Quick Guide: Defeating The End Early in Metal Gear Solid Delta

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You can defeat The End early in Metal Gear Solid Delta by either sniping him or changing the game’s time to make him die of old age, just like in MGS 3. The process is pretty much the same as the original Snake Eater, with a few small differences on newer consoles.

It’s a fun challenge, and I’ve done it myself to show you how. Just remember to save your game first—so you can come back if needed. Not only does the boss fight itself feel rewarding, but there are also some cool rewards for doing it.

If you want to take out The End early, here’s what you need to do:

How to snipe The End early in MGS Delta:

When you reach Ponizovje South, look for a turn to the left just before leaving the map heading toward Ponizovje West. Be careful not to take the northern exit before the turn, or you’ll trigger the cutscene with The End before you have a sniper rifle.
Turn left into Ponizovje West where you’ll see a weapons shop behind an orange door with a light over it. Deal with the guards however you like and go inside to find a Dragunov sniper rifle. If you have TNT, you can blow up the store afterward to weaken nearby enemies.
Once you have the rifle, make sure it’s equipped in your weapons menu. Head back to Ponizovje South via the same way, then take the top north exit to reach Ponizovje Warehouse: Exterior. When you arrive, a long cutscene will start, featuring nearly every character you’ve met, including The End, who will be shown in a wheelchair.
After the cutscene ends, The End will be on the dock. Equip your sniper rifle right away, and focus on hitting the guard who comes to pick him up first—they will block your shot if you don’t. After that, try to shoot The End as he attempts to wheel himself away. Aim for the back of his head—he’ll explode when hit. Don’t worry about the other guards until The End is down, or he might escape.

Alternatively, you can wound him instead of killing him, which will leave him with less health and stamina when he starts the boss fight. If you kill him, the battle area will change, and you’ll face a group of Ocelot’s soldiers instead.

Killing The End with old age by changing the clock:

You can also kill The End by changing the game’s internal clock to make him die of old age, just like in MGS 3. However, on newer consoles like the PS5, this method requires a specific approach because the system may keep the game running in the background.

Here’s how to do it:

When you’re in the boss fight with The End and the battle begins, save your game. Sometimes, dialogue warns it’s a bad idea, but it’s necessary.
Fully close the game—don’t leave it in rest mode or running in the background.
Change your console’s date to at least eight days ahead. I tried advancing it by ten years, and it still worked.
Restart the game and load your save. If done correctly, a new cutscene will play, showing Snake sneaking up on The End, who has died from old age.

You can wait a week in real time too—this is just a quick shortcut if you prefer not to wait.

Rewards for fighting The End:

While these methods are fun to try, fighting The End normally can earn you some special items. For example, if you manage to defeat him non-lethally, you’ll get his tranquilizer Mosin-Nagant sniper rifle, which fires silencers but needs to be used at long range to avoid alerts. If you sneak up and hold him at gunpoint, he’ll give you his rifle and uniform—a camo pattern that can reach 100% thickness in certain weather and areas, like during rain in Svyatogornyj and Sokrovenno, which also helps replenish stamina.

Overall, taking some shots at him beforehand to weaken him a bit makes the boss fight easier, and it allows you to unlock these special gear pieces.