The Metal Gear Solid franchise is known for dramatic moments, especially when it comes to characters going to that big battlefield in the sky. After all, series creator Hideo Kojima knows how to heighten the drama.
With this in mind, these are the 10 greatest deaths in Metal Gear history. Word of warning: there are spoilers ahead.
10.) Monsoon (Metal Gear Rising Revengeance)
Monsoon is easily one of the bigger pains in the butt in Raiden’s adventure, since he’s incredibly hard to hit over the course of battle. However, it eventually gets to the point where Raiden cuts through a spinning obstacle, pins this jerk to the wall, pounds him into oblivion and then beheads him for good measure. He had it coming.
9.) Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid)
Although watching Snake bite it is a hard thing to watch, his death leads to one cool moment – his contact reaching out to him via Codec yelling “SNAAAAAAAAAKE!” Fortunately, you should be able to continue close to where you left off. Yes, Snake is alive and well, thanks to you.
8.) The End (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)
When it comes to bringing down this old sniper, you can go one of two ways. You can either pick him off with a headshot and let him pass away symbolically, or you can use the “speed up time” cheat and let him die of old age. The choice is yours, but either way, it’s tough to see him go.
7.) Vulcan Raven (Metal Gear Solid)
After you defeat him, Vulcan Raven succumbs in the most bizarre fashion, with a bunch of ravens coming down and eating him alive as he delivers a cryptic message to Solid Snake. His weapon is all that remains – they must’ve been hungry.
6.) Senator Armstrong (Metal Gear Rising Revengeance)
Who knew a Senator would be such a pain in Raiden’s backside? After getting the better of him at the start of the fight, Raiden is able to wear him down, to the point that he impales him and rips his massive beating heart from his body – only to crush it.
5.) Zero (Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots)
Zero played a tremendous role in the Metal Gear Solid games, and he managed to make it to a surprising old age in Sons of the Patriots. He meets his end symbolically, with Big Boss shutting off his life support and pressing his hands over his heart, killing him and putting an end to his dictatorship.
4.) Sniper Wolf (Metal Gear Solid)
After beating her in a sniper duel, Snake approaches Sniper Wolf, lying on the ground bleeding. Instead of quickly finishing her off, he listens to her story, and then follows through with her request to be “set free.” This is easily one of the more emotional deaths in the series, if only to see Ocelot’s reaction when he professes his love for her.
3.) Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots)
Shortly after finishing off Zero, Big Boss begins to feel the effects of the FOXDIE virus. He asks Solid Snake one last favor: bring him to the grave. After finding peace with his last living son and smoking a final cigarette, Big Boss then urges Snake to not waste any more of his life fighting. Shortly thereafter, he quietly passes in a tearful, heart-tugging moment.
2.) Gray Fox (Metal Gear Solid)
Gray Fox’s alliance with Solid Snake during a battle with the Metal Gear REX came to an end too soon. After fighting tooth and nail with the machine and getting his arm chopped off, Gray Fox eventually succumbed after the big machine crushed him under its foot, but not before delivering one last moving speech to Snake.
1.) The Boss (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)
After a nasty encounter with his speedy foe, she eventually falls in a field of flowers, begging Big Boss to kill her. The player must pull the trigger, and watch as the field turns blood red following her demise. We can’t think of a more moving death in the Metal Gear franchise.
Now check out the 10 greatest bosses in Metal Gear Solid history!
