Mega Man X (character)

Mega Man X, or Rockman X (ロックマンエックス) in the Japanese version, commonly called "X", is the main protagonist of the Mega Man X series. X furthermore serves as a guide during the Mega Man Zero series and appears as Biometal Model X in the Mega Man ZX series. He is the successor of the original Mega Man and Dr. Thomas Light's greatest creation. He is a Maverick Hunter who fights with his partners Zero and Axl in order to maintain peace and stability in world and protect humans and Reploids alike from Mavericks while he himself wishes nothing more than stopping to fight for good.

Being Light's Creation, X is technically not a Reploid, his systems truly being a mystery, even to Dr. Cain. His designs were "replicated" by Cain, however, making him the precursor to each and every reploid to exist. This makes him the proverbial 'father' of the Reploids. Zero is in a similar situation. Though called a reploid, he was designed by Dr. Wily independently from X. Zero is not a reploid, but in his own category. It is possible, however, that Wily stole Light's plans for X and modified them to create Zero (in a similar way that he stole the original Mega Man's plans and used them to create Bass). If this is true, this would arguably make Zero the FIRST reploid. Since Zero and X are special, and giving them specific terms would be frustrating, they are considered Reploids to make things easier.

Personality
When X was created by Thomas Light, he was a one of a kind robot. Other than his precessors, including the original Mega Man, X possessed incredible abilities. He was capable of thinking, feeling and acting entirely on his own without special programming, being closer to a human being than anything before (and eventually, after).

However, Light feared that, since X didn't have any moral programming that held him back from doing evil things and the fact that he had to achieve maturity like a human, he could become a grave threat to the world. Therefore, he sealed X away into a special capsule that would test his circuits endless times and in uncountable scenarios to render him as mature enough to tell right and wrong apart. Apparently, this process would take more than 30 years and Light, already an old and exhausted man, would not live to see X leave the capsule and enter the world. He left a message of his warning on the computer in the lab he placed the capsule in and ordered everyone that may find the capsule not to release the robot within until the testings were complete.

Maverick Hunter X, the 2006 remake of the original Mega Man X however walked a different path. The Day of Σ, an unlockable prologue OVA incluced on the UMD, showed Light actually speaking with X during his creation for multiple times, while he sealed him away in the original game without activating him once. Furthermore, Light's intention of sealing X was different from the original SNES Mega Man X game. Instead of fearing he would become a threat because of his immaturity, he actually feared that it would be the humans who were immature and not ready to live together with a robot that close to them by the time he finished his work. Instead, he wanted him to fight for the people of the future and guide them to peace and happiness.

Though X fights with all his might against Sigma and his Mavericks, he's a pacifist at heart. He hates nothing more than fighting and wishes the war to finally stop so the damaged world could be repaired and humans and Reploids to coexist peacefully next to each other, like his creator had always wished. He cares deeply for the victims of the war and for his friends who've fought so long with him, especially Zero, which he regards as his best friend.

Creation & Awakening


X's creation by the hands of Thomas Light began at some point during the later days of the original Mega Man series, but no exact dates were given. He was designed to be a successor of the original Mega Man, superior in movement and power, as well as in individuality and independency. He was created with a unique system that allowed him to think, feel and act completely on his own. However, fearing that he would be a threat to the world because of the immaturity of his unexperienced ciruits (or because the world wasn't ready for him according to Maverick Hunter X), Light sealed him away in a capsule that would test the reliability of his circuits to prove his maturity. Said testing would take approximately 30 years and since he was already an old man, Light recorded a warning which he included on the capsules computer not to open the capsule until the internal systems allowed this. On September 16th 20XX, Mega Man X was sealed away.

The sleeping robot eventually passed all tests the capsule had prepared for him and he was found in the year 2114 (according to Mega Man X' title screen) by scientist Dr. Cain. Cain, not being an expert in robotics, was baffled by X' blueprints Light had included on the computer as even a century later they were ahead of anything the world had ever seen. From the blueprints, Cain started developing his own version of X, which resulted in the creation of Reploids. However, the Reploids never received the same ethical testings X did and because of this, more and more Reploids began to act strange, and eventually they became violent against humans and themselves. This phenomenon was called "Maverick" (Irregular in Japan) and after more and more incidents happened, the government decided to found a department which was supposed to deal with the Mavericks, the Maverick Hunters. Feeling guilty because everything was to some degree his own fault, X joined the Maverick Hunters and became part of Sigma's 17th Elite Unit. While other operatives such as Sigma and Zero has been higher classes, X remained at B-class. This was partially due to his own hesitation in battle and reluctance to fight, and likely because he held himself back. X's ability to worry and hesitate may have made other reploids look down at him (especially Vile) and could have affected his ranking as well. It has been commented, however, that X has "limitless potential", according to Cyber Peacock in Mega Man X4, and Sigma, Zero, and Dr. Cain have all seen his potential as early as Mega Man X.

The Day of Σ
X was a member of Sigma's Elite Hunter Unit 17. He quickly befriended many other members of this unit, particularly the S-A class hunter Zero. The Hunters were busy though, as giant Mechaniloids began attacking Abel City. The Maverick Hunters were baffled as to who was behind the attacks. During one of the battles against the berserk Mechaniloids it became apparent to Sigma that X would refuse to use his weapons if an ally was in danger. After speaking to Dr. Cain, Sigma discovered that his worrying is what makes him so advanced. It was then that Sigma became obsessed with X. X and Zero team up to discover who is causing Mechaniloid outbreaks throughout Abel City. Eventually X and Zero (who deciphered the one controlling the Mechaniloids some time before X) discover that Sigma is behind the beserk Mechaniloids. The two hunters head to the building where "the hacker of the berserk Mechaniloids" was traced and find Sigma.

Sigma lashes out and attacks Zero, he uses Zero to get X to surrender and temporarily disarm. While X is without weapons, Sigma launches a series of missiles at Abel City. Remembering all the hard ships Dr. Light went through for peace, X suddenly gained a burst of strength and lashed at Sigma. Heating his hands to extreme temperatures he grabbed Sigma's head and burned him leaving Sigma with his two permanent eye scars. X then ran out of power and temporarlly powered down, leaving Sigma to begin his rebellion against the human world. Zero eventually woke up and took X back to the Maverick Hunter base, beginning the events of the first Mega Man X...

Mega Man X / Maverick Hunter X
Mega Man X begins with X, expressing guilt because he had a part in creating the Reploids, joining the remaining Hunters, then led by Zero. With Zero's help, X eventually defeated the Mavericks and their head, Sigma, but at the cost of Zero's life against Vile.

Mega Man X2
Mega Man X2 picks up where Mega Man X left off, as the Hunters have tracked down the remaining Mavericks. The X-Hunters, a group of Mavericks who wish to destroy X, gather the parts of Zero's corpse, seeking to use them as bait to lure X to his destruction. X destroys the X-Hunters and gathers Zero's parts, eventually discovering that Sigma was behind the plot all along. If the player gathers Zero's parts before assaulting Sigma's HQ (at the North Pole), Dr. Cain says he still has Zero's microchip and can rebuild him, but it will take some time. Before reaching Sigma's lair, X is confronted by an evil, black Zero clone. When X defeats the clone, the real Zero arrives and destroys it with one swing of his Z-Sword. The player can choose to ignore the X-Hunters; in this case, Zero shows up with a grudge against X for not rescuing him from the hands of Sigma's lackeys. After being overmatching, Zero comes to his senses and rejoins X and the Maverick Hunters, but plays no further part in the game. (This ending is considered non-canonical, as it is not reflected in later games.) X confronts and destroys Sigma once again, while the newly-rebuilt Zero destroys Sigma's central computer.

Mega Man X3
Mega Man X3 reveals that there has been a period of peace after a Reploid scientist named Dr. Doppler created a supposed cure for the Maverick Virus. This cure turns out to be an ineffectual placebo, however, and the Maverick Hunters find themselves overwhelmed with a massive Maverick uprising. X and Zero enter the fray and discover that the virus and Sigma are one and the same, explaining why Sigma keeps coming back. X and Zero destroy Sigma's new battle body (built by Doppler, who had been infected with the virus). It is revealed but unbeknownst to X that his ultimate fate to save the human race would be to destroy Zero. This is a mildly misleading translation from the Japanese version, which merely says that X knows in his heart that he is destined to fight Zero.

X3 is also the first game where the player is given the option of playing through as Zero. Once during any normal Maverick stage, X can interface with Zero, warping Zero into the stage at the exact spot at which X left off.

Mega Man Xtreme
Mega Man Xtreme is set between Mega Man X3 and X4. In this game, a hacker named Techno has invaded the Hunters' Mother Computer and is using the data of previous Mavericks against the organization. With the help of Middy, X goes into cyberspace, where he discovers that Sigma had "influenced" Techno. X accidentally destroys Techno, then learns that Middy is Techno's twin brother, and that destroying Techno destroyed Middy as well. X, crushed, challenges Sigma once again and defeats him, extracting a measure of vengeance.

Mega Man Xtreme 2
Mega Man Xtreme 2, which is set sometime after Xtreme, takes X and Zero to Laguz Island, where they battle the Soul Erasers, Berkana and Gareth. X defeats Berkana and Zero defeats Gareth, and the two team up to defeat Sigma.

Mega Man X4
Mega Man X4 reveals that Zero is the origin of the Sigma Virus. The Repliforce War breaks out, because the Maverick Hunters judged a faction of Reploids as Mavericks without good reason. X, though, was led away from the real targets by a spy of Sigma named Double and it was Zero this time who foiled Sigma's plan by hunting down the Repliforce and destroying its top officers and Sigma himself, killing a good friend named Colonel and Iris in the process. X, realizing that he was tricked and discovering that Sigma had set up the entire plan, became very frustrated and swiftly disposed of Double. This time, though, he was beginning to doubt his ability to remain sane, and he told Zero that if he ever were to go Maverick that Zero would have to take care of him.

Mega Man X5
By Mega Man X5, the Repliforce has been completely wiped out. With peace restored, the Hunters hire several new officers, including Alia. Unfortunately, X gets into a confrontation with the Sigma Virus and accidentally spreads it all over Earth. This turns out to be yet another of Sigma's evil schemes. In addition, Sigma attempts to send the space colony Eurasia into the Earth, thus spreading the virus further, in order to awaken Zero's true self. Under one story possibility, X faces off with Zero after he ignored orders to report back to Base for a full physical check on his virus readings. In the other story possibility, the overwhelming amount of the virus becomes a catalyst that exposes Zero's true self. The later is considered to be the canon storyline.

Sigma reveals to X that Zero's true form is the one that emerges when he is powered up with the Maverick Virus (this mechanic is also reflected during gameplay). As it turns out, Zero was the one who had spread the virus to Sigma during their first confrontation, as shown in a cutscene during Mega Man X4. Sigma also speaks of a mysterious new ally who built a body for him. He also says that this person is interested in Zero "as if he was his own father" and claims that he and X know each other well, because they were enemies in the past (obviously referring to the character of Dr. Wily form the Mega Man series). Once beaten, Sigma claims he will take down Zero with him. As X and Zero both lay damaged from Sigma's massive explosion, X stands over Zero's battered body, hoping for signs of life. Sigma's remains then fire a blast straight through X and Zero. Zero revives for just a moment, destroying Sigma's remains and then passing away. X was badly injured, and Dr. Light miraculously repaires him.

Mega Man X6
During the Nightmare Outbreak in Mega Man X6, X is still coping with the loss of his friend, unaware that Zero is still alive. The Zero Nightmare - a clone of Zero created by an infected Reploid researcher named Gate (who was Alia's former colleague) - smears Zero's name and is promptly defeated by X. Upon doing this, Zero reveals himself again to an elated X. Together, they swear to eliminate the evil source of the Nightmares, and do so with Alia's help. Sigma is once again revealed to be a part of the catastrophe, and is defeated by X. X claims that he now has more important things to do, such as rebuilding the Earth, and if Sigma were to come back, he would defeat him again and again, as many times as it takes. After the battle he saves the remains of Gate for Alia to repair, because he knew what it was like to lose a colleague and didn't want to see any more innocent Reploids die. Alia thanks him for this, and they swear to try to rebuild the Earth.

Alternatively, X doesn't found Zero through the game, and Zero seals himself without X's knowledge. Mega Man X7, X8 and Command Mission are not part of the Mega Man Zero and ZX timeline.

Mega Man X7
Months later shortly before the events of Mega Man X7, the Maverick Hunters were severely crippled as X retired from active duty to pursue more peaceful means to end the constant fighting. In his absence, a new Maverick-hunting faction known as "Red Alert" began hunting Mavericks, often with questionable tactics. Zero was summoned to the scene of a rampage in the city and found a young Reploid named Axl trying to flee Red Alert. He rescued Axl, and what ensued resulted in a harsh custody battle between the Hunters and Red Alert. X eventually returned to the Hunters and fought alongside Axl and Zero, eventually discovering Sigma back at it again, manipulating the whole fiasco from behind the scenes. The trio confronted the maniacal Reploid and defeated him once more.

Mega Man X8
During the Jakob elevator incident in Mega Man X8, X is back once again investigating a crab-like Maverick in a forest. This time, he seems to have much more resolve for fighting, although there are times where he contemplates the need for peaceful resolutions. Along with Zero and Axl, he was able to travel to the Moon and stop Sigma and a new villain known as Lumine. This entailed plans to replace every Reploid with "New generation Reploids", which have a built in copy chip and are claimed to "go Maverick at will." However, the battle with Lumine left X dejected as his companion Axl was left comatose and the fact that the Reploid race would always be Mavericks. However with Zero's words, X is somewhat comforted and the duo returned to the Maverick Hunter base.

Mega Man X: Command Mission


Some time after the discovery of Force Metal, Epsilon created a Reploid army in Giga City (a city built for Force Metal excavation). Epsilon fought for Reploid rights, but the Federation Government decided he was to dangerous. The Federation government sent the Maverick Hunters X, Zero, and Shadow to Giga City to defeat Epsilon and his "Rebellion Army". The three Hunters reach Epsilon but Shadow betrays them and reveals that he is working for Epsilon. After an all out attack by the four Rebellion Army leaders, or "Cadres", X and Zero are seperated.

X spends the rest of the game teaming up with the Resistance inside Giga City, and defeating the Rebellion Army Mavericks. He gains many new allies and also reunites with both Zero and Axl, who arrived in the city looking for some info on his copy powers (as Axl's Copy ability supposedly was devolped here). After many intense battles, one which cost X's ally Spider his life, X engages Epsilon in battle. After his defeat Colonel Redips, the Federation officer who commanded the Maverick Hunters in this mission appears before X. He takes the "Supra Force Metal" (which had the power to spread the Maverick Virus all over the world) from X.

As X bids his new allies goodbye, Colonel Redips' gunship attacks X and his friends killing Chief R. Angered, X and his crew chase after Redips and engage him in battle where he reveals that he was Spider all along. Now equipped with Supra Force Metal, X and the others are no match for Redips. Thanks to Ferham however, they manage to defeat him. After the battle Epsilon is cleared of his maverick status and Colonel Redips is stated as the true Maverick Mastermind in all official records.

The Elf Wars
Several years later, X had ended the Maverick Wars with the help of the "Sigma Antibody Program", Mother Elf, a Cyber-elf created after analyzes over Zero. Some time after this, Doctor Weil altered the Mother Elf, turning her into the Dark Elf, and stole Zero's original body to create Omega, starting the "Elf Wars". Zero's "mind and soul" where set in a new body, and he fought along X to defeat Omega. For the damages Omega and Weil had caused, Weil was modified and banished from Neo Arcadia, and Omega was banished to outer space. After this war, Zero sealed himself again, and the original X founded Neo Arcadia. A century passed, and sometime during this time period, X used his physical body to seal the Dark Elf, but he continued to exist as a Cyber-elf.

Mega Man Zero


X first appears in a computer in his Cyber-elf form during Zero's battle against a Golem, and gives the Z-Saber to Zero which destroyed the Golem in one hit. Zero then heads to the Resistance base with the human Ciel. There he learns that the legendary hero who saved the world from the Maverick Virus, is now ruling it with an iron fist. That hero is X, and he is leading a massive Reploid genocide. He is apparently destroying Reploids 'for the sake of humanity,' while leading Neo Arcadia, a safe haven for humans and a base of operation against 'Maverick' Reploids. Zero decides to help the resistance hoping to gain his memory back, as he temporarily lost is due to being woken up early. However, the mysterious Cyber-elf X continues to help Zero and the resistance. He appears at the Hunter Base, and gives the Resistance the coordinates to Neo Arcadia.

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 X ever was. He then proceeds to fight Zero. During the 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..." "I've just remembered something... He was not as naive as you are. That's what made him a hero." After his final battle with the copy Zero sees the Cyber-elf X, who now reveals himself to be the true Mega Man X. He tells Zero 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.

Mega Man Zero 2
X has a somewhat larger role than in the previous game. He 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 obtaining both Baby Elves right before Zero's eyes. 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.



After many battles Zero arrives at the tower where X used his body as a seal to keep the Dark Elf contained (which explains why he was in a Cyber-elf form). For Elpizo to obtain the Elf's power he must "break" the seal of the Dark Elf. Now insane Elpizo gloats about how he will destroy the Legendary Hero X. Zero rushes to save his friend and stop the Dark Elf from awakening. Elpizo uses his power to trap Zero in an energy field, and he forces Zero to watch as he stabs X's body with 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 victourious. The Dark Elf showers the dying Elpizo with her power turning him into a Cyber-elf. X appears one last 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
Mega Man Zero 3 reveals a lot of info about both X and Zero, and X himself is a major protagonist in this game. 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, Copy X wouldn't listen to X, instead his hatred kept increasing. Copy X did transform into his final form which resulted in his death. Weil then spoke to the Neo Arcadian nation and told the people 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.

Later in the game Zero learns that Mega Man X used the Mother Elf to end the Maverick Wars over 100 years ago, and Weil started the Elf Wars using the Dark Elf. 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 except for the human leader Ciel. As the resistance soldiers move in on both Ciel and Zero, X appears. Using his powers X disables the power of the Dark Elf, breaking the mass mind control but only in the Resistance base. Apparently the rest of the world is still under Weil's control. As Zero himself puts it "Apparently... X and I are the only ones who can move around freely." This is because the Dark Elf can only control Reploids and X and Zero aren't really Reploids. Zero heads the Weil's base to put a stop to his plans.

Eventually Zero battles against Omega and discovers that Omega is his true body and he is just a copy. However X appears one last time and reveals that Omega is the real Zero's body, but Zero's heart and soul are in the copy body. 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."

Mega Man Zero 4
X does not appear in Mega Man Zero 4. It is assumed that his life force faded away due to his comments from Zero 3 thus he died.

Vile's Incident - Eden Dome, it's Sin and Rebirth

 * Under Construction

This is a event from one of the Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero.

Mega Man ZX


In Mega Man ZX it is implied that X reappears in the form of Biometal X which can be used by protagonists Vent and Aile to form Model X. X is the first Biometal found by the protagonists and always encourages them to fight for justice and assures them that what they are doing is right. Possibly because of its origins the other Biometals seem to know and show loyalty to it. Later on X is used as a template to combine with a second Biometal, which allows the protagonists to use the other Biometals.

Arsenal


Like most robots, X has strength well above the normal human capacity. He can lift in the proximity of several thousand pounds, although the exact maximum is never revealed in the games.
 * Super strength

X's primary weapon is the X-Buster, described as Mega Buster Mark 17 in the first game. The X-Buster focuses energy from X's fusion reactor into a plasma bullet that causes physical damage upon impact.
 * X-Buster

Like Mega Man before him, X has the ability to adapt the weapons systems of powerful Reploids that he has defeated into weapons he can use. These weapons come in many varieties, often providing additional mobility as well as offense. Of course, the Mega Man series convention of janken applies, and each boss character is weak to a different boss character's copied weapon.
 * Variable Weapons System

X has the ability to cling to vertical surfaces (e.g. walls). On a wall, X normally slides downward slowly, but by kicking off the surface of the wall he can gain height, and even rebound back to the wall to climb it.
 * Wall Kick


 * Emergency Acceleration System (Dash)

This ability is similar to Mega Man's slide maneuver in that it increases his speed, but unlike the slide, X is capable of using the ability to leap further than normal in a "dash jump," as well as dash from objects to which he is clinging. X first got the ability from the only mandatory capsule in the X series, in the first X game. He has apparently internalized the upgrade, although, in Maverick Hunter X, he can dash from the beginning. Inafune revealed that this is due to the fact that Maverick Hunter X is a remake of what X was supposed to be, and that X was originally intended to have the dash, but decided that, because players were already probably confused from the wall kick ability, having the dash too would probably either overwhelm players, or make them feel that it was too different from the original series. Some armor upgrades allow X to air dash, which is usually only used for puzzles, but can still be used as an evasive maneuver. In Mega Man X3, X is granted a choice of choosing one of four special upgrade chips, with one of the choices improving his dash, granting him the ability to air dash twice during a jump. In Mega Man X7 and X8, X can also air dash from the beginning, indicating that he has internalized this upgrade too.

In each Mega Man X game, X can find upgrade capsules made by Dr. Light before he died. Each of these capsules contains a helmet part, arm parts, body part, or leg parts. A hologram of Dr. Light greets X and explains the capabilities of the part in question before granting it to him. Until Mega Man X5, each of these four parts was part of a single suit of upgraded armor; in X5, X6 and X8, however, there are multiple different suits of upgraded armor, each with different abilities. For example, the Shadow Armor allows X to stick to walls, and the Blade Armor allows X to dash greater distances.
 * Armor systems

Other media
In the Mega Man cartoon series by Ruby-Spears, X appears in the episode "Mega X", and is voiced by Ian James Corlett. In this cartoon, X came from the future to stop Vile and Spark Mandrill. X is leaner and taller then his game counterpart, and he has no regard for property, destroying anything in his way to get rid of Mavericks.

X also appears in the Rockman X mangas, shortly in the Mega Man comic book, the Novas Aventuras de Megaman comic book, and the Mega Mission carddas. X also had several action figures, most of them being part of the Mega Armor series released by Bandai.

Trivia
Interestingly, in the original concept for Mega Man Zero, the main villain was originally going to be the Real Mega Man X instead of Copy X.