Imagine, for a moment, that you are Hideo Kojima. You just created three of the most notorious video games ever which make up one of the best franchises ever made. You love making games and you love to convey to the audience your messages, themes, and ideals. But, that work takes a heavy toll. The public is craving yet another installment, however, you're getting tired. You decide to step down as the lead and let someone else take the reigns. But the public doesn't like that. In fact, the public HATES that. They know that another installment in their favorite franchise will not be complete without the man behind the curtain of the previous games. So, fans of your series send you letters, letting you know how much they appreciate your work, how much that work means to them, and how much it would mean if you directed the next installment. This lightens your heart, but your mind is already made. The letters pile up. Their content becomes much harsher. Now, you're receiving death threats to direct the next game. The same people who claimed they loved you and your work so much are now trying to control and force you to do something against your will.
This is the story of MGS4 exemplified in MGSV. Cipher, the shadow organization responsible for the future's conflict, is thriving more than ever. This almost inhuman outfit has one fatal flaw in that its head is very much human. Zero, the man who worked with Big Boss on Operation Snake Eater, has grown in immense size and strength. His influence is everywhere. Nobody is safe. Big Boss himself had to find out the hard way that Zero's impact can be felt everywhere. But, like I said before, this monstrous group was being led by a broken man with a broken heart.
Big Boss was Zero's best friend. They both struggled with the unfortunate death of The Boss, a friend and mentor to both of them. This wrong would attempt to be righted by the two men who wanted The Boss to live on in the new age. Her will was the one thing that the two friends wanted the world to be united under. Even when they both agreed on the end goal, their methods were completely different. Zero wanted to unify the world under one way of thinking. He didn't just want to control information, but thoughts, ideals, and morals. Big Boss, on the other hand, sought to ignite infinite conflict across the nations so that he and his fellow soldiers would be needed. He wouldn't let his comrades be used the same way that The Boss was.
Zero couldn't handle this; the fact that his friend would be pursuing a different path than he. As insurance, he cloned Big Boss for future generations. He saw his friend as a potential icon, the apprentice of The Boss, who would be able to unite the world with his image alone. However, Big Boss found out about this cloning and was only disgusted by it. He parted ways with Zero, out to fulfill a quest according to his mentor's wishes. Unable to convince him to stay, Zero then did everything in his power to somehow persuade his friend to see his way of thinking. Three people, all with names meaning peace – Paz, Zadornov, and Kazuhira – were sent as agents of his new outfit: Cipher. With help from these agents and a few other individuals, Zero orchestrated the Peace Walker Incident.
The purpose of this incident was to get Big Boss to see Zero's way of thinking. Zero gave his friend a base, an army, power, everything he would need to pursue his idea of a world filled with conflict. But, Zero did not intend to let Big Boss pursue his own unique goals. Taking control of his friend's own nuclear deterrent, Metal Gear ZEKE, Big Boss was offered a choice: submit to Cipher's will and work as their deterrent, or be killed. Of course, he refused, and single handedly took down his own nuclear war machine. This unintended outcome only separated Zero further from his former friend. His motives, driven by love, failed due to his desire for control.
Then, the unthinkable happened. A rogue Cipher agent by the name of Skull Face launched an attack on Big Boss, destroying his home, his army, and almost the man himself. Zero, hearing of this attack, decided one last time to act in favor of his friend. He transported Big Boss to a hospital, relatively safe from potential harm, and constructed the biggest ruse that the world didn't even realize: he created another Snake. This new Snake, constructed by removing the individual of another, would act as the new Big Boss so the real Big Boss could build a new army safe from the public eye.
Venom Snake is a husk. Nothing he has is his own. He was created to be a vessel for other people's wills. His actions are always done, knowingly or unknowingly, for the sake of another. Kazuhira, Ocelot, Zero, Skull Face, and you, the player. He may have his own strengths, such as a higher morality than his counterpart, (Big Boss 100% would've let Huey get torn to shreds) but with that comes loss. An inability to save those he cares about. Paz, Quiet, Eli, his infected men, they all suffer under Venom's leadership. The only one he IS able to save is Big Boss, done by succumbing to his will and taking up the mantle and facing the fire for him. He did not choose his life, he was thrust into it and suffered the consequences of trying to break free from it.
MGSV is a husk. It may have its own strengths, but it is radically different from games prior. Like Venom, there are hints at something deeper, but searching for that depth yields no results. Contrary to popular belief, this is not due to content that was cut, but content that was never there to begin with. During the big body swap reveal, Big Boss assures Venom that he can "write his own history" and that he is "his own man," which is absolutely not true. The freedom that you experience in this game is meant to make you feel like you're special, like you're Big Boss, when in reality, there is already a complete timeline of events unaffected by your actions. There is no definitive ending, there is no satisfying resolution for how Venom's story ends, we don't even know for sure how Venom felt about taking up the title of Big Boss. Despite the length, it leaves us asking ourselves if that was truly all it has to offer. No Skull Face boss fight? The Man on Fire is Volgin and he gets disregarded immediately after the reveal? We don't even confront Zero at any point? That's it? That CAN'T be it, can it?
The fans of MGS could not let go of their beloved Kojima, and so they coerced him into a position against his own will. Kojima was then stuck with the series until his inevitable departure with Konami. It didn't have to end like this. We can be better than this. We SHOULD be better than this. To truly love something, you need to have the strength to let it go and move on. Zero couldn't bear to live in a world where his friend went against him, and so he did everything in his power to force him back in line. What he sought was closure when what he needed was acceptance - acceptance that it was over. The result of both Kojima and Zero's conflicts was one final act of kindness; a vessel for anyone's will to be fulfilled through.
It's time to end the unhealthy obsession. There is no Chapter 3, there is no missing content, there is nothing deeper. The final piece of the puzzle is that there is no final piece of the puzzle. Do not become Zero and convince yourself that there is more than there is. It's time to move on. If we allow ourselves to become like Zero, we will only end up hurting those around us. Sometimes, life doesn't give us the closure that humanity naturally desires. The best course of action in such a case is to accept it and move on. It may leave us feeling empty, it may leave us craving more, it may leave us feeling like there's something else if we just keep looking... but there is nothing. To truly love something, you need to have the strength to let it go.
There is nothing good to be had by allowing ourselves to be reduced to Zero.
This is the story of MGS4 exemplified in MGSV. Cipher, the shadow organization responsible for the future's conflict, is thriving more than ever. This almost inhuman outfit has one fatal flaw in that its head is very much human. Zero, the man who worked with Big Boss on Operation Snake Eater, has grown in immense size and strength. His influence is everywhere. Nobody is safe. Big Boss himself had to find out the hard way that Zero's impact can be felt everywhere. But, like I said before, this monstrous group was being led by a broken man with a broken heart.
Big Boss was Zero's best friend. They both struggled with the unfortunate death of The Boss, a friend and mentor to both of them. This wrong would attempt to be righted by the two men who wanted The Boss to live on in the new age. Her will was the one thing that the two friends wanted the world to be united under. Even when they both agreed on the end goal, their methods were completely different. Zero wanted to unify the world under one way of thinking. He didn't just want to control information, but thoughts, ideals, and morals. Big Boss, on the other hand, sought to ignite infinite conflict across the nations so that he and his fellow soldiers would be needed. He wouldn't let his comrades be used the same way that The Boss was.
Zero couldn't handle this; the fact that his friend would be pursuing a different path than he. As insurance, he cloned Big Boss for future generations. He saw his friend as a potential icon, the apprentice of The Boss, who would be able to unite the world with his image alone. However, Big Boss found out about this cloning and was only disgusted by it. He parted ways with Zero, out to fulfill a quest according to his mentor's wishes. Unable to convince him to stay, Zero then did everything in his power to somehow persuade his friend to see his way of thinking. Three people, all with names meaning peace – Paz, Zadornov, and Kazuhira – were sent as agents of his new outfit: Cipher. With help from these agents and a few other individuals, Zero orchestrated the Peace Walker Incident.
The purpose of this incident was to get Big Boss to see Zero's way of thinking. Zero gave his friend a base, an army, power, everything he would need to pursue his idea of a world filled with conflict. But, Zero did not intend to let Big Boss pursue his own unique goals. Taking control of his friend's own nuclear deterrent, Metal Gear ZEKE, Big Boss was offered a choice: submit to Cipher's will and work as their deterrent, or be killed. Of course, he refused, and single handedly took down his own nuclear war machine. This unintended outcome only separated Zero further from his former friend. His motives, driven by love, failed due to his desire for control.
Then, the unthinkable happened. A rogue Cipher agent by the name of Skull Face launched an attack on Big Boss, destroying his home, his army, and almost the man himself. Zero, hearing of this attack, decided one last time to act in favor of his friend. He transported Big Boss to a hospital, relatively safe from potential harm, and constructed the biggest ruse that the world didn't even realize: he created another Snake. This new Snake, constructed by removing the individual of another, would act as the new Big Boss so the real Big Boss could build a new army safe from the public eye.
Venom Snake is a husk. Nothing he has is his own. He was created to be a vessel for other people's wills. His actions are always done, knowingly or unknowingly, for the sake of another. Kazuhira, Ocelot, Zero, Skull Face, and you, the player. He may have his own strengths, such as a higher morality than his counterpart, (Big Boss 100% would've let Huey get torn to shreds) but with that comes loss. An inability to save those he cares about. Paz, Quiet, Eli, his infected men, they all suffer under Venom's leadership. The only one he IS able to save is Big Boss, done by succumbing to his will and taking up the mantle and facing the fire for him. He did not choose his life, he was thrust into it and suffered the consequences of trying to break free from it.
MGSV is a husk. It may have its own strengths, but it is radically different from games prior. Like Venom, there are hints at something deeper, but searching for that depth yields no results. Contrary to popular belief, this is not due to content that was cut, but content that was never there to begin with. During the big body swap reveal, Big Boss assures Venom that he can "write his own history" and that he is "his own man," which is absolutely not true. The freedom that you experience in this game is meant to make you feel like you're special, like you're Big Boss, when in reality, there is already a complete timeline of events unaffected by your actions. There is no definitive ending, there is no satisfying resolution for how Venom's story ends, we don't even know for sure how Venom felt about taking up the title of Big Boss. Despite the length, it leaves us asking ourselves if that was truly all it has to offer. No Skull Face boss fight? The Man on Fire is Volgin and he gets disregarded immediately after the reveal? We don't even confront Zero at any point? That's it? That CAN'T be it, can it?
The fans of MGS could not let go of their beloved Kojima, and so they coerced him into a position against his own will. Kojima was then stuck with the series until his inevitable departure with Konami. It didn't have to end like this. We can be better than this. We SHOULD be better than this. To truly love something, you need to have the strength to let it go and move on. Zero couldn't bear to live in a world where his friend went against him, and so he did everything in his power to force him back in line. What he sought was closure when what he needed was acceptance - acceptance that it was over. The result of both Kojima and Zero's conflicts was one final act of kindness; a vessel for anyone's will to be fulfilled through.
It's time to end the unhealthy obsession. There is no Chapter 3, there is no missing content, there is nothing deeper. The final piece of the puzzle is that there is no final piece of the puzzle. Do not become Zero and convince yourself that there is more than there is. It's time to move on. If we allow ourselves to become like Zero, we will only end up hurting those around us. Sometimes, life doesn't give us the closure that humanity naturally desires. The best course of action in such a case is to accept it and move on. It may leave us feeling empty, it may leave us craving more, it may leave us feeling like there's something else if we just keep looking... but there is nothing. To truly love something, you need to have the strength to let it go.
There is nothing good to be had by allowing ourselves to be reduced to Zero.