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TheMetal Gear series, and theMetal Gear Solidseries are full of colorful, compelling characters. Military leaders, gunslingers, snipers, super-powered beings, giant mech’s, scientists, expert infiltrators, and many more. One of the major characters of the series is a man codenamed ‘Big Boss.’
The history and lore of Big Boss is a long and somewhat complicated one. He doesn’t appear in all the Metal Gear games, and when he does, his allegiance to the player character isn’t always the same. Big Boss is an iconic, important character in video games, and the Metal Gear series, and this may help you understand just who he is.
This article features major spoilers and plot synopses for all of the mainline, canonical Metal Gear and Metal Gear Solid games.
In Short
Pre-Metal Gear And Metal Gear Solid
Big Boss, whose birth name was John, was born in 1935. He went on to start a military career at some point in the 1950s, where he was thenrecruited into a unit headed by The Boss, becoming her disciple. They then went on to fight in the Korean War.
While his birth name is John,he often went by Jack. His surname remains unknown.
Under The Boss’ tutelage,John learned everything there was to know about combat, warfare, psychology, weapons, espionage, survival, and more.
Their time together allowed them to form a close relationship that went beyond that of a mentor and pupil. In many ways,John looked up to The Boss as a surrogate mother figure.
In 1954,John was present during the Bikini Atoll test, in which the first airborne detonation of a hydrogen bomb was witnessed. The event left many with incurable illnesses and diseases.John was rendered sterile.
In 1959, he and The Boss went their separate ways. He spent several years afterward working alongside the Green Berets,becoming an expert in sniping, and surviving on wildlife and fauna. His career was prosperous too, earning him several commendations and medals.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
In August 1964,John was given the codename ‘Naked Snake’ in the Virtuous Missionfor the CIA’s FOX Unit, headed by Major Zero. His objective was simple; find and rescue a Russian scientist, Sokolov, and help him defect to the United States.
The mission came to a disastrous end whenSnake encountered The Boss, learning that she and her Cobra Unit were defecting to the Soviet Union. She fought Snake, defeating and injuring him, and then she took Sokolov as a gift for GRU Colonel Volgin. Using a stolen nuclear warhead from the USA, Volgin then destroyed Sokolov’s test facility.
Having detected the nuclear detonation, as well as the plane used by Zero to help Snake infiltrate the region,the Soviets blamed America for the incident, and demanded answers. War was a high possibility, with many of Soviet leader Kruschev’s cabinet demanding nuclear retaliation.
To clear up the matter, Zero and Snake were once again tasked with infiltrating the area. This time,they were to defeat The Boss, destroy a weapon created by Sokolov called the Shagohod, retrieve the remaining nuclear missile, and rescue Sokolov. Doing so wouldclear their names of any wrongdoingand prevent all-out war.
Still injured, but committed to the mission,Snake started what was called Operation Snake Eater. He infiltrated the area, encountering The Boss once again. She refused to answer for her actions, disarmed Snake, and planted a tracker on his person.
Snake continued his mission, headed to his on-site contact codenamed, ADAM. However, on arrival,ADAM was nowhere to be found.
Instead, he was greeted by a mysterious woman going by the name of EVA. When Ocelot and his team arrived on the scene,EVA proved her allegiance by assisting Snake in taking them down. She also provided him with intel on Sokolov’s location, as well as a scientist’s disguise.
Why Does Big Boss Wear An Eyepatch?
On his way, Snake did battle with each member of the Cobra unit, and once again with Ocelot. He defeated them all, but Ocelot remained alive when they were forced to flee a swarm of hornets.
Once inside the Groznyj Grad fortress, where Sokolov was being held,Snake was captured by Volgin and The Bossand then tortured for information.
To prove her allegiance,Volgin instructed The Boss to remove one of Snake’s eyes. Before this could happen, EVA, undercover as Volgin’s lover and assistant, intervened.
Ocelot accused her of being a spy and went to test her with a game of Russian Roulette.Snake used this opportunity to save EVA, swinging his body into Ocelot, inadvertently shooting out his own eye.
After escaping Groznyj Grad and surviving a near-death experience with deceased Cobra unit member, The Sorrow, Snake regrouped with EVA. There, he regained his possessions and, for the first time, he donned an eyepatch.They spent the night together under a waterfall, where feelings blossomed, and romantic actions followed.
Devising a plan to destroy the Shagohod, Snake and EVA went their separate ways and put it into motion. In the process, they defeated Colonel Volgin, discovering the truth aboutThe Philosopher’s Legacy – a slush fund developed by the leaders of the world’s largest, most powerful countries to help define the future of warfare.
During their escape, EVA was gravely injured. Snake aided her traversal through the jungles, reaching a stowed away plane. Before they could leave, however, The Boss was there,demanding one final encounter with her one-time student. She reminded Snake of his duty as a soldier, and that he had to carry out his mission.
“There is nothing more for me to give you. All that’s left is for you to take my life by your own hand. One must die and one must live. No victory, no defeat. The survivor will carry on the fight. It is our destiny. The one who survives will inherit the title of Boss, and the one who inherits the title of Boss will face an existence of endless battle.”
―The Boss to Naked Snake
Snake reluctantly defeated The Boss, retrieving the stolen Philosopher’s Legacyin the process. During their escape flight, Ocelot showed his face one more time, facing Snake first in a fist fight, and then in a duel.
They shared their real names with one another, John and Adamska.The game was a trick though, with only one bullet, which was a blank in the chamber. Ocelot left the plane, respect and the early start of a friendship forming between them.
After the mission was over, Snake and EVA spent some time in Alaska, continuing their romance. One morning, however,Snake woke to find EVA had abandoned him, along with The Philosopher’s Legacy.
A left-over tape revealed secrets about The Boss, her true allegiance and mission, and the goals of the US government. It also revealed thatEVA was a triple agent working for China. Under orders to kill anyone made aware of this,she chose to spare Snake because The Boss had asked her to do so.
After returning home,Snake was honored for his work and achievements, earning him the new title ‘Big Boss.’Meanwhile, government officials started making plans for Big Boss to be the man training the next generation of soldiers.
Despite the success and the accolades, Big Boss was not happy.He instead felt shame at what had occurred, and his role in it all.He also lost all respect for Zero in the process. He then declined to shake the hand of the President, for the same reason, and because he did not see Lyndon B. Johnson as a legitimate President.
He decided to leave FOX, coming to the realization thathe had lost sight of what he was fighting forand why.
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
The canon of events in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops is up for debate.
The game wasdeveloped as a canon entry in the series, with the full backing and support of Hideo Kojima. Kojima even crafted Metal Gear Solid 4: The Guns of the Patriots’ narrative with this game’s narrative in mind.
However, in time,Kojima himself has thrown the canon of Portable Ops into questionby noting that his canon of the series includes only the games he personally wrote and directed.
Big Boss often went by the name ‘Naked Snake’ throughout the following years,not believing he was worthy of the title of Boss.
When the FOX unit went rogue in 1970, theykidnapped Big Boss and took him to a captured Soviet basein South America where they then interrogated him.
Meanwhile,Big Boss was charged with treason by the Department of Defence, who believed he spearheaded the rebellion in the San Hieronymo peninsula, the location of the soviet base.
While imprisoned, Big Boss met fellow prisoner, Roy Campbell, a member of the Green Berets.He and Roy managed to escape captivity and convinced Red Army soldiers, as well as disillusioned FOX operatives to rise against those who had seized control.
He learned along the way that Gene, the leader of the revolt, was attempting to launch Metal Gear and in turn tarnish the reputation of the CIA.
Before defeating Gene and foiling his plan, Gene relayed his knowledge about The Boss. He revealed that her death and the events surrounding it wereorchestrated by a strategist whose identity was unknown.
Once all was said and done, their reputations intact, Big Boss was left with funds and resources from Gene that he planned to use in creating a haven for soldiers.In 1970,Big Boss went on to form FOXHOUND, the next generation of the FOX unit.
The Patriots
At some point,The Philosopher’s Legacy found its way into Zero’s possession.He, Para-Medic, Sigint, and Ocelot invited Big Boss to join them ina new organization they would call The Patriots.
They wanted tocarry on The Boss’ hopes and dreams, achieving unity through control, and they wanted Big Boss to be at the forefront of it all because of his close connection and knowledge of The Boss.
In 1971,Big Boss finally found and rescued EVA from Hanoi, and she too joined The Patriots.
Zero began spreading stories and tales of Big Boss’ heroism and accomplishments, layering exaggeration and misinformation into them all.
The result was thatBig Boss became a legend and an idol among the masses. This started a rift between Big Boss and Zero, the former of whom believed Zero had a lust for power and did not like being reduced to a puppet.
Les Enfants Terribles
Is Big Boss Solid Snake’s Dad?
Fearing losing Big Boss as an ally, Zero spearheaded The Les Enfants Terribles project. Using Big Boss’ DNA,he would clone the legendary soldier, creating enhanced super soldiers.
Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, and Solidus Snake were the first clones to be created. They were known as the ‘Sons of Big Boss.’
When Big Boss learned of this project and his unknown connection to it, he finally parted ways with The Patriots and Zeroonce and for all.
He spent the following years circling the globe, taking on missions for various groups and organizations. As far as the United States was aware,Big Boss had abandoned them and FOXHOUND.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
In 1972, Big Boss was hired by the Colombian government to work with its army. While on a mission,Big Boss and his unit ambushed an enemy unitheaded by Kazuhira Miller.
He spared Miller’s life, and together they went on toform a new unit called Militaires Sans Frontieres(Soldiers Without Borders) aka MSF. To ensure Miller’s safety, Big Boss blackmailed a military commander with information that could have resulted in said commander’s execution.
Paz Ortega Andrade and Ramon Galvez Mena approached MSF in hopes of hiring their services to repel a military force seizing control of the Latin American and Cuban region. Not wanting his unit to become dogs of war,Big Boss initially declined the offer. He changed his mind whenPaz presented a recording of her missing friend and what seemed to be the voice of The Boss.
He established an offshore base and began the mission. They discovered that the CIA was bringing nuclear weapons into Costa Rica, and he learned of the Peace Walker project and an AI facility. The next generation of nuclear warfare was beingdeveloped by Huey Emmerich and Dr. Strangelove.
He later discovered thatthe voice of The Boss was an AI recreation, and that Galvez was using Big Boss to aid the Soviet Union in seizing Central America. He then stopped Peace Walker and prevented a nuclear war.
For the first time,Big Boss formally identified himself as such when he learned of The Boss’ putting her gun down, an act he felt betrayed herself as a soldier.He, alongside Huey, Miller, and Strangelove began the development of Metal Gear Zeke, using parts salvaged from the AI facility and the various mech’s there.
At some point, he and Miller clashed after hearing reports of Miller’s womanizing ways. He punished the man by putting him on cleanup duty for a year and forcing him to apologize to everyone.
During Zeke’s development,Big Boss contended with spies and an attempted hijack of the mech. To Big Boss’ surprise, the hijacker was Paz.
The hijacking and the friendship Paz developed with Big Boss wasan attempt to get Big Boss to rejoin a group known as CIPHER, of which Paz was secretly a member of.
Upon Big Boss’ refusal, Paz threatened to launch a nuke, soBig Boss destroyed Zeke and killed Paz in the process.
Miller revealed that he too was in communication with CIPHER, in a purely business role. Big Boss forgave the man, andthey became known as the founders of Outer Heaven.
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes
In 1975, the IAEA requested an inspection of Mother Base, the home of MSF.Big Boss refused this request, citing their status as a private company, and knowing that CIPHER was secretly pushing for it as an act of vengeance for their prior defeat at MSF’s hands.
Huey Emmerich, however, accepted the request,forcing Big Boss’ handand allowing the inspection to go through.
Over a week later,Big Boss learnt of Paz’s survival,and that she was being held prisoner in a military prison in Cuba. Big Boss wished to kill her, for she knew too much about MSF, but Miller convinced him to rescue her due to her knowledge on CIPHER.
With the inspection coming,they put those plans on hold, but Chico got himself captured in Cuba and sent out an SOS, revealing the location of Mother Base.
Big Boss infiltrated the base and rescued Chico. Later, Chico informed them of Paz’s survival, her interrogation, and that he believed her to now be dead.
Deducing her location, Big Boss went in and retrieved her, learning she was indeed alive. During their flight home, it was discovered thatPaz had a bomb implanted within her abdomen. They removed the bomb and returned to Mother Base, witnessing it under attack by XOF.
They fought off the XOF forces while aiding the evacuation of the base, but another bomb was discovered within Paz.Paz sacrificed herself,jumping out of the helicopter right before the explosion went off. The medic onboard jumped in front of the blast,shielding Big Boss from the brunt of the explosion.
Coma
Did Big Boss Fake His Death?
Big Boss, Miller, and the medic were treated in an emergency room and their lives were saved by the staff there. The medic was placed into an artificially induced coma to aid his recovery,while Big Boss fell into a coma due to the severity of his own injuries.
Zero instructed EVA to move Big Boss and the medic’s bodies to a hospital in Cyprus. To protect them, and to prevent Skull Face and XOF from finding them. While there,Ocelot was placed in charge of the security of Big Boss.
During this time,Zero conveyed his plans for the medic to become a mental and physical double of Big Boss, to distract enemies away from the real thing.Reluctantly, Ocelot agreed to the plan, only wanting the best for Big Boss. Miller was kept away from Big Boss and was later tricked into believing the medic was Big Boss.
Big Boss woke from his coma in 1984, at which point Ocelot filled him in on everything that had happened, plus their plans for the medic to take over his role on a public level. Big Boss agreed to the plan, knowing the medic could do the part justice, and that he would be risking many lives in the process.
Big Boss was also made aware ofthe abandonment of the Les Enfants Terribles project in 1976. One of the clones, named Eli, had gone missing in South Africa.
Big Boss felt no connection to the boy, having never met him or sired him personally, but ordered that if Eli were to be found, he should be treated like any other person.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
The medic finally woke up in 1984.Under attack from XOF, Big Boss assisted the medic in escaping the hospital. Returning to their rebuilt base,Big Boss was given a new passport and identity, and returned to the USA and into hiding.
Meanwhile,the medic, now believing himself to be Big Boss, would continue their work in the public eye.Before leaving, Big Boss shared a cigar with Ocelot and promised to return one day.
Big Boss left to create a new military nation he would call Outer Heaven.
Eventually, the medic’s memories returned, and he learned the truth about who he was. At which point, a tape from Big Boss was handed to him.
“Now do you remember? Who you are? What you were meant to do? I cheated death, thanks to you. And thanks to you I’ve left my mark. You have too – you’ve written your own history. You’re your own man. I’m Big Boss, and you are too… No… He’s the two of us. Together. Where we are today? We built it. This story – this “legend” – it’s ours. We can change the world – and with it, the future. I am you, and you are me. Carry that with you, wherever you go. Thank you… my friend. From here on out, you’re Big Boss.”
―Big Boss
Having been kept in the dark about Big Boss’ plans and the medic’s real identity,Miller turned against Big Boss and vowed to use the medic and Big Boss’ sons to take him down.
