Bios


Megaman X

Name: Mega Man X
Japanese Name: Rockman X
Affiliation: Maverick Hunters
Weapon of Choice: Plasma Shots
Appearances: All Games
Current Status: Alive, Active

Character History
X was created by Dr. Light in the year 20XX and sealed in a capsule for diagnostic testings. Being the first robot able to think for himself, Light was afraid of the possible bad choices X could make. The 30 year diagnostics test was to confirm his reliabilty. He was discovered 100 years later by Dr. Cain, who found him intruiging and imitated his design by making Reploids. Once Mavericks started breaking out, X was unsure of his place in the world and insecure about his abilities. Once Sigma, the leader of the Maverick Hunters went Maverick himself, X felt it necessary to join with Zero and take Sigma down. But upon confrontation with Vile, X began to doubt his abilities. Zero reassured him, and X went to face the Mavericks. When invading Sigma's Base, X and Zero once again came face to face with Vile. Zero and X were both captured, and Zero lept from his cage and initiated the self-destruct sequence to save X and give him a chance. It was at this time that Zero witnessed X's power, and wished him luck as he went to battle Sigma.
X beat Sigma, but the war was far from over. X was launched into the leadership position of the Hunters and over the next six months, the Hunters tracked down the remaining Mavericks. This led to the X-Hunters, a group that wished to destroy X, using the parts of Zero as bait. X gathered Zero's part and destroyed the X-Hunters, then discovering Sigma behind the plot all along. X once again destroyed Sigma as his newly reconstructed friend Zero went to destroy the central computer that Sigma had been using.
At this point X found himself inside a very familiar world, as the one of his first encounter. A hacker named Techno had invaded the Hunters' mother computer and was using the data of previous Mavericks against the organization. With the help of Middy, X went into cyberspace to wipe out this threat and discovered that Sigma had "influenced" Techno. When X accidentally destroyed Techno, the revelation came that Middy was his twin brother. Destroying Techno wiped out Middy as well, which was a crushing blow to X's emotions. For vengence, he challenged Sigma once again and defeated him.
There was a period of peace afterwards, as Doppler found the cure for the Maverick Virus. But just as the Hunters were starting to rest easy, Doppler's anti-virus was revealed as a plaecebo and there was a large-scale Maverick outbreak. X once again combatted the Mavericks alongside Zero, and (after once again dispatching Vile) discovered from Doppler himself that Sigma's true form is that of the virus, and that is the reason Sigma never dies. Doppler had been infected with the virus, and constructed a huge battle body for Sigma. X once again faced Sigma and defeated him, despite Doppler's battle body. It was then revealed that it would be X's destiny to destroy his friend Zero one day.
After this, the Repliforce War broke out, the Maverick Hunters judging a faction of Reploids as Mavericks without good reason. X, as a Maverick Hunter, hunted the Repliforce and destroyed it's top officers Colonel and General, along with a spy from Sigma named Double. He became angry when he discovered that Sigma had set up the entire war, and he once again destroyed the villain. This time, though, he was beginning to doubt his ability to remain sane, and he told Zero that if he ever were to go Maverick that Zero would have to take care of him.

With the Repliforce wiped out and peace restored, the Hunters hired several new officers. With their help, the next plan of Sigma was handled well. Alia spotted X as he hunted down the Sigma Virus, and accidentally spread it all over Earth. This, it turns out, had been Sigma's plan. In addition to this, Sigma crashed the space colony Eurasia to spread the virus further, in order to awaken Zero's true self. Under one story possibility, X faced off with Zero after he ignored orders to report back to Base for a full physical check on his virus readings. In the other story possibility, the overwhelming amount of the virus caused Zero to go Maverick, exposing his true self. In both possibilities, Zero saved X once again as Sigma tried to destroy him. Sigma retreated, and X went after him. Sigma revealed to him that Zero's true form is the infected one; that's how he began. Zero, it turned out, had spread the virus to Sigma during a fateful battle in the cave. Sigma also spoke of a new ally who built a body for Sigma. This ally sounded like Dr. Wily, but X seemed ignorant of who this person was. Once beaten, Sigma claimed he would take down Zero with him. As X and Zero both lay damaged from Sigma's massive explosion, X stood over Zero's battered body, hoping for signs of life. Sigma's remains then fired a blast straight through X and Zero. Zero revived for just a moment, destroying Sigma's remains and then passing away. X was badly injured, and Dr. Light miraculously healed him. Under one possibility, X kept Zero's sabre to preserve his memory, claiming that they would be together forever as long as he held that sabre in battle. Under the other possibility, Dr. Light removed X's painful memories of Zero as he was healing them. It seems, since X has the Z-Sabre in Mega Man X6, that the "correct" possibility is the first one.
In short, X went from the source of all Reploids to the leader of the Maverick Hunters, and was then appointed leader of the 17th Unit, destroying Sigma all the while.

Character Analysis
X has shown the most development of any character. His inner conflict about fighting has always been a nagging doubt. But over time he's turned this conflict into a sense of duty for taking care of the Mavericks that wouldn't exist were it not for him. Still, he remains compassionate. His rank in the Hunters remains a B Class rank despite his great skill, simply because of this conflict.
Despite being B Class, he has limitless potential and amazing power. No mechanics or programmers can fully understand his innerworkings. He's the most complicated of all robots, despite the fact that he is the original. Light's design is superior to Cain's.
With his great remorse for Reploids comes great trust, sometimes too much so. He trusted Mac and Magma Dragoon, both of whom betrayed him. He first shows a bit of mistrust in Mega Man X4, in which he questions the integrity of Colonel and asks him to disarm. In Mega Man X5, he shows more distrust, being wary of all the Reploids he faces on his hunt for the Enigma and Shuttle parts, even if he's not sure that they're infected. He's grown in maturity and ability to distinguish a need for distrust.
Still, though, he shows great compassion for those he must destroy, and especially those who were needlessly destroyed. He's seen it several times, and while other Hunters like Zero have grown cold to witnessing this, X has not. He remains compassionate no matter what.

Name Analysis
The name "Mega Man" in X's namesake is the most common reason people assume that X is in fact the original Mega Man. But he is only referred to in this way in Mega Man X3, and even then only occasionally. In every other game, he is referred to simply as "X."
The name X leaves open to interpretation, especially in the realm of Algebraic equations. As most who have taken an Algebra course know, "x" is a common variable (probably the most common variable). A "variable," for those who don't know, is a letter value that can stand for any number. X, as a character, has limitless potential, which is reflected in the algebraic name.
Say that potential, or energy, can be measured in digits. X's would be infinite, both as a character and as a math variable. As you perhaps know already, infinity cannot be added to or subtracted from and change the value. Infinity is infinity, no matter what, so x is always infinity.

Future Appearances
X is the hero of the series, so it's quite obvious that he'll be appearing again, and several times. His next two appearances will be in the upcoming Mega Man X6 and Mega Man Xtreme 2.

Guide Information
Zero Virus stage 3: This stage is pretty short, and the main danger is in the spikes. Air-dashing is a must here. Don't be too afraid to run into enemies on the wire area. It's long, but you should have enough life to withstand the attacks. Before long, you'll find your way to the boss.
X Strategy: As Zero in Mega Man X5, you battle against X. He's not too difficult. He can change his color and use attacks from Mega Man X4. These don't pose too much of a danger. Slash at him like crazy as Zero, using your Crescent Slash often.


Zero

Name: Zero
Japanese Name: Zero
Affiliation: Maverick Hunters
Weapon of Choice: Beam Sabre
Appearances: All Games
Current Status: Dead, Inactive

Character History
Zero was created during the 21st century by Dr. Wily, who had tried to take over the world many times by building robots. These would always be stopped by Light's creation, Mega Man. After several failed attempts, and the disobedience of his most powerful creation, Bass, he decided to make Zero who could both destroy Mega Man and Bass for his insolence. Somehow, 100 years later Zero ended up in a cave as a Maverick, having destroyed the unit of Gamma. At this point he was likely infected with the Zero Virus, but it's unknown if Wily purposely gave it to him. After a fierce battle with Sigma, the leader of the Maverick Hunters at the time, Zero had a glitch from this virus and malfunctioned for a moment, giving Sigma the edge. Sigma disabled him and ordered his men to take Zero back to Dr. Cain and have him studied. Over the next few months, Zero was taken under Sigma's wing. When Sigma went Maverick himself, most likely under the influence of Zero's virus, Zero stepped up to take down his former mentor. After sacrificing himself to let X destroy Vile, his parts were gathered by the X-Hunters for the Unification. In the end, X succeeded in being reunited with his friend, and Zero paved the way for X to go beat Sigma as he himself went to destroy the central computer. During the mother computer fiasco, Zero assited X occassionally in battle and emotionally when X was hurt by the loss of Middy and Techno. Now working as a partner to X instead of a teacher, they took down Doppler together. Under one possibility, Zero attached Doppler's anti-virus to his sabre and saved X at the last minute as the Sigma Virus came after him. Soon after, Zero befriended Colonel and Iris, brother and sister in the Repliforce. Emotions started to develop about Iris, but Zero never admitted them. When the coup started, Zero was overcome with rage and a sense of duty about the war, and Hunted down members of the Repliforce, including Colonel. When Iris learned that Zero had gone against her wishes and destroyed her brother, she was driven mad despite her overwhelming feelings towards Zero. She chose to battle him, to which Zero had no choice but to defend himself. When he had beaten her, he rushed to her side. It was too late, though. She revealed her feelings to him, and then passed away. He screamed in anguish as he held her lifeless body, asking what he was fighting for. This spurred him on for a fierce battle when he fought Sigma, and he defeated him once again. During his escape, though, he was reminded of recent dreams of Wily and destroyed Reploids and Iris, and he wondered what the meaning was. He also wondered if someday he was going to be a Maverick. His dreams continued during the Sigma Virus outbreak as he battled against it. All throughout, though, he wondered why he was not affected by such close contact with the virus. Lifesaver and Signas wondered as well. Being the last pilot left from the Hunters, he piloted the Shuttle toward the Eurasia space colony to remove the threat. Under one possibility, the mission was a success, but the scraps of the colony's crash spread the Zero Virus all over Earth. In another possibility, Zero was infected with the virus after being bombarded with it, and he chose try to destroy X. But if he did go Maverick, he came to his senses after a battle with X. If he didn't go Maverick, he battled X because his friend would not trust him, and he felt betrayed that X had looked at his virus readings. Either way, he protected X when Sigma tried to kill him when he was hurt. When he challenged Sigma, the villain revealed his relationship with Dr. Wily, Zero's creator, saying that Zero had seen the man in his dreams. Zero refused to yield to the virus, and Sigma revealed that he wasn't talking about merely being infected, but about exposing Zero for what he truly was. Zero claimed his willingness to die if Sigma would die with him. After Sigma's defeat, though, he threatened to take X down with him. Zero commanded Sigma to leave X out of their conflict, but Sigma exploded and damaged both X and Zero (Zero much more severely). As X clutched Zero's body, Sigma's remains attacked once more, punching a hole through X and Zero. Zero awakened for just a moment, firing at Sigma and finishing him off. With that, he remembered his life and realized what he had been built for, and decided that he had to die to restore the peace. X now carries his sabre as a memento of his friend.

Character Analysis
Zero is usually pretty cold around death. He's witnessed countless deaths of innocents and those influenced by the Sigma Virus, but he never even batted an eyelash. In fairness, he has witnessed countless deaths, many by his hands, and many of innocents when he was a Maverick. Having to put this behind him could've influenced his inability to become emotional when he witnesses death. The only time he's broken down during the entire series was during Iris' death. This one was unique in that it affected him, as it was his love. Despite his cold exterior, he couldn't contain his anguish when she died. Still, he is ruthless when it comes to Mavericks, and seems desensitized to their pain. If he's ordered to kill them, or if it's required to complete the mission, he'll do it readily. Zero probably knew that Colonel and General didn't have bad intentions, but the Hunters had ordered their disposal. While X felt guilty about having to take down these innocents, Zero did it for the mission. To his friends, though, Zero is friendly and self-sacrificing. He's always the first to volunteer when a dangerous situation comes that may mean his death. It would seem that due to his memories, he doesn't hold much value in life, and is always willing to sacrifice it for a greater good, whether it be for the fate of the entire Earth or simply for a friend.

Name Analysis
Zero's name is sometimes portrayed as "Zer0" in Japan, or just the number "0." Other than keeping with the theme of naming robots after numbers, Zero sounds almost like a prototype seriel number. X, remember, was the first. This could mean "model x" or other such, meaning the first of his kind, which he was. Zero was also a prototype, modelled after X, as the first robot of his type created by Wily. Also, the number "zero" has a set value, unlike the variable of "x." Zero has a set power which isn't upgradable, even though it is powerful enough that it doesn't matter. Also, the number 0 has historical significance in that it took longer for those making the Arabic numeral system to come up with. They had thought of the regular numbers, like 1, 2, 3, etc., but they hadn't thought of the absense of numerical value. Zero was one of the last numbers ever inserted into the Arabic number system.

Future Appearances
Zero's death in Mega Man X5 seemed pretty final, but word has it X is searching for him in Mega Man X6. He may be making a return in it. If not, though, we always know that he'll be appearing in the upcoming Mega Man Xtreme 2 as a playable character.

Guide Information

Mega Man X2 Encounter
Zero Strategy: Zero isn't necessarily the first boss. If you collected all his pieces back when you fought the X-Hunters, you don't have to fight him at all. If you do, though, here's the strategy. Use your powered up X-Buster or the Speed Burner. The S. Burner is the only weapon that damages him at all. He'll simply block the rest. The key to beating Zero is clinging to the wall and being fast. Unless you have a clear shot, which will be very inoften, don't get on the ground level. Stay clung to the wall as much as you can. This will let you avoid his three shots in a row, which can do serious damage if you're in front of the blasts. He'll then dash over to the side that you're on. When he starts dashing, Air Dash to the other wall. If you don't, you'll be injured by his next attack. He hits the ground and makes rocks rise up and hit you if you're anywhere near them. The other side of the screen, though, should be safe. The Speed Burner actually does better than the X-Buster, as it can penetrate his defenses. If you fire the Speed Burner, and then he fires his triple blast, the fire will dissipate, but there will be a bit underneath that still goes through to him and takes off significant damage. Keep dodging and hitting him as much as you can, and don't be afraid to use a Sub-Tank. You'll probably need one for Zero, and it's a lot more likely that you'll need one for him than either of the forms of Sigma.

Mega Man X5 Encounter
Zero Virus stage 3: This stage is pretty short, and the main danger is in the spikes. Air-dashing is a must here. Don't be too afraid to run into enemies on the wire area. It's long, but you should have enough life to withstand the attacks. Before long, you'll find your way to the boss.
Zero Strategy: As X, you face Zero in the Zero Virus stage. Just keep near the walls and make sure you charge up your Buster often. Zero's most dangerous attack is one that covers most of the screen, with small gaps between each blue pillar of light. It's hard to dodge, but not impossible. Zero is much harder if he went Maverick earlier in the game. His speed goes up and he becomes trickier, but utilize the same strategies to beat him and don't be afraid to use your Sub-Tanks.


Vile

Name: Vile
Japanese Name: Vava
Affiliation: Mavericks
Weapon of Choice: Ride Armor, Shoulder Cannon
Appearances: Mega Man X, Mega Man X3
Current Status: Deceased

Character History
Vile was in the Maverick Hunters Unit 17, the best of the best. Despite this, he was an incredibly violent Hunter, and was shut down as a punishment. When Sigma began his revolt, he reactivated Vile, using him in his war against the humans. From there, he was Sigma's right-hand man, using his vicious attitude and powerful Ride Armor to defend and destroy. When he was confronted by X, he simply captured him and laughed until Zero blew off one of the arms of his Ride Armor. He escaped on a ship, only to face X and Zero once again later. Zero was captured, and X followed. But Zero sacrificed himself to destroy Vile's Ride Armor. With this advantage removed, X destroyed Vile. When he was reconstructed by Doppler, his mind was overcome with rage and virus infection, causing him to go completely mad with vengence for X. He faced him once again, but was again defeated. As he died, he vowed to haunt X till the day he dies.

Character Analysis
Vile at first was merely a cocky part of Sigma's organization. He saw the Ride Armor as his ace of spades, and he laughed at anyone who challenged him. The first time he realized that he was vulnerable was when Zero blew off his arm. He ran away, getting a new arm (or a whole new Ride Armor), and once again became cocky about his chances. Even when X absorbed a great amount of power, Vile decided that it didn't matter even though his Ride Armor had been destroyed. When Doppler repaired him, he once again looked to his Armor as his greatest advantage, using a modified Kangaroo and then the powerful Goliath. Even so, he didn't really seem to care if he died taking down X. He blew an entire small compound, hoping X wouldn't escape in time. This just shows how insane he had gone.

Name Analysis
The word "vile" has several meanings according to the dictionary, but only one in entirety seems to fit Vile's character to a tee: "Morally depraved; ignoble or wicked." Vile has no moral standard. The odds are constantly stacked against his foes when he stands proudly in his large armored walkers, but he doesn't care. He has no sense of being a good sport in battle, is not noble at all, and is definately wicked.

Future Appearances
Vile vowed to haunt X, but he seems to be taking his time. His appearance in Mega Man Xtreme wasn't really a reappearance as much as it was a port of his old form. Capcom has said that five bosses from previous games will be appearing in Mega Man X6, so we might be seeing him soon.

Guide Information

Mega Man X Encounter
Highway stage: Basically a warm-up for the rest of the game, this stage should be fairly easy. Dispatch your first few enemies through frequent charging of your X-Buster. Before long, you'll find your real threat; a large bee robot. Keep charging your Buster and firing to take it down. A mid-range charge of the Buster is enough to destroy the walker robots that it drops toward you. Eventually it will be destroyed, and you can climb up the wall leading toward the rest of the stage. You'll have one more bee encounter as you progress, but it can be taken down in the same manner. After a bit, you'll reach the stage "boss," Vile. He's impossible to beat. You can fight if you'd like to, but it won't do any good. Eventually he'll prevail and a story sequence will save you.
Vile Strategy: Like the first time, Vile will eventually trap you. Also like the first time, Zero will bail you out of trouble. But this time you have to take on Vile himself. His armored carrier has been destroyed, but he remains. Luckily, your life will be fully recharged before you do battle. The Homing Torpedo is the best weapon to use against him. Fire off about two at a time and then concentrate on dodging until those hit him, at which time you should fire off two more. Simply jumping over his net attack and when he charges at you isn't hard. Sometimes he'll hover over you and fire down energy blasts that will trace the ground. These aren't hard to jump over, with a well-placed Dash-Jump. In time, the Homing Torpedos will get the best of him, and victory will be yours.

Mega Man X3 Encounter
Vile Encounter Strategy: Before you get to Vile, you'll need to go through a sort of mini-stage to get to him. There will be a few small enemies and some debris falling from the ceiling, but none of this should be a problem. Once you get to him, he'll be in a huge riding armor that looks sort of like the Kangaroo armor. This is simple to defeat, and you should use your X-Buster. Charge it up while clinging to the wall. He'll charge at it. Air Dash off the wall and go to the next one just as he is about to hit the wall with his clawed fist. Fire, and get back onto the wall. Keep this process up, and the armor will be gone. With his riding armor destroyed, he'll face you by himself. To defeat him, use your X-Buster. To destroy him, use the Spinning Blade. His pattern is, once again, simple. He'll fire off a fire attack that will roll towards you. Air Dash over it, or Dash-Jump if you have to. Then, stay in one location until he starts to fire his rapid shots, and then move. This will make them all miss you. Fire at him after he's done with his rapid shots and fire shot, and he'll eventually go down. After this, though, you have to get out of the place as soon as possible. You'll have 50 seconds to get out before the entire place explodes. Remember to dash as much as you can, and don't worry about being hurt by the enemies. Don't concentrate on hurting them. That will just waste time. Dash through them. Don't try to get the energy or life, since that will waste time too. Keep your Buster charged to take out the blockade enemies that will block your path. Don't wait for the elevator; just climb up the wall. The elevator takes too long. After this, some of the floors will fall. Dash past them, and Dash-Jump past the large pit at the end of one of them. Take the yellow capsule at the end to escape, and you'll enter back into whatever level you came from.
Vile in Goliath Strategy: Vile follows the same basic strategy he did when you first battled him. Don't let the Goliath intimidate you. Just climb on the wall. When he charges at you, Dash-Jump or Air Dash off the wall. Hit him and dash to the other wall. Then repeat the process. The Parasitic Bomb and Tornado Fang do the most damage against the Goliath. Once you destroy the Goliath, Vile will challenge you himself. Use the Spinning Blade against this incarnation. As with the Goliath, this is exactly like the first time you battled him, if you did. Air Dash over his fire waves, and then stay still until he starts firing. From there, dash onto the wall to dodge. This will assure you're not hit at all. Fire at him with your Spinning Blades every time he gets done firing, and he'll fall quickly.

Mega Man Xtreme Encounter
Highway stage: Basically a warm-up for the rest of the game, this stage should be fairly easy. Dispatch your first few enemies through frequent charging of your X-Buster. Before long, you'll find your real threat; a large bee robot. Keep charging your Buster and firing to take it down. A mid-range charge of the Buster is enough to destroy the walker robots that it drops toward you. Eventually it will be destroyed, and you can climb up the wall leading toward the rest of the stage. You'll have one more bee encounter as you progress, but it can be taken down in the same manner. After a bit, you'll reach the stage boss.
Vava Strategy: Vava (Vile's untranslated name) is a pretty easy boss. Just keep charging your X-Buster and Dash-Jumping over him when he charges at you. A charged Buster shot incurrs a lot of damage to him, so he should go down pretty easily.


Signas

Name: Signas
Japanese Name: Signas
Affiliation: Maverick Hunters
Weapon of Choice: None
Appearances: Mega Man X5
Current Status: Alive, Active

Character History
When the previous commander of the Maverick Hunters resigned out of guilt for the Repliforce War, Signas was chosen to take the reigns. He was a young commander with almost no experience, but he had an incredibly precise CPU, and was confident of his abilities. Soon after he became Commander of the Hunters, the Sigma Virus emergency broke out. Signas handled it professionally, always remaining cool in tough situations and never letting emotion destroy his ability to find the best strategy. The Sigma Virus situation handled, Signas continues to hold his position as Commander.

Character Analysis
Signas' precise CPU shows itself all throughout Mega Man X5. Even when confronted with the toughest of situations, he kept calm and knew what orders to give. Unlike Alia, Signas seems to have a bit of a religious side to him, showing faith when X showed up healed, and referring to it as a "miracle." His faith does not make him naive, though, as he is incredibly good with tough situations, and handles them very well.

Name Analysis
Signas seems to have no signifigance other than simply being his name.

Future Appearances
With Mega Man X6 just around the corner and no known hinderance of Signas' ability to continue his service with the Hunters, it's likely that we'll see his again soon.


Dynamo

Name: Dynamo
Japanese Name: Dynamo
Affiliation: Mercenary
Weapon of Choice: Double-edged Beam Sabre, Plasma Shots
Appearances: Mega Man X5
Current Status: Alive

Character History
Dynamo was hired by Sigma to help his execution of the plan to spread the virus all over Earth. Once Sigma had executed the plan, Dynamo's job was to slow down the progress of X and Zero as they gathered parts for the Enigma cannon and the Shuttle, both of which were intended to stop the colony's crash, which was an integral part of the virus plan. Despite his arrogant claims, he turned tail and ran when X and Zero brought him to the realization that he could die. What he did afterwards is currently unknown.

Character Analysis
Dynamo is arrogant, but not cruel like most of X and Zero's foes are. He would talk to them like a friend would, and play his battles out like they were for sport. Although he claims total allegiance to Sigma, he doesn't seem to have anything personal against the Hunters, so it seems doubtful that Sigma infected him with the virus. His running away seems to indicate cowardice, but it also signifies intelligence. Other foes that X and Zero have faced have died, being unwilling to run away even when things looked slim for their victory. Dynamo was smart enough to live to fight another day.

Name Analysis
Dynamo most likely gets his name from one definition of the word which means an extremely energetic or forceful person, which Dynamo certainly is.

Future Appearances
Dynamo ran away so that he could live. It stands to reason that we'll be seeing him again in Mega Man X6.

Guide Information
Dynamo Encounters Strategy: You'll face Dynamo twice during the game. Once after you've beaten two of the Maverick bosses, and again once you've beaten six of the Mavericks.
As X: Dynamo isn't too hard with X. Using the Fourth or Ultimate armor, keep charging your Buster and letting him have it. Jump over his spinning boomerang, and then duck to avoid it coming back (or vice-versa if he does it in that fashion). The second time you face him he'll use an air-slash attack when he jumps over you, and will sometimes pause in mid-air to release blue energy beams. These are both easy to dodge. Simply to not attack him from the air when he jumps over you to avoid the air-slash, and get between the blue energy beams. He's rather simple, really.
As Zero: For however easy Dynamo is with X, he's ten times easier with Zero, as long as you have the Crescent Slash. Keep using it on Dynamo and he'll fall easily. Dodge his attacks in the same way you would with X, but keep slashing. You should be able to take him out quickly.


Double

Name: Double
Transformed Name: Jello Man
Japanese Name: Double
Affiliation: Maverick Hunters/Maverick Spy
Weapon of Choice: Plasma Shots
Appearances: Mega Man X4
Current Status: Deceased

Character History
Double, "the rookie Hunter," appeared as if out of no where and offered to help X. Having no reason to suspect him, X trusted Double as he worked as an officer under X, giving him information on the Mavericks' locations. While X was heading toward the Spaceport, though, Double revealed his true form of Jello Man, and destroyed several Hunters of X's 17th Unit. X then met up with Double at the Final Weapon, who revealed his true form and tried to destroy X. He failed, however, and finally revealed to X as he died that he had been a spy all along.

Character Analysis
Double's first form of the pudgy little helper is cute and non-threatening, probably why X didn't suspect him of any wrong-doing. He's clumsy, but he seems harmless and lovable. This cover fit perfectly, though, as he surprised everyone when he revealed his Jello Man form. It's stated that he's the creation of Dr. Cain, so either this was to throw the audience off the trail of suspicion, or he was corrupted by Sigma. It's also unknown why Capcom chose to call him "Jello Man" on their official site, but might have to do with his transforming abilities.

Name Analysis
Double's name, of course, reflects his split personality. While he pretended to be one person, he was a different one completely. In both personality and forms he is a "double."

Future Appearances
In view of the entire series, Double doesn't come of great significance. He was a spy. He was brought to justice. That's basically it. Since he plays somewhat of a minor role in the series as a whole, and based on the fact that he was destroyed by X, he probably won't be back. It seems unlikely that he will appear in Mega Man X6 or beyond, but Capcom has announced that five bosses from previous games will be reappearing, so the chance still exists.

Guide Information
Double (Jello Man) Strategy: This is the only boss in the game that only X faces, so there is no "Zero Strategy." Double really isn't extremely hard for such an intimidating figure. Charge your X-Buster and stay clung to the top of the wall. He'll charge at the floor, and then over at the wall. When he starts to charge at the wall, do an Air Dash or Dash-Jump away from the wall, and cling to the other one. This is also your opportunity to shoot him. He'll probably just keep up this pattern for a long time, and you can take him out using this method. He'll also occasionally fire off a round energy ball. But this is easy to dodge with a simple Dash-Jump. Also, whenever it becomes brutally obvious to him that he doesn't stand a chance, he'll start to use two huge slashes that will cover almost the entire screen. Dash under the first one, and then climb high on the wall to avoid the second.


Alia

Name: Alia
Japanese Name: Aeria
Affiliation: Maverick Hunters
Weapon of Choice: None
Appearances: Mega Man X5
Current Status: Alive, Active

Character History
Alia began her career as a simple researcher in Reploid engineering. A quick learner, she soon mastered all programming languages and was chosen on these merits to be a spotter for the Hunters. Alia then served as the Hunters' spotter during the Sigma Virus outbreak, while simultaneously lending her technical talents to the cause by uploading and letting X utilize his two new armors, the Falcon and Gaea armor. She supported the Hunters throughout the ordeal until it was resolved.

Character Analysis
Alia is always cool and confident, even when faced with difficult situations. Her only emotional confrontation was during the Enigma and Shuttle launches, and when she urged X not to go to the Virus coordinates as it was too dangerous. This emotion, though, was still controlled by a calm forefront. This cool exterior, though, also leads to skepticism, as she doubts a miracle of X's incredible healing. She remains confident in her skills, though, knowing that she's the best of the best as she stands amazed at a program that could prevent any new input about Zero. Even she could not program that code, she admits. And while she refuses to call this a "miracle," she does admit it is yet another mystery about X's structure.

Name Analysis
"Alia" isn't a word or an acronym, so it's doubtful that it means anything beyond a simple name. It has been suggested as a possibility, though, that her Japanese counterpart name "Aeria" could be a pun of the English word "area," which would corrospond to her job title in being a navigator for the Hunters.

Future Appearances
With Mega Man X6 just around the corner and no known hinderance of Alia's ability to continue her service with the Hunters, it's likely that we'll see her again soon.


Colonel

Name: Colonel
Japanese Name: Colonel
Affiliation: Repliforce
Weapon of Choice: Beam Sabre
Appearances: Mega Man X4
Current Status: Deceased

Character History
Colonel was one of the major players of the Repliforce War, and his stubborness, along with that of the Maverick Hunters, caused the needless battle. When the Sky Lagoon fell and Colonel was discovered near it, he refused to disarm and come back to Hunter Base for questioning, even though doing so could've cleared his name and that of the entire Repliforce organization. A war ensued after his commanding officer, General, decided to backlash by forming a colony exclusively for Reploids. The entire Repliforce was then incorrectly judged as Mavericks, and defeated. Colonel was killed defending the spaceport that led to the Final Weapon. His defeat drove his loving sister Iris nearly insane, and she too had to be destroyed as a Maverick when Zero defended himself against her.

Character Analysis
Despite his mistaken stubborness, Colonel was an honorable soldier, and never went against that. There were two things that Colonel was completely devoted to; the Repliforce, and his sister. He wanted to protect his sister, but let her have his freedom, especially when he knew she was in the safe supervision of Zero. In his loyalty to the Repliforce, Colonel served to back up General's statements and speeches, and was the main line of defense for the Repliforce's plan for the utopia. He truly believed in the place just for Reploids to live in peace, and fought for it bravely. To bring down the General's plan for a perfect world, a Hunter would have to go through him first. Colonel was defeated in battle, but died happy, thinking that the Repliforce's plans for the utopian space colony would finally be secure. He was wrong, but he couldn't possibly have known that at the time that he was defeated.

Name Analysis
Like General, Colonel's namesake comes from his rank in the Repliforce, and means nothing more. Cain Labs, which concieved and made all the soldiers of the Repliforce, probably named him Colonel for ease of naming purposes, knowing when they designed him that he would be a commanding officer.

Future Appearances
Colonel was destroyed for a purpose, and bringing him back would cheapen that purpose, and not make much story-telling sense. Capcom could bring him back, but it's not necessary and very unlikely.

Guide Information
Colonel Face-off Strategy: After you've beaten four of the Maverick Bosses with X or Zero, Colonel will challenge you to a battle at Memorial Hall. With Zero, it's taken care of through an FMV, and you don't have to battle. This is a strategy to follow if you're playing with X, with whom you will have to battle Colonel. There are no enemies at Memorial Hall, only Colonel. It helps to have your Leg Upgrade and your Arm Upgrade going into this battle. Also, if you have the Body Upgrade, you might want to use your Nova Strike against him. Colonel isn't extremely hard, but he isn't a piece of cake either. To beat him, you need to learn his patterns. The good news is that his patterns are repetitive and easy to remember. The bad news is that there are no walls to cling on to. His primary attack is to fire off a few shots, high and low. Since there are no walls to cling to, you need to jump at just the right moment to dodge the higher shot. Jump to avoid both. He'll then vanish. Wait a moment after he does this, and then Dash-Jump away from wherever you're standing. He'll charge over to one side of the room. This is your opportunity to fire. Then he'll start firing off his high and low blasts again. Keep repeating this process until he's gone.
Spaceport stage:
As X: The beginning of this stage is filled with armed robot guards. Charging your X-Buster and Dash-Jumping over them when possible can get you through without a scratch, and by now you're probably practiced enough to do just that. Before long, you'll find some hovering shield robots. Take them out when they face the wrong direction, and charge your Buster to take out the wheel and armed robots ahead. Keep your X-Buster charged as you climb up the stairs and the ramps afterwards in order to get up the level. Before long, you'll find the doorway to the boss.
As Zero: In this level you have to simply remember that the Kuuenzan attack is your best friend in the world. Now that you have the Tenkuuha technique added to your Saber, spinning with the Kuuenzan renders you invulnerable, while using an attack that destroys enemies. Go through the level using it as much as possible. Slash the shielded hovering robots when they're facing the wrong way, and make your way up the ladder using the Kuuenzan again. Before you know it, you'll find your way to the boss.
Colonel Strategy (2nd encounter):
As X: This battle is much like the first one. He uses most of the same moves, and you should follow the same strategies. This time, though, there are walls to cling onto, which help tremendously. One of his new attacks is to stand in the center and have four lightning bolts fall from the skies. This is fairly easy to avoid. Cling to the wall, and jump in between two of the small bolts when they're laying on the ground. This way, you be in between them when the real attack starts coming. When his life gets down to the yellow area, he'll use a large sword slash attack. To avoid it, just cling high to the wall. If Colonel has a weakness in the special weapons, it's the Frost Shield. Get on the wall over him and use it when he gets near you. It will fall on top of him for quite a bit of damage.
As Zero: As with most bosses, Colonel is much more challenging with Zero. It's not in that he uses different or more powerful moves, but in the fact that Colonel is a lot easier when you can fight him from a distance. No techniques in particular seem to work well against him, but as they can be used infinately, it's fun to mix them up and show you're skill. The Kuuenzan can be effective. It doesn't hurt him any more than any other technique, but using it in conjunction with your Kuuenbu double jump can help you dodge his sword slash attack while still rendering damage. Don't be afraid to use a Sub-Tank here. You very well might need to.


Iris

Name: Iris
Transformed Name: Unknown
Japanese Name: Iris
Affiliation: Repliforce/Maverick Hunters
Weapon of Choice: Battle Armor, Plasma Beam
Appearances: Mega Man X4, Mega Man X5
Current Status: Deceased

Character History
Iris was the brother of Colonel, and held great affection for both her brother and Zero. After being saved by Zero during the Sky Lagoon incident, she kept her stay around Maverick Hunter Base and instructed Zero on where to go for his missions. Despite her willingness to instruct Zero, she constantly urged him to withhold his fighting, especially from her brother. When they faced off, she stopped the fight before anyone could get hurt. But to her dismay, Zero was only spurred on further to stop the Repliforce. When her brother was killed later at the hands of Zero, it drove her mad and she made a trip to the Final Weapon where she used a crystal to gain powerful body armor. Zero defeated her, but rushed to her side instantly after. It was too late at this point, as she was already dying. It was at this point that she admitted point-blank that she had feelings for Zero, admitting that the utopia was a myth, but claiming she wanted to be there with Zero. She then died as an anguished Zero cried out.

Character Analysis
Iris was romantic, and somewhat foolishly naive. Despite the overwhelming circumstances that caused the Repliforce War, she urged Zero to stop fighting. Zero, just as all the contenders of the war, was trapped in it, and couldn't simply "stop." There was no simple solution as Iris wanted. Her care for her brother was probably not greater than her care for Zero, but the madness caused by her brother's death ruined her optimistic and naive world. With that, she felt compelled to hurt Zero, who she loved. It wasn't until after her defeat that she realized her blindness, finally admitting that the utopia for Reploids would be impossible. Her death had quite an impact on Zero, and she was his last dying memory as he passed away in Mega Man X5.

Name Analysis
In Greek mythology, Iris is the goddess of the rainbow and acts as a messenger between the gods and humans. She is seen as young and somewhat beautiful. Gods and mortals bickered constantly in Greek myth, just as Hunters and Mavericks fight. As a messenger between them, Iris pleads constantly for peace, as the mythological Iris probably had to do.

Future Appearances
We do know that Iris will be making an appearance in Mega Man Xtreme 2, though her role in it isn't completely clear. Other than appearances that take us back before her death, the chances of another appearance are slim.

Guide Information
Iris Strategy: This is the only boss in the game that only Zero faces, so there is no "X Strategy." They say there's no wrath such as a woman scorned. Iris is pretty angry at you for killing her brother, despite the fact that she has great affection for you. She's pretty simple if you use your techniques right and have some quick reflexes. Use your Kuuenzan to fight her off as she approaches you, and keep using it. This will destroy her floating mines, keeping you safe. Eventually, her crystal will exit the suit. Use your Kuuenzan or Ryuenjin to hit it quickly to damage her, or simply slash it if you get the chance. Stay in one spot when the crystal starts to get under you, and then Dash-Jump to the wall and stay there. This should keep you safe from the double shot that will fill most of the screen like a cage. Keep up these patterns, and she'll go down.


Dr. Wily

Name: Dr. Wily
Japanese Name: Dr. Wily
Affiliation: None
Weapon of Choice: None
Appearances: None
Current Status: Deceased

Character History
One hundred years before the MMX series Dr. Wily was famous for his robot technology, until he decided to use these abilities to try to take over the world. His mad schemes were constantly thwarted by Mega Man, the creation of his former partner, Dr. Light. At some point in time, Wily conceptualized and created Zero. How he stored Zero, and if he stole the plans from those of X, are unknown. Wily is most likely long dead, but he somehow lives on, perhaps not dissimilar to the sentient hologram that Light uses to keep in touch with X. Somehow whatever part of Wily is living got in touch with Sigma, and together they devised the plan to awaken Zero's true form by spreading the virus all over Earth. It's unknown Wily's current affiliation with Sigma, or if he is still making any schemes, but the awakening of Zero was his plan.

Character Analysis
Wily personifies evil villain, and always has. While Light looks to X as a son and protects him, Wily chose to haphazardly release the virus so that Zero would hopefully destroy X, the final creation of his nemesis. Wily doesn't seem to care for Zero as any more than a vehicle for revenge.

Name Analysis
The word "wily" is usually used to mean full of cunning or someone who is sly. The character Dr. Wily has used cunning to take advantage of Light several times.

Future Appearances
Wily's mention in Mega Man X4 and Mega Man X5 seem to be leading to something. Expect to see him fill a large story portion sometime in the near future.


Dr. Light

Name: Dr. Light
Japanese Name: Dr. Right
Affiliation: None
Weapon of Choice: None
Appearances: All Games
Current Status: Deceased, Sentient Hologram

Character History
One hundred years before the MMX series Dr. Light was famous for his robot technology, and his robot Mega Man that constantly thwarted the attempts of Dr. Wily. Near the end of his life, he contemplated on advanced artificial intelligence that would give robots the ability to make decisions for themselves. He worked with this project, and finally created X, who was later discovered in Light's sealed capsule by Dr. Cain. X would sometimes find Light as a hologram that would offer him upgrades or dispense advice. This hologram is apparently sentient, as it can intake new information, such as that of the Repliforce or Alia. Light lives on in the form of a program, it would seem, and this program watches out for X. When X was badly damaged, the Light hologram rescued and completely repaired X, and (under one story possibility) erased all of his memory of Zero.

Character Analysis
Light seems to care deeply about X, and shares his disdain for violence. While X is wary about being violent, he knows that sometimes it is necessary, and Light shares the same opinion. Light does, though, make sure that his final creation is safe, having repaired it at one point when X was badly damaged. Light looks out for X as a father would look out for a son. In a way, X is his son.

Name Analysis
"Light" as his name symbolizes how pure and good he is. Dr. Light has always been the perfect scientist, never doing any wrong.

Future Appearances
Dr. Light has always showed up to offer X a bit of advice and give him upgrades. Now that he has stepped into a more involved path and miraculously healed X, he may be making even bigger appearances in the future. One thing is certain though; he will be appearing.


Dr. Doppler

Name: Dr. Doppler
Japanese Name: Dr. Doppler
Affiliation: Mavericks
Weapon of Choice: Plasma Shots, Energy Shield
Appearances: Mega Man X3
Current Status: Deceased

Character History
Dr. Doppler was a Reploid who was developed with advanced chips, and the ability to act as any human scientist would. The first Reploid scientist known of, Doppler was soon corrupted by the Sigma Virus, which bent him to its will. While still retaining a scientific and respectable exterior, he developed a plaecebo that he called an anti-virus, which really did nothing. An entire town was formed in worship of Doppler, named after him. Soon, though, the truth of the anti-virus was revealed and his forces took action, creating a distraction for the Hunters as other Mavericks attacked the Hunter Base while most Hunters were occupied. Upon this plan being stopped dead in its tracks, Doppler hired the assitance of Bit and Byte, the Nightmare Police, to assassinate X before he got too close. Vile, who had been reconstructed by Doppler, also agreed to hunt down and destroy X, but for vengeful reasons. Bit, Byte, and Vile all failed, and X eventually did reach Doppler. Once defeated, Doppler came to his senses and revealed to X everything about the virus and Sigma's true form, and his building of a new battle body. Doppler died soon after, but not before creating the real anti-virus to combat Sigma, which saved X's life.

Character Analysis
Doppler is hard to get a grasp on as a character, since he has a duel nature. Doppler, as the true consciousness of Doppler, doesn't have much dialouge, as the times when he is evil is really the virus talking. Doppler himself is actually very introspective, and has a good heart. He felt horrible about what he had done, even though he could not help it. It was because of this that he sacrificed himself to save X, hoping to make right what he had made very wrong. Doppler was the first innocent victim introduced in the series, but Mega Man Xtreme (which takes place before Mega Man X3) has two other innocent victims, Middy and Techno. From a release date timeline, Doppler was the first. From a series timeline, he was the third.

Name Analysis
There was an actual Dr. Doppler (Christian Johann Doppler), an Austrian mathematician and a physicist, who enunciated the principle known as the "Doppler effect" (quite obviously, named after him). Capcom probably simply named this "doctor" after a famous doctor of the same name.

Future Appearances
Doppler has died, and his death held meaning. A reapparance would be unnecessary, so he probably won't be appearing again.

Guide Information
Doppler's stage (3rd Doppler Lab stage): This stage is mostly just taking on the bosses one by one, all over again. They're all exactly the same, and should be faced in the same ways, except that this time you have the weakness of all of them. There is an energy storage for you to take between boss fights. It regenerates each time, so don't be afraid to use it. Clockwise from the middle of the room, the order is Gravity Beetle, Volt Catfish, Blast Hornet, Blizzard Buffalo, Toxic Seahorse, Neon Tiger, Crush Crawfish, and Tunnel Rhino. After taking care of the bosses, there will be several lasers. These shouldn't pose a threat, seeing as you probably won't lose enough life that the energy capsule afterwards makes up for it. Dash-Jump or Air Dash over the walking gun to confront the boss.
Doppler Strategy: Dr. Doppler is more of an annoyance than a challenge. An annoyance because one of his techniques actually heals himself when you hit him, and it's sometimes hard to determine when he's using this. Sometimes a hit of yours will still be effecting him, even if you used it early, and he'll turn on the regeneration technique to heal himself. This can be very frustrating. The Acid Burst works well, and so does your X-Buster. If you got the Zero Sabre in the second Doppler Lab stage, he can go down in two hits, provided you don't hit him when he turns on his regeneration. This will refill half of his life or more. Fire at him only when he starts firing off his yellow beams of energy, or when he charges across the screen. Do this early, since it insures that you won't be recharging his energy for him. If you do recharge him, it's not a big deal. He can be brought down anyway. And his attacks are incredibly easy to dodge. Just concentrate on hitting him when it won't help him, and he'll go down.


Dr. Cain

Name: Dr. Cain
Japanese Name: Dr. Cain
Affiliation: Cain Labs, Maverick Hunters
Weapon of Choice: None
Appearances: Mega Man X2, Mega Man X3, Mega Man Xtreme
Other Mentions: Manuals of Mega Man X, Mega Man X4
Current Status: Unknown

Character History
Dr. Cain is a botanical archeologist, or an archeological botonist. While searching for fossilized plant life, he discovered the capsule that X had been buried in, along with the remains of Dr. Light's lab. Fascinated by X, he scurried to emulate Light's designs, soon creating Reploids. Reploid assembly lines were soon commonplace, but so were Mavericks, and Cain became heavily involved in the operations of the Maverick Hunters. Giving X and Zero advice and being a technical supervisor to Hunter operations, he later faded out of the picture near Mega Man X5. He issued a directive through Cain Labs concerning Repliforce, but that's the last we've heard of him. Capcom hasn't written him into the storyline lately, and it's unknown if they plan to explain his absense or bring him back.

Character Analysis
Cain from the beginning has been wraught with guilt over the plauge he unleashed on the world through his zealousness for Reploid technology. He considers Sigma, Doppler, and Repliforce to be his greatest failures, and his decision to hold heavy influence over the Maverick Hunters may have been spurred on by the guilt he felt over the Mavericks being his fault. It should be noted that Cain is not a robotic scientist as Light was, and he had to fill in the blanks of programming that he couldn't understand in Light's designs. This, along with the fact that none of the Reploids have had the 30 year diagnostic period that X has would probably explain why Cain's creations tend to go Maverick, while Light's creation does not.

Name Analysis
In the Bible, Cain betrayed his brother and ended up killing him. For his sin, he was forced to wander the earth as punishment. In this way, Cain "betrayed" humanity, unknowingly, by creating Reploids. Since then, he has tried to make up for it. In a way, being such an active role in the Maverick Hunters is his punishment, as it is a daily reminder of his mistake. He must pay for this daily through his memories, as the Biblical Cain had to.

Future Appearances
Cain was missing mostly from Mega Man X4, and completely from Mega Man X5. He may make an appearance in Mega Man Xtreme 2, but Mega Man X6 is looking more doubtful. Alia and Douglas fill the position he used to do for the Hunters, and he's not necessary to it anymore. We can all hope, though, that in Mega Man Xtreme 2 Capcom will offer some explanation for his absense.


Sigma

Name: Sigma
Japanese Name: Sigma
Affiliation: Mavericks
Weapon of Choice: Varies
Appearances: All Games
Current Status: Unknown

Character History
Sigma was built with the latest circuit designs, and Dr. Cain hoped this would allow him to resist becoming a Maverick. For months he was the leader of the Maverick Hunters. One day a "red Maverick" attacked and wiped out Gamma's entire Unit. Sigma, not wanting his men to be sacrificed, entered the cave where Zero, "the red Maverick" was hiding, and battled him. Zero nearly crushed Sigma until a glitch caused Zero to pause, giving Sigma the upper hand. He commanded his men to take Zero back to Dr. Cain for inspection, and after Zero's repair, Sigma took him under his wing. Over the course of the next few months, Zero was sort of a protoge to Sigma, until the fateful day that Sigma went Maverick. This was caused, most likely, by the virus being spread to Sigma from Zero back during the battle in the cave. Sigma chose to eradicate the inferior humans, and reactivated Vile, a former Hunter who had been shut down for being too violently dangerous. His plan was stopped by X, who he admitted he had underestimated. But his soul, a virus, lived on. Sigma used the X-Hunters to reunify Zero, hoping to use him against X to destroy him. This didn't work, however, and Sigma cried out wondering why Zero did not come to serve him as he should. After this, Sigma infected Techno, a hacker, and used him against the Hunters by having Techno hack into the mother computer and use the Maverick data against them. X found that Sigma was behind this, and was spurred on with anger from the needless deaths of Techno and Middy that Sigma had helped cause. Once again, X defeated Sigma, and he had to reformulate his plans. Next, Sigma used his virus form to infect Dr. Doppler, launching an immense plan to take over the world. When X destroyed Sigma's powerful new body, he decided he had no choice but to infect X. He was stopped, though, by Dr. Doppler's true anti-virus. He next found another body by some unknown cause, and worked behind the scenes to influence the decisions of the Repliforce and Maverick Hunters, using Double as his spy. This war was intended to frame the Repliforce for the destruction of the Earth, which was Sigma's ultimate goal. Unfortunately for him, X and Zero stopped the Repliforce's plan, and found that Sigma was pulling the strings, and he was beaten once more. After this, Sigma met Dr. Wily, or some incarnation thereof. His research on Zero's past led him to this point, and Wily recommended he spread his virus around to awaken Zero's true form, to revert him to the infected Maverick he once was. Sigma did so, using Dynamo and the Eurasia colony to help accomplish his goal. The virus spread all over Earth, and resulted in Maverick outbreaks everywhere, and the deaths of many Reploids. Under one scenario, this worked and Zero became a Maverick again, but snapped out of it after battling X. In the other more accepted scenario, Zero resisted the virus effects, and Sigma taunted both X and Zero with news of Dr. Wily's alliance. Upon Sigma's inevitable defeat, he chose to use his explosion to take down X and Zero as well. As X and Zero lay wounded, Sigma's remains fired off a high-energy beam to destroy X and Zero. Zero, revived for only a moment, destroyed Sigma's remains, closing the chapter of his latest appearance.

Character Analysis
While many characters who have been infected with the virus lose conscious thought and, for lack of a better term, go insane, Sigma doesn't seem to. Throughout his infection with the virus, he has held conscious thought and reason, enough so to plan elaborate schemes to fulfill different agendas. He can even study and learn new things, such as Zero's past, while in this state. With most infected Mavericks, we never see their true personality, as it's masked by the virus. Sigma, however, shows his true personality all throughout. He's a brilliant military strategist, and he uses this. The virus may cause him to be angry with and try to harm X and Zero, but he keeps enough conscious thought that his true personality is probably present.
Sigma has always been very intelligent, and remains so. He keeps his enemies' weaknesses in mind, preying on them (such as X's big heart). Also, as mentioned before, he's a great strategist.
Sigma most likely was infected during the encounter in the cave, but he spent several months without showing obvious Maverick activity. It seems likely that this is due to his "latest circuitry designs" from Dr. Cain, which allowed him to resist the Maverick status, but not forever.

Name Analysis
The "sigma" is the 18th letter of the Greek alphabet. It was originally shaped like the Arabic numeral "C," but later took on the shape of a dented letter "E." Sigma, as the most famous Maverick, defined the symbol of Maverick in the game series. Whenever you see a Maverick, there is a symbol that looks like a wolf. If you look carefully, there is the symbol of the Greek letter "sigma" inside the wolf symbol.
It is also significant that he is named after the Greek alphabet in that Gamma, another Hunter that was apparently the head of his own Unit, was also named after the Greek alphabet. While sigma is the 18th letter, gamma is the 3rd letter. Gamma was defeated by Zero, along with his entire Unit, but Sigma was able to bring Zero down in the battle in the cave. It would make sense, based on these facts, that Reploids who are built especially strong for Maverick Hunter purposes are named after the Greek alphabet, with the letters going up based on ability, and therefore on Hunter Rank. Sigma was, after all, the leader of the Hunters.
From Leigh Hanrihan: "In calculus, the letter sigma is used to indicate the sum of the solutions for a given equation over a particular variable range. So, Sigma's name could indicate that his power is supposed to be the sum total of the Reploids' strength.

Future Appearances
Sigma has appeared in every game thus far. It stands to reason that he'll be back in Mega Man Xtreme 2 and Mega Man X6.

Guide Information

Mega Man X Encounter
Final stage: Here it is: the final level. It helps to have all your Sub-Tanks full, and have gathered your Heart Tanks and capsule upgrades. The level itself is simply climbing up a wall to meet Sigma. To avoid these, simply climb up the left wall until you see a hole, then jump to the right wall. Once done climbing up the wall, you'll face the three bosses.
Velguarder Strategy: Sigma chooses to test you using his mechanical partner, and this robotic pooch doesn't want to let its master down. Of all the weapons in X's arsenal, the Shotgun Ice works best. If you run out of this for some reason (like having to play him more than once), use the Storm Tornado. His moves are fast and furious, and require quick reflexes. Dash-Jump out of the way when he lunges for you, and try to find your way to a wall. From there, you can Dash-Jump accordingly to his next attack. He will somtimes jump towards the wall, and from there onto the ground, so be prepared to jump off the wall if need be. He will also use a fairly easy to avoid flamethrower attack, which can usually be dodged simply be clinging to a wall and jumping off of it. His other attack is a row fo energy blasts that go to different points in the room. Cling to a wall and Dash-Jump towards him, but not quite at him, when he does this. Then be prepared to dash or Dash-Jump away when he prepares his next move. Use your weapon as much as possible, and remember that the Shotgun Ice weapon can ricochet. Powering up the Shotgun Ice or Storm Tornado isn't a bad idea either. If you don't use any of your Sub-Tanks here, you should be in pretty good shape for the other two bosses.
Sigma Strategy: Upon destroying his dog, Sigma shows no remorse, but rather chuckles at your impressive abilities. At this, he sheds his cape and takes you on himself. This is probably the easiest boss of the three in this final stage, simply because his patterns are more predictable than the other two. Use the Electric Spark weapon, and cling to the left wall, staying at the very top, as far as you can go. Sigma will jump from wall to wall, getting higher and higher, trying to hit you. Fall when he's just jumped from right below you, and fire off your Electric Spark. Sometimes you should also consider charging it. It will hit him on the way back, and he'll start coming down. You can stay on the ground if it looks safe, or cling to the wall if he looks like he'll run into you (the second is the more likely of the two). Either way, cling to the wall before or just after he comes back to the ground and repeat the process. Keep doing this over and over again until he's gone. If you don't exploit his pattern like this he has an attack that he fires rapidly from his head, but this is the best way. You shouldn't have to use a Sub-Tank here, and if you didn't in the last one or here, the final boss will be much easier.
Wolf-Machine Strategy: All four Sub-Tanks should be conserved for this fight if possible. His weakness is the most unwieldy of the weapons, the Rolling Shield. And charging it does no good. All of his attacks penetrate the shield. When the wolf head's eyes light up, he'll soon do one of two attacks. The best method for both of these is to get far to one side of the screen, and adjust your actions according to which it is. It also helps to know his four basic attacks, and how to avoid them.
1. Head Attack #1: Electricity - Balls of electric energy will spew out at an alarming rate, all the way across the screen. There's only one safe spot for this, on the claws (discussed later). If you aren't on the claws, though, you're not doomed; you just have to work harder. Dash just after you see the one right in front of you touch down. It takes a bit of practice, but you can dodge them completely this way.
2. Head Attack #2: Fire - Unlike the individual balls of electricity in Head Attack #1, his second attack is a giant wall of fire, that also moves across the entire screen. You can't simply dash through this. Remember getting to one side of the screen? Stay there. Distract the electric shocks coming from the claws by going a little off the edge of the screen, waiting for them to shake (meaning they're about to do one of their two attacks), and moving over to the far side of the screen as you were before. This should keep you safe. While it requires practice, it doesn't require as much as it does to withstand Head Attack #1.
3. Claw Attack #1: Electricity. When you see the claw shake, get out from under it, or off of it if you're on top of a claw. It is possible to be on top of a claw and not be hit by this, if you're on the very edge, but it's pretty hard to do, and jumping off is a safer bet.
4. Claw Attack #2: Scratch. The second claw attack is the one that is necessary to the completion of the game. After it shakes, it will come down on you. Dash out of its way quickly. But it will remain on the ground for a moment, and that's your opportunity. Jump on top of the claw to rise high enough to hit Sigma's head with the Rolling Shield. If you feel brave, you can try to climb up the side walls, dodging the claws that come so close to them, and get to his head that way. This is dangerous, however, and I don't recommend it for beginners. Don't be afraid to use your Sub-Tanks; you're not conserving them for anything anymore. After enough pelting he'll be down for the count, and you'll earn yourself the ending to the game. Enjoy.

Mega Man X2 Encounter
Final stage: Here it is: The final level. It helps to have all your Sub-Tanks full, and have gathered your Heart Tanks and capsule upgrades. The level itself is just Magna Centipede's stage repeated. If you need advice on how to get through it, go back to the Magna Centipede level guide. Where in Magna Centipede's level you fought against the sword mini-boss, you'll find Sigma with Zero. Below are detailed walkthroughs on how to get through the bosses here.
Before you face Neo-Sigma and Vector Sigma, you might be facing Zero, depending on whether or not you gathered all of his parts.
Neo-Sigma Strategy: The Sonic Slicer is the best weapon to use on Neo-Sigma, for several reasons. For one, it ricochets. I'll explain why this is important in a moment. Neo-Sigma has three basic attacks. One, he'll leap into the air, disappear, and appear again above you, coming down with his claws. This is the easiest to avoid. When he vanishes, simply dash from one side of the room to another. Once you get the timing down, you'll know when he's going to reappear and you can stay in the center and quickly dash away. He'll land on nothing, and you can be busy going to cling to the wall, which is important to avoid his next move. He'll dash at you and try to slash you with his claws. If you're on the wall, he might not even try this, or he might try and be unsuccessful because you're too high. This move hurts a lot, so it's best to avoid it as much as possible. His third move is to cross his arms across his chest and form five energy balls that will shoot out at you. Like many bosses that do this, it's best to cling to the wall and try to Air Dash between two of the balls. This sounds risky, but it can be done pretty easily with practice. His fourth and final move is to create a large line of energy that will shoot at you. The only way to avoid this is to cling to the very top of the wall. He usually does it just after his energy balls fail to hit you. When he disappears, use your Sonic Slicer. That way, when he reappears, it'll already be out there and ready to hit him, bouncing off the walls and such. Other than that, use your Sonic Slicer whenever you get the chance and be persistant.
Vector Sigma Strategy: Sigma's final form is actually probably the easiest of all his forms, of all the games. Use the Strike Chain, and let him have it. Don't worry about getting it. You should still have one or two Sub-Tanks left, which should be more than enough (if you have almost a full life gauge, you an easily make it through this without using any Sub-Tanks). Just jump up and hit him repeatedly. When he fires out enemies, kill them too. They can provide energy or weapon energy for you. He'll slowly change colors and when he becomes red, he's almost gone. He'll disappear and reappear around the room, never really posing a threat, but strike him when you can. He might wrap himself around you. If he does this, it'll hurt you, but it shouldn't kill you. It means he's close enough to death that you can kill him first. Even though you're getting hit by him with him surrounding you, keep hitting the fire button, hitting him with that Strike Chain, and he'll go down.

Mega Man X3 Encounter
Final stage: Here it is: The final level. Make sure you have all your Sub-Tanks full, and that you gathered your Heart Tanks and capsule upgrades. The stage itself isn't that hard. Keep your X-Buster charged to take out the enemies that will attack you. Sometimes there will be enemies shooting at you without much room to jump. Do your best to wipe them out quickly, and use the small space provided for you to jump. Before long, you'll be climbing up the wall that leads to the bosses.
Sigma Strategy: Sigma's first form is tough, but nothing compared to his second form. His main attack is to fire fireballs that will travel unpredictably around the room. Clinging to the wall and Dash-Jumping is all you can do to avoid this threat. He also sometimes throws his shield around, but this is no real problem. Just jump over it. Use the Spinning Blade. Jump up and fire to have the weapon circle around to hit him. He'll also jump into the air and fire off the deadly fireballs. Stay clung high to one wall and Dash-Jump off when you need to. This, also, is a great oppurtunity to use your weapon. You may need to use a Sub-Tank here, but its better if you don't.
Kaiser Sigma Strategy: Sigma next appears in a huge and fearsome battle body. If you collected the Arm Chip or the Golden Armor, the Hyper Charge weapon helps a lot here. It also helps if you collected Zero's Sabre in the second stage of the Maverick Base. He's a lot bigger than the first form, and a lot less vulnerable. Fortunately, he's also a lot more predictable. The only vulnerable part of his body his his tiny little head, which is surrounded by his huge battle body. Try to fire slightly above where your Buster would line up with his head to hit him. It takes careful aim, patience, and practice to hit him in the noggin, but after a little while you should be able to get used to it. He'll hover from one side to the other. Dash under him to get to whatever side he's not on. If he's on the left side, cling to the wall and climb up quickly when he starts firing. From there, Dash-Jump off the wall to avoid the rest of his shots. When he's on the right side, stay near the top. If he fires his huge laser at the top, stay near the bottom. He does it more often at the bottom, though. This is also your opportunity to try to hit his head. Keep firing, and don't be afraid to use your Sub-Tanks, and he'll eventually go down.
Sigma Virus Strategy: The escape isn't really a boss, persay, but you still have to stay on your toes. Fire will rise from the floor, and you have to get out before it catches up to you. Stay to the left and cling to the wall. Climb up as fast as you can. After the wall to the right goes through 4 uneven parts, Dash-Jump or Air Dash to it. You might get hit by the Sigma Virus doing this. You might even fall into the fire. But just falling into the fire doesn't kill you. If this happens, jump furiously to get out. Use a Sub-Tank if you need to. Just make sure you don't get trapped under anything. Once you get done with the hefty climb, the rest will happen automatically, and you'll have beaten the game.

Mega Man X4 Encounter
Final stage: Here it is: The final level. Make sure you have your Sub-Tanks and Weapon Tank full, and that you gathered your Heart Tanks and (if you're X) capsule upgrades. The stage itself is at first merely a replay of all previous Maverick Bosses. They're all exactly the same, and should be faced in the same ways, except that this time you have the weakness of all of them. There is an energy storage for you to take between boss fights. It regenerates each time, so don't be afraid to use it. Clockwise from the middle of the room are Split Mushroom, Jet Stingray, Cyber Peacock, Web Spider, Magma Dragoon, Storm Owl, Frost Walrus, and Slash Beast. After the boss replay, you'll go to face off with Sigma's three forms. Below is in-depth strategies on how to defeat each, both with X and Zero.
Reaper Sigma Strategy:
As X: Luckily, this is the easiest of the final bosses. Use your Rising Fire weapon. When he first appears, get below him and fire it off. With this fire, keep holding the button down to charge your weapon. When he reappears, use the charged Rising Fire on him. Again, hold the button down when he disappears, and use it on him when he reappears. He'll fall in no time. Also, he might slash across the screen if he appears to the left of it. To dodge this, simply Dash-Jump to the left side and try to go through the pole of his scythe, instead of the blade.
As Zero: Reaper Sigma is slightly harder with Zero, but still pretty easy. Use your Ryuenjin technique when he's above you. Just keep doing this, and dodge his attacks as you would if you were X, if he gets a chance to use any.
Sigma Strategy:
As X: With X, this form of Sigma can be fairly easy as well. Use the Lightning Web weapon. Fire it at him when he jumps up, and jump to dodge his spinning scythe attack. Charge your Lightning Web weapon when you get the chance, but watch the energy of it. You don't want this important weapon to run out. When the scythe sticks into the wall and Sigma backs up, fire off a Lightning Web. He'll release two lasers. Jump and hover in mid-air just at the last minute, and charge your Lightning Web. Don't move around at all while hovering, as this cuts down on the time that you're allowed to do it. Just stay still, and your hover will run out just as the lasers disappear. Now that he'll be coming forward again, let him have it with the charged Lightning Web. Keep up these patterns, and he won't take long to defeat.
As Zero: This boss is much harder using Zero. While saving your Sub-Tanks for later is a good idea, use one here if you absolutely need to. Since Zero has no hover ability like X, depend on a combination of your Kuuenbu double-jump and clinging to the walls to avoid his floor-based attacks. Kuuenbu over his scythe attack, and use your Kuuenzan attack as much as possible while doing this. The Rakuhouha attack is very effective, seeing as you're invincible while doing it, and it hurts him considerably. If you need, use your Weapon Tank or get hit a few times to refill the Rakuhouha meter.
You now face the final boss. However, this boss is unique from all the other games in that he is actually three bosses in one. All of these bosses have their own unique attacks, abilities, and weaknesses, so they've been divided up for strategy purposes below. The Alien Sigma form is the one you'll see to the far right, but won't battle instantly. The 3-heads Sigma is the first one that will actually pose a threat. The Cyborg-head Sigma appears to the far left and will pose the second threat. After this, you will face the 3-heads Sigma again, and then the Alien Sigma. They do not stay around until you defeat them. Each form only stays around as long as it takes to do their attack. The order of their attacks will be: 3-heads Sigma, Cyborg-head Sigma, 3-heads Sigma, Alien Sigma, 3-heads Sigma, Cyborg-head Sigma, and so on. Once you defeat the Alien Sigma or the Cybord-head Sigma, you'll only have to face the other two, but you can't get rid of the 3-heads Sigma. Even if you destroy them, they'll keep coming back.
Alien Sigma Strategy:
As X: With X, this boss is easy, but takes a long time. Use the Soul Body weapon, and don't bother charging it up. When you know the Alien is about to come out, cling to the left wall and ride the two heads until where you're near. If they stay straight, stay there clung to the heads. If the one on the top and the one on the bottom are uneven, stand on the bottom one. Dash-Jump towards Alien Sigma's face and use your Soul Body. Climb back on top of the bottom head, and do this again. The Dash-Jumping should help you dodge the laser attacks.
As Zero: This boss isn't hard, but takes a lot of patience. Cling to the left wall and ride the two heads until where you're near. If they stay straight, stay there. If the one on the top and the one on the bottom are uneven, stand on the bottom one. Dash-Jump towards Alien Sigma's face and use your Kuuenzan attack. Keep doing this over and over, and he'll eventually go down.
3-heads Sigma Strategy:These three can't be destroyed, and it's a waste of effort to even try. You should, however, dodge their attacks. The strategy for doing this is the same with X and Zero. Each head has it's own attack, and which one they use is random.
Blue Head: The Blue Head is easiest to avoid. It will appear to the right and blow ice while it moves left. Simply dash to the left and climb on top of the yellow and red heads, and stay high.
Red Head: The Red Head isn't as easy as the blue, but still pretty easy. It will appear on the left side and blow fire towards the right. Just jump onto the blue and yellow heads on the right and cling far to the top. When the fire is getting close to the top, drop down to the bottom.
Yellow Head: The Yellow Head is the hardest to avoid. It will appear overhead, and the other two will appear to either side. It will let out electric blasts that will trace the floor. Dash-Jump and Air Dash from on side to the other, and stay in the air as much as you can.
Cyborg-head Sigma Strategy:
As X: This boss can be easy, if you manipulate his patterns. When you know he's about to show up, stand to the far right side of the screen, near the wires on the floor. Then, when he appears, dash towards him. This will usually make him use his blowing back attack (which is exactly what you wanted). Dash to avoid blowing into the spikes, and use your Ground Hunter weapon on his mouth when you get a chance. You'll have a few crucial moments after he gets done blowing to score a few more hits on him. He might also use the sucking in attack. If he does this, stay where you are, and use the powered-up X-Buster to destroy the scrap he'll throw at you. Trying to attack him like this is just going to get you hurt, so wait until he comes back and try again.
As Zero: Like X, encourage him to use the blowing attack by staying to the right. As you dash towards the left, use your Kuuenzan attack on the red dot on his mouth. Also like X, if he uses the sucking attack, don't do anything. Trying to do anything can get yourself seriously hurt.

Mega Man X5 Encounter
Statue stage: This is simple enough, especially if you have a basic grasp of X games. There are only two new commands that you might have to know for this level. Make sure you duck by pressing down when the ceiling falls inside the crumbling building, and make sure you grab onto the wire by pressing up when you're near it, so you won't fall down the pit. You can also avoid falling down the pit by Air-dashing or dash-jumping. Make sure that when climbing up the walls at the end of the level, you climb the right wall, then the left, then the right. This will help you avoid getting crushed in them.
Giant Sigma Head Strategy: Sigma's Head is considerably harder than most opening stage bosses in MMX games, but that's not saying much. No matter who you are, X or Zero, staying to the left wall is the best strategy. Duck when he fires his giant purple beam or the little blue balls, and wait for a good time to strike. If he simply stays, it means he'll fire larger yellow balls. Stand your ground, and climb the left wall just as the yellow balls begin to move. This should help you avoid being hit at all.
Final stage: This level is very straight-forward, and shouldn't present any problems. You'll find yourself at eight capsules, repeating battles of the eight bosses you've already faced. The order of them, from left to right, is Mattrex, Dark Dizzy, Izzy Glow, Squid Adler, Duff McWhalen, Grizzly Slash, Axle the Red, and Skiver. Employ the same strategies as before, but conserve your life so you can refill it completely with the two energy capsules nearby. The bosses will be more powerful, but their power is purely in a larger lifebar, so the same strategies you used before will take them down. After this and a few more minor obstacles, you'll find yourself at the boss, which is two-fold.
Sigma Strategy: This battle resembles your first battle ever with Sigma if you've played the entire series, except this time he doesn't have a beam sabre. He jumps from wall to wall, but is easy to avoid. Either stay on the wall above him or duck near the corner of the room. Stay on the walls when he's firing off his electric shocks. It's somewhat hard to get a slash or a shot off at him, but take advantage of the opportunities when you can. You need to conserve your life for his second form. Surviving this battle with all of your life in tact is difficult, but definately worth it. Oddly enough, Sigma is weak to Squid Adler's attacks even though he's firing off shocks himself. With X it's pretty easy to hit him, especially since the Tri-Thunder goes up and down. Zero's E-Blade attack is much harder to hit him with, but if you can get the knack for it it's convenient. Otherwise just slash when you get the chance. If he disappears all of a sudden, he'll appear on the right side of the screen. He'll fire a few of three large shots; high, low, and both. He usually does them in this order, but not always, so be nimble at the fingers. When he fires high, duck. When he fires low, get high to the wall clinging, and when he fires on both, air-dash between them if you're on the ground. If you're clinging to the wall, simply slide down and you'll go right between them. Once this form is defeated, you meet the more difficult boss.
Giant Sigma Body Strategy: Sigma's second form is tough, and you need to be prepared. His weakness is the Spike Ball for X and Twin Dream for Zero. Both have about the same range, but Zero's weapon is more awkward to use as far as pressing the buttons on the controller goes. Either way, the red spot on the giant face's forehead is the weak spot, and needs to be hit by the Axle's weapon. Climb on the hands and from there make your way onto the wall. You can air-dash from there towards him to use your weapon, or jump from on top of his hands. Staying on the hands is dangerous, though, since it makes it harder to dodge being crushed when the hands move. If you get caught up in any of the hand movements, it takes off quite a bit of life. Sometimes his hands will disappear, meaning he's about to do one of two attacks. One is to fire off four large balls of energy that will move to the bottom of the screen, and then make jerky movements toward you. Cling to the wall and then dash to dodge these. If you're clinging to the right wall, this is a perfect opportunity to use your weapon against him. The second attack is a huge purple cube that will move around the room and take off serious amounts of life. Dash on the floor, climb the wall, air-dash, etc. in a circular pattern. Don't be afraid to use your Sub-tanks, especially at the purple cube. This is the last time you'll need them, especially since Sigma only uses the purple cube when he's getting weak.

Mega Man Xtreme Encounter
Final stage: After climbing a few platforms with a few simple enemies, you'll find yourself facing off against the bosses of the game again. Since the placement for these bosses differs for each mode, drawing a map is pretty hard, but the directions can be simple.
In Normal Mode, clockwise from your entrance is Chill Penguin, Storm Eagle, Flame Stag, and Spark Mandrill.
In Hard Mode, clockwise from your entrance is Armored Armadillo, Wheel Gator, Magna Centipede, and Morph Moth.
And in Xtreme Mode,there is a combination of both, having (again clockwise from your entrance) Chill Penguin, Storm Eagle, Armored Armadillo, Wheel Gator, Magna Centipede, Morph Moth, Flame Stag, and Spark Mandrill.
Once you're done with these bosses, you'll be facing off against Sigma.
Sigma Strategy: The Electric Spark is the best weapon to use here, but your X-Buster works just as well; it just takes a bit longer. His patterns are rather predictable, and he's therefore very easy. Use the Electric Spark weapon, and cling to the left wall, staying at the very top, as far as you can go. Sigma will jump from wall to wall, getting higher and higher, trying to hit you. Fall when he's just jumped from right below you, and fire off your Electric Spark. Sometimes you should also consider charging it. It will hit him on the way back, and he'll start coming down. You can stay on the ground if it looks safe, or cling to the wall if he looks like he'll run into you (the second is the more likely of the two). Either way, cling to the wall before or just after he comes back to the ground and repeat the process. Keep doing this over and over again until he's gone. If you don't exploit his pattern like this he has an attack that he fires rapidly from his head, but this is the best way.
Wolf-Machine Strategy: All four Sub-Tanks should be conserved for this fight if possible. His weakness is the most unwieldy of the weapons, the Rolling Shield. And charging it does no good. All of his attacks penetrate the shield. When the wolf head's eyes light up, he'll soon do one of two attacks. The best method for both of these is to get far to one side of the screen, and adjust your actions according to which it is. It also helps to know his four basic attacks, and how to avoid them.
1. Head Attack #1: Electricity - Balls of electric energy will spew out at an alarming rate, all the way across the screen. There's only one safe spot for this, on the claws (discussed later). If you aren't on the claws, though, you're not doomed; you just have to work harder. Dash just after you see the one right in front of you touch down. It takes a bit of practice, but you can dodge them completely this way.
2. Head Attack #2: Fire - Unlike the individual balls of electricity in Head Attack #1, his second attack is a giant wall of fire, that also moves across the entire screen. You can't simply dash through this. Remember getting to one side of the screen? Stay there. Distract the electric shocks coming from the claws by going a little off the edge of the screen, waiting for them to shake (meaning they're about to do one of their two attacks), and moving over to the far side of the screen as you were before. This should keep you safe. While it requires practice, it doesn't require as much as it does to withstand Head Attack #1.
3. Claw Attack #1: Electricity. When you see the claw shake, get out from under it, or off of it if you're on top of a claw. It is possible to be on top of a claw and not be hit by this, if you're on the very edge, but it's pretty hard to do, and jumping off is a safer bet.
4. Claw Attack #2: Scratch. The second claw attack is the one that is necessary to the completion of the game. After it shakes, it will come down on you. Dash out of its way quickly. But it will remain on the ground for a moment, and that's your opportunity. Jump on top of the claw to rise high enough to hit Sigma's head with the Rolling Shield.If you feel brave, you can try to climb up the side walls, dodging the claws that come so close to them, and get to his head that way. This is dangerous, however, and I don't recommend it for beginners. Don't be afraid to use your Sub-Tanks; you're not conserving them for anything anymore. After enough pelting he'll be down for the count, and you'll earn yourself the ending to the game. Enjoy.