Old Boy was a former member of Dead Cell[2] who was killed in October 2008, six months prior to the Big Shell Incident.[3]
Biography
Old Boy was a former colonel in the German Defence Force who participated in World War II.[2] He was given his nickname by those who feared him, along with that of the "Devil," though he was also regarded as a legendary hero.[2]
Having been a mentor to several world-renowned soldiers and mercenaries, Old Boy later served in the Navy SEALs anti-terrorist unit Dead Cell at over 100 years old, utilizing his vast cunning and experience.[2] He would often fight with weapons and equipment from World War II, such as the Panzerfaust.[2] Despite his age, Old Boy remained a shrewd man.[2] When the unit was liquidated in October 2008, Old Boy was among the members who were killed.[4][3]
Behind the scenes
Old Boy, also referred to as Old Man[5] and Oldman,[6] was to appear in the Plant Chapter of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, having been a former mentor to Big Boss,[2] though he was cut early in the game's development. It is therefore unknown where or how his encounter with Raiden was intended to occur, though he would have commanded a unit of enemy soldiers called the Fallschirmjäger,[2] the name given to Germany's Paratrooper division during the time of World War II. In addition, Kojima's diary for Metal Gear Solid 2 gave additional developmental details for Old Boy, specifically that he was rendered biologically immortal due to possessing a mutant telosyme enzyme that halted aging altogether, which was the main reason why he often participated in the battlefield, and that he had a son who had been killed.[7] Old Boy remains in the game's script as a member of Dead Cell who died in October 2008, along with Chinaman; another character who was also cut from the final version.[4] In addition, in the flashbacks of Dead Cell's liquidation, Vamp was seen cradling an injured member of Dead Cell, although it is never made clear whether the person in question is supposed to be Old Boy or Chinaman.
Old Boy's appearance and age were later incorporated into The End, an original character in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Likewise, his intended backstory of being a former mentor to Big Boss was instead incorporated into The Boss in the same game.
Old Boy made a brief appearance in the 2005 IDW comic book adaptation, along with the other members of Dead Cell, prior to the group's liquidation.
Notes and references
- ^ https://twitter.com/HEITAIs/status/1319974880318615553
- ^ a b c d e f g h Metal Gear Solid 2 Grand Game Plan by Hideo Kojima, Konami Japan (1999).
- ^ a b Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty Official Comic Book, IDW Publishing (2005).
- ^ a b Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (script), Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2001).
Images of Dead Cell members stumbling around on a battlefield. Vamp carries a wounded [sic] in his arms. The deaths of Chinaman and the Old Boy. - ^ The Art of Metal Gear Solid 2, Yoji Shinkawa (2002).
- ^ The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2002).
Unused Characters, Sketches - ^ https://twitter.com/HEITAIs/status/1319974880318615553
See also