There are always those characters, like Revolver Ocelot, who give off a bad vibe from the moment they show up in certain video games. Whether it’s due to their shady actions, evil plans, or just their vibe, these NPCs often turn out to be much worse than they initially seem.
A lot of them start off as either allies or neutral characters, and then stab you in the back. Sometimes you just wish you had taken them out as soon as they appeared instead of letting them cause problems later on. There are specifically five notorious NPCs from popular games which, in hindsight, should have been dealt with at first sight.
Major spoilers ahead for Metal Gear Solid, Red Dead Redemption, Modern Warfare 2, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
5. Revolver Ocelot
Revolver Ocelot first appeared in the Metal Gear Solid 1 on the original PlayStation. As soon as he was introduced, he was already giving off the vibe of someone who couldn’t be trusted.
Ocelot was a master manipulator, always working behind the scenes and switching allegiances to suit his own needs, throughout the entire Metal Gear Solid series.
He played a key role in multiple betrayals, often putting protagonist Solid Snake in tough situations. His actions led to significant losses and almost caused global disasters. It became clear that taking him out right from the beginning could have saved a lot of pain and suffering for a lot of these characters. He eventually meets his end in Metal Gear Solid 4.
4. Edgar Ross
In Red Dead Redemption, Edgar Ross is one of the characters who leaves a bitter taste behind. He initially presents himself as a government agent who is simply trying to bring order to the Wild West and just doing his job.
But as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Ross is willing to use anyone, including the game’s protagonist John Marston, to achieve his goals. He forces Marston to hunt down his former gang members, promising freedom in return. But after Marston completes the task, Ross turns on him, leading to the game’s tragic ending.
It’s hard not to think that if Marston had taken care of Ross either the first time they met or sometime afterward, he might have avoided his eventual fate. Thankfully John’s son Jack does take care of him in the epilogue.
3. Colonel Shepherd
Colonel Shepherd, from Modern Warfare 2, is another character who hides his true intentions until it’s too late. At first, Shepherd appears to be a strong and dedicated leader, fighting against terrorism and guiding the player through intense missions.
However, his true colors show when he betrays the main characters, killing Ghost and Roach in one of the most shocking moments in gaming history. Shepherd’s betrayal comes from a desire for revenge, which leads him to start a war between the United States and Russia.
If players had known Shepherd’s real agenda from the start, taking him out could have stopped his catastrophic plans, which led to Modern Warfare 3.
2. Micah Bell
Another character from the Red Dead Redemption series makes the list in the second installment of the franchise. Micah Bell is perhaps one of the most hated characters in recent gaming history. From the moment Micah appears, he is shown as a self-serving and treacherous individual, and immediately unlikable.
He constantly stirs up trouble within the Van der Linde gang, bullying several members, and eventually betrays Arthur Morgan. His actions lead to the downfall of the gang and the deaths of many characters. Players often wish they could have seen through Micah’s lies early on and taken him out before he had the chance to cause so much destruction.
1. Big Smoke
Big Smoke from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, released in 2004, is another character who turns out to be a snake all along, along with Ryder. At the start, Big Smoke seems like a loyal friend to the main character, CJ. However, as the story progresses, it’s revealed that Smoke has been betraying CJ and his family for personal gain.
He collaborates with corrupt police officials and rival gangs, leading to the downfall of CJ’s brother, Sweet, and nearly destroying their neighborhood. If CJ had realized Big Smoke’s true nature from the beginning, he could have avoided a lot of betrayal.
Rockstar Games has a history of having allies or neutral characters become your enemies, and this unpredictability is always shown in the narrative qualities of their games.
Which of these characters are your most hated? Let us know in the comments below.
