Is Jetstream Sam a "Good Guy"? A Complex Anti-Hero
No – the Jetstream Sam encountered in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance serves as Raiden‘s rival and antagonist working for the enemy company World Marshal. He cannot be considered a clear-cut “good guy” by conventional standards.
However, Sam occupies an intriguing middle ground role as an anti-hero rather than pure villain. His motivations revolve around proving himself as the strongest warrior possible and seeking glory in honorable combat rather than embracing malicious intent.
Sam‘s Backstory Establishes His Anti-Hero Foundations
Sam’s origins paint the picture of a Brazilian samurai forged by combat. His natural skills led him to Japan to study the country’s martial arts and sword disciplines further. Sam soon earned respect as an esteemed warrior.
However, during a fight with Senator Armstrong, Sam loses his right arm. This pivotal wound would steer his mercenary path to align with World Marshal. But having his limb torn off by Armstrong also aligned Sam against the overarching villains to some degree.
As a wanderer selling his combat skills to numerous warlords and criminal groups, Sam cultivated a brutal reputation. Tales spread of his sword mastery, including a legend where he defeated 10 armed hitmen empty-handed. Between his origins, troubled past, and fearsome skills, the foundations of Sam‘s anti-hero role materialized.
Seeking Glory Drives Sam More Than Evil Intent
Sam lives for the thrill of combat. His core drive is proving his mastery against worthy adversaries. While this lust pulls him toward villainous associations, glory and challenge motivate him more than malicious goals.
Sam adheres to a strict ethical code as a warrior. He respects strength and skill, desiring to challenge the most powerful swordsmen possible to validate his abilities. These motivations position Sam in an ethical gray zone – he will oppose those considered “good” if it brings him the battle he seeks.
“Violence for its own sake is unethical, but battle to better oneself is sublime.” This quote from Sam himself encapsulates his anti-hero philosophy. He partakes in violence not out of evil, but from an insatiable hunger to raise his sword skills higher through intense combat.
Playability in Jetstream DLC Deepens Sam’s Anti-Hero Role
While Raiden serves as the protagonist in the base Revengeance campaign, downloadable content allows players to inhabit Sam as the playable character. This vital perspective reinforces his position as an anti-hero.
Getting to directly experience Sam’s combat abilities and persona fleshes him out beyond just serving as an antagonist foil to Raiden. Assuming his role cements the sense that while Sam opposes the chief hero on occasion, he is driven by his own code rather than pure villainy.
Sam’s anti-hero status emanates most palpably when players guide his blade themselves, rather than watching him trade steel with Raiden. Cutting down adversaries as the fearsome warrior grants insights into what makes him tick.
Sam and Raiden Establish a Rivalry Rather Than Hero vs Villain Opposition
Considering Sam and Raiden‘s frequent battles, one may assume they stand as clear hero versus villain archetypes. However, their relationship centers more deeply on a rivalry built on mutual respect.
Both warriors admire the other’s capabilities and see defeating the other as the ultimate test of skill. Though allied on opposing sides, Sam and Raiden harbor no true moral opposition. In their eyes, besting the other in combat serves as the pinnacle way to validate their mastery.
Raiden defeating Sam and seemingly ending his anti-hero arc does not extinguish this core rivalry either. Sam’s final words cement his utmost respect for Raiden’s skills. Rather than malevolence, he feels glory in losing to a warrior of such aptitude. Their rivalry persists even through defeated.
In Conclusion
To definitively answer whether Jetstream Sam constitutes a “good guy” – no, his mercenary allegiances and opposition of key protagonists position him at odds with conventional heroes. Yet Sam stands apart from the truly sinister villains he sometimes associates with too.
Sam’s motivations of seeking the ultimate battle to test his mettle combined with his code of ethics as a warrior set him apart as an intriguing anti-hero. His tragic backstory and direct playability in DLC content reinforce this gray area identity.
So while Sam is no knight in shining armor, he diverges from the truly monstrous villains of Metal Gear as well thanks to his distinct principles. He dwells in the zone of anti-heroes who reject good and evil for their own driving philosophies – in Sam’s case, a ceaseless quest for glory won through peerless combat.
