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Dr. Kio Marv was a Czech scientist, responsible for the creation of the genetically-modified oil-producing microbe, OILIX.[1]

Biography[]

Life and career[]

While conducting research in the East on biomass pesticide modification, Dr. Marv accidentally discovered the basis for OILIX in one of his experiments, subsequently refining the concept to completion. OILIX was a microalgal organism capable of producing high amounts of petroleum-grade hydrocarbons, with relatively little expense and effort.[1][2]

A renowned computer game enthusiast, Marv had them shipped to him from the West every month. He also frequently submitted home-brewed games to a variety of magazines to rave reviews.[1] At some point in his life, he and Drago Pettrovich Madnar met at the Prague Academy.[3] In his later years, Marv suffered from severe heart problems. By the late 1990s, he had no surviving family.[1]

Zanzibar Land Disturbance[]

Main article: Zanzibar Land Disturbance

In 1999, during a global fuel crisis, Dr. Marv, along with STB agent Gustava Heffner and fellow scientist Dr. Madnar, were kidnapped in America by agents of Zanzibar Land, while en route to the International Energy Crisis Summit.[1][3][4][5] Taken to the military fortress in Zanzibar Land, Marv had a microtransmitter removed from one of his teeth that had been given to him by Gustava.[6][7][8][9] He was then interrogated for information on OILIX, which Zanzibar Land intended to use in order to gain a monopoly. The microtransmitter was later utilized by the mercenary Black Ninja to lure Solid Snake into a trap, after FOXHOUND commenced a rescue operation.[9]

Kio Marv (MGS4DB)

Dr. Marv, circa 1999.

During his captivity, Marv was able to send out a carrier pigeon, more specifically a wood pigeon that he had brought with him, after attaching a scrap of paper to its leg with his radio frequency written on it.[10][11][12][13][14] Marv was eventually contacted by Snake, after the latter discovered the pigeon on the roof of the Tower Building. The Czech scientist attempted to converse with him, asking him to save him as well as that he only wanted peace and to do his job, though Snake was unable to understand Marv's native language.[15] Fortunately for Snake, Dr. Madnar told him about Gustava as well as where he could find her.[4] Ultimately, Snake was able to contact Gustava, who had escaped imprisonment, and was able to ascertain Marv's whereabouts from her.[8]

While awaiting rescue, Marv had been able to hide a microfilm containing the OILIX plans from his captors inside an MSX cartridge that was placed inside a locker.[16] In addition, in order to ensure the one sent to retrieve the OILIX formula could find it, he also programmed the cartridge's bootup screen to carry his signature.[17] Learning of this, Dr. Madnar tortured his supposed friend in order to obtain the cartridge, revealing himself to be an agent of Zanzibar Land, but Marv refused to cooperate.[18] Subjected to strangulation, Marv was unable to withstand the ordeal due to his heart condition, and died.[16] Despite arriving too late to save Marv, Snake successfully procured the cartridge and delivered it to his superiors, denying Zanzibar Land its ambitions for global economic superiority.[17]

Behind the scenes[]

KioMarv Dr Kio Marv
Marv's original (left) and revised (right) Transceiver Mode portraits in Metal Gear 2.

Kio Marv (キオ・マルフ Kio Marufu?) is a character who appears in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, with the player's primary objective being to rescue him from Zanzibar Land. His name in reverse is effectively "VRAM 01K", thus his cartridge hacks the system message that normally shows the amount of available VRAM (64K or 128K) when booting up the MSX2, for which Metal Gear 2 was originally developed. This subtle change in the system boot screen is commented upon in the ending of the game, when Campbell, Holly, and Snake deduce that the MSX cartridge they obtained is genuine, due to his signature having been written backwards.[17] Despite the fact that Black Ninja impersonated Marv in-game, his character sprite is actually that of Dr. Madnar. In the initial release, Kio Marv's likeness was derived from Gene Hackman.[19]

Marv's last name was mistransliterated as "Marf" in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, when the Colonel mentions the mission briefing from Metal Gear 2.[20]

At the 2012 Spike Video Game Awards, a trailer for The Phantom Pain debuted that featured an unidentified doctor talking to a patient.[21] While it was claimed that a Swedish company named Moby Dick Studio was developing the game,[22] one of the clues some fans and sources used to indicate that The Phantom Pain was really a Metal Gear game was the fact that they thought that the doctor bore a resemblance to Kio Marv.[23] This resemblance was later revealed to have been a coincidence in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, as this unrelated character is a reconstructive surgeon named Evangelos Constantinou.

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake - User's Manual, Konami Corporation (1990).
  2. ^ Metal Gear Solid 4 Database ("OILIX"), Kojima Productions (2008). [1]
  3. ^ a b Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Dr. Drago Pettrovich Madnar: Ah, I see you figured out my code... // Solid Snake: Where's Dr. Marv? // Madnar: It's been a while. Eh, Solid Snake? // Snake: Dr. Drago Pettrovich Madnar? How did you... ?! // Madnar: Marv and I knew each other from the Prague academy. We didn't speak each other's language, but we were scientific comrades, after a fashion. I was captured along with Marv while we were in America.
  4. ^ a b Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Dr. Drago Pettrovich Madnar: Marv can only speak Czech and Slovakian. He's also the wary type, and especially so in his current predicament. // Solid Snake: What about you, Madnar? // Madnar: I can only speak Russian and English... Wait I've got it! Gustava can speak to him! // Snake: Gustava? ...Is that the STB woman who was protecting you? // Madnar: She'll be able to understand him, and Marv trusts her as well. // Snake: Is this Gustava still alive? // Madnar: Not to worry. Gustava is no ordinary woman. She is a seasoned professional. When we were captured, she alone managed to steal an enemy uniform and escape. No doubt she's hiding somewhere in Zanzibar Land, waiting for her chance. // Snake: Does she have a radio? // Madnar: No, it was taken away right after we were captured... The only thing I know is that she's wearing an enemy uniform. // Snake: There must be some kind of clue I can use... // Madnar: Here's your clue: she's a woman. Don't be fooled by her enemy disguise... The are no woman soldier in this fortress. That's all you need to know. Gustava is a woman. Why not set up an ambush someplace that only a woman would go? Like the ladies' restroom... Over and out.
  5. ^ Metal Gear Solid 4 Database ("Kio Marv"), Kojima Productions (2008). [2]
  6. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Solid Snake: Got it. ...Where can I find Dr. Marv? // Roy Campbell: Well... Dr. Marv has a transmitter implanted in one of his molar teeth.
  7. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Dr. Drago Pettrovich Madnar: Marv and I were carrying microtransmitters inside our bodies. They were given to us by a female agent from STB. You could get in touch with her if you knew her frequency.
  8. ^ a b Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    (Solid Snake follows Gustava Heffner in the ladies' bathroom) // Solid Snake: Gustava? // Gustava Heffner: ...Yes, that's me... I am Gustava Heffner of the STB. And you must be Solid Snake... We're after the same thing. Why don't we work together to save Dr. Marv? // Snake: ...Have we met somewhere before? // Gustava: Hm. Typical western man. Always ready with a pick-up line... // Snake: Now I remember! You're Gustava Heffner, the Ice Princess. You took the gold at the Calgary Olympics. // Gustava: ...You must be mistaken. // Snake: I don't think so. I know I've... // Gustava: Enough of this! What about Dr. Marv? // Snake: I made contact with him over the radio, but he doesn't speak English. // Gustava: Then he's safe... Good. I'm glad he had that surgery to implant the microtransmitter. Snake, lend me your radio... // Snake: The frequency is 140.51. // Gustava: Tady je Gustavá. // Dr. Kio Marv: Marv. // Gustava: Pane doktore! Jak se cítite? // Marv: Děkuji. Cítim se dobůe. Gustavá. Vypadáte velmi dobůe. // Gustava: Kde jste? Pane doktore? // Marv: Na severu věžákř je rozsedlina. Za ní mají koncentrák. Tam jsem. // Gustava: Určitě Vás zachráníme. // Marv: Jsem vděčný. Děkuji. (Gustava: This is Gustava. // Marv: This is Marv. // Gustava: How are you doing, doctor? // Marv: I'm fine, thanks for asking. You seem to be doing fine too. Gustava. // Gustava: Where are you right now? // Marv: I am in the concentration camp north of the crevice. // Gustava: We're coming to rescue you. // Marv: Thanks. I'm grateful.) // Gustava: Snake, Dr. Marv is safe... for now. He says there's a large crevice to the north of the tower building. The prison is on the other side. Dr. Marv also expressed concern for Dr. Madnar. // Snake: Don't worry. Madnar is safe. Right now, we have to get Marv out of there... Got it? // (Gustava walks up to an elevator in the ladies' bathroom) // Gustava: I know a shortcut to the crevice. There's an old sewer running under here. We can take that elevator down. Let's go. // Snake: Whoa! There's an elevator there? What do you know...
  9. ^ a b Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Dr. Kio Marv (Black Ninja): Heh heh heh... Foolish FOXHOUND! Dr. Marv isn't here! Figures that FOXHOUND would use such a cheap transmitter... You guys are really behind the times. // (Black Ninja removes his disguise) // Black Ninja: I am Black Ninja, a former member of NASA's extraterrestrial environment special forces unit. Now let's see just how strong the world's most advanced black ops unit really is! Show me what you've got, FOXHOUND!
  10. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Holly White: Snake, about Dr. Marv... I'm pretty sure he's OK. // Solid Snake: Pretty sure? I thought you said you'd made contact. // Holly: Well, I haven't actually met him. He's under armed guard somewhere... But he sent a message by carrier pigeon. It might be some kind of clue. // Snake: A pigeon? ...Where is it now? // Holly: I found it, but it flew away just as I was about to catch it... I saw it heading up the elevator in the tower building. // Snake: Toward the roof?! // Holly: The bad guys are looking for it, too. We have to find it before they do. It's our only clue to Dr. Marv's whereabouts.
  11. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Johan Jacobsen: That's a wood pigeon, specifically trained to act as a carrier pigeon. Did you know there are over 260 species of pigeon in the world? They're 40 centimeters and are found from Europe all the way to South Asia. Dr. Marv probably brought that one with him. Pigeons are timid, and very sensitive to noise. If you get too close, they'll sense you and fly away. Yet for all that, they're notorious gluttons. They feed mostly on grain... I got an idea!! If you have some beans or potatoes, you can use them as bait! I just got myself a large order of fries myself... Oh, right. Tough to find a burger stand out on the battlefield, eh? ...Over and out.
  12. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Roy Campbell: WIS. OhIO... Maybe WIS is short for Wisconsin. And OhIO is Ohio... Names of US States. But I thought Dr. Marv had never been to the US... McDonnell Miller might know something about it...Over and out.
  13. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Master Miller: WIS. OhIO... Only the H is lowercase? Hmm... I've got it! It's a digital number. You see what I'm getting at, don't you, Snake? ...Over and out.
  14. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Master Miller: WIS. OhIO... Try turning it upside down. They're not letters - they're numbers. It's a clue to Dr. Marv's frequency. But look at it. Only the H was written in lowercase. Its not a very clever code. Almost as it [sic] someone is telling you to read it upside down... O140.51M...Over and out.
  15. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Dr. Kio Marv: Tady je Marv. Co mám dělat? Chceme jenom mír. Děláme pouze svřj úkol. Pevně doufám, že mě zachráníte. Mřj půíteli. Drahý půíteli! (This is Marv. What should I do? I only want peace. I just want to do my job. Please save me. My friend. My dear friend!) // Solid Snake: ...What's he saying...? I can't understand a word. Better ask Madnar.
  16. ^ a b Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Dr. Drago Pettrovich Madnar: Ah! ...Snake, you're too late. He's already passed away. His heart couldn't take it anymore. // (Solid Snake walks up to Dr. Kio Marv's body) // Solid Snake: Wait... what's that bruise on his neck?! // Madnar: Not to worry, Snake. Marv may be dead, but the plans for OILIX are safe. Marv was a very careful man. He left behind a copy of the plans in case of emergency. He had a reputation as a video game enthusiast. He even used to have them shipped to him from the West every month. A few days ago, he hid some microfilm in the circuit board of one of his game cartridges. It was an MSX cartridge, made by a Japanese company called Konami. // Snake: MSX... That's the world's best-selling brand of computer, isn't it? // Madnar: Then, he hid that cartridge inside that locker. // Snake: Where's the key? // Madnar: I don't know... I couldn't get it out of him. I mean... He never told me!
  17. ^ a b c Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Roy Campbell: By the way, about that cartridge... Is it really the one Dr. Marv hid his plans in? // Holly White: Why don't we open it and find out? // Solid Snake: No need for that. The cartridge I brought back is Dr. Marv's. No question about it. Just put it in the MSX. // Campbell: All right... here goes. // (the MSX bootup screen comes up) // Holly: ...Huh? ...Nothing's happening. // Campbell: What on earth... Of course! Snake was right! There's no doubt about it - this is Dr. Marv's cartridge! // Holly: What are you talking about? ... I don't see anything. // Snake: Here, look closer... Dr. Marv left his signature on it... right here. It says "Kio Marv." // Holly: I see it now! ... It's written backwards.
  18. ^ Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (re-release), Kojima Productions (2006).
    Solid Snake: Madnar, did you kill Dr. Marv? // Dr. Drago Pettrovich Madnar: ...Yes! He would not share the secret of OILIX with me!
  19. ^ https://twitter.com/Arc_Hound/status/1254467037189083136
  20. ^ Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2001).
    Colonel: I say again. Your duty is to infiltrate Zanzibar Land. And seize Kio Marf, [sic] an abducted Czechoslovakian biologist.
  21. ^ The Phantom Pain [HD] - VGA 2012 Debut trailer - YouTube
  22. ^ http://kotaku.com/5966792/this-is-all-we-know-about-moby-dick-studio-makers-of-the-phantom-pain
  23. ^ Metal Gear Solid 5: every rumour & fact here | VG247
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