Double

"...Hee hee hee. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! The Mavericks, Hunters and Repliforce... Idiots, all of them. They're making my job too easy!"

- Double

Double (ダブル) was a supporting character, as well as a secondary antagonist for X in Mega Man X4. Posing as a rookie Maverick Hunter he quickly gained X's trust by acting as his operator during his missions. But as X began infiltrating the Final Weapon, Double revealed his true purpose: a spy sent by Sigma to infiltrate the Maverick Hunters. After slaughtering several Hunters of X's own 17th Unit on Sigma's command, Double then followed X to the Final Weapon and, after ranting maniacally about how he was using the Maverick Hunters, Repliforce, and even the Mavericks themselves, revealed his true self to him and attacked. He lost the ensuing battle, but before dying, he insulted X for his naivety and confessed to his own infilitration.

Characteristics
As his name suggests, Double has two forms: the first is a stocky, overweight, amicable form, but his second and true form is a taller, slimmer, and stronger battle-ready Reploid, with each hand equipped with energy blades and, strangely, a gelatinous substance filling up about 50 percent of his body. Double's name also perfectly fits his role in the story as a double-agent and his different personalities. His overall, real character is also shown to be significantly insane upon revealing his true allegiance, breaking out into maniacal laughter, frequently shouting phrases that involve destruction of some sort when attacking X, and has little, if any, remorse for his actions, and in fact mocks X for his trusting nature, stating that it would be his fatal weakness. He also implies that he might also consider betraying Sigma in the future, as he states among the groups that he declares idiots who made his job easier, Mavericks were included in it, though this might be a translation error.

Power & Abilities

 * He possesses incredible agility.
 * He uses his energy blades paired with his speed to perform fast thrusting hits.
 * He can shoot disc-shaped or large crescent-shaped energy beams.
 * When hit by Double Cyclone, some small blobs of his body come out and become spinning bladed-disc-like drones and flying drones (which can shoot energy beams themselves).
 * He can shift his shape alongside his different personalities: a fat, bumbling but friendly teenage Reploid and a tall, well-built, red-eyed, evil adult Reploid. His voice tone also changes slightly.

Strategy
Double has several attack patterns. He will toss a large spinning energy disc at X (in sets of two when his health is down to half) or fire two consecutive large moon-shaped energy beams. One move that he uses often is the Kiba Flash, jumping up to the ceiling, then slash down towards X, and then immediately make a second slightly-diagonal dash at the closest wall. Double's weakness is, ironically, the Double Cyclone. However, using Double Cyclone on him will cause small blobs of his body to break off and attack. Unlike nearly every other boss in Mega Man history, using his weakness against him will actually make the battle harder, as the already small room can become clustered by drones and offers little space to maneuver.

Double also has another attack in which he launches drones into the air, which is only used on the harder difficulty setting (which is not available in all versions of the game).

Dialogues
(Hunter H.Q..)

X: ...Who are you?

Double: Call me Double, the rookie hunter. My liege, the Repliforce has begun it's coup!

X: ... Wait! ... Colonel, you're jumping to conclusions here!

Double: Sir, you've been given the order to scramble!

X: Right. I'm leaving right now! (After defeating 4 Mavericks.)

Double: Sir, it's a message from the Colonel!

Colonel: X, I'll wait for you at Memorial Hall. Make sure you show up on time!

Double: Sir, this must be a trap!

X: ...Perhaps. But I won't run this time! (Hunter H.Q..)

Double: The Repliforce has begun assembling!

X: Where are they?

Double: The space port! They plan to take off into space!

X: Hurry! We have to stop the Colonel! (Hunter H.Q..)

Double: Repliforce has flown off into space...

X: Double, watch the ship for me. I'll go after them!

Double: Sir! Reconsider what you're doing, it's far too dangerous!

X: We don't have any other option! I'm leaving you in charge here, Double!

(Cutscene: Maverick Hunter Hangar Bay.)

(A crashing sound is heard.)

Double: Oh, not again!

Hunter: Hey, watch it!

Double: I'm terribly sorry...

(Something beeps from within Double, and he presses on a panel on his chest. A mysterious voice is then heard.)

Mysterious Voice (Sigma): It's me! Those hunters must not be allowed in here! Terminate them!!

Double: Roger... (turns back to the Hunters)

Hunter: What a freak!

(The Hunters begin to laugh at Double until they see him glowing.)

Hunter: Hey, Double, what's the matter?

(Double transforms, revealing his true form, and then begins killing the other Reploids. One rushes over to the communication computer and issues a distress call to X.)

Hunter: This is the Maverick Hunters 17th unit! Commander X, please respond!

(Double sneaks up on the Hunter and kills him. The Hunter drops the receiver just as X's voice is heard.)

X: This is X! What happened?! Report!

Double: Nothing to worry about...

X: No further transmissions unless necessary to carry out the operation!

Double: Understood...

X: I'm breaking contact.

(X ends the communication and Double drops the receiver.)

Double: ...And now, X will be my next target! Hee hee hee hee! (Pre-battle: Final Weapon)

X: Double! What... Why are you here!?

Double: ...Hee hee hee. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! The Mavericks, Hunters and Repliforce... Idiots, all of them. They're making my job too easy!

X: ...W... What are you talking about? Double, what are you saying?!

Double: Think it over in heaven! Die, X! X: Double!

Double: ...Damn! ...How could I lose to a weakling like you...

X: Double, tell me! Why did you do this?

Double: Hee hee hee. Ha ha ha! You're so naive, X! I was sent as a spy from the very beginning to keep an eye on you!

X: ...Double! I... I trusted you!

Double: Ha ha ha ha! That naiveness may be your fatal flaw! Good bye, X! See you in the after life!

X: Double!!

In-battle lines for Double

 * "I'm so anxious to rip you apart!" (Pre-battle line)


 * "I'm gonna recycle you!" (Pre-battle line)


 * "Ha ha ha... You're gonna get hurt, X!" (Pre-battle line)


 * "Kiba Flash!"


 * "Destroy!" (spinning energy disk)


 * "HRRRRR... Here!" (giant energy wave)

Archie Comics
Double was one of numerous Mavericks duplicated by Sigma-1 using the power of the Genesis Portals to form an army to battle Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man's team of allies. However, he and his fellow Mavericks were then attacked by the arriving Street Fighters, with Guile giving Double a taste of his Sonic Boom technique (Sonic not being particularly impressed by the ability's name) and finishing him with a Dragon Suplex.

Trivia

 * Double has a short cameo appearance in the opening scene of Mega Man X5.
 * Double's sword-arm and an evil grin upon showing his true nature is similar to that of another double agent/traitor that served with X and Zero later on.
 * Double's goo-like composition and shapeshifting abilities strongly resemble that of the Devil series of bosses from the Classic Mega Man series, although no direct link has ever been made between the two.