Metal Gear Ray is realized here as a compact, highly detailed model that emphasizes its brutal, angular silhouette. The figure presents a layered armor shell with segmented plates and panel lines that mimic the in-universe engineering of the Metal Gear series. Painted in a gunmetal gray with subtle blue-gray shading and silver highlights, the figure captures Ray's plated torso, broad shoulders, and heavy leg mechanism. Fine weathering and dry-brush effects convey wear from battles at sea, while faint red indicator lights add a touch of sci-fi menace. The design highlights its aquatic combat heritage by including fin-like protrusions along the back and tail-like extensions that hint at its propulsion system. The joints and articulation points are discretely integrated into the armor, allowing dynamic poses while preserving a robust, industrial look. Together with McFarlane's signature level of detail, the piece presents a striking, game-faithful representation of Metal Gear Ray from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.

Metal Gear Ray plays a pivotal role in the overarching plot of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty as a formidable, waterborne weapon designed to outpace and outgun conventional countermeasures. In the game's twists, Ray is deployed by the antagonists who call themselves Dead Cell and the secret factions behind the Patriots to enforce their plan during the Big Shell incident, creating a dramatic confrontation with Solid Snake and his allies. Ray's design as a fast, heavy artillery platform with armor plating and weaponized capabilities makes it a symbol of the new generation of weapons in the series, illustrating themes of deception, manipulation, and the fragility of perceived truth. Encountering Ray under the oceanic fortress and during the infiltration sequence aboard the tanker highlights the game's exploration of control versus freedom, the power of information, and the vulnerability of protagonists when facing seemingly unstoppable mechanized adversaries. The Ray thus stands as an iconic embodiment of the game's mood and its critique of war machines.