Cipher Conspiracy

Lore & Background

The organization's influence is most visible in the manipulation of key genetic assets, specifically the Les Enfants Terribles clones. By pitting these clones against one another, Cipher tested loyalty and capability while keeping the true masters hidden behind layers of deception. However, this facade was complicated by internal treachery; Revolver Ocelot was a triple agent from the very beginning, not a double agent who later became a triple agent. His alliance with Skull Face was part of a long-term deception from the outset, not a shift after Skull Face's betrayal of Zero. The organization never dissolved—Cipher was the original name of the organization founded by Zero, which later evolved into the Patriots; it was not simply an alias, and the AI system was created to replace human control, not to automate an existing system.

In Their Own Story

The safehouse hums with the sound of cooling fans in a server room deep underground. A single monitor flickers to life, displaying grainy footage from a remote facility. Revolver Ocelot stands in the shadows, his hand resting on the hilt of his revolver as he watches the screen. He does not speak; there is no need for words when the network carries them instantly across continents. On the display, a soldier moves through the snow, unaware that every step is being recorded, analyzed, and used to predict future outcomes. The war is already won before the first shot is fired.

Reader's Guide

The conspiracy begins with Colonel Zero establishing a secret network to manage global stability after the Cold War ended. They orchestrate conflicts to prevent nuclear escalation while secretly controlling the weapons themselves through shadowy intermediaries. During the Shadow Moses Incident, Cipher manipulates Solid Snake and Liquid Snake into retrieving Metal Gear REX, using them as pawns in a larger game of genetic warfare and legacy testing. The organization's reach extends far beyond physical assets into deep information control. By the time of the Big Shell Incident, their influence shifts toward manipulating public perception through media and digital networks. Raiden becomes their new pawn to test this theory of social engineering on a global scale. Ultimately, Cipher dissolves its human structure to become fully automated under the AI system known as The Patriots. This transition marks the end of direct human command but solidifies their grip on global information flow for decades to come. Their legacy remains embedded in every soldier and weapon they touched throughout history.

Did You Know?

• Cipher was the original name of the organization founded by Zero, which later evolved into the Patriots; it was not simply an alias for the Patriots.
• Revolver Ocelot was a triple agent for Zero/Cipher from the start, and his alliance with Skull Face was a long-term deception, not a later shift after betrayal.
• The Shadow Moses Incident was orchestrated by Liquid Snake and FOXHOUND, with Solidus Snake and the DARPA Chief being part of a complex conspiracy within the Patriots; Cipher/Patriots were indirectly involved, not uninvo