Cyber-elf X

Cyber-elf X (サイバーエルフエックス), X (エックス) for short, is a character from the Mega Man Zero series that serves as a guide to Zero. He is the original version of X after his "soul" was separated from his body when he sealed the Dark Elf, becoming a Cyber-elf.

Appearance
As a Cyber-elf, X had assumed a more ethereal appearance, transparent and distorting from time to time, like a monitor or hologram, similar to Dr. Light in his capsules. He also wears clothing in the form of a light blue robe with "cross-like" patterns. On top of his head is a ring of data or energy which resembles an angel's halo.

Concept art shows his original form no different from his appearance in the Mega Man X series, albeit with an altered trim on his helmet and colored white. However, the sprite of X in Yggdrasil in Mega Man Zero 2 seems to give X "Mega Man Zero style" limbs. Additional concept art of Cyber-elf X depicts him without his robe or halo, and seemingly slimmer body type. But since this art only shows X's body partially, it is impossible to tell what the rest of it looks like.

History
Seeing how all the attempts to seal the Dark Elf away were not working due to its immense powers, X decided to use his own body as a seal for the Dark Elf within Yggdrasil so that it could never escape and wreak havoc on the world like the Elf Wars. However, the burden of becoming the seal caused his mind to be separated from his body. Despite this, X's mind was fractured and split into four other parts of is psyche, along with his DNA, which had formed the Four Guardians, whom had also chosen to protect X's body along with Neo Arcadia. From then on, X continued to exist to watch over Neo Arcadia as a Cyber-elf, unknown to everyone.

Due to his disappearance, a young genius named Ciel created an exact copy of X to fulfill the role of the leader of Neo Arcadia. While Copy X had at first completed his duty as leader rather well, much to X's horror Copy X started using extreme measures against Reploids to ensure peace and prosperity for humans. Copy X's rule was the exact opposite of what X himself would have done, as it went against his dream of Reploids and humans co-existing peacefully together.

When Ciel created a Resistance to oppose Neo Arcadia and Copy X, X believes that they could not win, what with the Four Guardians now serving Copy X. It is then assumed that X sent Ciel the necessary information that would help her find the only one who he knew would step in to help save them: Zero.

Mega Man Zero
X first appears as a mysterious image in a computer during a newly awakened Zero's battle against a Golem, and gives the Z-Saber to him which destroyed the Golem in short order. Zero then heads to the Resistance Base with Ciel.

After Zero completed his missions for the Resistance, X appears at the Resistance Base after surviving its second siege. X reveals that he disabled the protection programs to Neo Arcadia's inner sanctums, stating that it was difficult to break through and took time. He then left, but not before giving a cryptic clue to his true identity, something that both Zero and Ciel picked up on. It was here that X also displayed a sign of ruthlessness and disappointment in his copy's tyrannical actions and cruelty, demanding Zero to "terminate the copy of me with extreme prejudice."

Zero later learns that the X that rules over the world is a fake, built by Ciel because the real X went missing. This Copy X however believes he is far superior in every way than the original ever was. He then proceeds to fight Zero. After the first round of their battle, Zero tells Copy X, "I may have lost my memory, but my body seems to remember... that the original X was mightier than you..." Angered due to the firm belief that he was superior to both X and Zero as a hero, Copy X transforms into his final form to battle Zero once more.



After Zero ultimately defeats him, Copy X questions once more on how he could be defeated, Zero then remembers something from his memories of the real X: "I've just remembered something... He was not as naive as you are. That's what made him a hero." The Drama Track "Ciel's Memory ~ Epilogue" expands upon this by having Zero specifically cite how X was originally a coward and a constant worrier, and that it was these traits and his overcoming them that made him such a great hero. This angered Copy X even more, causing him to try and take Zero with him by self-destructing. As Zero attempted to escape, Cyber-elf X followed, and possibly protected Zero from being destroyed by the explosion.

Lying in the desert after narrowly escaping the explosion, Zero sees the Cyber-elf X, who now reveals himself in his ethereal form. He tells Zero of what had happened after Zero had disappeared and how X began to slowly lose himself from all the battles fought from there. X then tells his friend that he is tired of fighting and wants to rest for a while. He requests Zero to take his place as the defender of both humans and Reploids and leaves the world in Zero's care for now, to which Zero says that he'd be happy to take up his old friend's request, stating that that's what makes them the best partners.

Mega Man Zero 2
X first appears after Zero defeats Hyleg Ourobockle. He tells Zero that the "Baby Elves" will do anything to reunite with their mother, the Dark Elf. "Stir the humans' minds and bring chaos... It's all to meet their mother, the Dark Elf.... The Dark Elf that I sealed..." Upon saying this X disappears.

Later in the game Elpizo succeeds in stealing the Baby Elves. Elpizo then heads to break the seal of the Dark Elf. X appears before Zero yet again and tells him that the Dark Elf is responding to her children. Fearing the worst he tells Zero to finish off Elpizo quickly, leaving Zero to wonder exactly what the Dark Elf is and why the name sounds so familiar.



While Zero was fighting many battles in Neo Arcadia, X was holding Elpizo back from the Dark Elf. After a series of battles, Zero arrives at the tower where X's body rests. Zero arrives before Elpizo can break the seal but Elpizo uses his power to trap Zero in an energy field. He then forces Zero to watch as he stabs X's body with his beam rapier, destroying X's body and awakening the Dark Elf.

The two Baby Elves fly to their mother and all three enter Elpizo's body. After an intense fight Zero emerges victorious. The Dark Elf, her curse fading only for a moment, showers the dying Elpizo with her power, turning him into a Cyber-elf and saving his life. As soon as she flees, X appears one more time and says, "She wasn't always called the 'Dark Elf'... When she was born, she had a mission to save the world, and she had another name. However, when her ability became a threat, they began to call her the 'Dark Elf'... Since someone called Dr. Weil placed a curse on her..." The game ends with Zero declaring that he knows her, and somewhere miles away a mysterious man talking about "Omega's Awakening".

Mega Man Zero 3
Even though his body was destroyed in the previous game, X still appears to give Zero and the Resistance help. When Zero battles the rebuilt Copy X, the real X appears and reveals that Dr. Weil is only using Copy X so he can gain power. Dr. Weil placed a trap on Copy X that would destroy him if he transformed into his ultimate battle form. As X tried to tell Copy X this, Copy X wouldn't listen, his hatred and anger kept increasing. After losing to Zero, Copy X eventually did transform into his final form which resulted in his death. Weil then spoke to the Neo Arcadian citizens and told them that Copy X was killed by the Resistance. It was then that Weil assumed command of Neo Arcadia and promised to wipe the Resistance out. X considered telling Zero about Omega's connection to him, but decided not to, as the time wasn't right. However, he nonetheless cryptically remarks that its "the heart that counts, not the body".

Once the Resistance discovers the rest of info about the Elf Wars, Dr. Weil uses the Dark Elf's powers to control every Reploid on the earth including all Resistance members. As the resistance soldiers move in on both Ciel and Zero, X appears. Using his powers to disable the power of the Dark Elf, X manages to break the mass mind control, but only in the Resistance base. The rest of the world is still under Weil's control. Zero heads to Weil's base to put a stop to his plans.

Eventually Zero battles against Omega and discovers that Omega is his true, original body and he is just a copy. However X appears one last time and reveals that while Omega is the real Zero's body, Zero's heart, soul, and memories are in the copy body he has been using. Essentially meaning Zero is still the real Zero, just in a different body. X also reveals that he and Zero fought against and defeated Omega a century ago. Zero eventually defeats Omega, but X's last words reveal he spent most of his energy and does not have much time left. Before he leaves he tells Zero "I want to leave this world in your care. The threat Weil represents has not left this world. I want you... to protect humans and Reploids." After he tells this to Zero, he says, "You can do it, Zero..." and passes away.

He also leaves with him the memories of what happened in the closing events of the Elf Wars, according to the Drama Track Retrospect I, The Elf Wars.

Mega Man Zero 4 and Vile's Incident
X does not appear in Mega Man Zero 4. It is assumed that his life force faded away based on his comments in Zero 3, thus returning to cyberspace. However, he is referred to by Zero after defeating Craft a second time.

A picture released with Vile's Incident shows X along with the Four Guardians watching the destruction of Ragnarok at the end of Mega Man Zero 4. However this was revealed to be non-canon in an interview with series artist Toru Nakayama in the Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works artbook.

Mega Man ZX
X reappears in the form of Biometal Model X, which contains the "soul" of X. Model X is the first biometal that can be used by protagonists Vent/Aile, which they use to Megamerge to form Mega Man Model X. Possibly because of its origins, the other Biometals seem to know and show loyalty to it. Later on, Model X is used as a template to combine with a second Biometal, which allows the protagonists to Double Megamerge with other Biometals.

Mega Man ZX Advent
Model X, alongside Model Z, reappear in this game and are still in Vent/Aile possession. Years after the events of Mega Man ZX, they are searching and destroying Model Ws to end the Game of Destiny. The group then finds Grey/Ashe along with Model A while finding a Model W on a Quarry and end up fighting due to a misunderstanding for the intentions with the Model W, both parts thinking that they where there trying to retrieve it rather than destroy it. After Ouroboros starts falling apart, Model X stays behind while Model Z decides to take down the enemy Mega Men by himself, and helps Aile/Vent rescue Grey/Ashe, who fainted after the battle against Master Albert.

Power and abilities
As a Cyber-elf, X appears to have the same abilities as Cyber-elves, which includes being able to fly, access cyberspace, and being invisible to humans. It is unknown if X gained any unique power after becoming a Cyber-elf, but it is likely that he would disappear after using said power. Regardless, the Mega Man Zero 3 ending shows that X had used most of his energy and could not stay in the world much longer, saying he would leave the world in Zero's care before disappearing.

Although he has no physical body, X was shown to be able to carry Zero to safety after the Neo Arcadia Core was set to explode.

Mega Man (Archie Comics)
Cyber-elf X had a brief appearance in the last issue of the comic.

Trivia

 * In the original concept for Mega Man Zero, the main villain was the real X instead of Copy X. This had been altered due to the Mega Man X being still ongoing and also because they realized the potentially negative reaction that it might cause from fans that saw X as a hero.


 * In Mega Man Zero 2, when the original body of X is destroyed, one who watches carefully will see that X's arms break off before the seal breaks and the explosion follows.