Dr. Cain

is a supporting character in the X era. He is a robotics scientist and archaeologist who discovered X in 21XX after he was sealed away by Dr. Light. With this data, Dr. Cain helped put Reploids into production and usher in a new era of robotics. He is also the creator of Sigma and the founder of the Maverick Hunters.
==In the Games==
===Mega Man X===
Dr. Cain is first mentioned in Mega Man X. Though he does not appear in-person in the game, concept artwork was drawn for his design. The game's opening shows Dr. Cain logging into a computer to access records of Dr. Light's data on X, displaying the "Mega Man X Specifications" and "Warning" messages.
Dr. Cain's most prominent appearance is in "The Journal of Dr. Cain", a document first included in the game's English manual, written as journal entries from Cain's perspective to tell the story of X's discovery and the production of Reploids. The journal begins on April 8th, describing Cain's lack of success in an archaeological dig to verify any of his findings on Mesozoic plant life.In the Japanese version of "The Journal of Dr. Cain" (from the Windows version manual and Compendium of Rockman X), Dr. Cain's findings were on Middle Ages plant life instead. On April 10th, he excavated Dr. Light's laboratory, and on April 14th, he awoke X from his capsule. On November 22nd, Cain successful created the first Reploid based on X's design,The English localization states: "With X's help I have completed my first Reploid", which is a mistranslation. The original Japanese version roughly says: "Using Mega Man X as a reference, I completed my first Repliroid robot." and Reploids soon went into mass production. After Reploids eventually began going Maverick, Cain founded the Maverick Hunters and created Sigma, his Reploid magnum opus, to command them. However, inevitably Sigma too would go Maverick on June 4th, forcing X and Zero to stop him."The Journal of Dr. Cain", Mega Man X. 1993.The dates after November 22nd differ in the Japanese version of "The Journal of Dr. Cain", being on average a month or two later than the dates in the English version. Additionally, Sigma led the Hunters for two years with no issues rather than four months.
===Mega Man X2===
Dr. Cain first appears in-person in Mega Man X2, where he takes a more involved role leading the Maverick Hunters and supporting X. After Zero's sacrifice during Sigma's rebellion, Dr. Cain salvaged his control chip, but was unable to reconstruct his unique Reploid body.Gallery, Mega Man X Legacy Collection. 2018. Six months later, when Mavericks were found with microchips bearing Sigma's insignia, Cain traced their source to a secret factory making Maverick soldiers for a new rebellion.Opening, Mega Man X2. 1994.
When X is challenged by the X-Hunters in Hunter Base, Dr. Cain urges him to defeat them and recover Zero's parts so he can be reconstructed. Once all eight Mavericks are defeated, he pinpoints the location of the X-Hunters' Arctic base so X can finish the fight. If X failed to defeat all three X-Hunters, they storm Hunter Base and steal Zero's control chip from Cain, as he is helpless to stop them, leading to Zero being resurrected as a Maverick. If X successfully defeated all three, Cain reassembles Zero off-screen in time for Zero to help X fight Sigma in the game's finale.
===Mega Man X3===
Dr. Cain returns in Mega Man X3, staying at Hunter Base as usual while X and Zero fight against Dr. Doppler's rebellion in Dopple Town. Once all eight Mavericks are defeated, Dr. Cain analyzes their remains to pinpoint Doppler's laboratory hidden at Point D. He also discovers that Doppler is constructing a giant battle body, though he appears to be incompatible with it, leading X and Zero to suspect it is for Sigma instead. If Zero is damaged by Mosquitus in Doppler Stage B, he is forced to get repairs from Dr. Cain while X finishes the fight.
Additionally, in the English version's game manual, "Cain Labs" is credited for creating a Reploid-focused website called "Reploids on the Web" that serves as a framing for the manual's information.
===Mega Man Xtreme===
Dr. Cain has a minor role in Mega Man Xtreme, working with Middy at Hunter Base to find a way to restore the Mother Computer, while X fights the Maverick data guardians within. He only appears in-person twice; once to congratulate X upon defeating every Maverick boss, and again once X completes to inform him that he can finally enter the core.
===Mega Man X4===
Dr. Cain is briefly mentioned in Mega Man X4, making no in-person appearance. The main reference is in Zero's flashback cutscene, where Sigma orders his men to retrieve the unconscious Zero so that Dr. Cain can study him. The other references are only found in the English version's game manual, claiming that Dr. Cain created Double and was involved in the formation of Repliforce. However, these facts have never been mentioned in any other works, so they are likely not canon.
===Mega Man Maverick Hunter X===
In the remake Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, Dr. Cain only appears in the animation "The Day of Sigma". He is arguably the character most different from his original appearance.
Dr. Cain is the discoverer of X and the creator of Sigma and the Reploids, but remains bound to life-support technology in his home in Abel City. Sigma reports to Dr. Cain on the Maverick Hunters, and Cain surprises him by emphasizing that X is still the most advanced Reploid for his profound emotional complexity. This gets Sigma to consider X as a benchmark for Reploid evolution, and to involve him more in his plan to surpass humanity. When Sigma later begins his rebellion, he launches a missile strike on Abel City that apparently kills Cain, as he is shown ironically refuting that Reploids are punishment for mankind's hubris before he and his entire home are consumed in light.
Dr. Cain's fate in this version of events remains a mystery. Since Mega Man X2 and X3 were planned to be remade as well,"Mega Man on PSP -- Keiji Inafune and Tatsuya Kitabayashi Interview". Phil Theobald, GameSpy. 2005. (archived) it can be assumed that Cain would have had to return in some capacity. So far, the only official comment on the matter is in the book Mega Man X Maverick Hunter's Field Guide, which claims that Cain secretly survived the attack.Mega Man X: Maverick Hunter's Field Guide. UDON Entertainment. 2021. Pg. 27. "When the Day of Sigma dawned, the self-proclaimed steward of the Reploid race spared no one when he rained nuclear destruction upon Abel City — his 'father' included. Nevertheless, Dr. Cain endured and assisted X and Zero in their subsequent missions to counter Sigma's evil efforts."
===Other Game Appearances===
* In Mega Man X DiVE, Dr. Cain appears as a card.
* In TEPPEN, Dr. Cain appears in multiple cards.
==Other Media== 
* In the Mega Man cartoon, Dr. Cain is briefly shown on a monitor in the episode "Mega X". As Mega Man X2 had not publicly established an official design for him yet, Cain was depicted as a younger man with brown hair and a beard.
* In the Rockman X manga, Dr. Cain plays a much larger role than in the original game. He also returns as a major character in the Rockman X2 and Rockman X3 manga.
* In Rockman X The Novel: Irregulars Report, Dr. Cain is featured as a major character.
* In the Archie Mega Man comic, Dr. Cain appears during the Mega Man X issues, including a portion directly based on "The Journal of Dr. Cain" and its events.
==Official Data==
Source 	Data
Mega Man X Legacy Collection (X2)	The most gifted roboticist of the 22nd century. Dr. Cain's groundbreaking development of Reploids broke down the barriers between robot and human as his creations exhibited the capacity to think, feel, and make decisions for themselves. Dr. Cain now spends his days as the founder and director of the Maverick Hunters, but he remains a mysterious figure even to those closest to him.
Mega Man X Legacy Collection (X3)	The most gifted roboticist of the 22nd century. Dr. Cain's groundbreaking development of Reploids broke down the barriers between robot and human as his creations exhibited the capacity to think, feel, and make decisions for themselves. Dr. Cain now spends his days as the founder and director of the Maverick Hunters, but he still bears guilt for the damage caused by his creation, Sigma. He understands X's problems and often supports him from behind the scenes.
== Notes ==
==References==
Category:X era characters