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you know i get a lot of the reasons people dont like mgs4 and would rather have snakes story finished with the open ended conclusion of 2 but god i love how mgs4 ties up snakes whole narrative.
mgs2 as a conclusion never really sat well with me because it was a "continue the fight" ending. the patriots were a large unknowable force but we could rest easy knowing sanke and otacon (and raiden maybe) were out there fighting the good fight.
and yes. while i think some neat things came out of it the true nature of the patriots were a let down. they were so cool and mysterious and seemingly all powerful in 2 and then its a bunch of weird proxy stuff that isnt actually as scary as first thought.
i do like how they tie them into the prequel games but whatever thats besides the point. my point is this series has always been about the PEOPLE. its been about snake. about raiden. about big boss. otacon. ocelot. olga. kaz. meryl. colornel. rose. etc.
it was focused on how individuals relate to and come to terms with war, why it happens, and their roles within it. the crazy complex conspiracies were fun and add a lot of charm but theyre not the thematic core of the series at all.
hell even the metal gears themselves are only really interesting in mgs1 in my opinion. in mgs1 we look at what makes people fight. what makes people choose combat. what makes people choose to become tools of war.
we can pretty directly compare the metal gears to snake and liquid. liquid is jealous of snake for being the better clone of big boss. the true perfect solider. a weapon before a person. his use of the metal gear can be seen as a compensation for his lack of "good solider" genes.
we should fill the rolls we are made for. soldiers have to solider. he finds solace in the metal gear because it fulfills the purpose he feels he was robbed. the twist at the end though so perfectly encapsulates his flawed world view.
he WAS the good gene boy. he was the "dominant" big boss clone. but he still lost because he fails to find reason in existence beyond his stated purpose. snakes doesnt CARE about war. he just wants to go home and sled. he is reluctant to even do this mission.
but snake cares about people. he cares about meryl and otocon and grey fox and even the cornel. and while hes not crazy about the job he understands the threat to innocents the metal gear holds. he doesnt fight because its his purpose. he fights because what he finds purpose in.
and thats honestly why i didnt like mgs2's ending for snake. because it sets up and endless fight for him. stopping the patriots at the end of 2 IS his purpose. and while its a good reason to become an international vigilante it still lines up with his assigned purpose.
because metal gear HATES fighting. it hates war. it hates death. it hates the idea of someone being a solider before being a person. snake isnt a solider. he isnt a war hero. hes just a man who does what has to be done but would leave it all behind if he could.
and thats what mgs4 finally lets him do. lets him leave the fighting behind. lets him live his remaining years in peace. its such a satisfying ending because its the ending metal gear wants for everyone.
the big reason big boss is so tragic is because he misunderstands the bosses wish the create a united world. to big boss a united world included soldiers or else where would they go? this led to his whole deal and creating a world where soldiers would always have a place to be.
but the boss's united world was one without war where soldiers could lay down their guns and go back to being people. a legacy that snake truly carries on. so thats why i love mgs4. because snake and otocon and sunny get to live their life peacefully.
his ending isnt defined by war or combat or death because no ones ending should be. the only reason to fight is in the hope that one day you wont have to. that one day no one will have to. and it made me happy that snake didnt have to anymore.
