"I’m a shadow, one that no light will shine on. As long as you follow me, you will never see the day." ― Solid Snake
Solid Snake is the main protagonists of the Metal Gear video game series, created and produced by Hideo Kojima.
Background[]
Born with the name David, Snake was created as one of two clones of the Legendary Soldier, Big Boss. Him and his brother, Eli, were empowered before their birth by their six siblings, who were killed in order for the process to succeed. Having received the dominant genes of his "father", Snake would grow up to live with a variety of foster parents before finally joining the Green Berets as a teenager. He took part in the Gulf War, being instructed to infiltrate western Iraq.
Quickly climbing up the ranks in the military, David was soon inducted into Big Boss' special-ops unit FOXHOUND, where he was taught high-altitude skydiving, linguistics, closed-circuit open-circuit combat diving, free climbing and, last but not least, the CQC technique by the man who helped create it - Big Boss himself. Additionally, Boss taught him the importance of having the will to survive on the battlefield. Essentially, he passed on all the knowledge he had on being the perfect soldier.
However, it was during his first mission for FOXHOUND, which would soon end up under the name of the Outer Heaven Uprising, that made David realize what his "father" was really planning. Being instructed to infiltrate a military station known as Outer Heaven, he learned that the terrorists there were developing a weapon that they named 'Metal Gear'. Making his way through the facility and rescuing his captured comrades, Snake encountered and destroyed the prototype TX-55 Metal Gear. Believing his mission was done, David was shocked when he saw that the leader of the soldiers in Outer Heaven was none other than Big Boss himself. Snake engaged the Legendary Soldier in combat and killed him before escaping the facility.
However, he was not aware that who he had killed was merely a body double for the real Big Boss, who left FOXHOUND and went into hiding upon learning of Snake's success. With his mission complete, Snake had enough, feeling betrayed and lost. However, being the clone of the Greatest Warrior of the 20th Century and the man who "bested" Big Boss himself, his military life was far from over.
Stats[]
Attack Potency: Multi-City Block level (Can fight evely against Vamp, who can damage Raiden's first cyborg body, which managed to stop an enormous battleship in its tracks).
Speed: Massively Hypersonic (Comparable to Revolver Ocelot, who reacted to Volgin's lightning. Also comparable to non-augmented Raiden, who avoided a shot from Fortune's railgun.)
Durability: Multi-City Block level (Can survive attacks from Vamp.)
Hax: Invisibility via Stealth Camouflage, Resistance to diseases, poisons (His boosted immune system can better deal with these things), radiation (Survived extended exposure to lethal amounts of microwaves), and Telepathy/Mind Manipulation (Psycho Mantis couldn't read his mind).
Intelligence: Genius (Has an IQ of over 180. Is an extremely skilled combatant and a master of marksmanship, stealth and free climbing. Knows six languages).
Stamina: Extremely high (Can keep fighting even after receiving wounds that would be lethal to a normal man and for unnaturally long periods of time without tiring).
Powers, Techniques, and Equipment[]
Powers[]
- Highly intelligent: Possessing an IQ of 180 and fluent in six languages, Snake is far from a gun toting thug. His perceptive and crafty nature has won him battles against opponents who would otherwise overwhelm him in a battle of strength and artillery.
- Highly trained: He has spent time with both the Green Berets during the Gulf War of 1991 and FOXHOUND, where he trained under Big Boss himself and learned CQC (Close Quarters Combat). If you can think of a piece of military equipment, Snake has probably operated it at some point, including a railgun.
- Master of stealth: He has infiltrated multiple heavily armed strongholds from military bases in the Middle Eastern mountains, to the Alaskan arctic, to even cruise liners, with no weapons or gear, picking up equipment on-site while avoiding alert and capture, even being able to sneak around in makeshift items such as cardboard boxes.
Equipment[]
- OctoCamo: A piece of advanced technology that allows Snake to blend into every possible environment. It is vulnerable to EMP Grenades.
- Body Armor: Armor that is said to be five times stronger than steel and is complete bullet proof; flattens bullet upon contact.
- Solid Eye: An advanced observation system located in an eyepatch covering Snake’s left eye. It was invented by Otacon and contains both night vision, and long range binocular settings. It can see the footprints of soldiers, allowing for easier tracking and can observe/deduct various qualities about the enemy. This includes body temperature, physical/emotional state and basic facts or specifications about the weapons they are using. It has infrared/thermal vision as well, allowing Snake to spot hidden opponents.
- Gel Bandages: Bandages that stops Snake from bleeding.
- Cardboard Box: An empty piece of cardboard turned into a stealth tool. Snakes loves to hide in these.
- Night Vision Goggles: Can see in the dark.
- Soliton Radar: Able to detect people by picking up the electromagnetic spectrum waves from the radiation waves.
- Gas Mask: Allows him to protect him from toxic gas.
- Bandanna: Allows Snake to have infinite ammo.
- Binoculars: Two times the vision.
- Handgun (Beretta M92F): A standard issue, semi-automatic pistol. Can be equipped with a suppressor. Can be loaded with tranquilizer rounds.
- Ingram MAC-11: A lightweight submachine handgun. Can be equipped with a suppressor.
- M79 Grenade Launcher: Fires grenades, as the name suggests. Was used to destroy a bulldozer and Hind D in Outer Heaven.
- RPG-7V Rocket Launcher: A Rocket-propelled grenade weapon primarily used for defeating tanks and other armored personnel. Was used against Bloody Brad and Big Boss.
- C4 Plastic Explosive: Can be placed on nearly any surface and detonated remotely. Primarily used for destroying weakened walls. Snake can place them on his opponents in the Smash Bros series.
- RC Missile: A remote controlled missile that allows Snake to destroy and disable enemies and equipment from a safe distance. Used against Fire Trooper and Machinegun Kid.
- M68 Fragmentation Grenades: Shrapnel grenades that explode upon impact.
- Mines: Explosives that can be placed on the ground, and are set off by a proximity sensor.
- MK23 SOCOM: A .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. This is Snake’s favourite weapon, and he is seen using it nearly every game. It comes with a laser aiming mode and suppressor option.
- FAMAS: A fully automatic assault rifle with a fast 1000 rounds per minute rate of fire and holding 25 bullets per magazine. It is the standard weapon of the Genome Soldiers, and used by both Liquid and Solid Snake.
- PSG-1: Semi-automatic sniper rifle holding 5 rounds per magazine. Used by both Snake and Sniper Wolf. Known for being unstable if Diazepam isn’t taken.
- Stinger: Surface-to-air missile launcher used to take down enemy hinds and Metal Gear Rex
- Nikita: Low velocity missile launcher which can be remote controlled.
- MP5: A silenced submachine gun with 30 rounds per magazine that reportedly can hold a maximum of 999 bullets. Is suggested to be superior to the SOCOM.
- Time Bombs: Explosives rigged to detonate after a set time. The maximum amount of time it was shown to be set to was 150 seconds.
- Claymores: Portable, ground-deployed mines which can be undetectable without specific mine sensors. Has proximity sensors which detonate from enemies that walk nearby.
- Grenades: Frag grenades that detonate after up to 5 seconds rather than on impact. Also has Stun grenades, which KO’d Meryl while Snake was fighting Psycho Mantis, and Chaff grenades that jam electronic equipment.
- SPAS-12: A combat shotgun that has a semi-automatic and pump action mode.
- Glock 18: G18C is available exclusively to military agencies. Its automatic rate of fire and small size make it inaccurate at a distance (although switching to semi automatic somewhat increases accuracy), but its sheer firepower is excellent in close quarters.
- PSS: A silenced pistol using a near soundless ammunition. It has 6 round magazines and fires around 660 ft/s.
- M4 Custom: A carbine model based off of the M16. It uses 5.56mms and has a 30 round magazine. It’s designed to be versatile, being able to be equipped with more or less every custom part in MGS4. This includes laser sight, a flashlight, a shotgun or grenade launcher mode, a suppressor, scope and red dot sight.
- AK-102: A carbine variant of the ak-101. It uses 5.56 x 45 NATOs and has a 30 round magazine. It shoots around 2,789 ft/s. A Gp30 grenade launcher attachment can be added on for extra fire power.
- M8A2: A recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle. It can kill gekko and most normal human enemies in a single shot. It fires .50 BMG and has a 10 round magazine. It can destroy helicopters, humvees, and Strykers in only a few shots.
- Railgun: A portable railgun with power comparable to that of a tank turret. Instantly kills most normal human targets. Snake took this weapon for himself after beating Crying Wolf.
- M224: A 60mm lightweight mortar; a smoothbore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for close-in support of ground troops.
- Petrol Bombs: A Molotov cocktail, an incendiary weapon made from a bottle, a rag and a flammable liquid. Thrown at enemies or objects to set them on fire.
- Sleep Gas Mines: A remote detonated sleep gas mine. Puts enemies to sleep.
- Phosphorous Grenade: A grenade that creates an intense heat of over 5,000 degrees fahrenheit. The heat and phosphorus from the grenade can lead to both burns and organ failure.
- Smoke Grenade: Releases a coloured cloud of smoke.
- Chaff Grenade: Can disrupt or disturb technology.
- Stun Grenade: Once on contact, releases a powerful bang with 175 decibals and 1.000.000 candelas flash of light.
- MK2 Ruger: Snake’s Ruger is equipped with a built-in suppressor, and the bolt is locked in place while firing, making it almost completely silent. However, as a single shot weapon, it is unsuitable for rapid fire. Uses tranquilizer and emotion rounds. Because it is non-lethal, it is a valuable tool for covert infiltration and no-kill completions. Also includes a built-in laser sight for more accurate aiming without needing to use the iron sights. Tranquilizer rounds can be set to have various effects such as causing enemies to cry hysterically, laugh out loud, sleep or lash out against teammates.
- Stun Knife: A combat knife that can produce shock to stun enemies.
Minor Feats[]
Attack Potency/Strength[]
- Equal to Big Boss, who caught the 9.5-million kilogram Cocoon.
- Had a long drawn out fist fight with Liquid Ocelot and won.
- Can lift a jeep with just his bare hands.
- Strong enough to withstand the recoil of a railgun and carry one.
- Can trade blows with Liquid, who can knock down full grown adults as a child.
- Traded blows with Vamp, who could parry bullets with his knife.
- Punched his way out of a prison cell.
- Broke a pair of handcuffs.
- Can knock over Gekko, with four Gekko Units being able to restrain Raiden, who managed to stop an enormous battleship in its tracks.
Speed/Reactions[]
- Comparable to Null, who blocked bullets.
- Can outrun dogs.
- Can avoid bullets.
- Can move faster than a Genome Soldier can see.
- Dodged a shot from Revolver Ocelot's gun.
- Dodged strikes from a cyberized Gray Fox, who could cut bullets in half.
- Dodged a missile.
- Sidestepped a shot from Sniper Wolf.
- Dodged a shot from a knife with a gun planted in it.
- Climbed down a tower with a rope in a blizzard while avoiding gunfire from a helicopter.
- Faster than Tengu troops, who can block bullets.
- Dodged a railgun round.
- Can evade electrical discharges.
- Comparable to Revolver Ocelot, who reacted to Volgin's lightning.
Durability/Endurance[]
- Can survive his own P-Bombs.
- Survived a close-range tank shell explosion.
- Equal to Big Boss, who survived electrocution from Volgin, whose body carries a charge or 10 million volts.
- Walked through a microwave chamber, which was stated to have the capability of vaporizing any person within its range.
- Backflipped and slid back several dozen feet from standing up straight.
- Ran up stairs endlessly for two minutes while dealing with enemies chasing after him with guns.
- Survived having a knife stuck in his arm for a long period of time.
- Burned permanently on his face, continued rest of the game with it.
- Launched high into the air from one large ship to the other, landed only somewhat stunned.
- Brushed off a 4-story fall.
- Survived the explosion of the Manhattan Tanker.
- Stayed conscious after being shocked by his own Stun Knife three times.
Skill/Intelligence[]
- As a teenager, infiltrated western Iraq with a platoon of Green Berets.
- Infiltrated Outer Heaven.
- Rescued multiple FOXHOUND Operatives from capture.
- Rescued Gray Fox.
- Defeated and killed Venom Snake, the body double of Big Boss.
- Completed Operation 'Intrude N1313', destroying Outer Heaven and the Metal Gear that was produced there.
- Infiltrated Zanzibar Land.
- Defeated and killed Kyle Schneider during his time as a mercenary under the codename Black Ninja.
- Defeated the Running Man, who boasted about being the world's fastest mercenary, by using his agility against him.
- Killed Red Blaster and escaped his booby trap.
- Defeated the Four Horsemen, a specialized assassination team, while trapped in an elevator.
- Defeated Jungle Evil, a mercenary who specialized in ambush techniques and guerrilla warfare.
- Defeated Night Fright, who used a state-of-the-art invisibility suit.
- Defeated Metal Gear D piloted by Gray Fox by targeting its legs, where its armor was thinnest before taking down Fox himself in melee combat.
- Using a makeshift flamethrower made from a spray can and a lighter, defeated Big Boss.
- Alongside Holly White, escaped Zanzibar Land.
- Infiltrated Shadow Moses Island.
- Alongside Meryl, fought off a group of Genome Soldiers.
- Defeated Revolver Ocelot.
- Killed the crew of Vulcan Raven's tank using only grenades.
- Killed Psycho Mantis, a psychic.
- Shot down a Hind chopper piloted by Liquid Snake.
- Took out 4 Genome Soldiers who were wearing stealth camouflage suits while in an elevator.
- Killed Sniper Wolf, FOXHOUND's best sharpshooter.
- Defeated four assassins on a cargo elevator.
- Eliminated Vulcan Raven, FOXHOUND's heavy weapons specialist, while enduring harsh cold.
- Destroyed Metal Gear REX piloted by Liquid Snake after receiving aid from Gray Fox.
- Took down his twin, Liquid Snake and stopped his plan to revive Big Boss' dream.
- Escaped Shadow Moses Island and went into hiding alongside Meryl Silverburgh.
- Alongside Otacon, was a member of an anti-Metal Gear organization and destroyed countless units.
- Infiltrated a ship taken over by Russian troops.
- Defeated Olga Gurlukovich, a member of Gurlukovich Mercenaries.
- Faked his death.
- Infiltrated Big Shell while disguised as a Navy SEAL.
- Alongside Raiden, fought through waves of Arsenal Tengu troops.
- Engaged with Liquid Ocelot's FROG troops in battle.
- Started an uprising in a PMC camp.
- Infiltrated the Vista Mansion as it was sieged by rebel forces.
- Eliminated Laughing Octopus, the tentacle-wielding stealth expert of the Beauty and the Beast Unit.
- Encountered Big Mama, the woman chosen to give birth to him and Liquid Snake.
- Killed Raging Raven, the flying demolition expert of the BatB Unit.
- Infiltrated Shadow Moses Island a second time after Liquid Ocelot began his preparations to launch a nuclear device using Metal Gear REX.
- Killed Crying Wolf, the sharpshooter of the BatB Unit.
- Defeated Vamp in combat and managed to weaken the nanomachines responsible for his immortality.
- Using Crying Wolf's railgun, fought off waves of Gekko.
- Piloted a Metal Gear REX, using it to defeat a Metal Gear RAY (which was designed to destroy other Metal Gear) piloted by Liquid Ocelot.
- Made his way onto Outer Haven alongside a strike team.
- Eliminated Screaming Mantis, a being with similar psychic powers to Psycho Mantis.
- After walking through a corridor of microwaves and experiencing a seizure, engaged Liquid Ocelot in hand-to-hand combat and, after receiving a further beating from Liquid, emerged victorious.
Sources[]
Powerscaling[]
- Due to being one of the Top Tiers of Metal Gear, Snake should scale and be comparable to all characters who appear in the series (either due to being a clone of Big Boss or due to simply being superior). Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, however, is an exception to this.
Weaknesses[]
- As a clone of Big Boss, Solid Snake's genes are very valuable; as such, he was designed to age rapidly into seniority once he reaches middle age so he cannot be used as a weapon against the world.
- By the time of the Liquid Ocelot conflict, Snake's body is equivalent to a man in his 70s, so he relies on injections and special equipment to stay active.
- Is a smoker, and especially in old age, he finds himself coughing and hacking at times.
- Despite his intelligence, Snake often finds himself in situations where he is betrayed and manipulated by those around him.
Versus Compendium's Conclusions[]
Notable Wins:
Notable Losses:
Inconclusive Matches: