Isoc

"Ah ha ha ha! I can't help it! X was no match for High Max, but you... Ha hah. I can't stop laughing!"

- Isoc

Isoc (アイゾック) is an enigmatic character from Mega Man X6. He first appears after the Opening Stage, warning the populace of the threat of the Zero Nightmare, and encouraging Reploids to join in the cause to obliterate the new Nightmare virus. In reality, however, Isoc is actually working as a subordinate of Gate, the scientist responsible for the Nightmares.

If Zero defeats High Max in one of the secret areas, Isoc watches it and starts laughing uncontrollably. When Zero asks why he is laughing, Isoc responds that he cannot help it after seeing how powerful Zero is, pointing out that while X could not defeat High Max, Zero has done it so easily. Zero then tries to attack Isoc, but Isoc raises his hand and nonchalantly generates a force field that immobilizes Zero, saying that he knows him inside out and can capture him at any time. Isoc then retreats with High Max. Alia notes that Isoc's field has a deactivation timer, and wonders why Isoc had the trouble to only trap Zero without harming him. In X's version of this scene, Isoc swears to personally destroy that "ancient piece of junk", indicating hatred towards X, but for the time being he withdraws with High Max. X tries to go after them, but listens to his commander and makes a tactical retreat.

Isoc is not seen again until a cutscene sequence after Gate is defeated. The player character finds Isoc's body on the ground, and a slightly different scene plays out for each. If X defeated Gate, Alia informs him that Isoc's body is still functional, though he appears to be an empty shell similar to the Erasure incident in Mega Man Xtreme 2. If Zero defeated Gate, Zero hears a voice emanating near Isoc's body, telling Zero to proceed and saying he believes Zero is the strongest robot. Whichever happens, the character realizes they have no time to check up on Isoc, and he immediately leaves to go after Sigma. Isoc is not seen again for the rest of the game, and his fate is unknown.

Isoc's Speech
"Attention all Reploids on Earth! As you all know, these are chaotic, disturbing times. The "Nightmare" is upon us. It shows Reploids a kind of "dream" for human beings... no. It's a "Nightmare". The Nightmare makes Reploids confused. In the worst case, they may malfunction or delete themselves. Due to the Colony incident, there are few Reploids or humans are left on the Earth... We won't accept sacrifice anymore! This would bring us to the Earth Crisis. Taking the matter seriously, we have sent investigators to the 8 suspected areas to uncover the mystery of this Nightmare phenomena. It's said that the Nightmare phenomena are cause by... a ghost of Zero... known as an ace Maverick Hunter..."

"Now, I'd like to call on volunteers! Unite with us, and help our cause! Work for these eight investigators!! Our goal is to wipe out the Nightmare... and to delete the Zero's ghost! Come together for our future!! This High Max will lead the mission. We guarantee your safety if you join us. Both Maverick Hunters and Reploids now suffer. Let's preserve our future together! We're waiting for you! Everyone!"



After defeating High Max in a secret area as Zero
Isoc: Hee hee hee. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Zero: What makes you laugh?

Isoc: Ah ha ha ha! I can't help it! X was no match for High Max, but you... Ha hah. I can't stop laughing!

Zero: ... Are you out of your mind? I just destroyed one of your own... What is so funny? Anyway, you're the last one... I'll crush you now!

(Zero charges and Isoc counters by firing a purple beam of energy, freezing him in place)

Isoc: Nuh ha ha ha ha! ... Did you say something, boy?

Zero: Guhwaaaaah!! Wh... what!? I... I... can't move... Kugh.

Isoc: Zero... I know you inside out... Hmm. Since I found out you're alive, I can capture you at any time. But first I must bring High Max back.

Zero: W... wait! You're... escaping? Da... Darn M... My body...

Isoc: Hmm. What can you do as you are now? I won't escape. I'll see you soon. I promise!

Signas: Are you all right? Zero! We'll send a rescue team immediately! High Max won't be a threat for a while. So you can come back to the Hunter Base at once!

Alia: It's some kind of force field. It seems to take time to release it. Can you move if it isn't released?

Zero: I hate to admit it, but I can't...

Alia: Aw? The force field... It seems to have a timing device. It might be released in due course. But it's strange... Why did he try so hard to trap Zero? What was his intention?

After defeating High Max in a secret area as X
(High Max stands in Isoc's lab, injured.)

High Max: No! I can't believe this. I'm superior to him in every respect, the speed, the power and the body... An old robot like you can't beat me... This can't be true!!

Isoc: Ummmm. High Max is down... Kugh! We'd better withdraw for now!

X: Wait! You can't escape!

Isoc: You ancient piece of junk, it's not over! I'll destroy you myself! For the time being, farewell!

Signas: X! Cool down! We don't want to lose you. You may be damaged in the battle. Return to the Hunter Base, now!

X: Darn! So close... But I must be cautious... Roger that! I'll be back.

Production Notes
Designer Comments

"I was thinking about a certain scientist while designing this character. The horizontal piece on his head is supposed to be hair. I also gave him a beard and something that looks like a necktie." -Haruki Suetsugu

Trivia

 * Like Serges in Mega Man X2, there is a prominent theory that Isoc is a robotic form of Dr. Wily. This is made evident by how Isoc is interested in Zero and hates X, and if Zero defeats High Max, Isoc will be pleased that Zero was able to defeat a robot X could not, and says he knows Zero inside out. In addition, when Zero finds his dead body, he hears a voice telling him he is the strongest robot.
 * This is intresting because, although Zero and X aren't technically Reploids (robots based on X's schematics, "replicated androids"), as they are original androids from the past (technically making them "Robot Masters"), they are known as such because the term Reploid is used for all androids with human-like A.I, and for reasons of simplicity; Isoc call him robot and not android, suggesting that Isoc have knowledge about the robot masters and/or other related information from the past that is unknown to almost all the characters in the X series.
 * Also, Isoc's Japanese voice actor, Takeshi Aono, is the same actor that voiced Dr. Wily in Mega Man 8, Mega Man X4, and other games. Suetsugu's comment on how he was thinking about a certain scientist while designing him also supports this theory.
 * Additionally, it should be noted that Isoc was capable of incapacitating Zero with little to no effort during the encounter that occurs after High Max's optional defeat. This is peculiar because Isoc's claim of knowing "Zero inside out", has massive merit. Never once did Isoc obtain Zero and analyze his anatomical structure, yet Isoc developed a method to easily subdue Zero and essentially paralyze his movement. To perform such  a maneuver with no experience with Zero raises many questions, in addition to the fact that Zero still remained unanalyzable during this time.
 * This could explain Zero's comeback, since Zero's vague explanation to X claimed that he "hid himself while he was repairing himself". However, when Zero finds the Light Capsule from Commander Yammark's stage, he asks Dr. Light if he was the one who saved him, who says his survival was a miracle. The actual explanation could be that Isoc did actually find Zero and repaired him.
 * Branching off the theory of Serges being Wily, another prominent theory that exists suggests that Wily may be a stream of consciousness that transfers bodies as a host, or is a being similar to the Sigma Virus and Cyber-elves. This may explain how Serges was able to build a new body for Zero despite remaining unanalyzable, how Wily possibly built Sigma a body, and how Isoc possesses such knowledge of Zero to achieve immobilization. It should be noted that upon defeating Gate with Zero, a voice coming from Isoc's shell of a body, clearly labeled as "??" proceeds to call him the strongest robot. Furthermore, Isoc's body is clearly inactive, giving credibility that Wily is a stream of consciousness.
 * Countering Wily's theory, it is also possible that Isoc was obsessed with Zero because he was impressed with the DNA data he and Gate managed to analyze. As he had never seen data so powerful before he began developing this specific obsession for Zero.
 * However, this might have been a act to hide his true identity.
 * Isoc is one of a handful of Mavericks not to be featured in the Worlds Unite crossover event from Archie Comics. His absence makes somewhat more sense than that of High Max, given that Isoc was never shown to be a combatant.