Board Thread:Metal Gear Solid V/@comment-153.96.144.4-20141009152903/@comment-25366375-20141009170727

I gotta respect how you've put your argument together. Well structured, to be sure, especially for such a wild theory.

However, I don't buy it, myself. You're right that Ocelot has feigned allegiences, but from memory he's never actually disguised himself as such, he's always been an eccentrically dressed Russian guy. Considering the entire theme of Metal Gear Solid V (which of course includes Ground Zeroes) is race, but more specifically revenge, I can't see why Skull Face can't just be an agent of Cipher, independent of any introduced characters so far, getting revenge for his stolen past, as he suggests in the tapes in Ground Zeroes. We know he has a connection to Big Boss, and that it alludes to around about the time of Snake Eater, but hell, who doesn't have a connection to BB? I don't know myself, as I hadn't played any of the games yet, but did anyone question whether Zadornov or Paz were linked to other characters in other ways when Peace Walker was released?

I think it's pushing it to suggest Skull Face's actual skull face is some kind of disguise. That's literally showing his skull. Besides, Kojima has already gone on to say that he has a skull face to symbolise his evil, while Ocelot on the other hand (whose facial features differ far too much to Skull Face's to begin with) was designed to be "the coolest character in the game". I suppose such a stark contrast could help to further your point, but, at the same time I feel like everyone in The Phantom Pain seems to be deliberately designed symbolically as icons. As a side note; I seem to recall Kojima saying the dogs barked at Skull Face to indicate he was evil also. And as we've seen from the D.D. trailer, Ocelot is apparently actually quite good with dogs, which in the Japanese cutscene, Snake makes a joke. ("An ocelot training a dog, huh?")

On to Skull Face's torturing of Chico and Paz, you're right to say that Ocelot also has a penchant for torturing. However, when you look at characters like Volgin, Strangelove - and to a lesser extent - Solidus Snake, you'll see that characters loving torture is just the way it goes in the Metal Gear universe. Even Kaz and Big Boss help torture Huey in The Phantom Pain. Besides, the capture and torture of both Chico and Paz would upset Big Boss, which Ocelot would know, and considering his idolisation of BB, it seems unlikely that he would knowingly upset him. Sure, he may be acting out of some kind of street justice for MSF's betrayal, but that doesn't explain the bomb(s) planted in Paz. Ocelot loves to torture, but that seems a bit sick, even for him. On top of this, the bombs had the peace symbol on them, and while I don't believe this to be the case, that kinda leans closer to someone like Hot Coldman (despite your opposition) than Ocelot, considering he had no involvement in the Peace Walker Incident whatsoever.

I think that drawing parallels between the way Skull Face and Ocelot dress is kind of reaching. Otherwise, sure, you have some points. I don't think Skull Face will turn out to be Ocelot by any means, (James Horan and Troy Baker being incredibly different voices for one). It's all to easy to say SF's back story was a lie, because that's the gaping hole in this theory.