"A Weapon to Surpass Metal Gear" is a catchphrase from the extended E3 2013 trailer for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, spoken by the character Revolver Ocelot[1]. The line went viral as a caption and video format, applied to absurd contraptions, glitchy machines, and ridiculous weapons that are jokingly presented as superior to the fictional Metal Gear mech[3]. It's one of the most enduring memes to come out of the Metal Gear franchise, peaking between 2014 and 2018.
Origin
On June 10, 2013, Konami presented an extended trailer for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain at Microsoft's E3 panel[2]. The full trailer showed gameplay, story sequences, and key characters, including Big Boss, Ocelot, and Kaz Miller[2]. At the very end of the trailer's credit sequence, Ocelot's narration drops the now-iconic line about "a weapon to surpass Metal Gear" as Snake rides away in a mech suit[3]. Konami uploaded the extended trailer to YouTube on June 11, 2013, where it picked up over 3.1 million views[3].
Discussion started immediately on 4chan's /v/ board, where users debated what the "weapon" could be, with several speculating it referred to the Les Enfants Terribles project[3]. Threads also popped up on the Metal Gear Wikia, Metal Gear Informer, IGN, GameFAQs, and Reddit's r/metalgearsolid[1].
- Platform: YouTube (E3 trailer), 4chan /v/ (meme discussion)
- Creator: Unknown (community-created from Konami's Metal Gear Solid V trailer)
- Date: 2013
Overview
The meme centers on a single dramatic line from the E3 2013 trailer: "He claims what they're doing in Africa is the missing piece, a weapon to surpass Metal Gear." Revolver Ocelot delivers the narration over footage of Snake riding off in a weaponized mech suit[3]. The phrase works as a meme because of its over-the-top gravitas. People pair it with footage or images of ridiculous, janky, or hilariously impractical machines and weapons, playing Ocelot's audio in the background for maximum comedic contrast[1]. Videos often use the game's soundtrack, particularly "Sins of the Father" or "Nuclear," to amplify the dramatic tension[3].
The format is simple: show something absurd, label it "a weapon to surpass Metal Gear." The humor comes from the gap between the deadly serious delivery and whatever silly contraption is on screen.
How It Spread
The phrase stayed within the Metal Gear fan community for about a year before someone turned it into a video meme. On June 23, 2014, YouTube user Yuyu13379 uploaded a video titled "A weapon to surpass Metal Gear" that paired Ocelot's trailer audio with footage of a remote-controlled spinning device approaching a woman's car window[3]. The video pulled in over 450,000 views and kicked off a wave of similar edits where everyday machines got the dramatic Metal Gear treatment[1].
On August 19, 2014, YouTuber Slendermang posted a Garry's Mod version that cracked 400,000 views[3]. Two weeks later, AirplaneRandy uploaded a mech-suit Hitler edit that hit 50,000 views[3].
The meme hit a new peak in early 2015 when YouTuber João Mostarda uploaded "A /v/ to surpass Metal Gear" on February 2, featuring absurd Besiege contraptions set to the trailer audio[3]. That video reached over 719,000 views[1]. Image macros also started spreading. On April 3, 2015, FunnyJunk user joelizardman posted Carl Wheezer from Jimmy Neutron riding a two-legged vehicle with the caption, pulling in 4,700 views[3]. On May 7, Imgur user TrijezniMujo posted a glitched Red Orchestra character as their take on the format[3].
February 2016 brought two of the biggest viral hits. On February 10, YouTuber Red Shyguy posted a video of a tentacle-like machine wildly swinging a knife, which hit 1.3 million views[3]. Less than two weeks later, on February 23, supramanx1997 uploaded the now-classic crab wielding a knife version, also reaching 1.3 million views[1].
By 2018, the format had spread well beyond YouTube into Reddit. On September 23, 2018, Redditor /u/Saffronthes posted a comically modified Solid Snake figurine titled "Cursedsnake a weapon to surpass metal gear" to r/BossFight, earning over 19,000 upvotes[3]. On October 17, /u/Anarchist_Leon posted "Hidden cat, a weapon to surpass metal gear," also to r/BossFight, pulling in over 19,100 upvotes[3].
How to Use
The format is flexible but typically follows one pattern:
- Find footage or an image of something absurd, overcomplicated, or threatening in a funny way. Think: a Roomba with a knife taped to it, a janky robot, a cat in an aggressive pose, or a bugged-out video game character.
- Pair it with the phrase "A weapon to surpass Metal Gear" as a caption or title.
- For video versions, overlay Revolver Ocelot's audio narration from the E3 2013 trailer. Adding "Sins of the Father" or "Nuclear" from the MGSV soundtrack sells the dramatic contrast.
- The joke lands hardest when the "weapon" is obviously pathetic, harmless, or ridiculous compared to an actual Metal Gear.
Fun Facts
- The extended E3 2013 trailer was specifically labeled for "mature audiences" and included torture scenes, child soldiers, and body horror, making the meme's lighthearted afterlife a sharp tonal contrast[2].
- Revolver Ocelot's voice in MGSV was performed by Troy Baker, marking a transition between the character's young voice in Metal Gear Solid 3 and his raspy older voice in later games[2].
- The trailer debuted during Microsoft's E3 panel, but the extended cut with the key Ocelot narration wasn't released until the next day[2].
- The crab-with-a-knife variant became so popular it essentially spawned its own sub-meme, separate from the Metal Gear connection[3].
- Big Boss's in-game watch is a Seiko. Creator Hideo Kojima bought matching watches for himself and character designer Yoji Shinkawa[2].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "A Weapon to Surpass Metal Gear"?
It's a catchphrase from the Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain E3 2013 trailer, spoken by Revolver Ocelot. The line is used as a meme caption over absurd or ridiculous weapons and machines[1].
Where did "A Weapon to Surpass Metal Gear" come from?
The phrase originated from Konami's extended E3 trailer for Metal Gear Solid V, presented on June 10, 2013, at Microsoft's press conference. Ocelot narrates the line at the end of the trailer[3].
What does "A Weapon to Surpass Metal Gear" mean?
In the game's context, it refers to a new super-weapon being developed by the villain organization Cypher. As a meme, it's used ironically to present something absurd or clearly non-threatening as if it were an unstoppable weapon[1].
How do you use "A Weapon to Surpass Metal Gear"?
Find an image or video of something hilariously impractical or threatening-looking, then caption it with the phrase or overlay Ocelot's original audio from the trailer. The bigger the contrast between the "weapon" and the serious tone, the better[3].
Is "A Weapon to Surpass Metal Gear" still popular?
The meme peaked between 2015 and 2018 but still appears on Reddit (especially r/BossFight) and YouTube. It's not as widely circulated as it once was but pops up whenever someone encounters an absurd contraption worth sharing[3].
What is the original quote from the trailer?
Ocelot says: "He mentioned something interesting. Cypher is pursuing new research. He claims what they're doing in Africa is the missing piece, a weapon to surpass Metal Gear"[3].
Who voiced Revolver Ocelot in the trailer?
Troy Baker voiced Ocelot in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, taking over the role to bridge the character's younger and older voice[2].
What songs are used in "A Weapon to Surpass Metal Gear" videos?
Most video edits use "Sins of the Father" or "Nuclear" from the MGSV soundtrack to match the dramatic tone of the original trailer[3].
What's the most popular version of the meme?
Some of the highest-viewed versions include the crab-with-a-knife video by supramanx1997 and Red Shyguy's tentacle-knife machine video, both reaching over 1.3 million views on YouTube[3].
Why did the meme take off a year after the trailer?
The phrase sat mostly within the Metal Gear fan community until mid-2014, when Yuyu13379's humorous video edit showed the potential of pairing the dramatic audio with absurd footage, inspiring a wave of imitations[1].
