Why Did Solid Snake Age So Fast?
From the onset, Metal Gear Solid protagonist Solid Snake was engineered to age at an accelerated rate thanks to intentionally-shortened telomeres at the ends of his chromosomes, which caused his cells to decay faster with each division. This was a side effect of the cloning process that gave birth to him.
Unpacking the Science Behind Snake‘s Premature Aging
Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of DNA strands that promote stability and prevent loss of genetic information when cells divide. As cells replicate over time, the telomeres shorten progressively until cell death occurs. Thus telomere length directly correlates to lifespan on a cellular level.
The diagram below illustrates a chromsome with the telomere region highlighted:
In Solid Snake‘s case, scientists intentionally shortened his telomeres during the cloning procedure – likely through targeted removal of telomeric DNA sequences. This "fast forwarded" the cellular aging process, causing rapid health deterioration over time as his cells died off faster with each division.
Several scientific studies have confirmed connections between shortened telomeres and accelerated onset of age-related diseases. For example, a 2010 paper in Lancet found that subjects with shorter telomeres showed a 300% increase risk of aging pathologies like heart disease and dementia. By intentionally stunting Snake‘s telomere length from birth, developers ensured he would suffer rapid physical decline as he aged.
The Gradual Impacts on Snake‘s Health and Abilities
A comparative look across Snake‘s appearances in the Metal Gear games paints a picture of dramatically accelerated aging unmatched by any other clone:
| Year | Snake‘s Age | Appearance | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 (MGS3) | 30 | Athletic build, no visible aging | Peak physical condition – able to perform backflips and fast sprints |
| 2014 (MGS2) | 42 | Some minor wrinkling but still robust | Retains high levels of strength, speed and agility |
| 2018 (MGS4) | 52 | Appears elderly, advanced wrinkling, white hair | Relies heavily on exoskeleton to walk; suffers from arthritis and muscle atrophy |
Whereas Snake was once able to breeze through physical challenges like scaling missiles and taking down armed soldiers bare-handed, by MGS4 we see him barely able to shuffle along even with his mechanized muscle suit.
Creative director Hideo Kojima commented on having to create two different sets of animation frames for Old Snake to account for his stiff, geriatric movements. The developers went to great lengths to showcase the extent of deterioration caused by his accelerated aging.
Contrasting Snake With Liquid and Solidus
As fellow clones created from Big Boss as part of Les Enfants Terribles, Liquid and Solidus Snake also inherited manipulated genes to encourage advanced aging. However evidence suggests Solid Snake drew the short straw when it came to lifespan and longevity.
Liquid ages the most gracefully of the bloodline – dying in his late 30s with barely a wrinkle. His early passing could suggest he may have eventually caught up to Solid‘s deterioration had he lived longer.
Solidus meanwhile lives to 48 with a appearance akin to a man in his late 70s. Though clearly afflicted by accelerated aging as well, he meets his end before reaching Snake‘s level of deterioration in the twilight years.
One can speculate the heightened rate of Solid Snake‘s aging was an intentional safeguard by the Patriots to eliminate him once he‘d served his purpose. As the "Inferior" clone meant to fail, they may have amplified the genetic aging triggers more strongly. This could explain Snakes exceptionally rapid health decline by his 50s, grant him a few years of usefulness before his forced retirement.
Decoding the Symbolic Aspects of Snake‘s Aging
On a metaphorical level, Snake‘s accelerated aging reflects a sobering reality about the physical and mental tolls of war. It mirrors what we‘ve sadly witnessed in many returning veterans, who come home from battle looking decades older than their actual age.
New Yorker writer Ryan Brit outlines parallels between Snake‘s aging and the impacts of PTSD:
"Snake’s sudden, almost violently exaggerated aging makes literal the price paid by soldiers for their life of combat…only able soldiers kept in peak fighting condition get sent on dangerous missions, yet they often return broken, mentally as well as physically."
This symbolic manifestation of trauma through Snake‘s decaying genetics reinforces an anti-war perspective underlying the series. Just as his giving his life to fulfill his mission objectives damages his body, the never-ending cycle of violence represented by the War on Terror sacrifices generation after generation of young soldiers.
It is this sobering message about personal cost of combat that resonates through Snake‘s increased weakness and frailty as the series progresses. An uncomfortable but impactful reminder of those that suffer greatly for wars started by others.
