Currently with 41 (Proxy war without end) incomplete, about to go into it. Did all the yellow kids side ops available until now. Even did all the harder version of previous missions available.

For better or worse I came across some upcoming story related information during my searches around the internet for missions strategy, and now kind of want help on optimizing my playthrough. Minimal further spoiler appreciated.

I heard that Quiet is suppose to leave (after 42?) I heard that she will return for one last mission after (45?). Don't know any story context or why thankfully.

I have also heard that by messing around with your emblem you can get her to stay, but the game won't progress further (sounds a little crazy is that even true?)

Now assuming all of that is true. Are there special cut scenes for keeping her around? And if I do that do I get lock out forever?

I also heard that Huey is suppose to leave/dismiss no idea when nor context, but it is suppose to give the key item to make stealth camo.

Basically I need some guidance on what to do to essentially see the most of the game in one sitting storywise.

If it isn't for randomly discovering I can enter a door in Medical platform and got totally mind fuck which gets me to return to motherbase every now and then I might have missed a few cut scenes after mission 30. (still missing the last photograph base on progress it seem)

So far by leaving and returning to base I have caught:

Kids "losing" necklace and Quiet went after it

Quiet interrogation

Quiet dancing in the rain

Code Talker talking to the parasite

Also two scenes of putting together Battlegear by visiting Huey other than the final assembly cut scene which seems un-missable .

Now I am questioning have I missed other stuff.

You let them go.

It'll all make sense. Just keep playing.

You'll get the most story out of the game by just continuing to play. Don't overthink it.

storywise you'll be fine but i can tell you that if you change your emblem picture to the butterfly, like you said that part of the story won't happen. That's what I did mainly because I wanted to keep her to help with S rankings.
The main story will still complete but her story will not until you remove the emblem, at which point it should continue. So as everyone haws said don't worry about it but if, like me, you plan on replaying missions and want her around for that you can use the butterfly emblem.

If you want her to stay, keep the Butterfly emblem on. If not, keep going as usual. If you're missing one last photograph, take a look on the Medical Platform...

I wish I'd known about the butterfly emblem. Stupid decision, should let you continue with her at least for the repeated stealth and extreme missions. Dumb design decision

I had no problem doing everything else story related in the game.

Only because I then listened to the Giant Spoiler Snakecast did I learn about there being a Quiet mission I hadn't done. I looked up how to unlock it and when it turned out I hadn't seen it just because I incorporated the butterfly part in my emblem design, well...that felt pretty dumb.

Neat that there is a mechanic to keep her for as long as you like, doesn't seem like it'd be useful for a lot of people though.

If you're on the PC version, you can mod her back in if you want to rather simply. I did, because I hardly used Quiet as a buddy at all during the story, and wanted to use her a bit for some of the post-game missions that I went back and cleaned up. It was well worth it, and anyone who doesn't like that because they think I'm "ruining Kojima's vision" can take a long walk off a short pier.

Thanks for the pointers everyone. I will probably continue after the weird updates in the last couple of hours blow over, what luck, and after wrapping my head around this...

Man I never would have figure this one out, must have missed it, I would have kept waiting for the last soldier side quest. But FUCK! this is the final reveal (or confirmation...) isn't it!? And I technically still have the rest of the game to finish! I need to sit down, I don't know how to feel anymore!