Cyclo is known for his chaotic, surreal, and deeply personal monologues in Metal Gear Rising: Revenge Patriots. But he didn’t operate in a vacuum. As a cyber-soldier with a fragmented psyche and a poetic take on war, he crossed paths with some of the most intense and ideologically charged figures in the Metal Gear universe. These encounters weren’t just physical battles — they were ideological clashes, identity struggles, and moments of philosophical reckoning.

Below are five of Cyclo’s most significant rivals and adversaries, each representing a different facet of the world he fought in — and against.

Who was Cyclo’s main rival in the Desperado Enforcement LLC?

Cyclo’s most consistent rival was none other than Jetstream Sam. Though not a direct enemy in the traditional sense, their paths collided during the events of Metal Gear Rising: Revenge Patriots. Sam, a legendary swordsman and former bodyguard of The Patriots, represented the old world order — a warrior bound by loyalty and tradition. Cyclo, on the other hand, was a product of corporate militarization, a broken man turned into a weapon by Desperado Enforcement LLC.

Their fight wasn’t just about ideology — it was personal. Cyclo saw Sam as an unbeatable force, a mythic figure who embodied everything he wasn’t: focused, disciplined, and whole. In contrast, Cyclo was scattered, haunted by the loss of his family and the fragmentation of his mind. Their battle was a confrontation between chaos and control, and it ended with Cyclo’s defeat — not just physically, but spiritually.

Did Cyclo fight Raiden?

Yes, Cyclo fought Raiden — and lost. But that fight was more than just another skirmish in the war over war. Cyclo viewed Raiden not as an enemy, but as a kindred spirit — another cyborg warrior trying to hold onto his humanity in a world that had stripped him of it. He admired Raiden’s strength, but also envied his clarity. Unlike Cyclo, who was mentally fractured and emotionally adrift, Raiden had a mission, a purpose.

During their fight, Cyclo rambled about his past, his family, and the absurdity of war. He wasn’t trying to kill Raiden — he was trying to connect. But in the end, he couldn’t reconcile his pain with Raiden’s resolve. His defeat was not just physical, but existential — a realization that he could not escape his inner turmoil through violence or philosophy.

How did Cyclo interact with the other members of the Desperado Roster?

Cyclo wasn’t the only enhanced soldier in Desperado Enforcement LLC. He shared the roster with powerful figures like Sundowner, Monaca, and Mistral — each of whom represented different aspects of war, control, and madness.

Sundowner, in particular, was both a comrade and a source of fear for Cyclo. Sundowner was a mass murderer with a twisted sense of justice, a man who believed in the necessity of war to maintain order. Cyclo, ever the poet, saw Sundowner as a walking contradiction — a man who claimed to protect peace while reveling in bloodshed. Their relationship was tense, and Cyclo often spoke of Sundowner with a mix of awe and dread.

Monaca and Mistral were less central to Cyclo’s personal journey, but their presence shaped the world he operated in. Cyclo often questioned the morality of their missions, and these interactions deepened his internal conflict — a theme that ran through every battle he fought.

Was Cyclo aware of the broader Metal Gear storyline?

Cyclo may not have been a central player in the grand conspiracy of The Patriots or the nanomachines that controlled society, but he was aware of the larger forces at play. He understood that he was a pawn in a game far beyond him, and that awareness made him tragic — not just a warrior, but a thinker trapped in a battlefield of ideas.

He referenced the cyclical nature of war, the illusion of peace, and the commodification of conflict — all themes that run deep in the Metal Gear series. While he didn’t know the full extent of the AI-controlled world order, his poetic musings often hinted at a deeper understanding of the system that had created and discarded him.

Did Cyclo have any philosophical rivals?

Cyclo's true philosophical rival was perhaps himself. His monologues often read like internal debates — between the man he once was and the weapon he had become. He questioned the nature of free will, the illusion of control, and the meaning of human connection in a world dominated by technology and war.

He admired thinkers and warriors who had found peace in chaos — like Jetstream Sam, who embraced his role in the system, or Raiden, who carved his own path. In contrast, Cyclo was always searching, never arriving. His greatest adversary wasn’t a person — it was the fragmentation of his own soul.