- For the crossover series, see here.
X artwork from Mega Man Maverick Hunter X.
X (エックス Ekkusu), also known as Mega Man X or Rockman X (ロックマンエックス Rokkuman Ekkusu) in Japan is the main protagonist of the Mega Man X series, the first sub-series in the Mega Man meta-franchise. Introduced in the 1993 SNES video game Mega Man X and created by Hayato Kaji.
Profile
X is a Maverick Hunter who, along with his partners Zero, Axl and the rest of the Maverick Hunters, protects humans and androids known as Reploids by hunting down rogue Reploids known as Mavericks.
While Mega Man, the protagonist of the Mega Man Classic series, was largely a personality-less cypher, the Mega Man X series places a greater emphasis on fiction, and casts X as a warrior who desires nothing better than to live in peace, but is forced to fight in order to protect that peace.
Story
When X was created by Thomas Light, he was a one of a kind robot. Other than his predecessors, including the original Mega Man, X possessed incredible abilities. He was capable of thinking, feeling and acting entirely on his own without special programming, being closer to a human being than anything before (and eventually, after). According to Maverick Hunter X, Dr. Light sought to facilitate the evolutionary growth of robots in such a fashion akin to all living beings, and X was the key to such a world changing goal.
However, Light feared that, since X didn't have any moral programming that held him back from doing evil things and the fact that he had to achieve maturity like a human, he could become a grave threat to the world. Therefore, he sealed X away into a special capsule that would test his circuits endless times and in uncountable scenarios to render him as mature enough to tell right and wrong apart. Apparently, this process would take more than 30 years and Light, already an old and exhausted man, would not live to see X leave the capsule and enter the world. He left a message of his warning on the computer in the lab he placed the capsule in, and ordered everyone that may find the capsule not to release the robot within until the testings were complete.
Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X, the 2006 remake of the original Mega Man X, however, walked a different path. The Day of Σ, an unlockable prologue OVA, showed Light actually speaking with X during his creation multiple times, whereas he sealed him away in the original game without first activating him. Furthermore, Light's intention of sealing X was different from the original SNES Mega Man X game. Instead of fearing he would become a threat because of his immaturity, he was more afraid of the future, in knowledge of a mankind who were not ready to live with a robot of such revolutionary magnitude by the time he finished his work, and fatherly concern for his final and penultimate project, that X would be swept up in an unknown world of such possible dangers and hardships that he would not live to witness. In his final days, Dr. Light recorded and expressed fully of his last wishes and hopes to the people of the future the day that they find X, and for the compassion to have X guide them to peace and happiness.
Though X fights with all his might against Sigma and his Mavericks, he is a pacifist at heart. He wants the war to finally stop so the humans and Reploids could coexist peacefully, like his creator had always wished. He cares deeply for the victims of the war and for his friends who've fought so long with him, especially Zero, whom he regards as his best friend.
X, after the events of the Mega Man Zero series, had became a biometal named Model X with his soul inside it.
Abilities
- Variable Weapons System - Like Mega Man before him, X has the ability to adapt the weapons systems of powerful Reploids that he has defeated into weapons he can use. These weapons come in many varieties, often providing additional mobility as well as offense.
- Super Strength - Like most robots, X has strength and speed well above the normal human capacity, although his physical limits are never revealed in the games.
- X-Buster - X's primary weapon is the X-Buster, described as Mega Buster Mark 17 in the first game. The X-Buster focuses solar energy from X's fusion reactor into a plasma bullet that causes physical damage upon impact.
- Wall Kick - X has the ability to cling to vertical surfaces. On a wall, X normally slides downward slowly, but by kicking off the surface of the wall he can gain height, and even rebound back to it to climb it.
- Emergency Acceleration System (Dash) - This ability is similar to Mega Man's slide maneuver in that it increases his speed, but unlike the slide, X is capable of using the ability to leap further than normal in a "dash jump," as well as dash from objects to which he is clinging. X first got the ability from the only mandatory capsule in the X series, in the first game. He has apparently internalized the upgrade, although, in Maverick Hunter X, he can dash from the beginning. Some armor upgrades allow X to air dash, which is usually only used for puzzles, but can still be used as an evasive maneuver. In Mega Man X3, X is granted a choice of choosing one of four special upgrade chips, with one of the choices improving his dash, granting him the ability to air dash twice during a jump. In Mega Man X7 and X8, X can also air dash from the beginning, indicating that he has internalized this upgrade too.
- Armor Systems - In each Mega Man X game, X can find upgrade capsules made by Dr. Light before he died. Each of these capsules contains a helmet part, arm part, body armor, or leg armor. A hologram of Dr. Light greets X and explains the capabilities of the part in question before granting it to him. Until Mega Man X5, each of these four parts was part of a single suit of upgraded armor. In X5, X6 and X8, there are multiple suits of upgraded armor, each with different abilities. For example, the Shadow Armor allows X to stick to walls and not get hurt by spikes, and the Blade Armor allows X to dash greater distances and strengthens the Z-Saber. Unique to X5 and X6, the armors could not be used until a complete set was formed. In X8, it is possible to mix and match chip parts for the Neutral Armor.
- Giga Attacks - Since Mega Man X2, every Mega Man X game has a Giga Attack for most of X's armors. Most Giga Attacks start at full gauge once the player enters any stage and the only way to refill its energy is by taking enemy hits and/or attacks. Also Giga attacks usually freeze the screen as X attacks all enemies that are on-screen. His best known Giga Attack is called Nova Strike and is used by the Ultimate Armor. The Nova Strike grants invincibility as it is being performed while simultaneously causing high damage to enemies. Since X jumps into the air and temporarily flies, the attack makes X look like an eagle. The Nova Strike has infinite usage.
- Limitless Potential
Other appearances
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
X appeared in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 as Zero's DLC alternate costume and as a card in Heroes & Heralds mode, despite the huge demand from fans who wanted X as a DLC character.
Project X Zone/2
X appeared in the cross-over tactical RPG Project X Zone and its sequel with Zero as his partner, voiced by Takahiro Sakurai, who even voiced Haseo.
Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U and Ultimate
X appeared in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (along with Volnutt, EXE and Geo, and Bass and Proto Man in the latter game) as part of the original Mega Man's Final Smash attack.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
X appeared in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite as a playable character along with Zero.
Trivia
- In the canceled Rockman Online, the X Reploid that was featured was just one of many copies engineered by the government to combat a future Maverick threat. This was not the X featured in the X series, although each copy had been programmed to believe they were the actual one.
See Also
Gallery
For more images of this character, see their Gallery.