is to rescue

Naomi Hunter in order to wipe out FOXHOUND without risking any damage to REX for retrieval.[27] In the end, it is revealed that Liquid got Big Boss's superior "soldier genes" while Solid was actually the inferior one.[28]

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

the Patriots.[32]

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

The

Sunny, he wears a sneaking suit outfitted with "Octocamo" technology which allows him to blend with his environment as well as a face mask which alters his appearance.[33]

For his final mission, he is once again enlisted by Campbell to assassinate Liquid Ocelot, CEO of a giant mother company that are trying to take control of the Patriots' AIs.[34] He also learns from Naomi that his life has been artificially shortened as part of the cloning process so that his genes can't be used as a weapon in later research, thus explaining why he has the physical appearance of an elderly man despite being only forty-two years old.[35] Snake and his allies are forced to destroy the Patriots' AI and fight through Ocelot's forces until Snake defeats Liquid's doppelgänger in hand-to-hand combat. Snake tried to commit suicide as his DNA contains a mutated FOXDIE virus that might trigger an epidemic, but Big Boss revealed a new variant overwrote the mutant version to which the two make up as father and son. David is told he still has a chance to live "not as a snake but as a man" so he decides to live out the remainder of his life in peace, vowing that he will live long enough to see what the future holds for the new world he has helped create.[36]

Other appearances

The Metal Gear Solid prequels alludes to Solid Snake's existence;

Kazuhira Miller mentioning the "twin sons" that are two years old at the time.[38]

Solid Snake is featured/mentioned in

Venom Snake
after transferring the save data from Ground Zeroes. David is also alluded to in association with Eli during a conversation between Big Boss and Revolver Ocelot.

Other Metal Gear media

Solid Snake also serves as the protagonist in Snake's Revenge, a sequel to the original Metal Gear for the NES released for the western market in 1990 and developed without Kojima's involvement. Set three years after the events of the Outer Heaven incident, Snake's Revenge has Snake leading a team of FOX HOUND operatives as they infiltrate an undisclosed enemy base where the Metal Gear weapon is being mass-produced. Snake is addressed by the military rank of Lieutenant and starts the game already equipped with a handgun and a combat knife, in contrast to the first game, where Snake had to procure all of his weapons on-site.

After the success of the original Metal Gear Solid, KCEJ produced a trilogy of Metal Gear spin-offs for portable platforms set in a parallel universe outside the main Kojima-directed series. All three of these portable games were directed by

Metal Gear KODOQUE. Metal Gear Acid 2
features a main character who is not the real version, but a clone created from tissue samples of the man from the original Metal Gear Acid, following the events of the Lobito Island mission; the Solid Snake from the original Acid is implied to be dead in the sequel.

The character appears in his Old Snake form as a playable character in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus, a stand-alone expansion to the Portable Ops focusing on online play. In Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, the VR Missions DLC add-on for the game's Japanese version includes a new weapon that can be used by Raiden known as the Hebidamashi, a talking wooden sword which speaks with Solid Snake's voice (as portrayed by Akio Ōtsuka); the weapon was never made available for the English version.[42]

Outside video games, Solid Snake appeared in the Metal Gear Solid audio drama that focuses on his missions following the battle from Shadow Moses.[43] He also appears in Alex Garner's comic book adaptations of Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2.[44] Raymond Benson's novelizations of these two games also feature Solid Snake; Benson's adaptation of the character frequently focuses on the comical aspects of his characterization.[45][46] He also appears in Project Itoh's novelization from Metal Gear Solid 4 where his actions are told from Hal Emmerich's point of view.[47]

Other video games and media

In the

F.X. Nine, Solid Snake appears in the second in the series, based on Metal Gear. In the book, written by Alexander Frost, he is Marine Captain Justin Halley.[48]
This version of the character is non-canon and is not referenced by other versions.

Solid Snake has appeared in a number of other games, including other Konami games. Hideo Kojima makes a habit of referencing his previous work. In the Kojima-produced

Shin Bokura no Taiyō: Gyakushū no Sabata), Snake appears as an unnamed character who sells items to the player. Konami's Evolution Skateboarding features Snake and Raiden as hidden characters, as well as two stages set in the Big Shell (the skateboarding minigame in Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance is a demo of Evolution Skateboarding composed exclusively of these elements).[49] Solid Snake also appears in both halves of a crossover between the Metal Gear and Ape Escape franchises: the Ape Escape monkeys appear with Solid Snake in the "Snake vs. Monkey" minigame featured in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. In turn, Snake appears in the corresponding Metal Gear Solid minigame featured in Ape Escape 3
, where he is rescued by Pipo Snake (Snake's character design in this minigame is taken directly from Naked Snake's).

He has also appeared in several cross-company fighting games. In

Donkey Kong. Brawl Director Masahiro Sakurai has stated that Snake was included under Kojima's request, and that he had talked to Sakurai about adding Snake to the roster of the previous game Super Smash Bros. Melee, which did not materialize due to the game being too far into production.[50] Snake returned as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, after being absent in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. In addition, Snake has appeared as a playable character in other Konami crossover titles, such as New International Track & Field and Super Bomberman R.[51]

Old Snake has appeared in the Japanese version of

US Army Ranger Artemis, being portrayed by Milla Jovovich.[54]

film adaptation of Metal Gear Solid.[55]

Solid Snake appears as an outfit in Fortnite, starting from the first season of the battle royale mode's fifth chapter in December 2023 [56] and is unlockable from January 23, 2024 until the season's end date.

Creation and development

"The name 'Snake' in MGS comes from creeping up on someone silently like a snake. The adjective 'Solid' expresses Snake's strong and blade-sharp image - paradoxical when combined with a snake's litheness. Normally, 'snake' and 'solid' do not go together. It's like talking about 'hot ice.' I came up with the name to express this lack of balance and equilibrium. But when I decided the codename would be Snake, the character was more Plissken than snake-like at the subconscious level. If I had used a different name for 'Snake' in MGS, he probably would have been a totally different character."

– Hideo Kojima[57]

Solid Snake was apparently named after the fictional special forces operative

2001: A Space Odyssey that has a character with the same name (and coincidentally shared with his English voice actor David Hayter).[64] Kojima later described Snake's role in the original Metal Gear as the "player's presence", contrasting the defined personality acquired in Metal Gear Solid.[65]

Solid Snake was created by Hideo Kojima (left) and designed by Yoji Shinkawa (right).

In addition to expanding Solid Snake's backstory, as the first Metal Gear game to feature voice acting, Metal Gear Solid established his characteristic voice and appearance.[66]

Various scenes from the games relate Solid Snake's ideals with Hideo Kojima's. During Metal Gear Solid 2, Snake encourages Raiden to trust himself in making his own choices with the former representing the veteran developer and the latter the younger staff who are to decide whether a sequel to the series would be made without Kojima.

Sacco & Vanzetti in regards to how the duo use death as a penalty for how they are criminals rather than heroes. While the novel retained this idea, the ending in the game was changed with Snake and Otacon surviving.[71] Following Kojima's departure from Konami, the company indicated that it does not intend to produce further Metal Gear games with Solid Snake as the protagonist;[72] Kojima has himself stated that Solid Snake "is one character that I don't want to entrust to other people".[68]

Design

The Solid Snake design created by Yoji Shinkawa for Metal Gear Solid is inspired by actors Jean-Claude Van Damme (pictured) and Christopher Walken.

Much as Metal Gear began as a

pastiche of action movies of the time, Solid Snake began as a pastiche of action movie heroes. On the cover artwork of the original Metal Gear he resembles actor Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese in the 1984 film The Terminator,[73] although Kojima claimed to have no involvement in the production of the game's packaging illustration.[74] In the in-game portrait of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, he resembles Mel Gibson.[73]

By the time Metal Gear Solid 4 started development, Kojima told Shinkawa about his idea of making Snake look elderly, which surprised the designer. Once Shinkawa showed his artwork of Old Snake to the staff, they were all also surprised by the idea of playing as an old version of the character. However, they were satisfied with the end product as the staff began to like the character.[67] In Metal Gear Solid 4, one of Kojima's endings would have had Snake and Otacon turn themselves in for breaking the law, and subsequently they would be convicted and executed.[68] However, comments from Kojima's staff who were disappointed with his death resulted in the character's survival.[79] In Metal Gear Solid 4, Old Snake is modelled after Lee Van Cleef who appeared in Escape from New York.[80]

Voice actors

Akio Ōtsuka (left) in Japanese and David Hayter
(right) in English.

In the games, Solid Snake has been voiced by

Captain Planet, Hayter met the casting director of this show, Kris Zimmerman, who would later also be the voice-over director for Metal Gear games. When debuting in Metal Gear Solid, Hayter was impressed by the game's cutscenes and the amount of dialogue. One of Snake's lines that Hayter liked was "I just didn't expect a world-class designer of military technology to be so… cute." when Snake interacts with Mei Ling, believing it showed a more fun side of him. Solid Snake's English voice was inspired by Hayter's experience with Japan's storytelling, resulting in minor changes for the script. Hayter himself felt shocked when Sons of Liberty was released as the narrative focused more on newcomer Raiden rather than him. Although there were no news about Snake's future role in Metal Gear, the actor believes Guns of the Patriots gave the character a proper closure.[81] One of Snake's final scenes in this game bothered Hayter as during the ending the character hesitates to kill himself despite having killed multiple enemies in fights. Nevertheless, Hayter stated that he "loves" the character he was given to portray.[82]

Other than the aforementioned voice actors, Solid Snake has also been dubbed in four different languages for the European localization of Metal Gear Solid; in French by Emmanuel Bonami,[83] in German by Stephan Grothgar,[84] in Italian by Alessandro Ricci,[85] and in Spanish by Alfonso Vallés.[86]

Reception

Popularity

Solid Snake's character was very well received by gaming media.

Complex ranked him as fourth on the list of top "pervs" in games in 2012[98] and as the seventh greatest soldier in video games in 2013.[99] In 2021, Chris Morgan for Yardbarker described Snake as one of "the most memorable characters from old school Nintendo games".[100] HobbyConsolas named Snake as third of their "The 30 best heroes of the last 30 years."[101]

Critical response

Critics have commented on his traits and appearance, often praising Solid Snake for his appealing personality.

1UP.com, Game Informer and Kotaku joked on the poor relationship between the two of them as the father attempts to murder his own son.[108][109][110] Among other character relationships, Snake and Gray Fox were popular due to the varitey of enemies the player faces.[111][112]

Solid Snake's Metal Gear Solid 2 design was at the bottom of the worst game character makeovers list by GamePro, condemning his conversion in hairstyle in comparison to his Metal Gear Solid design,[113] and was also at the top of IGN's list of the worst video game haircuts.[114] The book Playing with Videogames states that Raiden's inclusion was intended to surprise Metal Gear fans who, instead of playing as Snake, played as his opposite. Writer James Newman commented that fans' reactions were highly negative; they acted as though Kojima had betrayed their expectations. He compared Raiden to the controversial Star Wars character Jar Jar Binks.[115] Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell commented that his interactions with the other characters also helped expand Solid Snake's character.[116] His interactions with veteran Solid Snake identify the former as "a Metal Gear fan". As the game progresses it is stated that Raiden "has become Snake", having developed skills similar to those he gained from taking part in the Big Shell's fights that resemble Metal Gear Solid's Shadow Moses Island.[117] Before Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the character was thought to be the game's protagonist because of his physical resemblances with Naked Snake. However, later previews speculated how was it impossible for Solid Snake to be in the game's settings, leading to the conclusion it was a young incarnation of his father.[118][119][120] A comparison between Solid Snake's and Big Boss's characters was made by IGN in article "Stars Thunderdome: Snake vs. Big Boss."[121]

The character's appearance in Metal Gear Solid 4 has received mostly positive opinions. Before it was released, various speculations were made regarding his role. As he was the only one who suffered from a drastic change in appearance, IGN commented that the most famous rumor was the one of his body deteriorating across the game.[122] Moreover, since it had been announced it would be his last appearance, IGN and GamesRadar wondered whether the character would die during the game and if Raiden would replace him following his death.[123][124] GamesRadar commented that his character was one of the few gaming characters that aged across video games.[125] GamePro also listed Old Snake as one of the biggest surprises from the game, as the character was found interesting in contrast to pessimistic thoughts they had before the game's release.[126] GameDaily listed the "old hero" as one of their list of top video game archetypes, using the old version of the character as an example of this.[127] PLAY gave praise to his moustache considering how highly detailed it is, and represents the change from Solid Snake's character.[128] On the other hand, 1UP.com criticized it as the most gracelessly aging characters as it gave negative messages about aging.[129] 1UP.com listed their fight as the 13 "most dumbass" boss battles for its simple style in comparison to other more challenging bosses from Metal Gear Solid 3 and its excessive length for a hand-to-hand fight between two old people.[130] The design resulted in mixed reactions regarding whether or not the character kept his original sex appeal.[131][132]

Smash Bros. characters list,[133] while PLAY listed him as one of the characters they wanted to be playable in Mortal Kombat.[134] The character customization in Soulcalibur IV that allowed to create Solid Snake was listed by UGO as one of the best ones from the series owing to his popularity within gamers.[135] Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek ranked Solid Snake as 12th of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate characters, and stated that "bringing Snake in Smash Bros. was an act of pure dominance."[136] Jeremy Parish of Polygon ranked 73 fighters from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate "from garbage to glorious", listing Solid Snake as 18th, stating that "The legendary super-soldier Solid Snake remains one of gaming's greatest and most tragic figures."[137] People expressed some disappointment on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate when Solid Snake wears a skintight stealth suit, and the rendition being completely changed. Leaving the character's butt being reduced.[138]

Akio Otsuka's and David Hayter's performances as Solid Snake's voice actors has received praise. Ōtsuka remembers being surprised during his debut as a result of the large amount of dialogue Solid Snake was given.[139] Hayter's performance was called one of the greatest in gaming as well as one of the character's most recognizable traits.[140][141] In 2013, Game Informer ranked Hayter's role as Solid Snake as the seventh most memorable character voice in video games for "a portrayal that's considered to be a real classic in the history of video game voice acting".[142] In 2024, a poll conducted by BAFTA with around 4,000 respondents named Solid Snake as the fourteenth most iconic video-game character of all time.[143]

Controversy

In the Tekken 7 Evo 2019 finals, the character was used to have a chat with developer Katsuhiro Harada. The organizers of Evo stated this was a joke as many fans believed it was a hint for a possible usage of the character as downloadable content.[144] David Hayter complained about this joke as Evo did not consult Konami or him when using the audio.[145]

References

  1. ^ Roy Campbell: ...You were there too I believe. Didn't you infiltrate western Iraq with a platoon of Green Berets? Snake: I was just a kid myself back then. (Metal Gear Solid)
  2. ^ a b Snake: It's only when I'm cheating death on the battlefield. The only time I feel truly alive. Meryl: Seeing other people die makes you feel alive, huh? You love war, and don't want it to stop... Is it the same with all great soldiers throughout history? (Metal Gear Solid)
  3. ^ Colonel Campbell: [Solid Snake], there's enough dirt in your file from your days as an agent to keep you in the stockade until you're a very old man.
  4. ^ Snake: Right now my fifty huskies are my only family. I've got to take care of them. (Metal Gear Solid)
  5. ^ Meryl Silverburgh: Is there anyone you like? Solid Snake: I've never been interested in anyone else's life... Meryl Silverburgh: So you are all alone. Just like Mantis said. Solid Snake: Other people just complicate my life. I don't like to get involved. Meryl Silverburgh: You're a sad, lonely man.(Metal Gear Solid)
  6. ^ Solid Snake: I'm retired from FOX-HOUND. You're not my commander anymore, and I don't have to take orders from you or anyone else. (Metal Gear Solid)
  7. ^ Solid Snake: I told you, even if I do owe you I don't owe anything to this army or this country!. Colonel Campbell: You will accept this assignment! Solid Snake: Why should I be stupid enough to do that? I'm no patriot. (Metal Gear Solid)
  8. ^ Solid Snake: ...I just didn't expect a world-class designer of military technology to be so...cute. Mei Ling: You're just flattering me... Solid Snake: No, I'm serious. Now I know I won't be bored for the next 18 hours. (Metal Gear Solid)
  9. ^ Naomi: ...Why did you go so far out of your way to save her? For Campbell's sake... or... maybe it's because you like her? Solid Snake: I don't want to see any woman die right in front of me. Naomi Hunter: Oh really? Since when did anybody's death bother you so much? Colonel Campbell: Naomi! It's true that [Solid Snake] has killed a lot of people, that doesn't mean he doesn't have a heart. (Metal Gear Solid)
  10. ^ Naomi Hunter: ...Friends? Solid Snake: ...Frank Jaeger Naomi Hunter: But... didn't you try to kill each other? Solid Snake: That's true. We did. In Zanzibar. But it was nothing personal. We were just professionals on opposite sides, that's all. Naomi Hunter: And you still call yourselves friends? Solid Snake: Hard to believe? War is no reason to end a friendship. (Metal Gear Solid)
  11. ^ Otacon: I wanna ask you... Do you think love can bloom even on a battlefield? Solid Snake: Yeah...I do. I think at any time, any place... people can fall in love with each other. (Metal Gear Solid)
  12. ^ Vulcan Raven: Rejoice, Snake! Ours will be a glorious battle. Solid Snake: This isn't glorious. It's just plain killing. Violence isn't a sport! (Metal Gear Solid)
  13. ^ Meryl Silverburgh: You monster! Snake: Let him talk. He doesn't have much time left. Psycho Mantis: I've seen true evil. You Snake. You're just like the Boss... No, you're worse. Compared to you, I'm not so bad.
  14. ^ Solid Snake: I don't want that kind of world! Liquid Snake: Ha! You lie! So why are you here then? Why do you continue to follow your orders while your superiors betray you? Why did you come here? Solid Snake: ...... Liquid Snake: Well... I'll tell you then. You enjoy all the killing, that's why. Solid Snake: What! Liquid Snake: Are you denying it? Haven't you already killed most of my comrades? Solid Snake: That was... Liquid Snake: I watched your face when you did it. It was filled with the joy of battle.
  15. ^ talk after fight with Psycho Mantis (and before with Sniper Wolf for the first time): Meryl Silverburgh: How do you know so much? Solid Snake: I ride dog sleds. I'm a musher. (Metal Gear Solid)
  16. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear. Konami. Big Boss: Big Boss speaking. Operation Intrude N313. Penetrate the enemy's Outer Heaven and destroy the ultimate weapon, Metal Gear!
  17. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear. Konami. Big Boss: First, contact missing Gray Fox and destroy Metal Gear!
  18. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear. Konami. Big Boss: Solid Snake! You've finally come here. Yeah, I'm Big Boss General Commander of Foxhound. And in charge of this castle, Outer Heaven.
  19. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear. Konami. Solid Snake: This is Solid Snake... Metal Gear's destruction is a success.
  20. ^ "The History of Metal Gear Solid". UGO.com. Archived from the original on 2005-03-31. Retrieved 2005-07-15.
  21. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Konami. Roy Campbell: Snake... Right on time, as always. Let's get started... Commencing Operation Intrude F014. Let's go over this one more time. Your mission is to infiltrate Zanzibar Land and rescue the kidnapped Czech biologist, Dr. Kio Marv.
  22. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Konami. Solid Snake: Big... Boss?! / Madnar: The very same! With Metal Gear and OILEX, he plots to rule the world. We cannot let the secret of OILEX fall into his hands!
  23. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Konami. Gray Fox: Snake... I'm not the same as I used to be. And neither is Metal Gear. I'll show you what fear really is. Prepare to taste defeat!
  24. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Konami. Big Boss: Even I make mistakes from time to time. Snake! This will be our final battle... Let's end this once and for all!
  25. ^ Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. Metal Gear Solid. Konami. Solid Snake: FOX-HOUND hijacking a nuclear weapon? / Campbell: Now you understand how serious the situation is. You'll have two mission objectives. First, you're to rescue the DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Chief Donald Anderson, and the ArmsTech president Kenneth Baker. They're both being held as hostages.
  26. ^ Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. Metal Gear Solid. Konami. Liquid Snake: There's a killer inside you... You don't have to deny it. We were created to be that way. Solid Snake: Created? Liquid Snake: Les enfants terribles... the terrible children. That's what the project was called. It started in the 1970's. Their plan was to artificially create the most powerful soldier possible. The person that they chose as the model was the man known then as the greatest living soldier in the world...
  27. ^ Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. Metal Gear Solid. Liquid Snake: The Pentagon only needed for you to come into contact with us. That's what killed the ArmsTech president and Decoy Octopus. / Solid Snake: You don't mean... / Liquid Snake: That's right. You were sent in here to kill us so they could retrieve Metal Gear undamaged along with the bodies of the genome soldiers. From the beginning, the Pentagon was just using you as a vector to spread FoxDie!
  28. ^ Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. Metal Gear Solid. Revolver Ocelot: Yes, although [Solid Snake] proved he was superior and was the winner after all. ...That's right. Until the very end, [Liquid Snake] thought he was meant to be the inferior one.
  29. ^ Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Konami. Solid Snake: All right. I'll head to the bridge ASAP. / Otacon: Try to avoid confrontations. Our goal is to collect evidence on Metal Gear development and expose it to the world. It would be best if you could get out of there without alerting anyone. / Solid Snake: Don't worry. I know the drill -- we're not terrorists. / Otacon: Very good. Don't you forget that you're a part of "Philanthropy" now, an anti-Metal Gear organization and officially recognized by the UN.
  30. ^ Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Konami. Revolver Ocelot: ...Yes, at the location we discussed. Yes. I have photographic evidence of Snake on the scene. The Cypher was most useful...I look forward to tomorrow morning's news flash. I would say the Marine Corps' plans are on indefinite hold.
  31. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Konami. Raiden: So your the boss around here? / Solidus Snake: No, not just around here. I'm the boss to surpass Big Boss himself. Solid Snake. / Solid Snake: No! That is not Solid Snake! Solidus Snake: What a pleasant surprise – brother.
  32. ^ Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Konami. Solid Snake: I'm not an enemy. Calm down. My name is S... My name is Pliskin. Iroquois Pliskin, Lieutenant Junior Grade.
  33. ^ a b c MacDonald, Mark (2005). "Metal Gear Solid 4 101". 1up.com. Ziff Davis Media Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-12-25.
  34. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Konami. Campbell: His will lives on - in the body of the man once known as Ocelot. He aims to fan the flames of war even higher - to create the perfect world once envisioned by Big Boss. / Old Snake: The one world in which soldiers will always have a place... / Campbell: He must be stopped... Before it's too late.
  35. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Naomi Hunter: You're clones created for one purpose - war. And so in order to prevent you from being abused by clients or stolen by the enemy... They shortened your lifespan and removed your ability to reproduce. It was a safety device to ensure that the seed of Big Boss didn't end up in the hands of others. The reason you're aging so rapidly isn't that of disease, or faulty research, or FOXDIE. It's how you were born. It's your natural lifespan.
  36. ^ Kojima Productions. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Konami. Otacon: Our fight is finished. There's nothing left for us to do. / Old Snake: No. There's one thing I still have to do. I have to see this age off... See what the future brings.
  37. ^ Elisa/Ursula: The futures we saw were the same. [Naked Snake], you will destroy Metal Gear, and you will build a new Metal Gear to take its place. Your children... Les Enfants Terribles. Snake, your son will bring the world to ruin. Your son... will save... the world... (Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops)
  38. ^ Kazuhira Miller: Speaking of which, any news on the "sons"?... But they're strictly an insurance policy, yes?... I wonder how Big Boss will respond... (Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker)
  39. ^ Serrels, Mark (2013-11-15). "MGSV: Ground Zeroes Has Classic Snake Missions, Exclusive To PS3 and PS4". Kotaku. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  40. ^ Miller, Greg (2013-11-15). "Metal Gear Solid V: Classic Snake Reportedly Isn't David Hayter". IGN. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  41. ^ "GameSpot: Metal Gear Saga Q&A - The Inside Scoop". March 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
  42. ^ "「メタルギア ライジング リベンジェンス」,DLC第1弾の配信は4月上旬。30種類のVRミッションと"ソリッド・スネーク"の声を発する不思議な木刀を収録" (in Japanese). 4Gamer. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  43. ^ "DRAMA CD メタルギア ソリッドVol.1" (in Japanese). Konami. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
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