How to Unlock Mission 45: A Quiet Exit in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

The elusive Mission 45: A Quiet Exit is a pivotal point in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, often cited as one of the most emotionally resonant and challenging encounters in the game. It’s also easily missed, as it’s not part of the main story path. This article provides a clear, step-by-step guide on how to unlock this critical mission and what to expect.

Unlocking Mission 45: The Definitive Guide

To unlock Mission 45: A Quiet Exit, you must meet specific criteria related to your relationship with the character Quiet, a deadly sniper and companion. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the necessary steps:

1. Spare Quiet in Mission 11: The journey begins during Mission 11: Cloaked in Silence. At the end of this mission, you will be given the choice to either eliminate Quiet or spare her. You MUST choose to spare her. If you kill her, you will not be able to unlock Mission 45.

2. Recruit Quiet as a Buddy: After sparing her, you’ll eventually have the opportunity to recruit her as a buddy. This will happen automatically as you progress through the main story missions.

3. Maximize Your Bond with Quiet: This is crucial. You need to raise your bond with Quiet to the maximum level. The bond is represented by a meter that increases as you utilize her effectively in combat. Employ her consistently on missions, utilize her support fire, and give her the command to “cover me” often. The fastest way to improve the bond is to repeatedly use her on missions where you are constantly fighting, such as side-ops or replaying missions with a high enemy density. You know the bond is maxed out when you see the maximum bond icon.

4. Trigger the Exiled Scientist Cutscene: Progress through the main story missions until you witness a cutscene where the scientist, Huey Emmerich, is exiled from Mother Base. This cutscene is triggered after a specific number of main missions and is a sign you’re getting close to the next requirement. This is a critical step and is sometimes overlooked because of its lack of direct correlation to Quiet.

5. Trigger Quiet’s Departure: After all the previous steps are complete, continue playing the game. Perform a few more side missions or main mission replays, then return to Mother Base. Attempt to deploy on another mission from Mother Base, and you will discover that Quiet is missing and can no longer be chosen as a Buddy. This signifies that you have triggered the events leading to her side-op.

6. Unlock and Complete Side Op 150: Secure Quiet: After noticing Quiet’s absence, you should find that the side op “Secure Quiet” has unlocked. This side op is mandatory and completing it is the immediate trigger for mission 45. This side op itself is relatively short and involves reaching a specific point.

7. Mission 45: A Quiet Exit Unlocks: Following the completion of Side Op 150, Mission 45: A Quiet Exit will finally become available on your mission list.

Mission 45: A Quiet Exit – What to Expect

Mission 45 is a challenging combat encounter. You will be facing several tanks, helicopters, and soldiers, and you’ll be alone. You will need to utilize strategic positioning, heavy weaponry and excellent movement skills. It is a combat oriented mission and is often considered one of the most difficult and frustrating due to the sheer volume of enemies.

• Recommended Equipment: A recommended loadout includes a level 3 Battle Dress for adequate protection and the CGM 25 rocket launcher for quickly dispatching tanks and gunships.
• Strategic Playstyle: Prioritize taking cover behind large rocks to avoid enemy fire. Concentrate on quickly eliminating the armored vehicles, before moving swiftly towards the landing zone (LZ).
• Speed and Efficiency: This mission benefits greatly from a fast and aggressive playstyle. The longer you are exposed to the enemies, the more damage you are likely to sustain. Avoiding direct combat with foot soldiers, and focusing on the armored enemies is key to an efficient completion.
• Emotional Impact: Be prepared for an emotionally powerful and conclusive ending to Quiet’s story arc.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Mission 45 optional?

While Mission 45 is not mandatory for the main story completion, it is an essential part of Quiet’s character arc and unlocks additional rewards. You don’t need to complete it to reach the “true” ending (Mission 46), however skipping it means missing out on an important part of the game.

2. What happens if I kill Quiet in Mission 11?

If you kill Quiet in Mission 11, you cannot unlock Mission 45 or progress her storyline. You must spare her to begin the quest to unlock A Quiet Exit.

3. How long does it take to maximize the bond with Quiet?

The time it takes to maximize your bond with Quiet varies based on your gameplay. However, consistently deploying her on missions will raise her bond quicker. The higher the bond, the more effective she will become in combat, so this investment will help in other areas too.

4. Can I still use Quiet after Mission 45?

Unfortunately, after completing Mission 45, you can no longer use Quiet as a buddy. This makes many players reluctant to complete this mission, due to the loss of her support.

5. How do I unlock Mission 46?

To unlock Mission 46, you must complete all story missions (except duplicates), all important side ops (yellow ones), and all 28 platforms at Mother Base. Building an FOB will help speed up the base construction and get you closer to this mission.

6. What is the Infinity Bandana, and how do I get it?

The Infinity Bandana is an item that provides unlimited ammunition. It’s unlocked after completing Mission 46 and acquiring the Star of Bethlehem. You also need a Research and Development level of 48 and 1,000,000 GMP.

7. What is Mission 51?

Mission 51, titled “Kingdom of the Flies,” was a cut mission due to time constraints during the game’s development and is not playable in the final release version of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

8. What makes Mission 45 so difficult?

Mission 45 is known for its high enemy density, armored vehicles, and gunships. The lack of a buddy and reliance on your own abilities makes the combat challenging. It forces you to be aggressive in the encounter and to not be afraid of making mistakes.

9. What are the hardest missions in MGSV?

Some of the hardest missions in MGSV are considered to be Missions 40, 42, 45, 48, and 50. These missions require a mix of skill, planning, and aggressive combat strategies.

10. Is it better to kill or extract in MGSV?

The game has no direct consequence to killing or extracting, as both result in the same outcomes and do not alter the story. However, extracting soldiers will benefit your mother base by adding to your staff, and this increases the speed of research and development.

11. How do I get female soldiers in MGSV?

You can get female soldiers from Prisoner Extraction 02 in side ops, where female prisoners spawn much more frequently than other areas. Once a female soldier is recruited, they can be assigned to your mother base staff and even used to play as Snake on missions.

12. How do you get the D-Walker?

The D-Walker is unlocked as a buddy after completing Mission 13. Huey will inform you of its creation and it will become available as a buddy. The D-Walker is mainly used for assault scenarios and adds significant combat utility to your deployments.

13. What is the true ending of MGSV?

The true ending of MGSV is found in Mission 46: The Man Who Sold The World. This mission reveals significant plot details and is considered to be the main story conclusion.

14. What is the best way to complete Mission 45?

A fast and aggressive approach is the best method. Using a Battle Dress Level 3 for defence and the CGM-25 rocket launcher allows you to quickly eliminate armored targets. Use rocks for cover, and prioritize speed, this should lead to an efficient completion.

15. What happens if you shoot Quiet before recruiting her?

Shooting Quiet before being given the option to spare her will cause the game to be unable to continue along her storyline. You will miss out on all opportunities to recruit her as a buddy, including missing out on Mission 45. This means that you have to restart the mission and refrain from shooting Quiet.

By following these steps, you can unlock and complete Mission 45: A Quiet Exit and experience one of the most memorable and emotional moments in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Remember to take advantage of your bond with Quiet, utilize strategy and be prepared for a significant challenge.