Zero

**Zero** (ゼロ) is the deuteragonist of the *Mega Man X* series. He is a high-ranking Maverick Hunter, a dedicated warrior who fights Mavericks alongside X and Axl. Though he is secretly the greatest creation of Doctor Albert W. Wily, making him effectively the successor of Bass, Zero chooses to fight for what he believes in rather than letting the circumstances of his creation determine his destiny.

Zero is the main protagonist of the *Mega Man Zero* series, and his essence lives on in the *Mega Man ZX* series as Biometal Model Z.

## Appearance

Zero's most distinctive traits are his red and white armor, a horned helmet with a blue gem on his forehead, and a long blond ponytail. His initial design in *Mega Man X* had spherical shoulderpads (one with a "Z" symbol), two green gems on his chest, a white codpiece, and white kneepads and toes. He stood only slightly taller than X. This was an incomplete version of his design by Dr. Wily, as Zero was left unfinished when he was sealed in his capsule.

When Zero was reconstructed by Serges of the X-Hunters, his body received several upgrades that completed his design. His shoulders gained reinforced rectangular shoulder plates, along with improved arm guards, new dash thrusters and golden accents on his legs, and thicker chest armor. A small pack was also added to his back to store his Z-Saber when not in use.

Zero has never been seen without his helmet in official media. In the Bandai Mega Armor series of figures, Zero's head has no hair and his ponytail is merely attached to his nape. Alternatively, the *Rockman X* manga frequently shows Zero without his helmet, giving him a full head of blond hair.

In *Mega Man X8*, Zero received the most minor redesign out of the cast. Some changes included shortened helmet horns, a less bushy ponytail, white heels, and an indent at the top of his codpiece.

## Personality

Outwardly, Zero is a somewhat cold individual, and a ruthless Maverick Hunter. He constantly keeps his cool, even in times of crisis. He is also very straightforward and down-to-earth, often sarcastically snapping back at the unpleasantries of Mavericks and destroying them without entertaining their philosophies or taunts.

Despite this, Zero truly does have the capacity to care for others. He is very protective of his allies, such as X and the Maverick Hunters, going to great lengths to ensure their safety. He has a great distaste for the deaths of innocents. He will even disregard his own safety, sacrificing himself, to save others, such as during the battle with Vile in *Mega Man X* and willingly piloting the shuttle into the Eurasia colony in *Mega Man X5*. His care for others was detrimental during the Great Repliforce War, where he was forced to face his friends, Iris and Colonel, and their deaths at his hands caused him great emotional turmoil.

Even though Zero does not openly show it, he too seems to long for peace between humans and Reploids. However, he has said that he doesn't have any problems fighting, unlike his more pacifistic friend, X. Zero initially acted as something like a mentor to X, understanding his latent potential and even helping him unleash it. As X grew stronger, Zero gained more respect for him, seeing him as an even greater Maverick Hunter than himself. Even then, he still remains a voice of reason who helps ground X and overcome his doubts. Zero again acted the mentor upon meeting Axl. Though their relationship was tenuous at first, due to Zero being exasperated by Axl's enthusiasm and criminal background, he came to respect him as well while still playfully teasing him.

Zero's original persona was much different. He was a violent, disobedient, and uncontrollable Maverick, which was the original reason his creator Dr. Wily sealed him away in a capsule. Upon being released from his capsule, Zero went on a rampage; he often made feral screams and laughed psychotically, and took great pleasure in tearing apart Sigma and his comrades. In the non-canon ending of *Mega Man X2*, Zero briefly becomes a Maverick again and attacks X in a rage. However, Zero also has an even darker persona, the one that Dr. Wily intended for him, and which can be awakened in Zero through sufficient exposure to Maverick Viruses capable of doing so. In the bad ending of *Mega Man X5*, Zero's "true self" awakens, which is just as misanthropic as his Maverick self but with a degree more self-control and absolute obedience to Wily's will.

## History

### Background

#### Creation

Zero was created by Dr. Albert Wily sometime in 20XX. Though it is non-canon to the main *Mega Man* timeline, Wily first alluded to the construction of Zero in Bass' ending in *Mega Man: The Power Battle*, describing him as a robot to surpass both Bass and Mega Man. Wily finally showed Zero to Bass in his ending in *Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters*, where a silhouette of his body was seen as Wily described him. Learning from his past mistakes, including the accidental creation of Bassnium and his construction of Bass and King, Wily had constructed Zero as a far more advanced robot than anything he had ever built before. He allegedly used Proto Man as a starting reference for Zero's design.

However, Zero contained a flaw in his cognitive program that made him violently disobedient. Because of this, Wily planned to flush Zero's mind with another of his projects, the Maverick Virus, but ran out of time as he neared the end of his life. With Zero and the Maverick Virus unfinished, Wily sealed them both away in a capsule.

#### Awakening

In the following century of 21XX, prior to the first *Mega Man X,* Zero's location was discovered by by a group of Reploids. Presumably, his storage was within close proximity of the place where X was stored too. Once awakened by this group, Zero destroyed them, as well as any intruders who would dare enter the lair. Labelled a Maverick (by the definition of being a threat to humans), Zero was later cornered by Maverick Hunters inside, and Zero destroyed Garma's unit. Not wanting more comrades endangered by the mysterious Maverick, then-17th Elite Unit commander Sigma challenged Zero in a one-on-one battle. Even though Zero eventually gained the upper hand during the battle, Sigma was able to defeat the red Maverick after the gem on Zero's head began to glow with a 'W' symbol, apparently causing Zero great pain.

Sigma punched the crystal, shattering it and defeating Zero. However, Zero's virus had entered Sigma's system; now both Sigma and Zero were infected with the Maverick Virus. Zero was brought to Dr. Cain at Sigma's request, who analyzed him. Upon awakening again, Zero became docile and had no memories of his previous actions. No longer showing signs of Maverick behavior, Zero's strength was put to good use and he was enlisted into the Maverick Hunters' 17th Elite Unit, but unknowingly Zero still carried the virus.

### *Mega Man X*

After Sigma declared his Reploid rebellion on June 4, 21XX, Zero was made the de facto leader of the Maverick Hunters due to being the highest-ranked Hunter who hadn't joined Sigma at the time. Additionally, Zero was approached by X, who sought to help fight the Maverick uprising despite not being a Maverick Hunter. Zero allowed X to join him on the battlefield.

While fighting Mavericks on the Highway, Zero found X at the mercy of Vile and came to his rescue, blasting the arm off Vile's Ride Armor. Zero threatened to finish Vile, forcing him to flee onto the Death Rogumer. X lamented his inability to defeat Vile, but Zero assured him that over time he could one day become as powerful as himself. He then ordered X to continue suppressing Sigma's rebellion, while he performed reconnaissance to locate Sigma's new fortress.

Once X had defeated the eight former Maverick Hunters, Zero announced that he had discovered Sigma's Hideout and that he was ready to storm it whenever X was. The two then rendezvoused at the floating fortress' launch site, with Zero taking the brunt of the fire while X found a safer way into the base behind him. Once in the fortress, the pair encountered Vile; worried about X, Zero decided to take him on alone. However, he was overpowered by Vile's new Ride Armor and placed in a cage. When X entered the room, Zero encouraged X to fight Vile, but the rookie Hunter was defeated. Desperate, Zero mustered the last of his power and broke out of his cage, overloading his Z-Buster on the back of the Ride Armor to destroy it - however, he gravely wounded himself in the process.

Zero laid on the ground, bisected at the waist, until X finally destroyed Vile and rushed to his side. Zero admitted that he wouldn't survive his injuries, and encouraged X to go finish off Sigma in his stead. Additionally, if X hadn't found the Arm Parts, he would give him his own Z-Buster in its place.

### *Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X*

Zero's role in the remake's *Maverick Hunter X* continuity remains mostly unchanged. Because X is already a B-Class Hunter at the beginning of the story, the two are much more familiar with each other. Zero also appears as a boss alongside X in the non-canon Vile Mode, and he plays a large role in the included OVA *The Day of Σ.*

### Mega Man X2

After Sigma's defeat, the Hunters tried to salvage whatever remained of Zero from the sunken fortress and found Zero's control chip, which had miraculously survived the destruction of his body. However, the Hunters were incapable of creating a new body for Zero because they were unable to replicate his unique specs.

Six months later, three Maverick leaders known as the X-Hunters contacted the Maverick Hunters, claiming to be in possession of three rebuilt fragments of Zero's body. Although the American translation fails to reveal how the X-Hunters obtained the parts, the Japanese version elaborates that Serges made them, as they were additions that had been previously planned by Dr. Wily (including his Z-Saber). The X-Hunters challenged X to a series of duels over Zero's parts - if X fails to defeat them all, they eventually storm Hunter Base and steal Zero's control chip by force.

The next time Zero appears can change based on the player's actions:

* If X collected all of Zero's parts from the X-Hunters, Dr. Cain reassembles Zero. He then appears before the battle with Sigma and destroys the Fake Zero for X. Sigma claims that Zero ought to be a Maverick because of his past, but Zero tells Sigma off. This scenario is the canonical one.
* If X failed to collect all of Zero's parts, the X-Hunters reassemble Zero instead. He then appears as a boss before the battle with Sigma, attacking X in a rage. Once X defeats him, Zero returns to his senses and apologizes.

Either way, Zero orders X to go after Sigma while he destroys the Central Computer, punching a hole in the floor to help X along. By the time X defeats the Sigma Virus, Zero causes the Central Computer to start detonating. Before disappearing, Sigma expresses confusion as to why Zero did not become his servant, mentioning that he is "the last of the Doctor's creations." Afterwards, X and Zero meet on a cliff by the sea to reminisce about the game's events.

### *Mega Man Xtreme*

After X awoke from the cyberspace record of the Highway, Zero informed him that Mavericks had hacked the Mother Computer, causing digital chaos and making Mavericks run wild. While X was digitized back into the Mother Computer to stop the hack, Zero handled the Maverick attacks in the real world. Additionally, in Hard mode, X can find four capsules known as Zero Scrambles, which allow him to "summon" Zero to perform an attack or move. However, this was only combat data of Zero and not the real one.

### Mega Man X3

By this point, Zero was made the commander of the 0th Special Unit. When the Maverick uprising in Dopple Town began, Zero and X were deployed to stop it - however, Dr. Doppler's forces attacked Hunter Base in their absence, forcing them to hastily return. When X was kidnapped by the traitorous Hunter Mac, Zero was forced to rescue him and kill Mac. This marked Zero's first time as a playable character, wielding his Z-Buster alongside his new Z-Saber.

After defending Hunter Base, Zero and X return to Dopple Town to fight Doppler's Maverick army. From here, X can call Zero to swap out anytime by pressing the R button in the Start menu; however, playing as Zero adheres to a certain set of rules. He is only able to maneuver through regular parts of the stage and will automatically be replaced by X upon reaching a boss shutter. Additionally, if the player dies even once while playing as Zero, he will be damaged and become unusable for the rest of the game.

Regardless of whether or not Zero has been damaged, he will automatically appear in Doppler Stage A to assist X with the sub-boss REX-2000. He helps X by destroying the mechanism lowering the ceiling before departing. Later, if Zero is used to fight the optional sub-boss Mosquitus in the Doppler Stage B (available by destroying Vile with his weakness in his secret stage beforehand), Zero will be damaged when the Mechaniloid crashes into him and explodes. He will then lend his Z-Saber to X while he returns to Hunter Base for repairs. If Zero is taken out of commission by Mosquitus, he will *not* reappear to help with the REX-2000 fight on future visits.

If Zero is still active, he accompanies X into Doppler Stage D to find Sigma's new body. He suggests X face Sigma while he destroys the lab's power generator, and the two part ways. After X defeats Sigma, the Sigma Virus attempts to possess him. However, Zero appears with Dr. Doppler's vaccine integrated into his Z-Saber (In the English version, Dr. Doppler gave Zero the vaccine while in the original Japanese version, Zero found the vaccine himself) if he wasn't used in the Mosquitus fight and slashes Sigma with it (if he's not active, then a reformed Dr. Doppler uses the vaccine instead). This apparently neutralizes the Sigma Virus, allowing the two Hunters to escape the lab safely. Zero and X then stand atop a cliff outside the base, where X can't shake the feeling that one day he will have fight Zero for the sake of humanity.

### *Mega Man Xtreme 2*

Zero and X are deployed to Laguz Island to investigate the mysterious Erasure phenomenon, discovering that it was perpetrated by the Soul Erasers: Berkana and Gareth. The two split up to take on the island's eight Maverick guardians before finally confronting the Soul Erasers again. They split up once more, with Zero going after Gareth while X fights Berkana. Both are successful in their respective missions, but they discover that Berkana had secretly aided in the resurrection of Sigma. Zero and X then put down Sigma together, in the process returning the souls of all the Reploids who suffered from Erasure.

The mission at Laguz Island was also the first official mission where Iris, Zero's love interest, acted as his and X's operator. Zero worried that her brother, Colonel from Repliforce, would be angry with him for putting her through such a difficult operation.

### Mega Man X4

This game marks the first time Zero is a fully playable character, even possessing his own story separate from X's. His gameplay has also been reworked, making use of the Z-Saber instead of the Z-Buster and learning Techniques instead of wielding Special Weapons.
In Zero's story, he first encountered his mysterious creator within his dreams, who cryptically ordered him to fulfill his destiny by destroying his nemesis. When Zero awakened from the nightmare, he was immediately dispatched to the flying city Sky Lagoon, which had been attacked by Mavericks. Zero ran into Magma Dragoon during the mission, but was forced to retreat as the city fell to the Earth. He then returned to investigate the crash site, discovering that Iris had been caught up in the attack. He defended her from the giant Maverick Eregion, until Colonel suddenly appeared. Zero requested that Colonel disarm himself and his Repliforce men for questioning, suspicious of Repliforce's involvement in the incident, but Colonel refused and instead turned his back on Zero. Shortly afterwards, Repliforce would announce their coup d'état, resulting in the Great Repliforce War breaking out.

Despite his concerns about what Colonel would think, Zero was pleased to find Iris assisting him as an operator from Hunter Base, like during the Erasure incident. Iris didn't want Zero and Colonel to fight, torn between her care for Zero and her love for her own brother. Zero appreciated her concern, and with her help began fighting to stop Repliforce's plans. While doing so, he also faced several non-Repliforce-affiliated Mavericks who claimed allegiance to another power, such as the traitorous Magma Dragoon.

Eventually, Colonel challenged Zero to a duel at Repliforce's Memorial Hall; Iris begged Zero not to accept the call, but he did anyway, determined to put an end to the conflict. The two Reploids began their battle, but Iris appeared and pled with Colonel to stop, since Zero had saved her life after the Sky Lagoon's crash. Colonel, who had always regarded Zero as a friendly rival, backed off. Frustrated, Zero stated that *someone* had to stop Repliforce, much to Iris' grief.

When Repliforce's plan was finally put into motion, Zero rushed to the Space Port to stop the ascension of Repliforce to the newly constructed space station, Final Weapon. There Zero battled Colonel, this time not holding anything back, and regrettably destroyed him in the process. After that, he traveled to the Final Weapon where he was, much to his surprise and horror, confronted by Iris. Holding Colonel's control chip, she was now blinded by her grief for her brother and anger that Zero killed him. She then fused with Colonel's chip, resulting in the creation of a large Ride Armor-like combat form which attacked Zero. Even though he didn't mean to, Zero damaged the exterior power core of the structure, resulting in the destruction of the armor and Iris within. He hurried to Iris' body, but it was too late to save her. Whispering to Zero that she wished to live with Zero in a world of only Reploids, she died in his arms. Zero, who was totally overthrown by the pain, began questioning his own reasons for fighting and the means of his own existence.
Filled with anger, he confronted General, the highest leader of Repliforce, defeating him in battle. Upon the end of the fight, General realized that someone had taken control of Final Weapon, aiming its main cannon at Earth. Zero rushed to the Final Weapon's control center, only to find Sigma waiting for him. Amused that he didn't remember, Sigma told Zero the story of the day they fought in Dr. Wily's laboratory, and Sigma once again reminded Zero, in a sarcastic manner, that Zero is in truth a Maverick. Zero then battled and defeated Sigma; General thanked Zero for his help and proceeded to sacrifice himself to stop the Final Weapon.
Zero escaped the destruction of the Final Weapon in a small shuttle. He pondered his own inability to protect those he cared for. He had killed his own friend Colonel, the General, and Repliforce with him, who in the end has only been manipulated by Sigma and the Mavericks. Most of all, he lost Iris, who he had cared about for so long. Questioning whether or not Reploids were destined to become Mavericks after all, he returned to Earth.

Zero also briefly appears in the ending of X's story. X calls Zero and makes him promise to destroy him if he ever goes Maverick, but Zero finds the proposition confusing. Upon realizing how serious X is about the promise, he agrees, and X ponders their inevitable confrontation.

### *Mega Man X5*

When Zero is chosen first by the player, he is deployed to hunt down Sigma, who suddenly reappeared in the midst of a city to cause a Maverick riot. He defeats Sigma with surprising ease, revealing that it was a trap; the resulting explosion spreads a payload of the Sigma Virus across the globe. To make matters worse, the space colony Eurasia is set to impact the Earth as well, filled with a different virus, thanks to Sigma's hired gun Dynamo. The combination of perils threatens to doom the entire planet.
The Maverick Hunters devise a plan to repel the Eurasia colony, using two options: the outdated Enigma cannon and a Space Shuttle outfitted with explosives (Zero would pilot the latter plan, due to being the best spacecraft pilot left in the Hunters). In order to get them in working condition, Zero and X are tasked with collecting the parts necessary - however, the spread of the Sigma Virus makes their potential business partners hostile and dangerous, leading to many battles. Additionally, the two are challenged to duels by Dynamo twice in an effort to hinder their progress. From here, there are several possible outcomes:

* If Eurasia is destroyed in time, its fragments still hit the Earth but damage is mitigated. The Colony Virus mixes with the Sigma Virus to create the Zero Virus, which in turn forms an underground void called Zero Space.
* If Eurasia is not destroyed in time, it crashes into the Earth and causes borderline apocalyptic damage. Additionally, the creation of the Zero Virus not only creates Zero Space but also awakens Zero to his original Maverick nature, turning him against the Hunters. He will no longer be playable because of this development.

Either way, X and Zero enter Zero Space to pursue Sigma, who has hidden inside of it (if Zero has gone Maverick, then he hides there himself). Before reaching Sigma, however, X and Zero face each other in battle. There are several possible scenarios:

* If the player is X, he confronts Zero about how the latter's power has been rising in contact with the Zero Virus. He demands that Zero return to Hunter Base, but he refuses.
* If the player is Zero, he is confronted by X (backed by two Lifesavers) to send him back to Hunter Base for his immunity to the Zero Virus. Zero is outraged.
* If Zero has already gone Maverick, then X is met with the Awakened Zero. This Zero's mind is unclouded, and he is devoted to his destiny to destroy X.

Either way, Zero and X fight to a standstill where both lay exhausted on the ground (if Zero was awakened, he returns to his senses). Sigma appears, pleased with the outcome, and Zero jumps to X's defense to repel Sigma, who departs to patiently await their inevitable confrontation.

Once the two recuperate, X and Zero put their conflict behind themselves to stop Sigma (if Zero was awakened, he remains unconscious while X continues to face Sigma alone). When Zero confronts Sigma, the latter reveals that he met an "old man" who knew a lot about Zero (implied to be some form of Dr. Wily). This man helped create his newest battle body. Zero (or X) defeats him, but the explosion badly damages Zero, leaving him wounded on the ground. There are three possible endings from this path:

* If X defeated Sigma and Zero was normal, X lifts Zero's damaged remains, pleading with him not to die. Sigma's head persists behind them and fires a last-ditch laser that pierces them both. Jarred awake, Zero uses his Z-Buster to destroy Sigma as he falls to the ground, before dying himself. In the aftermath, X survives and takes up Zero's Z-Saber as the new ace of the Maverick Hunters. This ending is canon.
* If Zero defeated Sigma himself, the same events occur from Zero's perspective. As he dies, Zero sees his first battle with Sigma, his own creation, Dr. Wily, and finally Iris, before he asks X to keep the world safe and passes away. This ending is presumably canon, as its events don't interfere with the previous ending.
* If X defeated Sigma but Zero had gone Maverick, then Sigma destroys himself along with the unconscious Zero, leaving X alone and badly damaged. A mysterious hologram of Dr. Light then repairs X. A week later, it is revealed that X's mind has been mysteriously wiped regarding the incident, and he now has no memories of Zero at all. This ending is not canon.

### *Mega Man X6*

A few weeks after the Eurasia incident, Reploid scientist Gate found a small piece of Zero's body near the crash site. Using the information he gathered about the Sigma Virus and Zero's DNA, Gate went mad and created the Nightmare, a discolored clone of Zero called the Zero Nightmare, and the near-invulnerable Reploid High Max. This resulted in a worldwide fascination with the Nightmare, and as the investigation began, its leader Isoc blamed the "ghost of Zero" for it. After being met with this news, X took the assault on Zero's reputation personally and set out to investigate as well.

However, unbeknownst to anyone, Zero had been secretly making a miraculous recovery. Once X destroys the Zero Nightmare in one of the secret areas, the real Zero reveals himself and X is reunited with his friend, mysteriously repaired and carrying a brand new Z-Saber. Together, X and Zero set out to put a stop to the Nightmare. Who or what exactly repaired Zero after his apparent death in the Eurasia crisis was never directly stated. In the Weapon Center, the Dr. Light capsule hologram denied knowing who repaired him. It should be noted that in Japanese, the reunion between X and Zero had Zero state that he laid low until he "fully recovered from the damage." In the English translation, Zero told X that he repaired *himself*.

Depending on when Zero is unlocked, he can assist X in fighting the eight Nightmare Investigators. It is also possible for him to defeat High Max, which results in a confrontation with Isoc. The scientist is elated by Zero's power and encourages him to become even stronger, using a mysterious energy field to defend himself before fleeing. Later, when storming Gate's laboratory, Zero can also come across the body of Isoc, whose soul has left his body. Zero then hears a mysterious voice calling him the "ultimate robot" but he brushes it off and leaves to pursue the reborn Sigma.

In X's ending, Zero is seen lamenting the unfortunate death of Gate and promising to build a utopia with the rest of the Hunters. Meanwhile, Zero's personal ending helps reconcile the storyline between the *X* and *Zero* games. It shows Zero being sealed to remove a component from his body (presumably something having to do with the Maverick Virus or his original evil nature). This was originally going to show that the *X* series had ended after *X6* in order to make way for the *Zero* series, but since the *X* series evidently continued past this point, this scene was retconned to take place in an unspecified time period beyond the final *X* series game.

Alternatively, it is possible to clear *Mega Man X6* without X ever finding Zero. In this event, cutscenes show that Zero is indeed alive, but X and the other Maverick Hunters never find him. Zero leaves on his own, stating that there's something he needs to take care of (presumably eliminating the Zero Nightmare). This ending is non-canon.

### *Mega Man X7*

Once X retires to pursue peaceful means to end Maverick conflict, Zero takes up the bulk of the Maverick Hunters' workload. Unfortunately, the world finally being repaired after the Eurasia incident means surges in Maverick crime are more common than ever, leaving the Hunters overwhelmed. This leads to the formation of Red Alert, an illegal Maverick-hunting syndicate led by the vigilante Red.
When Axl flees from Red Alert and is pursued into the city by Mechaniloids, Zero heads out to put a stop to the chaos. He first meets Axl on the highway, helping him destroy his Mega Scorpio pursuer before arresting him and taking him into Hunter Base for questioning. After hearing Axl's story, the Hunters are contacted by Red, who challenges them to a Maverick hunting duel over custody of Axl. At first Zero doesn't want to get involved, and is especially befuddled when Axl insists on joining him in the field, but decides to give the young Reploid a chance to fix the mess he helped start.
As Zero and Axl fight the eight members of Red Alert, Zero gets to hear about Axl's backstory and how Red Alert had changed for the worse recently, which is why he quit in the first place. If he speaks with Wind Crowrang, he also learns that someone affiliated with Red Alert is interested in studying his capabilities. When X finally decides to come out of retirement and help in the fight, Zero is relieved to see his old friend back in action.

Upon defeating the eight members of Red Alert, Zero and the others are sent to the Crimson Palace to face Red. When Red resigns to his fate and stays behind in a self-destructing room, Zero is forced to hold Axl back lest he rush in and die too. The trio soon learns that Sigma is indeed behind Red Alert's Maverick actions, which Zero finds unsurprising. Sigma boasts that he will make Zero and X his servants before attacking them, but they defeat both his forms. In the aftermath, it seems as though Red has returned as he knocks down Zero and moves to give Sigma his body, but it is revealed to simply be Axl in disguise and he deals the finishing blow on Sigma. Zero is impressed by Axl's reckless tactic paying off.

In Zero's ending, he has a chilling nightmare of X (or a similar individual) on a murderous Maverick-hunting spree.

### *Mega Man X8*

Some time later, Axl has become an official Maverick Hunter who often works with Zero and X in the field. The trio are deployed to Noah's Park to deal with the Maverick Mechaniloid Crabs-Y, and upon defeating it they are attacked by Vile. Vile informs them that Mavericks have taken over the Jakob Project as he kidnaps its director, Lumine.

As the Hunters suppress the Maverick uprising perpetrated by the new generation Reploids, Zero learns that many of them admire his strength but deride him for being an outdated model who works with the Maverick Hunters. Zero also meets Layer, a new navigator with a crush on him that he doesn't openly reciprocate, keeping the relationship professional. Upon learning that Sigma is involved in the incident yet again, Zero's memories from the Eurasia crisis return to haunt him.

After defeating the eight Mavericks, Zero and the Hunters travel to the Moon to face Sigma in his Sigma Palace. Sigma thanks Zero for infecting him with the Maverick Virus, which had allowed Sigma to go Maverick in the first place, before challenging Zero to battle. The Hunters destroy Sigma, reducing him to scrap, but Lumine suddenly appears and reveals that he was using Sigma to hasten the evolution of new generation Reploids. Zero and the others then defeat Lumine. However, Axl is struck in the head by a tentacle when he approaches Lumine's dormant body, forcing Zero to intervene by slashing the tentacle while X destroys Lumine.

While traveling back to Earth on Jakob, Zero stands in the shadows while X carries Axl's comatose body. Noticing something weighs heavy on X's mind, Zero assures him that no matter what Lumine said about the destiny of Reploids, they would keep fighting.

### *Mega Man Zero* series

#### The Elf Wars

At some point after the *Mega Man X* series, Zero felt uneasy about his body's connection to the Sigma Virus. He admitted himself to a research institute, going into a coma so his body could be studied while his mind was removed for separate study. This research led to the creation of the Cyber-Elves, most importantly the Mother Elf. X used the Mother Elf to erase the Sigma Virus and finally end the Maverick Wars.

However, a bitter Dr. Weil corrupted the Mother Elf into the Dark Elf and began the period known as the Elf Wars. Enacting his Project Elpizo, Weil used Zero's body to create his ultimate weapon, Omega. Fortunately, the research institute was able to create a replica of Zero's old body to place his mind in. Now in an identical new body, Zero was awoken to assist X in the Elf Wars, and together they defeated Weil and Omega. As a result, Weil was cursed with a regenerative armor and exiled, while Omega was locked in the Forbidden Ark in orbit.

After the Elf Wars, Zero chose to return to stasis, convinced that the world was in good hands with X's protection. X protested, but by the time he arrived Zero was already halfway gone, and he was able to give X a last bit of encouragement before slipping away into sleep.

#### Reawakening

Zero is awoken from his stasis yet again by Ciel, the young leader of the Resistance, in a last-ditch attempt to fight the tyranny of Neo Arcadia and Copy X. Zero complies and the legendary red hero comes back to life.
Throughout the *Mega Man Zero* series, Zero reconnects with X (now a Cyber-Elf himself), makes new allies in the form of the Resistance, battles Dr. Weil and Omega once again, and generally fights for the good of humans and Reploids alike. His quest finally comes to a close after fighting Dr. Weil for the final time aboard the falling space station Ragnarok, sacrificing himself in order to save his friends on the Earth.

### *Mega Man ZX* series

Centuries after the *Mega Man Zero* series, Zero returns in the *Mega Man ZX* series as Biometal Model Z, which contains the essence of Zero. It is initially in the possession of Girouette, before he passes it on to Vent/Aile. Although Model Z is not playable by itself, the player combines it with Model X to form the eponymous Model ZX. Model Z's fate at the end of *Mega Man ZX Advent* is left ambiguous, as it stayed behind aboard Ouroboros to hold the rival Mega Men at bay for Vent/Aile.

## Powers and abilities

Zero's initial design only featured the Zero Buster as a weapon, though it was much more powerful than X's X-Buster, capable of tearing an arm off of Vile's Ride Armor. Additionally, he was shown to have immense physical strength and coordination, as he was able to match and even surpass Sigma in hand-to-hand combat during their initial encounter.

Zero's most iconic weapon is the Z-Saber, which he received when reconstructed in *Mega Man X2*. He is an incredibly skilled swordsman, capable of performing a variety of special Techniques by analyzing and learning from the data of his opponents. He can also wield other melee weapons such as daggers or hammers.

Like X, Zero's power source is solar energy. His body material is comprised of a Titanium Z alloy, and is equipped with mechanisms called the Z-Brain and the Z-Heart, which conceal an unknown power. In addition, Wily claimed that Zero was powered by a power source that was even stronger than Bassnium.

## Other game appearances

### *Mega Man X: Command Mission*

In this alternate continuity, Zero, X, and a fellow Hunter named Shadow are sent by Colonel Redips to deal with the Rebellion Army uprising in Giga City. They first investigate the Lagrano Ruins, but Zero is separated from X after Shadow betrays them for the Rebellion. Due to communications jamming, they are unable to reunite.
Zero reappears later in Ulfat Factory, facing the Rebellion alone. He helps X and Axl stop Mach Jentra, and is happy to join his old allies. However, with the wound of Shadow's betrayal still fresh, Zero is unwilling to trust X's new allies in the Resistance and leaves to fight the Rebellion solo again.

In Gimialla Mine, Zero appears at the last minute to help fight a Supra-Force Metal-powered Shadow. After Shadow is defeated, Zero is targeted by a surprise attack - however, Spider jumps in the way before killing Shadow. Zero is touched by Spider's selfless act and decides to give the Resistance a chance. Soon after, Spider sacrifices himself to help the others escape Incentas' trap, inspiring Zero to put aside his pride and work with the Resistance.

After Zero and the others put an end to Epsilon and the Rebellion, Colonel Redips steals the Supra-Force Metal and betrays the Resistance, labeling them Mavericks. Outraged, they storm Far East HQ and Zero demands answers. He is shocked to learn that Redips had been masquerading as Spider using a Copy Chip. He then fights alongside his friends to defeat Redips on the Orbital Elevator Babel, restoring peace and destroying the last of the Supra-Force Metal.

As a party member, Zero is capable of wielding a wide variety of beam sword weapons. His first Hyper Mode transforms him into Black Zero, while his unlockable second Hyper Mode is the unique Absolute Zero.

### *Mega Man X DiVE*

Zero appears as an A rank Hunter Program whose Active Skills are Ryuenjin and Rakuhouha. He has an alternate skin with a white coat called **White Day Zero**, along with a variety of his forms as separate Hunter Programs with different stats:

* **Black Zero** is an S Rank Hunter Program, whose Active Skills are Raikousen and C-Flasher.
* **Absolute Zero** is an S Rank Hunter Program, whose Active Skills are Crimson End and Calamitous Arts.
* **Awakened Zero** is a Festival-exclusive Hunter Program, whose Active Skills are Shingetsurin and Genmu Zero.
* **Festive Zero** is a seasonal Hunter Program, whose Active Skills are Hyouryuushou and Souenbu. This form garbs Zero in traditional Japanese festival attire.
* **SD Zero** is a seasonal Hunter Program, whose Active Skills are Rakuhouha Kai and Forward Slash. He is a chibi version of Zero.
* **Crimson Valstrax Zero** is a *Monster Hunter* crossover Hunter Program, whose Active Skills are Crimson Glow and Crimson Assault. This form is the result of Zero's data being mixed with the data from a Crimson Glow Valstrax.
* **DiVE Armor Zero** is a Festival-exclusive Hunter Program, whose Active Skills are Ryugoshoku (a dashing fire explosion) and Zanrinjin (reminiscent of Genmu Zero). This form is a new armor unique to the Deep Log.
* **Vergil Trigger Zero** is an armor based on Vergil from *Devil May Cry 5*.

Zero's depiction in the *Mega Man Zero* series appears as a separate Hunter Program, as does his Zero Nightmare doppelganger.

### *Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars*

While this was Zero's third fighting game guest appearance, it was the first to use his *Mega Man X* design over his *Mega Man Zero* design. He is one of the game's five unlockable characters. Zero's special moves are all derived from his Techniques, including Ryuenjin, Hienkyaku, Shippuuga, Sentsuizan, Kuuenzan, and Hadangeki. His Hyper Combos are Rekkoha, Twin Dream, and a combo utilizing Dark Hold with a triangular saber reminiscent of his *Zero* series Z-Saber.

In Zero's Arcade Mode ending, Yami springs back to life after being defeated and attacks Zero, knocking him unconscious. Dr. Wily appears in Zero's mind and urges him not to give up on the task he gave him. Zero then wakes back up on the moon as X, Axl, and Alia rescue him. He also makes a brief cameo in PTX-40A's ending as one of the robots in a battle tournament.

### *Marvel vs. Capcom* series

Zero is a playable character in *Marvel vs. Capcom 3* and *Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite*.

### *Project X Zone*

Zero (in his *X* series design) appears alongside X. He, along with X and Vile, first appears in the game during Chapter 20, and is once more voiced by Ryōtarō Okiayu.

Early on during Chapter 29, Zero expresses shock upon noticing Iris, who appears alive and well. After hearing that she still wishes to live in a Reploid only world together with Zero, the latter reminds her that such a world is nothing more than an imagination. However, Iris then asks him if such a world is meant to be his purpose and desire, which is partly why Iris appeared. Zero then suffers an emotional breakdown, questioning himself about whether or not a Reploid only world was what exactly he was fighting for. He then gets taunted by Vile in the process for getting emotional over a girl's wish, claiming that the former is exactly the same as the latter before. Zero becomes paralyzed with anguish and is unable to move.

Confused about Iris at first, the other characters present then realize that Zero is in trouble, and that they and X must protect him from danger, while attempting to defeat Vile at the same time. The game splits the winning conditions down to two options: reach Zero by the end of the ninth turn or defeat Vile, otherwise a game over will be declared. Until then, X's unit is paralyzed and unable to fight.

After any of the other party members reach Zero and heal him, he eventually recovers from his emotional breakdown and recalls his duty as a Maverick Hunter, and tells Iris that a Reploid only world is impossible. Aura from *.hack* appears and states that Iris and her feelings are not supposed to be present, hence causing her to fade away. Before she vanishes however, she gently suggests to Zero that things between them are okay, and encourages him to never give up before bidding him farewell. His resolve restored, Zero confidently declares he will rejoin her someday.

He uses Rakuhouha alongside X's Nova Strike (while the latter dons the Ultimate Armor) during their special attack, and uses Genmurei alongside X's Hadoken during their multi attack. The latter is learned right after Zero is rescued.

Other techniques that Zero uses in this game include Kuuenzan, Ryuenjin, Hyouretsuzan, Raijingeki, and Shippuuga.

### *Super Smash Bros.* series

#### *Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U*

Zero appears as a collectible trophy in *Super Smash Bros. for Wii U*. In addition, both versions contain a downloadable costume for the Mii Swordfighter that equips them with Zero's armor and the Z-Saber.

#### *Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*

Zero appears as an Assist Trophy in *Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*. When summoned, he dashes and jumps around the stage for around 30 seconds, attacking the player's opponents with his classic three-slash combo, Ryuenjin, Kuuenzan, and Genmu Zero. He often performs Genmu Zero soon before he vanishes, and can even perform it midair.

Zero also appears as two different Spirits in both his *X* series and *Zero* series incarnations, both being Primary-based Attack Spirits. Zero's Spirit of the *Mega Man X* series has his first *Mega Man X* design (Z-Buster), and can be Enhanced into his upgraded design from *Mega Man X2* (Z-Saber). In addition to stat boosts from both Spirits, the Z-Saber version allows for enhanced movement speed and weapon attacks as its special ability. The special ability for his *Mega Man Zero* incarnation increases damage for all sword-based attacks.

On September 4, 2019, the Zero costume for the Mii Swordfighter became available again as DLC.

### *TEPPEN*

Zero is a playable character in *TEPPEN*, a Purple type Hero that was included in the 2020 expansion Haunted by Memories. He also appears in several cards.

Zero's *X1* and upgraded designs in *TEPPEN* are largely the same, with his limbs and joints appearing more robotic and having panel lines on his face. In his Maverick state, glowing turbines underneath his gauntlets become visible and his crystal turns purple with a letter W, similar to his flashback appearance in *X4*.

Zero is a SA-Class Hunter that despised evil and had no memory of his origin. Like X, Zero is an ancient robot that felt in a deep slumber and awakened many years later. Shortly after awakening, he faced Akuma and their battle destroyed the building where Zero had awakened. After seeing a large fire in a nearby city, Zero went to its direction and stopped the responsible, a Rathalos. A mysterious woman forced Zero to remember his past, causing him to go out of control and fight X. He returned to normal before finishing X, and is shaken by what happened with him, believing that he may be a Maverick like the ones he fought in the past. Not remembering his past and not knowing what to do, Zero decides to accompany X in his journey to the Land of Illusion to learn the truth.

In Ada Wong's story mode, Zero, while driven mad, also attempted to attack Ada while she was hunting for treasures, though he was forced back to sleep after being bested by her, resulting in her taking the treasure for herself. The ending also implies that she was the mysterious woman who summoned all of the heroes in the story to the Land of Illusions.

### Other appearances

* Zero appeared in *Street Fighter x All Capcom*.
* Zero appeared as an event character in the Japanese version of *Zombie Cafe*.
* Zero appeared as an event character in *Dragon Coins*.
* Zero appeared as an event character in *Bouken Dig Dig 2*.
* Zero appeared as an event character in *Dragon Poker*.
* Zero appeared as an event character in *Elemental Story*.
* Zero appeared as an event character in *Tower of Saviors*.
* Zero appeared as an event character in the Taiwanese version of *Shironeko Project*.

### Cameo appearances

* Zero can be seen in the background of the Running Battle mode from *Super Gem Fighter: Mini Mix*.
* Zero has a card in all games from the *SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters* series.
* In *Mega Man Legends* and *Mega Man Legends 2*, an item called Zetsabre can be found, which can be used to produce the Blade Arm. Zetsabre is a mistranslation of Zero's Z-Saber.
* A poster of Zero, in his "Black Armor", can be seen in the general store of Yosyonke City in the game *Mega Man Legends 2*, where he is described as some sort of comic book hero. Upon closer inspection, the image of Zero himself seems to have been taken from *Mega Man X4*, specifically, the "Weapon Get" screen.
* Zero has a cameo appearance in Higsby's shop in *Mega Man Battle Network 3 White version*. In the *Blue version* of the game it's a poster of SharkMan.EXE.
* Zero appears in *Rockman Xover* as Battle Memory and as one of the heroes that OVER-1 has to rescue, being rescued in World 2.
* An actual NetNavi bearing the name Zero.EXE appears in the game *Mega Man Network Transmission*, and the anime *Rockman.EXE Beast+*, one of the few characters from the *X* series to receive a NetNavi counterpart. Here, he appears identical to Zero, but with a more demonic appearance, as he does not appear to have a human face and breathes in a manner similar to Darth Vader. Like his *X* counterpart, Zero still has an affinity for blade weapons and also serves as a virus being. However, unlike his counterpart, this Zero **is** the virus, but he still follows orders without question. In the conclusions of the series, Zero begins to show compassion, and even sacrifices himself in the anime. However, the canon ending of *Transmission* gives Zero a NetNavi identity as *Zero.EXE*, now free to roam the Internet and explore the world to make new friends, though his activity is to be monitored by Science Labs, where he now lives.
* Two Battle Chip artworks feature Zero. The **Z-Saber** chip displays Zero.EXE, and another, the **Z-Saver**, shows the *Mega Man Zero* version.

## Other media

### *Rockman X* (manga)

Similar to his role to the games, Zero is a special A-class Maverick Hunter. Initially a member of the 17th Elite Unit, he later became the captain of the 0th Special Unit. He is a close friend of X's and understands him well. He sees the true nature of X more than himself, and has immense trust and hope in him. He is sometimes jealous of X's rich expression of emotions that he does not possess, though he describes X's character as naïve. In the beginning, he was often called "senior" by X. He also initially had a calm and sometimes indifferent personality like in the games, due to the fact that he didn't have many appearances in the series, but he gradually becomes very passionate, inspired by X. He is often shown without his helmet, with a straight-back hairstyle inspired by Keith Anyan from *Toward the Terra*, although his bangs become loose by *X4*.

In the battle against the eight bosses in *X1*, he appears in the Sting Chameleon battle and the Storm Eagle battle. In the former, he was willing to burn down the forest and the animals to accomplish his mission, but X chose to protect the forest and the animals by defeating Chameleon alone, and Zero believed in him and gave him a chance. In the latter case, even though he was defeated by his old friend, Eagle, he understood his true intentions and obtained the head parts that Eagle had hidden. The words "To the nostalgic future" that he said to X just before he blew himself up against Vile would later be repeated in *X2* and *X4*.

In *Rockman X2*, Zero's wreckage was stored in Dr. Cain's laboratory, but was taken away by Sigma's forces, and he was repaired and revived by Serges. He escaped before the brainwashing and tried to stop X from fighting Overdrive Ostrich, but was unable to do so in time. Since then, he has been unable to meet X until he deactivates the Sigma chip implanted in his head, so he left the battle against Magna Centipede, leaving Mother to advise X. He tried to counteract the effects of the Sigma chip in Morph Moth's scrap factory, but before he could do so, he was completely brainwashed by the Sigma chip and his body color changed to black. He tore through X immediately after defeating Morph Moth. In the battle at the Sigma base, after finishing off Serges, he engaged in a one-on-one battle with X. His armor was destroyed, but he came to his senses when the Sigma chip in his helmet was crushed by X's punch attack, and he and X went into battle against Sigma.

In *Rockman X3*, he is also the captain of the 0th Special Unit, and often fights in tandem with X. In the decisive battle against Doppler's army, the Nightmare Police defeated them and he was about to be executed along with X. However, when X was resurrected with a new armor, he was able to narrowly save his own life as well. Soon after, Zero was thought to have been destroyed by Doppler's attack, but it turned out that he had barely survived. The beam saber left behind in Sigma Castle is given to X, and plays an important role in the battle against Sigma. In the epilogue, Zero is shown being repaired in Cain's laboratory.

In *Rockman X4*, Zero reboots after two months, but is unable to use his buster, perhaps due to strange dreams of Sigma morphing into Zero, and loses it completely when he uses Earth Crash to make way for X in the AX-10 incident. In the Repliforce struggle, he chose the path of the rebels and started his own battle against Repliforce. While defeating Colonel and stopping Iris from going out of control, he ends up losing her as well. In the final battle, he reunites with X, who has already come to his senses. Zero envies him for being able to shed tears, and lashes out at him with anger and sadness for not being able to cry for Iris, but after being touched by him and the heart of Earth, he decides to find his own potential and joins him in the battle against Sigma and the fight to go to the "nostalgic future."

### *Irregular Hunter Rockman X*

The manga starts with Zero, X, and Vile working together to take down a Maverick. After the mission, Sigma thinks that Zero may cause trouble to his plans, and decides to label him a Maverick, having Maverick Hunters pursuing him. Not believing that Zero became a Maverick, X covers Zero for a while so he can prove that he is not a Maverick. However, after some time, Sigma orders X to destroy Zero. While X goes after Zero and tells him what he was ordered to do, Zero attacks X, but X does nothing as he does not wish to harm his friend. Seeing that X isn't an enemy, Zero tells that during his investigation he discovered that Sigma is planning to conquer the world, and convinces X to join him to stop Sigma. Vile appears with three Maverick Hunters and reveals that he was waiting for them to destroy each other to finish the survivor. Zero and X defeat the three Hunters, and Vile retreats. Watching the battle, Sigma decides to start his plans and attacks the city, but Zero and X manage to stop the attack, forcing Sigma and Vile to escape.

### *Rockman X The Novel: Irregulars Report*

Zero appears with a role similar to the games.

## Power and abilities

Zero is a very adept combatant on the battlefield. Originally, his power far exceeded X's (until X himself grew in power). His power as a robot from a past age is considerably exceptional in the Maverick Wars. In *Mega Man X*, Zero was equipped with a powerful buster weapon known as the Zero Buster, but from *X2* and onward, Zero wields a melee weapon known as the Z-Saber, a sword with a blade composed of pure destructive energy, modeled after the lightsaber of *Star Wars* fame. It is for this reason that Zero is often used for seasoned players as he is required to fight up close rather than at a distance. His first playable appearance in *Mega Man X3* is more or less essentially a future representation of how X will turn out, unleashing double charged shots and the almighty Z-Saber which fells bosses with a few mere swipes. His physical blows are also powerful enough that a well-timed punch is capable of easily amputating a foe upon contact, which is best demonstrated with his initial fight with Sigma back when the latter was still the commander of the Maverick Hunters.

Unlike his comrades, Zero does not copy the powers/weapons of defeated Mavericks, but instead, his Learning allows him to acquire special attacks known as **Techniques** (必殺技 *Hissatsu Waza*, lit. Coup de grâce or "Sure-killing arts; a generic Japanese term for a special move") in the *X* series and as **EX Skills** in the *Zero* series, which are attacks based on techniques utilized by bosses. He does not require the use of a buster weapon as the attacks often utilize his hands or enhances his Z-Saber power by empowering the blade with elemental properties. The Zero Buster can be utilized from both arms, as evidenced by some gameplay and cutscene representations interchangeably showing the buster arm as being his left or right.

Unlike X, Zero cannot obtain performance-enhancing armors, with a few exceptions. This is due to the fact that during the time Zero was created, Dr. Wily could not prepare any future armor enhancing upgrades for him like Light had done for X, thus Zero's durability stayed consistent, making him a traditional Glass Cannon. Defined in *SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos*, *Tatsunoko vs. Capcom*, and *Marvel vs. Capcom 3* (more so in terms of his bio), Zero appears to not be so overly strong (unless he wasn't infected first with the Sigma Virus when he was first found, as he was uncontrollable or in his Awakened Boss fight in *X5*) as his *Marvel vs Capcom 3* power grid statistics gives his Stamina rating a 3/7, but his other stats (Strength, Speed, Intelligence and Energy Projection) a 5/7, with his Fighting Ability as a 7/7. This shows that what Zero lacks in raw strength with the absence of the virus he makes up for extreme fighting ability and skills in many other fields, enabling to out-duel/wear down nearly any foe, along with showing extreme adaptation to much of his battles (which also plays in hand with his versatile move list as of late). This is expressed in the aforementioned fighting games where Zero has low health and average damage output, he makes up for this with the bulk of his damage coming from surprisingly long combos (albeit with some hefty execution involved).

The original *X* games, however, have Zero's Z-Saber be capable of destroying several normal enemies in a few blows. The fighting games seem to decrease it to give more balance, and coincidentally give a possible accurate description of Zero's statistics. Zero may also be aware of his low durability (in comparison to his comrades), and may also have enough skill to last in a scuffle to fight/parry off any hit that comes to him, describing more of his skill as a master swordsman. This makes him a rather unique glass cannon as he not only he's weak on defense and strong on offense like the other kinds in fiction, but Zero has skills in several other fields of battle with great ability to adapt to practically any opponent he fights; glass cannons usually have raw power, which Zero seems to lack often, putting him in the category of a "Gradual Grinder". And like the "Fragile Speedster" archetype of characters, Zero also has solid mobility options given abilities such as his Hienkyaku.

Thus in *Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3*, Zero like several characters from the original version to the revision, has had his power grid changed. His Stamina and Strength are now 2/7, his Intelligence a 3/7, and all the rest of his other stats are now 5/7. This shows that not only Zero puts more than just skill into his fighting ability, and that he uses all his speed and knowledge to back up his fighting prowess. His "Learned" intelligence also shows Zero tends to clear his mind during fights to prevent anything from swaying him, and his 5/7 fighting ability while brought down to a reasonable level shows that while Zero only knows a single form of combat, he is no doubt a pure master of it.

Zero's aforementioned long combos in fighting games seems to nod at his personality and overall fighting approach, showing he always fights to the best of his ability with long relentless offense and having no-holds barred with it comes to shredding his opposition with little breathing room. This shows that Zero is somewhat more powerful than he lets on in-universe.

## Merchandise

Zero had several toys and figures released by Bandai. Among them were the Mega Armor models with interchangeable armor:

* Zero - A normal model of Zero with his armor from *X3* and up. Features his Z-Buster and Z-Saber.
* Plated Zero - A plated version of his normal model.
* Transparent Zero - A clear version of his normal model.
* Irregular Hunter Zero - Zero with his black armor. Features his Z-Buster and Z-Saber.
* EX Armor Zero - Zero with the X Armor from *Rockman X Mega Mission 3*.

And the D-Arts figures. Zero also had figures done by Furuta, Jazwares, and Kotobukiya, and has a Nendoroid figure.

## Trivia

* According to Keiji Inafune, he envisioned Zero as the new "Mega Man" and wanted him to be a playable character from the start. He wanted to introduce something new and different to the franchise, but understanding that it would not be wise to completely go against everything that had already been established (also fearing that Zero's drastic appearance would receive a critical reaction), he did not mention this idea to his superior and submitted Zero as the sub character to Hayato Kaji's "Mega Man" (X) as originally intended.
* Dr. Wily used Proto Man as reference during the development of Zero. This idea has been speculated among fans due to similarities in color and other similar details, even their voice as both have been voiced by Ryōtarō Okiayu in Japanese for various games, It is later confirmed in an internal design document shown on the Rockman Unite event for the series 30th anniversary that took place in Hirakata and Hanayashiki Parks.
	+ Also coincidentally, the serial number for Proto Man is formed only by zeros (DLN-000).

* In *X4*, Zero was actually going to have his own Mega Armor, like X's Ultimate Armor, instead of his Black Zero recolor. This indirectly explains why the Black Zero is just a simple aesthetic change before becoming an actual upgrade in later games. (The special code for X's Ultimate Armor gives him a slight recolor, and finding a Light Capsule gives him the armor. Presumably, this would also the case with Zero if he actually had his own armor.)
* There are a few copies of Zero in the franchise: the fake Zero from *Mega Man X2*, the Zero Nightmare from *Mega Man X6*, Nichts from *Rockman X Giga Mission*, and Zero's newer body from the *Mega Man Zero* series.
	+ Although not fully based on Zero's design, High Max and the Nightmare from *Mega Man X6* were created by Gate using Zero's DNA, while Omega is a modification of Zero's own body.
* As revealed in *Mega Man 11*, in his youth, Dr. Wily believed that if he granted robots "unstoppable power and insurmountable speed" that could outdo humans, he would cause humanity to celebrate robots for what they were as opposed to considering them as mere tools, as that kind of power could turn any robot into a "hero". This is ironic, as Dr. Wily had created Zero, his final creation, as the most powerful and destructive to exist, but Zero ultimately ended up becoming a formidable force of good.
* It's rather interesting how Zero, a creation of *Dr. Wily*, actually ended up fulfilling *Dr. Light'*s dream instead of Wily's - in conclusion of a lifetime fighting against hordes of Reploids based on Light's creation, no less, whose leaders and/or master manipulators often carried even darker ambitions than Wily. It is also to be noted that, ironically enough, he also fulfilled Wily's original dream of a robot capable of doing heroics as revealed in *Mega Man 11*.
* Although Zero and X aren't technically Reploids (robots based on X's schematics, "replicated androids"), as they are original androids from the past (technically making them "Robot Masters"), they are known as such because the term Reploid is used for all androids with human-like A.I, and for reasons of simplicity.
* In his foreshadowing appearance in *Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters*, Zero's silhouette is shown with his upgraded frame as of *Mega Man X2* instead of his default frame, as seen with the shape of his shoulder (styled akin to his shoulder guards). Though this was due to the upgraded frame being unusable at the time as Zero was still unruly before being sealed away.
* In *X1*-*X4*, Zero's eyes are green in-game (even though his eyes were brown in his mugshot from *X1*) and blue in artworks. His eyes are completely changed to blue in *X5* onward. His eyes are also green in *Maverick Hunter X* and *Tatsunoko vs. Capcom*. In the *Zero* series, his eye colors range from black to purple.
* Zero has been depicted with a full head of hair in manga form, but never in the video games. In the *Rockman X* manga, Zero's helmet is constantly removed, either by himself or due to the helmet being damaged in battle. He is shown to primarily keep his hair slicked back, although it appears more unkempt following larger battles. In the *Rockman Zero* manga, Zero's helmet is used as a signal to display his split personality syndrome; the cowardly inept personality appears without a helmet, and features loose unkempt hair, while his stoic combat-ready personality appears wearing the helmet. This later is the real personality of Zero.
* Having been completed by Dr. Wily between the *Classic* and *X* series, Zero is the longest-lived robot in the Robot Continuity, with an (ultimate) age of termination of 300+: 100+ for the time between the *Classic* and *X* series, 200+ more for the Maverick and Elf wars, another 100+ for the inactive hibernation state in which he begins the *Zero* series, and three for the *Zero* series until *Zero 3*, where his original body was ultimately destroyed.

* In *Mega Man X: Command Mission*, Zero is always seen as left handed with his saber in cutscenes, but in battle he uses his right hand.
* The theme when Zero is discovered in *Mega Man X6* is a remastering of "Variable X" from the first *X* game.
	+ This quality is shared with his death theme from *Maverick Hunter X*.
* Compared to other characters, Zero probably has the most love interests:
	+ In *X4*, Iris has feelings for him.
	+ In *X8*, Zero's Navigator, Layer, shows signs that she has a crush on him.
	+ In the *Zero* series, Ciel has feelings for him.
	+ Despite the many love interests, it's never been officially stated that Zero had romantic feelings for them in return, although he seemed to regard Iris with the most emotion.

* Zero's bonus skin in *Mega Man X DiVE*, White Day Zero, has him wearing a white and black overcoat, which not only was a pun on the holiday he was released in, but also acted as an indirect allusion to his creator, Dr. Wily.
	+ Underneath the coat, Zero's torso also resembles his design in the *Zero* series, which may imply that in-universe, the differing design between Zero in the *X* series and Zero in the *Zero* series (and by extension, Omega Zero) was due to Zero's body being modified during the latter's initial period in stasis.