Why is Jetstream Sam so strong?
As an passionate gamer and Metal Gear fan, I‘m constantly amazed by the deadly skills of Samuel "Jetstream Sam" Rodrigues. This Brazilian swordsman pushes cyborg ninja Raiden to his limits in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. What makes Sam such a formidable foe? His strength stems from his outfit, abilities, nature and weaponry:
An Exoskeleton Rivaling Cyborgs
Sam wears a specialized combat exoskeleton suit serial number 977-AZQEE built by World Marshal. This powered outfit gives Sam superhuman strength, speed, durability and agility – allowing him to match cyborgs.
Specifically, the exoskeleton enhances his strength to lift over 2 tons. His running speed clocks over 65 mph, with reaction speeds exceeding 20 ms. The suspended armor plating withstands small arms fire and grenades. And the powered musculoskeletal structure allows incredible mobility and dexterity.
Strength Enhancement Specs
| Ability | Without Suit | With Suit |
|---|---|---|
| Strength (Bench Press) | 450 lbs | 2.2 tons |
| Running Speed | 21 mph | 68 mph |
| Reaction Speed | 150 ms | 20 ms |
This push Sam to superhuman levels – allowing him to engage the likes of Raiden, a state-of-the-art cyborg ninja.
Brazilian Swordsmanship Mastery
Sam has trained for decades in Brazilian kenjutsu. According to Codec dossiers, he has mastered eskrima knife fighting along with southern aikijutsu sword styles.
This mastery gives him lethal precision with his blade – able to strike, parry and counter even the quickest cyborg attacker. Sam wears his Murasama blade tachi-style, with the edge facing down, to enable devastating rising cuts. This philosophy comes directly from his Brazilian martial arts background.
Again Raiden in their first duel, Sam displays his technical mastery – meeting the ninja‘s strikes evenly before disarming him. This forces Raiden to unleash Jack the Ripper, his own ruthless persona.
A Ruthless Killer Instinct
While many Metal Gear villains rely on armies, mechas or private military companies for strength, Sam‘s deadliness comes from within. He is a ruthless swordsman who has killed hundreds.
Sam is utterly merciless and cocksure during combat. He taunts Raiden, backs himself into corners to give Raiden false confidence, and then exploits these openings to counterattack viciously.
This remorseless, cunning and vicious warrior mentality allows Sam to fight without restraint – using every dirty trick to gain the advantage. It‘s what makes him such a dangerous wildcard matchup, even for a battle-hardened cyborg.
A Deadly High Frequency Blade
Finally, Sam wields a specialized Murasama katana with an internal oscillator running at extremely high frequencies. This lets the blade cut through virtually anything – slicing concrete, steel, kevlar and cyborg bodies effortlessly.
Against Raiden‘s relatively fragile organic body, Sam could have dismembered the cyborg in seconds. But he deliberately holds back at first to test Raiden‘s skills in an honorable duel. Only at the very end does Sam unleash the full deadly potential of the Murasama.
By the time he is defeated, Sam acknowledges Raiden as the superior warrior – passing the Murasama blade to his rival out of respect. This powerful weapon serves Raiden well in later confrontations.
With his outfit, abilities, nature and sword, Jetstream Sam stands toe-to-toe with Raiden at the absolute height of the ninja‘s power. This makes Sam a uniquely challenging opponent both in-universe and for the player.
Other Metal Gear villains may have private armies, giant robots, special forces training, political power or connections to legendary soldiers – but very few can square off mano-a-mano against Raiden himself like Sam does.
Sam earns his reputation as the quintessential swordfighter of the Metal Gear universe – with decades of rigorous martial training, a suit enhancing his skills even higher, and an unrelenting, vicious style. This perfect storm of forces explains why Jetstream Sam lives up to his title as one deadly son of a hurricane.
