Ciel

Doctor Ciel (シエル) is a fictional character in the Mega Man Zero video game series. Although not a playable character, she is considered the female lead and heroine of the series, having important roles in most of her appearances, being the deuteragonist of Mega Man Zero and a major background character in Mega Man ZX.

Appearance
Ciel is a young girl with a modest stature. She has pale skin, cobalt blue eyes, long blonde hair with three angular bangs, usually tied into a ponytail. She wears a pink outfit consisting of a helmet, a sleeveless dress, a resistance vest, plated high heels and white gloves, with a black bodysuit underneath. The helmet has a hole on the back for the ponytail, and a retractable white visor. She also has winter clothing composed of a long pink jacket and thick boots.

Personality
Ciel is a gentle, kindhearted person who is always concerned about the welfare of others. She has an issue with insecurities as a result of Neo Arcadia's pressure on the Resistance, but Zero's continued support gives her the motivation to move forward. She cares greatly about Zero and often regrets requesting his help for dangerous missions. She is also close to Alouette, having named the girl and given her the stuffed animal she is always carrying.

Despite her age, Ciel is a genius scientist, already capable of creating a replica of X merely by observing the methods used to create the Four Guardians. Her study of Cyber-elves also allows her to develop a new energy source in the Ciel System, an important discovery that starts a new age in the field of energy research. Ciel believes in solving problems not through fighting, but through the power of science; she can be very dedicated to her research, to the point of staying up late. Ciel also has an emphatic connection with Cyber-elves, and illustrations often depict her alongside them in order to reflect this.

Origin
According to the "Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works" source book, Ciel is a product of Neo Arcadia's technological advancements, which is what allowed her to attain such a high level of knowledge at such a young age. With the goal of creating an utopia for humans and Reploids, Neo Arcadian researchers began to produce humans with altered DNA. Some of these humans were children born specifically to develop better Reploids to assist in the research. Ciel was one of these children, and stood out as a prodigy, being able to learn just by watching and mimicking experiments. Ciel became a Reploid researcher that worked for Neo Arcadia. When Mega Man X disappeared some years before the events of Mega Man Zero begins, Ciel created Copy X to replace him when she was young. Additionally, one of her ancestors, another female scientist, was apparently directly responsible for the creation of the original Mother Elf, from which all other Cyber-elves were spawned.

However, when Copy X began oppressing and executing Reploids to solve Neo Arcadia's energy crisis, Ciel felt very guilty that her own creation was behind it, so she migrated with Reploid refugees to a ruined city. Knowing they were being falsely accused, Ciel decided she could not stand by helplessly, so she formed the Resistance, acting to free Reploids from Copy X's regime. She became something of a mother figure to many of the Reploid refugees in the organisation, especially a young girl she named Alouette. Times grew more desperate, though, and she eventually found her only hope to be finding a legendary hero that most people didn't even believe in anymore: Maverick Hunter Zero. She sought and eventually found him, though it took the sacrifice of one of her Cyber-elves, Passy, to wake him up.

Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works bio
A human girl, formerly a Reploid researcher and scientist at Neo Arcadia. Though responsible for creating Copy-X after X's disappearance, she cannot help but feel that the persecution of Reploids is wrong and decides to leave Neo Arcadia. Since then she has organized the Resistance and successfully developed a new source of energy, the "Ciel System."

Mega Man Zero
Zero, whose memory was blank possibly due to "hibernation sickness", helped Ciel escape from her pursuers, escorting her to the Resistance Base. He also assisted her with several missions for the Resistance. He kept protecting her dutifully, until he finally brought down Copy X. Zero was separated from the Resistance when he barely escapes the destruction of Copy X's sanctum.

Mega Man Zero 2
After the fall of Copy X, Ciel and her band of Resistance members left their ruined base and joined up with another opposition group. Since that time, she has put herself to work on discovering a new source of energy (thereby ending the energy Crisis) by studying two Baby elves, and handed off the reins of running the Resistance to Elpizo. With Zero's return to the Resistance a year later, she redoubled her efforts to bring about peace. In a conversation with Alouette, Ciel was apparently saddened when departing the first Resistance Base. Although the reason is never revealed, some speculate that it has something to do with Zero's disappearance.

Ciel reluctantly allows Elpizo to commence "Operation Righteous Strike", where Elpizo leads a strike force to destroy Neo Arcadia (which he believes to have been weakened due to Copy X's death). Her fears came true when the operation turns out to be a disaster, with most of the Resistance troops involved having been killed, except for Elpizo. Having been driven mad by his defeat, Elpizo leaves the Resistance in search of the Dark Elf, and Ciel resumes command afterwards.

Mega Man Zero 3
Two months later, Ciel had completed the self-titled Ciel System. She had sent the government of Neo Arcadia notes describing the new energy system. Shortly after this, the scientist Dr. Weil assumed control of Neo Arcadia through manipulating a resurrected Copy X. After he successfully captured the Dark Elf (by sending a missile carrying Omega into a populated area, without a regard for the potential casualties), Weil attempted to force her to give him the system. Ciel refused to answer Weil's demands because of such a heinous act. Zero once again protected her and the Resistance from the forces of Neo Arcadia. Though defeated, Weil still controlled Neo Arcadia.

Ciel, at the time between Mega Man Zero 3 and 4, decided to split the Resistance Base into two, the other into a mobile unit, able to travel to wherever they were needed. Zero, Ciel, Cerveau, Faucon, Hirondelle, Rouge, and Alouette went on the mobile unit, while the others remained in the main base.

Mega Man Zero 4
As the fourth game began, Ciel, Zero, and the Resistance Trailer came to the rescue of a human Caravan fleeing Neo Arcadia. It is then explained by Neige, leader of the Caravan, that Dr. Weil controlled Neo Arcadia since Copy X's true death eight months prior, and that they escaped because the once human nirvana had become dangerous thanks to Weil's rule. Even though the human refugees didn't appreciate their help, partially because of the Resistance having comprised mostly of Reploids, Ciel asked Zero to aid them anyway. Ciel helps Zero to stop Weil's new device, the Ragnarok, from destroying the new human encampment at Area Zero, which also happened to be where the Eurasia Colony fell at the end of Mega Man X5. After a lengthy battle with Weil on the Ragnarok itself, they manage to save the humans and free Neo Arcadia from the clutches of Dr. Weil.

With this, peace between humans and Reploids had finally been achieved after their hundreds of years of war. However, the price was heavy as Zero apparently dies staying aboard Ragnarok when it breaks apart and burns to bits in the atmosphere. Ciel delivers the bittersweet news to everyone in Area Zero, and in spite of herself she assures them that Zero will come back to them some day, like he always does.

Wanting some time alone, Ciel runs from the encampment and her friends. Underneath a tree, she falls on her knees and cries as Ragnarok's pieces continue to fall from the starlit sky. In the end, she stands up strong and dries her tears, promising to the missing Zero that she would not let his selfless acts be in vain, and that she would keep the eternal peace between humans and Reploids that Zero had finally been able to create. She concludes with the firm belief that Zero is still alive somewhere, and she will be waiting for him.

Vile's Incident
Two years after the Ragnarok incident, she joins the humans and Reploids in Area Zero to start a new life.

Mega Man ZX series
In Mega Man ZX, it is revealed that Ciel created the Guardians and led them in their fight against the new Maverick outbreaks, with some of the orphaned survivors amongst her ranks. Through recovered Data Disks we learn that she went missing after discovering Model W and creating the six Biometals in response to it's threat.

In Vent's storyline, it is implied that she escaped during Serpent's betrayal and went on to reverse engineer Model W and revive the six legendary heroes, hoping that a kind hearted Mega Man would use their power to save the world. In Aile's, it is also revealed she was the one who ordered Girouette to take in the outbreak survivors. She additionally seals away Model W, hiding the Biometals away with the door passwords. Unfortunately, the memories of the six proceeding their creation have been erased, making them unable to hint at her current wherabouts.

During the fight in the Guardian Base engine room, Prometheus teases at a connection to the First Commander, calling her 'that woman' and seeming impressed with her Double Merge system. He also seems amused that Prairie knows her, citing that 'she must not be from this time either', before teleporting away from the base.

During flashbacks, Ciel is revealed as the 'sis' of Prairie, though they are not biological sisters. It is strongly hinted that Prairie is actually Alouette, due to this relationship being identical to Alouette's, as well as general similarities between Prairie and Alouette's character designs.

During flashbacks, Ciel is shown always wearing a Commander coat with the Guardian emblem. Otherwise, her appearance mirrors exactly how she looked like in Mega Man Zero, albeit with incredibly long hair and a more serious disposition. It is highly likely that Ciel had been upgraded into a cyborg in accord with the two major governing laws of the world. Her age, much like her status, is unknown.

Rockman Zero (manga)
Different from her personality from the games, in the manga Ciel is unpredictable and can be very aggressive, but she still cares for the others. She is first mentioned in chapter 2 by a Reploid, and first appears meeting Zero in chapter 4 helping him to escape from Pantheons. Later, they are attacked by Leviathan, and Zero's weapons didn't work on her ice dragon. Ciel gave Zero a fire sword that helped him defeat the dragon, and Leviathan escapes. After this, Ciel takes Zero to the Resistance, where they are attacked by Fefnir. Ciel feels sad for her friends that died in the battle, especially when Passy supposedly died when used her power to help Zero recover from his wounds. After they escape the base, Zero and Ciel take different directions, as he doesn't want to join the Resistance. After Neo Arcadia is defeated, she appears shortly talking with her older sister, Cial, the ruler of Neo Arcadia.

Mega Man (Archie Comics)
Ciel makes a cameo appearance in Mega Man #55, where she appears alongside a number of other Mega Man Zero characters in a vision seen by Dr. Light.

Rockman Zero commercials
Ciel appears in three of the four animated commercials advertising each of the Mega Man Zero series games. This makes her the character with the second most appearances in the commercials, second only to Zero himself (she doesn't appear in the Rockman Zero 4 commercial).
 * Rockman Zero: Ciel was restrained by Neo Arcadian forces that were present to fire at the monument holding Zero. She breaks free of the restraints and collapses to the ground as a giant mechanical hand reaches for her. However, the Neo Arcadian forces were wiped out by Zero's awakening. Zero was then seen holding an unconscious Ciel while he was standing above the inferno he caused.
 * Rockman Zero 2: Ciel braces herself alongside the rest of the Resistance as Panter Flauclaws prepares to shoot them with his mouth cannon, although Zero manages to overpower the Mutos Reploid and knocks him away. Ciel then watches in awe as Zero jumps into the air.
 * Rockman Zero 3: Ciel watches with concern for Zero as he struggles to get up from a fight with a giant Mechaniloid as it gets destroyed.

Rockman X DiVE

 * Ciel was given a teaser image as an upcoming character, and was eventually unveiled on August 26, 2020.

Trivia

 * In an interview with Inti Creates staff, it is said that Ciel was only nine years old when she created Copy X, learning how to do so by watching and mimicking experiments. The idea and explanation for this notable feat had to be figured out quickly by Inti Creates when they decided to change the final boss of Mega Man Zero from the real X to a copy. Then she was decided to be a genetically modified child from Neo Arcadia.
 * In an earlier interview, Ciel is said to be about 5-6 years old when she created Copy X, 14 years old in the first game, and about to turn 16 during the third game.


 * Ciel is one of the few human main characters in the main Mega Man timeline; like most of them, she is also a scientist.
 * Ciel holds a few notable similarities to Dr. Thomas Light of the classic Mega Man series. Aside from both being pacifistic scientists of their time, they provide aid for the heroes generations in the future (Light provided the armor upgrades to X and Zero; Ciel created the 6 Biometals).


 * Ciel bears a slight resemblance to the numerous incarnations of Roll as well as Alia. In fact, before gaining a name, she was nicknamed "Roll" during the first game's development.


 * Early in the first game's development, Ciel was considered to be a playable character as a Cyber-elf user that, as an opposite of the swordsman-like Zero, would act like a wizard, with Cyber-elves being the magic abilities. An enemy Cyber-elf user was also considered. Ciel is refered as a "Soul Summoner" in one concept art, with the Cyber-elves being refered as "Replisouls" at the time.


 * Ciel was intended to be a cyborg. As humans can't see Cyber-elves, in the final version she can see and come in contact with them due to the visor she wears, which was used by her when she studied Cyber-elves in Neo Acadia.


 * In Ciel's room in the old Resistance Base, a Resistance uniform (decked in the organisation's green color) is visible hanging next to her bed. Presumably, this belongs to Ciel herself, but the reasons why she prefers her traditional outfit over this one is unknown.
 * Labo, Ciel's theme from Mega Man Zero 2, was based on Rebecca's theme from Resident Evil.
 * Throughout the series, Ciel is shown to have romantic feelings for Zero, regardless of the fact that he's a Reploid and she's a human (such as in the ending she says "I" then hesitates before continuing "I believe in you" possibly signifying she was going to say "I love you").
 * Translations for the lyrics of Zero 4's ending theme sang by Ciel's voice actress Rie Tanaka, "Freesia", blatantly spell out these feelings.
 * During Mega Man ZX Advent, there's a stained glass window in the background of the 8 bosses rematch in Ouroboros. Featured in that artwork is a woman strongly resembling Ciel.
 * Ciel shares many similarities with Lacus Clyne from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny. They have the same voice actress Rie Tanaka, have feelings for the main protagonists, both were genetically modified, and lead their own organization.
 * Joule, a character from Azure Striker Gunvolt is likely based off Ciel. Both are the main heroines of their respective games who develop feelings to the protagonists (Ciel to Zero and Joule to Gunvolt) with an extraordinary abilities. Both of their voice actors (Rie Tanaka for Ciel and Megu Sakuragawa for Joule) are also well-known singers.