Nebula

Nebula (ネビュラ) full name DarkChip Syndicate Nebula (ネット犯罪組織ネビュラ,

''Netto hanzai soshiki nebyura. lit Net Criminal Organization Nebula) is a criminal organization from the Mega Man Battle Network'' series. The organization was led by Dr. Regal, and under his command Nebula is dedicated to infecting the entire world with darkness.

Mega Man Battle Network 4
Nebula makes its first appearance, having HeelNavis and ShadeMan.EXE and LaserMan.EXE as operatives. Noteworthy the group had a handful of human agents, but they were limited in number. They were little known before this game, but became more active. According to Eugene Chaud the group had existed even when Gospel and World 3 were at work, but following their demise Nebula became the reigning group with crimes all over the world. Their secrecy and methods (mostly involving DarkChips) led Chaud to believe they were a bigger threat than WWW.

Nebula's first attack on the net, involved ShadeMan indiscriminately assaulting NetNavis and draining their energy for food. He soon set his eyes on Roll.EXE to serve as his "dessert". Glide.EXE and GutsMan.EXE were defeated by the vampire Navi forcing Lan Hikari and MegaMan.EXE to follow him in the cyberworld of a Radio Tower. MegaMan faced ShadeMan but was unable to injure the Nebula Navi. ShadeMan began losing power and with the arrival of ProtoMan.EXE he decided to retreat but left behind a DarkChip that MegaMan took for himself, unaware of what he had.

Later an agent of Nebula trespassed the Hikari household, checked Lan's computer and sleep gassed his mother and left a note for him to come to ParkArea2 with the DarkChip. The duo did and fought a HeelNavi from the agent whom they defeated, however he threatened they would come for the DarkChip. ShadeMan later punished the two for their failure.

When Lan and Mayl Sakurai had a date in Castillo the park theme's robots began to run out of control forcing Lan and MegaMan to disable their systems. On the last Vampire-themed robot, they found ShadeMan had sabotaged all of them with the intent of reclaiming the DarkChip. He notices MegaMan is developing a DarkSoul of his own and proposes they join Nebula. MegaMan and Lan feign interest and destroy the DarkChip, angering ShadeMan who attacks them. Like before they are unable to damage him until MegaMan resorts to using his Dark Power which fatally wounds ShadeMan. The Darkloid turns into ash as he gloats that MegaMan will inevitably turn into the dark.

As the Eagle/Hawk Tournament finished LaserMan hacks the battle machine and forces Lan to Jack In. There the Navi senses MegaMan's powerful evil energy within him and offers a rank within Nebula but Lan and MegaMan refuse, they are assisted by GutsMan/AquaMan.EXE (depending on the game version). LaserMan forces the DarkSoul from MegaMan and has it possess the ally Navi causing a fight. MegaMan triumphs but the DarkSoul returns to him. LaserMan retreats pleased the darkness in MegaMan grows.

As Duo.EXE's asteroid approaches Earth, NAXA enacts a plan led by Yuichiro Hikari in using a giant laser beam in order to change its course. The Laser activates and is prepared to reach 200% power in order to succeed, however and unbeknown to all the scientists, Regal had LaserMan secretly sabotage the plan by reducing the power to 120%. This forces a new course of action and Regal proposes they hold the Red Sun/Blue Moon tournament in order to find a strong Navi to send to space as the asteroid was man-made and had a network.

Lan and MegaMan won the tournament and were immediately after sent to NAXA were Dr. Regal introduces himself to the young battlers and explained his plan. At the same time Nebula began a major assault on the net and cut off communications between all segments of the world with each other. Regal had Lan and MegaMan travel all around the world in order to dispose of the jammers, giving him a transmitter to keep him alerted should MegaMan fall.

Lan and MegaMan succeeded in their mission and were able to find the perpetrator, a Nebula Navi. The Nebula agent was defeated and committed suicide to destroy MegaMan and the transmitter that Dr. Regal gave him shut down. Regal declared MegaMan deceased and proposed that they send his NetNavi to the asteroid. NAXA had no idea that MegaMan survived (as his friends shielded him with barriers) and agreed.

As Regal prepares to send his Navi, Yuichiro confronts him alone, letting Regal know he is aware of his true identity as the leader of Nebula. Regal is amused but not worried as things will not change as his Navi is their only hope for survival, however Lan and MegaMan arrive. Regal detonates the bridge and knocks Yuichiro unconscious sending LaserMan to the asteroid in order to use it to turn world into evil as his identity is revealed. Using a hint from Yuichiro, Lan and MegaMan pursue LaserMan who once more offers a position in Nebula which is again turned down. The Navis fight and LaserMan is deleted but confident that MegaMan would fall into the dark.

MegaMan reaches Duo's chamber where the control system lies. MegaMan is able to defeat Duo but is unable to turn the controls. As a cable from the laser is cut due to excess of power Regal uses his own body to connect them, reasoning he will save the world only to turn it evil later. With the prayers of all the world MegaMan gains sufficient strength to stir the controls and change the asteroid's course. Regal is cornered and plans to jump in order to avoid arrest. He reasons that since Lan, Chaud and Yuichiro had committed "crimes" of their own (Lan deleted a Navi who had no idea what he was doing while chasing the jammer, Chaud deleted an unknown amount of suspects, some probably innocent, as duty and Yuichiro giving Navis emotions causing NetCrime to increase as well). He thus reasons that as such humanity will in one way or another commit vile actions so "criminals judging criminals" felt irrational. He then subtly hints as to his origins and his father. Feeling no guilt for his crimes he jumps trying to commit suicide, but survives.

Mega Man Battle Network 5
Having survived the previous encounter Dr. Regal once more leads the group as the game's main antagonists. With a new plan in mind they assault SciLab with sleeping gas and kidnap Yuichiro Hikari at the beginning of the game whom they need for their research. As Yuichiro was visited by Lan and his friends, Regal recognizes them and has their PETs confiscated (Lan avoided this fate as he was on an enclosed part off sight). Subsequently Nebula performs a major takeover of the Net seizing control of several areas.

Lan wakes up after three days of sleep and with MegaMan decide to investigate, noticing the net has become significantly darker and more hostile. They find a Nebula Navi whom they fight. The Navi is forced to retreat as he's called back due to Yuichiro regaining conscience and departs. MegaMan tries to follow it, but is blocked by a giant door powered up with DarkPower which renders it impervious to the MegaBuster, so they decide to come with another plan.

Around the same time SciLab's main system is infiltrated and the duo believe it to be the work of Nebula. They navigate the system and find the culprit to be Eugene Chaud and ProtoMan.EXE/Baryl and Colonel.EXE depending on the game's version. Although posing as an assailant, in truth they set up the attack as a test to find capable Netbattlers as the respective officials are assigned to create a team of NetNavis to reclaim the net from Nebula and defeat them.

In company of the respective team leader, the group advanced through the door as the leader Navi destroys it and proceed. On the next area they are forced to perform a Liberation Mission in order to take ACDC back from the area's commander BlizzardMan.EXE. The team navigates through a virus infested area and is able to subdue the Darkloid and reclaim the zone as the team's first victory.

The next Liberation Mission is set on the Oran Area where MegaMan and ProtoMan attempt to do the job themselves, but the way is blocked by powerful gun batteries preventing them entry forcing them to retreat. A second attempt is made after Lan manages to recruit Tesla Magnus and MagnetMan.EXE/Princess Pride and KnightMan.EXE as the new ally Navi has strong defenses to withstand the barrage allowing them to destroy the gun batteries and proceed. The team encounters ShadeMan who was revived through DarkPower. Although ShadeMan has an advantage as his flight abilities allow him to attack from any direction, the new ally's defensive power counters this, allowing the team to defeat the vampire Darklord and free the area from his grasp.

As ShadeMan was defeated, Dr. Regal interrogates Yuichiro about the location of what Regal is seeking. Yuichiro responds with ignorance, causing Regal to torture him with a taser, threatening him to remember for his own sake.

Nebula however was far from done with the Oran Area. Dr. Legal commands CloudMan.EXE to handle the resistance from his base. The Darkloid in turn would send several agents across the Oran Area which MegaMan had to face and defeat. As MegaMan ventured into the next area and CloudMan's territory, the SciLab Area in order to scout the zone, he came across a thick layer of clouds powered with DarkPower which bounced him off. With no ability to pass through the clouds, MegaMan retreats.

While pursuing GyroMan.EXE/ShadowMan.EXE after they disassembled MagnetMan/KnightMan, MegaMan is forced to give chase through a cloud infested Oran Area and SciLab Area. As the speedy and elusive Navis force MegaMan in a game of tag until the of the SciLab Area, MegaMan faces either in order their intentions. It turns out they wanted to test MegaMan and the different members of the team as their operators Charlie Airstar/Dark Miyabi were requested to fight against Nebula. Joining the team the new Navis use their abilities to bypass the Dark Clouds and destroy the DarkChip that was creating them.

With a new path open for them the team ventures into CloudMan's lair, filled with several layers of DarkPanels and BarrierPanels that made travel difficult, but with GyroMan/ShadowMan's abilities, they were capable of infiltrate through the dastardly path and allow the team a safe way to reach CloudMan and defeat the thunderous Nebula agent. However CloudMan would not be deleted in vain, as while the team celebrated their victory a Dark Cloud falls over MegaMan kidnapping him all the way to Nebula's base.

Back at their base a group of Nebula Navis lead by Doctor Navi, perform an operation on MegaMan by implanting on him a DarkChip. The process is extremely painful for MegaMan, the sight of which leaves his equally kidnapped friends Roll.EXE, GutsMan.EXE and Glyde.EXE horrified at their cruelty. Dr. Regal inquiries about MegaMan's status and the Doctor shares his confidence that MegaMan will join their cause as the new Nebula warrior DarkMega.

With Lan coming to terms to the loss of MegaMan, his team leader requests him to go on more missions with a new Navi in order to defeat Nebula and eventually find a way to save MegaMan. He then borrows the leader's Navi and is set to go to End Area 2 where Nebula has a base. Upon reaching its entrance they find DarkMega waiting for them, however he shows signs of instability when the real MegaMan tries to regain control, the new Navi tries to use this opening to defeat but Lan rejects it as MegaMan can still be saved. Before long an army of Nebula Navis appears, allowing DarkMega to retreat. Since their numbers are too great to face, Lan and the new Navi retreat.

A new mission is scheduled to take place in the luxurious ship the Queen Bohemia, where Undercorp will unveil a Booster System program that can greatly enhance any program's performance and power, so Lan is to be sent to prevent Nebula from acquiring it. Aboard the ship Lan does encounter a Nebula agent trying to steal it, however he fails at his endeavour as another party had achieved firsthand. Lan and the new Navi find the criminal Fyrefox/Dingo who steal it for different reasons. Chasing their Navis NapalmMan.EXE/TomahawkMan.EXE Lan and his Navi are able to retrieve the program. Convincing them that theft is wrong, the would be criminals give up on their missions and willingly join anti-Nebula team.

With new allies and the precise offensive power to break through the Nebula army, the team destroys the enemies blocking their path, reaching DarkMega's base. The rest of the team follows after and a Libertaion Mission ensues amidst a DarkPanel infested territory, but with the new ally's offensive abilities, the team is able to reach DarkMega and defeat him. Although injured the team hesitates to strike him down on his moment of weakness, this allows DarkMega to draw in even more power from the Darkness and prepares a powerful attack on the team. However through Lan's encouragement, MegaMan is able to overcome the Darkness and return, albeit exhausted.

News of DarkMega's defeat reach Dr. Regal who is not pleased that the majority of the Net has been freed, while his research has not advanced. Nebula's new commander, the Darkloid CosmoMan.EXE suggests a new plan and begins his operation.

The invasion of the Net is simply a distraction through while they steal Gow to build the SoulNet. They continue to build Dark Chips to gain recruits. They perform a test with several SoulNet servers before using the real thing. After Regal and Nebula Grey are defeated, Nebula ceases to exist.

MegaMan NT Warrior Axess
Nebula is still run by Dr. Regal. He hires the Darkloids to do his bidding in return for Dark Chips which he uses to make the Darkloids turn on ShadeMan. His base in in an outer space satellite instead of an volcano from which they launch Dimensional Area Generators. They commit NetCrimes to keep their base secret, steal materials for Dark Chips and enough Dimensional Area generators to engulf the Earth in an Dimensional Area. He also develops the Dark Synchro Chip which he and Ms. Yuri use. His plan comes to fruition. The Earth is engulfed by a Dimensional Area and he uses the Dark Synchro Chip to become R LaserMan.EXE. However, he is defeated by MegaMan and Lan in Cross Fusion and his Dimensional Area Generators are destroyed. Nebula ceases to exist after that.

Base of Operations

 * Dark Chip Factory

Trivia

 * Nebula has few human agents, the ones seen being rather generic while their Navis do the bulk of the job. This may fit with Dr. Regal's overall misanthropic beliefs.
 * Nebula is the first and only evil organization to have, albeit briefly, taken full control of its respective world. This excludes Neo Arcadia which was a human settlement and wasn't evil on itself, rather misguided and mismanaged.