Optic Sunflower

"A Maverick Hunter!? Here!? Who in the world are you? Why are you here? Who am I?"

- Optic Sunflower

Optic Sunflower, known as Optic Sunfloward (オプティック・サンフラワード) in Japan, is a New Generation Reploid from Mega Man X8 based on a sunflower.

Sunflower was originally responsible for running Troia Base, a virtual Hunter training facility stationed in Europe. When he became a Maverick, he caused the management program of the training area, "Helios", to go haywire. The Maverick Hunters have to complete training sessions to advance, with the difficulty of the next area changing based on the score received from the previous area.

Characteristics
Optic Sunflower was a tall and thin Reploid with an appearance based on a sunflower plant. This was most notable with his head, which actively resembled a flower and was connected to his body by a long, stalk-like neck. His shoulderpads and fingers were also reminiscient of flower petals, and his armor was colored green and yellow to resemble a plant.

Optic Sunflower was a flamboyant yet reasonable individual. He showed some signs of losing his sense of self, even wondering out loud about his own identity, but seemed to understand his goals and believed the Hunters had no right to stop him. He understood that he was not perceived as a "good guy," but refused to be perceived as a monster.

Strategy
Optic Sunflower's main attack is by warping about, rearranging the blocks in the room while doing so, making doubles of himself, and shooting his Shining Ray. In overdrive, he'll shout "Earth Crush" and fire massive laser beams from above (like Tenshouha). Sunflower will also shoot a bouncing orb of light that will immobilize the player for a brief moment if successfully hit. The weapons from Bamboo Pandamonium are highly effective when used on Optic Sunflower.

Navigator Descriptions
Alia: I've taken a close look at the area that the target is in, but... I see evidence of the shape having been changed many times by the program in charge. The target itself likely possesses the ability to alter proportional features.

Layer: The management program of the training area is named "Helios," after the sun. I've detected the energy used by "Helios" in the target. Apparently, the target can alter its surroundings. It'll try to use the environment to its advantage. Be careful!

Before defeating Four Mavericks
Optic Sunflower: A Maverick Hunter!? Here!? Who in the world are you? Why are you here? Who am I?

X: He's gone totally berserk! We've got to stop him!

Optic Sunflower: Berserk? I don't think so. We may not be the good guys, but we're no monsters. No one has the right to put a stop to our plans!

Optic Sunflower: A Maverick Hunter!? Here!? Who are you? Why are you here? Who am I?

Zero: Aw man... He's gone off the deep end.

Optic Sunflower: No! No! No! We may not be the good guys, but we're no monsters. Why don't you see?

Optic Sunflower: A Maverick Hunter!? Here!? Who in the world are you? Why are you here? Who am I?

Axl: This guy's outta control.

Optic Sunflower: That's where you're wrong. We may not be the good guys, but we're no monsters. Such concepts are beyond the grasp of halfwits like you.

After defeating Four Mavericks
Optic Sunflower: X... Since you made it this far, you must have figured it out. You must have an inkling as to what we're after here.

X: You Mavericks... You're under Sigma's control, aren't you?

Optic Sunflower: No one can control us. You old models cannot even begin to comprehend my master's - OUR - greatness!

Optic Sunflower: Zero... Surely you've figured it out. You must have an inkling as to what we're after here.

Zero: What would I know about how you Mavericks think?

Optic Sunflower: My master remembers you well. You had the chance to become the ultimate destroyer. That's ancient history now.

Optic Sunflower: Axl... The shape-shifter. The prototype of the Reploids who will lead the new age...

Axl: So what? You sayin' I should join you? Tough luck, chump!

Optic Sunflower: If only you were a little smarter, you could have been chosen, too...

Archie Comics
Optic Sunflower appeared as part of the Maverick army who attacked the Sky Patrol on the orders of Sigma-2. Afterwards, he departed through a Genesis Portal to help set up a plan to conquer the multiverse. The X series timeline meets the crossover before X8, making Optic Sunflower's appearance an early one.

Trivia

 * When Sunflower uses his strongest attack, a device similar to Final Weapon is seen in the background. Given the nature of Troia Base, it is unknown if that is a real or virtual object, and if it is the source of Zero's Tenshouha.


 * Strangely, despite having a design based off a plant, Optic Sunflower is weak to wood/leaf-elemental weapons/techniques. This is likely possible because he is a light and space-themed Maverick, as several cosmic Robot Masters and Mavericks have been weak to such elemental weapons.


 * The Intermission in Optic Sunflower's stage has the player fight against the eight bosses in a Time Trial-like mode; although it's specifically set in Troia Base, the virtual images shown are on Gateway, the stage where the actual boss rematches take place.


 * To fight against Cut Man, the player must have a Mega Man X: Command Mission save slot on their Memory Card or type a code in at the title screen; the first option is permanent as long as the Command Mission slot is not erased.
 * In the PC version of X8, the player must pass all training sections on their hardest difficulty. This is also applied in the Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 version of X8.


 * Optic Sunflower is sometimes mistaken as female because of his high-pitched voice and flower design.


 * Elinor Holt, who does the English voice acting for him, also voices Lumine, as well as Cut Man in Mega Man: Powered Up and Belladonna in Mega Man X: Command Mission, another flower-themed opponent.


 * Optic Sunflower is the only Maverick that will actually refer to Axl by name, whereas the others will just discard him as a simple prototype.


 * Optic Sunflower is one of the few Mavericks in the series to be based on a plant, the others being Wire Sponge (at least by his Japanese name), Spike Rosered, and Tornado Tonion.
 * Optic Sunflower is the fourth robot that can separate the head from body along with Mash, Sigma and Illumina