Python was a former comrade of Naked Snake that fought with him in the Vietnam War and an anti-hero from Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.
Python's English voice actor was Dwight Schultz and his Japanese voice actor was Yusaka Yara.
History[]
Past[]
Python fought alongside Naked Snake during the Vietnam War. When the Boss disappeared, Python thought of Snake as the only other person he could count on in combat. But during a secret mission in Vietnam, he was badly wounded and lost his ability to control his body temperature. Snake believed that Python was dead, since, unless he received intense medical care, he would just overheat and burn up. However Python was recovered by the American government, undergoing surgery that equipped him with a special cooling suit full of liquid nitrogen. He also received metal shunts in his skull that could relieve him of excess heat. After Python fully recovered, he underwent training from the CIA to become the first of the “Anti-Snake” soldiers. He was genetically altered and trained to match Snake perfectly, thus the American government would be prepared in the event that Snake, now Big Boss, turned on them. Later on, Python was made a part of the FOXunit and because of his brainwashing and modifications, he’d became obsessed with matching Big Boss perfectly. To keep him sharp, Python was sent on regular assassinations, but the killing left him with nightmares of his victims and increasing his determination to take out Snake.
Portable Ops[]
After FOX took over the San Hieronymo Peninsula in 1970, Python was ordered by Lt. Cunningham to lead the search for Big Boss and Roy Campbell. Python showed up at the harbor after hearing there were intruders in the area and search a docked cargo ship, hoping to locate Big Boss aboard. However Python only found Colonel Skowronski, ex-commanding officer of San Hieronymo, Python taunted Skowronski, who shot at him, but the bullets did nothing and the ex-colonel called him a monster. Python decided he wasn’t worth killing, locking him in a nearby cell and freezing the lock, but only enough that it would thaw before Skowronski died of starvation.
Eventually Python faced off against Big Boss, after he tried to destroy the cargo elevator in the facility used to store warheads. Python froze the detonator of the planted dynamite, explaining to Big Boss and his comrades that he’d in fact saved them. The facility’s walls were more fragile than they seemed, so the explosion would have stopped them from escaping.
Python explained why he wanted to kill Big Boss and said he joined Gene’s rebellion to save himself. Python fought Big Boss, who eventually managed to beat his former war buddy and Python advised Big Boss on how to lead his soldiers. He said that soldiers didn’t need redemption or hatred to fight, rather they needed someone to look up to. Python warned Big Boss that if he didn’t hold the burden of the fact that their lives depended on him, he would never defeat Gene.
Python afterwards depends on if Snake defeated him with lethal or non-lethal means. If he was defeated via lethal means, Python’s suit ignited and he burned to death. If he was defeated via non-lethal methods, Big Boss helps Python, who then joins the resistance.
Personality[]
Although outwardly he was shown to be a cold-blooded assassin, he in reality was a man wracked with guilt for conducting various assassinations, which acted as one of his primary motivations in aiding FOX in their rebellion and fighting Snake, believing it would give him peace if he either killed him or if Snake succeeded in killing him.
Despite his self-loathing views, he would become angry when people called him a monster, especially if the person who accused him of such were ones who conducted amoral actions beforehand. This was best demonstrated by his reaction to when Colonel Skowronski proceeded to shoot a full AK-47 magazine into him in a failed attempt at killing him. After exclaiming in fear that Python was a monster, the latter promptly proceeded to freeze the former's assault rifle and arm in the process, as well as declaring that such commentary had been crude behavior.
Abilities[]
Python’s suit allows him to freeze objects around him by releasing the liquid nitrogen inside of him into the environment. However doing so makes him lose some of his cooling agent and making his body heat up. Python is a skilled marksman, particularly when using an assault rifle and his suit protects him from bullets, as well as hand-to-hand combat attacks.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Python (1).jpg (17 KB)")
Trivia[]
- Python bears a resemblance to Pinhead from the Hellraiser movies.
Python (left) and Hellraiser's Pinhead (right).
- His determination to kill Big Boss to end his nightmares is similar to Solid Snake’s motivation to take out Big Boss in Zanzibar land.
- Python and Big Boss’ relationship is similar to that of Gray Fox and Solid Snake.
- He wears a uniquely colored, light blue Sneaking Suit.
- In the cutscene where Python tells Big Boss about how to lead his soldiers, Big Boss’ hand quickly thaws when Python’s hand touches it, implying he can thaw objects by absorbing liquid nitrogen.
- The injuries that Python suffered in Vietnam may have been related to the hypothalamus, a portion of the brain responsible for certain metabolic processes and other activities of the autonomic nervous system, including body temperature regulation.
- It is unknown which of the two outcomes is canon. Python is not mentioned again in Portable Ops afterwards, he is not seen or mentioned in any other Metal Gear game, and the Metal Gear Solid 4 Database only says he was "neutralized." It should be noted, however, that the official strategy guide suggests defeating Python non-lethally as being the way to go.
- One of Python's reasons for wanting to kill Big Boss is similar to why Solid Snake wanted to kill Big Boss in Metal Gear 2, believing that doing so would end his nightmares. Python's relationship with Big Boss was also similar to that of Gray Fox and Solid Snake; a former comrade, previously thought dead, who returns to fight against his old friend. In the "Python Dies" scenario, Python imparts his friend with words that would forever affect him, before dying in an explosive manner.
- Python is the only boss/main character in Portable Ops who immediately becomes playable after being defeated via non-lethal means.
