Is Snake Dead in Metal Gear Rising? The Fate of a Legendary Hero

As an avid Metal Gear fan and content creator, one of the most common questions I get asked is: "What happened to Snake in Metal Gear Rising?" So let‘s take a deep dive into the fate of one of gaming‘s most legendary heroes.

The Short Answer

Yes, by the events of 2018‘s Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Solid Snake has very likely passed away at some point between 2014-2018.

The evidence strongly implying Snake‘s death:

• Raiden posthumously speaks about Snake with reverence
• Snake is never shown or mentioned to be alive despite appearances from Otacon and Sunny
• The novelization for Rising states Snake died peacefully years earlier after passing on his story

So while Snake‘s death happens off-screen and is not definitively stated, all signs in Rising point to him no longer being alive during Raiden‘s new cyborg adventures.

Revisiting Snake‘s Fate at the End of Guns of the Patriots

To understand what happens to the legendary Snake, first we should revisit his arc by the end of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in 2014.

Snake‘s Accelerated Aging

As a clone of Big Boss, Snake begins suffering from advanced accelerated aging that rapidly deteriorates his body over the course of MGS4. By the final act, Snake appears elderly and frail, feeling immense pain from cellular degeneration.

Snake‘s Decision to Live

After stopping Liquid Ocelot and the Patriots‘ AIs, the physically weakened Snake intends to commit suicide to end his suffering once and for all. However, he decides against this after reconciling with Big Boss. Instead, Snake chooses to live out the remainder of his days while he still can.

Snake Lives His Last Days in Peace

In the ending timeline of MGS4, it‘s stated Snake retires with Otacon and Sunny to live out his final months in peace. Having made an impact on the world, Snake is satisfied with the life he‘s lived as his accelerated aging guarantees he doesn‘t have long left.

The Years Between Guns of the Patriots and Rising

Metal Gear Rising takes place 4 years after the events of Guns of the Patriots in 2018. So what happened to Snake in those intervening years between 2014-2018?

Snake‘s Peaceful Death (Circa 2015)

The most compelling evidence for Snake‘s fate comes from Metal Gear Rising‘s official novelization. As described in the epilogue, Snake passed away peacefully with a smile sometime around 2015. This aligns with his accelerated aging finally catching up to him a year or so after MGS4‘s ending.

So by following this timeline, Snake lived about a year beyond his last mission before succumbing to his health issues, dying content rather than by suicide.

How Snake‘s Death is Implied in Rising

Aside from the novel stating as such, several subtle details in Metal Gear Rising also imply Snake died at some point before Raiden‘s newest cyborg exploit:

• When speaking about Snake, Raiden uses language like "he was" instead of "he is"
• Sunny and Otacon play major roles but there are zero references to Snake still being alive
• Snake does not appear nor is there any indication he is still around in the year 2018

While not overtly confirmed in-game, these context clues strongly suggest the legendary soldier Snake is no longer living by the time of Metal Gear Rising in 2018.

The Legacy of Snake‘s Death

As a devoted Metal Gear fan, Snake‘s off-screen death between MGS4 and Rising initially surprised me. But upon reflection, having Snake die quietly from his rapid aging rather than suicide or in combat seems an appropriate farewell – affirming his decision to keep living after MGS4‘s climax.

In many ways, Snake dying from natural causes between games perfectly encapsulates the character’s duality:

• It honors Snake finding inner peace as an old soldier ready to pass his torch, while…
• Remaining realistically tragic due to his body’s engineered premature breakdown

It‘s an understated yet meaningful end for a complex hero – finally free from war and pain. And Snake‘s death allows Rising to characterize him as an immortalized legend who inspired the next generation.

Raiden speaks reverently about Snake as an awe-inspiring mentor, keeping his memory and mission alive through the noble causes he stood for. Perhaps there is no better tribute to Solid Snake’s lasting impact.

So in summary, while never explicitly shown, all evidence suggests the great Snake did indeed die peacefully sometime before the events of Metal Gear Rising in 2018, leaving behind a legacy as one of gaming’s greatest heroes.

Let me know your thoughts on Snake’s fate between MGS4 and Rising! And follow for more Metal Gear analysis and tributes to the one and only Solid Snake.