A little outlandish but I'll entertain it! Spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't played MGS2... If Raiden were doing VR training based on the Tanker mission, it would have to be a simulation about something as specific as blowing up the tanker and causing a massive oil spill. Anything else would undermine the core narrative of MGS2 and go against the motivations of the Patriots. When you play as Snake in the Tanker mission, you're seeing the truth of what actually happened. We find out that Ocelot is the one who blew up the tanker, and that the tanker was never carrying any oil, it was empty. On top of that, the ship was under the protection of the Marines, who were guarding it for the development of a new Metal Gear prototype. This is all top secret information, not public knowledge, which would make it really strange if Raiden was somehow learning about this in a VR simulation. It doesn't really align with the larger story, other than if it were another MGSception moment (you never really killed Big Boss!). Also, remember that the VR training Raiden underwent was based on the VR Missions game released between MGS1 and MGS2. That's where Raiden's VR training comes from, not the actual events of the Tanker mission. When you beat the VR Missions, you're actually shown blueprints for Metal Gear Ray, which is significant because that's Raiden's mission briefing after completing his training. So, the VR missions are really a separate entity that served to prepare Raiden for the real mission ahead; not for something as complex and hidden as the events in the Tanker mission. The Tanker mission is about Snake uncovering secrets and foiling the Marines' (and by extension the government's) attempt to quietly advance a new Metal Gear project. If it were just part of Raiden's VR training, it would completely spoil the mystery and take away from the shock of what's actually happening in the game. (it also misses the point of the larger narrative about identity, deception, and the role of the player - because Raiden's training is really about making him a better soldier for his own mission, not simulating a mission that Snake was involved in.) Also, an important side note to this is Raiden's role as a stand-in for the player. To the disappointment of all the Solid Snake fans in 2001, Kojima deliberately structured MGS2 so that you first play as Snake and then suddenly switch to Raiden (a rookie who's been trained in VR simulations rather than real combat). It's not a coincidence. Raiden's inexperience mirrors the player's own lack of knowledge about the mission and the larger conspiracy. The whole point is that Raiden doesn't know everything and has to learn alongside the player. That's why he constantly references his VR training, it highlights the gap between simulated experience and real world experience, both for him and for us as players. This theme becomes really explicit toward the end of the game when the Colonel literally breaks the fourth wall and tells you to turn off the console. It's a way of showing that Raiden is a representation of the player, not just another Snake. Anyway, thanks! (for both the compliment and the comment) I had a lot of fun dissecting this in my head... 💭

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