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An Arsenal Tengu utilizing a powered exoskeleton.

Exoskeletons were suits that provided enhanced combat capabilites to the wearer, such as increased strength, resilience, and agility. This could become necessary due to the wearer's age, injury, or to provide a tactical advantage. An exoskeleton could also provide additional benefits such as built in weaponry and stealth camouflage. Later versions were outfitted with OctoCamo technology. While most suits had armored, mechanical, or even robotic parts, the suits also had biological parts, such as artificial muscle tissue that could enhance physical strength and resilience.

History[]

Shadow Moses Incident[]

Main article: Shadow Moses Incident

Gray Fox wore a powered exoskeleton utilizing a supersonic motor that operated with a high-frequency voltage. Whenever Fox changed position, minute electric currents in the muscle were detected and utilized to control the actuating section, resulting in inhuman agility.

The Manhattan Incident[]

See also: Tanker Incident and the Big Shell Incident
Mgs2 deepthroat

Olga Gurlukovich, as the Cyborg Ninja.

Olga Gurlukovich wore a Cyborg Ninja suit to hide her appearance and protect Raiden. It was similar looking to the one worn by Gray Fox, though its appearance was more bulky, serving more as body armor rather integrated within the body itself.

Solidus Snake used an exoskeleton with a portable accelerator on the back and artificial muscle tissue to give him enhanced speed and strength. A number of sensors stretched between the surface and interior of the suit like a neural network. When these sensors detected an impact, the artificial muscle in the suit reacted instantaneously by automatically contracting and diffusing the damage. It was also equipped with tentacles, or Snake Arms, that could fire heat seeking missiles or grab opponents within close-range combat, and sweep at their legs.

Tengu soldiers also had suits that used artificial muscle tissue.

Guns of the Patriots Incident[]

See also: Liquid Sun, Solid Sun, Third Sun, Twin Suns, Old Sun, and Naked Sin/Naked Son

Power suits were used by BB Corps and gave the members their own unique capabilities in combat; for example, the suit worn by Laughing Octopus gave her the ability to camouflage herself and to launch mini-explosives.

Raiden was fitted with a powered exoskeleton after undergoing extensive cybernetic surgery.

Types[]

Cyborg Ninja type[]

RaidenMGS4

Raiden, in 2014.

The first type used by most of the Cyborg Ninjas provided a shell that an injured soldier can be connected to permanently. Missing body parts can be replaced with mechanical ones. Originally designed by Tokugawa Heavy Industries, the suit was also able to provide life support functions.

General design[]

This type of suit was designed primarily to provide incredible protection against all forms of physical attacks, specifically crushing and ballistic impacts.[1] Gray Fox demonstrated the suit's capabilities when he supported at least half the weight of Metal Gear REX and prevented its foot from crushing Solid Snake.[1] The suit was able to withstand two other crushing attempts by REX - once against the wall by the cockpit of REX, and another stomp by REX's foot before finally succumbing to a third stomp.[1] Raiden also displayed the incredible strength awarded by his powered exoskeletons, not only by swinging two Gekkos but also by stopping Outer Haven in its path and holding it back from crushing Solid Snake. Additionally, whilst the suit was commonly protected from taking damage by the wearers deflecting incoming projectiles with their swords, the suit also demonstrated it was able to withstand REX's machine gun rounds: one grazed Gray Fox during his confrontation with REX.[1] It was also able to generate large amounts of electical interference, enough to scramble various radars, including the Soliton Radar, although the suit itself was also susceptible to electrical interference such as chaff.

Enhanced abilities[]

Enhanced agility - The wearer is capable of apparently superhuman agility and reflexes,[1] which allowed Gray Fox to evade almost every attack made by Metal Gear REX during their battle. Raiden also demonstrated the enhanced agility and reflexes as well by dodging numerous Gekko strikes in close range while surronded by them.

Enhanced movement - The wearer is also granted superhuman running speed and jumping capabilities, which allowed Gray Fox to leap to a height at least equal to the cockpit height of Metal Gear REX.[1] Raiden demonstated being able to run up the sides of building and run along walls as well as being able to cover literally miles of terrian in literally minutes or seconds.

Enhanced strength - As demonstrated by Gray Fox, the exoskeleton allowed him to lift soldiers into the air with a single arm, throw them great distances with great force,[1] and break human bones with ease. Raiden showed that he was capable of supporting the weight of a Gekko, and Fox was able to hold Metal Gear REX's leg up long enough to allow Snake to escape being crushed. Raiden was also able to demonstrate amazing feats of strength in his exoskeletons by haulting the advancing Outer Haven submarine with one arm (eventually was overwhelmed and crushed).

Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.[?]

Later in 2018, Raiden threw a Metal Gear RAY unit into the air and then overpowered and threw Metal Gear EXCELSUS, the latter being somewhat larger than the 500-ton Peace Walker.

Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here.

Normal soldier type[]

The second type enhanced normal soldiers with increased strength, agility, and protection. Samuel Rodrigues' Cyborg Ninja outfit was closer to an exoskeleton than a cyborg body, the exception being his right arm.

Differences to other suits[]

Powered suits had similar capabilities but were usually much larger and rely heavily on built in weaponry. Users of exoskeletons mostly used weapons designed for normal soldiers.

Sneaking Suits provided limited protection and didn't increase strength or agility to superhuman levels like an exoskeleton would, even though they could strengthen a weakened user and act as a "crutch."

Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.[?]

In the description of the Grey Fox DLC for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance different terminology is employed: it is implied that by that point the term "Exoskeleton" is only really properly applied to a device which can be removed and put on at will, such as the suits worn by Solidus Snake and Olga Gurlukovich. The preferred term in this period for the devices previously referred to as Exoskeletons is Cyborg Body.

Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here.

Notable users[]

Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.[?]
Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here.

Behind the scenes[]

Along with the powered exoskeletons' appearance in the main Metal Gear canon, they have also appeared in several other scenarios and games.

Grey fox

Gray Fox in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance[]

In Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Raiden can wear the same type of powered exoskeleton that Gray Fox wore, in the Raiden (Ninja) VR Missions.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]

Gray Fox appears as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Activating the trophy summons Gray Fox to attack the player's opponents.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Metal Gear Solid, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (1998).
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