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| “ | This world will become one. I have found the way. Race, tribal affiliations, national borders... even our faces will be irrelevant. The world that The Boss envisioned will finally become a reality, and it will make mankind whole again. | „ |
| ~ Zero in The Phantom Pain. |
Zero (real name David Oh), better known as Cipher, is the overarching antagonist of the Metal Gear series. He was the original commander of the CIA Special Forces Unit FOX (Force Operation X), and became the founder of The Patriots, and the arch-nemesis of Big Boss and Paz Ortega Andrade.
In Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, he was voiced by Jim Piddock, who also voiced Calender Man in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Overmind in TMNT 2012. In Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, he was voiced by Time Winters, who also voiced Oswell E. Spencer in RE: ReResistance. In Japanese he is voiced by Banjō Ginga, who also voiced Liquid Snake/Ocelot in the Metal Gear series, and Scorponok/MegaZarak in Transformers: The Headmasters and Super-God Masterforce.
History[]
Past[]
David Oh was born on 8th December 1909 in Exeter, England. During World War II, Oh served in the British SAS alongside The Boss. They served in Egypt 1941, where they lost a fellow comrade, of whom they were both close. After their "brother in arms" died on 30th December, he personally inscribed his deathdate onto his winged dagger pin, and delivered it to The Boss. During the Cold War, he recruited the assassin Skull Face into the SAS due to being impressed at his tactical skills, promoting him to XO. During his later career in MI6, he was referred to by the nickname "O." David later joined the CIA under the bureau of classified planning, where he gained the code name "Zero" (derived from "O").
FOX Unit[]
In 1962, Zero helped Dr. Nikolai Sokolov and his family escape from the Soviet Union to America. However, Zero was forced to allow Sokolov himself to be taken back due to a secret deal made between the two superpowers during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After reuniting with The Boss, the two formed the CIA's FOX Unit, which Zero planned to use to prepare himself for a second attempt at recovering Sokolov. As well as this, he also formed XOF, a back-up unit to make FOX stronger, ensuring that the mission succeeded, led by Skull Face, with not even the Boss or the CIA being told of it's existence.
While serving in the CIA, Zero recruited Donald Anderson and Dr. Clark into the organization as he recognized their potential, though he ended up receiving complaints three days per month relating to Anderson. Zero also formed a club within the CIA dedicated to finding UMAs, and acted as its president, with Sigint as its vice president. At some point, he also took in an orphan, gave her food and a place to live. Prior to 1964, Zero obtained a residence in Portsmouth, New Hampshire as his "official" residence. However, it would later be revealed he also had a safehouse in Hell's Kitchen, 10th Avenue, with which he would replace the 40 occupants with this agents over the next 10 years.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater[]
Major Zero in FOX's control room.
Virtuous Mission - August 24, 1964[]
In August 1964, Major Zero served as FOX's commanding officer for the Virtuous Mission, the objective being to once again rescue Sokolov in Tselinoyarsk, USSR. Earlier, Zero briefed his friend Jack on the previous attempt to rescue Sokolov, explaining that the Soviets most likely wanted him to complete a weapons system he had begun developing that was capable of turning the tide of the Cold War. He also warned Jack that if he didn't retrieve Sokolov in four hours, then they wouldn't have enough time to extract the two from Tselinoyarsk. Zero gave Jack the code name Naked Snake due to the on-site procurement and stealth aspects of the mission, and designated himself as "Major Tom" due to incorrectly remembering the successful escape tunnel's name in The Great Escape. Upon Snake's arrival at Rassvet, the Major explained to him that he needed to deliver Sokolov a message when he rescued him: "Sorry for being so late." Upon learning of the dangerous circumstances between the KGB and the GRU's current rivalry, he also insisted that Snake get out of there with Sokolov quickly.
Following the Virtuous Mission's failure, Zero was seemingly shocked by The Boss's defection to the Soviet Union and Sokolov's facility's bombing as he viewed her with higher regard than even his own family, although he did later admit that she had an aura of mystery surrounding her. He also felt that his new codename might have been a mistake so he re-watched the film roll for The Great Escape, having arranged its delivery through the film company, and thus realized his error. Zero later visited Snake in an advanced ICU, offering him a Cuban cigar. There he explained to Snake that the Government was willing to revoke the charges in regards to any and all involvement in The Boss's defection, under the condition that he accepts the follow up mission Operation Snake Eater. Zero also implied during this visit that he had been placed in the same situation as Snake, and that if he failed the mission, then not only would FOX be disqualified from becoming an official unit, but he and Snake may also be executed.
Operation Snake Eater - August 30, 1964 - September 2, 1964[]
Major Zero again served as Snake's commanding officer during Operation Snake Eater, with Para-Medic (Dr. Clark) and Sigint (Donald Anderson) providing radio support, and the supposed KGB spy EVA assisting Snake with transportation. When Sokolov was apparently committing adultery on his wife and child with Tatyana, Zero was in disbelief and tried to point out how he wasn't the kind of person to do so before Snake reminded him that "people change". In addition, when investigating Sokolov's supposed lover's identity, he initially speculated that her being a supposed KGB officer was obscure within the ranks of the KGB when he couldn't get any leads. After Sokolov was believed at the time to have been killed by Colonel Volgin, Zero decided to make the Shagohod's destruction a top priority to honor his fallen friend. He later learned from Snake about his communicating with The Sorrow. But despite insisting that he'll believe whatever Snake had to say, he spoke to Para-Medic and voiced that he may have gone insane before Snake pointed out that he could still hear them. The mission was a success as the Cobra Unit were killed off, the Shagohod weapon was destroyed, and both Volgin and The Boss were eliminated.
After Naked Snake was awarded the "Big Boss" codename by the President, Zero ran into Snake but his friend was too distraught to say anything to him and eventually left FOX and America to drift around nations as a mercenary.
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops []
In November 1970, Major Zero was arrested for treason after being accused of instigating the FOX rebellion on the San Hieronymo Peninsula. Having come under suspicion himself, Big Boss set out to clear his and Zero's names, with radio support from Para-Medic and Sigint via a radio frequency that Zero had maintained for such an emergency.
Zero had conspired with the CIA triple spy Ocelot to bring about the incident, in order to obtain the remainder of the Philosophers' Legacy. They wished to use the Legacy to end the Philosophers' power and reform the organization, after having observed its American branch further degenerate into squabbling factions. Using Ocelot, Zero manipulated the charismatic Gene into staging the rebellion and stealing the CIA's new Metal Gear, forcing the CIA Director into a vulnerable position with the threat of a nuclear launch. While Ocelot was initially unaware of his co-conspirator's identity, Gene had his suspicions, referring to "the man with the same codename as Null."
Neither Zero nor Ocelot had anticipated that Gene would actually launch Metal Gear into America, thus framing the Soviet Union and ending the current détente in the Cold War. However, Big Boss and Roy Campbell were able to form a resistance movement on the peninsula, and ultimately foiled the launch attempt. Meanwhile, having supplied Metal Gear's trajectory data to the DCI, Zero had Ocelot assassinate the Director as he attempted to take shelter in a secret bunker beneath the CIA headquarters. Ocelot then stole the documents that the DCI had intended to save from destruction, regarding both the Philosophers' Legacy and a list of the organization's members, and provided these to Zero.
After they were cleared of all charges, Major Zero, Para-Medic, Sigint and a senior Government official greeted Big Boss at a runway upon his return to America by plane. There Zero handed him documents that would allow for the creation of a new special forces unit, following his disbandment of FOX.
Formation of The Patriots (1972)[]
Zero later shared with Ocelot the battle data on the Perfect Soldier Project and gave hints about genomes as bargaining chips to which Ocelot agreed to stay working together under the condition that they recruit Big Boss into their new organization: the Patriots. Immediately afterwards, Zero joined with Big Boss, Sigint, Para-Medic, Ocelot and EVA to form the Patriots. Using the Philosophers' Legacy as a limitless source of funding, Zero hoped to carry out what he believed to be The Boss's vision by turning Big Boss into a charismatic icon and unifying the world by controlling information. Zero's stature rose and his influence grew inside the halls of Langley. He also arranged for several safehouses occupied by Patriot agents all across the world.
Les Enfants Terribles[]
When Big Boss started to disagree with Zero's goal and interpretation of the Boss's will, Zero feared that his friend might leave the organization. He had Dr. Clark (Para-Medic) create clones of Big Boss in order to maintain the Patriots' icon in a project known as Les Enfants Terribles. When Big Boss found out about the project, he condemned it and, considering this to be the last straw, parted ways with Zero and left the United States to form his own private military company.
Cipher[]
After falling out with Big Boss, Zero went into hiding in his occupied building in Hell's Kitchen, resulting in him and the Patriots both referring to themselves under the "Cipher" codename. Because of this instance, he also did not personally assign missions to his agents, instead using proxies to relay orders. Zero was so paranoid about information slipping out. As well as this, he also became ill, being forced to remain on the top floor undergoing treatment. Only one exception existed to his impersonal assignments: his operative Pacifica Ocean, whom he personally met at his hiding spot, to have her make contact with Big Boss.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker[]
In 1974, Cipher orchestrated the Peace Walker Incident in Costa Rica involving Hot Coldman's AI weapons. To carry this out, Cipher recruited the triple spy Pacifica Ocean and arranged a secret business proposition with Kazuhira Miller to help expand the Militaires Sans Frontières. However, Cipher's ultimate aim was to manipulate Big Boss into participating in the project without his knowledge.
Cipher ordered their agent to modify the MSF's Metal Gear ZEKE when the time came, and convince Big Boss to rejoin Cipher by threatening to frame MSF for launching a nuclear warhead at the United States if he refused. Ultimately, this plot failed when Big Boss damaged ZEKE and stopped the nuclear launch. Miller had also been unaware of Cipher's plot to discredit MSF. When Big Boss and Miller discussed Cipher's true nature, Big Boss realized that "Cipher" was actually Zero. Meanwhile, Cipher planned to use the sons as insurance against Big Boss should the time arise.
Metal Gear Solid V[]
Zero apparently discovered that Mother Base had been destroyed, which he suspected was due to Skull Face. He contacted EVA and arranged the comatose Big Boss and his surviving retinue of Miller and a field medic to be transported to a Cyprus hospital. Zero devised a plan of taking the brain damaged medic and transforming him into Big Boss's "phantom", a mental and later physical double of Big Boss created via hypnotherapy and plastic surgery that would act as a decoy. During transit, he approached Ocelot about the plan first; Ocelot, though sceptical towards co-operating with Zero and the plan itself, agreed to help implement it, and took to looking over Big Boss and his phantom, Venom Snake, as they were in their respective comas.
In 1976, Zero called Skull Face after being mailed what was supposedly the Boss's pin from Egypt, which he accidentally pricked himself with. After nostalgically waxing lyrical about his and the pin's history, he and Skull Face discussed Miller's operations in the Rhodesian War, which Zero wasn't concerned about. The conversation moved onto Skull Face suggesting Africa's resources could be used to reactivate the "ethnic cleanser" project the Philosophers had devised, which Zero rejected, as he had instead used the genetic research to create a more efficient weapon, which would later be known as FOXDIE. Zero also revealed that, in preparation for the end of the Cold War, he had devised using an intelligence network to unite the world by giving the people a context to be ruled under. Skull Face disagreed, and Zero began to feel effects of a poison. He realised the pin was poisoned by Skull Face, as he had discovered Zero's location from Paz, and Skull Face mockingly told him that he never understood the Boss's will.
Zero was able to call for help from his agents, and underwent medical treatment from the finest physicians, even down to blood dialysis, but he was unable to recover. As it began gradually degrading his nervous system to eventually leave him in a vegetative state, Zero began acting more erratic. When lucid, he was aware that his ability to run Cipher would grow increasingly diminished with the progression of his illness, he secretly arranged for the development of an AI network to take over the Patriots, having already lost faith in the new generation. As he grew weaker, and found himself increasingly unable to uphold the daily leadership of the organisation, he left command over to Donald Anderson, more specifically the central AI that Anderson oversaw. He also gave the AI specific rules to follow in order to avoid a repeat of the Mammal Pod's hacking into NORAD during the Peace Walker Incident. However, Skull Face and XOF took over Cipher's operations to carry out his own plans, forcing Zero to rely on his own resources to effectively hide from Skull Face. Zero left instructions to Anderson to complete the AI project that would become the Patriot AI network.
In 1977 Zero visited Big Boss in Cyprus, both to check how Jack and Venom Snake were being kept and to say goodbye to his former friend. Zero nostalgically reminisced on his and Jack's friendship during the Virtuous Mission and Operation Snake Eater. Zero mused that whenever Jack woke up, he was going to be hidden where not even Big Boss could find him, as the location would be buried within the AIs, which would be the last mark of his existence. Zero then urged Jack to wake up soon as there wasn't much time left. Zero then left and went back into hiding for good. In order to ensure his disappearance and destination was kept secret, he also orchestrated a blackout in New York City that same year that disrupted communications and transportation via two submarines, also giving a cover story.
Later Years (Mid-late 1970s - 2014)[]
Afterwards, Zero fully entered his vegetative state and was relegated to life support. Control of Cipher was given over fully to the AI system, called "The Patriots" - a reference to the fact that Zero's intent to unify the thought and awareness of every individual through the control of information could be considered a kind of 'patriotism'. By the time of Skull Face's death in 1984, Diamond Dogs believed that Zero was in charge of Cipher again, but Miller was suspicious of this idea, as he had some idea that Zero was not in a fit state to give orders.
Over the years, the Patriots continued to craft Zero's world of order governed by rules. Years later, Big Boss plotted coups d'état against Zero in Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land, to plunge the world into eternal war instead. After Solid Snake (a clone from Les Enfants Terribles) defeated Big Boss during both incidents, the Patriots followed Zero's desire to use the "legendary mercenary" as an icon by placing him in a nanomachine-induced coma. Eventually, AIs ignored Zero's will and eventually crafted their own context to rule humanity.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots[]
In 2014, Big Boss had awakened and then discovered Zero in a persistent vegetative state kept alive solely by life support equipment. After a computer worm destroyed the Patriots' AIs and Old Snake (Solid Snake) defeated Liquid Ocelot, Big Boss took Zero's wheelchair-bound shell to The Boss's grave in Arlington National Cemetery. Big Boss lamented that this man had nearly "brought the world to the brink of ruin" without even realizing it. Reflecting on their past experiences, Big Boss switched off Zero's life support equipment. As Zero was struggling to breathe, Big Boss pressed his hands over Zero's chest to stop him from moving as he died, ending the dictatorship he created and putting his former friend to peace and allowing him to finally pass away.
Personality[]
Major Zero presented himself as a charming, quintessentially British officer, but was covertly ambitious, believing that his FOX Unit should become the head of CIA special operations. Sokolov believed that Zero was a man of his word and a man of honor as he kept his promise to rescue him from the Soviet Union and apologized for being so late. The Major was able to use his charming exterior to sarcastically insult others and display understated callousness under the veneer of politeness. Zero had a keen eye for talent when recruiting operatives for missions, as he was responsible for recruiting several talented soldiers, mercenaries, spies and even assassins including Big Boss, Revolver Ocelot, Para-Medic, Sigint, Paz, Skull Face, despite their eccentricities or biases that others rejected them for.
Zero was rather snobbish, looking down on the American Armed Forces' methods of conducting operations due to his SAS training. He viewed them as sloppy, such as the fact that they relied too much on prepared equipment, such as a flashlight, or that they would leave their feces on the battlefield. Zero didn't know much about technology and would use Sigint's notes when explaining what the anti-personnel sensor, motion detector, and active sonar were to Naked Snake. On a related note, he once bought a washing machine but didn't know how to use it. That being said, he firmly believed in the effectiveness of signals intelligence, and the coming of the electronic age. Zero was a huge fan of the James Bond films. Zero talked to Naked Snake about the intricacies and technological side of Bond's spy equipment and suggested that Snake be more like Bond, equipped with a "Snake shaped gun" and would get into an argument on the subject with Snake harboring a disinterest in the series and the spy genre in general. Zero also admitted that he personally didn't approve of how Bond interacted with female spies, after supposedly deducing one of the factors in Snake's dislike for the character.
After the Boss's death, Zero interpreted what she wanted through an imperialistic lens, believing that the world should be united under one will. After thus founding the Patriots, Zero over time became power hungry and a dictator by collecting more wealth and to gain more influence within the government. As a result, he also had no qualms for using Big Boss as an icon and to clone him without his knowledge. After Big Boss left the Patriots, Zero felt betrayed and lost his faith and belief in everything. After going into hiding as a result of Big Boss leaving the Patriots after he found out about the Les Enfants Terribles project, Zero did not directly give orders to his agents, instead supplying them to proxies and left his whereabouts unrevealed to all except for one agent, Pacifica Ocean, and even then, she implied at one point that she occasionally got orders via proxy instead of from Zero directly, indicating that Zero had become paranoid.
By 1974, Zero demonstrated he had lost his ability to keep his promises and his code of honor by this point by his nearly having the Militaires Sans Frontières framed for a nuclear strike against America when Big Boss refused, despite this going against his promise to allow MSF to expand to Kazuhira Miller when getting him involved in the plot. Zero believed that he knew the correct "context" that people should live their lives under, achieving it through information control. He used the lingua franca of the English language and suppressing literature, and thus any contradictory ideas, with this attitude angering Skull Face, who already hated him on principle. Zero also showed no remorse for turning one of Big Boss's men into "another Snake". Zero's paranoia would be his undoing, as after his poisoning by Skull Face, his agents were not able to reach him before the worst of the poison took effect.
In 2014, regarding Zero's actions, Big Boss wondered if Zero hated or feared him.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Zero is a fan of James Bond 007 movies.
- While the Major seems to be on Snake's side during the events of Snake Eater, it is subtly implied that Zero knows the truth behind Operation Snake Eater.
- Zero is playable in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops as a secret character.
- In Metal Gear Solid V, Zero claims he had nothing to do with the destruction of MSF, and seems to still consider Big Boss as his friend. However, in the wake of failing to have Big Boss join him in Peace Walker, it is possible Mother Base was destroyed on his orders. In this light, it's possible to interpret his final visit to Big Boss as a mocking moment of victory.
External Links[]
- Zero on the Metal Gear Wiki.
