The Army of the Devil was a military group that fought in the First Liberian Civil War. One of its units included the Small Boy Unit, which was comprised of child soldiers and led by a teenage Solidus Snake.
History[]
The Army of the Devil participated in the First Liberian Civil War in the 1980s.
While commanding the Small Boy Unit, Solidus Snake inducted a young boy into its ranks, whom he named Jack. After receiving his first taste of battle, Jack went on to become an accomplished killer, eventually being promoted to captain at only age 10.[1] In order to keep the child soldiers controlled, they would be fed food mixed with gunpowder, and be forced to watch Hollywood action movies to help keep them focused on killing.[2]
| 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.[?] |
Solidus trained child soldiers in Liberia while working as a CIA paramilitary. During this time, an information leak resulted in an enemy force learning of the group's numbers, military strength and position, resulting in Solidus's men interrogating one of the soldiers about it. Also, members of the Small Boy Unit were forced to kill POWs and civilians.
According to an adult Jack, known then by his codename Raiden, other surviving members of the Small Boy Unit had managed to adapt to American life well by the late 2010s, far better than he believed himself to have done.[3]
| Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here. |
In 2009, the Patriots claimed that they "chose" Jack in large part because the other child soldiers accepted their pasts and "[paid] for it daily."[4]
Former members[]
- Solidus Snake (Small Boy Unit; commander)
- Jack (Raiden) (Small Boy Unit; captain)
| 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.[?] |
- Physician
- African soldier
- Interrogated soldier
The physician preparing to inject Jack with a syringe, with Solidus (left) watching.
Physician[]
A physician associated with the Army of the Devil once injected Jack with a syringe, under orders from Solidus. Before commencing, the physician assured Solidus that Jack would survive the procedure, after Solidus threatened to kill him should any permanent harm be done. Afterwards, he helped to restrain Jack while forcing him to watch violent war footage under Solidus' watch.
African soldier[]
African soldier (right), alongside the physician (left), restraining Raiden during a forced viewing of war footage.
An African soldier in the Army of the Devil told Jack that he would follow the group from now on, shortly after his injection from the physician. Later, he helped restrain Jack while forcing him to watch violent war footage under Solidus' watch. Afterwards, the soldier participated as an interrogator towards another soldier, regarding an information leak that had given away their strength to the enemy. He then proceeded to threaten the soldier with death to both him and his family if he didn't respond, while also implying that he'd rape his wife before killing her, until he let Solidus slit the soldier's throat as a demonstration to Jack of the "nobility" of blades.
Interrogated soldier[]
Interrogated soldier.
A soldier in the Army of the Devil was interrogated after the group's activities were leaked to the enemy. The soldier was married and had a family, the knowledge of which a fellow soldier used against him, by threatening to take their lives, and implying that he would rape his wife. The interrogated soldier was later killed by Solidus, who slit his throat with a knife as a demonstration to Jack.
| Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here. |
Unconfirmed history[]
| The following information has been detailed in official Konami-licensed media, written by various external authors. Its status in the Metal Gear canon is unconfirmed.[?] |
During the First Liberian Civil War, the Army of the Devil captured at least ten Liberian terrorists responsible for the deaths of several Americans. Solidus Snake later had ten of them acting as "birthday candles" for the child soldier Jack the Ripper's tenth birthday, by having Jack decapitate each one.[5]
Behind the scenes[]
In the script for Metal Gear Solid 2, Raiden, when admitting to Rosemary his past as one of Liberia's child soldiers, also mentioned that he and the other members of the Army of the Devil conducted war games via live bullets, although this was cut from the final version.
In the "Arm" and "Sword" trailers for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, also known as Video Data Access File #01000001 and #01000100, respectively, the sounds of helicopters can occasionally be heard in the background. Dogs can also be heard barking in the "Sword" trailer. What roles they served in the Army of the Devil, if any, is unknown.
Prior to the release of the trailers, the physician was first mentioned in a leaked casting call for at least four actors to portray characters for a then-upcoming live action trailer for Metal Gear Rising. The recommended traits for the live actor portraying the doctor were that he was Caucasian, within his 50s, possessed strong eyes, scars, and even wrinkles if necessary.[6] The physician and African soldier first appeared in the "Arm" trailer for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance in a first person view flashback experienced by Jack. Although the interrogated soldier appeared briefly in the trailer for the Metal Gear Rising teaser site during the game's release countdown, he didn't appear in the flashback segments on the actual site until the final entry, "Sword."
In an optional Codec conversation with Kevin Washington during Chapter R-03, Raiden reveals that Solidus, at that time, had been CIA paramilitary, although it isn't elaborated on whether the Army of the Devil itself had any ties to the CIA or not.
Appearances[]
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (flashbacks)
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (flashbacks)
- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (indirectly mentioned)
Notes and references[]
- ^ http://mgsdb.com/en/enc/81/2
- ^ Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (script), Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2001).
Raiden: We were shown Hollywood action films every day. The kind with macho guys and big guns. They call it image training. Played war games too. But with real bullets. // Rosemary: ... // They --they built us from the ground up, into killing machines... We were fed once a day. I can still taste the gunpowder they mixed into the food. // Rose: Gunpowder? In the food? // Raiden: The gunpowder had toluene in it, giving it hallucinogenic properties. It kept us drugged, controllable. - ^ Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Kojima Productions/PlatinumGames (2013).
Raiden: The rest of my crew adapted to American life well enough, but I...never could... - ^ Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2001).
Master AI (Colonel): Raiden, there are also reasons behind your selection. Solidus raised plenty of other child soldiers. Do you know why we chose you over them? // Raiden: ? // Master AI (Colonel): It was because you were the only one who refused to acknowledge the past. All the others remember what they were, and pay for it daily. // Master AI (Rosemary): But you turn your back on everything you don’t like. You do whatever you like, see only the things you like, and for yourself alone. - ^ Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (comic)
Solidus Snake: Happy birthday, Ripper. (gives Jack a knife) Here, its yours. (Motions to ten prisoners) Now, blow out the candles. // Raiden: Ten of them. One for each year of my life. Solidus called them Liberian terrorist scum. He [Solidus] tells me they've killed innocent Americans, that they deserved to die. I don't care. I only knew what I have to do. (Jack runs to the first prisoner, then places his newly-supplied knife to the soldier's neck) I lightly caress the man's [the Liberian terrorist's] neck, as if preparing for the first stroke of a shave. (Jack slowly moves the blade down the neck.) Feeling it out. Searching for just the right... (slice) Ten. // (Head collapses) Solidus: That's my boy. Keep going... // Raiden: Nine. (slice) // Solidus: Blow them all out or you don't get your wish. // Raiden: I don't care. Eight. (slice) My wishes never come true anyway. // Solidus: That's my little Jack the Ripper. // Raiden: Solidus... my so-called "father". He seems proud of me. I don't care. Seven. (slice) I'm ten years old today and I don't care about anything anymore. - ^ http://raiden-fc.deviantart.com/journal/Up-Coming-Trailer-292256885
So, A new trailer is in the works.
A friend of mine, [Dragonblade-Dreams] sent me a text the other day, which held a photo for a casting call.
In this casting call, It is looking for live actors for the trailer.
The content I saw were as follow.
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RAIDEN: Male Caucasian, 23-25, Longish blond hair, athletic build. No scars, tattoos [cut off from image]
Hand to Hand combat/swordplay experience a plus, if possible Greek or Italian slight accent.
Jack: Caucasian, 8-12, blond, wavy hair, blue eyes, No scars on the arms, athletic, Dramatic acting, Possible slight Greek or Italian accent.
Sam: 25-26.5, muscular, tan complexion (Italian, Sicilian, Greek) Dark Hear, Ponytail, facial stubble. Hand to Hand / sword experience a plus.
Doctor: Caucasian, 50's. Strong eyes, scars, wrinkles OK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That is all i received in the image.
In any case, one can assume that 'Jack', here, is none other than young Raiden, and apparently the Latino Cyborg from the last trailer is the one they call "Sam"
Thoughts, People?