Zero (Megaman)

Zero is the deuteragonist of the Mega Man X series, the main protagonist of the Mega Man Zero series, and also an important supporting character in the Mega Man ZX series as the Biometal Model Z.

Zero is the successor of Bass and the greatest creation of Doctor Albert W. Wily. A high ranking Maverick Hunterin the X series, and a legendary freedom fighter in the Zeroseries, he's a die-hard warrior who doesn't hesitate to take action. However, behind his cold and emotionless attitude lies a wounded soul.

Appearance
Zero prominently sports a red color scheme. In his first appearance, Zero's armor was round for the most part with a red, black and white color scheme and white shoulder guards with a stylized "Z" insignia on his left shoulder. His helmet is horned and features a sharp blue crystal in contrast to his partner, X's smoother red gem. Perhaps his most striking feature is his long blond hair that flowed freely about, making Zero appear fiery in comparison to X's more cool and consistent blue scheme.

When Serges of the X-Hunters reconstructed Zero's parts, he upgraded the body, including reinforced shoulder plates and Z-Saber. Other enhancements were the improved arm guards (in contrast to the original streamlined ones) and leg joints, with improved mid-air dash thrusters and gold-plated covers, along with thicker and bigger chest armor. A small "backpack" device is also added as both storage and recharging unit for the Z-saber. The first version of Zero was apparently just an "incomplete" prototype, since this version is the outline shown in the blueprints in The Power Fighters.

Like X, Zero's power source is solar energy. His body material is comprised of a Titanium Z alloy, and is equipped with peculiar mechanisms called the Z-Brain (the head lens) and the Z-Heart (the chest lens), which conceal an unknown power.[1]

Due to the artist character designer change in the Mega Man Zero series, Zero is given a design overhaul. His armor is lighter and more humanoid, and he's given a more streamlined helmet to present a much sleeker look. Unlike his previous form, Zero's arms cannot change into a buster form and instead keeps his weapons holstered around his body. The body Zero has in the Zero series is a brighter red than his original body exhibits.

Personality
Prior to his encounter with Sigma and becoming a Maverick Hunter, Zero was extremely violent and maniacal. He often unleashed feral screams and laughed psychotically, especially during his battle with Sigma.

Outwardly, Zero appears cold and emotionless to others, even towards partners X and Axl. However, it is shown that he has the capacity to care for others. Zero keeps his cool under most circumstances. No matter what his enemies do to him, he is always able to come up with a retort.

Zero has often displayed a tendency to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. He also shows distaste for innocent deaths. This is evidenced in his fighting against Neo Arcadia's ruthless policy against Reploids in the Zero series; he even personally promised to Sage Harpuia that no more Resistance soldiers would come to harm as long as he was around.

Even though Zero does not openly show it, he too seems to long for peace between humans and Reploids. However, he has said that he doesn't have any problems fighting, unlike his more pacifistic friend, X. Another notable trait of his is that, despite his great power, Zero views X as the superior Maverick Hunter and considers him a hero, though he doesn't see himself as such. A prime example of this show of respect was in Zero's ending in Mega Man X6: when the scientist who was performing his sealing process asked what would happen if the world faced another crisis; Zero firmly said that the world is in good hands (X's), even when he is gone.

He seems to have a great pride in his position as a Maverick Hunter, and even being the most serious of the three heroes from the X Series, Zero has a soft and friendly side giving quick smiles to his friends, especially X. He can also breakdown in the moments of his most difficult losses, like when Iris died.

In the Zero series, his personality has changed dramatically. Given that he's been in stasis, he is ignorant of some matters and confused about others, sometimes to the point he starts doubting or believing that he can't win. This is seen a couple of times. First when Ciel was kidnapped by a Golem and he was battling him with his Buster which was not doing too much damage, was slowly starting to lose hope until X gave him his Z-Saber back. Another example was when Dr. Weil told him he was a copy, causing him believe he was not the real Zero. He only gained his confidence back when X claimed he was indeed Zero, swapping roles so that X is the one that encourages Zero to fight instead of the other way around as it used to be during the X series.

Probably because of his amnesia, Zero became a much quieter and distant character, especially in the first game. Rarely prolonging a conversation and providing only quick answers. He keeps his expression serious throughout the series, rarely showing any other kind of emotion (Now he doesn't smile at all).

His moral code also seems to have changed between series. Although he was a heroic and proud Maverick Hunter in the X series, in the Zero series he became a soldier who will do whatever it takes to accomplish his missions. This includes questionable methods, from sacrificing the lives of CyberElves to gaining more advantages in missions, killing brainwashed soldiers and killing Baby Elves without seeking an alternative solution (although the first two are completely optional, the third isn't).

He goes far enough to not restrain himself from the possibility of killing a human, a taboo that any other protagonist of the franchise wouldn't have the courage to break. Which properly classifies him as an Anti-Hero, with the character admitting in Zero 4 that he has never seen himself as a hero (Although it's unknown if this was his thinking in the X series or if it's the consequence of his amnesia and new experiences in the Zero series).

Abilities
Zero is a very adept combatant on the battlefield. Originally, his power far exceeded X's (until X himself grew in power). His power as a robot from a past age is considerably exceptional in the Maverick Wars. In Mega Man X, Zero was equipped with a powerful buster weapon known as the Zero Buster, but from X2 and onward, Zero wields a melee weapon known as the Z-Saber, a sword with a blade composed of pure destructive energy, modeled after the lightsaber of Star Wars fame. It is for this reason that Zero is often used for seasoned players as he is required to fight up close rather than at a distance. His first playable appearance in Mega Man X3 is more or less essentially a future representation of how X will turn out, unleashing double charged shots and the almighty Z-Saber which fells bosses with a few mere swipes.

Unlike his comrades, Zero does not copy the powers/weapons of defeated Mavericks, but instead, learns special attacks known as Techniques (Hissatsu Waza, lit. Coup de grâce or "Sure-killing arts; a generic Japanese term for a special move") in the X series and as EX Skills in the Zero series, which are attacks based on techniques utilized by bosses. He does not require the use of a buster weapon as the attacks often utilize his hands or enhances his Z-Saber power by empowering the blade with elemental properties. The Zero Buster can be utilized from both arms, as evidenced by some gameplay and cutscene representations interchangeably showing the buster arm as being his left or right.

Unlike X, Zero cannot obtain performance-enhancing armors, with a few exceptions. This is due to the fact that during the time Zero was created, Dr. Wily could not prepare any future armor enhancing upgrades for him like Light had done for X, thus Zero's durability stayed consistent, making him a traditional Glass Cannon. Defined in SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (more so in terms of his bio), Zero appears to not be so overly strong (unless he wasn't infected first with the Sigma Virus when he was first found, as he was uncontrollable or in his Awakened Boss fight in X5) as his Marvel vs Capcom 3 power grid statistics gives his Stamina rating a 3/7, but his other stats (Strength, Speed, Intelligence and Energy Projection) a 5/7, with his Fighting Ability as a 7/7. This shows that what Zero lacks in raw strength with the absence of the virus he makes up for extreme fighting ability and skills in many other fields, enabling to out-duel/wear down nearly any foe, along with showing extreme adaptation to much of his battles (which also plays in hand with his versatile move list as of late). This is expressed in the aforementioned fighting games where Zero has low health and average attack, though many claim him to have some (if not many) of the best and longest combos (even loops or near/true infinites) out of all characters.

In Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Zero (like several characters from the original version to the revision), has had his power grid changed. His Stamina and Strength are now 2/7, his Intelligence a 3/7, and all the rest of his other stats are now 5/7. This shows that not only Zero puts more than just skill into his fighting ability, and that he uses all his speed and knowledge to back up his fighting prowess. His "Learned" intelligence also shows Zero tends to clear his mind during fights for better focus, and his 5/7 fighting ability while brought down to a reasonable level shows that while Zero only knows a single form of combat, he is no doubt a pure master of it.

The original X games, however, have Zero's Z-Saber be capable of destroying several normal enemies in a few blows. The fighting games seem to decrease it to give more balance, and coincidentally give a possible accurate description of Zero's statistics. Zero may also be aware of his low durability (in comparison to his comrades), and may also have enough skill to last in a fight to fight/parry off any hit that comes to him, describing more of his skill as a Master Swordsman. This makes him a rather unique Glass Cannon as he not only he's weak on defense and strong on offense like the other kinds in fiction, but Zero has skills in several other fields of battle with great ability to adapt to practically any opponent he fights; Glass Cannons usually have raw power, which Zero seems to lack often, putting him in the category of a "Gradual Grinder". And like the "Fragile Speedster" archetype of characters, Zero has also focused very well on speed.

Zero's long combos in fighting games seems to nod at his personality as well, taking note that he shows no mercy to his enemies as he basically never holds back on them, showing he always fights to the best of his ability. This shows that Zero is somewhat more powerful than he lets on in-universe.

Trivia

 * Capcom characters in Marvel vs. Capcom 3 don't follow the standards of Marvel's Power Grid. Zero's power grid statistics also change in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. (Strength and Stamina becomes 2/7, Intelligence becomes 3/7, and all other stats become 5/7). It should be kept in mind, that the crossover are non-canon and the Power Grid ratings are mere interpretations of the developers.
 * The bio states that Sigma discovered Zero in a cave, which is incorrect as he was found in a desolate laboratory by Gamma's unit, which met an unfortunate demise upon awakening him. Sigma however only fought Zero, and barely made it out alive at a terrible cost.
 * According to Keiji Inafune, he envisioned Zero as the new "Mega Man" and wanted him to be a playable character from the start. Keiji wanted to introduce something new and different to the franchise, but understanding that it would not be wise to completely go against everything that had already been established (also fearing that Zero's drastic appearance would receive a critical reaction), he did not mention this idea to his superior and submitted Zero as the sub character to Hayato Kaji's "Mega Man" (X) as originally intended.


 * Some say that Zero's final design was inspired by ProtoMan, which seems likely due to similarities in color and other similar details. Coincidentally, both have also been voiced by Ryoutarou Okiayu in Japanese, though only Zero has been consistently voiced by him via his X series appearances and crossovers.
 * Also coincidentally, the serial number for Proto Man is formed only by zeros (DLN-000):
 * This theory has been confirmed in an internal design document shown on the Rockman Unite event for the 30th anniversary that took place in Hirakata and Hanayashiki Parks.


 * In X4, Zero was actually going to have his own Ultimate Armor, known as "Mega Armor", instead of his Black Zero recolor. [13] This indirectly explains why the Black Zero is just a simple aesthetic change before becoming an actual upgrade in later games. (The special code for X's Ultimate Armor gives him a slight recolor, and finding a Light Capsule gives him the armor. Presumably, this would also the case with Zero if he actually had an Ultimate Armor.)
 * Since the revealing of Zero's origins from X4, a popular fan theory was that Zero was possibly involved actively in the Classic timeline after its events, from either spurring the creation of X, being activated in his earlier, violent and destructive personality against Mega Man, to being the cause of a "cataclysm" that marked the end of the Classic series. However, Keiji Inafune officially stated that Zero did not activate during the Classic series and had no active role on the events that transitioned to the X series whatsoever.
 * Although Zero and X aren't technically Reploids (robots based on X's schematics, "replicated androids"), as they are original androids from the past (technically making them "Robot Masters"), they are known as such because the term Reploid is used for all androids with human-like A.I, and for reasons of simplicity.
 * Being a creation of Dr. Wily, Zero could be considered his "son".
 * In his foreshadowing appearance in Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, Zero's silhouette is oddly shown with his upgraded frame as of Mega Man X2 instead of his default frame, as seen with the shape of his shoulder (styled akin to his shoulder guards). Though this was due to the upgraded frame being unusable at the time as Zero was still unruly before being sealed away.
 * In X1-X4, Zero's eyes are green in-game (even though his eyes were brown in his mugshot from X1) and blue in artworks. His eyes are completely changed to blue in X5 onward. His eyes are also green in Maverick Hunter X and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. In the Zero series, his eye colors range from black to purple.
 * Zero has been depicted with a full head of hair in manga form, but never in the video games. In the Rockman X manga, Zero's helmet is constantly removed, either by himself or due to the helmet being damaged in battle. He is shown to primarily keep his hair slicked back, although it appears more unkempt following larger battles. In the Rockman Zero manga, Zero's helmet is used as a signal to display his split personality syndrome; the cowardly inept personality appears without a helmet, and features loose unkempt hair, while his stoic combat-ready personality appears wearing the helmet. This later is the real personality of Zero.
 * The events during and after Zero 4 suggest that Zero has finally died for good; however, to this day, this was not officially confirmed (Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works claim his fate is still unknown). This would later be repeated in ZX Advent, where Model Z disappears under similar circumstances.
 * In X5, if the player looks carefully at the intro sequence, where there are green words scrolling down the screen, one of the words say "Wily".
 * In the X series, Zero is a Maverick Hunter fighting against insurgence and rebellions caused by Mavericks. In the Zero series, Zero joins the rebellion against the current government, in the process becoming labeled a Maverick himself.
 * Of all the characters to have appeared in the series, Zero is unique in that his Japanese voice actors differ in the series he appears in. In the X series, his voice actor is Ryōtarō Okiayu, while in the Zero series, his voice actor is Yuuto Kazama.
 * This change of voice could be on the fact that Zero's mind is transferred to a copy of his body that features a different voice chip.
 * It's rather interesting how Zero, a creation of Dr. Wily, actually ended up fulfilling Dr. Light's dream instead of Wily's - in conclusion of a lifetime fighting against hordes of Reploids based on Light's creation, no less, whose leaders and/or master manipulators often carried even darker ambitions than Wily.
 * Also interesting is how despite not being intended to be Three Laws compliant, at the end of Zero 4where Zero fights Weil, Zero unwittingly follows the fittingly named "Zeroth law", which was made to prevent robots from harming a human, unless said harm would benefit humanity in general.
 * Zero is one of the few main characters that actually disappear canonically with no apparent explanation (and the most famous, being that he's done it time and time over).
 * As Model Z, Zero is the only Biometal to actually attack when not MegaMerged, paralyzing opponents while not even wasting a drop of his energy.
 * Having been completed by Dr. Wily between the Classic and X series, Zero is the longest-lived robot in the Robot Continuity, with an (ultimate) age of termination of 300+: 100+ for the time between the Classic and Xseries, 200+ more for the Maverick and Elf wars, another 100+ for the inactive hibernation state in which he begins the Zero series, and three for the Zero series until Zero 3, where his original body was ultimately destroyed.
 * Zero, or some signature of Zero, appears in every series in the main timeline (in the classic series in Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, throughout the X and Zero series, in the ZX series as Model Z, and in the Legends series in the form of his Z-Saber/Zetsabre). He is the only character in the entire franchise that appears in (with the exeption of the Starforce series) every main series thus far. Additionally, he appears in Mega Man Network Transmission as Zero.EXE.


 * In Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Hawkeye refers to Zero as an "Angry space midget with a sword." Zero's win quotes mentions X as cunning, but also shares that X also lost to him. With Frank West, he calls him a civilian, and his win quotes when defeating Frank West refer to his camera as a "photo capture device". Zero likely refers to it in this technical sense because cameras in the future obviously look much different than the one Frank uses.
 * In both versions of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Zero will say, "Another souless copy." when facing himself in a mirror match. This is a possible reference to both X2 and X6.
 * The theme when Zero is discovered in X6 is a remastering of "Variable X" from the first X game.
 * In both versions of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, when Zero uses his Genmu Zero attack, if one sees Zero carefully, he will be emitting an aura similar to his Maverick state in X5 when he executes the attack.
 * Compared to other characters, Zero probably has the most love interests:
 * In X4, Zero and Iris are in love with each other.
 * In X8, Zero's Navigator, Layer, shows signs that she has a crush on him.
 * In the Zero series, Ciel has feelings for him. Also, Fairy Leviathan of the Four Guardians frequently flirts with him prior to their battles.
 * Despite the many love interests, it's never been officially stated that Zero had romantic feelings for them in return, although he seemed to regard Iris with the most emotion.
 * Grolla Seyfarth, a character from a Japanese doujin soft series, Rosenkreuzstilette, bears many allusions to Zero from the Mega Man Zero series.
 * This is actually somewhat ironic, as Grolla's nemesis, Iris Sepperin, resembles Ciel slightly in appearance, but takes after Copy X and X series final bosses Redips and Lumine in status and personality.
 * In Mega Man X6, Zero gets a new sprite sheet (as he uses a new beam sabre).
 * In Mega Man X4 and X5, Zero gives a thumbs up after defeating a Maverick. However, in Mega Man X6, Zero simply stands stoically before beaming out. This is probably because of the sprite sheet change in said game, as stated above, and the same "stoic stance" pose also appears in Mega Man Xtreme 2.
 * In Mega Man Zero series, Zero suffers from retrograde amnesia. Retrograde amnesia is characterized by the inability to access memories prior to the time the memory damage occurred. The time period affected can be very variable, leading to forgetting a few days or a lifetime. This type of amnesia do not affect the ability to create new memories. Other types of memory are also intact, such as implicit memory - automatic processes as changing the gear of a car - and procedural memory - a motor memory, such as cycling. Amnesia patients retain their personality and identity, along with their implicit, or procedural, memory. For example a patient with retrograde amnesia can still play a piano (implicit memory), but probably he can't describe his first recital (explicit memory).
 * Zero appeared in an episode of the Screwattack web-series Death Battle, where he fought against Dr. Eggman's creation of Metal Sonic in Metal Sonic VS Zero. In the end, Zero won due to his superior durability, strength, comparable speed, and weapon variety, as well as Metal Sonic simply not having the means to put down Zero for good.
 * Also, both Dr. Eggman and Dr. Wily appeared in a previous episode, their battle was outmatched by Metal Hazard, so the fans say Zero vs Metal Sonic is a spiritual sequel. And both Zero an Metal Sonic are related to each other, in one thing, is that both were created to outpower the doctors nemesis (Mega Man and Sonic the Hedgehog, respectively).
 * If the time of Zero's creation is considered, he can be considered a Robot Master.