History Characters / MegaManZeroProtagonists

* BroughtToYouByTheLetterS: His Z-Knuckle is a Z-shaped imprint on his palm, in which a special chip is inserted, allowing him to take the enemy's weapons.

%%* AmnesiacHero
* AmnesiacResonance:

* BadassBaritone: In the Drama Cd's
* BadassCreed: "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."

* ChasteHero: Arguably, if Ciel's care for Zero can be interpreted as "love".

%%* CoolHelmet

%%* RedIsHeroic

%%* SealedBadassInACan

** As seen in the minigames, Zero's Z-knuckle is capable of a lot of things, [[PowerCopying depending on the weapon it stole]].

* 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.'''
* WhatTheHellTownspeople: Zero later calls the Caravan out for attempting to abandon [[DamselInDistress Neige when she was kidnapped.]]

* WorldOfCardboardSpeech: HisBadassCreed [[MeaningfulEcho evolves]] into ''[[FinalSpeech this]]'':

* YouAreTooLate: Zero arrives at the final boss barely in time (which is an improvement over his usual tardiness; see below) 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.

%%* InnocentBlueEyes

%%* RebelLeader

%%* VoiceWithAnInternetConnection

** BadassBaritone: In the Drama Cd's
** BadassCreed: "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."
*** WorldOfCardboardSpeech: Which [[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!"
** BadassLongrobe: ''Z2'' intro stage.
*** TheCoatsAreOff: Right after that.
** OneManArmy: It's a surprise that LaResistance (mostly made up of civilian Reploids) managed to survive Neo Arcadia's persecution until Ciel found Zero. In ''Zero 4'', it's played ''very literally.''
** SealedBadassInACan
** 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.

* 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[=/=]ObliviousToLove: Arguably, if Ciel's care for Zero can be interpreted as "love".

* CoolHelmet

* EvilKnockoff[=/=]EnemyWithout: 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.]]
* EvolvingWeapon[=/=][[EvolvingAttack Attack]]: In the first two games, using Zero's weapons a set number of times allows him to learn additional skills with them.

** 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 DEAD and the series was over. However, the Complete Works book states Zero's fate was unknown.]]

* HumansAreBastards[=/=]HumansAreSpecial: 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}}.

* MultiMeleeMaster: Although he also [[TheMusketeer has a gun]]. See also the SwissArmyWeapon below.

* PunchClockHero: What he does all the time is just fighting for the people he believe in; he never considers himself a hero. See also his WorldOfCardboardSpeech above.

* RedIsHeroic
** 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.

---> You're right, I don't understand that feeling. To me, you just look like another Maverick.

** WhatTheHellTownspeople: And then Zero later calls the Caravan out for attempting to abandon [[DamselInDistress Neige when she was kidnapped.]]

* YouAreTooLate: Zero arrives at the final boss barely in time (which is an improvement over his usual tardiness; see below) 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; in particular, see RidingTheBomb above.

--->"Ciel, believe in me!"

* InnocentBlueEyes

--->'''Ciel:''' [[spoiler:Zero]], you believed in us...Now it's our turn to show that your faith in us was not misplaced. Watch, [[spoiler:Zero...]] I'll make this world a better place. One where humans and Reploids can walk hand in hand, living in peace. Just come back someday...I...I believe in you!

** ImageSong: "L'oiseau Du Bonheur" and "Freesia".

* NotThatKindOfDoctor

* RebelLeader

* VoiceWithAnInternetConnection

* AbortedArc: For a series ''about'' Zero, they eschewed his entire {{backstory}} [[spoiler:regarding [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Dr. Wily]]]] in favor of a new one.
** Averted to a degree as well: [[spoiler:Zero's story involving Wily had already had come to a close after he chose to seal himself away to get rid of the virus, and he came back with a brand new body built by Ciel's ancestor. Not to mention, any and all connections to Wily, including Sigma, were either wiped clean by the Elf Wars, or Zero's complete amnesia from being woken up by Ciel.]]

* AmnesiacHero

* ElementalPunch: Zero can load elemental chips to his weapons, and their charged attacks become elemental.

* [[spoiler:EvilKnockoff[=/=]EnemyWithout]]: ''Inverted''.

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

* [[spoiler:TenderTears: Spent the entirety of ''Zero 4's'' credits crying as Ragnarok dissipates in a shower of debris (with Zero still presumably aboard).]]

* ChickMagnet
* [[spoiler:CloningBlues: 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.]]

** 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.

* AntiAntiChrist: One of the biggest examples.
** MessianicArchetype: Ultimately becomes this by the time the series ends.

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 indeed 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. Which pretty much means Ciel. [[spoiler:Zero dies following the final battle of ''Zero 4'' staying aboard the space station ''Ragnarok'' as it crashes to earth.]]

[[folder:'''Zero''']]

[[folder:'''Ciel''']]

* GuestFighter: In ''OnimushaBladeWarriors''.

%%* MultiformBalance: the Forms, vaguely.

* MultiformBalance: the Forms, vaguely.
** MasterOfNone: '''[[color:red:Normal]]''', literally, since it doesn't have a specialty unlike the other Forms.
** FragileSpeedster: '''[[color:orange:Active]]'''
** MightyGlacier: '''[[color:yellow:Energy]]''' and '''[[color:purple:Power]]''', defense- (on health, specifically) and offense-oriented, respectively.
** StoneWall: '''[[color:green:Defense]]''' and '''[[color:pink:Erase]]''', although the latter can still dish out damage.
** GlassCannon: '''Proto'''
** LightningBruiser: '''[[color:silver:Rise]]''' and '''[[color:blue:X]]'''
** SuperMode: '''[[color:crimson:Ultimate]]'''

* AdaptationalWimp: in the manga.

* 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.'''

** Averted to a degree as well: [[spoiler:Zero's story involving Wily had already had come to a close after he chose to seal himself away to get rid of the virus, and he came back with a brand new body built by Ciel's ancestor. Not to mention, any at all connections to Wily, including Sigma, were either wiped clean by the Elf Wars, or Zero's complete amnesia from being woken up by Ciel.]]

** Another one of Zero's Forms (see PaletteSwap below) is the '''X''' form. Guess what color is this form based on, as well as what weapon it specializes in? Possibly a MythologyGag as well.

* 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.]]

** [[spoiler:Inafune once mentioned he was DEAD and the series was over. However the Complete Works book mention Zero's fate was unknown.]]

* HumbleHero: Evident in his WorldOfCardboardSpeech above. In addition, he doesn't think a battle Reploid like him would change the world, he instead fights for those who he believes are able to do so.

* {{Irony}}: [[spoiler:It is ''Zero'', who was the creation of ''Dr. Wily'', to establish the dream of Dr. Light, his creator's nemesis, to bring peace between robots and humans]].

** Actually justified in between ''Zero 1'' and ''Zero 2'' due to battling nonstop for a year; his weapons are damaged, and in particular, the Triple Rod got totaled. There's no excuse for him forgetting his learned techniques for the next game, however. Oh, and he tends not to keep any of the Cyber Elves and game-exclusive upgrades (like Forms or Body Chips) between games.

** Thankfully averted from ''Zero 3'' onwards. Your weapons already start at full power, saving the tediousness of leveling them up.

* 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 why the "legendary hero" has skill level 1 with his own sword. (It also conveniently allows the X games to continue without affecting what Zero should remember later on.) Zero 2 and 3 get better mileage out of the amnesia by "revealing" things that Zero was actually around for in the past.

** Yet [[RuleOfThree another time]] is when he realizes that [[spoiler:he can't stop Omega's missile [[RidingTheBomb while riding it]]]] and is about to take an [=ICBM=] to the face. Note that these reactions never seem to rise above the level of AlertnessBlink.

* AbortedArc: For a series ''about'' Zero, they eschewed his entire {{backstory}} [[spoiler:regarding [[VideoGame/MegaMan Dr. Wily]]]] in favor of a new one.

* PersonOfMassDestruction: [[spoiler:He was designed to be one, by [[VideoGame/MegaMan Dr. Wily]]. But after his HeelFaceTurn, what he does isn't much different...]]

** 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/MegaMan Dr. Light]].

** {{Handwave}}d by WordOfGod 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.

* FanNickname: "The Red Ripper," as a counterpart to the typical nickname of ''Mega Man'' protagonists. "The Crimson Warrior," as a follow up to his popular X series title as "The Crimson Hunter."

** [[spoiler:WordOfGod once mentioned he was DEAD and the series was over. However the Complete Works book mention Zero's fate was unknown.]]

* OhCrap: The possibility of facing the Einherjar Warriors ''all together'' (which, unfortunately, didn't happen) is one of the few times in the series that Zero had this reaction (subtle, yes, but a reaction nonetheless).

* TheOtherDarrin: Creator/YuutoKazama is his consistent voice actor in this series, but it's different from any of the ones from the ''X'' series. Easily justifiable when you're a robot in a new body, though.

* {{Expy}}: This series' answer to Roll. However like Zero was to Protoman she became the basis for future Roll's.
** Alia, the MegamanX series Roll, gets a makeover to look more like Ciel...as well as [[FanservicePack other alterations]], but that's irrelevant here.

* {{Expy}}: Ciel has a very uncanny similarity, in appearances, background AND role, to Alia from the ''X'' series.
** And done recursively when Alia gets a makeover to look more like Ciel...as well as [[FanservicePack other alterations]], but that's irrelevant here.