Skip to main content

Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

One theory about the bandaged guy from Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Moby, maybe not.

The identity of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain's mysterious character Ishmael - who has so far only appeared with his face covered in bandages - has been hinted at by an eagle-eyed fan.

Ishmael and the fictional developer Joakim Mogren from 'Moby Dick Studios'.

YouTube user YongYea has examined the closing moments of MGS5: Ground Zeroes in detail (spoilers, obviously) and reckons the medic who helps Snake is also voiced by Kiefer Sutherland.

Sutherland, who already voices both Snake and Ishmael, has apparently had his voice pitch altered slightly to portray the medic. Undo the pitch change, however, and it's clearly him.

YonYea suggests that the medic and Ishmael are the same person - and indeed, the medic is shown to take the full force of the game's ending explosion to the face, hinting at a reason for his later bandages.

But Phantom Pain is said to take place some nine years later, making the need for bandages somewhat questionable.

There are already a number of theories about Ishmael's true identity, including that he only exists as part of Snake's subconscious.

The fact that Sutherland also voices the medic - whose face is deliberately never shown during his time on screen - only complicates matters further.

Watch on YouTube