Revolver Ocelot

Template:Metal Gear Character Revolver Ocelot (also referred to as Shalashaska ,Шалашаска in Russian, Adamska, and simply Ocelot during his younger days) is a fictional character and recurring villain in the Metal Gear Solid video game series. Ocelot specializes in military gunplay and interrogation. He is an ex-Russian Spetsnaz soldier who served during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It was during this time that he became infamous amongst the mujahadeen as a sadist for which they christened him Shalashaska (a Russian slang word for "prison").

Distinguishing features and behaviour

Ocelot is described as being obsessed with guns, cowboy films and spaghetti Westerns. This is reflected in his choice of dress as well as his codename and the weapons he uses - he is armed with two, or sometimes three Colt Single Action Army revolvers (5.5 inch, .45 Long-Colt), which he wields with almost superhuman skill, being both a master of ricochet and fancy gun-twirling techniques; by the time of Metal Gear Solid 2, he seems to have attained the uncanny ability to draw his weapon and shoot any target within a split second. He also uses a technique known as 'fanning', in which one hand holds the revolver's trigger down and the other hits the revolver hammer repeatedly, allowing for rapid fire. He was inspired to use revolvers after his first meeting with Big Boss, who was under the code name "Naked Snake", when they fought each other. His hand gestures are a favorite among fans.

Often players complain that Ocelot's motives and actions are difficult to follow, but one thing must be remembered: his only loyalty has been to the American Philosophers, who later became the Patriots. He knows and obeys their commands, despite the role he may be playing at the time. Although he submits his complete loyalty to the Patriots, he is forced, against his will, into a vendetta against them; his body and mind are frequently taken over by Liquid Snake, who possesses Ocelot through his arm (itself transplanted from Liquid Snake's corpse).

It should be noted that the character model of the aged Ocelot bears a resemblance to actor Lee Van Cleef. Van Cleef starred in the spaghetti western The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (among others), as well as Escape from New York along side Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken. It is also interesting to note that the character model of the younger Ocelot bears a passing resemblance to a young Clint Eastwood although clean shaven and with a buzz cut.

History

Birth

Ocelot was born after his mother was shot during the invasion of Normandy, June 6th, 1944. He was the son of Cobra operatives The Joy (who later became The Boss) and The Sorrow. Ocelot was taken away from his parents shortly after birth by The Philosophers. After being taken away from his biological parents, he was raised by GRU and Colonel Volgin, but actually sides with the American branch of The Philosophers and works for them as a sleeper agent in the Soviet Union.

Operation: Snake Eater

File:Ocelot1964.jpg

Ocelot, circa 1964. At the time, he was a Major in the GRU Spetsnaz and leader of his own ocelot unit.

At the age of 20, Ocelot was already a Spetsnaz operative and the leader of his own elite "Ocelot" unit. He also served as an operative for the CIA Director and posed as a defecting NSA analyst for the KGB under the codename of "ADAM". His mission was to work with The Boss and retrieve The Philosophers' Legacy. During the initial "Virtuous Mission", Ocelot went to the abandoned building in Rassvet to meet up with The Boss (who was infiltrating Volgin's ranks), but instead he confronts FOX operative Naked Snake (Big Boss), who was on a mission to save Russian scientist Nikolai Stephanovich Sokolov. Snake watched Ocelot perform an "elbow-absorbing-the-recoil" technique with his Makarov. However, Ocelot at the time was young and cocky, and showed off by ejecting the first bullet by hand which ended up jamming his sidearm. Snake overpowered Ocelot and his men and commented that Ocelot's firing technique would be better suited for a revolver.

A week later, during "Operation: Snake Eater", Ocelot once again confronted Snake. Inspired by Snake's advice to use revolvers, Ocelot traded his Makarov with an engraved version of the Colt Single Action Army, but was once again criticized by Snake, who explained that the engraving offered no tactical advantage (unless "auctioned off as a collectors item."). He eventually settled for regular Single Action Army revolvers, which he first used against Snake when they fought in Bolshaya Past. The two never got to finish the battle, as the fight was interrupted by a swarm of hornets under The Pain's control.

Snake and Ocelot would meet again on several occasions during Operation: Snake Eater. When Snake was captured and tortured, Ocelot was responsible (but not deliberately) for the loss of Snake's right eye - Ocelot was juggling his revolvers and trying to shoot Tatyana (EVA), whom he (correctly) suspected of being a spy. It was also at this moment that Ocelot developed an interest in torture, remarking that it was "the ultimate form of expression." Afterwards, Snake and Ocelot confronted each other for the last time when Snake and EVA were escaping the country via a WIG aircraft. Snake, after being asked for his real name, told Ocelot that his name was John, and Ocelot revealed his name to be Adamska. The two ended their encounter almost amicably and Ocelot jumped off the WIG as it took off.

He also procured a copy of the Metal Gear REX blueprints from Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin.

Later Career

Ocelot continued his service in Spetsnaz until the collapse of the Soviet Union. Then he served OMON, the Russian Tax Police's elite swat team. Afterwards, he joined SVR, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency (sucessor to the KGB's First Directorate). However, he was unsatisfied with the new regime and left Russia. He participated in various regional conflicts (including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan) as a hired mercenary, until he was scouted by the U.S. Government and recruited by FOXHOUND. Ocelot considered joining FOXHOUND, the unit founded by his former rival and equal, Big Boss, to be a privilege and the highlight of his career. However, Big Boss was already dead by the time Ocelot joined the unit. Liquid Snake, the FOXHOUND leader at the time and one of Big Boss' own "sons", was not aware of this motive. As a member of FOXHOUND, Ocelot was responsible for the induction of former Outer Heaven mercenary Vulcan Raven and the discovery of Psycho Mantis.

Shadow Moses Island Incident

File:MGS1 Ocelot.jpg

Ocelot, during his time as a member of FOXHOUND. Ultimately, he would end up losing his right arm during the Shadow Moses island incident to Fox while fighting Snake.

During FOXHOUND's attempted "revolution" using a new nuclear weapons system, Ocelot serves as Liquid's right-hand man (ironically, Liquid later serves as Ocelot's right arm, after his is removed), but is secretly working for the President of the United States at the time (and a Patriot operative himself), George Sears (Solidus Snake). He kills the DARPA Chief (who is aware of Ocelot's secret) and puts the ArmsTech President to a thorough torture. He fights against operative Solid Snake in the Tank Hangar's armory, but loses his right arm below the elbow to Gray Fox. Afterwards, he steals the MO Disk containing the exercise data of Metal Gear REX from Snake while under captivity.

Ultimately, Ocelot survives the events of Shadow Moses and escapes with the disk. He leaks the REX data to the Black Market and then receives a partial arm transplant performed in Lyon, France. The operation is paid for by Solidus Snake, and the arm belongs to Liquid Snake, who died of FOXDIE. Liquid (while possessing Ocelot's body) mentions that he "chose" Ocelot as his host, suggesting that Solidus, in fact, convinced Ocelot to take Liquid's arm so that in some way Solidus would have an ally (and "brother") should Ocelot betray him, as he later would.

The Sinking of the Tanker

Ocelot resurfaces during the Tanker incident, stealing a sophisticated "Metal Gear hunter" system developed by the US Marines while claiming to be "taking it back" to its rightful owners. At this point Liquid takes over Ocelot's mind and body via the arm. Ocelot is seen using injections of some sort to suppress the manifestations. However, the true nature of the manifestations is made further unclear as it is implied in a conversation with Solidus that it only occurs when Solid Snake is near.

The Big Shell Takeover

During the Big Shell takeover, Ocelot apparently aids Solidus Snake in fighting the mysterious Patriots, a group Solidus believes is running a simulation intended to prove that, given the right circumstances, any soldier can become as skilled as the legendary Solid Snake. Once again, however, he double-crosses his comrades, revealing that he is working with the Patriots. The sinister group has stage-managed the events of Solidus' action with precision; Ocelot's final role is to finish off the remaining "evidence", namely Solidus Snake, Solid Snake, Raiden, and Fortune. However, Liquid Snake takes over Ocelot's body again, and steals Metal Gear RAY with the intention of using it to destroy the Patriots. But as it may turn out, his effort will be in vain as even Ocelot's knowledge of their location is quite possibly false. It is never made explicit if or when Ocelot regains control of his body from Liquid again.

Guns of the Patriots

Although he has only appeared in a promotional artwork for the game so far, Ocelot is scheduled to play a role in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. In the promotional DVD Metal Gear Saga Vol. 1, Kojima states that he is planning on revealing on how Liquid's arm takes over Ocelot's mind (a plot twist that was left unexplained in the end of Sons of Liberty) in the current draft of the game's storyline.