Ypsilon

English website
Ypsilon, or ??? in his first encounter, is a special Worker bearing an uncanny resemblance to Copen, and a main antagonist in Luminous Avenger iX 2. Possessing a strong hatred for Copen and loyalty to the Mother Computer, he is first encountered as a broken down Worker outside the Grave Pillar, reviving as a barely coherent machine at the sight of Copen. He is encountered a number of times, growing stronger and smarter as the story progresses.
== Website Description ==
Ypsilon is a Worker created from a copy of Copen's data, resulting in a "fake Copen." His circuits are brimming with hostility toward Copen and loyalty to the tower's Mother Computer.
Unlike the tower's "Gravekeepers" who are each assigned to a specific block, Ypsilon is able to freely move about the tower and hunt down Copen and the other intruders at every turn. 
Like Copen, he is capable of copying the abilities of other workers and manifesting them to use for himself. He may not pose much of a threat at first, but will become more powerful with each encounter.
His Card-en-Ciel profile uses an abbreviated version that adds the following line:
"His name represents the Y that surpassed the apeX."
The Japanese profile goes further, stating:
"The name comes from the letter "y" in the German alphabet, and means one who surpasses X, or one who is missing from X."https://card-en-ciel.com/jp/character/character18.html
== Appearance ==
Ypsilon is a distinctly humanoid Worker with white hair featuring red accents. He has a similar build to Copen, looking around 17 years old in human terms. He appears clad in black and gray armor, with glowing red highlights, and has a tattered, crimson, tasset-like cloth attached to his waist. His face is covered by a mask-like visor that leaves his hair exposed, his gauntlets feature clawed fingers, and his boots have sharp upward protrusions around each foot.
Ypsilon's weapon is a shield resembling Copen's old EX Gear, but only featuring one side. It has a single, seemingly rotating handle, and four lights in the shape of an "X" in the front. However, as the bottom right one doesn't glow, the lights assume the shape of an "Y" when the shield is held up. The shield's point is noticeably worn and scratched, and it features mechanisms on its back that seemingly aid in the use of the Gravekeepers' attacks.
According to concept art, Ypsilon has a face identical to the The Creator's beneath his mask. It is never seen in-game.
===Gallery===
Main article: Ypsilon/Gallery
Ypsilon concept.jpg|Concept art (true face omitted)
56 Ypsilon 2.png|Attack movement concepts
==Personality==
Upon his creation Ypsilon possesses low intelligence, and in the Japanese script his dialogue is written in Katakana, a trait of robotic characters. As his mind develops, he speaks more normally, and begins identifying himself as the "Y" to Copen's "X", presumably based on the incomplete lights on his shield. 
He later shows great hostility and jealousy toward Copen, an alternate version of his human template, and wants to be by Mother's side, yet Mother cares little for him. In his later appearances, he appears to have an unstable personality, prone to anger and willing to destroy other Workers if they are in the way of Mother's requests.
==History==
===Background===
The circumstances of Ypsilon's creation are unknown, but he appears that he was originally created as a substitute partner for the Mother Computer after The Creator disappeared. At some point Mother chose to dispose Ypsilon, and he would be left to rust in his exposed Worker frame outside the tower's entrance; the circumstances behind this are also unknown. In the Japanese script, she says "unit of that model", implying there may have been more than one Ypsilon.
===Pillar Outskirts===
As Copen and Lola reach the entrance to the Grave Pillar, they encounter a broken, lifeless Worker slumped over on the ground just outside it. While they ponder the figure's existence, Pix suddenly appear and converge on it, transforming it, and Copen is only able to get out a "What!?" before he's attacked.
After the Worker takes critical damage and flees, Lola comments on how he looked similar to Copen. Copen wonders if they copied his data, but is in disbelief that it could be done instantly. He then chooses to not think about it and focuses on breaking through the barrier around the pillar's entrance.
=== Passage to Upper Stratum ===
Later on, Copen encounters the Worker again while traveling through the Passage to Upper Stratum, with the robot introducing itself as "Ypsilon" and claiming that his orders are to defeat and surpass Copen before engaging again, with Ypsilon having attacks based on Vespa and Dacite. However, he loses again and before he flees to get more enhancements, laments how he can't beat Copen and states how "I should be the one by the one by Mother's side!" 
After Ypsilon flees, Lola wonders if he and Copen have crossed paths before, but Copen denies it, given their recent arrival and the state the Worker was in, believe that Ypsilon's jealousy might be an AI error, before the two head back to get Kohaku and Null.
===Upper Stratum===
When three Blocks in the Upper Stratum have been cleared, Ypsilon awakens the Mother Computer to notify her of the intruders' progress. Mother initially does not recognize him due to having fragmented data after sleeping for so long, and after he identifies himself as Ypsilon and her partner, she is confused by his presence after previously destroying him. When Mother orders Ypsilon to make himself useful and bring Kohaku to her for her own plans, Ypsilon is pleased to be given a command by her, but asks if he can upgrade himself first to defeat Copen, which she grants. Later, once all four blocks are cleared, Ypsilon swoops in and kidnaps Kohaku as Mother instructed, threatening to harm Kohaku if Copen interferes and fleeing further up the tower.
===Entrance to Top Floor===
When Copen and Lola reach the Entrance to Top Floor, they encounter Ypsilon again. He states how Mother wanted Kohaku, and that he sent her through a teleporter into the Hanging Gardens, where the AI lives. He then destroys the teleporter to stop Copen from reaching Mother, but Null sacrifices herself to allow Copen to use the teleporter, prompting Ypsilon to try and destroy her too, which causes a final fight that ends with Ypsilon's defeat. Ypsilon has no final words, and goes out in a fiery explosion, unlike how the Gravekeepers explode.
Ypsilon makes no canonical appearances after this, including in Hard Mode's story, where his role as a recurring boss is taken over by The Creator. His absence suggests that he was not rebuilt after his destruction, though his fate is not known for certain.
==Other Appearances==
===Card-en-Ciel===
"Time to die."
Ypsilon is one of the characters from Luminous Avenger iX 2 featured as a card and enemy in the crossover roguelite card-battling RPG Card-en-Ciel. He is used in the tutorial to demonstrate the game's break system,https://www.4gamer.net/games/784/G078468/20240626041/ likely in reference to the tagline of iX2.
Card 	Character	Effect 	Cost	Movement
The Y That Surpassed the apeX	Ypsilon 	Gain 10 [Damage+]. 10 damage to self.	0 	Right
==Abilities==
Much like Copen, Ypsilon is capable of copying the abilities of fallen Gravekeepers. How exactly he does this is unknown, as he only alludes to the process as "gathering data" and getting "upgrades".
=== Boss Battle Skills ===
Note: Ypsilon will block damage from the front with his shield when it is held up like in his idle animation. However, he can still be tagged in that state (and won't block homing shots following that), and the Recoil Dash will knock him back and stun him momentarily.
Skill 	Description
Shield Break(シールドストライク) 	Ypsilon holds up his "y"-marked shield and charges forward. Getting hit by this will send Copen flying.
Shield Bash(シールドバッシュ) 	Ypsilon strikes out hard with his shield. It also unleashes a large shockwave. In his third fight, this move neutralizes the Cryo-Flash derived from Hail, and he will use it in response if not in the middle of another attack.
Rolling Step(ローリングステップ) 	Ypsilon moves with a rolling jump. When first fighting Ypsilon, this move does nothing special. On subsequent encounters, it grants him invulnerability and cancels tags.
Prominent Uppercut(プロミネンスアッパー) 	A move copied from Dacite. During Shield Break, he quickly launches into a rising uppercut with his shield clad in flame. Often used when Copen is close.
Dancing Wind(オラージュリーゼ) 	A move copied from Vespa. He fires 5 wind projectiles at Copen, which home in on him one by one.
Blazing Tempest(フレイミングシャワー) 	An SP Skill used in his second fight. Ypsilon combines Dacite's flames and Vespa's wind to create an enormous flame twister that unleashes fireballs around the area.
Aiming Ray(エイミングレイ) 	Copied from Autochrome. Sends out four targeting sights one after, and fires homing lasers depending on how many connect.
Judgment Blade(ジャッジメントブレード) 	Copied from Brigade's tank Heavy Basalt. Ypsilon emits an enormous sword beam from his shield and swings it downward to fire off a crescent beam which must be dashed under.
Meteor SlicerLuminous Avenger iX 2 Steam version exe file	Copied from Ace. A group of boomerangs are launched into the air and fall down from the ceiling, leaving safe zones in between.
Seraphic Ruin(セラフィックデス, Seraphic Death) 	An SP Skill used in his final fight. Ypsilon calls upon the souls of the six Gravekeepers to attack Copen before unleashing a massive blast of darkness. The orbs that Ypsilon summon must be destroyed before they become wings to lessen the first attack by using the Gravekeepers' weaknesses. If all 6 orbs are destroyed, Ypsilon will unleash a blast of darkness anyway.
==Boss Battle Voices==
===Japanese===
Event 	Translated 	Romaji 	Japanese
Disabling Cryo-Flash 	Useless! 	Muda da! 	ムダだ！
Dancing Wind 	Scatter! 	Chire! 	散れ!
Stunned by Recoil Dash	Impossible! 	Baka na! 	バカな！
Inferno Drop 	Burn! 	Moero! 	燃えろ！
Aiming Ray 	Go! (Lock on) Pierce through! 	Ike! Tsuranuke! 	行け！ 貫け！
Judgment Blade 	Blow away! 	Keshitobe! 	消し飛べ！
Meteor Slicer 	Slice him up! 	Kirikizande! 	切り刻んで！
1st Phase Down 	I will judge you! 	Kisama wo sabaku! 	貴様を裁く！
2nd Phase Down 	For Mother's sake! 	Mazā no tameni! 	マザーのために！
Blazing Tempest 	I’ll wipe you out! Blazing Tempest! Tornado! Vanish into dust! 	JP text: Uchi horobosu! Furemingu shawaa!! Tatsumaki! Chiri to hatero!EN text: Uchi horobosu! Burejingu Tenpesuto!! Tatsumaki! Chiri to hatero! 	日本言語版: 討ち滅ぼす! フレイミングシャワー! 竜巻！ 塵と果てろ!英語言語版: 討ち滅ぼす! ブレイジングテンペスト! 竜巻！ 塵と果てろ!
Seraphic Ruin 	Time for your destruction! Seraphic Ruin! You guys, lend me your strength! Pour down, light! You shall... perish here!	JP text: Horobi no toki da! Serafikku desu! Kisamara, ore ni chikara wo kase! Furisosoge! Hikari yo! Koko de... horobi yo!EN text: Horobi no toki da! Serafikku rūin! Kisamara, ore ni chikara wo kase! Furisosoge! Hikari yo! Koko de... horobi yo!	日本言語版: 滅びの時だ！ セラフィックデス！ 貴様ら、俺に力を貸せ！ 降り注げ！光よ！ ここで…滅びよ！英語言語版: 滅びの時だ！ セラフィックルーイン！ 貴様ら、俺に力を貸せ！ 降り注げ！光よ！ ここで…滅びよ！
===English===
Event 	Voice
Disabling Cryo-Flash 	Useless!
Dancing Wind 	Scatter!
Stunned by Recoil Dash 	This can't be!
Inferno Drop 	Burn!
Aiming Ray 	Go! (Locked On) Destroy him!
Judgment Blade 	Begone!
Meteor Slicer 	Slice him up!
1st Phase Down 	I will judge you!
2nd Phase Down 	For Mother!
Blazing Tempest (EN Text)	I will destroy you! Blazing Tempest! The storm begins! Burn to ash!
Flaming Shower (JP Text) 	I will destroy you! Flaming Shower! The storm begins! Burn to ash!
Seraphic Ruin (EN Text) 	Time to die! Seraphic Ruin! Lend me your power! Rain down, light! Fall.. to ruin!
Seraphic Death (JP Text) 	Time to die! Seraphic Death! Lend me your power! Rain down, light! Fall.. to ruin!
==Quotes==
Y（イプシロン）！X（極限）を超えし者の名だッ
Ypsilon! This is the name of the one who overcomes X (the Xtreme)!
--Ypsilon, Japanese version
==Musical Themes==
Title 	Context 	Composer 	Audio
Xtreme Beyond(エクストリームビヨンド) 	Ypsilon battle theme	Ryo Yoshinaga	
Track notes:Luminous Avenger iX2 Soundtrack
*Xtreme Beyond
The track of the battles against Ypsilon. He looks similar to Copen yet he’s not him at the same time. I borrowed the chord progression and building of his battle theme in GV1, and then added a new melody overlapping it. I think that the result was a track that was similar to the original music, yet it’s got Ypsilon’s own powerful and straight impulse to it.
==Trivia==
*As all Gravekeepers appear to be based on the Mighty Numbers, as the "newest" one who can copy the others, Ypsilon most likely corresponds to Mighty No. 9, Beck. If iX is rendered as IX, it also means 9.
**He likely also corresponds to Ray, because Ray also has the copy ability, and the two have similar colors and personalities.
*Ypsilon is an alternate spelling of Upsilon, Y/υ, the 20th letter of the Greek alphabet.
**Ypsilon's name is in fact based on the letter from the German alphabet specifically. This is similar to Copen's armor being named Weiss Tiger (German for White Tiger) and his batteries/Shift mode being named Blitz (lightning) in the Japanese versions. In line with those names being changed to White Tiger and Bullit in the English versions, the reference to Ypsilon's name being from German was omitted from his English Card-en-Ciel profile.
*As a "false Copen" related to his past and named after a Greek letter, Ypsilon is reminiscent of Omega from the Mega Man Zero series, which was also made by Inti Creates.
**Given his nature as an irregular copy of "iX" with an inferiority complex, Ypsilon is more comparable to Copy X, especially considering the The Creator existing in a ghostly form similar to the cyber elf original X. His final SP skill being Seraphic Ruin could be a reference to Copy X's Seraph mode, also taking visual cues from it.
*As Luminous Avenger iX2 bosses are named after bike-related productsSummer Games Done Quick 2022, Benja's iX2 run. Former localization director Matt Papa is asked if the naming theme of iX2 bosses is bikes and motorcycles, and confirms it., Ypsilon is presumably named after the EMB Ypsilon bike.
**This name is shared with the car Lancia Ypsilon, matching the naming theme of most characters from the first Azure Striker Gunvolt, as well as the Berserk Adepts in Azure Striker Gunvolt 3.
*The shape of Ypsilon's shield is similar to the damage Copen's old shield EX Gear took in Copen's Story; prior to completely destroying it with Voltaic Chains, Asimov shattered one of its twin barrels with a lightning surge. The Creator's shield, while in better conditions, has the same shape.
*Some versions of the letter upsilon bear a resemblance to the astrological sign for Aries. Anchor Nexus, the EX Weapon gained from the Aries-based boss Rebellio in Luminous Avenger iX, serves as Copen's default weapon in Luminous Avenger iX 2.
**Rebellio is also based on the Seraph angel choir, and consequently Anchor Nexus' upgrade ability is named Lucifer Mace. Ypsilon's second SP Skill is Seraphic Ruin (Seraphic Death in Japanese).
*Ypsilon's mask and claws bear some resemblance to Merak's armed chair.
**Both also kidnapped the main heroine under order from their superior.
*Ypsilon's Judgment Blade resembles Jota's Zero Blade (Phosphoratorium) attack, and likewise is acquired from a "green boss."
**It also is similar to Zero's Genmu Zero attack in Mega Man X5, unleashing an enormous sword beam towards the player (although it resembles the Kai version used by Nightmare Zero in the sequel more, due to it only being one beam).
*Ypsilon is similar to Blade in many ways:
** Both served as the masked rival character who is the #2 of the main antagonist in their respective works.
** Both were meant to be a replacement to one of the main characters after they died, Blade being a replacement to Gunvolt and Ypsilon being a replacement to Copen.
** Both are fought three times in their respective games.
** Both of them have two Special Skills.
** Both have color variants of them as secret bosses. However, Ypsilon's color variant has more fights.
*Some of Ypsilon's battle voices are similar to Copen's in GV1 and GV2. Why Ypsilon mirrors these is unclear, but it could be due to him being a copy of Copen (or rather, another version of the latter).
**When entering phase 2 in battle, Ypsilon says "I will judge you!" (貴様を裁く！, Kisama wo sabaku!), while Copen says "I’ll bestow judgment...!" (オレが裁く…！ Ore ga sabaku...!).
**When preparing Blazing Tempest, Ypsilon says "I'll wipe you out! (討ち滅ぼす! Uchi horobosu!). "I'll wipe you out...!" (討滅する…! Toumetsu suru…!) was Copen's catchphrase in the Japanese version of GV2, being his equivalent of Gunvolt's "Oversurge! Azure Striker!"
**Ypsilon ends Seraphic Ruin with "Destroy!" (滅びろ！ Horobi ro!). While possibly a coincidence considering its simplicity, this is also Copen's final line during Guilt Sequence (and his general cry for shooting with his gun Border).
**Ypsilon says "Useless!" (無駄だ！ Muda da!) while disabling Cryo-Flash, and Copen used the same line while performing his backflip in GV1 (though this is also a very simple and commonly used line).
*Ypsilon is the only boss in the series to not have any sort of death cry or last words.
*Ypsilon and The Creator's sprite sheets are nearly identical. Ypsilon has unused graphics for a blue colored Stellar Spark, a red version of the energy balls emitted by Creator's Shield Bash, and reaching out his hand as Creator does.
==References==
==Luminous Avenger iX 2 Navigation==
Category:LAiX 2 Characters
Category:Robot
Category:Antagonists
Category:Luminous Avenger iX 2
Category:Characters
Category:LAiX 2 Bosses
Category:Male Characters
Category:First Bosses
Category:Deceased