Zero (Mega Man)


 * This article is about the Mega Man character. For other uses, see Zero (disambiguation).

Zero (, Zero) is a central character in the Mega Man X sub-series of the universe, and the protagonist of the Mega Man Zero sub-series.

Origin
Zero was one of the earliest characters Keiji Inafune designed for Mega Man X. In fact, he was originally supposed to be, but Capcom executives rejected the design claiming it was too radical of a departure from the classic Mega Man games. Inafune then created a more derivative design for X with some updates to fit the tone of the new series and repurposed the original design into a side character that eventually became Zero.

Along with, Zero was one of the first robots to have complete free will and the thinking capabilities of a human. It was revealed in Mega Man X4 that he was created by Dr. Wily to destroy the original Mega Man, but was too unstable and violent to be controlled, forcing Dr. Wily to seal him in a capsule. Later, in the year 21XX, a group of Maverick Hunters found Dr. Wily's lab and released Zero. As he still wasn't cured of his violent nature, Zero defeated those Maverick Hunters, causing him to be labeled as a Maverick and forcing the then-leader, Sigma, to fight him one-on-one. Zero lost the fight, but he also became stable from his Maverick-like state after the duel. On the other hand, Sigma was infected with the Maverick Virus and developed Sigma Virus with his newfound twisted will, causing a change in roles between him and Zero. Zero joined the Maverick Hunters, becoming an S-rank Hunter as well taking the role of a mentor and friend to X.

Zero took an active role in the Maverick Wars alongside X, fighting against the now Maverick Sigma. During the first conflict, Zero sacrificed himself to help X defeat one of Sigma's top enforcers, Vile. After Sigma's defeat, a trio of Sigma's followers known as the X-Hunters, made up of Serges, Violen, and Agile, reveal to the Maverick Hunters that they have Zero's head, torso, and leg parts with the intent of reviving him as a Maverick. X is able to to recover the parts, bringing Zero back to life as a force for good, destroying a copy of himself created by Sigma and creating a way for X to fight the Maverick leader. By the time of Mega Man X4 the Maverick Hunters had established a relationship with the Reploid military organization known as Repliforce, with Zero most notably being a sparring partner with the group's Colonel and having a romantic relationship with the Colonel's sister, Iris. Because of Sigma's machinations to create chaos among Reploids and bring out what he considers their "true potential", X and Zero were forced to fight against Repliforce, leading to the deaths of the Colonel, Iris, and the leader of Repliforce, the General. Iris' death had a greater emotional impact upon Zero, clutching her lifeless body and painfully asking "What am I fighting for?!"

After the Great Repliforce War, Zero was made the object of Sigma's attention, as the Maverick leader had planned to use the dormant viral code within Zero to reawaken him as the ultimate creation that Wily had intented him to be. Depending on the player's actions in Mega Man X5, Zero can either awaken as Wily's ultimate creation or remain normal. In either case, X and Zero are forced to fight against each other out of paranoia from the Maverick Hunters' medical control officer, Lifesaver. Zero sacrifices himself once more to help X defeat Sigma once again, with his last visions upon death being those of Iris.

This is where the continuity gets muddled. Zero technically gets revived two separate times. In Mega Man X6, Zero is seemingly revived by his own auto-repair systems, laying low while a Reploid scientist named Gate took a part of his coding in an effort to create "the ultimate Reploid", using a copy of Zero as a diversion. After X took a brief sabbatical from fighting Mavericks in Mega Man X7, Zero once again acted as a mentor to the group's newest recruit, Axl. Keiji Inafune, shephard of the Mega Man franchise, intended for X5 to be the last in that particular series and left to focus on the Mega Man Zero series. However, X6 was rushed out before that could happen and the series continued on without him, ruining his roadmap of the grander timeline.

After Sigma was finally defeated once and for all, Zero and X were involved in a new conflict called the "Elf Wars" due to its use of the electronic life-forms known as cyber-elves. Zero, having learned that his code was the original source of the Maverick outbreak, went into hybernation while scientists worked on a way to remove the malicious code. This was done as an attempt to explain the continuity error X6-8 created. In that time, he was given a second body to inhabit, which he was awakened in by the human scientist Ciel, seeking his aid to defeat her rebellious creation, a copy of X. While Zero helps with the resistance group that Ciel leads, he soon learns that his original body had been stolen by a mad scientist named Dr. Weil, naming the original body as "Omega". Zero destroys Omega and later defeats Weil, despite knowing the fact that he was human, putting an end to the Robot Wars that Wily had begun centuries ago. His code, along with X, was later salvaged and used as a base for the Model Z and Model X units respectively in the Mega Man ZX series.

In Ultimate, all of the techniques Zero uses as an Assist Trophy originate from the Mega Man X series:
 * His triple slash attack first debuted in Mega Man X4, where it is his most basic attack, with each of the slashes being activated with additional presses of the attack button. It has since been present in all of Zero's mainline playable appearances, including the Mega Man Zero series, although the slashes themselves differ across games. In Ultimate, he uses the version seen in Mega Man X4 and Mega Man X5.
 * Ryuenjin is one of Zero's special techniques in Mega Man X4. It is obtained by defeating Magma Dragoon, and performed by pressing the special move button while holding up. In addition to dealing damage, it can burn certain stage elements, giving Zero access to hidden items, and is notably his only attack that can damage Sigma, the final boss, in his first form. Zero also uses Ryuenjin in several of his crossover appearances, such as Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and its update Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, Project X Zone, Project X Zone 2 and Teppen.
 * Kuenzan is another of Zero's techniques in Mega Man X4. It is obtained by defeating Split Mushroom, after which it permanently replaces his standard midair attack. Unlike in Ultimate, Zero only somersaults once when using it instead of three times. It also appears as an upgrade in the Mega Man Zero series, and subsequent games of the Mega Man X series feature similar, circular slash techniques, such as C-Sword in X5, Ensuizan in X6, and Rasetsusen in X8.
 * Genmu Zero is a technique available to Zero only in his awakened form in Mega Man X5, when he fights near the end of the game. He uses it after the battle has gone on for too long, and functions as an unavoidable attack that instantly kills X. In crossovers such as the Marvel vs. Capcom series, Zero can use this attack in his original form, and Nightmare Zero in Mega Man X6 uses a similar attack known as Genmu Zero Kai, though both are considerably weaker than the version seen in X5.

Zero's double jump and air dash, which he uses in Ultimate, were originally special techniques in Mega Man X4, known as the Kuenbu and Hienkyaku (respectively), that had to be obtained by defeating Mavericks (Split Mushroom and Jet Stingray). In certain later games, they have been available to him from the beginning.

As a costume
Zero is the basis for a paid Mii Costume for s. Nintendo also released a QR code for those who wish to have the exact Mii used in the costume's advertising.

Trophy
Zero's trophy is exclusive to the Wii U version, under the name "Zero (Mega Man)" for disambiguation.

As an Assist Trophy
He appears from the Mega Man series. Just like in his original appearance, he uses his learned moves to wreak havoc on stage!

Zero appears as an Assist Trophy character. Upon being summoned, he says "Fight's on!" and chases opponents to attack them using a variety of techniques:
 * A series of three slashes with his Z-Saber, much like playable characters' neutral attacks, with the slashes linking into each other. However, opponents are able to air dodge inbetween the second and third slashes. The slashes deal 5%, 7%, and 9% respectively, for a total of 21% damage, and the third slash has enough knockback to KO at around 125% from center stage.
 * Ryuenjin (, Dragon Flame Blade): Zero jumps and slashes above himself with his Z-Saber engulfed in flames. Much like 's Blazer, it drags opponents along in multiple hits, then launches them upward at the peak of the jump. It deals up to 5 hits, with the first dealing 6%, the second to fourth dealing 1.2%, and the fifth dealing 10%, for a total of 19.6% damage. The final hit is powerful enough to KO opponents under 100% if all hits connect.
 * Kuenzan (, Air Circling Slash): Performs three quick somersaulting slashes in midair with the Z-Saber. The first two hits deal 4%, then the third hit deals 12%, for a total of 20% damage. The third hit is powerful enough to KO under 100% from center stage.
 * Genmu Zero (, Phantasm Zero): Holds the Z-Saber up, then slashes with it to fire a large, green blade beam forward. The Z-Saber itself deals 15%, while the beam deals 20%. This is Zero's most powerful attack, with the beam KOing opponents as low as 70% from center stage. He often uses it when opponents are at a long distance away from him, especially if they are at high percentages. The beam can be reflected and absorbed.

Johnny Yong Bosch, who voiced Zero in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 and its update Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite and Teppen, reprises his role in the English versions of Ultimate.

Much like in his series, Zero has a double jump, and can move with high-speed dashes both on the ground and in the air. He is also one of the Assist Trophies capable of performing directional air dodges. For all his techniques except the triple slash, Zero shouts their names when using them. He will then say "Back to base!" when departing. He also can be defeated, when he is defeated he gets blast KO'd but also explodes into orange orbs, a reference to his death animation in some of his appearances.

As a costume
Zero appears as a Mii Costume for s, released with the third wave of Mii Fighters.

Trivia

 * The Mii used to show Zero's costume has green eyes, rather than the blue eyes that Zero has in most games.
 * In Mega Man X4, Zero is seen with green eyes in the animated cutscenes; however, official artwork of X4 shows Zero with blue eyes.
 * Zero is the only Mega Man character with a trophy that is neither from the classic Mega Man series nor part of Mega Man's Final Smash.
 * Despite commonly being referred to as a Reploid, this is actually incorrect, as a Reploid is an android that is specifically based off the design of X. Zero is a rare exception and is not based off X's design.
 * Zero's reveal as an Assist Trophy, with him defeating a Ditto version of an, is a reference to fake, or "soulless", copies of Zero and X that Zero has fought over the years, such as Sigma's fake Zero, Copy X, and Omega.
 * Zero is the only Mega Man character to use a voice actor in the Super Smash Bros. series.
 * Although the Training Mode menu states that Zero will unleash Genmu Zero when he's about to leave, his departure and when he will perform the attack are not connected.
 * This is probably a reference to his fight as Awakened Zero where, after a certain amount of time passes, he will become invincible and start using Genmu Zero repeatedly, essentially ending the fight.
 * Zero is one of the two new Assist Trophy characters in Ultimate to use newly recorded voice clips, rather than recycled voice clips; the other is Alucard.
 * Interestingly, both Zero and Alucard share the same Japanese voice actor, Ryōtarō Okiayu.
 * Zero, Andross and Nintendog are tied for the most Spirits out of non Fighter characters, with a total of three. In his case, his Zero Buster spirit, his Z-Saber spirit, and Mega Man Zero spirit.
 * For unknown reasons, the Sound Test and the Assist Trophy menu in Training lists Zero's name as "Zero (Mega Man)", despite there being no other Assist Trophy with the name Zero, as well as none of Zero's spirits being specifically called "Zero (Mega Man)".