Nebula

Nebula (ネビュラ) full name DarkChip Syndicate Nebula (ネット犯罪組織ネビュラ,

Netto hanzai soshiki nebyura) known in Japan as Net Criminal Organization Nebula is a criminal organization from the Mega Man Battle Network series. The organization was led by Dr. Regal, and under his command Nebula is dedicated to infecting the entire world with darkness.

In both the games and other media, the group is notorious for setting a much darker tone whenever introduced.

Mega Man Battle Network 4
Nebula makes its first appearance, having HeelNavis and ShadeMan.EXE and LaserMan.EXE as operatives. Noteworthy the group had a handful of human agents, but they were limited in number. They were little known before this game, but became more active. According to Eugene Chaud the group had existed even when Gospel and World 3 were at work, but following their demise Nebula became the reigning group with crimes all over the world. Their secrecy and methods (mostly involving DarkChips) led Chaud to believe they were a bigger threat than WWW.

Nebula's first attack on the net, involved ShadeMan indiscriminately assaulting NetNavis and draining their energy for food. He soon set his eyes on Roll.EXE to serve as his "dessert". Glide.EXE and GutsMan.EXE were defeated by the vampire Navi forcing Lan Hikari and MegaMan.EXE to follow him in the cyberworld of a Radio Tower. MegaMan faced ShadeMan but was unable to injure the Nebula Navi. ShadeMan began losing power and with the arrival of ProtoMan.EXE he decided to retreat but left behind a DarkChip that MegaMan took for himself, unaware of what he had.

Later an agent of Nebula trespassed the Hikari household, checked Lan's computer and sleep gassed his mother and left a note for him to come to ParkArea2 with the DarkChip. The duo did and fought a HeelNavi from the agent whom they defeated, however he threatened they would come for the DarkChip. ShadeMan later punished the two for their failure.

When Lan and Mayl Sakurai had a date in Castillo the park theme's robots began to run out of control forcing Lan and MegaMan to disable their systems. On the last Vampire-themed robot, they found ShadeMan had sabotaged all of them with the intent of reclaiming the DarkChip. He notices MegaMan is developing a DarkSoul of his own and proposes they join Nebula. MegaMan and Lan feign interest and destroy the DarkChip, angering ShadeMan who attacks them. Like before they are unable to damage him until MegaMan resorts to using his Dark Power which fatally wounds ShadeMan. The Darkloid turns into ash as he gloats that MegaMan will inevitably turn into the dark.

As the Eagle/Hawk Tournament finished LaserMan hacks the battle machine and forces Lan to Jack In. There the Navi senses MegaMan's powerful evil energy within him and offers a rank within Nebula but Lan and MegaMan refuse, they are assisted by GutsMan/AquaMan.EXE (depending on the game version). LaserMan forces the DarkSoul from MegaMan and has it possess the ally Navi causing a fight. MegaMan triumphs but the DarkSoul returns to him. LaserMan retreats pleased the darkness in MegaMan grows.

As Duo.EXE's asteroid approaches Earth, NAXA enacts a plan led by Yuichiro Hikari in using a giant laser beam in order to change its course. The Laser activates and is prepared to reach 200% power in order to succeed, however and unbeknown to all the scientists, Regal had LaserMan secretly sabotage the plan by reducing the power to 120%. This forces a new course of action and Regal proposes they hold the Red Sun/Blue Moon tournament in order to find a strong Navi to send to space as the asteroid was man-made and had a network.

Lan and MegaMan won the tournament and were immediately after sent to NAXA were Dr. Regal introduces himself to the young battlers and explained his plan. At the same time Nebula began a major assault on the net and cut off communications between all segments of the world with each other. Regal had Lan and MegaMan travel all around the world in order to dispose of the jammers, giving him a transmitter to keep him alerted should MegaMan fall.

Lan and MegaMan succeeded in their mission and were able to find the perpetrator, a Nebula Navi. The Nebula agent was defeated and committed suicide to destroy MegaMan and the transmitter that Dr. Regal gave him shut down. Regal declared MegaMan deceased and proposed that they send his NetNavi to the asteroid. NAXA had no idea that MegaMan survived (as his friends shielded him with barriers) and agreed.

As Regal prepares to send his Navi, Yuichiro confronts him alone, letting Regal know he is aware of his true identity as the leader of Nebula. Regal is amused but not worried as things will not change as his Navi is their only hope for survival, however Lan and MegaMan arrive. Regal detonates the bridge and knocks Yuichiro unconscious sending LaserMan to the asteroid in order to use it to turn world into evil as his identity is revealed. Using a hint from Yuichiro, Lan and MegaMan pursue LaserMan who once more offers a position in Nebula which is again turned down. The Navis fight and LaserMan is deleted but confident that MegaMan would fall into the dark.

MegaMan reaches Duo's chamber where the control system lies. MegaMan is able to defeat Duo but is unable to turn the controls. As a cable from the laser is cut due to excess of power Regal uses his own body to connect them, reasoning he will save the world only to turn it evil later. With the prayers of all the world MegaMan gains sufficient strength to stir the controls and change the asteroid's course. Regal is cornered and plans to jump in order to avoid arrest. He reasons that since Lan, Chaud and Yuichiro had committed "crimes" of their own (Lan deleted a Navi who had no idea what he was doing while chasing the jammer, Chaud deleted an unknown amount of suspects, some probably innocent, as duty and Yuichiro giving Navis emotions causing NetCrime to increase as well). He thus reasons that as such humanity will in one way or another commit vile actions so "criminals judging criminals" felt irrational. He then subtly hints as to his origins and his father. Feeling no guilt for his crimes he jumps trying to commit suicide, but survives.

Mega Man Battle Network 5
Having survived the previous encounter Dr. Regal once more leads the group as the game's main antagonists. With a new plan in mind they assault SciLab with sleeping gas and kidnap Yuichiro Hikari at the beginning of the game whom they need for their research. As Yuichiro was visited by Lan and his friends, Regal recognizes them and has their PETs confiscated (Lan avoided this fate as he was on an enclosed part off sight). Subsequently Nebula performs a major takeover of the Net seizing control of several areas.

Lan wakes up after three days of sleep and with MegaMan decide to investigate, noticing the net has become significantly darker and more hostile. They find a Nebula Navi whom they fight. The Navi is forced to retreat as he's called back due to Yuichiro regaining conscience and departs. MegaMan tries to follow it, but is blocked by a giant door powered up with DarkPower which renders it impervious to the MegaBuster, so they decide to come with another plan.

Around the same time SciLab's main system is infiltrated and the duo believe it to be the work of Nebula. They navigate the system and find the culprit to be Eugene Chaud and ProtoMan.EXE/Baryl and Colonel.EXE depending on the game's version. Although posing as an assailant, in truth they set up the attack as a test to find capable Netbattlers as the respective officials are assigned to create a team of NetNavis to reclaim the net from Nebula and defeat them.

In company of the respective team leader, the group advanced through the door as the leader Navi destroys it and proceed. On the next area they are forced to perform a Liberation Mission in order to take ACDC back from the area's commander BlizzardMan.EXE. The team navigates through a virus infested area and is able to subdue the Darkloid and reclaim the zone as the team's first victory.

The next Liberation Mission is set on the Oran Area where MegaMan and ProtoMan attempt to do the job themselves, but the way is blocked by powerful gun batteries preventing them entry forcing them to retreat. A second attempt is made after Lan manages to recruit Tesla Magnus and MagnetMan.EXE/Princess Pride and KnightMan.EXE as the new ally Navi has strong defenses to withstand the barrage allowing them to destroy the gun batteries and proceed. The team encounters ShadeMan who was revived through DarkPower. Although ShadeMan has an advantage as his flight abilities allow him to attack from any direction, the new ally's defensive power counters this, allowing the team to defeat the vampire Darklord and free the area from his grasp.

As ShadeMan was defeated, Dr. Regal interrogates Yuichiro about the location of what Regal is seeking. Yuichiro responds with ignorance, causing Regal to torture him with a taser, threatening him to remember for his own sake.

Nebula however was far from done with the Oran Area. Dr. Legal commands CloudMan.EXE to handle the resistance from his base. The Darkloid in turn would send several agents across the Oran Area which MegaMan had to face and defeat. As MegaMan ventured into the next area and CloudMan's territory, the SciLab Area in order to scout the zone, he came across a thick layer of clouds powered with DarkPower which bounced him off. With no ability to pass through the clouds, MegaMan retreats.

While pursuing GyroMan.EXE/ShadowMan.EXE after they disassembled MagnetMan/KnightMan, MegaMan is forced to give chase through a cloud infested Oran Area and SciLab Area. As the speedy and elusive Navis force MegaMan in a game of tag until the of the SciLab Area, MegaMan faces either in order their intentions. It turns out they wanted to test MegaMan and the different members of the team as their operators Charlie Airstar/Dark Miyabi were requested to fight against Nebula. Joining the team the new Navis use their abilities to bypass the Dark Clouds and destroy the DarkChip that was creating them.

With a new path open for them the team ventures into CloudMan's lair, filled with several layers of DarkPanels and BarrierPanels that made travel difficult, but with GyroMan/ShadowMan's abilities, they were capable of infiltrate through the dastardly path and allow the team a safe way to reach CloudMan and defeat the thunderous Nebula agent. However CloudMan would not be deleted in vain, as while the team celebrated their victory a Dark Cloud falls over MegaMan kidnapping him all the way to Nebula's base.

Back at their base a group of Nebula Navis lead by Doctor Navi, perform an operation on MegaMan by implanting on him a DarkChip. The process is extremely painful for MegaMan, the sight of which leaves his equally kidnapped friends Roll.EXE, GutsMan.EXE and Glyde.EXE horrified at their cruelty. Dr. Regal inquiries about MegaMan's status and the Doctor shares his confidence that MegaMan will join their cause as the new Nebula warrior DarkMega.

With Lan coming to terms to the loss of MegaMan, his team leader requests him to go on more missions with a new Navi in order to defeat Nebula and eventually find a way to save MegaMan. He then borrows the leader's Navi and is set to go to End Area 2 where Nebula has a base. Upon reaching its entrance they find DarkMega waiting for them, however he shows signs of instability when the real MegaMan tries to regain control, the new Navi tries to use this opening to defeat but Lan rejects it as MegaMan can still be saved. Before long an army of Nebula Navis appears, allowing DarkMega to retreat. Since their numbers are too great to face, Lan and the new Navi retreat.

A new mission is scheduled to take place in the luxurious ship the Queen Bohemia, where Undercorp will unveil a Booster System program that can greatly enhance any program's performance and power, so Lan is to be sent to prevent Nebula from acquiring it. Aboard the ship Lan does encounter a Nebula agent trying to steal it, however he fails at his endeavour as another party had achieved firsthand. Lan and the new Navi find the criminal Fyrefox/Dingo who steal it for different reasons. Chasing their Navis NapalmMan.EXE/TomahawkMan.EXE Lan and his Navi are able to retrieve the program. Convincing them that theft is wrong, the would be criminals give up on their missions and willingly join anti-Nebula team.

With new allies and the precise offensive power to break through the Nebula army, the team destroys the enemies blocking their path, reaching DarkMega's base. The rest of the team follows after and a Libertaion Mission ensues amidst a DarkPanel infested territory, but with the new ally's offensive abilities, the team is able to reach DarkMega and defeat him. Although injured the team hesitates to strike him down on his moment of weakness, this allows DarkMega to draw in even more power from the Darkness and prepares a powerful attack on the team. However through Lan's encouragement, MegaMan is able to overcome the Darkness and return, albeit exhausted.

News of DarkMega's defeat reach Dr. Regal who is not pleased that the majority of the Net has been freed, while his research has not advanced. Nebula's new commander, the Darkloid CosmoMan.EXE suggests a new plan and begins his operation. As Raika and SearchMan.EXE/Higsby and NumberMan.EXE join the respective providing in vital analytical abilities, the team decides to go liberate End Area 5 blocked by a door with a complex electronic door, but the missions is postponed due to external circumstances surrounding the new allies.

Using their free time, Lan and MegaMan decide to investigate what their father was gonna show them as it could contain a key to Regal's plan. Through hints and analysis, they end up on a Vision Burst of ACDC during the year the twins were born, where they find the dog Gow. Soon after Nebula Navis invade the area looking for the key to Regal's plan. MegaMan faces the navis and defeats them, but finds himself facing SearchMan/NumberMan who declares himself an agent of Nebula (in truth an imposter set up by CosmoMan) and retires. Around the same time the true SearchMan/NumberMan find opposition from a MegaMan impostor, making them and their operators believe MegaMan has joined Nebula.

The next day the communications around End Area have been jeopardized and MegaMan is forced to Jack In the GargoyleComp atop the Gargoyle Castle to fix it. MegaMan has to navigate through complex maze full of traps until coming to face SearchMan/NumberMan. Believing the other has fallen astray, a battle ensues between both, until they have depleted their strength. Soon after the imposters appears before them and explain the machination they had set up and how they planned to delete the originals now that they were exhausted from the battle. With the deception revealed, and the misunderstanding clear, both parties angered at being tricked come to an agreement and deliver a swift and befitting punishment on the impostors, deleting them on the spot. With no more impediments the teams decides to try End Area 5 once more.

Upon reaching End Area 5 the teams find CosmoMan in command of the area, who has infested several DarkPanels with dastardly traps. However with the new ally's analytical abilities, the team is able of navigating safely through the terrain and defeat the spacian Darkloid. This puts them face to face with the entrance to the Undernet blocked by a dark powered door resilient to attacks. Since rushing it could prove dangerous the teams disperse to replan their strategy.

Following CosmoMan's demise, Regal pays little mind to the liberation of the Net as the invasion was simply a distraction to buy enough time to find the key to the Hikari Report that would complete his plan. Since the thing he needs has already been spotted Regal moves his forces to complete his plan.

Lan and MegaMan learn there may be a clue within the Vision Bursts and the dog Gow, so they follow a trail reaching a Vision Burst of the Oran Area where they find the dog Gow chased by Nebula forces. MegaMan is able to drive one of the Navis away, but Gow is later captured by a revived BlizzardMan who makes his escape with Gow, which turns out is the key to Regal's plan. At the same time SciLab is attacked by Nebula forces forcing the duo to assist in repelling them. Leading the attack force is a resurrected ShadeMan who learns BlizzardMan succeeded in his mission so he retreats while leaving his minions behind which MegaMan and the team leaders defeat. However since SciLab is vulnerable the teams change their HQ.

Soon after a sensor placed near the entrance to the Undernet activates and reveals that Jasmine and Meddy.EXE/Ribbita and ToadMan.EXE who begged Lan for information about the Undernet but failed to acquire it, had managed to reach the entrance on their own. Being a civilian risking their lives, Lan and MegaMan quickly chase after them. On the entrance they find a revived CloudMan.EXE who attempts to attack them but the team leaders appear and slash at him. However CloudMan survives the strike and attempts to self-destruct as he tries to ram towards the civilian Navi, however the team leaders intercepts the strike and both ProtoMan/Colonel and the Darkloid disappear, making everyone believe they were deleted.

Guilty over indirectly causing the leader's loss, the civilian pair attempt to convince Lan (made temporary leader) to let them on the team, but he refuses as he hesitates over being leader. Enraged the civilians decide to go to the Undernet to avenge the leader themselves. Lan and MegaMan pursue and a battle ensues in front of the entrance to Undernet 4. With regained confidence Lan comes to terms to leading the team in fighting Nebula as the remaining members join. The civilian Navi uses its ability to disperse Dark Powered doors allowing the team to proceed.

On that area they find the team leader now turned Darkloid by Nebula and in charge of Undernet 4. The team has to navigate through a Dark Panel infested area, but the new ally's ability allows them easier access through the terrain. The team reaches the possessed team leader and defeat him, but is brought back to Nebula by a revived CosmoMan. Preparing for the final battle, the team is dismissed.

With Gow now on his hands Regal taunts Yuichiro that his plans will finally come to fruition. In order to test his research he has his men install microservers all over Electopia and transmit the Nebula Grey's power through them. Dr. Regal makes a public announcement that the country has been chosen for an experiment, claiming they will feel "free of bondage". Disaster falls soon after as the citizens quickly fall to evil impulses, causing chaos everywhere. A mysterious email informs the anti-Nebula Netbattlers of what they have to do. Lan and MegaMan with a special amulet given to them by their mother, are forced to fight their possessed allies as they try to destroy the microservers.

The final server is located in Undernet 4 where they find the possessed team leader guarding. However claiming that they got the data they need, he destroys the server itself and taunts MegaMan over craving for DarkPower which he denies. As a battle is sure to ensure Meddy/ToadMan use their evil-nullifying abilities to stop the team leader on his place, while the opposite team leader (Colonel for Team ProtoMan and ProtoMan for Team Colonel) appears to assist them. With Meddy/ToadMan using their full power to extract the Dark Power, the team leader is knocked unconscious by the other leader allowing MegaMan to blast the Dark Power, retrieving the team leader back.

As preparations for the final battle come, Lan and MegaMan find a clue to another Vision Burst, this time from when Tadashi Hikari and Dr. Wily were young and had completed the basics of the SoulNet and deciding to entrust its development to the their offspring. Yuichiro would have the records while Regal would inherit the design. This gives Lan and MegaMan a hint to what Regal's plan is about.

The following day, the team ventures to Mt. Belenus a volcano where Nebula has its base, through a chopper. Infiltrating the giant fortress, the team finds the base to be a massive DarkChip factory. In order to bypass the security the team is forced to cooperate with each other in order to gain access. As they progress and face the revived Darkloids, the team loses its Navis one by one as they are swallowed by the Dark Galaxy a world of darkness created by Regal upon which the Nebula Gray sits as a center star. Leaving only Lan and MegaMan the duo enters the inner chambers, finding the confiscated PETs of their friends and confronting Regal directly as their father lays on the floor tied.

Regal commends them for reaching this far but boasts that their efforts are in vain as the SoulNet has been completed. He explains the SoulNet on the SoulServer is project developed by Tadashi and Wily and a theoretical concept that would allow them to link the souls of humanity in a global scale as a single network allowing them to trust and love each other, causing strife to subside. He continues that their theory was in fact correct, except for one additional detail. If the linked souls of humanity were subject to some evil program, then their souls would in turn be filled with dark feelings and create the world of evil that Regal desires so much. The key for that plan is the Nebula Gray a digitized form of human's evil soul with the ability to give evil shape and amplify dark emotions, serving also as the core foundation of the DarkChips which are in fact digitized human evil given physical shape.

Regal subsequently activates the SoulNet rendering the team mates vulnerable to dark feelings like anger, sadness and despair. Lan is immune however as his grandfather's amulet made of Magnometal nullifies the SoulNet's influence. MegaMan Jacks In the SoulServerComp and makes his way to the Nebula Gray. He is halted by the once more revived Darkloids who attempt to engulf him in evil flames but their efforts are thwarted as they are stopped by the navi teammates joined by GutsMan, Roll and Glyde all of whom were capable of making their way back from the darkness allowing MegaMan safe passage. MegaMan ventures to the end of the network and finds the Nebula Gray as it begins to take physical form. Lan and MegaMan face the evil program and defeat it.

However Nebula Gray is not gone and attempts to taint MegaMan with evil. As he is slowly engulfed by it, Lan removes his amulet and tries to speak directly to MegaMan's soul using the SoulNet. This fails as the world's souls are being linked together, however the voice of Tadashi tells Lan that no matter what, Lan and MegaMan will always be linked together. Their strong link allows MegaMan to take on his Hub form, overcoming the evil and unleashing enough power to encapsulate the Nebula Gray. However Nebula Gray is not fully contained an attempts another assault at a weakened MegaMan halted by Colonel. The remaining team members focus their power into their souls now linked through the SoulNet and pour them into MegaMan who fires a powered MegaBuster which destroys the Nebula Gray causing the Soul Server to explode and reactivate the dormant volcano. Baryl appears before Regal (he will present himself to Lan in Team ProtoMan) and explains a certain someone had tasked him with destroying the Soul Server but that job was finished.

As the explosions become more severe everyone evacuates but Yuichiro stays behind to talk to Regal. Yuichiro tells Regal he has realized that what their fathers truly wanted was to build a world with souls strong enough to overcome evil, and that the true purpose of the SoulNet was to improve humanity. Regal scoffs at this since Wily fell to evil, however Yuichiro believes Wily still has hope for humanity as he never attempted to use the SoulNet for evil, and encourages Regal to face judgment and pass the hope entrusted by their parents to the next generation before falling unconscious. Regal begins to doubt his evil way but reaffirms it is too late for him, but another voice tells him it is not too late. In Team Colonel the full scene is displayed. The voice belongs to Wily who appears before him and laments not raising Regal properly, he then uses his knowledge over the SoulNet to overpower Regal's Magnometal and send an impulse erasing the 10 or so last years worth of memory allowing Regal to restart with a clean slate. Wily then has Baryl take both Yuichiro and Regal to safety.

Three days after the destruction of the Dark Chip Factory, the team members gather at SciLab for the disbanding ceremony and introducing a new scientist to work for SciLab revealed to be none other than Regal himself, now a law-abiding scientist as a result of his memory wipe. Regal gladly joins SciLab and prepares to work together with Yuichiro to build a better world for the next generation.

With Regal's reformation, the destruction of the Factory and its DarkChip's source the Nebula Gray, and the subsequent retrieval of produced DarkChips by officers, the DarkChip Syndicate and its legacy is given a permanent end for good.

MegaMan NT Warrior Axess
Nebula is still run by Dr. Regal. He hires the Darkloids to do his bidding in return for Dark Chips which he uses to make the Darkloids turn on ShadeMan. His base in in an outer space satellite instead of an volcano from which they launch Dimensional Area Generators. They commit NetCrimes to keep their base secret, steal materials for Dark Chips and enough Dimensional Area generators to engulf the Earth in an Dimensional Area. He also develops the Dark Synchro Chip which he and Ms. Yuri use. His plan comes to fruition. The Earth is engulfed by a Dimensional Area and he uses the Dark Synchro Chip to become R LaserMan.EXE. However, he is defeated by MegaMan and Lan in Cross Fusion and his Dimensional Area Generators are destroyed. Nebula ceases to exist after that.

Base of Operations

 * Dark Chip Factory

Trivia

 * Nebula has few human agents, the ones seen being rather generic while their Navis do the bulk of the job. This may fit with Dr. Regal's overall misanthropic beliefs.
 * Nebula is the first and only evil organization to have, albeit briefly, taken full control of its respective world. This excludes Neo Arcadia which was a human settlement and wasn't evil on itself, rather misguided and mismanaged.