Split Mushroom

"You made it this far. I'm impressed! You interested in a real challenge?"

- Split Mushroom

Split Mushroom (スプリット・マシュラーム) is a troublemaking Mushroom-based Reploid in Mega Man X4. He was once in charge of operations at a Bio Laboratory, but when the lab was decommissioned he was retired and disposed of. Mushroom was later resurrected by someone (assumed to be Sigma) and became a Maverick. During the Repliforce War, he reactivated operations at the Bio Laboratory and fortified it, attacking any invaders for fun and acting as a distraction to draw the attention of the Maverick Hunters. He apparently received orders to challenge and test X and Zero's abilities.

Power & Abilities

 * He can jump very high (Zero will learn this technique called Kuuenbu).
 * He can perform somersault rolling attack (Zero will learn this technique called Kuuenzan)
 * He can self-duplicate with limited capability.
 * He can create a lot of energy silhouettes that hurl themselves at the player (X will gain this weapon called Soul Body).

Strategy
Split Mushroom is very quick and agile, performing acrobatic jumps and bouncing from wall to wall. He also, as his name implies, has the ability to clone himself. He will usually start the battle out by clinging midway up a wall and releasing six energy clones (Soul Body); these can canceled out with an electrical attack or by just attacking Split Mushroom himself with his weakness. Also on occasion he'll jump high and release damaging powder, you can avoid this by clinging to a wall as high as possible. When his health is down to half, he'll create an exact, solid clone of himself and the two will proceed to run throughout the room, rebound jumping of the walls. The only way to cancel this is to strike the real Split Mushroom with his weakness, Lightning Web (as X) or Raijingeki (as Zero). Otherwise, be prepared to follow their routine, pulling off some fancy dodging maneuvers.

Most bosses show the ability gained by the player during the fight. X's Soul Body is reminiscent of Split Mushroom creating image clones of himself. Zero's Kūenbu and Kūenzan is reference to Split Mushroom's acrobatic spin jumping.

Data
Stage description: The abandoned lab is now operational. Investigate and destroy the lab.

Stage enemies
Enemies in Split Mushroom's stage, the Bio Laboratory.
 * Sub-boss: Tentoroid
 * Batton Bone B81
 * Blast Raster
 * Death Guardian
 * Dejira
 * Guardian
 * Hover Gunner
 * Spiky Mk-II
 * Tentoroid BS
 * Tentoroid RS
 * Togerics

When Playing as X
Split Mushroom: Are you X? I'm under orders to terminate you.

X: What?! Who's orders?

Split Mushroom: Take a wild guess.

When Playing as Zero
Split Mushroom: You made it this far. I'm impressed! You interested in a real challenge?

Zero: Who's your commanding officer?

Split Mushroom: Never mind that, it's time to fight!

Rockman X
In the Rockman X4 manga, X realizes that Split Mushroom is malfunctioning and tries to stop the Maverick without destroying him so he can be repaired, remembering that something similar happened with Wire Sponge. He is successful, but Double appears and takes the unconscious Split Mushroom from him, slashing him into bits multiple times in front of X until nothing remained.

Archie Comics
Split Mushroom has a cameo appearance in Mega Man Issue 35 where he was listening to Dr. Cain's conference along with X. He would later appear in Worlds Unite as a member of Sigma's Maverick Army, created to aid in his master's plans of conquest.

Trivia

 * Split Mushroom's attack pattern is similar to that of Gemini Man's from Mega Man 3, as they both create clones of themselves that run back and forth. However, Split Mushroom's clone does not react to X's movements like Gemini Man's does to Mega Man's.


 * Split Mushroom is the only boss in the series to be based on an organism of the Kingdom Fungi.


 * Split Mushroom is one of three Mavericks in Mega Man X4 to be affiliated with Sigma, having Sigma's insignia instead of Repliforce's; the other two being Cyber Peacock and Magma Dragoon.


 * It is possible that Split Mushroom being weak against electric-based attacks may be a reference to real mushrooms and fungi thriving in moist environments, with moisture in the air being conductive to electricity. Additionally, considering his soul-based themes, electricity is likely symbolic of divine wrath and heavenly punishment, with X's Lightning Web representative of being caught into the trap of Samsara, the unending cycle of life and suffering in Buddhist thought.


 * There's a grammatical mistake in the dialog between Split Mushroom and X. X says, "What!? Who's orders?", when it should be, "What!? Whose orders?"


 * Split Mushroom is the first Maverick to be voiced by a female seiyuu, and the only one of the eight bosses to have a female seiyuu in Mega Man X4.


 * Along with the high pitched voice, small stature, and illusory powers, Split Mushroom was created with a childlike personality that enjoys make-believe. The Sigma Virus warped his innocent nature into an excuse for sadism, earning him the title of "Little Devil of the Ruins".


 * His Japanese character summary mentions that he likes playing superhero. When X faces him, he explains he was told to play with him by his mysterious superior. This is further referenced in his intro voice recordings (removed in English) insisting his opponent "get[s] to play the bad guy". It serves as a metaphor for the game's plot; both sides of the Repliforce conflict claim to be heroes attacking villains when it is a sham encouraged by a third party.


 * Depending on where the player is standing when Split Mushroom enters the field, they can be damaged by his spore emission just before the dialog exchange occurs.


 * In the prototype version of Mega Man X5, a pink silhouette of Split Mushroom can be fought in Spike Rosered's stage; this can only be accessed through the use of a GameShark code.


 * Split Mushroom's body shape, playful attitude, odd organism choice, malfunctioning premise, and nickname all draw parallels to Wire Sponge.