Doctor Mikhail Sergeyevich Cossack

Dr. Mikhail Sergeyevich Cossack (Ｄｒ．ミハイル・セルゲイビッチ・コサック) is a Russian robotics engineer member of the Stravinsky Science Academy, and lives with his daughter, Kalinka. In Mega Man 4, he sent a letter to Dr. Light stating that he has created eight Robot Masters (consisting of Bright Man, Dive Man, Dust Man, Drill Man, Pharaoh Man, Ring Man, Skull Man, and Toad Man) and sent them to take over the world, in order to show the world his genius. Mega Man set out to defeat the eight new Robot Masters, and made his way to Cossack's Siberian fortress. Just as he defeated Cossack, Proto Man appeared with Kalinka and revealed the truth: Dr. Wily had kidnapped Kalinka and forced Dr. Cossack to build the robots as ransom. After Mega Man defeated Wily once again, Dr. Cossack built a robotic bird called Beat for him, as a gift for saving his daughter.

Dr. Cossack does not appear in Mega Man 5, only being mentioned in the manuals as informing Mega Man of Light's capture, and increasing the firepower of his Mega Buster's charged shots. In the Rockman Complete Works version of Mega Man 5 and its port in Mega Man Anniversary Collection, Cossack serves as the main guide in Navi Mode.

In Rockman ×over, Dr. Cossack, along with Dr. Light, is responsible for the creation of the Reploid OVER-1, the main protagonist of said game.

Cossack Catcher
The Cossack Catcher is the machine that Dr. Cossack uses in the fourth Cossack stage. Its design is based on the UFO prize catchers commonly found in arcades. Its weakness is the Dust Crusher, although the fully-charged Mega Buster deals more damage. Mega Man can also use the Wire Adapter to inflict some damage against the machine. To avoid the risk of getting caught by the claw while standing directly under the machine, Mega Man should stand against the step in the boss room and begin firing the Wire Adapter just before the claw is directly over him. When the machine is chasing the player across the room, the player must slide to avoid being caught in the claw, which will not only deal damage when it drops the player, but also disables the weapon-switch screen until the player is dropped. One must make sure they have enough health to withstand the claw's drop damage, as the player cannot use an E-Tank until they are dropped.There is also the chance, if the machine is low enough, of hitting it twice with one shot of the Wire—once on the way up, and again on the way back down. The battle will end when the Cossack Catcher has only two units of health left.

Damage Data Chart
Amount of damage in units that Cossack Catcher receives from each Special Weapon in Mega Man 4.

*For the Mega Buster and Pharaoh Shot, the first digit is when the weapon is fired normally and the second is when it is fully charged.

Mega Man Archie Comics
Dr. Cossack appears in Archie Comics' Mega Man comic series in the fourth graphic novel, Spiritus Ex Machina. According to this continuity, he had travelled to America as a college student while undergoing his thesis in robotics research, and was likewise an old friend and colleague of both Dr. Thomas Light and Dr. Noele Lalinde because of this. He met with Rock (Mega Man) and Roll at the A.R.T.S. (Advanced Robots and Trade Show) exhibition, quelling Pharaoh Man when quelling a confrontation between Rock and Pharaoh man regarding Roll accidentally bumping into his daughter Kalinka, as he knew Light, when creating the two, would never intend for them to cause any deliberate harm. He then headed the debate regarding whether robots should possess advanced AIs, between Light and Lalinde, regarding being pro and anti, respectively. After the Emerald Spears terrorist organization takes over the convention, Cossack proceeded, alongside Light and Lalinda, to debate with the ringleader, Harvey Greenleaf, about why they should or shouldn't destroy robots to distract him while Mega Man, Pharaoh Man, Quake Woman, and Elec Man locate the three bombs wired in the building, and also told Kalinka, who called him out of worry for him, and to stay with Roll in hiding. After Xander took over the Emerald Spears, he questioned whether the robots personalities were indeed less real than those of a human. He was later trapped underneath rubble when Xander detonated the last remaining bomb inside the lecture hall, although he was saved by Mega Man, Pharaoh Man, and Quake Woman. He also suffered a broken leg as a result of the cave in. He also was referenced in Mega Man 5: Rock of Ages, with him being mentioned by Kalinka in issue 19, and makes a brief appearance in the Cossack Catcher in issue 20 while Mega Man was stuck in time travel mode, where Cossack tells Mega Man he has no choice but to fight him, and also blames Mega Man for a girl's (implied to be Kalinka) death.

He also appeared in the manga Rockman 4, Rockman 6, Rockman 8, Mega Man Megamix and Mega Man Gigamix.

Trivia

 * In the same fashion as fellow scientists Albert Wily and Thomas Light, Master Mikhail of the Sage Trinity in Mega Man ZX Advent was named after him.


 * The cartoon series version of Dr. Cain bears a slight resemblance to Dr. Cossack.


 * Dr. Cossack's full name may have come from the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev.


 * Despite being mentioned in Beat's data card in Mega Man & Bass, Dr. Cossack, himself, was absent from the database.


 * One portion of his castle stage layout made its way into Mega Man 10's Endless Stage.


 * Cossack's name, while sharing the name of the military communities of Ukraine and South Russia, is based off the dance known as the 'cossack,' alternatively known as a 'hopak' or 'gopak.'
 * By coincidence, Gordon Freeman from Valve's Half-life series bears a striking resemblance to Dr. Cossack

Dr. Cossack