Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-79.52.61.188-20130415085048/@comment-1672596-20130709235929

50.53.154.87 wrote: Weedle McHairybug wrote: Now, Big Boss is likely to not even know who Cipher is (and that's DESPITE Paz flat out telling him who they were by reciting how they separated), and not even being sure of Zero's connection to it, and his actions and notoriety, not to mention Cipher being implied to have still screwed over MSF even with Paz's defeat makes it nearly, if not downright impossible for Big Boss to ever regain control of FOXHOUND. If Kojima really needed to add in a second ending, could he at LEAST try to avoid retconning MGS4 or a significant portion of the MSX2 storyline (ie, Big Boss running Outer Heaven in secret as well as running FOXHOUND publicly)? Uh, Big Boss had already made the connection that Zero was Cipher before and even said his name before letting Kaz finishing explain who they were. It was pretty apparent that he realized that connection when Paz laid out the facts of her ruse to him while she took control of ZEKE. The entire situation is made crystal clear in the final scene of Peace Walker; the struggle between Zero and Big Boss that was explained in MGS4 is now being elaborated as we get to see firsthand the war between the two forces ignite. I don't see at all how Big Boss is oblivious to Zero, the Patriots or their plans and how any of MGS4 was retconned?

Sigh... I take it you haven't listened to the briefing files then, because I specifically referenced one of them, the CIPHER tape (not Kaz's call, the other one, under "Clients"). Kaz basically explained what the term Cipher meant, including that Zero was a meaning, with Big Boss briefly recognizing, yet then saying he "wasn't sure" of the connection. Here's the exact dialogue: "

[SNAKE]

"Cipher"... Ring any bells, Kaz?

[MILLER]

Cipher... Cipher... it means "code." Or "zero" in Arabic numerals.

[SNAKE]

Zero...

[MILLER]

Does that mean something to you?

[SNAKE]

Not sure."

Take note Big Boss's answer regarding Miller's question about whether "Zero" meant anything to him. That implies that he wasn't even sure about whether Zero was involved at all. Considering how terrible of a job he did at lying to Amanda, Chico, and especially to Huey and Cecile, I'm doubtful he would have been lying there.

And reacting to Paz's backstory exposition on Cipher with a "huh?" as if he didn't even recognize Zero or the Patriots at all really doesn't convey well that he's not very good about knowing them, or that he ever met them. Think about it, if Kojima really wanted to ensure people got that he knew them before, don't you think he'd have Big Boss utter instead "wait, you mean...?!, no... it can't be...!?" That way, it does convey that, while he didn't expect Zero to be involved, he at least recognized who Paz was referring to.