History Characters / MegaManZeroProtagonists

[[redirect:Characters/MegaManXZero]]

[[center:[[WMG: [-'''''VideoGame/MegaManZero''''' | [[Characters/MegaManZero Main Character Index]]\\
'''Protagonists''' ([[Characters/MegaManXZero Zero]]) | [[Characters/MegaManZeroAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/MegaManZeroAntagonists Antagonists]] ([[Characters/MegaManZeroWeil Weil]])]]]]-]
----
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:DWN-∞ Zero]]
[[quoteright:277:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MMZ_Zero_6053.jpg]]
-->''I won't hesitate. If an enemy appears in front of me, I will destroy it!''
-->''I made a promise to a friend...''
--->''Voiced by Creator/YuutoKazama (Zero series, SNK vs. Capcom), Creator/RyotaroOkiayu (JP, Onimusha Blade Warriors), Creator/RinoRomano (EN, Onimusha Blade Warriors)''

The ''Zero'' series {{backstory}} ends with the eventual ending of the ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' series. By the time the Zero series starts, both X and Zero are bona fide legends. However, X is nowhere to be seen (for reasons revealed in ''Zero 2''), and Zero is found in an underground laboratory, nonfunctional and lacking in weaponry, memories, or even arms. At first, Zero seems to be a loner, more distant than he ever was in ''X'', but over the course of the series, he comes to define himself as a soldier who fights to protect people he believes in; primarily Ciel, but he also grows to include the rest of the Resistance members and ''4'''s caravan of human refugees.

----
* AdaptationalComicRelief: The ''Rockman Zero'' manga makes anyone who's played the games suffer whiplash. Zero goes from being a stoic antihero to a dork who is prone to making a fool of himself.
* AmbidextrousSprite: Averted in ''Zero 4''; when Zero switches sides while he's hanging from something with his Z-Knuckle, we can see him switching his hand. Played straight almost everywhere else. In fact, during the third swing of the basic triple slash attack, he'll swap which hand holds the Z-Saber. Seems Zero actually IS [[HeroicAmbidexterity ambidextrous]].
* AmnesiacDissonance: Zero suffers this in the transition between the ''X'' series and this series. While he stays a hero in between both series, his memory was lost during hibernation, including one crucial detail: [[spoiler:that the body he was inhabiting was a duplicate.]] That being said, only a few people at the present knew who he was like; people at large thought he was a legendary hero, which he has to roll with.
* AmnesiacHero: Starts off with nothing other than vague feelings of what kind of person he is. He even has to be told that his name is Zero, [[spoiler:providing brief inner conflict and then CharacterDevelopment when Weil reveals his body is a copy.]]
* AmnesiacResonance: Despite suffering from amnesia, he can instinctively feel that Copy-X is weaker than the real X, after their fight.
* AntiAntiChrist: One of the biggest examples. Just like in the ''X'' series, he was made to wreak havoc in the world and destroy civilization, but later he decides to save it instead.
* AntiHero: Of the GoodIsNotSoft kind; he solves most of his problems by bisecting them, but always to help others. He's not interested in justice or heroics, just upholding Ciel's (and by extension, Dr. Light's) ideals of peace and coexistence between humans and Reploids.
* TheAtoner: Basically what he's been doing throughout his entire life. Especially when he finally learns that, even after [[VideoGame/MegaManX Sigma's demise]], [[spoiler:TheVirus remained a threat because traces of it remained in his original body, being spread wherever he went.]]
* AttackReflector: Aside from the usual Shield Boomerang, the Reflect body chip in the fourth game allows his regular saber to do the same to bullets.
* AwesomeButImpractical: The [[PaletteSwap Proto Form]], the reward for beating ''Zero 2''. It not only makes Zero a GlassCannon, but it disables the upgrades the players have made to their weapons (eg. the Z-saber's combo). Hard Mode forces you to use it.
* BadassCreed: His last speech in the first game -- "I'll do what you want... rest for a while. I will handle it, you can count on me. I won't stop! If an enemy appears... I'll terminate it."
* BadassLongrobe: In the ''Z2'' intro. [[TheCoatsAreOff Right after that...]]
* BadButt: One of his very first dialogue lines in ''1'', while fighting the Golem.
--> '''Zero''': "Rats!"
* BagOfSpilling:
** Zero puts himself to sleep at the end of ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' to fully eliminate The Virus. 100 years later, he is violently woken by a scientist under attack by mooks, so his restoration is incomplete and he needs to remember his previous skills with the weapons.
** He never gets to relearn to do an air dash.
** Played literally and justified in the second game. After travelling the wastelands for a year, Zero's weapons are damaged (one, the Triple Rod, was even beyond repair), and when Zero returns to the Resistance base, his weapons are restored (the Triple Rod was replaced), but he has to level them up again.
** Thankfully averted from ''Zero 3'' onwards. Your weapons already start at full power, saving the tediousness of leveling them up, although your Cyber Elves and chips are gone and the Shield Boomerang and the Rod substitute are not available in the first stage. You also have to relearn the acquired skills.
** In ''Zero 4'', there is no Shield Boomerang nor Rod.
** Zero also loses the upgrades he obtains from Cyber-elves and/or chips in between games.
* TheBerserker: His Z-Saber encourages you to use this fighting style, dashing forward and getting into the face of the enemy and chopping him half without stopping. If you have good reflexes, it's extremely effective.
* BigDamnHeroes: Subverted twice in the following instances:
** ''Zero 2'', where [[spoiler:he attempts to thwart Elpizo's attempt to destroy X, but he immobilizes Zero and then proceeds to destroy X.]]
** ''Zero 4'', where [[spoiler:he comes too late to prevent Craft from firing Ragnarok at Neo Arcadia.]]
** At the opening of ''Zero 4'', to the Human Caravan.
* {{Bookends}}: Zero's final words in ''Zero 1'' and ''Zero 4'' echo each other:
--> '''Zero 1:''' I'll do what you want... rest for a while. I will handle it, you can count on me. I won't stop! If an enemy appears... I'll terminate it.
--> '''Zero 4:''' I never cared about justice, and I don't ever recall calling myself a hero. I have always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate... If an enemy appears, I will destroy it!
* BottomlessMagazines:
** The Buster Shot is technically a normal gun with a magazine system, except that Zero loads the Z-saber into it, giving it a practically limitless energy source.
** In the fourth game, many Z-knuckle weapons have unlimited use, while some are limited...unless you equip the A-Filling chip, in which the ammo will refill itself to full after a few seconds as long as you don't outright empty it.
* BringMyRedJacket: He's all red-themed (when not in the PaletteSwap modifications, that is), and we all know his HeroicSacrifice tendencies. And with the {{Nintendo Hard}}ness of the game, expect him to die a lot in the stages.
* BrokenAce: Zero may be a badass fighter, but he's plagued with amnesia and bad publicity. All things considered, though, they don't seem to trouble him personally. [[SubvertedTrope However...]]
** TheAce: Arguably develops back into this in the end, when compared to the other protagonists of the Mega Man series. He was obviously stronger than Classic Mega Man or Volnutt to start with, the ZX protagonists face weaker versions of the Weil Zero killed, and he even surpasses X himself, defeating (with a little help) a threat X and Zero together only barely stopped previously, that had CameBackStrong. And despite all the crap he goes through, he never undergoes any sort of Wangst like X, or his previous self did. All this makes him the greatest hero in the Classic Timeline. It's pretty clear if he were still around after Zero 4, [[StoryBreakerPower absolutely nothing would've been able to threaten the world]]. Not bad all things considered, since he was originally supposed to be [[AntiAntiChrist its destroyer]].
* BroughtToYouByTheLetterS: His Z-Knuckle is a Z-shaped imprint on his palm, in which a special chip is inserted, allowing him to [[LootCommand take the enemy's weapons]].
* BuildingSwing: With his Chain Rod in ''Zero 2''.
* TheChampion: To the entire Resistance and Ciel especially, Zero is the biggest proponent to their cause. Eventually, this extends to what remains of humanity as well, solely as their greatest defender by series end.
* CharacterDevelopment: Gets some at the end of ''Zero 3''. [[spoiler:After defeating Omega, he comes to terms with his new body and life, wholeheartedly believing he is Zero and becoming more empathetic and emotional.]]
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Zigzagged; a combination of trauma from the GreatOffscreenWar and IdentityAmnesia makes him TheStoic in the first game, but as the series progresses, he starts to become more and more of a DeadpanSnarker.
* ChargedAttack: A series standard. {{Handwave}}d by claiming that X installed the technology that controlled his own ArmCannon to the saber before giving it back to Zero. This explains why the Rods and the Shield Boomerang can charge (they're all variants of the saber), but no such explanation for the Z-Knuckle.
* ChasteHero: Whether he's this, a CelibateHero, or simply too stoic to express himself is up in the air.
* ChickMagnet: Aside from the ones in the X series, there's also Ciel, Leviathan, and a random Resistance girl in ''Z3'' all getting attracted to him to differing extents. And [[CluelessChickMagnet he's clueless to them all]].
* CombatAndSupport: The combat to Ciel's support.
* ContinuityNod:
** Zero's [[PaletteSwap Proto Form]] is a nod to his [[InfinityPlusOneSword infinity plus one armor]] from ''X'', the Black/Zero Armor, minus the silver hair. In addition, its stats mimic that of the ''X8'' version of the armor. Reversed, because ''X8'' came out after the Proto Form's debut in ''Z2'' and reappearance in ''Z3.''
** Plus, [[spoiler:when Zero died in ''X5'']], all X found was his sword. Guess who gave Zero his signature weapon back?
** Another one of Zero's Forms (see PaletteSwap below) is the '''X''' form. Guess what color this form is based on, as well as what weapon it specializes in?
** He claims that he never cared about justice or peace during his NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech at the end of ''Zero 4'', which is what big brother [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Bass]] said in ''VideoGame/MegaMan2ThePowerFighters''. [[IronicEcho However, while Bass claims that he only fights for himself, Zero says that he fights for the people he believes in.]]
* CoolHelmet: His iconic red one gets an overhaul from the previous series. [[spoiler:It's also the last we saw of him after he destroyed Ragnarok.]]
* CoolSword: The Z-Saber gets cooler in this series. Aside from being able to kill a (normal) Golem in one hit, it can also have multiple functions.
* DashAttack: Unlike in the ''X'' series, he has a dashing saber attack by default.
* DeadpanSnarker: Has more moments than people give him credit for. Whenever his opponent gives a BadassBoast, his response in later games is usually along the lines of "Are you done yet?".
--> '''Ciel:''' Please promise me you'll never do something that crazy again.
--> '''Zero:''' [[{{Beat}} ...]]
--> '''Zero:''' I'll think about it.
* DestroyerDeity: Of a heroic sort. Neo Arcadian propaganda hypes him up as an unfeeling ancient evil the Resistance awakened to lay waste to humanity. Not completely incorrect, given [[VideoGame/MegaManX his past]]. Anubis Necromancess V even refers to him as the "God of Destruction," a title usually reserved for Omega. [[spoiler:Taking into account that Omega has Zero's old body and Zero could very well have been as unbelievably strong and crazy as Omega, this is a perfectly reasonable thing to call him.]]
* {{Determinator}}: He fights nonstop between the events of the first and second games. Just in case you were wondering, that's a whole year in-universe of repelling Neo Arcadia's military might by himself.
* DeusExitMachina: After locating [[spoiler:the new body Zero's previously stolen mind has been moved into]], X awakens him to help fight the final battle and end the Elf Wars. Zero gets sealed again after that because he is tired of fighting.
* DoNotRunWithAGun: Averted with Zero's Z-Saber and Buster Shot, as combat with these weapons is far more fluid than it is in [[VideoGame/MegaManX the previous series]]. His other weapons downplay it, though; the Rod weapons and the Knuckle force Zero to stand still if he uses them while on the ground, but you can negate this downside by always using them while jumping. The Shield Boomerang on the other hand prevents dashing, but otherwise doesn't hinder Zero's movement.
* DoubleJump: Although it was one of Zero's signature abilities from the ''X'' series, it doesn't make a return until ''Z3'', and even then, it's not something Zero can learn as an innate skill. You need to equip different items to use the ability.
* ElementalWeapon: Zero can load elemental chips to his weapons, and their charged attacks (as well as some of his EX-skills) become elemental.
* EffectiveKnockoff: [[spoiler:He is revealed to be inhabiting a reproduction of his original body. Despite that, he cares little about it and just proceeds to defeat the one inhabiting his original body, Omega (when no other people have done before). There is some implication that losing his original body wasn't entirely bad; for one, he no longer suffers from the potential of [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil going crazy]] due to the programming of his original body.]]
* EmptyShell: Subverted. It's still Zero you're playing as and he has the same sense of justice, but after his resurrection, he has lost his cocky and hotheaded personality and become a complete blank slate. Averted later on, where he ends up developing a new personality, albeit a stoic and standoffish one.
* EvilKnockoff: Interestingly inverted. [[spoiler:Technically, Zero is using a knockoff body while Omega is Zero's original body. However, Zero still has his original mind, while Omega's is a new one that is influenced by Zero's residual viral data.]]
* EvolvingAttack: In the second and third games, Zero's EX Skills have two variants: a normal version, and a slightly improved variant when equipping the right elemental chip.
* EvolvingWeapon: In the first two games, using Zero's weapons a set number of times allows him to learn additional skills with them.
* ExpositoryThemeTune: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5UnnPkiwi4 Clover]], from the ''Idea'' tracks. It details Zero grappling with [[AmnesiacHero his amnesia]], and how he's unable to remember [[VideoGame/MegaManX4 the name of a certain flower he held dear]] but finding a still-blooming clover that he chooses to protect instead.
* FakeUltimateHero: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] throughout the series, ending with a subversion.
* FamedInStory: He is well-known as a Maverick Hunter even a hundred years after he went missing, and the reactions of who he meets differ depend on which side of the war they're on, with the Resistance and Ciel viewing him as their resurrected savior, and Neo Arcadia viewing him as a FallenHero who now works for terrorists.
* ForcedToWatch: [[spoiler:He catches up to Elpizo while X's body (the seal of the Dark Elf) is still intact. However, Elpizo shoots a beam that paralyzes Zero, leaving the former to destroy X's body while Zero helplessly watches on. Elpizo just rubs it in further after absorbing the Dark Elf's power by "thanking" Zero for waiting.]]
* GameplayGuidedAmnesia: He woke up with almost no memory of his past. Since he's been asleep for 100 years, this doesn't make much difference to the plot; the real point is to explain [[BagOfSpilling why the "legendary hero" has skill level 1 with his own sword]]. It also conveniently allows the ''X'' games to continue without affecting what Zero should remember later on. ''Zero 2'' and ''3'' get better mileage out of the amnesia by "revealing" things that happened between the ''X'' and ''Zero'' series that Zero was actually around for in the past.
* GlassCannon:
** Zero is very strong with his weapons, but his health bar always starts small.
** Zero using his Proto Form and Junk Armor from ''Zero 2'' and ''4'', respectively, doubles the damage he deals AND receives. Hard Mode will force you to use it, even in ''1'' and ''3''.
* GoodAllAlong: A [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]], and rather interesting variant. While he is unquestionably on the morally right side for most of the game series (Briefly on the wrong, or at least neutral side, given they were led by [[GeneralRipper Elpizo]] rather than [[NiceGirl Ciel]] for a while), he himself never really talks about morality or what is good for most of the series, only ever talking about the morality of others, to the point he comes off as a NominalHero at times, something that is even pointed out by the bosses, who see him as a FallenHero. However, as the series goes further on, small remarks he makes here and there make it very clear he has a moral compass underneath his stoicism.
* GoodIsNotSoft: He's mostly stoic, with some of his quotes implying that, for his quotes of not caring about justice or heroics, that he does have that deep down, but doesn't believe he's the one to follow them. Having said that, he will cut you in half if you get in the way of those he believes in.
* GoshDangItToHeck: "Rats!"
* GuestFighter: In ''VideoGame/OnimushaBladeWarriors''.
* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:His most likely fate at the end of the series, sacrificing his life to stop Doctor Weil. However, Ciel believes Zero is still alive.]]
* HeroicSacrifice: It's ''Zero''. He still can't resist doing this every so often. [[spoiler:At the end of the series, he forgoes his chance of escaping the falling space station Ragnarok in order to stop Weil once and for all -- and he succeeds. [[DyingMomentOfAwesome His actions have finally brought peace to the world, after centuries of war.]] [[TheHeroDies It's also his final one, by the way.]]]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: Neo Arcadia established to its citizens that Zero and LaResistance are nothing but extremists. This is an important plot point in ''Zero 4'', with human refugees not appreciating the helping hand given to them, [[spoiler:at least until after halfway through the game; they then realized that Zero was indeed fighting for the greater good of everyone.]]
* HoldingYourShoulderMeansInjury: Zero does this when at a critically low level of health. He also does this in the intro stage of the second game regardless of how much health he has, showing the toll one year of non-stop fighting and WalkingTheEarth has exacted.
* HumansAreFlawed: Played with. In ''Zero 4'', he condemns humans fleeing from Weil's iron fist as cowardly beings who would do nothing about their refugee leader getting kidnapped just to avoid another war. However, he also thinks that, as a machine designed solely to wage war, he cannot change the world, but instead believes in the humans who can. In the end, he believes that HumansAreBastards, but he also believes that they can change for the better and then change the world. In short, it comes as a {{Reconstruction}}.
* HumbleHero: Evident in his NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech. In addition, he doesn't think a battle Reploid like him could change the world; he instead fights for those who he believes are able to do so.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: Once again, though of a different sort: He doesn't have a sheathe for the Z-Saber like in previous games, so Zero replicates the effect by activating the Z-Saber the instant after he starts swinging.
* IAmWho: He's lost his memory of the ''X'' series — everyone tells him that he's a "legendary Reploid" and he just has to take their word for it. Also see the LockedOutOfTheLoop entry below.
* IdentityAmnesia: At the start of the series, he doesn't seem too sure that he's the legendary Zero everybody thought of him as.
* ImmuneToMindControl: He's among the very few that can withstand the Dark Elf's mind control abilities.
* ImNotAHeroIm: One of his most prominent traits. See also his NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech above.
* InspirationalMartyr: [[spoiler:Zero's HeroicSacrifice at the end of the series inspires the human and reploid sides, and Ciel in particular, to work on the peace that, after so long, has finally been achieved.]]
* {{Irony}}: [[spoiler:It is ''Zero'', the creation of ''Dr. Wily'', who finally fulfills the dream of Dr. Light, his creator's nemesis, to bring peace between robots and humans. ''VideoGame/MegaMan11'' adds an extra layer of irony on top of this with the revelation that Dr. Wily wanted to make heroes of robots before he became consumed by revenge and lost his way. Even though he made Zero purely to fulfill his own petty revenge, he eventually became exactly the kind of hero his old self would've wanted to make.]]
** [[spoiler:While Zero doesn't consider himself a hero and thinks he's not the right one to actually change the world, his actions in the four games as a member of the Resistence managed to turn the tides against a corrupt government, his speech to the human refugees ended up planting the seeds for the new peace between humans and reploids, him helping Ciel resulted in the development of a better energy system that would end the energy crisis eventually thanks to his protection, and eventually he's the one who finally kills Weil and kickstarts a lasting era of peace. In a way, despite believing he's a LivingWeapon not worthy of being the one to change the world, his actions along the ones of his loved ones like X and Ciel ended up changing the world for the better in it's own way.]]
* KatanasAreJustBetter: Averted; in ''Zero 1'' and ''Zero 2'', Zero's Z-saber is roughly shaped like a katana, but this is merely a matter of simplistic sprites. Box art has always depicted it as the triangular shape that has since become [[IconicItem synonymous]] with Zero in this series.
* TheKingslayer: He becomes infamous with this in the third game where he killed Copy-X and then Dr. Weil spreads the word, making things worse for the protagonists. This also gets referenced in the fourth game where the leader of the Caravan has a grudge against "the killer of Master X" (unaware that he's talking to Zero).
* KnightInSourArmor: As soon as he wakes up, he has to fight a [[WarIsHell war]] in a CrapsackWorld. He also knows that changing the world is difficult, but he still fights for Ciel, who hopes to change the world by solving the [[ScienceHero energy crisis]].
* KubrickStare: In almost all of the official arts.
* LaserBlade: Z-Saber, as well as laser spears, [[AttackReflector bullet-reflector]] [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shields]] [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks that can double as a]] [[BoomerangComeback boomerang]], [[VariableLengthChain whips]], and tonfas.
* LateToTheTragedy: In the second game, arriving at Neo Arcadia only to find every Resistance soldier involved in the Operation Righteous Strike dead (with the exception of one).
* LegendaryInTheSequel: Although he only knew glimpses of it from the comments of the people around him. And obviously, by the time ''ZX'' rolls around, his achievements have become even more well-known.
* LifeDrain: One of his [[PowerCopying EX-Skills]] in ''Zero 2'' is this, using the Chain Rod.
* LockedOutOfTheLoop:
** Not only Weil, but also X know about [[spoiler:the [[TomatoInTheMirror relationship]] between Zero and Omega]], with X blatantly not telling Zero about it up until Weil himself let the secret out.
** The Guardians, especially Phantom, are implied to know about it as well, considering [[spoiler:they're not at all surprised when they saw ''two'' Zeros in the ending, and also knowing ''which'' Zero to attack.]] One of the drama tracks seems to clear it up -- Phantom found out in Cyberspace; Leviathan and Fefnir had a NearDeathExperience in which they met Phantom and X. X gave them one final order to stop Omega, presumably giving them a heads up.
* LoudGulp: He lets out one when he's fighting inside the missile containing Omega and realizing that the missile is about to crash.
* MagikarpPower: Zero's weapons in the first two games apply, as well as the "Mimic elf" in the fourth.
* MeaningfulEcho:
** From the first game, Zero was repeatedly told that "You are Zero". This is a big deal because he had IdentityAmnesia. At the end of the third game (after he encounters an issue of what he really is), he says to Ciel "It's just me... I am Zero." It signifies that he has affirmed his identity.
** Ciel has told Zero a number of times that she "believes in him". In the end, right before his fight with Weil, he tells her "Ciel...Believe in me!" [[spoiler:And it's his last words, too.]]
* MeaningfulName: As well as everything that has been stated about his name in the X series, Zero's name becomes amazingly apt once Dr. Weil attempts to stop Zero from harming him by reminding the Reploid about [[ThreeLawsOfRobotics the laws against hurting a human]]. Weil forgot about the Zeroth Law...
* MorallySuperiorCopy: [[spoiler:It's revealed that the body he inhabits is a copy. Zero doesn't give a damn about it and cuts down the doppelganger inhabiting his original body without hesitation, deciding that it's the mind that matters, not the body.]]
* MultiformBalance: the Forms, vaguely. Your starting Normal Form is a MasterOfNone, the Active Form is a FragileSpeedster, the Energy and Power Forms are {{Mighty Glacier}}s (the former specializing in defense, the latter offense), the Defense and Erase Forms are {{Stone Wall}}s, the Proto Form is a GlassCannon, and Rise and X Forms are {{Lightning Bruiser}}s. The Ultimate Form is pretty much the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity +1 Form]].
* MultiMeleeMaster: Although he also [[TheMusketeer has a gun]].
* MultiRangedMaster: Can use a gun (several, in fact, in ''Zero 4'') and a [[BattleBoomerang Boomerang]].
* MusicalNod: Zero's badass {{leitmotif}} from ''VideoGame/MegaManX1'' comes back in ''Zero 1'''s intro.
* TheMusketeer: Zero wields the Z-Saber, whose hilt also serves as the magazine for the Buster Shot.
* MutuallyExclusivePowerups:
** Only one of his Buster EX-Skills can be active at a time.
** In the first through third games, he can only equip one elemental chip at a time. As well, in the third and fourth game, he can only use one head chip, one body chip and one foot chip at a time. This is why the best foot chip in the third game is the one that [[AllYourPowersCombined has most of the other foot chips' powers in one]].
** Also true for Croire: Only one of the seven abilities of each elf type (Nurse, Animal, and Hacker) can be active at a time, although you can use one of each type at the same time. And in Ultimate Mode, this is averted: using the abilities of the higher level also activates the ones in the lower levels.
* MyHeroZero: Ciel couldn't have said it better herself.
* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:All that remained is [[DeadHatShot a broken helmet]], and it's not even stated if they found ''that'' either.]] Inafune once mentioned [[spoiler:he was '''[[KilledOffForReal dead]]''' and the series was over. However, the Complete Works book states Zero's fate was unknown. However, it's implied that Ciel eventually did find what remained of Zero and created Biometal Model Z from it in the ''ZX'' series.]]
* NiceGuy: A bit hard to notice, and given his stoic behavior you'd be forgiven for thinking he's a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, but it's there. While he isn't sunshine and rainbows, he treats everyone in the resistance with genuine kindness and believes in X and Ciel's causes and ideals, and sacrifices his life even though he easily could've escaped. He also doesn't think himself as worthy to rule due to being a weapon of mass destruction.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: His murder of Copy-X at the end of the first game inadvertently sets things in motion for BigBad Weil's return. Weil's specialty of DNA resurrection is put to good use when he brings Copy-X back to life under his control in the third game, allowing him to use the Reploid for his own ends and gain control over Neo Arcadia.
* NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech:
** He has one during the Elf Wars (detailed in drama tracks), aimed at Omega.
--> Omega, I finally knew because I fought with myself. What kind of fighting I have done so far? What exactly my hesitation has been so far? Now I can say that my power is not for destruction. It's for my friends; my power is to protect my friends' beliefs! Be gone, my nightmare!
** In one of the series' most famous examples, his BadassCreed [[MeaningfulEcho evolves]] into ''[[FinalSpeech this]]'':
-->"I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero. I've always only fought for the people I believe in. I won't hesitate... If an enemy appears in front of me, I ''will'' destroy it!"
* NoSocialSkills: One LowerDeckEpisode highlights how clueless Zero can be in matters outside battle, although knowing him, this is justified.
* NotSoStoic:
** He has his occasional moments of snapping at others in annoyance and being a DeadpanSnarker, and there's his moment with the missile in ''Zero 3'', but probably one of the only moments in the entire series where his expression visibly changes is when [[spoiler:Elpizo destroys X's physical body. The resulting scene graphic shows him ''scowling in unadulterated anger'', and he drops all snark and commentary altogether to kick Elpizo's ass for it.]]
** He also appears to have been genuinely shaken by [[spoiler:Craft's death]], possibly in part because his parting words serve as an IronicEcho of X's. It rattled him enough that when speaking to Neige, he ends up accepting and agreeing with Neige's belief that even if he's doing it for a good cause, his perpetuating violence makes him much like Weil, requiring Neige to assure him in his actions.
** At the end of the final game [[spoiler:when he knows he's about to be sent on a suicide mission]], Zero takes a moment to comfort Ciel in a very rare show of emotion.
** He does so again in the final encounter, offering some choice last words to Ciel.
-->'''Zero:''' Ciel... believe in me!
* NumberTwo: Zero isn't a natural field commander, so he isn't the type to give orders. That being said, within the Resistance, he more or less fills a secondary leadership role under Ciel, since everyone knows to turn to him for crisis scenarios, and while he doesn't give many orders out on the field, he ''can'' get Resistance members in over their head to transfer back to base on his urging. About the only time where Ciel takes direct orders from him is when they're together during dangerous operations, as Ciel respects his authority on combat; otherwise, Zero takes orders from Ciel (and, to a lesser extent, Rouge and Joan, as his MissionControl) and more or less comes to the conclusion in the opening of ''2'' that without Ciel to ''direct'' him, he'll simply default to mindlessly destroying Pantheons - good for securing the wastelands and lessening the number annoying the Resistance, certainly, but not exactly useful for making any actual progress on resolving the ongoing conflicts.
* ObliviousToLove: Just like in ''X8''. He doesn't seem to understand that Leviathan is trying to invoke DatingCatwoman and Ciel "believes in" him, though he debatably gets past the last one.
* OhCrap:
** He had this reaction when faced with the possibility of fighting all three remaining Guardians at the end of ''Zero 1''.
** Yet another time is when he realizes that [[spoiler:he can't stop Omega's missile [[RidingTheBomb while riding it]].]] As this means he's about to get hit by an ''[=ICBM=]'', he's rather less subtle in this case, giving a LoudGulp before turning around and [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere spamming his dash]].
** The possibility of facing the Einherjar Warriors ''all together'' (which, fortunately, didn't happen) is one of the other few times in the series that Zero had this reaction.
* OneBulletAtATime: 3 bullets, to be exact. Zero can only have three buster shots on screen at a given time. Through different means in each games, the number of shots can be upgraded to 4-5 shots.
* OneManArmy: It's a surprise that LaResistance (mostly made up of civilian Reploids) managed to survive Neo Arcadia's persecution until Ciel found Zero. ''2'''s opening introductory scene explains that he's been fighting off near-constant pursuit of the Neo Arcadian army for a year, and in ''3'', Copy-X even states that Zero's penchant for being this trope is one of the Resistance's strongest advantages, alongside Ciel's energy source. In ''Zero 4'', it's played ''very literally''; he's the only being in both the Resistance trailer and the Area Zero settlement that pulls any weight in all its battles, even though there's Faucon and perhaps others in the settlement who could fight.
* OverratedAndUnderleveled: ...but he gets much, much better.
* PaletteSwap: Hard and Ultimate Modes clothe Zero in black and deep crimson colors, respectively. The Forms system (and the Body section of its successor, the Customisation Chips) gives him even more colors.
* ParryingBullets: Several upgrades across the games allow him to block enemy bullets by attacking them with his saber.
* PerpetualFrowner: It takes effort to go four entire games without smiling ''once''.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: [[spoiler:He was designed to be one, by [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Dr. Wily]]. But after his HeelFaceTurn, what he does isn't much different...]]
* PhraseCatcher: "You ''are'' Zero."
* PietaPlagiarism: In the ''Zero 1'' intro level, Zero and Ciel go through the level until they find a dead end. Then the floor under Ciel crumbles and then she falls down. Zero saves her by doing the pose.
* PillarOfLight: When he's resurrected in the first game, this happens.
* PowersAsPrograms: In order for Zero to use his EX skills, he must "activate" them on the menu first; the various Buster Shot EX Skills can only be equipped one at a time. A more literal take on this would be the Custom Chips from ''Zero 3'' beyond.
* PowerCopying:
** The EX techs from ''X4'' onwards are back starting in ''Zero 2'', and the [[PowerPalms Z-knuckle]] [[ExclusiveEnemyEquipment rips weapons off]] {{Mooks}}, although some of them can survive even after the weapon is stolen.
** ''Zero 3'' also takes it further by having Zero obtain custom chips that grant him innate non-combat abilities from other Bosses. The system was further expanded in the next game, where chips obtained from some enemy parts also grant that mook's innate ability.
* PunchClockHero: What he does all the time is just fighting for the people he believe in; he never considers himself a hero.
* PunchedAcrossTheRoom: The Recoil Rod's ChargedAttack is a powerful thrust attack (aimable forward, downward or upward) that can push most mooks far away backwards (or upwards, or downwards) if it hits. A few minibosses and bosses can also be pushed this way, which will interrupt their actions, notably Deathtanz Mantisk.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: You'd never know from his looks (what with being ageless and all), but with X being a Cyber Elf now, he's the oldest robot that still functions. He's 200 years old at minimum.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Not counting his past in the ''X'' series, the populace sees him as the warrior of the Resistance who is a FallenHero, and his red and black color scheme seems to reinforce it...of course, the player would know better that he fights for a good cause.
* RedIsHeroic: He's mainly colored red (outside of his special forms at least) and he's the hero of the story.
* ResurrectionSickness: Or as Ciel puts it, "hibernation sickness". It gave him IdentityAmnesia.
* RidingTheBomb: In ''Zero 3'', he tries to stop a missile containing Omega from launching into a city block containing the Mother Elf. However, as he approaches the missile, it starts to fly off. Zero's next solution? Jump inside it and then destroy it from within.
* RollingAttack: An upgrade for your saber attack is making Zero able to do this with the saber, whether in midair or while dashing. Interestingly, you can keep tapping the attack button while he's doing the rolling dash and he'll roll nonstop, provided that he isn't stopped by the terrain or the enemy who doesn't die instantly by the attack (and the attack is actually pretty weak, mind you).
* RookieRedRanger: He joins the Resistance at the start of the first game; the Resistance soldiers quickly follow him as their field leader of sorts (Ciel, their actual leader, is an ActualPacifist).
* SealedBadassInACan: At the start of the series, in an abandoned lab.
* SecretCharacter: In ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos''.
* SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou: All the box art features him staring forward and brandishing his sword.
* SeriesMascot: Of the non-cute kind, he's a big one for the Mega Man series and Capcom in general.
* SetBonus: The Junk Armor in ''Zero 4'' will only show its effect ([[GlassCannon doubling the damage Zero deals and takes]]) when you equip all three of the separate parts and disable your Elf.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Being amnesiac aside, he has seen many tragedies in the past. Now, he seems to care only about missions, and is frequently [[TheStoic emotionless]].
* ShootTheDog: In the final battle, Weil boasts how a heroic Reploid like Zero would be incapable of killing a human. This is in spite of Zero calling him a Maverick that needed putting down in the previous game, and how Zero ''just'' tried to kill him. Weil just doesn't get it. So Zero gives him his best speech, and does to him what should have been done a century ago.
* ShutUpHannibal:
** After Weil's gloating in ''Zero 3'':
-->'''Zero:''' I bet most decent humans wouldn't understand, either. You look like another Maverick, to me. All I gotta do is dispose of you like any other Maverick.
** His NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech is also used as a response to Weil saying that a "hero, fighting for justice and humanity" like him should not kill a human like Weil.
* SomethingElseAlsoRises: In ''Zero 3'', a female Resistance member gives Zero what awfully sounds like a kiss (*SMOOCH*) as thank you for rescuing her in the previous games. Zero's E-crystal count goes up (complete with a suspicious sound). Made worse by her finishing remark:
--> Don't tell Ciel about that, OK? Human girls get angry over little things like that.
* SpeedEchoes: Like in the previous series, dashing will create afterimages of him.
* SpinToDeflectStuff: In the artworks, it's shown that his [[AttackReflector Shield Boomerang]] is actually the Z-Saber spinning really fast.
* TheStoic: Oh so much, in stark contrast to his more openly emotional and laid-back portrayal in the X series. Even in the drama tracks (see LowerDeckEpisode below), he can't talk about anything other than things about his missions.
* SuperNotDrowningSkills: As a robot, which is a good thing for navigating water levels. Though played with in the submarine mission in the fourth game; due to the stage being so deep in the ocean, he has to find the entry into the submarine under a time limit or he'll be crushed by the oceanic pressure.
* SwissArmyWeapon:
** Zero's saber can be a razor [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shield]] (doubling as a [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks boomerang]]), a pogo [[TelescopingStaff extending spear]], a whip/[[GrapplingHookPistol hookshot]], tonfas, and a ''gun magazine''. Really?
** Zero's Z-knuckle is capable of a lot of things, [[PowerCopying depending on the weapon it stole]].
* SwordAndGun: Zero replaces his old body's Z-Buster with Milan's Buster Shot gun.
* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler:Done in the final game; Zero, knowing that he has sacrificed his chance to escape from the ColonyDrop, goes on to defeat Weil to ensure that the Ragnarok will explode in space, likely killing himself as well.]]
* TeleportationRescue: A few times he has to rescue someone, he'll walk to their location, then gives the rescuee a teleport beacon so the MissionControl can teleport them to the base. Due to the base not being advanced enough for it in the first game, you'll be forced to go through an EscortMission to rescue characters.
* ThreeStrikeCombo: The basic skill for the Z-Saber. With the right upgrades, he can modify the third slash into a different slash that fits the situation.
* TookALevelInBadass: Implied to do this each game. Justified, as he is regaining the skills of his past life as well as new abilities, plus likely being upgraded by cyber elves. Notably, the guardians have 3 health bars in the first game, 2 in the second, and aren't even worth a boss fight (except for Phantom, who may be strengthened by cyberspace). Omega, who Zero then easily defeats, easily defeats Leviathan and Fefnir.
* TuckAndCover: In the first game, he does this to Ciel to cover her from the Golem's blast because she's too weak to move.
* {{Tyrannicide}}: Played with when he slayed Copy-X. He's a tyrant to Reploids, but he created an utopia for humans on top of it, and people at large loved him. Played straighter when he slayed Dr. Weil, who ruled Neo Arcadia with an iron fist.
* UncertainDoom: [[spoiler:Though he defeats Dr. Weil at the climax of ''Zero 4'' and stops Ragnarok from decimating Earth, he appears to go down together with the satellite, and all that's left of him is his shattered helmet in an isolated desert. Ciel, however, remains hopeful that he is still alive.]]
* TheUnchosenOne: Ciel wakes Zero up amnesiac and he questions whether or not he's really Zero, although saving her leaves the latter more than convinced. [[spoiler:He ''is'' the consciousness of the ''X'' series Zero, but that consciousness was implanted in a replica body. In short, this Zero is no longer Zero by original design in ''any'' capacity.]]
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Most of the bosses mock Zero's "Legendary Hero" status and the fact that he was out of commission for about 100 years since the ''X'' era. How wrong they are.
* UniversallyBelovedLeader: For the Resistance at least, Zero is considered one of its leaders together alongside Ciel. When Zero is brought to the new base in ''Zero 2'', many soldiers (the ones who formed the original Resistance before Elpizo's group joined up) are shown heading for the infirmary where he was recuperating, shouting his name in joy, to the noticeable discomfort and annoyance of Elpizo. This is justified, since Zero has done a lot for them in the first game alone.
* UtilityWeapon: the three Rod weapons all have secondary functions aside from dealing damage: the Triple Rod can be a pogo stick, the Chain Rod is, of course, a GrapplingHookPistol, and the Recoil Rod can [[SpringJump boost Zero's jump]] as well as move/destroy certain blocks.
* WalkingTheEarth:
** From the end of ''Zero 1'' to the beginning of ''Zero 2''.
** Key members of the LaResistance join him in ''Zero 4'', although they weren't exactly walking...
* WhatTheHellHero:
** In ''Zero 4'', Neige and her Caravan call him out on all his and the Resistance's actions throughout the series, up to and including bringing the war to Area Zero, even though Zero and the resistance didn't even go to Area Zero until ''Weil's troops were already approaching it.'' Zero later calls the Caravan out for attempting to abandon [[DamselInDistress Neige when she was kidnapped.]]
** Notably, they also call him out for killing Copy-X (that was really Weil who caused his death, but Zero was trying to kill him) that allowed Weil to take over Neo Arcadia. In that case, Zero didn't seem to think that part through.
* WhatTheHellPlayer: In ''Zero 2'', in the intro level, if you just stand on the first screen killing the endless stream of {{mooks}}, he'll say "This isn't fun anymore..."
* WorldsBestWarrior: [[spoiler:He's no longer the WorldsStrongestMan, as that body and all its power has belonged to the Omega persona since he transferred out of it.]] What defines the Zero of this age is his potent, multifaceted arsenal and his peerless skill in using it to its fullest.
* YouAreTooLate: Zero arrives at the final boss barely in time (which is an improvement over his usual tardiness) to stop the destruction of the last good land on Earth...[[spoiler:but must sacrifice any chance at escape for himself.]] Earlier, he had many moments like this, such as when he comes late to stop the missile in the third game or when he comes late to stop Craft from [[spoiler:destroying Neo Arcadia with Ragnarok.]]
* YouShouldntKnowThisAlready: ''ALL'' of Zero's sword skills in this series are adapted from the skills he learned in the ''X'' series. Yet, thanks to his amnesia, he has to relearn them ''again''. He also totally forgot techs between each game from ''Z2'' onward.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: One of Zero's skills with the Chain Rod is pulling things, including enemies, towards him.
* ZerothLawRebellion: Played with copious amounts of irony via Zero's final decision in dealing with Weil. The irony here is twofold: while Zero was NOT designed to be ThreeLawsCompliant, yet he CHOOSES to obey them of his free will, and in how Zero's actions are in perfect compliance with law zero. Note: The spirit of Law Zero is a [[GodzillaThreshold threshold law]] with a very specific trigger (such as a mass murderer) for it to be appropiate. And for this instance being notable at all is because Weil noted that, being a Reploid hero, Zero should protect humans like Weil, invoking ThreeLawsCompliant in the process. Of course, aside from not thinking of himself as a hero to begin with, the Law Zero allowed Zero to kill such a bastard like Weil anyway.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ciel]]
[[quoteright:277:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MMZ_Ciel_1936.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:277:[[labelnote:Click here to see her appearance in ''Mega Man X [=DiVE=]'']]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rockman_x_dive_hunter_program_ciel.png[[/labelnote]]]]
-->''To me, you are Zero.''
--->''Voiced by Creator/RieTanaka''

A human scientist looking into more efficient energy sources, particularly Cyber Elves, which she believes will end the war between humans and Reploids. She's also responsible for making Copy-X -- [[NiceJobBreakingItHero whoops]]. Ciel is the one who initially finds Zero, informs him of his legendary warrior status, and asks him for help fighting the tyranny of Copy-X's Neo Arcadia. After defeating Copy-X, Zero wanders off to do his own thing, but in the end, he realizes that he and Ciel need each other to accomplish their goals.
----
* ActualPacifist: She's not blind to the need for the Resistance to fight and defend itself, she took a big risk in housing these declared "Mavericks", ''and'' she has signed off on missions that involve either guerrilla strikes or flat-out offensives, but she herself ''hates'' fighting. Her major plan for the war was to effectively fight a defensive battle saving Reploids and warding off Neo Arcadia while she herself slaved away day in and day out to find an alternative energy source that would solve the energy crisis, which is what created the conflict in the first place. Had [[BigBad Weil]] not shown up, she might have even succeeded in a non-violent resolution given the open mind Harpuia had towards the Resistance.
* AdaptationalBadass: Back in her home series, Ciel's a pacifist who tries to find non-violent solutions and never engages in combat. Not in ''VideoGame/MegaManXDive'', however, as she can fight on par with anyone else.
* AngerBornOfWorry: Not anger ''per se'', but she gets into the same situation when Zero performs a very life-risking act, ''against her orders''.
* TheAtoner: This is why she formed the LaResistance in the first place, feeling guilty for the creation of the one who would persecute innocent Reploids.
* BadassPacifist: She never fights, but her accomplishments in other places firmly put her in this place. She uses her bio-augmented smarts to do many things, such as defusing a bomb that's about to hit the Resistance base, hacking into Ragnarok's security systems, and building an almost perfect copy of X. Not to mention having a whole Reploid army, and Zero in particular, under her wing.
* BigGood: As the RebelLeader whose organization is directly opposed by Neo Arcadia's forces, she's pretty much this. When original X isn't around, anyway.
* BioAugmentation: [[AllThereInTheManual According to the Official Complete Works]], she was one of the DNA-altered children that Neo Arcadia made to develop better Reploids. Canonically, this makes Ciel the progenitor to the [[{{Cyborg}} Humanoids]] that blur the line between human and Reploid in the ''[[VideoGame/MegaManZX ZX]]'' series.
* BodyguardCrush: Possibly the unofficial LoveInterest for Zero. It was implicitly stated that she actually had romantic feelings for him. Plus, there's Zero's last words, which drove some fans to such conclusions:
-->"Ciel, believe in me!"
* BroodingBoyGentleGirl: Zero's the brooding and stoic [[AmnesiacHero Amnesiac]] AntiHero who, to him, battle is a second nature. Ciel's the gentle and caring MotherlyScientist who's trying to bring back peace between the two sides of the war.
* CannotSpitItOut: Both of her [[ImageSong Image Songs]] talk about how much she loves Zero but struggles to confess her feelings.
* ChildProdigy: As a result of being genetically bred to produce better reploids, she stood out as a prodigy, and built a perfect copy of ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' at the age of nine, something that no one in the previous series was able to do. (Pity that she forgot the "30 years of ethical testing" thing...)
* ClingyJealousGirl: DiscussedTrope, in which a Resistance soldier believes that ''all'' human females have the tendency to have this personality. If there's any implication, she believes '''Ciel''' is one.
* TheCutie: She's a positively adorable ChildProdigy whose sweet, optimistic spirit [[TheHeart keeps the Resistance together]]. It even breaks through to [[TheStoic Zero]].
* CombatAndSupport: The support to Zero's combat.
* DamselInDistress: Played straight in the first (in the intro stage), averted in every other game afterwards.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: Even though she's not a playable character, she's the female lead storywise, and her actions towards peace for humans and reploids drive much of the plot.
* DangerousSixteenthBirthday: The climax of the story in the third and fourth games both occur when she's 16.
* DoItYourselfThemeTune: "Freesia", the vocal version of the ''Zero 4'' theme and also the ending theme, is sung by Creator/RieTanaka, who plays Ciel.
* EvilTwin: CanonForeigner Cial in the manga, [[spoiler:ruler of Neo Arcadia. Copy-X doesn't properly exist here, only being a Fusion Dance of the four generals.]]
* {{Expy}}:
** Ciel has a very uncanny similarity, in appearances, background, AND role, to Alia from the ''X'' series. Done recursively in ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'' when Alia gets a makeover to look more like Ciel...as well as [[FanservicePack other alterations]], but that's irrelevant here.
** As a scientist who strives to achieve peace between humans and robots and whose work left its mark on the future generations, she's also quite similar to [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Dr. Light]].
** Prairie in ''ZX'' is Ciel's expy, and almost definitely a character, probably [[spoiler:Alouette]], from this series as well.
* AFatherToHisMen: She is motherly to all of the Resistance.
* FlingALightIntoTheFuture: She was the one who discovered the original Biometal, Model W, and built 6 Biometals based on the legendary heroes to counter it. She left a message for the future people about this threat. Slightly subverted in that the "light" in question isn't necessarily good; Ciel noted that the one with the power of the Biometal can either save the world, or take over it. She hoped that the Biometal will fall into the hands of good to bring and maintain peace.
* FullConversionCyborg: Implied in the ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' games. Ciel is stated to have gone missing only a few years prior to first game despite the fact that ''ZX'' takes place over two centuries after the ''Zero'' series. Her LongLived nature is hinted to be the result of becoming a Humanoid not unlike the members of the Sage Trinity in ''ZX Advent''.
* GadgeteerGenius:
** She built the first Copy-X at the age of ''[[ImprobableAge six]]'' (or nine). Moreover, she perfectly reproduced the base prototype. By comparison, every Maverick in the previous series came about precisely because they were flawed copies of the original. By the age of 15-16, she's working on free, clean energy for everyone. She was likely also something of a WrenchWench before she moved on to energy research.
** She also created an energy system to solve the energy crisis that is not only effective, but just beautiful (take a look at the reactor of the Guardian airship from ZX!), and she made Biometals to match Master Albert's, but also added the dual Mega-Merge feature. It's [[AllThereInTheManual All There In The Official Complete Works]].
* GameplayAllyImmortality: During the ProtectionMission in ''Zero 2'', no matter how much she gets shot by the enemies around you, she won't die, though she'll still react. Getting her hit will only reduce the mission points.
* GenreBlindness: Believes that by developing a new energy source, the CIEL System, she can stop the fighting because everything that started the Reploid oppression is due to a lack of energy. Too bad we only find it out by ''the start'' of the third game -- that's when Weil appears.
* GreaterScopeParagon: Not only is Ciel the creator of the six Biometals to directly oppose Model W, but she's also the original leader of the Guardian organization, which acts as a successor to both the Resistance ''and'' the Maverick Hunters of the ''X'' series.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: She's blonde, kind, innocent, and motherly.
* ImageSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ5RgdsxBf4 "L'oiseau Du Bonheur"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PMPIo9jo0M "Freesia"]].
* InnocentBlueEyes: Her clear blue eyes represent her innocence and pacifism.
* ItRunsInTheFamily: Her ancestress is the creator of AllLovingHero Mother Elf. Ciel's main field of research is into energy involving cyber-elves.
* IWillWaitForYou:
** Here's one example:
--->'''Ciel:''' I'm happy that I could meet you... If it were not for you, everyone would be gone by now...Promise me that you will come back alive. Even if you cannot destroy Neo Arcadia, I just want you to be able to return safely.
** At the end of ''Zero 4'', [[spoiler:Ciel declares that she "knows" Zero is alive, and she will wait for him to return.]]
* LateArrivalSpoiler: Later installments treat her connection to Copy-X as common knowledge, even though it's a late-game spoiler in the first game.
* TheLeader: Charismatic Type [[note]]most people agree with her, she's TheHeart of LaResistance, and even Neo Arcadia's Government seems to have some respect for her[[/note]] and Levelheaded Type [[note]]she sometimes tries to prevent Zero from rushing into battle, still tries to maintain open communication channels with Neo Arcadia, and (after ''Z1'') she was almost able to reach a pacific solution with Neo Arcadia's Government (until Weil arrived, that is)[[/note]].
* {{Leitmotif}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMhjWwACX4E "Labo"]].
* LongLived: Looking at the official timeline, Ciel only vanished a few years before the events of ''ZX'', meaning that she was ''at least'' over a century old and probably closer to ''two-hundred'' at the time given the 200 year time gap between the series. ''How'' she survived that long [[spoiler:compared to Alouette, who is all but stated to have just upgraded to a new body as Prairie]] being a human is unclear, but considering the fact the Sage Trinity were also once humans implies that like them she became a FullConversionCyborg.
* TheManBehindTheMonsters: The leader of the Resistance Reploids, who are treated as Mavericks. Played with in that the "monsters" here are the good guys.
* MeaningfulName: Her name is French for "sky". And her Resistance members are named after birds.
* MissionControl: Solo during the first game, accompanied by Operators from the second onwards.
* MotherlyScientist: Cares very much about her Resistance members, and Alouette in particular, who considers Ciel her "big sis".
* MsFanservice: ''VideoGame/RockmanXOver'' has [[http://www.therockmanexezone.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/16002_32ad9744.png art of Ciel in a flower-patterned pink two-piece]], for some reason.
* NiceGirl: She's gentle, kind hearted, and always concerned about the welfare of others.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Ciel managed a perfect recreation of X, something Dr. Cain and the rest of the previous century's scientists never accomplished - but, whether it was due to her young age at the time or from the haste and secrecy involved, this Copy-X lacked an opportunity to undergo extensive morality testing like what Dr. Light put the original through, not to mention the copy simply lacked the experiences, hardships and knowledge that X gained. The result was a KnightTemplar of a leader that had ''none'' of X's compassion and no solid skills as a ruler, prioritized humans first and foremost akin to a standard robot rather than a reploid, and cast this series into motion. Ciel is [[ItsAllMyFault fully aware of all of this.]]
* NonhumanSidekick: Has one special Cyber-elf at the beginning of the series, before said elf [[WeHardlyKnewYe sacrifices herself]] to revive Zero.
%%* NotThatKindOfDoctor
* OminousSavePrompt: If Ciel ever asks you if you want to save, something is about to go down (assuming it hasn't already).
* ParentalSubstitute: She's a mother figure to most of the younger LaResistance members, especially to [[spoiler:her future {{expy}}]] Alouette.
* PromotedToPlayable: In ''[=X DiVE=]''.
* ProtectionMission: The second mid-game mission in ''Zero 2'' contains a segment toward the end where Zero must protect Ciel as she disarms a bomb, which takes 90 seconds. The enemies coming after you two are quite weak, [[ZergRush but there are a lot of them]].
* PursuedProtagonist: At the beginning of the series; awakening Zero turns this into the DamselInDistress scenario mentioned above.
* RebelLeader: The founder and head of the Resistance.
* ReedRichardsIsUseless: Actually a subplot in the second game, Ciel stepping down from her position as RebelLeader in order to try to fix the energy crisis that started the war in the first place. Once Elpizo, her replacement, goes off the rails, Ciel returns to her original leadership role while continuing her new research. By ''Zero 3'', she ''does'' develop the new energy source, and by the ''ZX'' series this breakthrough is central to human and Reploid survival and coexistence.
* SavePoint: Her purpose in the game.
* SayMyName: Ciel shouts out Zero's name ''at least'' three times. The last time she does it, it's a [[spoiler:hopeless bid for Zero to get out of Ragnarok, even though it's probably too late by that time]].
* ShipTease: The game (and supplemental materials) has a lot of this between her and Zero. In particular, "Freesia" (sung by Ciel's own seiyuu) is implied to be Ciel's speech on how she loves Zero.
* StayInTheKitchen: Twice, Zero refused to allow Ciel to accompany him on a mission. The first time was subverted when they reached a compromise (Ciel's expertise was ''extremely'' needed in that scenario) where Zero will use a [[WarpWhistle Transserver]] to transport her straight to the location. Justified, however, since she is a [[PunyEarthlings squishy human]] while Zero is a literal war machine. She's also a pacifist, meaning she ''will not fight,'' making this trope devoid of the usual sexism since any mission Zero goes on will by necessity require violence.
* TeamMom: A kindly leader of the Resistance who cares about the lives of all of the Reploids under her (and not just them too).
* TeenGenius: Oh, yeah. Justified since she was a product of [[BioAugmentation genetic engineering]], allowing her to build a perfect copy of X ''at the age of nine''.
* TenderTears: Spent the entirety of ''Zero 4's'' credits crying as [[spoiler:Ragnarok dissipates in a shower of debris (with Zero still presumably aboard).]]
* TokenHuman: She is the only human in the Resistance.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: She is a girly girl to Neige's tomboy.
* UncattyResemblance: Passy, her own Cyber-Elf in the first game, bears quite a resemblance to Ciel herself.
* UncertainDoom: Overlapping with a downplayed version of SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome. After all the megatons of pure crap she has to endure through the ''Zero'' saga, ''ZX'' leaves her fate up in the air and suggests Serpent tried to eliminate her, but we don't know ''what'' happened or if he was successful because there was no sequel to ''ZX Advent''...
* UnusualEuphemism: Her final line in the series sounds like she means to say something else before a LastSecondWordSwap.
--> '''Ciel:''' Zero, I... I believe in you!
* VoiceWithAnInternetConnection: In all games, she communicates with Zero during mission openings, and sometimes during a crucial part of a stage.
* WetBlanketWife: She's not a wife, but still, she at times reminds Zero that he shouldn't fight too much, out of worry for his safety (and worry that he might be bothered by helping her so much). Zero, knowing himself as a war machine, counters this by saying that he has battled his entire life and doing the dirty work is his reason for living.
* WideEyedIdealist: She aspires for humans and Reploids to coexist harmonically, and eschews violence to make her dream become a reality.
* YankTheDogsChain: At the beginning of ''Zero 3'', Ciel has finally finished the CIEL System, and has sent her research to Neo Arcadia, possibly opening up a chance for peace talks...and then Weil uses that information to spark another all-out war between the two sides. [[spoiler:Weil proposes to combine the C.I.E.L. system with the Dark Elf to generate enough energy at once to solve the crisis. Ciel refuses because she can't trust in the ObviouslyEvil MadScientist to handle the new technology, which is [[XanatosGambit what he was expecting her to say]]. Copy-X then promptly declares her an extremist trying to create a criminal monopoly on the energy resources and accuses Zero of being the muscle to keep her plan going. Cue three missions to prevent an AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs.]]
* YouMonster: She mentions after Zero stops Pegasolta Eclair from pouring acid rain on Area Zero that Weil's whole idea of Operation Ragnarok is so atrocious, she can't believe that he's even human.
[[/folder]]
----

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

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

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

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