History Characters / MegaManZeroProtagonists

'''Protagonists''' | [[Characters/MegaManZeroAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/MegaManZeroAntagonists Antagonists]] ([[Characters/MegaManZeroWeil Weil]])]]]]-]

[[spoiler: In Mega Man Zero 3, it is revealed that this "Zero" is a copy of the original Zero's 'heroic' personality (that was unintentionally created when Sigma knocked Zero out during their first meeting), put into an imperfect copy of the original Zero's body. As Dr. Weil essentially performed a factory reset on the original Zero, erasing his heroic personality and returning him to the omnicidial maniac he originally was.]]

* EvilKnockoff: Interestingly inverted. [[spoiler:Technically, Zero is an unintended personality using a knockoff body while Omega is Zero's original personality and body.]]

* IAmWho: He's lost his memory of the ''X'' series — everyone tells him that he's a "legendary Reploid" and he just has to take their word for it. Also see the LockedOutOfTheLoop entry below.

* LiteralSplitPersonality: [[spoiler:this Zero is a copy of the original Zero's "heroic" personality, as Zero's original/true psychotic personality regained control of his body. A copy of a personality (born of hardware damage), put into an imperfect copy of the original's body.]]

* PursuedProtagonist: At the beginning of the series; awakening Zero turns this into the DistressedDamsel scenario mentioned above.

** The Guardians, especially [[BonusBoss Phantom]], are implied to know about it as well, considering [[spoiler:they're not at all surprised when they saw ''two'' Zeros in the ending, and also knowing ''which'' Zero to attack.]] One of the drama tracks seems to clear it up -- Phantom found out in Cyberspace; Leviathan and Fefnir had a NearDeathExperience in which they met Phantom and X. X gave them one final order to stop Omega, presumably giving them a heads up.

* LongLived: Looking at the official timeline, Ciel only vanished a few years before the events of ''ZX'', meaning that she was ''at least'' over a century old and probably closer to ''two-hundred'' at the time given the 200 year time gap between the series. ''How'' she survived that long [[spoiler:compared to Alouette, who is all but stated to have just upgraded to a new body as Prairie]] being a human is unclear, but considering the fact the Sage Trinity were also once humans implies that like them she became a {{Cyborg}}.

** TheAce: Arguably developes into this in the end, when compared to the other protagonists of the Mega Man series. He was obviously stronger than Classic Mega Man or Volnutt to start with, the ZX protagonists face weaker versions of the Weil Zero killed, and even surpasses X himself, defeating (with a little help) a threat X and Zero together only barely stopped previously, that had CameBackStrong. And despite all the crap he goes through, he never undergoes any sort of Wangst like X, or his previous self did. All this makes him the greatest hero in the Classic Timeline. It's pretty clear if he were still around after Zero 4, [[StoryBreakerPower absolutely nothing would've been able to threaten the world]]. Not bad all things considered, since he was originally supposed to be [[AntiAntiChrist its destroyer]].

* GameplayGuidedAmnesia: He woke up with almost no memory of his past. Since he's been asleep for 100 years, this doesn't make much difference to the plot; the real point is to explain [[BagOfSpilling why the "legendary hero" has skill level 1 with his own sword]]. (It also conveniently allows the ''X'' games to continue without affecting what Zero should remember later on.) ''Zero 2'' and ''3'" get better mileage out of the amnesia by "revealing" things that Zero was actually around for in the past.

Return to the main character page [[Characters/MegaManZero here]].

* EvilKnockoff: Interestingly inverted. [[spoiler:Technically, Zero is using a knockoff body while Omega is Zero's original body. However, Zero still has his original mind, while Omega's is a new one that is influenced by Zero's residual viral data.]]

* NumberTwo: Zero isn't a natural field commander, so he isn't the type to give orders. That being said, within the Resistance, he more or less fills a secondary leadership role under Ciel, since everyone knows to turn to him for crisis scenarios, and he naturally takes command of any mission out on the field. About the only time where Ciel takes direct orders from him is when they're together during dangerous operations, as Ciel respects his authority on combat; otherwise, Zero takes orders from Ciel (and, to a lesser extent, Rouge and Joan, as his MissionControl) and more or less comes to the conclusion in the opening of ''2'' that without Ciel to ''direct'' him, he'll simply default to mindlessly destroying Pantheons - good for securing the wastelands and lessening the number annoying the Resistance, certainly, but not exactly useful for making any actual progress on resolving the ongoing conflicts.

* LaserBlade: Z-Saber, as well as laser [[BladeOnAStick spears]], [[AttackReflector bullet-reflector]] [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shields]] [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks that can double as a]] [[BoomerangComeback boomerang]], [[VariableLengthChain whips]], and tonfas.

** Zero's saber can be a razor [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shield]] (doubling as a [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks boomerang]]), a pogo [[TelescopingStaff extending]] [[BladeOnAStick spear]], a whip/[[GrapplingHookPistol hookshot]], tonfas, and a ''gun magazine''. Really?

* HundredPercentAdorationRating: For the Resistance at least, Zero is considered one of its leaders together alongside Ciel. When Zero is brought to the new base in ''Zero 2'', many soldiers (the ones who formed the original Resistance before Elpizo's group joined up) are shown heading for the infirmary where he was recuperating, shouting his name in joy, to the noticeable discomfort and annoyance of Elpizo. This is justified, since Zero has done a lot for them in the first game alone.

--> '''Ciel:''' Zero, I...I believe in you!

--->'''Ciel:''' I'm happy that I could meet you...If it were not for you, everyone would be gone by now...Promise me that you will come back alive. Even if you cannot destroy Neo Arcadia, I just want you to be able to return safely.

* BadassCreed: His last speech in the first game -- "I'll do what you want...Rest for a while. I will handle it, you can count on me. I won't stop! If an enemy appears...I'll terminate it."

--> '''Zero 1:''' I'll do what you want...Rest for a while. I will handle it, you can count on me. I won't stop! If an enemy appears...I'll terminate it.
--> '''Zero 4:''' I never cared about justice, and I don't ever recall calling myself a hero. I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate...If an enemy appears, I will destroy it!

** From the first game, Zero was repeatedly told that "You are Zero". This is a big deal because he had IdentityAmnesia. At the end of the third game (after he encounters an issue of what he really is), he says to Ciel "It's just me...I am Zero." It signifies that he has affirmed his identity.

-->"I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero. I've always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate...If an enemy appears in front of me, I ''will'' destroy it!"

-->'''Zero:''' Ciel...believe in me!

* BadassBaritone: In the Drama [=CDs=], where his voice can be heard more clearly.

** Zero's saber can be a razor [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shield]] (doubling as a [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks boomerang]]), a pogo [[TelescopingStaff extending]] [[BladeOnAStick spear]], a [[WhipItGood whip]]/[[GrapplingHookPistol hookshot]], tonfas, and a ''gun magazine''. Really?

* EffectiveKnockoff: [[spoiler:He is revealed to be inhabiting a reproduction of his original body. Despite that, he cares little about it and just proceeds to defeat the one inhabiting his original body, Omega (when no other people have done before).]]

* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:All that remained is [[DeadHatShot a broken helmet]], and it's not even stated if they found ''that'' either.]] Inafune once mentioned [[spoiler:he was '''[[KilledOffForReal dead]]''' and the series was over. However, the Complete Works book states Zero's fate was unknown.]]

* ZerothLawRebellion: Played with copious amounts of irony via Zero's final decision in dealing with Weil. The irony here is twofold: while Zero was NOT designed to be ThreeLawsCompliant, yet he CHOOSES to obey them of his free will, and in how Zero's actions are in perfect compliance with law zero. Note: The spirit of Law Zero is a [[GodzillaThreshold threshold law]] with a very specific trigger (such as a mass murderer) for it to be appropiate. And for this instance being notable at all is because Weil noted that, being a Reploid hero, Zero should protect humans like Weil, invoking ThreeLawsCompliant in the process. Of course, aside from not thinking of himself as a hero to begin with, the Law Zero allowed Zero ([[PunNotIntended oops]]) to kill such a bastard like Weil anyway.

* TheMusketeer: Zero wields the Z-Saber, whose hilt also serves as the magazine for the Z-Buster.

* LaserBlade: Z-Saber, as well as laser [[BladeOnAStick spears]], [[AttackReflector bullet-reflector]] [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shields]] [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks that can double as a]] [[BoomerangComeback boomerang]], [[VariableLengthChain whips]], and [[DualTonfas tonfas]].

** Zero's saber can be a razor [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shield]] (doubling as a [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks boomerang]]), a pogo [[TelescopingStaff extending]] [[BladeOnAStick spear]], a [[WhipItGood whip]]/[[GrapplingHookPistol hookshot]], [[DualTonfas tonfas]], and a ''gun magazine''. Really?

* RapunzelHair: Yep, still there.

* RapunzelHair: The length of her hair is enough on the sprites, but the official artwork depicts it as ''even longer''.

* DarthVaderClone: A rare heroic example. From the perspective of Neo Arcadia and Dr. Weil, Zero is both TheHeavy and TheDragon to Ciel, has (going by the Audio Dramas) [[BadassBaritone a deep voice]], is the main character, and is a OneManArmy who uses a LaserBlade, is quite more complex than they realize, and has a personal relationship with Weil's Dragon, who is himself a Darth Vader Clone.

* FingerlessGloves: Well, his hands only look like he's wearing these.