FOXHOUND"the cunning fox" · founded by Big Boss · disbanded after Shadow Moses
Special operations unit of the United States Army's High Technology Surveillance Group, activated by Big Boss in 1995 as a successor to FOX. Tasked with infiltration, sabotage, and assassination behind enemy lines. Members earn animal codenames (Snake, Wolf, Mantis, Raven, Octopus, Ocelot…). Officially disbanded 2005 after the Shadow Moses incident, briefly reformed during the Sons of Liberty arc.
01 EMBLEM
A leaping fox in profile inside a circular ring, crowned by a five-point star. The star marks unit rank within the FOXHOUND hierarchy: from one star (rookie field operative) to five stars (Big Boss tier, "the cunning fox"). The unit's motto — "the cunning fox who outwits its hunters."
02 COMMAND HIERARCHY
- real name
- John / Naked Snake / Jack
- era
- 1964 (Op. Snake Eater) → ∞
- doctrine
- CQC, by The Boss
- arc
- founded FOX, FOXHOUND, Outer Heaven
The greatest soldier of the 20th century. After fulfilling The Boss's mission and earning the title Big Boss from the Pentagon in 1964, he founded FOX (1970), then FOXHOUND (1995), then went rogue twice (Outer Heaven, Zanzibar Land). "Kept you waiting, huh?"
- real name
- David / Dave
- genome
- Les Enfants Terribles clone
- missions
- Outer Heaven, Zanzibar, Shadow Moses, Big Shell, Outer Haven
- codec
- 140.85 (Mei Ling), 141.12 (Otacon)
The "perfect soldier" clone of Big Boss. Recruited into FOXHOUND under Master Miller. Defeated his own brother (Liquid) at Shadow Moses. Aged into a war veteran, retired writing memoirs. "War has changed."
- real name
- Eli
- genome
- Les Enfants Terribles clone (recessive)
- event
- Shadow Moses uprising (2005)
- fate
- FOXDIE virus, post-revolt
Solid Snake's twin and rival. Convinced he received the "inferior" genes, obsessed with proving Big Boss's legacy. Led the FOXHOUND mutiny at Shadow Moses with the rest of the unit. Possessed Ocelot's right arm post-mortem.
03 SHADOW MOSES OPERATIVES
The members of FOXHOUND who participated in the 2005 Shadow Moses uprising under Liquid Snake's command. All confirmed killed in action by Solid Snake, except Revolver Ocelot.
- weapon
- PSG-1
- kills
- "the most patient sniper alive"
- fate
- KIA · communications tower (mercy kill)
- weapon
- M61 Vulcan minigun (handheld)
- origin
- Inuit shaman, Alaska
- fate
- KIA · ravens fed on him
- power
- telekinesis, mind reading
- weakness
- controller port 2
- fate
- KIA · bared his face once at the end
- power
- impersonation, plastic surgery
- fate
- KIA · died as DARPA Chief impersonation
- weapon
- Colt SAA single action revolver
- era
- 1964 (FOX) → 2014 (Outer Haven)
- fate
- survived Shadow Moses · master spy throughout
Triple agent. Worked for Liquid, the Patriots, Solidus, then back to himself. Survived every plot. "You're pretty good!"
- codename
- FOX (FOXHOUND predecessor)
- state
- cyborg ninja (Shadow Moses)
- fate
- KIA · saving Snake from REX
04 CODEC FREQUENCIES (saved)
Standard support frequencies used by Solid Snake during operations. Codec is a bone- conduction nano-comm — direct skull-to-skull, undetectable.
| FREQ | CONTACT | ROLE |
|---|---|---|
| 140.85 | Mei Ling | save / data analyst |
| 140.96 | Master Miller | survival advisor (impersonated) |
| 141.12 | Otacon (Hal Emmerich) | tech support |
| 141.52 | Roy Campbell | commanding officer |
| 141.80 | Naomi Hunter | geneticist · medical |
| 140.15 | Meryl Silverburgh | comms / partner |
05 DOCTRINE — CQC
Close Quarters Combat. A combat philosophy developed by The Boss during World War II, refined by Big Boss in the 1960s. Combines hand-to-hand grappling, knife use, sidearm shooting, and human shield tactics in fluid transitions. Designed for solo operatives behind enemy lines who must remain undetected.
"CQC is not just a fighting style. It's a way of expressing yourself." — The Boss // MGS3 (1964)
06 TIMELINE
07 SUCCESSORS
After Shadow Moses, the FOXHOUND name was used informally during the Sons of Liberty arc with Raiden as field operative. The doctrine, codec architecture, and CQC training were inherited by Militaires Sans Frontières (Big Boss again, Peace Walker era) and later Diamond Dogs (Phantom Pain era). The fox emblem persists.