Mega Man (title)

Mega Man, known as Rockman (ロックマン) in Japan, is a denomination from the Mega Man franchise that appeared several years after the original Mega Man series, having the original Mega Man as its origin.

Mega Man ZX series
Mega Man is a title given to a person who can activate a Biometal and perform the Megamerge. They may also be referred to as Chosen Ones (選ばれし者) or Biomatches (適合者). They were deemed to be superior to ordinary humans/reploids, and were even assumed to be the natural evolution of mankind.

A Mega Man may be either a Humanoid or Reploid, and despite the name, they can also be female. There is no age restriction either, although the ones that appeared tend to be young. In Mega Man ZX, the manner in which one is selected to become a Mega Man is unclear, but Fistleo the Predatoroid implicates that the Mavericks spare those deemed worthy of the Biometals.

In Mega Man ZX Advent, it is revealed by one of Model A's ciphers (code UC80 to AC195) that all Mega Men have the DNA of Master Albert, the man who made Model W and one of the Sage Trinity. Because of the laws promoting bionic bodies for humans and lifespans for Reploids, members of both species are required to go to Legion at some point of their lives, allowing Master Albert to embed his DNA on those he considered worthy. The reason for this is the existence of a cipher made by Master Albert which locks Model W's power to his DNA; therefore, only those with Master Albert's DNA can unleash the power of Model W. Promising candidates are manipulated by the sibling Reploids Prometheus and Pandora, who match them with Biometals under Master Albert's orders to perpetrate the Game of Destiny and determine the strongest Mega Man, making them fight until only one was left and gain the right to rule the world as the Mega Man king. Master Albert himself admitted before fighting Grey/Ashe that the primary reason he created Mega Men and the Game of Destiny where they fight each other was for the purposes of evolution.

Ashe is the only Mega Man who was not actually chosen by Master Albert. However, Ashe is Albert's biological descendant and their genetic similarities allow her to use the power of Biometals. It is also implied by Model A that only Chosen Ones can hear the voices of Biometals.

List of Mega Men

 * Grey/Ashe (Model A)
 * Vent/Aile (Model X)
 * Girouette (Model Z)
 * Aeolus (Model H)
 * Atlas (Model F)
 * Thetis (Model L)
 * Siarnaq (Model P)
 * Serpent (Model W)
 * Prometheus (Model W)
 * Pandora (Model W)
 * Master Albert (Ouroboros)

Mega Man Legends series
While chronologically set after the Mega Man ZX series, the existence of multiple Mega Man characters was first established in the Mega Man Legends series. "Mega Man" is believed to be a name applied to units at the service of the Master System, such as the Purifier Unit Mega Man Trigger and the bureaucratic unit MegaMan Juno. Other Mega Man characters were considered for Mega Man Legends 2, but they were not included in the game.

Mega Man X series
Mega Man became a legend in 21XX in the Rockman X manga and in Rockman X The Novel: Irregulars Report, with Mega Man X being considered the legendary Mega Man due to his traits.

Rockman X manga
The Mega Man legend is mentioned a few times. After X used Chill Penguin's Shotgun Ice to freeze Spark Mandrill, Mandrill thinks that X may be the legendary, ultimate Reploid with unlimited potential due to his ability and surrenders, begging for mercy before being shot by Sigma. Later, Vile tells X that he wishes to destroy the legendary Mega Man, and wants X to grow stronger to be worth of inheriting that name so he can destroy him. After X defeated Boomer Kuwanger, human soldiers mention that Mega Man is a legendary Reploid that only appears during a crisis, and they celebrate his victory by calling X "Mega Man", and Sigma invites "Mega Man X" to his flying fortress. When Vile faces X after he takes Zero's buster, he is overjoyed to be able to destroy the legendary Mega Man, attempting to kill X even after being severely damaged. When X gives the final shot, he says that he isn't a legend.

Rockman X The Novel: Irregulars Report
Mega Man is a well known urban legend that has four key traits:
 * Mega Man is a machine that can evolve.
 * Mega Man can take his enemy's power as his own.
 * Mega Man can surpass the limitations of machines.
 * Mega Man has a soul no different than humans.

In 21XX, few know that a robot named Mega Man actually existed and that Mega Man X is his successor, Dr. Cain being the first to learn that it wasn't a legend and keeping the truth about X a secret from everyone, even from X. Years later, Sigma learned the truth after he went to an area to defeat "a Maverick" and found a lab with similar data, believing that it is the same type of data hidden by Dr. Cain as the schematics in the data are similar to X. Sigma became fixated on X, and he, alongside Vile, decided to cause the rebellion to see his potential and evolution. Armored Armadillo told X that the reason he joined Sigma's rebellion was to be able to face the legendary Mega Man in a duel, pointing that X proved to be Mega Man in his battle against Spark Mandrill and that he was the trigger that started the Maverick uprising.

Mega Man Zero series
The Mega Man Zero series version of Zero is referenced as "Mega Man Zero" in Onimusha Blade Warriors, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but the designation comes from his series rather than being an actual title, possibly being used to separate him from the original Zero. He is also called Mega Man Zero while in his powered up form in the Rockman Zero manga, while his weaker form is called Zero.

Trivia

 * During development, the Mega Man Legends staff planned to include an evil Mega Man that would be a bigger threat than the Bonne family and would have small mechanical lackeys similar to the Servbots and Birdbots. It is unknown if his design evolved to MegaMan Juno or if he was planned as a separate character, nor if he was related to the system.