For a franchise that deals heavily with political themes and tactical espionage action, it's no surprise that Metal Gear Solid has some pretty ruthless characters. The game has seen many entries over the years, and the door on the story of the Snakes may be over, but it will never be forgotten. Hideo Kojima and his team left thought-provoking and thrilling experiences that are still relevant to this day.
Not only did the Metal Gear Solid games achieve great narratives, but they also had great characters. Some of these characters were the product of the war they were fighting in, others relied on nanomachines, and some were outright weird. Either way, these Metal Gear Solid characters are entirely ruthless.
8 Raiden
There’s a reason that Raiden is known as Jack the Ripper. Raiden has had a seriously tough time in the Metal Gear series, ranging from origins as a child soldier, to being labeled as a fake Snake by fans. Raiden’s body is most cybernetic now, and wielding a blade that can cut through basically anything, he earns his role as a ruthless protector of the people.
Raiden may be a mercenary, but he fights for the good of democracy, rather than whoever is paying him the most. Despite the goodness in his heart, Raiden has been known to fly off the handle, and go into blood lust. His kill count is high, making for a ruthless character in Metal Gear.
7 Colonel Volgin
Volgin may have worked as a Soviet GRU colonel, but he had goals greater than the Soviet Union could have ever imagined. Volgin had a nuclear-armed Metal Gear known as the Shagohod built in secrecy and used his power, money, and permanent electrical charge to command those beneath him.
Volgin was what is expected of a ruthless military man in the 1960s. On the brink of war, he did everything he could to ensure his reign, even if it was with evil intent. Volgin tortured Naked Snake in cruel manners and showed just how evil he could be. Even in death, his desire for vengeance carried him as the Man on Fire.
6 Skull Face
As a scarred and vengeful member of the XOF unit, Skull Face acted as a member of Cipher’s elite strike force and held control over the organization to create abominations and world-ending threats. Skull Face was ruthless and had the ultimate goal of making the English language extinct. He was a demon in his own words and declared to Snake that they are not human.
Skull Face’s operation seemed dedicated to the annihilation of everything Snake worked so hard to achieve. He was the destructor of many things and seemed to hold a dangerous grip over Afghanistan and the former allies of Snake.
5 Senator Armstrong
Senator Armstrong used politics to further his ambition and power. He’s utterly ruthless in how he uses people and power and utilized a dangerous and devastating war to get himself elected. His depiction of war is as a business, and he seeks a new America where people will die and kill for their ideals.
Despite Armstrong ultimately wanting freedom for all Americans, the ways he goes about it makes him extremely nationalistic and dangerous. He wants to reclaim the American dream by any means, even if that is at the cost of American lives, and those from other countries.
4 Vamp
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Immortal characters are always quite the threat, especially when they seem to adore the taste of blood like a true vampire. Vamp is great in acts of war, and is a fierce combatant with knives and his blood-sucking teeth. Vamp can run across the water with light feet, and can heal against most wounds, despite the fatalness of their appearance.
As an expert warrior, Vamp has seen many years of combat, and many tallies to add to his murder sprees. Vamp has no allegiance other than to himself, and whatever cause he feels like following. He’s entirely dangerous and pretty creepy.
3 Revolver Ocelot
Tension and conflict are the keys to Ocelot’s philosophy of curing a world that has gone too soft. Ocelot craves a world dripping with tension and one in which Big Boss’ legacy remains stronger than anything. Revolver Ocelot is entirely loyal to his cause, and the name of Big Boss. He’s certainly the best member for such a cause, as he is a genius of war, and a ruthless combatant with any weapon, but especially revolvers.
Ocelot loves the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, a pistol that he regards as the greatest handgun ever made. He has an act for the flair and used to have engravings, despite their lack of tactical advantage. Revolver Ocelot has been at war for decades and is utterly ruthless for the sake of his ambition.
2 Solidus Snake
As the oldest clone of Big Boss, Solidus Snake has quite a legacy to uphold. Not only was he a clone of Big Boss, but he was the 43rd President of the United States. Solidus is an important character in the franchise, as, without him and his one eye, there would be no instigation of the Shadow Moses Incident and the Big Shell Incident.
Solidus proves his ruthlessness when he embarked on a plan for these two incidents, as they were the product of many deaths, some innocent, and some not so much. Solidus has led men to death and has killed people himself, even with others witnessing his aggression.
1 Big Boss
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There is no character in the Metal Gear franchise more crucial than Big Boss. It seems that everyone involved in the series has some connection to Big Boss. Big Boss is a man with no nation or philosophy. He fights with his soldiers, not for their country or government, but for themselves. He is loyal to his men, and his men are loyal to him, and with that, comes a ruthlessness only known to Big Boss.
Whether it is manipulating people into pretending to be him or killing countless lives that are in the way of what he is trying to achieve, Big Boss is both villain and hero of the Metal Gear series and is united with an ambition to create a nation for soldiers to exist.