Flashlight used by Outer Heaven forces.
A flashlight is a handheld electric-powered light source. It uses batteries and is primarily used in areas lacking of natural light such as caves, dark buildings, or at nighttime.
Military use
During the 1960s, the Green Berets utilized flashlights supplied to them during various missions. Because of this, as well as Naked Snake expressing regret that he didn't bring a flashlight with him after falling into Chyornaya Peschera during Operation Snake Eater, Major Zero also criticized them for being too reliant on pre-made technologies due to his own experience in the SAS.
Several Soviet soldiers utilized flashlights to guard the outpost that Kazuhira Miller was imprisoned in in 1984. The XOF also used flashlights earlier during their raid at a hospital in Cyprus. One even shone a light on Venom Snake's face, thus forcing him to blow his cover (as he was supposed to be playing dead) due to instinctively trying to block his face from the light.
During the 1990s, the U.S. Army Hi-Tech Special Forces Unit FOXHOUND utilized L-shaped flashlights for their missions.
During the Outer Heaven Uprising, FOXHOUND operative Solid Snake procured a flashlight to aid him in locating Ellen Madnar's cell and rescuing her, in exchange for information on Metal Gear from her father.
During the 2000s, various weapons had flashlights included as attachments. However, they usually flickered for a split second as part of a procedure known as light discipline.
Behind the scenes
- "Useful when walking down subterranean passageways."
- ―Flashlight description in Metal Gear
The Flashlight is an item featured in the original Metal Gear that allows the player to illuminate darkened areas. In later games, its function is assigned to the night vision goggles (and in the case of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the torch) instead.
In Metal Gear Solid 2, at one point in the plant chapter, the player can discover a flashlight with a McFarlane Toys Vulcan Raven action figure in front of it, casting the illusion not only to the player, but also to Otacon and Snake, that Vulcan Raven had somehow returned from the dead and was lying in wait to ambush Snake.
In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, a flashlight can be attached to various customizable weapons, allowing the player to illuminate small areas or to temporarily blind opponents.