Dr. Doppler

"How do you feel now, Sigma? Did you like my special vaccine for the Sigma virus? X, I'm sorry to have given you so much trouble. I know I can never really atone for what I've done... But I will try to set things right by taking Sigma with me!!!"

- Dr. Doppler

Dr. Doppler (Ｄｒ．ドップラー) is a Reploid scientist who serves as the main antagonist of Mega Man X3. Originally a benevolent researcher and supervisor of Dopple Town, one day Dr. Doppler goes Maverick and incites riots, forcing the Maverick Hunters to intervene.

Appearance
Dr. Doppler resembles an elderly man with a curved white beard and a wild head of hair that flows upwards. Despite his apparent old age, he has an advanced Reploid body covered in grey and blue armor. Two large canisters or dynamos of some kind protrude from his shoulders, with tubes connected to his back and wires connected to a band on his forehead. He normally wears a labcoat with holes accommodating the size of his shoulders, though he removes it for battle.

Personality
Dr. Doppler was originally a selfless genius who wanted to improve the lives of both humans and Reploids alike. He desired to help Mavericks reintegrate into society, and was working on a vaccine to cure the Maverick Virus. After becoming infected by said virus, he became dangerous and fanatically loyal to Sigma. He was a cunning strategist who studied X's battles and sent the Nightmare Police to hunt him. However, after his defeat he returned to his old self and felt remorse for his actions, even potentially sacrificing himself to defeat Sigma in a certain ending.

Dopple Town
Prior to the game, Dr. Doppler became famous for having seemingly created a vaccine to the Maverick Virus using his advanced Neuro Computer. Doppler then helped build Dopple Town with the assistance of the seemingly-reformed Mavericks who congregated around him. He also created the fearsome Nightmare Police, Bit and Byte, who would help keep peace in the new city.

However, at some point Doppler himself became infected with the Maverick Virus, resulting in him becoming an ambitious megalomaniac. It turned out that this "vaccine" was little more than a placebo, and more Mavericks were created as a result. Doppler then became the leader of an army comprised of some of the most powerful Mavericks the world had ever seen and began waging war. He also began building a new, giant battle body for Sigma by stealing the data of the newest Reploid models.

Mega Man X3
Soon after X and Zero depart towards Dopple Town, Dr. Doppler launches an all-out assault on Hunter Base in their absence. He also manages to sway the Hunter Mac to his side, getting him to kidnap X for him (though Zero thwarts the plan). This attack on Hunter Base is repelled. After X defeats two of the eight Maverick bosses, Dr. Doppler is impressed and irked by X's power. He orders Bit and Byte to again attempt to capture X, alive if possible. He then speaks with Vile, whom he resurrected to serve him in the war. Doppler reprimands Vile for his disrespect, threatening to put him back in the junk heap, before Vile departs to do things his own way.

Doppler himself is fought at the end of Doppler Stage 3, in the room containing the Neuro Computer, where he is vulnerable to the Acid Burst. Before the battle, Doppler reveals he is indeed aligned with Sigma and attempts to sway X to his side with flattery, but fails. Upon being defeated, Doppler comes to his senses, telling X about Sigma's new body and where to find it in hopes that he'll be able to destroy it.

What happens to Dr. Doppler's afterwards depends on whether or not Zero is still active. If Zero is still active, Zero comes in with Doppler's actual Sigma Virus vaccine equipped on his saber and incapacitates Sigma (in the English version Zero claims that the reformed Dr. Doppler gave it to him, while in the Japanese version he claims to have found it himself somewhere in the lab). If Zero was taken out of commission, Dr. Doppler will take Zero's place, but he will use the vaccine on his own body and sacrifice himself to stop Sigma. Either way, Dr. Doppler has made no subsequent appearances, and his canonical fate is unknown.

Powers and Abilities
Dr. Doppler is a genius capable of impressive feats of engineering, having created the Neuro Computer, the Nightmare Police, and new upgraded bodies for both Vile and Sigma. In his battle form, Dr. Doppler possesses a variety of abilities. He can create a green force field around himself to absorb enemy fire and convert it into health, but it requires he stand still. His other barrier attack is a red one that completely nullifies damage, and which transforms into a fiery wall when he dashes forwards. He can also throw orbs of yellow energy.

Other appearances

 * Dr. Doppler is fought alongside Godkarmachine O Inary in the X Challenge from Mega Man X Legacy Collection.
 * Dr. Doppler is featured in the TEPPEN Action Cards Brainwashed and Systems Offline.

Pre-Battle
Doppler: I've been waiting for you X. I'm Dr. Doppler. I've been watching your battles closely. Your victories over my men have been most impressive. I need superior reploids like yourself, X! I offer you the chance to join us. Together we shall build a Utopia where the Reploids rule under the watchful eyes of Sigma, our lord and master.

X: No way, Doc! Your schemes end here and now!!

Doppler: Perhaps you are not as smart as I once thought! Prepare to be ripped apart and to be born again as part of the new body of Sigma!

Defeated
Doppler: You are strong, X... Strong enough to defeat Sigma...

X: Doppler, can you talk?!

Doppler: Sigma's true form is that of a computer virus... I was corrupted by him and... I created a horrific new body for him...

X: Where's the body now?

Doppler: It's in the underground hangar of this lab... I don't think Sigma has occupied it yet... Don't worry about me... Destroy the body before it is too late. Time is running out...

X: Thanks Doc...

Quotes from Mega Man X3

 * "He is the Maverick Hunter I failed to catch last time. I had no idea he is so powerful... Bit and Byte!"


 * "Bring that Maverick Hunter to me... alive if possible." (To Bit and Byte.)


 * "Watch your mouth or I'll put you back where I found you. Even with your enhancements, you are still no match for me. (To Vile Mk-II.)


 * "Fine. Just make sure you do it. I still can't believe that Maverick Hunter defeated my master twice in the past..."


 * "How do you feel now, Sigma? Did you like my special vaccine for the Sigma virus? X, I'm sorry to have given you so much trouble. I know I can never really atone for what I've done... But I will try to set things right by taking Sigma with me!!!"


 * "X... it's... time to say... goodbye..."

Rockman X3
In Iwamoto Yoshihiro's Rockman X3 manga, Dr. Doppler is a colleague and best friend of Dr. Cain, who was deeply disheartened to see his friend's descent into rampancy. Dr. Doppler created Worms to enter Reploids and turn them into Mavericks, upgraded his own body, sent the Nightmare Police to capture X and Zero, and also sends data of X and Zero to improve Sigma's new body. After the defeat of his forces towards the end, Dr. Cain tries his best to save the injured Dr. Doppler, who is able to briefly return to his pre-Maverick self. However, when Sigma reveals himself, Doppler is unable to resist Sigma's influence and attacks Cain and X, and Doppler opted to commit suicide rather than revert into a Maverick and harm his friend by ripping his own innards out. However, Dr. Cain managed to salvage Doppler's data and saved it in the computer.

Rockman X Mega Mission
Set prior to Mega Man X3, Dr. Doppler created the Limited and revived eight Mavericks to test it, having the Incept Chasers Curtiss and Schmitt to observe the Mavericks and bring back their bodies. After their defeat, Dr. Doppler makes the Limited aborb Schmitt and it creates X ("iX"), who is also defeated and absorbed by the Limited, becoming the Mother Limited. Despite all its power, the Mother Limited is destroyed and Dr. Doppler escapes.

In Rockman X Mega Mission 2, the Mother Limited is shown to have survived and slowly regenerated, becoming Tackione and forming the Order Breakers. Although Dr. Doppler himself doesn't make an appearance, Tackione has the face of its creator.

Doppler's Limited research would later be used by Isoc to create the Extreme in Rockman X Giga Mission.

Rockman Remix
Dr. Doppler appears in the story Mega Mission, which is based on the first Rockman X Mega Mission Carddass. His role is mostly the same, but he is shown to have retractable tools in his hands and has an unnamed Reploid assistant.

Trivia

 * Dr. Doppler was the first known case in the mainstream continuity of a Reploid who went back to normal after a Sigma Virus infection, followed by Techno. It was never explained how Dr. Doppler was able to return to his senses as the Sigma Virus is generally deemed incurable along the X series and supplemental material.
 * As with Mega Man X4, fans like to debate which of the two endings is the canon one, since there is no solid indication in the series. While Dr. Doppler hasn't made an appearance in subsequent games, his anti-virus technology seems to live on, most notably in Mega Man X5.
 * It is worth mentioning that if Zero uses the anti-virus on Sigma, then Sigma says that he will come back. However, if Doppler is the one who destroys Sigma, he does not say so. This may hint that the canon ending is the one where Zero destroys Sigma.
 * Dr. Doppler's name may be a reference to the Doppler Effect and a pun on Doppler Radar.
 * Doppler is one of a handful of prominent Reploid Mavericks from the Mega Man X series not featured in the Worlds Unite crossover event from Archie Comics.