Les Enfants Terribles

The forbidden cloning project that birthed the Snake brothers and defined an era of genetic warfare.

Les Enfants Terribles is a clandestine genetic engineering project that created clones of the legendary soldier Big Boss. Its primary objective was to replicate Big Boss's genetic potential, producing soldiers capable of surpassing his operational capabilities. The project directly led to the existence of Solid Snake and Liquid Snake, whose conflict forms the central narrative of Metal Gear Solid. The program symbolizes the intersection of military ambition and unethical science, serving as a foundational element of the Patriots' ideology. The legacy of these experiments continues to haunt the protagonists across multiple generations.

Quick Facts

Key subjects: Solid Snake, Liquid Snake
First appearance media: Metal Gear Solid (1998)

Lore & Background

The Les Enfants Terribles project was a genetic engineering initiative that created clones of Big Boss. Liquid Snake is the "genetic counterpart" to Solid Snake, and that both are clones of Big Boss. The project's primary objective was to replicate Big Boss's genetic potential, creating soldiers capable of surpassing his operational capabilities. The clones were designed with specific genetic markers intended to dictate their aptitude for command or combat roles within the military-industrial complex. The project faced a critical theoretical failure regarding dominant versus recessive genes. While Liquid believed he possessed the superior traits of his progenitor, it was revealed that Solid actually inherited the dominant set, while Liquid received the recessive ones. This biological twist undermined the ideological certainty of those who believed genetics alone dictated destiny. The clones were eventually scattered across the globe to serve different masters. Ultimately, the initiative provided the infrastructure for the Patriots' later control systems. By studying how genetic code could be manipulated, they developed methods to manipulate information and society itself. The failure to create a truly obedient soldier highlighted the resilience of human free will against engineered constraints.

Reader's Guide

The project serves as the narrative backbone for exploring nature versus nurture within a militarized context. Characters question whether their actions are determined by DNA or shaped by environment and choice. Liquid Snake believed his genetic superiority guaranteed victory, yet he was outmaneuvered by Solid's resilience and training. This dichotomy highlights the series' skepticism toward biological determinism. The Patriots later utilized this genetic framework to enforce ideological control through information manipulation. By treating humans as data points akin to code, they sought to eliminate chaos from global conflict. However, the clones proved that unpredictability remains inherent to humanity despite engineering efforts. The story suggests that freedom is found in defying one's programmed destiny. Ultimately, Les Enfants Terribles represents the failure of trying to manufacture a perfect soldier. It underscores the danger of viewing individuals merely as weapons or vessels for legacy. The cycle of war continues not because of genes, but because systems seek to exploit human potential without granting autonomy.