6. Revolver Ocelot - Metal Gear Solid
Heroes aren't the only ones that harbor vendettas. Some of the most profound tales of vengeance feature villains that have sought retribution for fifty years or more. Revolver Ocelot was introduced in Metal Gear Solid as the duster-wearing, gunslinging interrogation expert of FOXHOUND, a group of exceptional terrorists. During the first two games of the series, Revolver Ocelot was more of a perennial thorn in Solid Snake's side rather than a full-fledged antagonist. However, it wasn't until Metal Gear Solid 3 that Ocelot became a seminal part of the Metal Gear Universe. Set in 1964 in the jungles of the Soviet Union, Metal Gear Solid 3 introduced players to a much younger, non-mustachioed Ocelot as he was constantly (and humorously) outmaneuvered by Solid Snake's legendary dad, Big Boss. Time after time, Big Boss would disarm Ocelot, and then lecture him about how his form was all wrong, or that his breath was smelly, etc. As the game progress, Ocelot grows more and more vengeful, but he also respects Big Boss for his tactical prowess. Even though they were enemies, they developed a friendly rivalry that persisted to the point where Ocelot idolized Big Boss. But what makes this account of vengeance so distinct is the fact that for half a century, Ocelot confronted two generations of Snake, was a triple-agent for China, Russia, and America all at once, got his arm chopped off by a cyborg ninja, eventually had his mind taken over by Solid Snake's dead twin, and yet he still fought Solid Snake tooth-and-nail until they met as decrepit octogenarians fistfighting shirtless on top of a nuclear submersible warship. Consequently, that last sentence is a great example of exactly why Metal Gear Solid is one of my favorite series of all time.