Spider

"I'm neither Maverick, nor Rebellion. But if I brought your head to the Rebellion Army, it would fetch a pretty penny!"

- Spider encounter in Central Tower

"Listen, there isn't really anything complicated about why X decided to make friends with a lowlife bounty hunter like me. It's quite simple, really. Just like why I saved you. 'Cause I felt like it, Zero. That's it."

- Spider, upon saving Zero

Spider (スパイダー) was introduced as an ally in Mega Man X: Command Mission. He uses playing cards as weapons and has a high rate of evasion. Spider apparently was somewhat well known in Giga City before the game took place, as at least one resident may have known him. He is actually Colonel Redips in disguise.

History
Spider first appears in Chapter 2, when he is hired by Wild Jango to seek out and assassinate X. When he finds X in the Air City North Square, he engages him in combat, but the battle is interrupted by alarms. Not to be deterred, he returns not long after for a second strike, this time easily getting the upper hand. However, upon seeing the crest of his former comrade Aile in X's possession, he decides to join X and fight against his employer.

He stays with the party until X and the others are trapped by Incentas in Chapter 6, when Spider "sacrifices himself" to allow the others escape. In the final chapter, he reveals himself as being both Spider and the person in charge of the unit at Giga City, Colonel Redips, before using the Supra-Force Metal which he'd already obtained from X to take on an entirely new godlike form. Like Axl, Spider, or at least Redips, has the ability to assume multiple forms. This is how he carries on the masquerade of himself as both Spider and Redips as he motions towards the Supra-Force Metal.

Weaponry
Spider uses playing cards as weapons, all of which are Shot type weapons that hit a single target.
 * Spades: Attacks with Spade. When Spider's Weapon Energy (WE) is at 75% or more, he attacks all enemies with Spread Deal.


 * Clubs: Attacks with Club. With the WE at 75% or more, Spider hits an enemy twice with Rush. The Power of Clubs are higher than other card types, but they also have the lowest defense.


 * Diamonds: Attacks with Diamond. With WE at 75% or more, the final blow boosts zenny with Jackpot. This card type reduces speed less than the other types.


 * Hearts: Attacks with Heart. With WE at 75% or more, the final blow boosts EXP with Raise.


 * Joker: Randomly produces one of the four special effects from the other card types with any WE amount. Has balanced stats.


 * Weight values for Spider's weapons aren't shown in-game. The negative values above for Diamonds and Joker increases Spider's speed.

Trivia

 * Redips is Spider spelled backwards. In the instruction booklet, Redips' name is misspelled "Rideps" in all instances, either by accident or to hide the otherwise obvious connection from being deduced by merely reading the book.


 * Although the above-mentioned connection between Spider and Redips' names is the official basis for Spider's name, it could also possibly come from the computer playing card mini-game, Spider Solitaire. This could also explain his weapons of choice.


 * It's unknown if the real Spider is dead or alive, or even if he existed. However, following Epsilon's defeat, as X heads over to the base heliport to await transportation back home, Marino tells him in her first conversation that she researched the chameleon ability and found out that a long time ago, Spider was at a place that researched copy abilities. It is believed that Spider's DNA was somehow obtained in the occasion.


 * One interesting point, and possible subtle hint towards Spider's true identity, may be his Hyper Mode ability, Trickstar. It is exactly the same as Axl's Hyper Stealth Mode, in that it renders him invisible/transparent and nigh invulnerable to attack.


 * As Spider is actually Redips, every time Redips contacts X, Spider is absent. In the beginning of Chapter 6, Spider is seen using his copy ability to change form. In addition, Spider had started complaining about taking commands from Chief R, hinting towards being more comfortable being the one in charge, and talking about having "goals of [his] own", back when he and X first entered Tianna Camp to free Resistance POWs - the very first order of business shortly after teaming with X and reclaiming Central Tower for the Resistance.


 * A sub-mystery also surrounding the identity of Spider and Redips is as to whether Spider really knew Aile, or just simply fabricated/knew and used the story of their being past bounty hunting partners to earn X's trust in order to join his faction. On one hand, Spider's turn from Rebellion mercenary to Resistance soldier upon seeing Aile's ID seems to indicate some level of camaraderie. On the other hand, he would later betray the very movement that Aile gave his life for simply to advance his own goals of ultimate power. Depending on when and how Redips got the ability to swap between himself and Spider, either conclusion (or perhaps even both) is entirely possible.
 * Similar can be said of Wild Jango. In the same chapter in which Aile appears, Jango acknowledges Spider by name, as well as showing he was aware of his work, implying the two had a history prior to the events of the game.