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The best MGS Boss Characters
8 years ago
General
With the tragic passing of esteemed actor Barry Dennen (Jesus Superstar, MGS2, Twin Sitters *my childhood guilty pleasure movie*, and much more), I started thinking about who the best actual boss characters were. Not the main villains or the boss fights themselves, but the actual characters. In essence, the traditional Metal Gear boss is a G.I. Joe Villain. They all have a gimmick and a quirk that makes them unique, because there isn't enough screentime to make them actual, well developed characters. And MGS was full of color personalities.
I'll probably make an official list soon in honor of one of my favorites, who I was thrilled to see get more screentime in the MGS2 DGN, and was even more thrilled to hear the late Barry Dennen reprise so seamlessly after all those years. But for now, these are my Top 12, pending further change. These are just one and done boss characters, not main villains, or villains who appeared in multiple games.
12. The End (MGS3)
11. Chaigidiel (MGA2)
10. Python (MGS: Portable Ops)
9. Sniper Wolf (MGS1)
8. Marionette Owl (MG: Ghost Babel)
7. Laughing Octopus (MGS4: Guns of the Patriots)
6. La Clown (MGA1)
5. Fatman (MGS2: Sons of Liberty)
4. Vince (MGA2)
3. Vulcan Raven (MGS1)
2. Leonne (MGA1)
1. Psycho Mantis (MGS1)
I'll probably make an official list soon in honor of one of my favorites, who I was thrilled to see get more screentime in the MGS2 DGN, and was even more thrilled to hear the late Barry Dennen reprise so seamlessly after all those years. But for now, these are my Top 12, pending further change. These are just one and done boss characters, not main villains, or villains who appeared in multiple games.
12. The End (MGS3)
11. Chaigidiel (MGA2)
10. Python (MGS: Portable Ops)
9. Sniper Wolf (MGS1)
8. Marionette Owl (MG: Ghost Babel)
7. Laughing Octopus (MGS4: Guns of the Patriots)
6. La Clown (MGA1)
5. Fatman (MGS2: Sons of Liberty)
4. Vince (MGA2)
3. Vulcan Raven (MGS1)
2. Leonne (MGA1)
1. Psycho Mantis (MGS1)
Either way: he was a fantastic actor, one I often feel was drastically underrated. His work as Fatman is easily among my favorites of his. He shall be deeply missed.
I think I would mostly agree with this list; the only ones I may not include would only be due to the fact I'm not familiar with them (such as Mariontette Owl and La Clown).
Sincerely,
The Cheshire Cat's Master
But like you said, he was a supremely talented actor and voice actor, and like you, his work as Fatman was one of my favorites. I'll have to share his reprisal of the role in MGS2 DGN, because it gives Fatman way more screentime, and makes him such a much more 'out there' character than he already was...and Dennen is HILARIOUS in every part of it. :P
As for those bosses, that's understandable. I mainly never shared them because those games didn't have voice over, and all their dialogue was text only. But I've been thinking I might share those scenes down the road anyway, since I feel like you might the characters themselves.
Marionette Owl, for instance, was a serial killer before joining Black Arts Viper, and used Marionette Dolls during his boss fight, which 'danced' with him in the dark, and they were made of body parts from his various victims... ._______.; (Fortunately, this is a 17 year old gameboy color spinoff...but still...)
Sincerely,
The Cheshire Cat's Master