Ultimate Armor

The Ultimate Armor (アルティメットアーマー) is a secret armor for Mega Man X that bestows the most all-around fighting power in any of the games in which it appears. Because it appears in so many games in the Mega Man X series, it has the most recurring traits of any of X's armors.

Mega Man X4-X6
In Mega Man X4, X5, and X6, the Ultimate Armor appears as a modified design of the Fourth Armor, and grants all of the abilities of that same armor, including Air Dash, Hovering, charge Special Weapons, and reduction of damage taken. It has the Plasma Charge Shot of the Fourth Armor (Stock Charge Shot is not available), and its powerful Nova Strike can be performed an unlimited number of times.

Special Weapon energy usage while equipped with the Ultimate Armor varies from game to game: In Mega Man X4, this armor grants unlimited usage of Special Weapons in their normal forms. Weapon Energy will still be used when Charge Shots are used.

However, in Mega Man X5 and X6, the Ultimate Armor will work like the other armors used in their respective games, with the maximum shot capacity of the Special Weapons that X can use automatically increased by 50%.

While not available in the games, the armor can also generate a beam blade from the buster and grants the user the ability to fly, either by using a booster on the back (which appears when using Nova Strike) or using the armor as a board-like transport.

In Mega Man X4, even if a code has been inputted, the armor must still be obtained through one of Dr. Light's hidden armor capsules (the easiest of which is in Web Spider's stage). Until then, X's secondary turquoise hue is changed to a lighter purple one, a tell-tale sign that the code has been entered correctly. In Mega Man X5 and X6, the armor will be equipped when starting a new game, as long as the code has been entered correctly.
 * In Mega Man X5, once the code is entered, the Ultimate Armor will replace the Fourth Armor and the latter will be unavailable for the rest of the game.
 * In Mega Man X6, unlike in X5, X not only owns the Ultimate Armor but also retains the Falcon Armor once the code is entered.

In Mega Man X5, there is a way to receive the Ultimate Armor without using a code. In the third Zero Space stage, there is a vertical shaft that leads to a special armor capsule. In order for this capsule to appear, X must not have any armor equipped. Entering this capsule as normal X will grant him the Ultimate Armor. However, he will only receive an armor program as opposed to equipping the armor right away (the same principle used when gaining the Falcon Armor and the Gaea Armor except that only one program for the Ultimate Armor will be given for all parts and not 4 individual programs). This will make X own a total of 4 armors in the game, including Fourth Armor (if X was chosen as starting character).

Mega Man X8
The Ultimate Armor may be unlocked through either a code, or by starting a new game from a save file that has been cleared while X is at 100% and all 8 Icarus and Hermes Armor parts are unlocked. Take note that the code option is only available for the console version (PS2) of this game (as well as the later Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 re-release) and has no effect in its PC Version.

In this game, the Ultimate Armor appears to be a black version of the Neutral Armor, with its own violet glow. It is a separate option within the Neutral Armor selection, and thus cannot mix its parts with either the Hermes or Icarus Armor.

This armor has one uncanny ability that other Ultimate Armors do not have - it grants X unlimited usage of all Special Weapons obtained from the bosses, including charge shots. This is different from what the X4 version.

This version of the Ultimate Armor has a more powerful Nova Strike, at the cost of limiting its use since it now has its own weapon gauge. One use will drain the entire energy gauge, but it also has the quickest recharge rate, refilling the gauge in mere seconds. This version of the Nova Strike is more powerful when X's weapon gauge is augmented via Pallette's chip development. When used on a boss in Normal Mode or higher, most bosses can go down in two hits; one Nova Strike will shave off most of the boss' energy, leaving only a fraction so that that boss can use its Overdrive attack. Also, if used on Sigma before he automatically grabs the character, it will only reduce his health enough to initiate that segment of the fight. The way X performs his Nova Strike in this armor resembles that of the Blade Armor's Mach Dash in X6, covered in powerful destructive energy. Unlike the Mach Dash, however, it can only dash left or right.

Mega Man X: Command Mission
Here the Ultimate Armor is X's second Hyper Mode, and is earned by defeating the secret boss Rafflesian.

A stark change in appearance from previous armors in terms of design, but the color-scheme is back to white and blue, with red and yellow detailing. A disc-like object protrudes from his shoulders horizontally behind him. A large, green gem forms his chest, and a targeting display covers his left eye. Gatling batteries are on the front of his shoulders, and his arms change into a pair of large, pistol-like appendages from the elbow down. The legs and the top of the disc are also translucent. X's standard attack becomes a devastating beam attack called the Giga Crash fired from his chest, and his sub weapons are Impact Cannon and Strike Bullet. When equipped, X perpetually hovers in the air (presumably for the armor being too heavy to stand).

X's Action Trigger in this Hyper Mode is still called the Nova Strike, but functions the same as the Final Strike. The higher X's WE is when the move is started, the longer X has to attack enemies.

Mega Man X Legacy Collection and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2
X uses a white version of the Ultimate Armor in the X Challenge mode. It lacks the Nova Strike and has the weaker version of the Plasma Charge Shot from the Fourth Armor in Mega Man X5, leaving one plasma ball behind. Like in X6, X can also use Zero's Z-Saber with this armor. He can also use the Special Weapons from past bosses. When used in a buster-only challenge, the majority of this armor is removed with the exception of the Foot Part.

Additionally, once X Challenge has been completed on Hard difficulty, the player will unlock a secret bonus stage in which the bosses are Ultimate Armor X and Zero's "Awakened" form from X5.

Project X Zone and Project X Zone 2
X dons the Ultimate Armor during the end of his finishing move, in which he hits the opponent with the Nova Strike and slams them into the ground.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
X will equip his Ultimate Armor during his level 3 hyper combo "Ultimate Strike," in which if the aura that comes from X putting on his armor connects, he hits his opponent with Nova Strike and ends by shooting them with a beam from his X buster.

He also assumes the Ultimate Armor in-story in an attempt to control the sheer power output of the Infinity Buster to destroy Ultron Omega, ultimately succeeding with the help of Doctor Strange and Morrigan channeling the various heroes power into him with themselves as magical conduits.

Puzzle Fighter
When X uses his super skill, "Ultimate Nova Strike", he dons the Ultimate Armor and attacks with the Nova Strike.

Rockman X DiVE
Both, the X4-X6 and Command Mission versions of the armor make an appearance as playable characters. The X4-X6 Ultimate Armor can fire his Plasma Shot and do the Nova Strike, while the Command Mission version can use his guns on a Combo Weapon Attack and All-Out Barrage. A curious note is that the Command Mission version of the armor showcases normal Arm Parts where his Impact Cannon and Strike Bullet weapons should be, as hands are required to use handheld melee weapons in the game.

Other appearances
X appeared with the Ultimate Armor in Dragon Poker and Elemental Story.

Mega Man X4-X6

 * Foot Parts - Grants the ability to air dash or hover in midair. Midair hovering time is decreased if X moves.
 * Body Parts - Reduces damage taken by X by 50%. Allows X to use a wider range Nova Strike that does not consume any weapon energy. It also covers more distance than its X4 counterpart. Note, however, that X needs to touch solid ground/cling to a wall before it can be used again.
 * Arm Parts - Grants the powerful Plasma Charge Shot. In X4, the fully charged shot can pierce straight through enemies, shields, and walls, leaving behind a damaging residue. However, in X5 and X6, the shot will be stopped by shields or walls.
 * Head Parts - In Mega Man X4, uncharged weapon usage was reduced to zero. In X5 and X6, this increases the maximum Special Weapon shot capacity by 50%, just like the Fourth, Falcon, and Blade Armor Head Parts in their respective games.

Mega Man X8

 * Foot Parts U - Movement speed and jumping height increased. X can also dash through enemies without damage, which is the combined abilities of Foot Parts H and I.
 * Body Parts U - Take half damage and will not be subjected to recoil from collisions with enemies/hazards. All HP damage will be converted to red bars which can be recovered while in reserve which is the same ability as Body Parts I. Also enables X to perform the Nova Strike that can annihilate enemies in one attack.
 * Arm Parts U - The X-Buster's fully-charged shot will be the Plasma Charge Shot where it can cause multiple damage to an enemy. Weapon Energy usage for all Special Weapons (including their Charge Shots) will be reduced to zero.
 * Head Parts U - Enables use of the Shouryuken uppercut technique to attack enemies directly upward, similar to the Head Parts I but with a smaller attack width.

Secret Codes
Refer to the table below for codes used to gain use of the Ultimate Armor. The codes are listed with the button pressed and the number of times pressed next to it. In Mega Man X4 and X5, highlight X on the Character Select screen and enter the codes. In addition, in X4, the shoulder buttons must be held until the actual game begins (after the cutscenes). In X6 and X8, highlight Game Start, complete the sequence of buttons, and press Start. While there is no way of knowing if the code is completed in X4 until the opening stage is accessed, in X5 and X6 a sound clip is heard if entered correctly, while a voice clip of X is used for X8.

Rockman X4 manga
In the manga version of Mega Man X4, the Ultimate Armor makes an appearance and has a strong impact on X's psyche. After the breakout of the Great Repliforce War due to Repliforce refusing to surrender their weapons, many Repliforce soldiers cause riots and commit wanton slaughter of Reploids opposing their violent coup d'etat. Among them is Frost Walrus, who X confronts alongside his fellow Maverick Hunter Blizzard Buffalo. The two are no match for Walrus, who ultimately ends up killing Buffalo and knocking X out. X later confronts Walrus again at his Repliforce snow base with Ride Armor, deeply injuring him but still not being strong enough to stop him. The Repliforce leader General then shoots down and kills Walrus to save X, and shrugs off X's buster attacks. Deeply traumatized by Buffalo's death and by his own inability to stop the war, X realizes that he needs more power to win the war, and slams and destroys his buster arm on the ground in frustration.

Afterward, X visits the Kagikira Forest where he had previously confronted and killed Repliforce guerilla commander Web Spider. He obtains the powerful Ultimate Armor from a capsule that his late creator Dr. Thomas Light left for him, who warns him in the message that its power could also be a double-edged sword due to its powerful, destructive nature. The armor gives X amazing power and increases his attack strength, while also letting him fly. However, X's actions afterward showed that Light's warning rang true. X goes to confront Repliforce Army commander Slash Beast inside his rampaging Repliforce train, and Beast is confident that he can beat X. He lunges at X, only for X to grievously wound him with a charged Buster shot. Beast then surrenders and begs for his life to X, but X kills him anyway and burns the Repliforce flag in the room. When Zero arrives on the scene, X smugly remarks to him how Beast begged before he was killed. X then warns Zero not to get in his way, or he will kill him too. X has become drunk with power on the Ultimate Armor.

Sometime later, X finds the airships of the Repliforce Air Wing soaring over a volcano, and manages to single-handedly destroy them and all the Repliforce soldiers stationed on the airships, while grievously wounding Repliforce air commander Storm Owl. Despite the fact that Owl was no longer a threat to him, only throwing angry insults his way about how X is the true Maverick because of his unbelievable power, X coldly executes Owl with a buster shot, and then flashes a sadistic grin. X says that it is Owl, not he, who is the Maverick.

Suddenly, Magma Dragoon rises from the ground and attacks with his Rising Fire technique which X narrowly dodges. Dragoon challenges him to a fight, saying power is the only thing that matters, not the "law of heaven" or the "law of the land". Dragoon puts up a difficult challenge, even managing to stop X's Nova Strike attack and strike him away, temporarily knocking him out. However, X eventually recovers from Dragoon's attacks and shoots Dragoon with a charged shot, bisecting him. X then falls in tears, believing that righteousness will win out and the Great Repliforce War will soon come to an end.

After infiltrating the Repliforce's Final Weapon, a space station with a "Death Flower" weapon capable of decimating the planet, he engages the General in battle and knocks him out. Suddenly, the weapon then activates, having been turned on by a mysterious yellow Maverick. X then engages the Maverick in battle, who reveals himself to be none other than Double, X's loyal subordinate. Double than slashes at X wildly and injures him, but he quickly recovers thanks to the Ultimate Armor and smashes right through Double with a Nova Strike, furious with his treachery. Double's body disintegrates. General then rises up behind X who frantically shoots at him with buster shots that do not damage him, but instead of killing X the General hugs him, and then sacrifices himself by slamming his own body into the Death Flower and destroying it.

At the end, the Weapon is destroyed and the Earth is saved. However, the explosion from the Final Weapon's destruction reaches X and ultimately destroys his Ultimate Armor, while revealing the pure Fourth Armor underneath.

Trivia

 * In Mega Man X4, Dr. Light's hologram mentions that the Ultimate Armor is incomplete and possesses potential risk to use. No problems are ever encountered during gameplay, however. In the Rockman X4 manga, the Armor also vastly increases X's strength and abilities while negatively affecting his mind, making him ruthless and somewhat sadistic.
 * Ultimate Armor is the most powerful armor, due to the destructive and reusable Nova Strike.
 * The Ultimate Armor in Mega Man X5 is a slightly different color than in X4. The legs are a lighter blue, more similar to his usual color, and the purple parts of his upper legs, arms, and waist is his usual cyan color instead. However, if Zero is selected during the third Zero Virus stage in X5, X will be equipped with the Ultimate Armor with the X4 palette (and X4 special weapons Frost Tower, Double Cyclone and Soul Body), during their battle.
 * In X6, the Ultimate Armor has a darker color scheme. However, if the Buster is charged, the Ultimate Armor will resemble its original palette. The color scheme also found its way into the Ultimate Armor used in X8, albeit with the Neutral Armor as its design basis, instead.
 * The Ultimate Armor's Nova Strike is one of two Giga Attacks that is immediately available at the start of the game (in this case, X5 after entering the code). The other is the Giga Attack of the Falcon Armor, one game later.
 * Unlike any other armor set, the Ultimate Armor in every game has had several transparent parts, revealing X's inner workings.
 * During the first selling of Rockman X4 for the both PlayStation and Sega Saturn system, Capcom included a Special Limited Pack containing an X constructible model toy, with his Ultimate Armor version. The model was later released on its own, and later re-released with chromed plastic.
 * The Ultimate Armor has the ability to break off in pieces from X's body and re-assemble itself into a flight-capable sled X can ride on top of. Although this has been seen in both the Rockman X manga, official illustrations and can be done with the Mega Armor series model kit, the sled formation is never seen in any video game the armor has appeared in thus far.
 * In the official art depicting the Ultimate Armor's sled configuration, X is depicted wearing his default armor. The manga and Mega Armor Model kit, however, depict a lesser-armored form underneath the pieces of the Ultimate Armor that serves as an armature for the sled pieces.
 * Zero was originally planned to have his own Ultimate Armor alongside X in X4, but it was replaced with Black Zero. The designer of Zero's Ultimate Armor hinted that his ultimate armor had to do with his connection to Dr. Wily, but stopped himself before he could reveal any more and instead supplied the design.
 * In the mobile game Rockman X DiVE, X is seen riding the Ultimate Armor on its glider mode on the character select screen.