Why Does Raiden Have a Metal Jaw? A Cyborg Ninja‘s Origin

Raiden, the lightning-fast cyborg ninja protagonist of Metal Gear, is easily recognized by his menacing metal jaw and cybernetic enhancements grafted onto his body without consent. But how did Raiden obtain this post-human visage? His transformations originate from horrific experimentation by the secretive Patriots group in their efforts to craft the ultimate soldier.

Raiden’s Trauma: Patriot Captivity and Experimentation

According to Metal Gear Solid 4 databases, Raiden was captured by the clandestine organization known as The Patriots, the true orchestrators of the Metal Gear universe. As a prisoner, they subjected Raiden to brutal experimentation in crafting cyborg-enhanced super soldiers.

Through this agonizing process, Raiden had his head and spine surgically removed from his original biological body, severed at the lower jaw. Records indicate that only 17.3% of his upper jaw could be salvaged, replaced with a black ceramic alloy to allow integration with cybernetic mounts.

Raiden’s harvested head and spine were then grafted into an enhanced synthetic body, outfitted with artificial muscle tissue cloned from solid snake himself. This allowed seamless fusion between flesh and steel.

Cybernetic limb attachments and neural interfaces were anchored directly into Raiden’s grafted spine, enabling motor control of the robotic actuators through the existing nervous system. Additionally his right eye was replaced with an optic nerve linked camera ocular implant.

This traumatic procedure fundamentally transformed Raiden from an ordinary human into a cybernetically enhanced human (CEH).

Why a Metal Jaw? Form, Function & Symbolism

The sleek black metal jaw and cervical mounts serve distinct biomechanical functions. Onto this reinforced “exoskeleton” chassis, the Patriots engineers mounted an array of cyberweaponry and sensors:

Enhanced Strength & Speed

Raiden’s head, neck and spine provide the core framework which his augmentations build upon. The metal jaw anchors into his grafted synthetic cervical vertebrae and pectoral assembly, enabling greater force exertion. Paired with hydraulic actuators down his back and limbs, this grants Raiden incredible strength and agility for combat.

Communications/AR Interface

The synthetic section of Raiden’s face houses an Audio Communication system within the Ceramic-Carbide mandible. This allows direct communication with support teams via internalized bone conduction hardware.

Additionally, a Heads Up Display (HUD) neural link provides augmented reality data such as mission objectives, environmental scanning, and targeting assistance directly overlaid to Raiden‘s vision.

Respiration/Nutrition

While Raiden retains his original lungs to facilitate breathing, his lower face assembly includes an oxygen purification system. This enables breathing toxic or zero oxygen atmospheres. An intravenous feeding mechanism allows cybernetic absorption of nutrients.

On a narrative level, Raiden’s black metal jaws are harsh reminders of the dehumanizing experiments inflicted by the Patriots. It is one piece of the larger struggle for Raiden to reclaim his humanity in the face of cyberization against his will.

Conclusion: A Cyborg Reborn

Emerging from this torturous enhancement as a weaponized cybernetic organism, Raiden would struggle with trauma from both the surgery and his radically altered identity. However, later he goes on to embrace his abilities in cyborg form, becoming a feared fighter especially brandishing his high-frequency katana blade against corrupted PMC mech swarms.

Raiden’s distinct half-human and half-machine visage serves as a bold cornerstone to his redemptive character arc across the Metal Gear Saga. The metal jaw that dehumanized him also gives him the power to fight for justice.