Launch Octopus

"I am an artist, you see, X. An artist of underwater combat! But no one has recognized that fact. Not until now."

- Launch Octopus

Launch Octopus, known in Japan as Launcher Octopuld (ランチャー・オクトパルド), is an octopus-type Reploid in Mega Man X. He was a Maverick Hunter from the 6th Naval Unit, but secretly always harbored contempts towards the weak humans he was tasked with protecting. When Sigma became a Maverick, Launch Octopus was among the first that joined his uprising, sharing his goals of creating a Reploid nation. He has deployed his fleet of marine Mechaniloids to assault cities built on the ocean and blockade important shipping lanes.

In Mega Man X5, he was revealed to be a friend and/or brother to Volt Kraken, depending on the translation; his name is also written "Octopardo" here. He appears in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X in the same role as before, with a slightly effeminate personality.

Strategy
His Homing Torpedo, though his main weapon is the least of the player's worries, as he can pull X toward him in a whirlpool and drain his energy, but if the player uses Boomerang Cutter against him three times, he loses his tentacles, and thus cannot use the ability. But his main weakness is the Rolling Shield, since it ruptures his internal buoyancy/pressure system.

In Mega Man Xtreme 2, his weakness is Tri-Thunder, the weapon wrested from Volt Catfish in said game, however hitting him with any version of another weapon Ray Claw just once will sever his tentacles. The weapon X gains from defeating Launch Octopus is Marine Tornado, which is perhaps a nod to his whirlpool ability.

Mega Man X stats
Launch Octopus (Launcher Octopuld)

Height: 238 cm (7.81 ft, mistakenly shown as 7.80 ft in-game)

Weight: 182 kg (401 lbs, mistakenly shown as 348 lbs in-game)

Attacks: Horming Torpedo (sic), E. Drain (Energy Drain)

Maverick Hunter X Bio
MILITARY GENERAL OF THE DEEP Maverick Hunter formerly of the 6th Armada. With plenty of firepower and military knowledge to match, this intellectual uses brains over brawn to outwit Mavericks. Seeking to achieve beauty in combat and strategy, he gains the ultimate pleasure from fighting elegantly and gracefully. Having taken over the ocean cities, he is planning to cut off all shipping routes.

Homing Torpedo Fires a torpedo capable of tracking enemies. As it picks up speed, it homes in on the closest enemy and pursues it.

Stage names

 * Ocean Stage (from Mega Man X credits)
 * Sea Stage (海中ステージ, from Rockman X2: Soul Eraser on Capcom's site)
 * Subterranean Base (from Mega Man Maverick Hunter X stage select screen)
 * Sigma Palace 1 (Megaman Maverick Hunter X)

Stage enemies

 * Amenhopper
 * Anglerge
 * Blowfish (Gulpfer)
 * Cruiziler
 * Mega Tortoise
 * Sea Attacker
 * Sky Claw
 * Utuboros

* Amenhopper and Mega Tortoise do not appear in Mega Man Xtreme 2.

Dialogues from Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
X: Your antics stop here, Launch Octopus!

Launch Octopus: I only take orders from Sigma. There's no way I'll let you boss me around!

X: Face it... You've gone Maverick!

Launch Octopus: Maverick? How dare you call my artistic battle style by that name! 

X: Launch Octopus... How could you do something like this?

Launch Octopus: I am an artist, you see, X. An artist of underwater combat! But no one has recognized that fact. Not until now.

X: But Sigma recognizes that?

Launch Octopus: That's right. And now I'm fighting to create an entire world that does, too! This is a very important battle for me. X: Launch Octopus!!?

Launch Octopus: I am Launch Octopus! I´m under orders to deal with any intruders.

X: Sigma must have brought his body back to life!!

Launch Octopus: I have been ordered to fight.

Launch Octopus: Well, well, well... Look what the catfish dragged in. You plan on betraying Sigma, do you?

Vile: I'll tell you one thing... I don't like working for others.

Launch Octopus: A tough guy, hm? Ha ha ha! You're not half bad. I like you.

Vile: I don't care if a pitiful fool like you likes me or not!



Rockman X
Launch Octopus is the seventh Maverick that X fights in the manga, who tricked Marty, a mermaid Reploid, into helping him. After betraying him to save X, Octopus skewered Marty's body, killing her, which drove X to attack and ultimately defeat him.

Rockman X Mega Mission
In the Carddas, Mega Mission 3, Launch Octopus is revived as "Launcher Octopuld HL" (Launch Octopus HL), and disguises himself as a recruit Maverick Hunter named "Blau Launcher" to attack the Maverick Hunter base with three other Mavericks. Some of Launch Octopus' changes include his color scheme changed to blue and black, the top of his head is now a transparent red, and he uses a trident.

Archie Comics
Launch Octopus appeared as part of the Maverick Army in the Mega Man and Sonic the Hedgehog crossover event, Worlds Unite. In the backup story for Mega Man Issue 50, Launch Octopus is indirectly mentioned where the female operator reports to Zero that reports are coming in about the 6th Marine Unit defecting to Sigma (who at that point had turned Maverick and revolted against humanity). He and various other Mavericks were cloned by Sigma-1 through manipulation of the Genesis Portals, creating an army of Mavericks who were dispatched against Mega Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, and their allies. Launch Octopus notably engaged the robot Gemerl during the ensuing battle, before departing with most of the Mavericks to various worlds to plant Sigma's Unity Engines.

Trivia

 * Launch Octopus also has a short appearance in the opening animated cutscene of the CD-Rom versions of Mega Man X3, where X causes an Utuboros to collide into him, destroying both.


 * On the U.S. box art for Mega Man X, Launch Octopus is colored purple instead of red and has a mouth.


 * Oddly, in Mega Man Xtreme 2, even when the player severs Launch Octopus's tentacles with Ray Claw and defeats him, he will have mysteriously gained them back during his death animation.


 * In the English language versions of Maverick Hunter X, Launch Octopus is one of the only Mavericks (besides Armored Armadillo) that does not say Vile's name during dialogue in Vile Mode. However, both do in the Japanese version.
 * Launch Octopus can be considered the leader of the maritime forces (a "navy") of the Mavericks in the first Mega Man X and Mega Man Maverick Hunter X.


 * In Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, in Sigma Palace 1, Launch Octopus is the only "revived" Maverick to speak to X after he finds him, leaving X in a momentary shock believing he was dead for good. However, his personality is no longer of the original Maverick; instead, he is a fighting machine recreated by Sigma and talks very much like a traditional robot programmed to follow orders.
 * Launch Octopus's personality in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X is strikingly similar to that of Elec Man in Mega Man Powered Up.