User blog:Sclera1/List of Mega Man characters

This is a list of characters from the Mega Man series. In Japan, the Mega Man series is known as Rockman.

Mega Man
Mega Man, known in Japan as Rockman (ロックマン) is the hero of the games, created by Dr. Light, with assistance from Dr. Wily. Originally created as a lab assistant named "Rock", he was modified for battle after Dr. Wily reprogrammed the original Robot Masters. Due to his Variable Weapons System, he can copy the weapon of any Robot Master he defeats in combat and use it as his own. This ability can also be used by Protoman and Bass.

Dr. Light
Doctor Thomas Light, known in Japan as Doctor Thomas Wright (トーマス・ライト), is depicted as an aged scientist, who is a peerless roboticist. He is the creator of protagonist Mega Man and several other robots. While a pacifist, he reluctantly recognizes that the use of force can be a necessity. He plays a supporting role, often developing and distributing new gear. In the Mega Man X series, set 100 years after the original series, Dr. Light resumes his supporting role through enhancement capsules that contain upgrades to X's systems together with messages relayed by silver/blue, slightly translucent holographic projections of the deceased scientist. He also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man  and Mega Man 6 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

Dr. Wily
Introduced in the first Mega Man game, scientist Doctor Albert W. Wily (Dr.ワイリー) was originally Dr. Light's partner, and helped him create a series of humanoid robots to help mankind, such as the boy robot Rock and the construction robot Guts Man, though the world ignored his contribution. Out of jealousy for Light, he reprogrammed the robots, with the exception of Rock, to assist him in taking over the world. He was however defeated by Rock, who voluntarily upgraded to the combat robot "Mega Man". Wily returned as the antagonist in subsequent titles of the main series with a different scheme each time, only to be defeated and surrender to Mega Man at the end.

Wily has also been instrumental in the backgrounds of other characters in the series. He repaired the prototype for Mega Man, "Proto Man", and in Mega Man 7 used what he learned during the process to create his answer to Light's work, Bass. After Bass proved to be unreliable, Wily refined his design, creating the robot Zero. Zero would appear in the Mega Man X and Mega Man Zero games as a hero working alongside Light's last creation, "X". Though Wily died prior to the X series, his legacy continued through a virus initially carried by Zero and transferred to Sigma, creating the X series antagonist "Sigma Virus", along with all the Mavericks.

Dr. Wily ranked sixth on IGN's Top 10 Video Game Characters who should die along with his nemesis, Dr. Light. IGN editor Colin Moriarty stated that while their rivalry may have been fascinating for over 20 years, they need to go so the core series may advance. However, several Mega Man series (X, Zero, ZX) take place long after the death of both doctors.

While Dr. Light's Mega Man Battle Network (a series set in an alternate timeline where network technology flourished instead of robotics) counterpart is an entirely different character, Dr. Wily's counterpart, Lord Wily, is biologically identical to that of the original series. This Wily actually turns good by the end of the series, while, through the Maverick Virus, the prime Wily continues to cause catastrophic events long after his death.

Proto Man
Proto Man, known as Blues (ブルース) in Japan, is the early prototype of Mega Man that made his first appearance in Mega Man 3, under the name of Break Man, to help train Mega Man by fighting him. Beyond their armor and personality, Proto Man and Mega Man are supposedly identical. However, at the end of Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, it is revealed by Dr. Light that Proto Man's body has a fatal defect in his energy system, and as a result, is in great pain and has a more limited lifespan.

Bass
Bass, Forte (フォルテ) in Japan, is a robot designed by Dr. Wily. He was constructed based on research conducted on Mega Man with the intention of matching his power. Wily makes mention of discovering the energy that powers Bass, Bassnium, the most powerful form of energy on Earth, entirely by mistake. Despite being created by Wily and being more competent in his abilities, Bass frequently rebels against his creator when he feels Wily is standing between him and defeating Mega Man. He desires to defeat Mega Man and be acknowledged as the world's strongest robot. Though he wants to defeat Mega Man, Bass has worked together with him against a common enemy, though usually for his own purposes.

Bass's weapon is the powerful Bass Buster, which functioned similarly to the Mega Buster for his introduction in Mega Man 7, albeit with slightly different shots. As of Mega Man & Bass, however, the Bass Buster has lost its ability to charge its shots in favor of a drastically increased rate of fire and ability to fire upwards and diagonally. Unlike the Mega Buster, the bullets do not travel through solid surfaces unless an upgrade is acquired and equipped. Like Mega Man and Proto Man, Bass can also copy the weapons of Robot Masters, his body changing colors to reflect the weapon currently equipped. He can also combine with his robotic wolf Treble (ゴスペル) for the Treble Boost, allowing Bass to take flight and shoot more powerful projectiles from his buster.

Save for a cameo showing a schematic of Bass, Bass is absent in Mega Man 9. His absence was not explained, although according to the booklet that came with the Rockman 9 Arranged Album, Bass was undergoing some adjustments. He is playable in Mega Man 10, retaining his dash and rapid-fire, multi-directional arm cannon capabilities (though not his double jump), if additional downloadable content is purchased for the game.

In Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, Zero makes a cameo appearance, and Wily says that it is a creation that will surpass even Bass itself. Bass says that he will destroy this creation, and that no other robot is more powerful than he is. It's not explained what happened to Bass before the events of Mega Man X.

The character is named after the musical term bass ( not ). However, in the Mega Man 8 intro, Mega Man mispronounces his name like the fish rather than like the musical term. The name is likely related to the rock 'n' roll theme of Rockman and Roll.

Roll
Roll (ロール) is a female robot designed for housekeeping instead of fighting. She is the younger "sister" of Mega Man (formerly known as Rock, a pun on the term rock and roll), and plays a supporting role in the first game, and plays a major role in the following games. She first appears very briefly during the ending of the very first game of the series. Her name was never mentioned until Mega Man 3, marking her return, where her entry in Dr. Light's robot list is shown during the ending. It is likely that Mega Girl, in the Captain N: The Game Master cartoon, is Roll. She also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 2 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

She is usually depicted in a red outfit with blonde hair. While she was not designed for fighting, she is a combatant in the fighting games, Marvel vs. Capcom and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. She fights similarly to Mega Man and has an external "Roll Buster." She also appears in the similar Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars, where she uses a different moveset that revolves around house cleaning. She is also a playable character in Mega Man Powered Up, where she uses a broom as a default weapon with her skill, the Roll Swing, which she uses to swing a close range weapon that deals a large amount of damage. Roll can be played in several unlockable outfits, each with its own variation of the broom weapon. Roll was supposed to be playable in Mega Man 2 with a "Roll Buster", but there wasn't enough space on the cartridge. There was also planned to be a co-op mode with Rock and Roll.

Rush
Rush (ラッシュ) is a robotic dog belonging to Mega Man. He is introduced in Mega Man 3, and has appeared in many games since. Created by Dr. Light and Dr. Wily to be an all around support unit, Rush has the ability to transform into various forms. Rush Marine transforms Rush into a small, one-seated submarine, and Rush Jet transforms his legs into jet engines that let him take flight. Rush also has the Rush Coil, which is a spring that pops out of his back and helps Mega Man reach higher platforms that he normally can't access. Other games have him transform into a motorcycle and a drill car, and in the fourth and fifth Game Boy games as a spaceship. In later games, the Rush Adaptor allows Rush to attach himself to Mega Man, allowing him to float, shoot more powerful blasts, and launch his arms as projectiles. In a couple of games including "Mega Man 8," Rush can be used to obtain helpful items, such as health. Rush is seen as a Scooby-Doo like character in the Ruby Spears cartoon show. Keiji Inafune based the name of this character out of the love for the Canadian band Rush.

Auto
Auto (Rightot in Japan) was created by Dr. Light as a lab assistant, due to Rock being unable to fulfill that role after his adoption of the superhero identity "Mega Man". He is introduced in Mega Man 7, where he provides Mega Man with upgrades and parts. However, despite his relatively late introduction, it is implied that Auto has been around for some time. In Mega Man 8, Auto assists Mega Man in the Rush Jet scenes, using a rocket launcher as well as a propeller in his head that allows him to fly. He also appears in Mega Man & Bass, creating upgrades for the player in exchange for 'bolts' dropped by defeated enemies. He also made a cameo appearance (or a robot of very similar appearance to him) in CD versions of Mega Man X3, watching TV in the background of the FMV intro for Volt Catfish's stage, making him the only robot from the classic series to also be seen in the X series.

Beat
Beat is a robotic bird that has appeared continuously in many Mega Man games. He was created by Dr. Cossack to provide additional support to Mega Man during the events of Mega Man 5. Several of the games require the player to obtain a certain number of Beat Plates in order to use Beat. Beat homes in on enemies, providing damage by physical contact. He would perform the same function in Mega Man 6, however he would not attack bosses as he did in the previous game. In Mega Man 7 and Mega Man 9, he rescues Mega Man from pits and in Mega Man 8, assists Mega Man during the Rush Jet scenes. He also provides Mega Man with an energy barrier in Mega Man & Bass. He assisted Duo and Proto Man as temporary invincibility powerups in Power Battle.

Bio-Devil
The Bio Devil is a mechaniloid first created by Dr. Wily. Other versions appear in the various series of the Mega Man metaseries. All of the Bio-devils consist of a ball-shaped body with over-proportionate hands and feet. At the center of the body is a single, mechanical eye. This eye is what keeps the bio-devil together and is also its one and only weakness. Each utilizes its malleable body substance and brute strength to lash out at intruders. Each version has a different name, including the Yellow Devil, Green Devil, Black Devil, Rainbow Devil, Lava Devil, Twin Devil, Ra Devil (New Yellow Devil), and Block Devil.

In the American version these creatures are referred to as "Rock Monsters", a change made due to Nintendo's policies regarding religious figures and names. However, the "devil" names are used in more recent American releases.

Sniper Joe
Sniper Joe is a biped mechaniloid used as infantry by Dr. Wily. It physically resembles a green Proto Man with a motorcycle helmet with a black visor containing a single red eye instead of sunglasses. This resemblance can be credited to the Sniper Joe series being modeled after Proto Man. It has no real intelligence, and simply blocks forward attacks with his shield, then shoots a number of shots from its arm cannon (The exact number of shots depends on the model of the Sniper Joe). It can also jump into the air, during which it lifts up its shield, leaving an opening for Mega Man to attack him. Mega Man can also damage him as he moves his shield out of the way directly before firing. In Mega Man 8 and Mega Man & Bass, the Joe Classic can also throw grenades that explode after a certain period of time. Sniper Joes are a recurring enemy throughout the classic series, and many of the numerous variants often involve a Sniper Joe operating machines such as walkers or gun turrets. It is stated multiple times that Proto Man considers these abominations, probably since they are based upon him but with limited intelligence.

Dr. Cossack
Dr. Mikhail Sergeyevich Cossack was a Russian colleague of Dr. Light. He appeared in Mega Man 4 as the main antagonist; however, it turns out he was being blackmailed, as Wily had kidnapped his daughter Kalinka. When Kalinka was rescued by Proto Man and the truth was revealed, Dr. Cossack turned on Wily and becomes an ally to Mega Man. He is the inventor of Beat and the Super Mega Buster, as well as numerous industrial and military robots. He also appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 5 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

Dr. Cossack is likely named after Peace Prize-winner and the last president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, although Gorbachev is not of Cossack descent.

Duo
Duo is a robot made on an alien planet, designed to eradicate "Evil Energy". Duo was formally introduced in Mega Man 8, chasing the adult stage of evil energy in its final form. After crashing to Earth, he is repaired by Dr. Light, and soon becomes an ally of Mega Man. After finally defeating the evil energy on Earth, he thanks Mega Man and leaves Earth to resume his search. He later appears in Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, which was actually released before Mega Man 8 (but set after it), Mega Man Battle & Chase, and Rockman Strategy.

The bulk of Duo's offensive abilities are attributed to his powerful left arm, with a fist nearly as large as his own torso, and his large spiked body. He attacks primarily by punching, though he is capable of using projectile weapons, the most powerful of which is a blast in the shape of his own hand. He also appears to have the same weapon copying abilities displayed by Mega Man, Proto Man, and Bass. As with them, his body changes color in accordance with the weapon he has equipped. Also, having been created for the purpose of destroying evil energy, he seems to have the unique ability to purge said energy from an infected victim's body, as demonstrated when saving Mega Man.

Eddie
Eddie, also known as Flip Top, was created by Dr. Light as a "walking suitcase", usually sent to help Mega Man by providing random recovery items during the game. He is also able to fire bombs out of his head while assisting Mega Man in the Rush Jet sections of Mega Man 8. Eddie first appeared in Mega Man 4. Starting from Mega Man 7, Eddie only appears in the shop and no longer gives items to Mega Man.

Being that Eddie is a walking head, he might be a reference to Iron Maiden's mascot Eddie the Head.

Kalinka
Kalinka Cossack is Dr. Cossack's daughter, who was kidnapped by Proto Man (on Dr. Wily's orders) in order to force her father into declaring war against Mega Man on Wily's behalf. She was however rescued by Proto Man right before Mega Man managed to defeat Cossack in his citadel. Kalinka is not present in any other games in the series, but appears in the "Navi Mode" of Mega Man 4 in the Mega Man Anniversary Collection to provide gameplay hints to Mega Man.

Kalinka is named after the famous Russian song of the same name.

King
King is a powerful robot appearing in Megaman and Bass that appeared to have free will and had decided to create a robot empire and wipe out humanity (similar to Sigma in the later Mega Man X series). In the game, Mega Man and Bass had to fight him and many robots that had "joined" him (two recurring from Mega Man 8). When either one finally defeats King, it's revealed that he had actually been programmed to form a rebellion along with the other robots (and thus didn't actually have free will) by Dr. Wily, at which point the player must then defeat Wily. While King is assumed dead, during the ending it is revealed that he survived and is now a wanderer, much like Proto Man. He then apologized for his actions that he had caused and wishes to meet up with Mega Man peacefully.

King possesses an array of powerful weapons, including a shield that works a lot like Enker's, which is capable of absorbing almost any attack and firing it back in the form of a massive laser beam. His other primary weapon is a massive battle-axe capable of slicing even Proto Man in half with one hit. He also has the ability to merge with other vehicles to form King Jet Robo and King Tank Robo, the pentaultimate bosses of the game.

Stardroids
Stardroids (Space Rulers in Japan) are the alien robot masters that were featured in Mega Man V (Game Boy). Their true creator is unknown. Dr. Wily had activated them as part of his plans to dominate the Earth.


 * Sunstar (Sungod in Japan) is the ancient robot Dr. Wily based his "Stardroid" designs on in Mega Man V. He was apparently built by an ancient alien civilization in the solar system that is long gone by the time Wily discovered him.  These details suggest that Sunstar's creators are different from Duo's creators. When Mega Man finds Wily, he decides to activate Sunstar himself and orders him to destroy Mega Man. Instead, Sunstar reveals his independent nature by deciding to attack Wily, and then he decides that organic beings in general should be wiped out for creating so many weapons and attacks Mega Man for defending them. Sunstar is possibly the most powerful of the robots in the series (with the possible exception of Duo) as a single shot can disintegrate entire floors as demonstrated during the final battle and he was able to knock out Wily's UFO with a single shot.  Upon defeating Sunstar, Mega Man attempts aid him back to Dr. Light's lab and convince him that humans and robots can coexist peacefully, and while Sunstar would like to see that kind of world, he reveals that Mega Man has damaged his energy core and when he explodes, it'll take out the entire space fortress, and so Mega Man is forced to escape without him.


 * Terra　(Earth in Japan) is the first Stardroid that Mega Man encounters and the "Megaman Killer" of Megaman V. Terra defeats him easily, since his Mega Buster cannot damage him until Dr. Light upgrades him with the Mega Arm (which replaces his standard charge shot with a grabbing attack). After Mega Man defeats the 8 other Stardroids, he encounters Terra again, this time with the ability to destroy him. His name is based on Earth and the third planet of Solar System. His main attack is the "Spark Chaser", a laser which can home in enemies and damage them multiple times. Not only that, he can Teleport and fire a circle projectile that will freeze Mega Man. Terra's attitude towards Mega Man is not unlike that of Bass.


 * Mercury is one of the first group of Stardroids. His name is based on the Roman messenger god of trade and the first planet of the solar system. His main attack is the "Grab Buster" ("Snatch Buster" in Japan), a projectile that can steal energy or power-ups from Mega Man and he can transform into liquid metal hopping in thrice and repeat the process. If you don't attack quickly enough, P-Chip and other power-ups will be stolen by him.


 * Venus is in the first group of Stardroids. He is named after the Roman goddess of love and the second planet of the solar system. His main attack is the "Bubble Bomb", a weapon resembling Burst Man's Danger Wrap from Mega Man 7. If it is small, it travels in one direction until it explodes. His design looks very similar to "Toad Man" from Mega Man 4.


 * Mars is in the first group of Stardroids. He is named after the Roman god of war and the fourth planet of the solar system. His main attack is the "Photon Missile", a highly-damaging energy bolt that takes the form of a rocket. He fires them thrice and fires all the missiles from his arm. After that he will set mines and move to the other side and repeat the process. He is one of the more dangerous Stardroids, and it is highly recommended to take Neptune out before heading to his stage.


 * Neptune is in the first group of Stardroids. He is named after the Roman god of water and sea and the eighth planet of the solar system. His main attack is the "Salt Water" which resembles and is reminiscent of Toxic Seahorse's weapon (Acid Burst) from Mega Man X3. He jumps back and forth between walls causing objects to drop down on Mega Man and uses his own attack whenever Mega Man gets near him.


 * Jupiter is in the second group of Stardroids. He is based on the Roman supreme deity and the fifth planet of the solar system. His main attack is the "Electric Shock", as he flies around and shoots at Mega Man. It is recommended to use "Bubble Bomb" to take him out. It is revealed from his Mega Man & Bass CD data that he is rivals with Tengu Man. His quote ("Clear my way, propeller scum!") may also be a reference to Gyro Man from Mega Man 5.


 * Saturn is in the second group of Stardroids. He is based on the Roman god of agriculture and harvest and the sixth planet of the solar system. His main attack is the "Black Hole". First, he jumps to the middle and freezes time then attacks with his weapon. After that he slides to the other side and uses his Ring to create a Black Hole and tries to suck Mega Man into it. He is also one of the most dangerous stardroids and is highly recommended to take out Jupiter first before you tackle his stage.


 * Pluto is in the second group of Stardroids. He is named after the Roman god of the underworld and the ninth planet of the solar system. His main attack is the "Break Dash". He uses his claw to fire three beams, then dashes to the upper left and fires missiles thrice before dropping down to the floor and repeating the process. His style is similar to Neon Tiger in Mega Man X3.


 * Uranus is in the second group of Stardroids. His name is based on the Greek mythological god of the skies, ancestor of gods, and the seventh planet of the solar system. His main attack is the "Deep Digger" which resembles Guts Man's weapon from the original Mega Man NES game as he uses this attack to pick up the blocks underneath him to throw at Mega Man. His defense is so incredibly tough that even a fully charged "Mega Arm" can only damage a small percentage of his life bar.

Mega Man Killers
The Mega Man Killers are a series of robots appearing in the Game Boy series. The Mega Man Killers are robots created by Doctor Wily to destroy Mega Man, who in turn defeats each one of them and eventually foils Wily's most devious schemes. All of them reappear as bosses in Game Boy version of Mega Man V, and all of them also reappear as bosses in the DLC stages from Mega Man 10. All of them are named after notable music genres.


 * Enker (RKN-001) is the Mega Man Killer of Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge. He wields a rapier, but his main attack is his "Mirror Buster", which allows him to absorb Mega Man's buster shots and fire them back through his sword (size dependent on the number of shots absorbed), though by doing this, he damages himself. In addition to the latter group appearances, Enker also appears in Wily & Right no RockBoard: That's Paradise, as the first fortress boss in Mega Man Soccer, and as the boss of the first DLC special stage in Mega Man 10. His name most likely comes from Enka, a Japanese musical genre.


 * Punk (RKN-002) is the Mega Man Killer of Mega Man III. He is armed with the "Screw Crusher", a weapon that flings rolling blades at Mega Man, and he can also hurl himself after transforming to strike with his embedded blades. He also appears in Mega Man 10 as the boss of the second special stage, and is also the only Mega Man Killer to have a Battle Network counterpart, appearing in Mega Man Battle Network 3 as Mr. Famous' NetNavi. He reappears as the boss of the second DLC special stage in Mega Man 10. He is named after the Punk Rock musical genre.


 * Ballade (RKN-003) is the Mega Man Killer of Mega Man IV. His weapon is the "Ballade Cracker", which can lay immobile timed mines and also fire small explosives from the tops of his arms. Ballade, after being defeated, seems to turn against Dr. Wily, and self-destructs to destroy a wall obstructing Mega Man, thus allowing Mega Man to escape back to Earth safely from Wily's space fortress. He also appears in Mega Man 10 as the boss of the third DLC special stage. His name is actually a modification of the word, Ballad.


 * Quint is not a Mega Man Killer, but serves a similar role in Mega Man II. However, he does appear in Mega Man V after Enker is defeated. His weapon is a jackhammer/pogo stick amalgamation called "Sakugarne" which can attack his foes by digging into the ground and creating debris to fly up and hit Mega Man. He is a future version of Mega Man reprogrammed by Dr. Wily.

Met
The Met (short for the Metall, Metool, Mettenna, and Mettaur variants of the name), also known as "Hard Hat" is another flagship enemy of the series. Appearing in nearly every game, the average Met is a tiny construction robot wearing a disproportionately-sized hard hat with a "plus" sign marked on it. Mets usually wait below their helmet before attacking, as it is impervious to nearly all of Mega Man's weapons. They appear in the various series of the Mega Man metaseries, with many different variations and forms. In the original Mega Man, another common enemy character named the Picket Man, has a head similar to the Metool, but with a full body, a shield, and a pickaxe. The Mets are a staple to the Mega Man series as the Goombas are to Super Mario Bros.

Reggae
Reggae is a robotic bird who is the pet of Dr. Wily. He is featured in an drama CD featured only in Japan. He was featured in Wily & Right no RockBoard: That's Paradise (or RockBoard for short) and Rockman & Forte: Challenger From the Future as a weapon for Bass. His first cameo outside of Japan is in Mega Man 7, where he appears if an invalid password is entered. He also appears as the shop keeper when playing as Bass in Mega Man 10. Archie Comic's adaptation of Mega Man has him play a more prominent role, usually mocking Dr. Wily's various failures in the "Short Circuits" section.

Robot Masters
Robot Masters are a special kind of robot, mainly under the control of Dr. Wily, that possess a very advanced level of artificial intelligence. The system is jointly credited to Dr. Light and Dr. Wily, and most Robot Masters possess a unique identification code, consisting of a two-letter "series code" followed by one of N, No, or #, then a three-digit "serial number". They are generally humanoid in appearance, and they are often designed with specific purposes and human-like personalities and quirks. The list below is of the first six Robot Masters that were built by Dr. Light and reprogrammed by Dr. Wily, as well as two more that were retconned in Mega Man Powered Up so as to be consistent with other Mega Man games.

Tango
Tango (タンゴ) is a green robotic cat and one of Mega Man's allies. Tango can roll himself into a buzzsaw and dive into enemies, until all in-area enemies are defeated, he falls into a pit or spikes, or his energy is expended. Tango only appears in Mega Man V for the Game Boy, Rockman & Forte Mirai kara no Chōsensha for the WonderSwan and makes a cameo on Mega Man 10 in the item shop when playing with Proto Man. Like many other characters, Tango's name is musical-themed.

Treble
Treble (ゴスペル) is Bass' equivalent to Mega Man's dog, Rush. Like Rush, Treble can assume a jet-like form (as seen in Mega Man 8) and fly. After Bass stole designs for the Rush Adapter during the events of Mega Man 7, Treble has been able to transform into an armored suit for Bass, the "Treble Boost". This gives Bass limited flight capability and increased firepower. In Mega Man & Bass, the Treble Boost also grants Bass invulnerability while its energy lasts. The Treble Boost is also present in Mega Man 10, functioning similarly to its previous incarnation, but without the invulnerability. The name Treble continues the music theme of the original Japanese character names.