Quick Jump Daily Digest

Thank you for your interest in the Quick Jump Daily Digest. Get notified of all new content on QJ in our free Daily Digest. To subscribe, enter your email address below and click the subscribe button.

Cancel and Return to page

Metal Gear Solid 4 character countdown: Otacon

Posted May 2, 2008 at 6:44PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: PS3 Tags: James Bond, Konami, Konami Digital, Manhattan, mercenaries, Solid Snake

Welcome to this week's edition of the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Character Countdown. As some of you probably know, we're on the third leg of the weekly article series that we'll be running until the launch of this potential masterpiece from Konami Digital Entertainment and Kojima Productions.

In the first two posts, we had a look back at two of the meanest bad guys that the Metal Gear franchise has known: Liquid Ocelot and Vamp. This time, we're switching over to the good side as we've got Solid Snake's famous sidekick on the spotlight. Yup, fans will have no trouble recognizing Dr. Hal "Otacon" Emmerich.

Character history

Dr. Hal Emmerich was introduced in the first MGS as a weapons designer working on Metal Gear REX. He was held captive in Shadow Moses Island by Liquid Snake's FOXHOUND unit and was attacked by the Cyborg Ninja. He was then rescued by Solid Snake and Hal in turn aided him in his mission.

After Snake beats the Cyborg Ninja, Hal asks for the hero to address him by the callsign Otacon via Codec. The term "OtaCon" is derived from the "Otaku Convention" event - a Japanese culture reference. If you're wondering why, it's because Dr. Emmerich is a big manga and anime fan. He loved mechs as a kid and grew up with a fire in his belly for designing robots.

Otacon becomes to Snake what Q was to James Bond, dishing out all the technical advice needed to deal with some bosses. His knowledge of Metal Gear REX's design allows Snake to deal with the monstrosity by busting its radome (with a little help from Gray Fox).

After the Shadow Moses crisis, Hal joins Snake in an organization called Philanthropy. Their group's objective is to blow the cover on Metal Gear projects around the world in order to stop the proliferation of these weapons. In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, the plot thickens as Otacon and Snake tangle up with the likes of Solidus and the Patriots in their quest to prevent a new arms race between nations.

MGS2 starts with Otacon and Snake infiltrating a tanker to photograph a new type of Metal Gear being shipped by the US Marine Corps called Metal Gear RAY. The duo succeed in their goal, but things get complicated when the tanker is hijacked by Revolver Ocelot and his Russian mercenaries. Metal Gear RAY is stolen, and the tanker sinks, leaving Otacon and Snake thought of as dead.

One of the lighter sides of MGS2 is Otacon replacing Mei Ling as the person in charge of saving Snake's game data. He makes a desperate attempt to provide Snake with Chinese proverbs the way the cute Mei Ling did, but he fails miserably as he ends up choking on geek-speak on most occasions.

In the second part of MGS2, Hal joins Snake again to infiltrate Big Shell in hopes of taking out the super weapon known as Arsenal Gear. He's also in this one for a more personal reason: rescuing his estranged sister Emma Emmerich, creator of Arsenal Gear's operating system.

It's also in MGS2 that Otacon laments how Metal Gear and nuclear weapons are tied to his lineage. His grandfather was among the scientists who worked in the world's first nuke tests while his father was born when the first nuclear weapon was detonated. He and his sister later ended up working to build some of the most fearsome weapons known to man.

Otacon makes his way through the end of the MGS2 ordeal which came to a head in Manhattan where Raiden defeated Solidus. He has been confirmed for a return in MGS4, though not a lot has been revealed as to what exactly his role will be. He's been seen in some early trailers controlling a small assist robot remotely to help Snake out, but things have been pretty quiet for him since then.

He's been sporting a new look of sorts as of late, showing off an unshaven face. Character design lead Yoji Shinkawa was once quoted as saying that a "tougher look" may help Hal's popularity a bit come MGS4's release. We'll see about that, won't we?

Dirty Hal's crazy love affairs

In most action film storylines, the ultra-masculine hero, like Snake, always gets to have the girls, maybe two or three depending on how macho the story writers want him to be. The MGS series is different from the rest in this regard because the nerdy sidekick has the more adventurous history with women than his rugged partner.

Hal's first love interest, chronologically, was his own stepmother who is Emma's biological mother. He reveals this after Vamp finishes Emma following MGS2's sniping missions. In his grief, Hal recounts that his stepmom seduced him, causing his father to take his own life once he found out.

In Shadow Moses, Hal develops feelings towards the alluring but dangerous Sniper Wolf while in captivity. He tells Snake that she's different from the rest of FOXHOUND because she's the only one who treated him well. After the second battle between Snake and Wolf, the FOXHOUND sharpshooter is mortally wounded, and Snake delivers one last honor shot to her in warrior-to-warrior fashion. Hal is saddened by what happened, but he seems to harbor no ill feelings towards Snake.

Jumping back to MGS2, Hal continues to have strange in-family emotional attachments, this time with stepsister Emma. The young programming whiz confesses that she's had feelings for Otacon since they were kids, and she even wore glasses even if she has good eyes to emulate him. They reconcile in Big Shell, but it's short-lived as Emma met an early demise while trying to help Snake and Raiden.

As Hal puts it, the people - particularly the women - that he grows close to often leave him in this world alone. Like always, Hal calms down, gathers himself, wears his spectacles, and carries on. Will there be a happy ending for him in MGS4? This blogger certainly hopes so.

Originally Posted on May 02, 2008 at 1:37 p.m.

This story sucks? This story rocks!

Vote Now!

(0)

(0)

As much as I want to give into that one, there's no confirmation yet that he'll be in MGS4. Unless, that is, the theories that he's actually old Snake is true. Anyway, we'll have enough references to him once we get to Snake. He's a very important part of the storyline, and it would be a travesty not to have at least a segment focusing on him.

I'm excited about the Raiden part of the countdown too.

EE as a Cyborg? LOL!!!!!

Anyway, stand by for the next few ones, folks.

# im exited too! — sergeidragunov 2008-05-03 04:19

im excited too for the Raiden countdown! Well im a hardcore mgs fan, i played mgs up to mgs portable ops+ Oh men! i still dont own a ps3. ps3 still too PRICEY! Hey Sony! lower the price a

little so i can buy!

# :) — xXPedroMaxXx 2008-05-03 15:30

Thanks for making it of Otacon!!!...

PS

Could Campbell be next?...

# you're welcome — Guest 2008-05-04 03:29

And oh, Campbell will be there eventually. He's looking to be a major character in MGS4. I'm still in the process of deciding who's next. :)

Your suggestions will be most welcome, fellas. Keep them coming.

# Johmmy Sasaki — Guest 2008-05-04 03:36

We all love this guy, but honestly, I'm not sure if we can have him here. Aside fromtwo ppoping and one peeing incident, I don't know what else to write in his character history.

Refresh comments list

Add comment

JComments

HOT GAMING NEWS | LATEST GAMING SEARCHES | FORUMS

QUICK JUMP DAILY DIGEST

Welcome to QJ.Net!

If you want your comments to go live without waiting for moderation, you need to be logged in. Being logged in has its benefits:

Logged in members do not wait for their comments to be approved.
Logged in members can create Profiles to be seen by other users.

So why wait? Create an account or login now! It's easy, quick, and free.

To get started, use the LOGIN boxes, or the REGISTER link below!

Want to learn more about the team who brings you the QJ news?

Read about them now!

HOT FLASH GAMES

QJ.NET Categories
• Apple • E3 • Featured Articles • Gadgets • Games for Windows • iPad • iPhone • MMORPG • Mobile • News • Nintendo 3DS • Nintendo DS • Opinions & Analysis	• Photography • PlayStation 3 • PoV • PS Vita • PSP • Rumors • Science • Site News • Tabula Rasa • Wii • Wii U • World of Warcraft • Xbox 360

Sitemap

Newest Downloads

05/22/2012 - 05/30/2012

edicpopDS v0.3.01	05/29/2012
RGLoader 0v290 Beta	05/27/2012
WiiMod 3.2	05/27/2012
WiiMC v1.2.7	05/25/2012
True Blue Firmeware v2.7	05/24/2012
3DS Video Converter v2.3	05/24/2012
Mobile Assault 1.8.2	05/24/2012
PSP Tools Alpha 0.1	05/22/2012
Newton War	05/22/2012
DaedalusX64 r766	05/22/2012
PSPMarble	05/22/2012
The Undead 4 - Nazi Zombies	05/21/2012
3DSExplorer v1.2.1	05/21/2012
J-Runner v0.2 Beta 275	05/19/2012
Priiloader 0.8 Beta 3	05/19/2012

Most Comments this Month
Sound Off: On Game Expirat..	(58)
Say Goodbye to the Xbox 36..	(31)
EA Blames iOS Rock Band Ex..	(28)
Flash0 Contents Of Vita's..	(27)
Sony Had a Rough Year; Vit..	(26)
PlayStation 3: Now Featuri..	(23)
Sound Off: Toughest Game C..	(20)
Apparently You Can Pre-Ord..	(19)
Love It or Hate It, It's A..	(16)
You've Been Up in Arms Abo..	(15)
Pre-Order Generic Shooter..	(15)
PoV: This Collectors Editi..	(15)
Get Off Xbox Live, You Ped..	(14)
This is Next Gen?	(14)
PoV: Paid MMOs are Dead	(14)
Metal Gear Solid For Vita..	(14)
PoV: You Are Wrong about C..	(14)
Stop Your Whining, Start C..	(13)
OK, So Maybe Microsoft Can..	(12)
Does Microsoft Ever Have a..	(12)
Operation Raccoon City Pro..	(12)
Diablo III Getting Mauled..	(12)
Pokemon Liquid Crystal! K..	(12)
Blizzard is Really Sorry a..	(11)
Update: EA Drops Free BF3..	(11)

Top Jumps this Month
Naruto Shippuden: Ul..	(166)
neur0n Knocks Out An..	(101)
Pokemon Liquid Cryst..	(101)
Bust Out Your PSP Fo..	(90)
PSP homebrew - LameC..	(67)
Wii homebrew - WAD M..	(52)
PSP Comics Reader v2..	(50)
PSP Homebrew: 6.xx P..	(43)
Hellcat Working On R..	(41)
PSP Homebrew - PSPDi..	(41)
PSP homebrew - DSonP..	(38)
neur0n Gives You Mor..	(37)
Sound Off: On Game E..	(35)
PSP GBA v1.2: Gamebo..	(33)
Latest Left 4 Dead 2..	(31)
Another CFW Goodie F..	(30)
Soywiz Releases PSP..	(30)
GTA IV patch 1.0.6.0..	(29)
Download full Sid Me..	(28)
Sound Off: Should Ap..	(28)
Homebrew - PSP/PS3 P..	(24)
PSP homebrew - Mario..	(23)
DS homebrew game - S..	(21)
Brian Lara Internati..	(21)
Metal Gear Solid For..	(21)

HOT GAMING NEWS TOPICS

Quick Jump Daily Digest

Metal Gear Solid 4 character countdown: Otacon

Related Stories:

Comments

Add comment

Newest Downloads