Tanker Incident

The Tanker Incident was the armed takeover and subsequent sinking of the tanker USS Discovery in August 2007. The event was staged by the Patriots in order to retrieve the U.S. Marines' prototype Metal Gear RAY, and frame renowned mercenary Solid Snake as the terrorist responsible.

"Opening Infiltration"
In late 2007, the anti-Metal Gear NGO, Philanthropy, received intelligence that a new type of Metal Gear, codenamed RAY, was to be transported through the New York Harbor aboard a disguised oil tanker, the USS Discovery. The information had been provided by Emma Emmerich, the stepsister of Philanthropy member Hal Emmerich. The Metal Gear had been developed by the U.S. Marines and was designed as an amphibious anti-Metal Gear unit.

During its scheduled voyage along the Hudson River, a stealth camouflaged Solid Snake boarded the Discovery from the George Washington Bridge, via bungee jump. The stealth camo was damaged from the landing impact, forcing Snake to take cover on the ship's deck. Snake's objective was to take photographs of the new Metal Gear and verify its existence, which Philanthropy would then expose to the public.

"Russian Soldiers from Kasatka"
After reviewing his equipment, Snake proceeded with his task, although he had a bad feeling about how the mission was going to turn out. Otacon told him that they would rendezvous at the Verazanno Bridge. However, before he could get far, Snake witnessed the hostile takeover of the tanker by Russian mercenaries led by an unknown man. Taking the Marines by complete surprise, the mercenaries silently killed all personnel on board the ship's deck. Snake photographed their leader and relayed the image to Otacon for identification. Undeterred, Snake proceeded towards the bridge to determine where the ship was headed...

"Olga Gurlukovich"
Avoiding the mercenaries, Snake headed up to the bridge where he found information on the ship's heading: 35o longitude, 58o latitude. Otacon realized that they were heading over 500 miles past the Bermudas, and deduced that this meant that RAY was ready for solo testing, and already combat worthy. As the testing area was also well outside of the Second Fleet's operation range as well, Otacon also concluded that this not only meant that it was a standalone Marine Corps project, but also able to operate independently without any Naval assistance. Before Snake could go down to the cargo hold to identify RAY, he heard a crash and went to investigate. There, Snake encountered the leader's daughter, Olga Gurlukovich, who has refused to leave the tanker despite being pregnant. After an intense gun battle on the bridge, he successfully tranquilized her in combat. Shortly afterwards, a U.S. Army Cypher UAV took Snake by surprise and photographed him.

"Metal Gear?"
Otacon then reported that he had discovered the identity of the mercenary leader: Sergei Gurlukovich. Otacon also told Snake that the reason that he knew of the existance of Metal Gear RAY was from a tip from Emma Emmerich, his stepsister. Snake made it down to the hold and engaged in a gun fight with Gurlukovich soldiers along the way. After Snake arrived to the hold where Marine Commandant Scott Dolph was giving his speech to the Marines, Otacon revealed that someone was monitoring their transmission. Wary of this development, Otacon arranged for an alternative method of sending the required photos of RAY back to him (instead of using the Codec): specifically a small computer terminal in the main hold where RAY was being held.

"Revolver Ocelot"
Afterwards, Snake took the photos of RAY and transferred them without issue. As the Marine Commandant finished his speech (the Marines "listening" unaware of the currently ensuing takeover), to Snake's shock, an appearance was made by Revolver Ocelot, who revealed himself to be working with Sergei Gurlukovich, with the latter holding Dolph at gun point. Sergei explained that he planned to sell RAY to Russia in order to revive Russia to its former glory. But Ocelot revealed that he had different plans for RAY, and Sergei assumed that he was still taking orders from Solidus Snake. But Ocelot revealed his true allegiance with "the Patriots." With Snake looking on, Ocelot betrayed Sergei and shot him, along with Dolph. Ocelot then blew up the tanker using the planted SEMTEX, but not before hijacking the new Metal Gear unit.

Suddenly, Ocelot's right arm began to spasm. In that moment, he started to speak with the voice of Liquid Snake, taunting his brother. It is revealed that Ocelot received a new arm after the Shadow Moses Incident, that of the late Liquid Snake, which caused a change in Revolver Ocelot's demeanor and behavior, with Liquid somehow possessing him. "Liquid" told Snake that he was "drowning in time" (referring to the accelerated aging process), and that Liquid avoided this fate by living on through the transplanted arm.

"RAY Escapes"
Under Liquid's control, Ocelot escaped in RAY, tearing apart the sinking tanker in the process with its hydro cannon. The tanker's sinking resulted in the deaths of all soldiers on board, as well as the apparent death of Solid Snake (in actuality, Snake had survived, and also left the corpse of Liquid Snake as a decoy to make it seem as though Snake died, and went into hiding shortly thereafter). RAY's theft had actually been manipulated by the Patriots, and Philanthopy was later framed for causing the incident, becoming labeled as eco-terrorists.

Manipulated by the Patriots, the media reported that Solid Snake had led the terrorist takeover of the oil tanker. Fearing an environmental disaster, the Navy had dispatched the Marines to defuse the threat, but Snake had ended up sinking the tanker and killing everyone involved, including himself. The major cleanup that would be required gave the Patriots the perfect cover for the construction of Arsenal Gear.

Behind the scenes
In Hideo Kojima's Grand Game Plan for Metal Gear Solid 2, the opening chapter was originally to have taken place on board an aircraft carrier in the year 2006.

In the Metal Gear Solid 2 comic, the Tanker Incident took place on March 22, 2007.

A playable escape sequence at the end of the Tanker chapter was to be included in the game, but test audiences did not like it, so it was removed. Footage of the sequence was kept for flashbacks of the event, however, and can also be seen in early trailers for the game.

After stealing RAY, Revolver Ocelot reports his success to a "Mr. President." The game's script refers to Ocelot's contact as Solidus Snake, though this is conflicted by Solidus having gone underground during that time. Whether he was actually referring to the U.S. President of that time, James Johnson, or a Patriot simulacrum is unknown.

According to Kojima, the opening scene, in which Solid Snake throws away his lit cigarette into the Hudson River, caused some negative responses from fans. Kojima therefore had Naked Snake stamp out his discarded cigar in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, prior to his HALO jump in the Virtuous Mission. Additionally, in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Old Snake puts his cigarettes in a portable ashtray after he finishes smoking them.