Storm Eagle/Maverick Hunter X

"Then the least I can do is fight with all my strength. Let's go, Maverick Hunter X!"

- Storm Eagle

Storm Eagle, known as Storm Eagleed (ストーム・イーグリード) in Japan, is one of the eight Mavericks from Mega Man Maverick Hunter X. Originally a Maverick Hunter and leader of the 7th Airborne Unit, Storm Eagle fought Sigma to stop his rebellion but was defeated and forced to join in his campaign against mankind.

Overview

 * From the instruction manual:

PRINCE OF THE SKIES

Leader of the 7th air squadron, his forte is lightning-quick dog fights and air battles. Always calm, cool and collected, he doesn't talk much and can be difficult to approach, though he is very popular with his men. When the rebellion broke out, he tried his best to stop Sigma, but was forced to bow to Sigma's immense power and now works for him. When Storm Eagle is controlling the skies with a new air destroyer, no one gets past him, through the air at least.

Storm Tornado

A buster turned into a high-power fan that blasts opponents with hard-hitting wind, capable of destroying enemies that stand in its path.

The Day of Σ
In The Day of Σ OVA, Storm Eagle was originally stationed at the Missile Base, prior to being moved to the 17th Elite Unit for a short time due to the Missile Base having finished renovations making its auto defense systems operable. X and Zero are shown to have a lot of respect for Storm Eagle. He later attended a briefing regarding the events of a prior Maverick attack, also inquiring where the hack originated from. After discovering the perpetrators, or rather what was left of them, he then engaged in a manhunt with his unit, Storm Eagle Company, to hunt down the remaining fugitive. It is unclear if he was aware of Sigma being the perpetrator in question, although his bio implies that he hadn't been.

Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
Storm Eagle stole the Maverick Hunter’s new-class battleship, the Death Rogumer, and took over the New-type Airport, where he is found. When X confronts him on his actions Storm Eagle either refuses to answer him or regretfully informs him that he has indeed joined Sigma’s rebellion, and the two fight. Storm Eagle is defeated, but later is resurrected by Sigma in his fortress, where he has become a an empty shell of himself, devoid of personality. He and X fight again, and he is destroyed for good.

In Vile’s story, Storm Eagle tells Vile that he has no reason to fight him (with Vile having mutual agreement) and asks him to stand down, but Vile proclaims his hatred for Storm Eagle and his smugness, and the two battle.

Strategy
In Maverick Hunter X, his Storm Tornado is much longer than it was in the original, being shown as more of a beam than a single shot, his dive has also changed, as he immediately soars back up after swooping down, X can dodge him simply by moving away from the area he is about to attack. He also has a horizontal swoop, which can be dodged by jumping over him. On Hard Mode, he fires his feathers during his wing-flapping attack; these feathers shoot downwards at regular intervals. X can stand in the spaces between the feathers (uniquely this Hard Mode attack is also used in Normal Mode after Storm Eagle loses half of his health).

Powers and abilities

 * Storm Tornado (ストームトルネード) - Storm Eagle shoots this weapon out at X, but it does not cause damage, as it is only a vertical tornado of air. This attack rather pushes X in the opposite direction of Storm Eagle, as he attempts to push X off the Death Rogumer airship. With the Foot Parts, X can dash to avoid being blown off the airship. When defeated, X gains this weapon, but the difference is that X's version damages enemies on the screen multiple times.
 * Diving (ダイビング) - Storm Eagle flies off the screen, then would make dive moves towards X with the intention of ramming into him.
 * Gust (突風) - Storm Eagle rises to the air and flaps his wings, causing a rush of air to push X back in an attempt to push him off the Death Rogumer airship, similar to the Storm Tornado move. This serves the same purpose as the Storm Tornado. This move is similar to a Matasaburo pushing the player to a pitfall.
 * Bird Summon (鳥召喚) - While Storm Eagle is hovering in mid-air, he produces an egg out of his beak and shoots it on the ground, cracking it. From the egg comes four small bird shaped robots that fly towards X. This attack is similar to the enemy Pipi's attacks where robotic birds fly past Mega Man and drop eggs in his direction, that also break open with smaller robot birds flying towards Mega Man.

Dialogue
X - Normal Mode=X:Storm Eagle! Don't tell me that even you've gone Maverick!

Storm Eagle: ...

X: Answer me, Storm Eagle! You're not the type of Reploid to do something like this!

Storm Eagle: Forgive me, X... I... I must defeat you! X - Free Play/Hard Mode=X: Storm Eagle!? Have you gone Maverick, too?

Storm Eagle: I won't deny that.

X: If that's the case, I have no choice but to destroy you... It's my duty as a Maverick Hunter!

Storm Eagle: Then the least I can do is fight with all my strength. Let's go, Maverick Hunter X! Vile=Storm Eagle: Vile....I have no reason to fight you.

Vile: We're in agreement there. I have no reason to fight you either.

Storm Eagle: In that case, stand down! You're just confused, Vile. That's all.

Vile: I've always hated you, Storm Eagle! You and that smug face of yours!

Trivia

 * In the original Mega Man X, Storm Eagle joined Sigma out of self-preservation. In Maverick Hunter X, he is forced to joined in shame after being defeated by the former commander.