| “ | You can't fight nature, Jack... Wind blows, rain falls, and the strong prey upon the weak. | „ |
| ~ Monsoon |
Monsoon, AKA, the Wind of Southeast Asia is one of Desperado's Winds of Destruction and the quaternary antagonist in the video game; Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
History
Past
Details of Monsoon’s past are somewhat sketchy, however, it is known that he managed to survive in Phnom Penh, during the Khemer Rouge’s reign of terror and the Killing Fields. This gave Monsoon his views on the world and he eventually joined a Cambodian crime organization that was apparently involved in drugs and human trafficking. After getting caught in a gang shootout and being badly wounded, Monsoon was rebuilt with a cyborg body. He then joined the PMC, Desperado.
Recruiting Minuano
Monsoon and Armstrong taking in the new reception area
After Desperado joined forces with Senator Steven Armstrong, he and Monsoon became interested in recruiting Samuel Rodrigues and eventually arranged for him to show up at World Marshall’s Colorado headquarters. While they waited, Monsoon and Armstrong talked about the headquarters new reception area. The senator noted his dislike for the cherry blossoms and asked Monsoon what he thought. The cyborg replied that he thought the cherry blossoms were just part of nature, neither ugly or beautiful, they just existed. Monsoon then said that Sam, or Minuano as he called him, was close. After Sam had infiltrated the building,
Monsoon confronting Sam
Monsoon appeared and welcomed him to Denver, introducing himself and saying they’d been expecting him. Monsoon mentioned how Sam had taken on an entire drug cartel by himself, but pointed out how defeating it would’ve been ultimately pointless. Sam replied that he’d just been out for revenge, which he’d gotten. Monsoon said they should see what he had now and threw down a red phosphorous grenade, disappearing as a Metal Gear RAY was sent out to fight Sam. Monsoon later contacted him, saying that he was everything they’d said he was, but was still so naïve. He said that organizations like theirs were living things and couldn’t just be destroyed. Monsoon went on to say that while Sam could destroy a limb or two, the main body would survive. Sam replied he’d just have to kill all of them, but Monsoon said they weren’t just a bunch of thugs, they had offspring and influence, which were their memes. He pointed out that Sam had taken down many street gangs worldwide, but they were no closer to peace. Sam said he was here for himself, not the world and Monsoon said that was more like it, before wondering how far that attitude would get him.
Facing Down Jack the Ripper
Monsoon later appeared to face off against Raiden in front of the headquarters of World Marshall. He introduced himself, then leapt down in front of
Monsoon lecturing Jack on his illusions
Raiden, noting how easily the cyborg ignored the loss of life when it was convenient for him. Monsoon then asked who saved the weak from the one who saved the weak and Raiden replied Desperado was the one exploiting the desperate men they recurited as cyborgs, setting them up as human shields. Monsoon retorted that the world was kill or be killed, which he’d learned in Phnom Penh. He said that war was a cruel parent, but a good teacher and it carved its lessons deep into his mind. Monsoon declared the world was diseased, free will was a myth, religion was a joke, and all people were controlled by a greater power, the memes. The memes shaped people’s will and were everything that they passed on. Monsoon explained that they carried all the negative aspects of humankind, anger, greed, envy, and despair. He told Raiden he couldn’t fight nature and said that his habit of thinking of his sword as a tool of justice was an exquisite meme, saying that it spared him the burden of all the people he’d killed, until the illusion was broken. Monsoon said this was just nature running its course and Raiden had no choices to make and nothing to answer for, which meant he could die with a clear conscience. However Raiden admitted that Monsoon was right, regressing back into his Jack the Ripper persona, and said he was born to kill. Monsoon had his men attack Raiden, only for him to eagerly cut them down.
Monsoon facing "Jack the Ripper"
Sam moved to take Raiden on, but Monsoon told him to report back to the chief and leave Jack to him. Monsoon said he’d misjudged Raiden, saying he was like them after all and the two engaged each other. Monsoon put up a fierce fight, before he finally hurled a large obelisk at Raiden, who managed to run up it and drive him into a wall, before decapitating him. Monsoon contacted Raiden one more time, saying he passed one meme onto him, that sure as the sun will rise, the slaughter would continue. He went on to say he’d return to the earth and all was as it should be, before dying.
Personality
Monsoon is sociopathic and hateful and thinks little of morality and humanity. He believes that the memes of humanity shape all things and people constantly pass them on through history. Monsoon cares little for humans and even for his own life, telling Raiden to finish him at the end of their fight. He believes that his actions are just nature running its course and that the world operates on the idea of survival of the fittest. However, this makes Monsoon somewhat arrogant, believing that he fights with nature’s force behind him. He equates his acceptance of his life as a killer to a meme passed on to him and says that whatever a person is exposed to will naturally influence their mind and personality. It is strongly implied that these views stemmed from his childhood under the Khmer Rouge regime.
Abilities
Monsoon separating his body
Being a cyborg, Monsoon possesses superhuman strength, agility, endurance, and durability and is a well-trained fighter. He is equipped with a unique cyborg body, built with numerous segments held together by electromagnetic energy. Monsoon can use this to separate his body parts while still maintaining control of them, allowing him to easily avoid attacks, stretch to increase his attack range, and strike from multiple angles at once. Monsoon can also use the electromagnetic energy generator in his body to pick up and throw large objects and stick to metal surfaces. Monsoon wields a pair of sais named “Dystopia” and uses red phosphorous grenades, which he uses to generate large fog-like clouds that let him suddenly attack foes from out of nowhere.
Trivia
- Monsoon is the only member of the Winds of Destruction who actually fights like a ninja. Originally the developers had considered making Monsoon originate from Okinawa, but decided that Cambodia was more fitting given his name.
- Monsoon is voiced by John Kassir, who also did the voice of other villains such as; Adam the Clown in Dead Rising (who coincidentally also became sociopathic from extremely traumatic circumstances: In Adam's case, watching his entire audience get devoured by zombies), Scorpion 2099 from Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, and, debatably, his most famous role, The Cryptkeeper.
- Monsoon is possibly based on Kotaro Fuma and he resembles the incarnation of Kotaro Fuma from Sengoku Basara.
