robbdn

Hope you guys aren't completely bored with MGS threads by now, but I had a very strange experience recently.

Recently, I decided to start listening to audio books to put me to sleep. I'm on my second one now, which just happens to be "The Bourne Identity" by Robert Ludlum (1980). So, if you have only seen the movies, and not the books, none of this is going to make any sense at all to you. The Bourne movies and books are completely different, and I really can't emphasize that enough.

Okay, so I was listening to these audio books, and I swear to whatever you happen to believe in that at one point in the book the US government changes David Webb's code-name (aka Jason Bourne) to Solid Snake. The problem is, I'm listening to this stuff while I'm half-asleep, and I seem to have some trouble locating the exact passage where this occurs. Can anybody else confirm this?

Hearing this, or at least thinking that I hear this, inspired me to do a little completely pointless thinking, after all, that is what speculation about this game is. Unfortunately, speculating about the game is almost as much fun as the game itself. Regardless, if this is true, the way Robert Ludlum's story works into Hideo Kojima's story and timeline is rather uncanny. Nearly to the point that one could insinuate that David Webb is in fact Big Boss. The timeline's of the two characters match up almost perfectly, as far as I can tell, as are many coincidences throughout the two franchises. I'll keep working on the details, but I don't want to provide them right now, hope to hear from people who are familiar with both characters and plots to see what kind of feedback comes up.

I guess the bottom line is, I know that Hideo Kojima loves to borrow (steal) from other sources to create intertextual and immersive plotlines, full of double and triple entendres thanks to pop-culture references. Does it seem that unbelievable that before he sat down to make the original Metal Gear he somehow got his hands on a translated Bourne Identity and a copy of Escape from L.A. and decided to make a franchise based on these characters? And that because of his crazy and intense nature he tried to actually make it all fit in to the Bourne plotline?

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Lasereth

To confuse you even more, David Hayter is the guy that plays Solid Snake's voice, also the guy who wrote the script for both X-Men movies.

-Lasereth

Destrox

Its been a number of years since I read the Bourne Series.. but I simply do not recall such a name ever being said.

David Webb, Jason Bourne, Delta, Chameleon...

Thats about it.

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robbdn

Don't forget Cain and Charlie... I have also found plenty of references to Webb as the "snake from Medusa's head" although that's a lot less substantial.

and... holy crap... David Hayter really did write the X-Men movies...

Anyway, so here's my makeshift timeline, if in fact Kojima did what I wouldn't put past him (not ready to commit yet).

October 15, 1964
Khrushchev is ousted from power.
Brezhnev becomes the First Secretary of the Communist Party, with Kosygin as Premier.

October 16, 1964
China conducts its first successful nuclear test in the Takla Makan desert.

1965
Sigint joins ARPA.
He takes part in the development of ARPAnet, which would go online in 1969.

1966
The U.S. government conducts a study on emergency medical treatment. The Department of Transportation lays the groundwork for the creation of the EMT system.

1968
EVA disappears without a trace in Hanoi.

1970
Para-Medic establishes the nation's first paramedic system in Seattle, Washington.

1970
Major Zero disbands FOX.

1970
The United States accumulates the remainder of the Legacy. The U.S. branch of "Philosophers" changes its name to the "Patriots."

1971
Carrying on the traditions of Major Zero and his FOX unit, Big Boss establishes FOXHOUND.

1972
The "Les Enfants Terribles" project. The sons of Big Boss are born.

Feb 1973
David Webb calls off ties with the US government and becomes Delta, the leader of Medusa. Was previously working for foreign affairs in East Asia. To coincide with my theory, could have easily been a cover for operations with FOXHOUND before going deep under as Delta, nobody in CIA would know about this and after memory loss Webb would never remember.

Jul 1975
David Webb becomes Jason Bourne, Cain. Was trained prior to this at Treadstone 71.

1978
While hunting The Jackal, David Webb loses his memory and becomes Jason Bourne. Webb is 37 when this happens, meaning Big Boss would be 23 during the events of MGS 3.

1987
Webb is recalled to hunt fake Bourne.

1991
The Gulf War. Liquid Snake was in his late teens then, so Solid Snake must've been too! Snake was 19.

1992
Webb finally destroys the Jackal... this event could cause later total recall, and the insanity that caused Big Boss betrayal, he even remembered his 'son' at some point (Dave).

1995
The Outer Heaven Crisis. Solid Snake was called out to sort out the mech; Metal Gear along with FOX-HOUND leader - Big Boss! Snake was 23.

1999
The Zanzibar Riot. Once again, FOX-HOUND member; Solid Snake was called out to sort out Big Boss and Metal Gear! Snake was 27. Big Boss would be 61 now.

2002
Solid Snake takes on Metal Gear Gander at Galuade! We know it's 2002, because it's 7 years after Outer Heaven! Snake will be 30.

2005
Shadow Moses Island. Accoring to the game, Shadow Moses takes place 6 years after the riot in Zanzibar! Snake will be 33.

2007
Snake infiltrates the Tanker in New York. Snake is 35.

2009
Big Shell off-shore facility. Raiden and Snake are both there. Snake is 37.

__________________
I'm swimming in the digital residue of a media-drenched world. It's too cold.

ranger

wow.. as a fan of both the games and the books... i've never even thought of that... that's pretty cool!!!

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