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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mega_man_x_legacy_collection.png]]
2
3->''WARNING:''\
4\
5''"X" is the first of a new generation of robots which contain an innovative new feature - the ability to think, feel, and make their own decisions. However, this ability could be very dangerous. If "X" were to break the first rule of robotics, "a robot must never harm a human being", the results would be disastrous and I fear that no force on Earth could stop him.''\
6\
7''Approximately 30 years will be required before we can safely confirm his reliability. Unfortunately, I will not live to see that day, nor do I have anyone to carry on my work. Therefore, I have decided to seal him in this capsule, which will test his internal systems until his reliability has been confirmed. Please do not disturb the capsule until that time.''\
8\
9''"X" possesses great risks as well as great possibilities. I can only hope for the best.''\
10\
11''September 18, 20XX''\
12''T. Light''
13-->-- Message from '''[[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Dr. Thomas Light]]''', ''VideoGame/{{Mega Man X|1}}'' intro
14
15''In A.D. 21XX, WarWasBeginning...''
16
17''Mega Man X'', the DarkerAndEdgier SequelSeries to Creator/{{Capcom}}'s original ''VideoGame/{{Mega Man|Classic}}'' series, follows the exploits of the original Blue Bomber's future successor.
18
19As his MagnumOpus, Dr. Thomas Light created Mega Man X, a robot with the ability to completely think, feel, and make his own decisions. Dr. Light sealed X inside a capsule designed to run ethics testing over the course of 30 years to test X's reliability, believing that X would turn to evil if not tested repeatedly within the capsule. A century later, archeologist and scientist Dr. Cain unearths X's capsule and soon becomes astounded by Dr. Light's engineering miracle. He decides to mass-produce a line of robots based on X -- "Reploids" that also have their own individuality -- but glosses over the fact that [[BlackBox he doesn't fully comprehend Dr. Light's work]]. WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong
20
21Soon after their activation and deployment into the world, some of Cain's mass-produced Reploids develop bugs and glitches that cause them to go [[AxCrazy mad]] and become [[ThreeLawsOfRobotics disobedient]]. These malfunctioning Reploids become known as Mavericks.[[note]]"Irregulars" in the Japanese version.[[/note]] To combat the increasing Maverick menace, Cain helps to create the "Maverick Hunters", a group of Reploids authorized to use force in apprehending or outright stopping their violent brethren. One of Cain's creations, an advanced Reploid named Sigma, becomes the leader of this group.
22
23Cain's work backfires again when most of the Maverick Hunter group, including Sigma, turn into Mavericks themselves. Why the others turned, we have no idea, but Sigma turned soon after getting into a fight with "[[TheLancer Zero]]," a mysterious and insane robot of similar capability to X but of unknown manufacture. Sigma's defection heralds the beginning of a massive war between Mavericks and humanity -- and since he feels responsible for the Maverick outbreak, X decides to team up with Zero ([[TapOnTheHead repaired and now sane after Sigma knocked out him out with a decisive blow to the forehead]], which [[IdentityAmnesia makes him useful to the Maverick Hunters]]) and put a stop to the war.
24
25In terms of gameplay, the series has the same basic formula as the Classic series: you choose levels in no particular order and gain weapons from defeated bosses; you use the weapons in an ElementalRockPaperScissors system against the other bosses; lather, rinse, repeat. The ''X'' series, however, have a much more aggressive playstyle than the Classic series due to the existence of VideoGameDashing and {{Wall Jump}}ing. The games' maps have a much bigger and more open design than the Classic series' maps to accommodate the new playstyle. Taking cues from the RolePlayingGame genre, the series also introduced hidden collectible items that grant [[HeartContainer a life meter boost]], [[EquipmentBasedProgression armor parts]] for X that upgrade his abilities, and interchangeable parts to enhance attributes or grant passive effects.
26
27The series saw several sequels on the Super Nintendo, Sega Saturn, [=PlayStation=], and [=PlayStation=] 2. It also spawned ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'', an even darker SequelSeries for the Game Boy Advance, in 2001. An anime [[OriginalVideoAnimation OVA]], ''The Day of Sigma'', came with the PSP remake of the first game (''Maverick Hunter X''). Several manga adaptations of the first five games have added some additional characters (such as the [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent Merloid]] Marti) and additional characterization for the various Mavericks and their motivations for defecting. Three Cardass card series, ''Rockman X: Megamissions'', also got published; while not part of the official ''X'' canon, their place in the timeline falls roughly somewhere between ''X1'' and ''X2'' (and ''X2'' and ''X3'' for the third ''Megamissions'').
28
29Until 2016, [[BreakoutCharacter Zero]] was the only character from the ''X'' series who appeared as a playable character in the fighting installments of Capcom's ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVs Vs.]]'' series, serving as the sole ''X'' series representative in both ''VideoGame/TatsunokoVsCapcom: [[UpdatedRerelease Ultimate All-Stars]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3 Marvel vs. Capcom 3]]''. (His ''Zero'' incarnation also appeared in ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos'' as a [[MiniBoss Mid-Boss]].) This would change with the announcement of ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'', where X was unveiled as a playable character for the first time in ''Vs.'' series history. Sigma himself, depicted in his ''VideoGame/MegaManX1'' form, is also present, serving as one-half of the BigBadDuumvirate alongside ComicBook/{{Ultron}}. Additionally, both X and Zero appear in the crossover ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'' and its sequel, and Sigma's ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'' incarnation appears as a hidden character in ''Super Ultra VideoGame/DeadRising3 Arcade Remix Hyper Edition EX Plus Alpha''. Zero also appears in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' as an Assist Trophy.
30
31[[AlternativeNumberSystem Do not confuse this series with]] ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'', the tenth game in the Classic series, which came out well after ''Mega Man X''.
32
33Two character sheets exist for this franchise: one for the [[Characters/MegaManX main series]], and one for ''[[Characters/MegaManXCommandMission Command Mission]]''.
34----
35!!Games in the series:
36[[index]]
37* ''VideoGame/{{Mega Man X|1}}'' (SNES, MS-DOS, Wii VC, iPhone): The series debut. The classic ''Mega Man'' gameplay has been considerably expanded upon to be far more action based, not to mention more flexible and fast.
38* ''VideoGame/MegaManX2'' (SNES, Wii VC): A MissionPackSequel. Also notable for usage of a special cartridge chip, which allowed for 3D wire-frame effect.
39* ''VideoGame/MegaManX3'' (SNES, Saturn/PS[[labelnote:*]]only in Japan and Europe[[/labelnote]], PC): First game where Zero is playable. A port was released for the Platform/SegaSaturn and Platform/PlayStation, including CD-quality music, a save feature and anime cut-scenes, but [[NoExportForYou not in North America]] prior to its PC port and its inclusion in ''Mega Man X Collection''. Like ''X2'', it also used a microchip in the SNES version for 3D effects (the disc-based ports just used their native 3D for the effects). The SNES version was ported to the ''Mega Man X Legacy Collection''.
40* ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'' (Saturn, PS, PC): ''Mega Man X''[='s=] official Saturn and [=PlayStation=] debut. First game where Zero is ''fully'' playable, albeit in a separate campaign to X.
41* ''VideoGame/MegaManXtreme'' (GBC, 3DS VC): A Platform/GameBoyColor spin-off, semi-port of the original.
42* ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'' (PS, PC): Incorporates a MultipleEndings system into the gameplay, as well as making it possible to switch between X and Zero throughout the storyline. Intended as the [[GrandFinale series finale]], but [[ExecutiveMeddling this never came to pass]].
43* ''VideoGame/MegaManXtreme2'' (GBC, 3DS VC): Another GBC spin-off, this time set prior to ''X4''.
44* ''VideoGame/MegaManX6'' (PS, PC[[labelnote:*]]in Korea only[[/labelnote]]): A game that tried to continue the series' legacy, retooling Zero's combat and [[NintendoHard ramping up the difficulty to previously unseen levels]].
45* ''VideoGame/MegaManX7'' ([=PS2=], PC[[labelnote:*]]also Korean-only[[/labelnote]]): ''Mega Man X''[='s=] 3D debut, though X himself spends most of the story [[TenMinuteRetirement sidelined]] in favor of newcomer Axl. Known for the severe clunkiness of its 3D segments.
46* ''VideoGame/MegaManXCommandMission'' ([=PS2=], GC): Mega Man X's sole foray into the RPG genre.
47* ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'' ([=PS2=], PC): The actual series finale ([[LeftHanging so far]]). Mostly abandoned the 3D elements in favor of emphasizing a [[TwoAndAHalfD 2.5D]] platforming approach, and restored X to being the main player character.
48* ''VideoGame/MegaManMaverickHunterX'' (PSP): [[VideoGameRemake An updated remake of the original game]]. [[ContinuityReboot It was intended to be the first in a series of remakes]], [[CutShort but poor sales put a stop to any potential sequel]]. [[FranchiseKiller It was also the very last entry in the Mega Man X era of releases]].
49* ''Mega Man X Collection'' ([=PS2=], GC): A compilation of the first six main games, plus ''Mega Man Battle & Chase''. [[/index]]
50* ''Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2'' (Platform/PlayStation4, Platform/XboxOne, Platform/NintendoSwitch, PC): The eight main games re-released for modern systems, with the option of buying 1 (''X''-''X4'') and 2 (''X5''-''X8'') separately. Includes the ''Day of Sigma'' OVA and a BossRush challenge mode where you fight almost every Maverick and boss from X1 to X6, with the added twist that you have to fight [[DualBoss two at once]]. [[index]]
51* ''VideoGame/MegaManXDive'' ([=iOS=], Android, PC): A gacha action-platformer spin-off that takes in a cyberspace known as the "Deep Log". Uses a modified engine previously used for ''Maverick Hunter X''. Also features characters from other points in the series.
52[[/index]]
53
54----
55!!Tropes present in the ''Mega Man X'' series:
56[[foldercontrol]]
57
58[[folder:Tropes A-M]]
59* TwoAndAHalfD: ''X7'' and ''X8''. The former's gameplay jumps from 2D to 3D seamlessly without warning. The latter is a better example, with most of the gameplay being 2D with some occasional 3D moments.
60* AbortedArc: The ''Maverick Hunter X'' version of the timeline after poor sales killed off the chance for continuing the story.
61* AchievementSystem: The ''Mega Man X Legacy Collections'' feature Hunter Medals that serves as as one for each collection. The achievements across both compilations ranges from "assembling ''x'' armor set in each game", "defeating a boss or enemy in a particular fashion", and "complete the opening stage of any game in both English and Japanese versions".
62* AdvancingBossOfDoom: In ''X5'', there's a [[BattleshipRaid battleship]] that serves as an Advancing MiniBoss of Doom.
63* AfterTheEnd: ''X6'' onwards, because of the [[ColonyDrop Eurasia Crisis]] in ''X5''.
64* AlasPoorVillain:
65** upon Sigma's defeat, Sigma laments X's decision to side with humanity.
66** Vile is also given this treatment in the Vile Mode ending of ''Maverick Hunter X''.
67* AIIsACrapshoot: Being cheap replicas of X, Reploids (in their earlier generations at least) have the tendency for going "Maverick".
68* AllThereInTheManual: The developers decided to resolve all the plot-holes and CanonDiscontinuity problems with the ''VideoGame/MegaManZero Official Complete Works'' that was for the aforementioned SequelSeries. It introduced the concept of the "suffering circuit", a specially-designed chip meant to give X empathy that Dr. Cain failed to successfully replicate (allegedly making them go Maverick). This is also the case with the ''Rockman Zero Collection'' timeline, a portion of the official website which had a slightly different account of the Maverick Virus (claiming that Dr. Light foresaw such a thing and made X "impervious" to viruses).
69* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: The opening of ''X3'' has X and Zero's home base besieged by Dr. Doppler's Mavericks.
70* AmazingTechnicolorBattlefield: The Fortress Levels of ''X5'' qualify.
71* AnIcePerson: Chill Penguin, Blizzard Buffalo, Frost Walrus, [[Music/GunsNRoses Duff McWhalen]], Blizzard Wolfang, Avalanche Yeti.
72* AnimeThemeSong:
73** "''Makenai Ai ga Kitto Aru''" ("We've Definitely Got a Love that Won't Lose"), "Monkey," "Moon Light" and "The Answer," "CODE CRUSH," "WILD FANG," and "Don't Wanna Be" for ''X4'', ''X5'', ''X6'', ''X7'', ''X8'', and ''Maverick Hunter X'' respectively.
74** And let's not leave out "One More Time" for the CD-based versions of ''X3''.
75** And ''X2'' brings it full-circle (or rather, begins the whole trend) in "''Sekai ga owaru Toki''" ("Moment When the World Ends"), notibly used in Japanese commercials.
76* AntiFrustrationFeatures: In games where the plot is [[HijackedByGanon Hijacked By Sigma]] (''X2, X3, X4,'' and ''X7'') there is only one fortress gauntlet to go through that is usually only 3 - 4 stages long with the DiscOneFinalBoss being fought in the penultimate stage with Sigma being tackled thererafter (as opposed to [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic the classic series]] where the DiscOneFinalBoss would have an entire fortress dedicated to them with another Wiley fortress to tackle thereafter.)
77* AutobotsRockOut: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XTh2Oh0h0c A majority]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_AMJal4gT8 of]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMDMA_wPttU Sigma's]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1xfeBdJ92Q battle]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHqdEcKbfiA themes]] count.
78* ArtEvolution:
79** The appearances of the main characters were [[strike:slightly]] altered in ''X8'' (X's helmet, Zero's ponytail, Alia's upgrade of her chest, and the shape of the characters eyes). WordOfGod claims that it was to make them look more human. Every game made since has used an Animesque artstyle more similar to X4-X7, with Legacy Collection's art bringing the X8 characters (and Alia's redesign) into the artstyle (the old art is still used in-game).
80** Before that, the first game art was like [[http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/megaman/images/5/57/MMXPromo.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100704015243 classic Mega Man trying to be serious]]; by the time ''X4'' and ''X5'' came out the art evolved to be [[http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/megaman/images/0/0d/MMX4Promo.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width/1000?cb=20100704002623 much less cartoony]]. Though this is at least partially due to changing artists between games; ''X1'' art was done by Inafune, and it shows.
81* TheArtifact: The boss rematches in the fortress stages of each game. In the ''Classic'' series a BossRush was an intimidating idea, because it was a rematch with the eight bosses and it was going to be the same fight as before, more or less. But the ''X'' series includes numerous upgrades for X's HP and armor, so by the time you refight the bosses, X is probably fully upgraded with much higher health, firepower, and maneuverability than when he beat them the first time, making the fights much easier. But the refights with the Robot Masters/Mavericks is a ''Mega Man'' series tradition and it's unthinkable that a game wouldn't do it.
82* ArtifactOfHope:
83** Dr. Light's left many upgrades specifically designed for X scattered about the world. All of these capsules provide X with words of encouragement from his creator while bestowing upon him valuable equipment that can drastically improve his abilities to handle threats to the fragile peace between humans and robots.
84** X himself is Light's MagnumOpus, the first truly sentient robot entirely unbound from being ThreeLawsCompliant, giving him tremendous capacity for good and evil while representing a paradigm shift in the relationship between man and robot. X's schematics were so advanced that Dr. Cain eagerly copied them to produce the Reploids. Unfortunately, Cain did not put them through the same moral testing programs that X went through, resulting in many of them going Maverick and sparking the Maverick Wars once Sigma was infected by Wily's Zero Virus.
85* ArtisticLicenseBiology: The X series relies heavily on the [[TheCorruption Maverick Virus]] (or as it's later known the Sigma Virus), which is a computer virus, i.e. malicious self-replicating computer code, that behaves like a biological virus, in that it's transmitted through physical exposure.
86* ArtisticLicensePhysics:
87** In ''[[VideoGameRemake Day of Sigma]]'' OVA, [[spoiler:Sigma launches several large missiles, think ICBM sized, at Abel City. Several of these missiles touchdown and explode, leaving massive, smoking craters. Obviously, the shock waves from the explosions should've leveled the city outright]].
88** Flame Mammoth uses the ground pound move, also used by Guts Man and Hard Man, to violently shake the ground when he lands from a jump. Problem is, Flame Mammoth's weight is 719 lb; most cars and trucks available today are heavier than he is, and they just don't release ''that'' much energy when they fall from similar heights.
89* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: Sigma's final form in ''X1'', the intro stage bosses of ''X2'' and ''X3'', Eregion and General from ''X4'', Illumina in ''X6'', Sigma's OneWingedAngel forms in ''X5'', ''X6'', and ''X7'', and the intro stage bosses from ''X7'' and ''X8'', as well as a reappearance of said robot later in ''X8''.
90* AwesomeButImpractical: A lot of X's helmet upgrades fall under this. The SNES ones, and their Gameboy {{Exp|y}}ies, aren't much use once you memorize ''where'' they'd be useful aside from unlocking that game's respective GameBreaker. Half of the regular X5 and X6 ones reduce weapon energy usage (which Zero nor the Ultimate Armor really need), the Shadow Armor speeds up sword attacks, and the Gaea Armor has ''no stated function at all''. Aversions are X4 (game play is set up so weapons are still useful), X7 (attracts power ups from further away), and X8 (a weaponized form of X1's part, a quick charge, and unlimited weapon energy).
91** Charging up the X-Buster for normal mooks is only useful if you had one ready. Since they lack MercyInvincibility, it's much faster to rapid fire them to death. Bosses are a different story. For that matter as well, charged up special weapons are situational at best, and not very useful for bosses most of the time.
92* AxCrazy: Before his HeelFaceTurn, Zero was very violent and very disobedient due to a programming flaw in his cognitive system. When the Maverick virus infected him, however, it ironically fixed this exact flaw, allowing him to perform a HeelFaceTurn and join the Maverick Hunters.
93* BackgroundBoss: Rangda Bangda and Sigma's second forms in both ''X1'' and ''X5''; Giant Mechaniloid CF-0 in ''X2''; Maoh the Giant in ''X3''; the first encounter against Egregion in ''X4'', Illumina in ''X6''; Yadokari and Sigma's second form in ''X7''; the second Crabz-Y encounter in ''X8''.
94* BadBoss: It is heavily implied that Flame Mammoth spends most of his time in his unit mocking those inferior to him in terms of strength. As an added bit of laser-guided karma, he's also the only one of the former Maverick Hunters in the first X game that defected to Sigma's side to not have any of his unit go with him, although given the setting where he is fought, he probably didn't need them anyways.
95* BagOfSpilling: The games tend to eschew all weapons and upgrades you've collected in the previous games, except for a select few. X, for example, keeps his dash upgrade after acquiring it in first game. Likewise, Zero started to DoubleJump on his own starting from ''X6''.
96** Hell, ''Hunter Rank'' has a propensity to [[DudeWheresMyRespect inexplicably drop between sequels]] whenever it's a relevant gameplay mechanic. Zero can be a [[ElitesAreMoreGlamorous Special A-class hunter]] in one game, before dropping down to D-class in another.
97* BarelyChangedDubName: In most cases, the standard 8 Maverick Bosses have their name changed in the overseas version in a certain way: In the original, they follow ALizardNamedLiz (e.g Web Spidus, Cyber Kujacker), while in the localized version they're changed into SpeciesSurname (e.g Web Spider, Cyber Peacock).
98* BashBrothers:
99** X and Zero as bosses in ''Maverick Hunter X'': Vile Mode.
100** For a playable version, in ''X7'' and ''X8'', you can use 2 characters in a level, essentially creating your own BashBrothers.
101* BearsAreBadNews:
102** Grizzly Slash (Crescent Grizzly) from ''X5''. Subverted when MonstrosityEqualsWeakness comes into play, seeing as he's the ''easiest'' Boss in the game.
103** ''X8'' featured Bamboo Pandemonium, the single largest boss in the game. Ironically, pandas aren't normally the first thing people think of when they think of ferocious ursine creatures. That said, his face is still very cute. And he can [[OneHitKO kill you with one hit]] of his DesperationAttack.
104* BeneficialDisease: The Maverick Virus is this to Zero. In fact, according to WordOfGod, the virus had ironically fixed a programming bug in his "cognitive" system that made him very violent and disobedient, to the point where he performed a HeelFaceTurn soon after and joined the Maverick Hunters to face down other Mavericks. (The virus is supposed to make other robots violent by removing their inhibitions and their empathy).
105* BigDamnHeroes:
106** A subversion at the beginning of ''X5'': ''You'' as the player are the one coming to the rescue of the one in distress (who was even in disrepair), when Sigma personally attacks them.
107** ''X8''[='s=] Hard Mode: Whoever is the backup character will be [[spoiler:captured by Vile after that MiniBoss fight]], and the main player character will have to traverse the rest of the final level alone. In an awesome GameplayAndStorySegregation aversion, [[spoiler:Sigma traps the main player halfway during the Boss fight, and, true to the trope, the backup character will return to save his partner]].
108* BlackoutBasement: Spark Mandrill's stage in ''X1'', especially if entered after beating Storm Eagle. In ''X6'', some stages also qualify (where you have to use misleading lights as a guide), if the right requirements are met, and ''X8''[='s=] [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin "Pitch Black"]] stage.
109* BlindIdiotTranslation:
110** ''X6''. Which is a shame, because beneath the awful, ''awful'' localization, there is actually a reasonably serviceable story. Just how bad is the translation? See if you can try to make sense out of the below exchange:
111-->'''Zero:''' "Shield Sheldon...Too bad about your previous life." [[labelnote:Correction]]"Shield Sheldon... I'm sorry about what happened to you."[[/labelnote]]\
112'''Shield Sheldon:''' "Don't be. I was new as a bodyguard. That's all." [[labelnote:Correction]]"Don't blame yourself. I was a rookie, unused to my job as a bodyguard. It couldn't be helped."[[/labelnote]]\
113'''Zero:''' "Maverick Hunters are supposed to be able to tell a Maverick from a Reploid. Our officers are not good enough... They could cost us everything." [[labelnote:Correction]]"We're supposed to be able to tell a Maverick from a normal Reploid, and we failed in that duty. We failed, and it cost you everything."[[/labelnote]]\
114'''Shield Sheldon:''' "Reploids all over the world have been needing you. I was useless as a bodyguard... And was useless to everyone else. When I accepted that fact, I accepted my fate. However, there turned out to be someone who needs me. He has given me one more chance. And therefore, I am going to fulfill my mission as a bodyguard now. I'll protect him, even if it means that I have to sacrifice my life. Come on, Zero!" [[labelnote:Correction]]"Maverick Hunters have always been needed to protect Reploids. I wasn't any good as a bodyguard, couldn't even protect the people I was supposed to. Once I knew that I was useless, I knew there was no point in resisting any further. But now, there's someone that needs me, someone that I can protect. So... I'm going to do my best to succeed where I failed before, even if it means I might die again. Come on, Zero!"[[/labelnote]]
115** There is also this gem in Metal Shark Player's stage (which is itself a mistranslation of P'''r'''ayer). Apparently the translators had ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' on their minds when the player was faced with a wall of spikes:
116-->'''Alia:''' "You can't jump across spiny area!"
117** The conversations with Zero Nightmare, which given as Zero Nightmare is intended to be completely insane, makes it difficult to discern what part of it was intentional. Here is the most notable example from Blaze Heatnix's stage:
118-->'''X''': "Hey you! Quit fooling around!" [[labelnote:Correction]]"It's you! You've caused enough chaos!")[[/labelnote]]\
119''' Zero Nightmare''': "I'm not fooling around... The fake me appeared. I don't know what's happening." [[labelnote:Correction]]"I've done nothing like that. It's that fake version of me. He appeared from nowhere, and... I just don't understand what's happening now...")[[/labelnote]]\
120'''X''': "......... Shut up! I will not forgive you. Never!" [[labelnote:Correction]]"I've heard enough of your lies! I'll never forgive you for what you've done!")[[/labelnote]]\
121''' Zero Nightmare''': "Don't you know who I am? ......... ...Fine. You will be dead anyway. Heh heh heh, die! X!!" [[labelnote:Correction]]"You still can't tell it's me? ...so be it. Heh heh heh... Prepare to die, X!")[[/labelnote]]
122* BlobMonster: The infamous Yellow Devil from the classic series comes back in ''X5'''s fortress bosses, now black-colored and named Shadow Devil.
123* BloodKnight:
124** While generally overlooked, Magma Dragoon is probably the biggest example of this trope in the franchise. To wit, he causes a civil war and very nearly TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt ''just so he could fight the protagonists''! Then again, he is based off [[Franchise/StreetFighter Akuma]].
125** More than a few Reploids in ''X5'' seem more interested in fighting the protagonists than they are about doing something to help save the world. Many of them (especially Duff [=McWhalen=] and Grizzly Slash) say that they've been infected by the Virus and want to [[SuicideByCop fight the heroes]] and [[FaceDeathWithDignity die with dignity]]. Some, like Squid Adler, do actually give X and Zero what they need, only for the Virus to choose that moment to take over their minds and force them to fight.
126** Each X5 boss seems to have different reasons for fighting, and oddly enough, the reasons can change depending on which plan to stop the ColonyDrop is active. [[spoiler:And if the colony has already been destroyed/crashed, some bosses will already have been seized by the virus]].
127* BonusFeatureFailure: In ''X8'', the navigators, Alia, Layer, and Palette, are unlockable as playable characters. They are basically feminine clones of X, Zero, and Axl respectively; however due to GameplayAndStoryIntegration, Alia cannot get X's capsule upgrades, Palette cannot copy enemies, and Layer gets a nice aversion by only being unable to use the Zero Armor. You also have to purchase all of X's, Zero's, and Axl's purchasable upgrades a second time in order to access them on Alia, Layer, and Palette. Additionally, using even one of them when running a stage will forbid you from choosing a navigator for that stage. LevelGrinding the Navigators at least gives you something to do on your NewGamePlus, and fully powering them up changes, of all things, the Capcom logo screen, which is pretty cool.
128* BookEnds:
129** The ''Zero'' series reveals that this series "ended" with the main characters sealing themselves for different purposes, which is the same state they are found in at the beginning of this series.
130** During ''X4'', we learn that before the events of the first game, [[spoiler:Sigma had smashed Zero's head crystal]]. At the end of ''X8'', [[spoiler:Lumine smashes Axl's head crystal]].
131* BossRush: ''Every'' single game.
132** ''X1'' is the only one to intersperse boss fights throughout Sigma's Fortress. The games ''X2'' onward lock you in a room with 8 teleporters leading to each boss, much like the Classic series from ''2'' onward.
133** The PSP remake of the first game has X realize that Sigma had the bodies of the eight bosses repaired, but not the personalities, when he starts having the rematches.
134** Justified in ''X8'': the Bosses in the Boss Rush are [[spoiler:new generation Reploids copying the data of the Boss]].
135** There's a variation in the second half of ''X8’s'' final level: most of the enemies are now using their abilities to morph into [[spoiler:weaker versions of the Sigma]] fought a level earlier, [[spoiler:now a DiscOneFinalBoss]].
136** ''X8'' also changes up the boss rush chamber by color coding the teleporters, so you can tell where each boss is. Black = Dark Mantis, white = Avalanche Yeti, etc. There's also an optional boss in Optic Sunflower's stage where you must beat the Maverick under a time limit.
137* BossSubtitles: Mimicking the original series.
138* BossTease: The ending narration of the third game mentions that [[spoiler:X has to destroy Zero to save mankind]]. It foreshadows the fifth game, where [[spoiler:X vs Zero is the ClimaxBoss of the game - especially in the bad end route, where Zero turns Maverick and X has to destroy him before he wreaks havoc.]]
139* BossWarningSiren: The series has this starting from the fourth game, just before the boss appeared on screen and has a dialogue with the player character. It was carried over to the ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' series as well, although in those cases it happened just before the fight begins after the boss's monologue.
140* BottomlessPits: A common stage hazard.
141* BountyHunter: Red Alert starts off as something like this.
142* BoxingKangaroo: Vanishing Gungaroo in ''X7''.
143* BrainwashedAndCrazy:
144** What the effect [[TheVirus the Maverick Virus]] seems to have on Reploids is. Their personalities are often altered and they become violent and homicidal, sometimes to the extent that they lose all sense of themselves and go insane. Most also join Sigma's forces after infection, though whether it's forced or willing depends on the Maverick.
145** The only one completely immune to the effects of the Virus is X, who nevertheless takes damage from it when he's infected. It doesn't stop him worrying about the possibility of going Maverick, but that's for other possible reasons. He is effectively immune from the Virus.
146** Zero also appears to be immune, and is actually ''strengthened'' by being "infected". To elaborate further: [[spoiler:Zero's behavior in the ''X4'' flashback is not caused by the virus. Zero was sealed because he contained a flaw in his cognitive program that made him violent and unwilling to obey instructions. This behavior persisted until the virus entered his body after Sigma damaged his armor. (The virus was stored in Zero's capsule, but had not entered his body yet.) The effects of the virus on Zero's body in ''X5''[='=]s non-canon bad ending makes him calm and helps him remember his original objective, which quite different from the crazed Zero from the ''X4'' flashback. It should be noted that Zero's data readings do not change when he's infected. In fact, According to Word Of God, the virus actually ''fixed'' the flaw in his cognitive program, making him perform a Heel Face Turn and join the Maverick Hunters]].
147** Axl, along with the other New-Gens [[spoiler:whose copy chips have not been corrupted by Sigma's DNA]], are immune the the virus as well simply due to their copy chips reverting all changes to their DNA.
148* BroadStrokes: [[ContinuitySnarl In order to not confuse the fans]], Inafune started the ''Zero'' series off with the title character [[spoiler:sealed instead of dead]], the latter of which was the original concept (how ''X5'' ended, that is). Still leaves Creator/{{Capcom}} to make ''more'' X games.
149* BrokenAesop: The idea that the term "Maverick" being abused to deal with merely disobedient Reploids in X4 would be a lot more effective if Repliforce wasn't an army, and therefore disobedience from a massively powerful army answerable to the world governments that is suspected of murdering millions of people would be a legitimate concern. The only difference between a human army who did that would be using "traitor" or "renegade" in place of the word "maverick".
150* BroughtToYouByTheLetterS:
151** A stylized Greek Letter Sigma (Σ) for Sigma and the Mavericks loyal to him.
152** Zero's styalized letter Z on his left shoulder.
153** X arguably does have one in his ''X8'' design, but it's in the side of the helmet and might just be a screw or something.
154** In ''Maverick Hunter X'', Vile has his own red letter V on his helmet in lieu of the Sigma symbol.
155* CampGay:
156** Tornado Tonion, of ''X7''.
157** Cyber Peacock too, somewhat, in ''X4''.
158* CallingYourAttacks: Zero with his Command Arts; bonus points for calling them mostly in their Japanese names. Especially of note would be ''X8'', where X, Axl, and several of the bosses join in the act as well, with X [[GratuitousEnglish always doing it in English]] for good measure. Magma Dragoon, an otherwise normal boss in ''X4'', also does this with ''Franchise/StreetFighter''-based attacks.
159* CardCarryingVillain: The Nightmare Inspectors, Red Alert and most of Sigma's minions.
160* CerebusSyndrome: ''X4'' was the point where GreyAndGreyMorality started to shape the conflict and things got progressivly worse for the world at large.
161* CharacterDevelopment:
162** It's hard to tell [[BlindIdiotTranslation through the awful writing]], but in ''X6'', X actually seems more confident and decisive about situations, best displayed by his BadassBoast to Sigma:
163--> '''X:''' "I have to work for the reconstruction of the world... I have no time to waste on you... If you show up, I'll defeat you."
164** A speech which actually has shades of ''Zero's'' personality to it.
165* CharacterSelectForcing: ''X6'' was horrible about this; choosing the wrong armor set made the game very hard in the fortress. A variant also existed in ''X8'', where most of the main stages required the X/Axl team to collect all or most of the items hidden throughout -- effectively benching the most popular character in the series!
166* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Not applied to only one character, but the concept ''as whole'' for the series. In the beginning X was said to be special, not only for being the origin to all Reploids but for being to most ''humane'' out of the bunch, his emotions and potential for growth can be compared to that of any human; in turn other Reploids, and even Zero the other SuperPrototype himself, commented on how they couldn't (or considered a waste to) feel and express themselves like X did. A few games later, this concept seems to be all but abandoned, pretty much all other Reploids and Zero are RidiculouslyHumanRobots, they express themselves and have distinctive personalities like any other human; X now is more of an outspoken pacifist, as opposed to someone who worries because ''he was the only one who could''.
167* ChargedAttack:
168** Shouldn't need elaboration. Also applies to the Z-saber in ''X3'' and ''X6'' (when used by X).
169** That's Type B. Giga Attacks sometimes fall into this category, as Type A.
170* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Almost ''every'' game features an ally turning on you, with Sigma's revolt in the first game being the most notable.
171* ClimaxBoss: Built up by ''four games''' worth of storyline? Check. Very awesome boss battle theme? Check. Supposed to ''end the series''? Check. [[spoiler:Mega Man X vs. Zero is the right way to go]]. Tweak a few more things in the storyline, and it would even be more awesome. The battle was even reused for the future series: [[spoiler:Copy-X vs. Zero (''twice!'') for ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'', and Mega Man Model X vs. Mega Man Model Z in ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'']].
172** The Bad Ending storyline actually makes this battle even more poignant: [[spoiler:Compare the canon arguments they have thinking the other is too susceptible to the virus to [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight Awakening Zero vowing to destroy X, and X vowing to defeat him and bring back "the real Zero."]]]]
173* ColourCodedTimestop: The Dark Hold ability from X5.
174* CombatAndSupport:
175** X, as protagonist of the series, fits combat in this way, but he wields a support weapon ([[ArmCannon long-range buster]]). [[TheLancer Zero]], who scouts along for support, is the one with the combat weapon ([[HeroesPreferSwords the Z-Saber]]).
176** Alia, Douglas, and Signas join in as support.
177** Axl is a balance between combat and support, while X starts fading almost fully into the support position.
178* CompilationRerelease:
179** The ''Mega Man X Collection'', compiling ''Mega Man X'' from ''X1'' through ''X6'' plus the unlockable ''Mega Man Battle & Chase'' on a single disc. It also features a Gallery where artwork, original sketches, and unused music can be unlocked through beating each game. Originally the collection was also intended to be updated versions of these games, but due to complications that arose from of using the idea for ''Maverick Hunter X'' as a remake of ''X1''-''X6'', the idea for both games was scrapped.
180** The ''Mega Man X Legacy Collection'' are a pair of compilation re-releases that compiles the two halves of the series, ''X1''-''X4'' in ''X Legacy Collection 1'' and ''X5''-''X8'' in ''X Legacy Collection 2'', along with the ability to play their western and Japanese versions, a Museum packed with artwork and sketches, a Music Player featuring music from the collection's respective games, a gallery of official merchandise, a collection trailers of the series, the ''Day of Σ'' OVA from ''Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X'', and a new boss rush ''X Challenge'' mode where players fight a combination of two bosses throughout most of the ''Mega Man X'' series. The games in the collections themselves also feature a new "Rookie Hunter Mode" option that makes the games easier for beginners. Unfortunately, for the international versions, some of the game's music were replaced likely due to licencing issues.
181* ContinuityNod:
182** ''X5'' is chock full of these. There's also a prime example in ''X6'', where the plot is driven by the BigBad [[spoiler:getting infected by the TheVirus from Zero's piece that he took in the crash site of the ColonyDrop]].
183** In X's bad ending in ''X5'', he states his dream is to create a paradise where humans and Reploids peacefully coexist. The name of that paradise? [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/MegaManLegends Elysium]]]].
184** After [[spoiler:Gate]] is defeated in ''X6'', X sees [[spoiler:Isoc]]'s lifeless body, which Alia says is similar to the Erasure phenomenon from ''Xtreme 2''.
185** X8 contains some of these. Sigma makes a reference to [[spoiler:Zero's virus infecting him in their first battle]], and the colony virus is brought up by X.
186* CoolAirship: Storm Eagle had his personal airship, called the Death Rogumer. After his defeat, it crashed on Spark Mandrill's power plant, causing the power to fail.
187* CoolBike: The second game introduces the Ride Chaser, the bike variant of the [[MiniMecha Ride Armor]] with built in guns. They also lack wheels - they hover off the ground. The fourth game makes them cooler with a damaging dash move, and lets you ride it on water as well (much like a jetski). And in the eighth game they even come with moves that fit your characters.
188* CranialProcessingUnit: Many large bosses and mini-bosses (as well as Sigma's OneWingedAngel forms) can only be damaged in the head.
189* CreepyCentipedes: Magna Centipede from ''X2'', who's a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot ninja hacker centipede robot]]. There's also a more traditional one as the mini-boss of Neon Tiger's stage in ''X3''.
190* CulturalTranslation + PunnyName: In the English version of ''X5'', the bosses' names were plays on current and former members of Guns N' Roses.
191* CuteBruiser: All of the female playable characters to some extent.
192* CyberCyclops: Various Mechaniloids.
193* DarkerAndEdgier:
194** In general, the early entries in this series are an excellent example of [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools this trope being used well]], without dumping on the original series.
195** ''X2'', for example, shows a very violent way to kill a Maverick; if you kill Wire Sponge using his primary weakness, the poor dude gets ''[[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe sliced in half]]''.
196* DeadlyEuphemism: "Retirement".
197* DegradedBoss: A boss that has been degraded so much, he was turned into a {{mook}} (an EliteMook, but still)! [[spoiler:And he's ''[[BigBad Sigma]]'' of the previous games! See BossRush above]].
198* DesperationAttack: Starting from ''X2'' onwards, most bosses get one when they get to low health. Some of them deal incredible damage, some are tricky to avoid, while some put the player into an undesirable situation.
199* DiscOneNuke:
200** See one of the Game Breaker page for this series. Also, through a cheat code, the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Ultimate and Zero Armors]] can be available at the ''very start'' of some of the games (''X5'', ''X6'').
201** The first game gives us a double-dose. Chill Penguin's stage, which has the ''mandatory'' Leg Capsule. There's also the fact that the aforementioned Boss is a WarmupBoss, meaning that defeating him would be a good start for the game!
202** It's tricky, but far from impossible in ''X1'' to beat Storm Eagle first (without the ability to dash against his wind) so long as you know where and when to start running. The reward, Storm Tornado, rips through stages like nothing.
203** If preferred, X could defeat Chill Penguin or lose all his lives in Chill Penguin's stage after getting the Leg Upgrade, then go to the airport to face Storm Eagle [[spoiler: '''and''' access the Helmet Capsule]].
204** If you have the guts to take on Sting Chameleon and Storm Eagle first and get the Buster upgrade from Flame Mammoth's stage soon after, you're rewarded with the ability to constantly turn yourself invincible for the rest of the game, and all for relatively little ammo consumption to boot!
205* DiscOneFinalBoss: The X-Hunters, Dr. Doppler, General, Dynamo, Gate, Red, and, [[spoiler:ironically, Sigma himself in ''X8'', not once, but '''''twice''!!''']] Capcom is in love with this trope.
206* DistaffCounterpart:
207** In ''X8'', Alia, Layer, and Palette are counterparts to X, Zero, and Axl, respectively.
208** Concerning the {{Easter Egg}}s below, they can be {{Joke Character}}s, too, since none of them can use their respective [[DistaffCounterpart Spear Counterparts]]' armor upgrades. At least they do have access to all of the upgrade chips.
209* DistantSequel: The series takes place a century after the events of the [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic original series]].
210* DopplegangerAttack: From ''X4'' onwards, there would be a boss that specializes in creating at least one copy of himself, whether or not his Boss Weapon was based on this ability.
211* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Zero's ending]] in ''X5''. [[spoiler:Though having finally defeated Sigma for good, Zero himself is mortally wounded in process, and as he dies, he sees the flashback of his evil past (of Dr. Wily), as well as the memory of his deceased girlfriend Iris, whom he could never meet again]].
212* DroughtLevelOfDoom:
213** To a certain extent, most stages were used to weaken you for the boss and waste your lives and life containers. For most ''Mega Man'' players, the first life is a throwaway regardless because [[NintendoHard you probably won't be able to defeat the boss unless you're at full health]].
214** This isn't really the case in the first game, because the bosses were pretty easy to Buster to death. There were some exceptions, though -- you were expected to toss a life or two to Launch Octopus before he would deign to be destroyed, for one.
215* DubInducedPlotHole:
216** When obtaining the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Black Armor]] for Zero in ''X5''; Dr. Light, of all people, was the one who gave it to Zero! And he (Light) made it just for him (Zero) In the Japanese version, Light talks about releasing the power that sleeps in Zero.
217** And of course, the big one from ''X3'':
218-->"Unknown to X, his destiny has already been decided. To save mankind, he must destroy Zero. But only time will tell, when and why..."
219--->-- ''Mega Man X3''[='=]s ending
220-->"In his memory, he knows his destiny is fixed to do battle with Zero. And beyond this point, what will they see?"
221--->-- ''Rockman X3''[='=]s ending
222** Likely due to an error of translation, in the dialogue with Volt Kraken when playing as X from ''X5'', X refers Launch Octopus as "Octopardo". This was fixed in ''Legacy Collection''.
223* DubNameChange:
224** Most of the Mavericks (Icy Penguigo to Chill Penguin, Storm Eagleed to Storm Eagle, etc). The name of the rogue Maverick from the first, third, and eighth games got his name changed from ''Vava'' (which would be pronounced in Japanese roughly like "Boba", as in Boba Fett whose {{Expy}} he is) to Vile in the English version. (In fact, the reason they couldn't just call him "Boba"[[note]]or how they say the reference is Bubba Zanetti of ''Film/MadMax1'' instead[[/note]] outright was because of trademark issues, so they had to spell it ''Vava''). The name change in English resorting to "Vile" had, in turn, an effect on [[VideoGame/MegaManZero the following series]] (especially since Zero was created by Dr. Wily).
225** And in fact, the term "Maverick." They were called "Irregulars" in Japan, though this is probably because the noun "irregular" in English refers to non-conventional or private military forces of the type usually employed by governments (which might be a good description of the organization to which the ''heroes'' belong), something wholly unlike what the Japanese name was supposed to mean.
226* DuelingPlayerCharacters: In ''X5'', if you can save Zero from going Maverick then X and Zero get into an argument that escalates into a fight (with you playing whomever you took in to the level). If Zero goes Maverick then you have no choice and X ''has'' to destroy Zero.
227* EarlyGameHell: You always start with an undersized health bar, no special weapons, and (if playing as X) no Armor pieces. Fortunately, the bosses are all designed around this so that you can fight them with just the X-Buster; there'll also be a dedicated WarmupBoss among them which you can fight easily without their weaknesses.
228* EasilyForgiven: A weird zigzagging of this trope. Reploids are declared Maverick for not obeying humanity perfectly, then in the aftermath people realize how wrong they were and retroactively declare them not Maverick... despite the accused reploids doing things like [[VideoGame/MegaManX4 committing insubordination despite being a military for petty, self-serving reasons while under legitimate suspicion of committing a massacre, engaging in city-destroying war crimes, and endangering the planet with their giant space cannon]], or [[VideoGame/MegaManXCommandMission ethnically cleansing the human population of a city, torturing prisoners, and endangering the planet with a missile designed to scatter over half the world a substance that killed or drove insane all but one of the test subjects... who became the guy in charge of the organization that did the aforementioned atrocities]].
229* EasterEgg: The [[Franchise/StreetFighter Hadoken and Shoryuken]] in some of the games, of course. In ''X8'', Zero also gets a HurricaneKick with the K Knuckles.
230* EasyLevelTrick: There's a section of Sigma's first fortress in ''X1'' that's full of springs. The springs launch you toward the ceiling when you step on them, making the section rather difficult, but if you just use the dash feature you bounce from spring to spring avoiding enemies and zooming past the lasers, landing at the end without a scratch.
231%% EasyModeMockery: [[spoiler:The TrueFinalBoss below]]. %%This entry got moved out. Which game is it for?
232* ElementalRockPaperScissors: Per the previous series, everyone's weak to something; you just have to figure out ''what''.
233* ElementalShapeshifter: Toxic Seahorse in ''X3'' can turn into acid. How a ''robot'' does this is anyone's guess.
234* EliteArmy: The Maverick Hunters are always shorter in numbers than their adversaries, but they consistently come out on top, largely owing to the fact that two (later three) of their members are just that exceptional.
235* EnemyChatter: Starting from ''X4''.
236* EternalVillain: Sigma is essentially one for the series. He swore to always return so long as X and Zero exist to torment them and slaughter humanity, and that promise has certainly stuck one way or another. [[spoiler: In X8, Sigma seemed to finally acknowledge his increasing body decay and limited time, so he hijacked the production of New Generation Reploids to instill his personal data across all of them except for Axl. While Sigma's next stand appeared to have finally been his last, it didn't matter, because he effectively created an entire line of Sigmas to succeed him.]] Even proclaimed by himself in Megaman X7.
237-->'''Zero:''' You never give up, do you? Even when we break you down to scraps, you always come back.\
238'''Sigma:''' That's right, folks! I'll do it again and again! I will make X and Zero mine! Now come and get me! [[BringIt Give me a good fight! Like you always do!]]
239* EvasiveFightThreadEpisode: ''X5''.
240* ExcusePlot: The ''Legacy Collection'' Challenge Mode has some backgrounds, but those were mostly excuses so you can just [[DualBoss go fight two bosses at once.]]
241* {{Expy}}: Avalanche Yeti (and to a lesser extent Frost Walrus) seems specifically based on Frost Man. Several Mavericks borrow from earlier Robot Masters, in fact: Ride Boarski is like Turbo Man and may have partially inspired Nitro Man, Dark Necrobat looks quite a bit like Shade Man, Commander Yanmark looks almost ''exactly'' like Gyro Man, Magna Centipede borrows from Shadow Man, Launch Octopus is based on Napalm Man right down to the missile launcher shoulders, Boomer Kuwanger is a mixture of Cut Man and Quick Man, and Flame Hyenard borrows from Burner Man.
242* FakeDifficulty:
243** ''X6''. It gets particularly JustForFun/{{egregious}} in Metal Shark Player's stage, where there's a ceiling trying to crush you, instant death spikes, and ''[[FrictionlessIce ice]]'' -- in a trash compactor, making no logical sense -- all on the same screen.
244** Gate's fortress is even worse. Three words. SpikesOfDoom. No, Capcom, coating virtually every surface with them does not constitute as difficulty. Ironically, this very thing makes using the Shadow Armor a GameBreaker due to its invulnerability to spikes.
245** Gate's fortress also has points that are impossible to get through without certain armors/upgrades. And you can't exit the level manually. Hope you didn't have a lot of lives on hand.
246** If a reploid holding a part (say, the Jumper, practically essential for reaching higher-up areas) is killed, they're [[PermanentlyMissableContent lost forever]]. This makes getting certain items, such as a Sub-Tank, literally impossible without restarting the game from scratch.
247* FakeLongevity: The Central Museum in ''X6'', if you're trying to save all the Reploids. It requires multiple runs to get into all the rooms, each of which has at least one Reploid.
248* FightingYourFriend:
249** The penultimate boss fight of ''X5'' saw X fighting against Zero.
250** [[spoiler: Zero vs. Iris from ''X4'']]. It doesn't end well.
251** In ''Legacy Collection'' Challenge Mode, [[spoiler:X ''can'' fight Iris as well (alongside Double), though she will still refer to Zero, basically about her having to fight her boyfriend's best friend, and same goes with X fighting his best friend's girlfriend.]]
252* FinishingMove: For ''X8'', there's the tag-team attack, which, if inflicted as the final blow for the boss, nets the highest rank. In the latter, in a MatrixRainingCode background, regardless of the weapon equipped on the characters, they will always use the following: X has a WaveMotionGun, Zero's LaserBlade [[{{BFS}} grows BIG]], and Axl combines TriggerHappy, GunsAkimbo, ''and'' BeamSpam. If used on a boss to deal the finishing blow, the color of the field will be orange instead of the normal green, and the background static will buzz intensely.
253* FireIceLightning: Some of the games have Mavericks who use these;
254** ''X'': Flame Mammoth (fire), Chill Penguin (ice), and Spark Mandrill (lightning). Interestingly enough, Fire beats Ice which beats Lightning, compatible with the ''Mega Man 6'' pattern and completely opposite of what happened in the original VideoGame/MegaMan1.
255** ''X4'': [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Magma Dragoon]] (fire), Frost Walrus (ice), and [[GiantSpider Web Spider]] (lightning).
256** ''X5'': Mattrex (fire), Duff [=McWhalen=] (ice), and Squid Adler (lightning).
257** ''X8'': Burn Rooster (fire), Avalanche Yeti (ice), and [[ElectricJellyfish Gigabolt Man-O-War]] (lightning). Here, lightning beats ice which beats fire, like in the original Mega Man and in ''Videogame/MegaManAndBass''.
258* {{Flanderization}}:
259** For X, Zero and Sigma, as the series progresses. Especially because ExecutiveMeddling forced the series to go beyond the creator's planned ending, ''X5''.
260** Even the term "Maverick" isn't safe; originally used to describe out-of-control reploids (mostly viral infected, though the viral infection wasn't realized until the third game), then it became a warped political tool to refer to any designated threat becoming a target, starting with the Repliforce (though the Repliforce's [[IdiotBall complete idiocy]] in handling the situation that got them declared Maverick in the first place would have necessitated their disbanding anyway). Eventually the "Maverick" label escalated to the point it became a convenient tool to refer to '''anyone''' that "needed" disposing of, even harmless Reploids trying to stay alive during an energy crisis like in the ''Zero'' series.
261* FloatingContinent: Sky Lagoon in ''X4''.
262* FlunkyBoss:
263** Flame Hyenard is the worst offender here. ''You're riding on a Mechaniloid that's trying to shoot you down with missiles!'' And if that's not enough, he makes two copies of himself as well!
264** Infinity Mijinion from ''X6'' is even worse. [[MeaningfulName It's reflected on his name]] -- [[MesACrowd he can make copies of himself indefinitely]], to the point of ''filling the entire screen with his clones.''
265** Split Mushroom and Axle The Red from ''X4'' and ''X5'' respectively also qualify.
266** [[spoiler:Sigma]] becomes this in ''X6''.
267* ForegoneConclusion:
268** ''The Day of Sigma''. That is all.
269** Except it's even ''worse'' than the original: Sigma manages to ''[[spoiler:[[{{Retcon}} nuke Abel City, along with Dr. Cain]]]]''.
270* FourIsDeath: ''X4'' was the first game in the X series to escalate the body count up to a horrific extreme- and first to present a legitimate threat to destroy the entire planet. It was also the same installment where Zero suffered a tragic loss... [[spoiler:the death of his crush, Iris]]. In addition, three more key-to-the-plot Reploids perish: [[spoiler:Colonel, a martyr to his own cause, Double, who reveals himself as a DoubleAgent and gets a KarmicDeath, and General, who performs a HeroicSacrifice]]. That makes four major deaths in the story. [[note]]Sigma died too, of course, but he was brought back in the next game.[[/note]]
271* FourTemperamentEnsemble completed by X5:
272** The fast-action AntiHero Zero (choleric), the conscientious defender X (melancholic), the father-figure Signas (phlegmatic), the flamboyant Axl (sanguine), and Douglas (eclectic).
273** Lady reploids of X8: Alia (choleric), Palette (phlegmatic), and Layer (eclectic).
274** The lone X-hunter (in his own right), ''[[MegaManX2 X2]]'''s X-Hunters, and the BigBad Sigma: Vile ([[HairTriggerTemper super]] choleric), Agile (melancholic), Serges (phlegmatic), Violen (sanguine), and Sigma (eclectic).
275* FrameUp: Happens in ''X4'' to the Repliforce, by Magma Dragoon and his forces wearing the Repliforce sigil.
276* FranchiseZombie: {{Invoked}} Series creator Keiji Inafune wanted to stop the series after ''X5'', but ExecutiveMeddling forced three more games out of the series, and quality suffered as a result.
277* FreezeFrameBonus: During the [[spoiler:X vs. Zero]] battle in ''X5'', the winning combatant remarks that they didn't expect the loser to use [[spoiler:Soul Body]] as a final attack and then collapses from their injuries. If you squint, you'll see [[spoiler:X/Zero actually send out Soul Body to attack the player]] right at the end of the usual explosion that signifies a defeated boss.
278* FullBoarAction: Hellride Boarski, a mohawked [[TransformingMecha motorcycle-based]] gang leader.
279* FullHealthBonus: The Hadouken and Shoryuken secret moves from the first and second games respectively will [[OneHitKill defeat virtually any enemy in the game in a single hit]], but X must be at full health to use them.
280* GameMod: Due to the games in the ''Legacy Collections'' save for ''X1''-''X3'' being native ports of the original games, fans have taken upon themselves to not restore features cut from the Japanese version back into International releases, as well as restoring the Japanese voice-overs for the games that lack proper dual-audio support, the uncut anime FMV sequences in ''X4'', and the {{Anime Theme Song}}s of each games that featured them.
281* GameplayAndStoryIntegration:
282** Being infected by TheVirus in ''X5'' causes X to constantly take damage for a time. [[spoiler:Zero becomes invulnerable]].
283** This is given further backing in the battle with [[spoiler:Maverick Zero]], who, if not defeated in a certain amount of time, [[spoiler:becomes invincible and starts spamming [[OneHitKill Genmurei]]]].
284** Convoluted example in the same game: At the start, the player has to choose which character to use for the first level: either X or Zero. Choosing one will have a bonus in that character's abilities ([[ContinuityNod the Force/Fourth Armor]] or the Z-buster, respectively). The other bonus will not be available for the rest of the game, on account of being severely damaged by Sigma prior to the first Boss battle.
285** And again in ''X5'': fail to stop the ColonyDrop, [[spoiler:and Zero will "awaken." and will be unavailable for the rest of the game]].
286** In ''X5-X6'', armor parts can only be used once they're assembled whole as opposed to them being instantly melded onto X's body to be used immediately. Dr. Light claims it because of security reasons, but the actual reason is that there are 2 sets of obtainable armors (not counting the Ultimate Armor) as opposed to just one; making them be useable immediately would clash with the interchangeable armors concept. This is revamped in ''X8'' where you ''can'' mix and match armor parts; so in that game, despite having 2 sets of armor, Dr. Light's capsules can immediately make X use that armor part right after he gets it (on the same level).
287* GhostLegLottery: The Bospider descends in this pattern during your battle against it, and can only be damaged in a short window right after it reaches the ground. You have to quickly read its randomly-generated path and evade it while getting in position to shoot it.
288* GiantSpider: Bospider from ''X'', and Web Spider from ''X4''.
289* GenreShift:
290** The [=SNES=] games are basically [[RecycledInSpace what Mega Man would be like in the future]], with the cartoonish designs and relatively simple plot. ''X4'''s story is much in the vein of 80's anime, with more realistic (but still highly stylized) settings and [[GrayAndGreyMorality morally ambiguous members of both sides]]. ''X5'' and ''X6'' are DarkerAndEdgier than the rest of the series, featuring high-stakes situations and huge {{call back}}s to the Classic era. ''X7'', ''X8'', and ''Command Mission'' strike a blend between the UrbanFantasy theme of the [=SNES=] era and the free-standing theme of the [=PS1=] era.
291** ''Mega Man X: Command Mission''. It takes a break from the action-platforming gameplay the series is known for and delves into the [[EasternRPG JRPG]] scene.
292** ''Mega Man X7'' forces shifts between 2D platformer and 3D third-person shooter gameplay throughout the game, with questionable results.
293* GrandFinale: ''X5''. Callbacks to [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic the earlier series]] and the rest of the ''X'' series, a ClimaxBoss foreshadowed by all four of the previous games, the return of a classic villain, and a potentially apocalyptic plot. A fitting end to the series...Too bad Capcom had to keep making more games against Inafune's intentions.
294* GratuitousEnglish:
295** The original Japanese names of the Mavericks. ''X6'' and beyond used these for all translations, leading to such oddities as Metal Shark Player (?), Vanishing Gungaroo, and Tornado Tonion.
296** "Tonion" is an attempted {{Woolseyism}} on "Debunion" (debu/"fat" and onion). Vanishing Gungaroo's name is a portmanteau of "gun" and "kangaroo." In general, many Mavericks' Japanese names are a ''corruption'' of the English name for whatever animal they resemble -- Wheel Gator's Japanese name is Wheel Alligates, for instance. It's just that in ''X6'', they stopped changing them to make sense for the English version.
297** Metal Shark Player's bizarre name comes from a mistranslation of "Prayer," as in praying. Suitably, he has an ability to resurrect old bosses using the scrap metal nearby.
298** In one case, Magna Centipede, this was actually sort of averted. It was thought that Japanese kids wouldn't know the English word "centipede", so the developers spent a lot of time trying to think of a better name before settling on "Hyakulegger," "hyaku" meaning "a hundred."
299** And in the cases of Boomer Kuwanger and Infinity Mijinion, the names are only partially in English -- leaving English speakers baffled as to what a "Kuwanger" is.[[labelnote:*]]For the record, "Kuwanger" comes from "kuwagata" (stag beetle) and "Mijinion" comes from "mijinko" (daphnia).[[/labelnote]]
300* GravityMaster: Gravity Beetle of ''X3'' and Gravity Antonion of ''X8''.
301* GravityScrew: Cyber Peacock's stage in ''X4'', Dark Dizzy's stage in ''X5'', and Gravity Antonion's stage in ''X8''.
302* GreenThumb: Axle the Red from ''X5'' and Bamboo Pandamonium from ''X8''.
303* GreyAndGrayMorality: As the series went on, the lines separating who's the good guys and the baddies became increasingly blurred. ''X4'' showed how the label of "Maverick" can be tossed around indiscriminately and how this can have tragic consequences, ''X6's'' plot only happened because [[spoiler:Gate was betrayed and cast out of a society simply because he took risks no one else would (aside from his creations being too strong)]], and [[spoiler:Lumine]] in ''X8'' [[spoiler:genuinely believed that his force-evolution plot would end the wars]].
304* GuideDangIt:
305** A minor, yet mandatory, example in ''X6'': High Max (as the second fortress Boss) requires a certain combination of attacks to beat.
306** The Hadouken upgrade in the original, and most of the special unlockable powers in the following installments. The Hadouken in particular requires you not only to have all of the other upgrades and items (many of which are Guide Dang-Its themselves), but also to [[ViolationOfCommonSense jump into]] a specific {{Bottomless Pit|s}} [[ViolationOfCommonSense and die four times in a row]] before it appears.
307** An optional version is the method for unlocking Axl's special armor in X8 ([[spoiler:you have to deal the final blow to the boss with him as well as pick up all of his upgrades]]), but you might well end up doing it without even knowing it.
308** The power weakness order can be a GuideDangIt, especially to the uninitiated. Each boss is weak to a certain power, but there is hardly any hint as to ''what'' power. If you've played previous installments, there's a bit of logic to it -- wind blows out fire, fire tends to burn plants or melt ice, etc. -- but you're otherwise playing a guessing game. Moreover, the game usually has a preset pattern which allows you to defeat every boss with the least amount of trouble, not to mention taking advantage of the weaknesses of any of the special bosses along the way. Again, there's not a hint on what this is. The games do tend to lean towards MonstrosityEqualsWeakness, but this isn't a universal truth.
309** The special bosses are even worse about this. While regular bosses have an obvious reaction to the power they're weak against, most special bosses don't, so the only way to tell if you're doing it right is to check the amount of damage you do. This is particularly important in ''X3'', as defeating the special bosses with the right weapon is essential to getting the Z-Saber upgrade for X.
310** The some of the Rare Metals in ''X8'' that needs to be unearthed by a charged Crystal Wall.
311* HardLevelsEasyBosses: Most of ''X6''. The exception is the second fortress stage, where High Max and Gate are just as hard as the stage itself.
312* HeartContainer: Heart Tanks.
313* HeroesPreferSwords: Subverted -- TheHero, X, prefers an ArmCannon. It's TheLancer, Zero who prefers swords (more specifically, a LaserBlade).
314* HeterosexualLifePartners: With the amount of time (and dedication) X and Zero spend together, they're very easily this.
315* HijackedByGanon:
316** A staple of all games with the exception of ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'', where Sigma has the final boss title hijacked ''from'' him.
317** Parodied in the [[AchievementSystem Hunter Medals]] of the ''Mega Man X Legacy Collections''. There's an achievement for defeating Sigma [[spoiler:and Lumine]] at the end of each game in both collections, each one featuring a title joking about Sigma's defeat only to rise back from the dead in the next game.
318* HollywoodChameleons: Sting Chameleon of ''X1''.
319* HonorBeforeReason: ''Maverick Hunter X'' has the pre-fight dialogue with several of the Mavericks point out that they're followers of this logic. X specifically points out that their actions will have them classified as Mavericks, and they don't deny it, but believe that what they're fighting for is right. The one exception is Storm Eagle, who doesn't deny the Maverick classification, but seems genuinely remorseful about the fact that he'll be considered a psycho and have to fight X as a result.
320* HumanPopsicle: Many Mavericks weak to ice based attacks (and our heroes) will get frozen this way. Overdrive Ostrich in X2 is a variant, instead vulnerable to being sealed in crystal, but it's the same idea.
321* HumongousMecha:
322** The Gigantic Mechaniloid series of bosses.
323** Some of the Mavericks themselves (particularly General) could count as these on their own.
324* IconicOutfit: If anyone doesn't know Zero because of his badassery, it would be because of his Booblights...
325* IDieFree: Many of the bosses in ''X5'' that are infected by TheVirus challenged X/Zero for this reason.
326* ImprovisedPlatform:
327** ''X1'': A charged Shotgun Ice will allow X to fire out a sled that he can ride on.
328** ''X2'': Enemies trapped with the [[CrystalPrison Crystal Hunter]] can be used as platforms.
329** ''X3'': Using a charged Frost Shield underwater creates a rideable ice block that floats to the surface.
330** ''X4'': The Lightning Web creates an ''improvised wall'' for the player to WallJump up.
331** ''X6'': Ice Burst causes X to fire out a spread of 2 projectiles and an ice block, which he can push around and stand on.
332* InexplicableTreasureChests:
333** The Dr. Light capsules, in ''all games''. A popular EpilepticTree for it is that [[spoiler:all of them are actually one, single capsule]].
334** Just to give the most bizarre example, there's a capsule in the [[CoolAirship Dinosaur Tank]], a place that is ''flying'' all the time and ''did not exist'' in Light's time.
335* InfinityPlusOneSword: So many...
336** X: Hadouken and [[spoiler:Zero's [[ArmCannon Z-Buster]]]]. Subverted in the latter's case, as it requires you '''not''' to complete the SideQuest.
337** X2: Shoryuken.
338** X3: The '''Hyper Max Armor''' chip and [[spoiler:Zero's Z-saber]].
339** X5: Ultimate and Zero/Black Armors; both armors exist as [[InfinityPlusOneSword infinity plus one armors]] since their first appearance, with the exception of ''X7''.
340** X8: Sigma's {{BFS}}. This game also marked the first (and so far, ''only'') appearance of Axl's "White Armor". X and Zero can also get their Ultimate Armor and Black Armor respectively in this game.
341* InformedAttribute: Of the setting itself. Just how well do humans and reploids get along? It'd be nice to know, but the one recurring human has been retconned out of the series recently. Becomes fairly ridiculous when Lumine mentions that said relationship has irrevocably changed and manages to confound the heroes. Do they know either?
342* InherentlyFunnyWords: Metal Shark Player.
343* InSeriesNickname: Rarely is X referred to by his full name, Mega Man X.
344* InstrumentalThemeTune: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUBQOmnU8bM Variable X]]," the theme that symbolizes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmQO3_XmBZ4 X's growth]] and Zero's trust in him. It was this at first, but later the theme became more attached to dramatic scenes mostly involving [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrUkKspZgXw Zero's death or any sacrifice he makes for X]]. That said, the theme still follows both warriors, zig-zagging to which one it truly represents, leading to the conclusion it belongs to both of them.
345* JapaneseBeetleBrothers: Boomer Kuwanger (Kuwagatamushi) and Gravity Beetle (Kabutomushi). [[AllThereInTheManual They actually are brothers, too]].
346* JudgeJuryAndExecutioner [=/=] KnightTemplar: The Maverick Hunters were forced into this trope more often than not due to both extreme circumstances and the complete unwillingness of their targets to cooperate. Needless to say, X was very unhappy about this fact.
347* KangarooPouchRide: Vanishing Gungaroo starts his battle riding a mother kangaroo-shaped Ride Armor, its cockpit being in its "pouch".
348* KillAllHumans:
349** Suddenly Reploids, thanks to their advanced programming that allows them to enjoy a personality, can malfunction and end up wanting to exterminate and not care about humans, aptly named Mavericks. Thanks to the circuit that makes X "worry" about the value of humans and reploids not being perfect in other reploids, and thus extremely vunerable to the virus, which exploits the cracks.
350** This is also at times implied to be an inherent part of the reploid's free will: Just as a human can freely choose the DarkSide, reploids can do the same. The flaw simply makes them more vulnerable to physical and external influences on their behavior.
351* KingOfBeasts: Slash Beast from ''X4'', who has a leadership position in charge of an army unit.
352* LandSeaSky: In ''X4'', you face off against high-ranking officers of Repliforce's Army (Slash Beast), Navy (Jet Stingray) and Air Force (Storm Owl)
353* LevelsTakeFlight: The stages for Storm Eagle (''X1''), Storm Owl (''X4''), The Skiver/Spiral Pegacion (''X5''), and Wind Crowrang (''X7'') all involve (in some way) their personal armadas, with the actual battle against these Mavericks usually taking place on their personal aircraft/flagship.
354* LifeMeter: The Life Energy meter.
355* LightAndMirrorsPuzzle: Shield Sheldon's stage in ''X6''.
356* LimitBreak: Giga Attacks. Also, each boss, starting with the third game, will unleash a more powerful attack starting at 50% health, but only once (it either is very difficult to avoid, or has a lingering effect).
357* LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards: Zero and X respectively, in a way. Zero, as a prominent Z-saber user, is stronger than X at first, but when X is fully upgraded with [[PowerCopying the weapons from bosses]] as well as {{Powered Armor}}s, X becomes an all-powerful warrior in his own right.
358* LiveItem: Technically, the Reploids you need to rescue in ''X5'', ''X6'' and ''X7''. They'll give you goods (commonly a OneUp) when you rescue them. The ''X6'' and ''X7'' variants give you equipment as well.
359* LivingStructureMonster: Rangda Bangda, which comes up twice: once in the first game, and once in the fifth game as its powered up form.
360* LockedOutOfTheFight: In ''X2'' and ''X3'' notably, Zero will arrive in the last level, declare he is "Going ahead to destroy the core," and will "catch up to you later." Also mentioned in the ''X5'' intro stage and after the final battle.
361* LuckBasedMission: ''X5'' and the cannon. The cannon will only successfully fire half the time, no matter how well you do. Also, the shuttle can in fact fail to destroy the colony even if you do gather all the parts. Conversely, you can fire the cannon right off the bat and it actually has a decent chance of destroying the colony. The success of the shuttle seems tied to which character you've been giving preference to. For instance, a playthrough focused on building up Zero will ''usually'' have a successful Shuttle Operation, for [[FaceHeelTurn obvious reasons]].
362* MacabreMothMotif: Morph Moth, whose stage is the robot equivalent of a graveyard with zombies.
363* MacrossMissileMassacre: Happens literally (the massacre part, that is) in the climax of the OVA.
364* MagmaMan: Magma Dragoon from X4.
365* ManaMeter: The Weapon Energy meter.
366* MeaninglessLives: ''X5'' and ''X6'' were especially ridiculous, as getting a Game Over did not even make you lose your level checkpoint. Also, the littering of hostages in many stages, each of whom granted an extra life, meant maxing out at nine lives was too easy.
367* AMechByAnyOtherName: [[MiniMecha Ride Armors]].
368* MechanicalEvolution: Done rather uniquely; all Reploids are 'replica androids' derived from the titular X, who was designed with 'limitless potential,' the capability to evolve to (hopefully) overcome any obstacle he was presented with. As X is forced to fight and evolve, more and more powerful Reploids can be made based on him, allowing the species itself to evolve over time.
369* MetaTwist: Like Dr. Wily before him, Sigma is always the BigBad and FinalBoss in every game, and if he isn't outright stated to be the BigBad right off the bat, then he's either be TheManBehindTheMan or he'll [[HijackedByGanon hijack the plot at the last minute]]...except for the two games where he doesn't [[spoiler: (X8 and Command Mission.)]]
370* MinecartMadness: Armored Armadillo's stage in X1. The minecarts themselves travel ''very'' fast, mow down nearby Mooks in an instant, and are in fact required to cross the large chasm connecting the end of the mine to the entrance of the BossRoom.
371* MiniMecha: The [[AMechByAnyOtherName Ride Armors]] seen in most of the games, available for use to the playable characters. Vile more than often uses them in his appearances as well.
372* MonstrosityEqualsWeakness: The more animalistic or inhuman Mavericks are always level bosses. It's the humanoid Reploids like Sigma or Vile that are the more powerful and dangerous Mavericks.
373* MotiveDecay: Invoked with the Maverick label, which was originally used to describe rogue Reploids infected with the Maverick virus, and then starting with ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'' began to be applied to political enemies as an excuse for the Maverick Hunters to wipe them out. By the time ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' comes around the Maverick virus has ceased to exist and "Mavericks" are basically just any Reploid the Neo Arcadian government wants dead.
374* MultipleEndings: Subversion in ''X2'' and ''X3''. [[spoiler:Gathering all of Zero's parts]] and [[spoiler:keeping the same character alive]], respectively, definitely changes things in the final battles, but they only slightly affect the ending. Played straight in later games, though.
375* MultiPlatform: ''Mega Man X Collection'' and ''Mega Man X: Command Mission'', both available on [=PlayStation=] 2 and [=GameCube=].
376* MultipurposeTongue: Sting Chameleon from ''X1'' is all about this trope. He uses his tongue as his primary attack, and can hang from the ceiling to rain damaging spikes down from the ceiling.
377* MutuallyExclusivePowerups: In ''X3'', in addition to the PoweredArmor, you can get an upgrade chip from the capsule that will upgrade one of the parts. Once you select one (by accepting Dr. Light's offer to add the chip to the respective part), you can't have the others, but you can still get the other armor parts. [[spoiler:However, there's a secret way to get all of them at once, and with a nice touch of gold color!]]
378[[/folder]]
379
380[[folder:Tropes N-Z]]
381* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: The Maverick bosses in ''X5'' are named after the members (and ex-members) of Guns N' Roses. This gets downright [[PunnyName punny]] with a Maverick rose named Axle. See ShoutOut below.
382* NeverTrustATitle: X isn't the main character of ''X7''.
383* NewGamePlus: ''Xtreme 1'' and ''Xtreme 2'' allowed this, particularly with the latter's parts system. ''X7'' also featured this so you can carry over the upgrades you got from Reploids. ''X8'', which features the most item collection in the series, lets you cut loose with all your prizes -- indeed, it's the only way to unlock each character's [[InfinityPlusOneSword special armor]].
384* NintendoHard: ''X6'', thanks to the endless array of instant [[SpikesOfDoom death spikes]]. Combined with ''every other'' instant-kill trap, utilized in the most sadistic way possible.
385* NoCutsceneInventoryInertia: Any animated cutscene with X shows him in his base form, with whatever armor powerups you have being absent. In-game scenes keep the armor on though, leading to continuity problems in ''X7'' and ''X8'' which go from in game to animated during the final boss fights.
386* NoCanonForTheWicked: Averted in that, in the games with MultipleEndings, the next games after those almost always follow the bad ending.
387* NoEndorHolocaust: Averted in ''X6''; just because you [[spoiler:blew up the space colony doesn't solve the problem of the ''debris'' crashing and causing havoc]].
388* NoOntologicalInertia: Many instances. For one, X wouldn't be harmed by spikes if he stands on them right after he defeats a boss.
389* OddNameOut: The Maverick bosses follow the "Adjective, then Animal-Noun" naming convention except the English version of X5, whose Mavericks were instead named after members of Guns N' Roses. Also, X6 is the series starts going with the original Japanese names of the Mavericks, leading to weird names like Infinity Mijinion and Rainy Turtloid.
390* OminousOwl: Storm Owl of ''X4''.
391* OneHitKill: The Hadouken and the Shoryuken from the first and second games, respectively.
392* OneManArmy:
393** In ''X7'', Zero comes close to literally being one, after X retires, until at least he was joined by the "volunteer" Axl.
394** In fact, most of the legwork of the Maverick Hunters seem to rely only on X, Zero, and (later) Axl. It's only in TheMovie ''Day of Sigma'' that other Maverick Hunters are actually shown fighting (and, even then, just briefly).
395** This is played with, since the Mavericks always seem to rely on a mere 8 bosses, suggesting that both sides deploy forces against each other beyond what we see.
396* OneSteveLimit: Averted, unlike in the Classic series. While Maverick bosses never have their species repeated, some of them do share the same adjective, ie Flame Mammoth and Flame Stag, Blizzard Buffalo and Blizzard Wolfang, and Storm Eagle and Storm Owl.
397* OneWheeledWonder: Rush Roader.
398* OptionalBoss: There's a bonus MiniBoss in the first game, guarding one of the Light capsules. There are also some optional fights in ''X3'' and ''X6''.
399* OrchestraHitTechnoBattle: As the series start in the nineties, many of the theme songs are techno, with a few greater ones being orchestra as well. Best example would be ''X5's'' final stage, where combined with the trippy background makes the it as much of a rave party as a climactic fight.
400* OutsideTheBoxTactic: While many bosses have {{Logical Weakness}}es, Launch Octopus has one of these - the boomerang attack can cut off his tentacles and prevent him from using his homing and energy drain attacks. Use the same attack on Flame Mammoth to cut off his trunk and stop him from shooting globs of oil he can turn into pillars of fire with his main weapon.
401* OriginalVideoAnimation:
402** ''Day of Sigma'', available after finishing the first game's remake. It's a prequel to events in the series; however, it {{retcon}}s certain aspects of the series canon (eg. Sigma's motivations, Dr. Cain's death [he was shown/mentioned in games up to ''X4''; especially in ''X2'', where [[spoiler:it was he who rebuilt Zero from the parts X stole from the X-Hunters]]], etc.).
403** It should be noted that ''Maverick Hunter X'' was intended to use Inafune's originally intended plot for the X series, so maybe Dr. Cain wasn't supposed to be around for that long.
404* OurClonesAreDifferent: The Reploids ([[MeaningfulName a portmanteau of "Replica Android"]]) are the next generation of robotics, created by [[MinorMajorCharacter Dr. Kain]] by replicating the schematics of the titular X. [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots Far more human than their predecessors]], Reploids are extremely individualized, looking nothing like X and having entirely separate personalities and memories from their source, to the point where certain Reploids are created ''specifically'' to be clones of X but end up with separate personalities.
405* PantheraAwesome: Neon Tiger from ''X3'' and Slash Beast from ''X4''.
406* ParryingBullets: One of Zero's upgrades is to let him able to deflect bullets with a swing of his [[LaserBlade Z-Saber]]. In ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' this can also be done in the fourth game with the correct upgrade.
407* PasswordSave: In the first three games.
408* PeacockGirl: Cyber Peacock is a RareMaleExample -- but he still acts quite campy anyways.
409* PermanentlyMissableContent: In ''X6'', there are Reploids scattered throughout the levels waiting around to be rescued. God help you if a nightmare virus infects one of them, because they will be lost forever, taking the items they give with them.
410* ThePhoenix: Blaze Heatnix of ''X6''.
411* PickupHierarchy:
412* ''VideoGame/MegaManX''
413** '''Primary''': Special Weapons and Techniques, the Leg Armor in ''X1''
414** '''Secondary''': Armor Pieces, Sub-Tanks, Heart Tanks, Injured Reploids, Zero’s parts in ''X2''
415** '''Tertiary''': Ammo and health capsules, Credits
416** '''Extra''': ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' moves, the Ultimate Armor, the Z-Saber in ''X3''
417* PlatformBattle: A few bosses, most notably the rematch against Serges in ''X2'' (set on floating platforms above a bed of lethal spikes) as well as Gate's boss fight in ''X6'', this time above BottomlessPits.
418* PlatformHell: Gate's stages in ''X6'', which often approach VideoGame/IWannaBeTheGuy levels of frustration and difficulty.
419* PlayerGuidedMissile: In ''X2'', the Magnet Mine can be steered vertically while it's in flight, both in normal and charged forms. In ''X5'', the Flash Laser is fully steerable at the cost of not being able to move X while it's in use.
420* PlayingTheVictimCard: Some of the bosses do this to you when confronted. [[spoiler:They're not necessarily wrong, either]].
421* PlayingWithFire: There's a fire-themed maverick in every game except X3: Flame Mammoth, Flame Stag, Magma Dragoon, Mattrex, Blaze Heatnix, Flame Hyenard, and Burn Rooster.
422* PostScriptSeason: ''X5'' was meant to cap off the series and segue into the ''Zero'' series, but stuff happened and Capcom threw together four more installments that didn't really involve Inafune's input.
423* PowerArmor:
424** The MiniMecha mentioned above, complete with a separate health reservoir, speed dash, and titan punches. ''X3'' introduced a few variants, including one with SpikesOfDoom and an anphibious one with SuperNotDrowningSkills.
425** X's various armors from Dr. Light's capsules is a more standard version.
426* PowerCrystal:
427** Many Reploids have these. In particular, most of the humanoid ones have at least one on their forehead.
428** This is pretty much a trademark symbol of Gate's Reploids in ''X6''.
429* PowerLevels: In ''X3'', the images were combined with ratings for strength and speed. Most of the bosses topped at about 10,000 for one or the other, Sigma made it up to 16,000 both, and Battle Body Sigma reached 25,600 for both (despite the fact that he was slower than dirt). Interestingly, X and Zero both had ratings of "?", which is confirmed in X4 when Cyber Peacock proclaims that X's potential is limitless (though he immediately tries to discredit his readings by claiming it's not possible).
430* ThePowerOfPotential: X is referred by Dr. Light as having limitless potential many times. This is mainly due to X having an AdaptiveAbility that allows him to grow stronger with each fight.
431* PowerPincers: Crush Crawfish's weapon of choice in ''X3'', as well as the Crabz-Y's main attack from ''X8''. Surprisingly, Bubble Crab from ''X2'' actually ''lacks'' pincers until he does his jumping attack, in which they manifest as laser blades from his shoulders.
432* PrecisionFStrike: The dialgues in the Japanese version of ''X4'' and ''X5'' are even harsher than the English version:
433** In X4, when Zero tells Frost Walrus that he'll get rid of "that big mouth", the latter calls him a "damn brat".
434** Also from the same game, Jet Stingray says "damn" after Zero cornered him.
435** When Sigma reveals himself to be the culprit behind the Repliforce's Maverick activities, X calls him a "bastard".
436** In ''X5'', Zero calls Sigma a "bastard" again when he and X found out that Sigma gives them the win.
437** Later in the same game, X says "damn you" in response to Sigma's latest EvilPlan.
438** And after X beats Sigma's latest final form, the latter curses one last time by saying "damn you".
439* PreExplosionGlow: Starting from ''X4'' onwards, all of the bosses does this after being defeated (sans Dynamo, who isn't dead).
440* ProperlyParanoid:
441** In ''X5'', Livesaver had growing concern of Zero's immunity to a virus he carries. [[spoiler:Depending on how the story unfolds, turns out said virus, alongside a different strain of said virus, releases Zero's evil side.]]
442** In ''X6'', the Inspectors are labeled Mavericks on a whim. The Inspectors turned out to actually be willingly working for someone evil.
443** Somewhat of a DoubleSubversion regarding their backstory: Gate (the Inspectors' creator) wasn't evil back then, but his creations ended up branded Maverick or otherwise killed off because of the other scientists' jealousy at his talent (and some of his creations are indeed dangerous, but not malicious). ''It'' drove Gate bitter and evil, making people's suspicions right from a certain perspective.
444* ProphecyTwist:
445** From the end of ''X3'': "To save mankind, Mega Man X must [[spoiler:destroy Zero]]." A straight example in ''X5'': [[spoiler:Zero and X indeed fight, but X wasn't able to destroy Zero (although he did die, by Sigma's hands), because they were the best of friends]]. The same prophecy was then averted much later, in the ''Zero'' series. According to Inafune, [[spoiler:X is originally the BigBad of the first game, a KnightTemplar exterminating Reploids for the sake of humanity, and Zero TheHero trying to save the remaining Reploids because they were wrongly accused of being "Mavericks"]]. It was only because of Executive Meddling on the X series, that the true, "twisted" events of the prophecy never came to pass, [[spoiler:replacing X with a clone]].
446** Of course, the wording used is different in the Japanese version (see "DubInducedPlotHole"). In this case, true to the prophecy, in ''X5'', [[spoiler:he had a battle with Zero, for reasons differing depending on which path you took]], thus averting this trope.
447* PsychoElectricEel: As an exception to the "no other electric fish" rule, Volt Catfish from the third game.
448* RacingTheTrain: Slash Beast of ''X4'' shows up to the TraintopBattle by running parallel up to, then jumping onto the train car used as his boss room.
449* RankInflation: ''X5'' goes for B, A, SA, GA, PA, MH, and if you're lucky, MMH or MEH ranking scales. ''X6'' goes D, C, B, A, SA, GA, PA, and UH, although in ''X6''[='=]s case, your rank as based on how many Nightmare Souls you gathered rather than your actual performance in the stages. ''X7'' does the same as ''X6'' but goes back to being performance-based. ''X8'' goes D, C, B, A, AA, and AAA (or S in the Japanese version).
450* RealTimeWeaponChange: Since the series started on the Platform/{{SNES}}, the shoulder buttons were used as an alternative to pausing for the weapons.
451* RecurringBoss: Dynamo, High Max, the Nightmare Police, and Vile.
452* RecycledSoundtrack:
453** Duff [=McWhalen=]'s stage music is Bubble Crab's stage music remade for the PS.
454** The battles against the Black Devil and Ragna Bagda in X5 are set to remixes of their their boss themes from 1 and X1 respectively.
455** Gate's stages from X6 use a sped-up remix of the second X-Hunter stage from X2.
456* RemovableShell: Armored Armadillo of ''X1''; he'll lose his shielding if he's hit with the Spark Shot.
457** Crystal Snail from ''X2''. If you hit him with the Magnet Mine, his shell flies off, causing him to lose his only method of defense and causing him to focus on trying to reclaim it over attacking you... which you can prolong indefinitely by knocking the shell around.
458** ''X8'' has Earthrock Trilobyte, who, like Crystal Snail, also has a shell that flies off by guard-breaking attacks, removing his only protection against the Hunters' attack and he'll try to reclaim it. It can also be destroyed outright hitting him with Gravity Antonion's weapon, rendering him completely vulnerable.
459* ReReleaseSoundtrack: In the English version of ''[[CompilationRerelease Mega Man X Legacy Collection]]'', when the games were set to Japanese, the replacement songs for their international localizations still continue to play due to Capcom not willing to license them out for international use. In the cases of ''VideoGame/MegaManX6'' (which retained its own songs in its original international release) and ''VideoGame/MegaManX7'' (which featured an instrumental version of "Lazy Mind", its Japanese ending theme), brand new instrumental music had to be produced for the collection. As a result, "Moonlight" and "The Answer" were replaced with "The Crisis Continues", while "I.D.E.A." got substituted for "End of File", and "Break Out" now stands in for "Lazy Mind".
460* RhinoRampage: Tunnel Rhino of ''X3''.
461* RiseToTheChallenge: Often done with magma.
462* RoadRunnerPC: For this series (as well as ''Zero'' and ''ZX''), the greatest advantage a player has over most enemies (including many bosses) is in the player's vastly superior speed and or agility. And you ''will'' need it.
463* RougeAnglesOfSatin: From the first game: "YOU GET HO'''R'''MING TORPEDO". They didn't bother correcting it in the US version, it seems. PAL version seems to have fixed it, though.
464* SameContentDifferentRating: Though the series has always been rated E for everyone (save for ''Maverick Hunter X'', which got an E10 rating), the ''Legacy Collection'' is rated T, making it the first ''Mega Man'' game to receive the rating.
465** This may likely be due to the blood-like liquid found in Zero's intro cutscene and the scene of Double [[spoiler:revealing his true nature and violently killing the reploids in]] ''Mega Man X4''- though it is supposed to be a type of robotic oil, the way it is drawn in the cutscenes does make it look quite a bit like actual blood. This, combined with the rather violent imagery (particularly in the case of the Double cutscene, where the liquid is spurting out of the reploids much like blood does in a typical anime) is probably what garnered the Teen rating.
466* ScarabPower: Three of the four beetle-themed Mavericks in the series - [[VideoGame/MegaManX Boomer Kuwanger (stag beetle)]], [[VideoGame/MegaManX3 Gravity Beetle (rhinoceros beetle)]] and [[VideoGame/MegaManX6 Ground Scaravich (dung beetle)]] - are in fact all based on scarabs. This leaves only [[VideoGame/MegaManX5 Izzy Glow (firefly)]] as the only non-scarab beetle, and is the only instance where so many of a certain Maverick theme (beetles, fish, cats, etc.) have all been of such a specific grouping.
467* SchrodingersPlayerCharacter: In ''X4'', you can choose to play as either X or Zero, and when you choose one, the other won't appear in the storyline (save for Zero appearing once in X's ending). Subverted in ''X5'' when choosing the playable character only means keeping different power-ups (Z-Buster for Zero, nerfed Fourth Armor for X); both characters still appear in the story proper, and you can play as either one freely by the next levels.
468* SecretAIMoves: ''X5'' is pretty bad about this. When you end up challenging either X or Zero, the character gets moves you cannot (or no longer can) use. X can use several powers from the previous game, which he can use a lot better than he ever could in that game, while Zero gets a huge upgrade to his ranged attack abilities. The latter might have been excusable if [[spoiler:only Maverick Zero could do it (instead he he's just cheaper and gets a one-hit kill attack on top)]], but Zero can use these powers regardless of the circumstance.
469* SecretLevel:
470** In ''X3'', there's a secret level that can only be accessed through specific teleportation capsules, that take you to an abandoned factory where you can fight Vile, TheDragon of the first game. Finding and beating him will result in another boss appearing in his stead later on, where he would normally find and attack you.
471** Then, in ''X6'', there 's a secret "Nightmare Stage" for every normal level, where you can find secret upgrades and bosses.
472* SequelHook:
473** ''X8'' ends with one, where [[spoiler:Lumine, in his last breath, knocks Axl comatose, and leaves a strange fragment on his helmet]]. It gets no mention in ''Command Mission'', which might or might not be the next chronological game.
474** Earlier, in ''X1'', after the end credits: Sigma shows up on a screen and taunts X, saying that his spirit still lives on, which turned out to be a hint about Sigma's true nature as TheVirus.
475* SeriesContinuityError: A flashback in ''X5'' shows the fight between Sigma and Maverick Zero. Zero [[http://images.wikia.com/megaman/images/7/72/Zero%26Sigma.PNG has his buster in the flashback]], but in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlpXQ2WQtrQ earlier flashback to that same scene]] in ''X4'', Zero's buster is never seen.
476* ShadesOfConflict: The games can vary tremendously. In the first through third games, you are heroically trying to put down a murderous revolution mostly caused by an army of infected replies. In the fourth game, you're a bit more trigger happy, dealing with wrongfully accused people doing everything in their power to justify your need to take them down. The games just get more ambiguous from there.
477* SharedLifeMeter: Rangda Bangda (which also reappears in X5), a giant robotic face that's defeated by destroying both it's eyes and its floating robotic "nose".
478* ShockAndAwe: Spark Mandrill, Volt Catfish, Web Spider, Squid Adler, Tornado Tonion, Gigavolt Man-O'-War.
479* {{Shotoclone}}:
480** There are hidden special attacks for X in the first two games that mimic Ryu and Ken's signature attacks from ''Street Fighter''. X's Shoryuken returns in ''X4'' (charged Rising Fire) and ''X8'' (comes with the Ultimate Armor).
481** Magma Dragoon is an utterly blatant Shotoclone, complete with Akuma's topknot and magatama.
482** In ''X8'' as well, two of Zero's techniques change into the {{Shoryuken}} and the [[HurricaneKick Tatsumaki Senpukyaku]] when he's equipped with the K Knuckle. X can use the Shoryuken as well if he's equipped with his Ultimate Armor.
483* ShoutOut:
484** Crush Crawfish's stage in X3 sounds suspiciously similar to the theme of [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers another popular franchise at the time.]]
485** Two of the final stages in X5 are based on respectively, [[VideoGame/MegaMan2 Quick Man's]] stage and the first stage of Sigma's Fortress from the first ''X'' game... containing updated versions of the Yellow Devil and Rangda Bangda, respectively.
486** To ''Film/BladeRunner'' with the "retirement" of Reploids, and Reploid being short for ''Replicant'' Android.
487** Creator/AlysonCourt (known better as [[Franchise/ResidentEvil Claire Redfield]]) was responsible for localizing X5, and she's [[http://www.destructoid.com/resident-evil-actress-to-blame-for-the-gnr-in-mega-man-x-200061.phtml quite shameless]] about letting her love of Guns N' Roses influence her. As a result, the bosses’ names in the original ''X5'' were changed from their original names to be references to members of the band. This was changed in the ''Legacy Collection 2'' version, however, making them the same as (or making them close to) their Japanese names.
488** Neon Tiger's theme in ''X3'' (and ''Xtreme 2'') are remixes of "My Michelle", also by Guns N' Roses.
489** Also in X5, Dark Dizzy/Necrobat, a vampire bat with [[TimeStandsStill the ability to stop time]], is apparently based on [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Dio Brando]]. [[MemeticMutation ZA WARUDO!]]
490** In ''X6'', after you defeat a boss, an orb drops down, and when you touch it, victory music plays and the level is complete, which could be seen as an homage either to the first ''VideoGame/MegaMan1'' or ''VideoGame/{{Castlevania|I}}''.
491** Vile (whose Japanese name is VAVA) is clearly based on Boba Fett, of Star Wars fame. WordOfGod says he's also based on Bubba Zanetti, TheDragon from ''Film/MadMax1''.
492** Sigma's design and backstory (a good reploid who was driven mad in an accident and turned evil before raising a robot army against mankind) are evocative of Braiking Boss from ''Anime/NeoHumanCasshern''.
493** One of the X Challenge levels in the ''Legacy Collection'' is [[Theatre/WestSideStory "Sharks and Jets"]].
494** The ''Legacy Collection'' achievement for unlocking Zero's Beam Saber in ''X3'' is named "He Wanted You To Have This". Obi-Wan Kenobi said the original line while presenting Luke Skywalker with his father's lightsaber in ''Film/ANewHope''.
495** There's an achievement in ''Legacy Collection 2'' for defeating an enemy while X is equipped with the Gaea Armor in ''X5'' named "By Your Powers Combined". This is a famous line from the titular Captain Planet from ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'' whenever he is summoned by the Planeteers. There's also another achievement for defeating an enemy while equipped with a the Ultimate Armor in ''X6'' named "My Ult Is Ready". This is a reference to a common phrase spoken by the characters of ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' whenever their Ultimate Skill is ready.
496* SkippableBoss / SequenceBreaking:
497** In ''X5'', you can skip the eight Maverick stages by immediately using the Enigma Cannon and/or the Shuttle, and then you can access the fortress stages. Amusingly enough, you can take out the space colony with ''just the Enigma Cannon'' right off the bat if you're lucky, which doesn't happen if you do things the "normal" way.
498** Likewise, the three X Hunters from ''X2'' move randomly from stage to stage, and appear only in designated rooms within the stages, sometimes off the stage's main path. There is also an additional boss in the final stage, depending on whether or not you defeated all three X-Hunters while battling the eight Mavericks.
499** Vile's reappearance in ''X3'' is completely optional, depending on whether or not the player finished that stage before he appeared on the map.
500** In ''X6'', if you beat Nightmare Zero and High Max in the secret areas, Gate's secret lab becomes accessible.
501* SmashingSurvival:
502** ''X1'': Used to escape the Gulpfer fish in ''X1'' and ''X5'' if you get SwallowedWhole.
503** ''X2'': Used to escape Crystal Snail's [[CrystalPrison Crystal Hunter]].
504** ''X3'': Blizzard Buffalo's ice prison and Crush Crawfish's SpamAttack
505** ''X4'': Web Spider's webs and the yellow orbs in Cyber Peacock's level.
506* SoundtrackDissonance: Blaze Heatnix's level. His stage music is one of the fastest paced and intense songs in the series. The level itself, on the other hand, is one of the slowest paced in the series, comprised almost entirely of battles against the same mini boss.
507* SpaceElevator: The [[RuleOfSymbolism Jakob Elevator]] in ''X8'', and you also [[ElevatorActionSequence fight Mavericks riding it]].
508* SpeciesSurname: A common theme with many of the Maverick bosses of the ''X'' series.
509* SpeedEchoes: Whenever you dash, this happens.
510* SpikesOfDoom: Par for the course for a ''Mega Man'' game, but this got really bad in ''X6''.
511* SpinAttack:
512** In most of the games where he's playable (both in this series and ''VideoGame/MegaManZero''), one of the skills Zero learns is a rising slash. In ''X8'', he instead gets a ''spinning'' rising slash, similar to [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link's]] Spin Attack in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''.
513** He has the spinning slash since X4, after you beat Split Mushroom. It has been one of his staple techniques through this and the ''Zero'' series.
514* SpreadShot:
515** Initial spread: Charged Homing Torpedo from ''X'', Twin Slasher and Rakuhouha from ''X4'', Crescent Flasher from ''X5'', Drift Diamond from ''X8'', as well as the Buster Parts H for X.
516** Spray Burst: Ray Splasher from ''X3'', C-Shot from ''X5''.
517** Exploding Shot: Shotgun Ice and Chameleon Sting from ''X'', Acid Burst from ''X3''.
518* SpritePolygonMix: In ''Maverick Hunter X'' remake.
519* StandardPowerupPose: If Zero becomes "Awakened" in ''X5'', he adopts this pose along with a red glowing aura.
520* StealthPun: ''X6'' having [[JumpTheShark Metal Shark Player]] (the jumping part can also be done ''literally'', considering one of Shark Player's attacks) and [[FranchiseZombie Zombie Sigma]].
521* StuffBlowingUp: Many fans said that that's what make them love this series (especially true to the boss' cinematic explosions). [[RuleOfCool You know why]]. You can even see SpecialEffectsEvolution of the explosions across the first three games; in X1, enemies just turn into an explosion sprite, in X2 some of them have a few pieces fly out, and in X3 and beyond ''all'' of them have ''lots'' of pieces fly out.
522* StrangeSalute: Some of the bosses' character art, and pre-battle poses in-game do a version of the [[PuttingOnTheReich infamous Roman Salute]] with the middle and ring fingers together and the rest spread out, in an approximation of a Greek letter Sigma.
523* StrictlyFormula:
524** If there's some new Reploids introduced, chance are they're evil or just want to backstab people. Most of the time, [[HijackedByGanon Sigma is behind all of these]].
525** It then becomes a plot twist when [[spoiler:it turns out in ''X8'' that Sigma is ''not'' the BigBad and the FinalBoss of the game]].
526* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Elderly mad scientist Reploids as antagonists seem to be a trend, referencing the ''Classic'' series villain Dr. Wily. In ''X2'' we have Serges, in ''X3'' we have Dr. Doppler, and in ''X6'' we have Isoc.
527* {{Synchronization}}: In the spin-off, ''Mega Man Xtreme'', the characters ''Techno'' and ''Middy'' share the same CPU despite being in different bodies.
528* TeamShot: This happens near the end of Mega Man X4's intro cutscene, and an awesome one is pulled off near the end of ''X8'', as the three heroes [[spoiler:prepare to take on Lumine]].
529* TentacledTerror: Launch Octopus from ''X'' and Squid Adler from ''X5''.
530* ThankingTheViewer: Capcom games love to do this, and this series is no exception.
531* ThisIsADrill:
532** In ''Maverick Hunter X'', the remake of the first game, Spark Mandrill gets a drill for a right hand as a pun on his name.
533** Also Tunnel Rhino of ''X3'' and Grizzly Slash of ''X5'' (although we don't get the drill weapon from the latter).
534* ThreateningShark: Metal Shark Player from ''X6''.
535* TheThreeFacesOfAdam: Shown best in ''X8'': Signas the commander as The Prophet, the veterans X and Zero as The Lords, and the rookie Axl as The Hunter.
536* TitleDrop:
537** ''Mega Man X8: Paradise Lost''. Guess what's the final boss' attack name?
538** In ''Maverick Hunter X'', after [[spoiler:Zero sacrificed himself to destroy Vile's mech]]:
539--->'''X''': "Zero! Hang in there, buddy!"\
540'''Zero''': X... I'm always telling you... to be more careful... but now look at me...\
541'''X''': "Don't waste your energy talking, Zero. We've gotta fix you up."\
542'''Zero''': "There's... no time for that... Sigma is close... Very close..."\
543'''X''': "Zero..."\
544'''Zero''': "Go now... Maverick Hunter X..."
545** Storm Eagle also calls X by his full title, but only on the second playthrough.
546* ThemeNaming: X, [[MyHeroZero Zero]] and Sigma are all named after mathematical concepts – of which X after the usual shorthand for variables and unknowns (symbolic of his infinite potential) and Sigma after the summation operator.
547* TitleScream: In ''X4'', ''X7'', and ''X8''.
548* TooLongDidntDub: In particular, the ''X6'' bosses' name keep their original Japanese names, as opposed to the bosses of the past (e.g ''X4'' Cyber Kujacker into Cyber Peacock).
549* TragicMonster: Some Maverick Bosses are actually innocent individuals (e.g. Blizzard Buffalo), or have sympathetic backstories (e.g. most ''X6'' Investigators) before being infected; and then there are other Mavericks who are only termed as such by the government (most of the Bosses in ''X4'' (though granted, their army was acting treasonously) as well as ''Command Mission's'' Rebellion army). The most tragic one of all, is, of course, [[spoiler:Zero's girlfriend Iris]].
550* TrippyFinaleSyndrome: ''X5'', to the max. It is caused by the concentration of the Zero virus being ''so strong'' that it caused the formation of a "Zero Space", in which Cyberspace and the ordinary world merge. This is similar to Omega's power causing doors to Cyberspace to appear in [[VideoGame/MegaManZero Zero 3]]. He is, after all, [[spoiler:the original Zero's body]].
551* TurnsRed:
552** In contrast to the NES originals, bosses start becoming more dangerous when low on HP. In ''X1'', this was limited to two of the Sigma fortress bosses simply moving faster, but in ''X2'', the Mavericks began unleashing new and more powerful attacks after their HP hits 50%.
553** In ''X2'', Morph Moth starts the battle in a larval stage and doesn't reveal his true form until low on HP. Meanwhile, Flame Stag doesn't reveal much in the way of new attacks, but the color of his fire upgrades from red to blue (in the rematch against him, he already starts out blue).
554** In ''X8'', every boss will turn invincible and pull out a DesperationAttack at 25% health. It becomes quite [[FakeDifficulty annoying]] once you avoid it and are waiting for the MercyInvincibility to wear off...
555* UnblockableAttack: In ''X8'', X's fully charged buster shot, Zero's 3-hit sword combo, and Axl's rapid-fire shots (to be exact, every 8th shot) can flip Metools over. They all also have at least one boss weapon that breaks shields like the previously-mentioned techniques, and one that bypasses shields completely.
556* UnintentionallyUnwinnable:
557** In ''X6'', Capcom actually included a way to get Zero's Black Armor without the use of a cheat code. However, a design oversight made it impossible to achieve. What did you have to do? Defeat Nightmare Zero when he's at level 4, which you get him at by obtaining 5,000 Nightmare souls. Problem is, getting 3,000 unlocks Gate's Lab, which removes the Nightmare Zero fight entirely and replaces him with Dynamo. Oops! Thankfully, the ''Mega Man X6 Tweaks'' project can fix this oversight (among other things).
558** It's seemingly impossible to beat Gate's Lab 2 with Unarmored X or Shadow Armor X due to an air dash-only jump, but you can clear it with either clever use of Blaze Heatnix's weapon (swing the fire blade repeatedly in the air to float over the gap), or by combining BOTH the Hyper Dash and Jumper parts, and then dash jumping off the wall at the absolute lowest possible spot.
559* UrbanRuins: Thanks to the rise of the [[KillerRobot Mavericks]], the series contains a few examples:
560** The intro level for ''VideoGame/MegaManX1'' takes place in a city under attack by Mavericks.
561** Wheel Gator's stage in ''VideoGame/MegaManX2'' takes place in a ship travelling through a half-demolished city.
562* UpdatedRerelease:
563** ''X3'' got a [=PlayStation=]/Saturn re-release with a revamped soundtrack and a full video opening and unique openings for each Maverick. It was [[NoExportForYou only released outside Japan on PC]] until the release of ''Mega Man X Collection'', as it was the version of ''X3'' included.
564** Said ''X Collection'' was ''supposed'' to be one, but Capcom Japan forced the developers to release the games in their original state so as not to upstage the ''Maverick Hunter X'' series. This move backfired in the long run, as the demise of the ''Maverick Hunter X'' series meant that no one would ever get to experience any updates to the series, old or otherwise.
565** The ''Mega Man X Legacy Collections'' features a "Rookie Hunter Mode" to make the games easier for newcomers of the series, the ability to save passwords for ''X1''-''X3'', faster (if non-existent) loading times for [=PlayStation=] and [=PlayStation=] 2-era games, and increased rendering resolution for ''X7'' and ''X8''.
566* UniqueEnemy: The ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic''-era Bubble Bat in Armored Armadillo's stage, which drops an extra life 90% of the time you kill it. Relatively easy to miss, as you're supposed to be on a speeding trolley when you go past him.
567* VanHelsingHateCrimes:
568** Shades of this appear in later games; the Maverick Hunters dutifully destroy any Reploid that goes "Maverick", according to their standards...which would be fine, if those standards were limited to those Reploids actively infected with TheVirus or deliberately causing grievous harm to humanity and/or Reploidkind. Unfortunately, it seems to encompass ''any'' form of resistance against the natural order of things, including otherwise non-hostile acts like peacefully exiling themselves to their own space colony (Repliforce and the Rebellion Army; though there are reasons for both of those, albeit not entirely concrete justifications) or merely having traits that could potentially cause problems with controlling them (Nightmare Investigators). In fact, it's revealed in ''X5'' that the (unseen) Maverick Hunter commander in charge during ''X4'' retired in disgrace for ''misapplying'' the label of "Maverick" on Repliforce, and thus causing the deaths of hundreds or thousands of relatively innocent Reploids. Furthermore, the commander who labels the Rebellion "Maverick" in ''Command Mission'' was a ManipulativeBastard who [[AGodAmI fancied himself a god]].
569** While Repliforce and Nightmare Investigators are both sympathetic in one way or another (Repliforce was framed, some of its members are actually moles working under Sigma, and it's Magma Dragoon who brought down the Sky Lagoon. The Nightmare Investigators were killed off for pretty petty reasons- they're hard to handle and their DNA data was unreadable), they do have their own faults (Repliforce refused to stand down for interrogation and instead they go to their KillSat and they want peace and seclusion out of Earth, it's just that they're breaking the law, and let Jet Stingray and Storm Owl destroy some cities as distractions for their exile. In the Nightmare Investigator's case, the Hunters saw through the ruse created by the Investigators the moment Isoc started calling for Reploids to volunteer to help destroy a "ghost" of Zero gone bad, and said "ghost" is actually Gate's own creation).
570** That's also forgetting a crucial detail: They try to reason with them first. In every case, barring purely evil Mavericks like Split Mushroom, and the ones that are completely out of their minds like Dark Dizzy, X and Zero give everyone they encounter a chance to cooperate or surrender depending on the situation. In X4, the Repliforce soldiers are asked to peacefully surrender. They refuse, and try to kill X or Zero. In X5, the Reploids with parts for The Enigma/Shuttle are asked to cooperate, the only one who cooperates without a fight is Squid Adler, who goes insane from the Sigma Virus immediately afterwards. In X6, all the investigators are reasoned with first but even the sympathetic ones like Rainy Turtloid choose to obey Gate rather than help the Hunters. Turtloid's case is particularly sad. While he says he understands where X/Zero is coming from, [[UndyingLoyalty he just can't bring himself to betray the one who gave him a second chance]], which is at least understandable given that Gate was punished for protecting him back when he was alive.(All the investigators were resurrected Reploids that Gate had originally created.) and X, for his part, is horrified at the thought of fighting him.
571* VictoryPose: All of the heroes has one each after defeating a boss.
572* VideoGameRemake: ''Maverick Hunter X'' to ''X1'', which was supposed to be a ContinuityReboot.
573* VillainByDefault:
574** All of the villains in this series (and also ''[[VideoGame/MegaManZX ZX]]'' series) are called Mavericks, ranging from the virus-infected ones, wrongly-accused ones or just the plain criminals with free will.
575** ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' plays this from the different side, as LaResistance who is composed of innocent Reploids are judged Mavericks just because of energy shortage.
576* TheVirus: The Maverick Virus; not counting an EarlyBirdCameo as the FinalBoss in ''X2'', its role becomes prominent in the series from ''X3'' onwards. There are other variations, like the Nightmare Virus in ''X6'' and of course the Sigma Virus. ''X8'' gives us [[spoiler:Sigma's very DNA, allegedly encrypted into all the data of the New Generation Reploids]].
577* WallJump: This game is the king of this trope. Combined with JumpPhysics, the players can climb a ''single wall'' with this. This is later carried over to ''Zero'' and ''ZX'' series.
578* WarmupBoss: The bosses of nearly any introductory stage, Vile in X1 notwithstanding.
579* WeaponizedAnimal: Well, ''robot'' animals, but still, some mooks amount to this. As well as the Maverick bosses themselves in some cases, such as Snipe Anteater's BackpackCannon or Storm Eagle's ArmCannon.
580* WeaponizedOffspring: In ''X'', Storm Eagle can fire eggs which will hatch into robotic birds that will attack you.
581* WhamEpisode: ''X4''; well, most of it anyway. [[spoiler:Mavericks that have more to do with politics instead of TheVirus (as was established two games earlier), Iris' death, and [[{{Foreshadowing}} X wondering if he can keep doing the same thing over and over]] (although the last one [[{{Fauxshadow}} was subverted]])]]. The whole thing even ''started off'' with a [=WHAM=]:[[spoiler:''Dr. Wily'' appearing for the first time, and to Zero, ''no less!'']]
582* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Dr. Cain is mentioned in the [[AllThereInTheManual instruction manuals]] to ''VideoGame/MegaManX1'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'', before making actual in-game appearances in ''VideoGame/MegaManX2'', ''VideoGame/MegaManX3'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManXtreme'', but after that, he is never mentioned or seen again. The ''Day of Sigma'', however, retcons this and implies that [[spoiler:he died from Sigma's attack]].
583* WhenAllElseFailsGoRight
584** Played with in ''X6''; as the second part of the Infinity Mijinion level opens, you do have to go right to progress. But directly to the left of the starting point (BehindTheBlack) is one of the game's upgrade capsules, which most players would miss because of this trope.
585** There's also some variations in other games: The heart tank for Storm Eagle's level is directly above the player, unreachable from the start point, so you have to go right, then left when you get high enough. In Armored Armadillo's stage, you need to go right to get away from a death machine, then go back left to get a sub tank. In fact, from the very first game, the X series has delighted in hiding things from the player that assumes forward is right.
586** The general case applies as well, starting from the original VideoGame/MegaManClassic days and carrying forward from there; most levels (if not all) start you at the left end and send you to the right.
587* WhereItAllBegan:
588** A subversion: in ''X2'', Sigma is fought in one of the 8 initial Maverick stages (the Central Computer), which is not necessarily the first one to be played. Plus, the map shows that the fortress where all the "Final Stages" were is in ruins, but trying to go there will still take you to the Central Computer stage. Most Western players did this anyway, because the translation left out Sigma's line "I'll be waiting for you at the Central Computer..."
589** Subtly implied in ''X5'' when X or Zero goes to fight Sigma. In the background of the first fight are two dilapidated capsules, one red and one blue.
590* WickedWasps: Blast Hornet of ''X3''.
591* WithAFriendAndAStranger: In the manufactured-reploid era, X and Zero are the two original blueprints and lifelong friends. The third hero, Axl (the New Generation Prototype) comes into existence much later.
592* WithOurSwordsScene: In the first game, if you haven't gotten the arm cannon upgrade, Zero will give X his arm cannon (which has the upgrade) just before he dies in Sigma's castle. In ''X3'', he'll do it again; if you use him to fight a particular mid-boss in Sigma's fortress, he'll die after defeating it, but not before giving X his Z-Saber.
593* WorldHalfEmpty: Especially after the ColonyDrop.
594* XtremeKoolLetterz: The GBC ''Mega Man X'' games play this trope in their English titles.
595* YouCantFightFate: No matter what happens in ''X5'', [[spoiler:Zero and Mega Man X will always have their destined battle]]. This was already hinted at since ''X3''.
596* YouCantThwartStageOne: In X5, your initial defeat of Sigma is [[MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning part of his plan]], setting in motion a ColonyDrop. You then spend most of the game building machines to prevent the crash -- but no matter [[LuckBasedMission how good your luck is]], you can't stop it completely. What's more, the second thing you try may [[spoiler:turn Zero evil]], and this was also part of Sigma's plan. (Even if Zero's okay, he and X will end up fighting, leaving just one hero to stop Sigma.)
597* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: ''X8's'' [[spoiler:"Gateway" ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin never mind the title]]!)]] level is the standard VideoGame/MegaManX formula for the final level: shorter than most levels, the BossRush initiated halfway, and confronting Sigma as the Boss. [[spoiler:However, this Sigma is not even the real one. The final level is on the moon afterward]].
598* ZeeRust: The first game's pre-title intro is done as a computer read-out on X's data and Dr. Light's warning about his abilities, prefaced by a boot-up sequence. Despite the OS being as advanced as 2114 (with RAM to match: all told, the system's packing ''40,960 terabytes'' of memory) aside from the blue typeface, it's a clear knockoff of DOS.
599[[/folder]]

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