Freedom Fighters NEO: The Weil Arc is when things get different from the Mega Man X: Mavericks series.
Line 1: X, trying to find a way to bring Zero back to his senses, learns that two of Dr. Light's previous creations, Break Man and M'egga Man, went too Ax-Crazy. While hunting Mavericks, he encounters Vesper Woman, whose sister, Tempo, was kidnapped by Robotnik. X stops Break Man and M'egga Man, who are revealed to be his brothers, Blues and Rock. He also learns that Blues was crushing on Tempo. X goes to the Wily Castle, where he learns Zero's true purpose, as well as the fact that Roll was created from the brain patterns of a girl used as a guinea pig in something called "Project:Lazarus". Dr. Light hated the project, and tried to give the girl the life the scientists working for the project took away from her. X then defeats Forte, who told X the story, including Rock and Roll's crush on each other and how people will all consider it incestuous. Nevertheless, X rescues the girls and reunites them with their "boyfriends". X then receives an invitation to Zero's wedding, which was arranged by Dr. Koopa.
Line 2: Dr. Koopa, wishing to make amends for what he did with Repliforce, was planning for the past three weeks a wedding between Zero (who now calls himself "The Omega") and the Mother Elf. He hired the most brutal wedding planners, the Broodals, for this job, and told Metallix to go with them and ensure everything goes as planned. Metallix sees that the Broodals were having Conflicting Loyalties as someone else ordered them to plan a wedding in the same day, at the exact location. Metallix does some research, and, knowing that the Running Gag of them running into Mario can't be a coincidence, figures out that the other client is a Bowser Impostor, and convinces the Broodals that the wedding Dr. Koopa plans will have more success. The five find the required wedding items: the Lochlady Dress, the Soiree Bouqet, the Frost-Frosted Cake, the Sparkling Waters and the Stupendous Stew, and Metallix made copies of the Binding Band and of a Bonneton named Tiara. After Metallix shows Mario his full strenght at the ruined Koopa Kingdom, he and the Broodals leave with their wedding stuff to Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor, to prepare the wedding.
Final Chapter: As the wedding goes, Zero keeps complaining that "The Mother Elf killed Iris". Dr. Koopa assures Zero that, once the wedding is officiated, Dr. Koopa will reveal Iris' fate. Mario tried to crash the wedding, but Metallix gives him another taste of pain. Once Dr. Koopa fully officiates the wedding between Zero and the Mother Elf, the latter forgives Dr. Koopa for what he did to her, revealing that she actually is Iris' heart, recreated from Zero's memories of Iris. Iris then gives Zero The Big Damn Kiss, restoring his true self, Zero the Hero. Unfortunately, Dr. Weil appears and voices his disgust of a "Reploid Marriage", showing his Fantastic Racism by indirectly claiming that Reploids don't have the right to marry. Weil then reveals his new weapon, Ragnarok 2.0, designed to destroy all of existence from it's core, Kingdom Hearts. Iris, however, through a Heroic Resolve, destroys the Ragnarok, and Weil is Put on a Bus to Hell by the Kingdom Hearts. After Iris promises to never leave Zero again, the people go to the wedding reception... except for Mario, who is kicked out since he wasn't invited.
Tropes in this arc:
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Angel/Devil Shipping: Teased but averted. Dr. Koopa's plan was to have Omega, the Devil Reploid, marry the angelic Mother Elf. However, this is all a plot to save Zero from himself, and the wedding is actually between Zero and Iris.- However, The Merger Magikoopa once read a comment that stated that Iris is a Foil to Zero, namely, "the angel to Zero's devil"
- Arranged Marriage: Dr. Koopa's plan is basically doing this to Omega and the Mother Elf.
- Perfectly Arranged Marriage: Once it's revealed Iris is the heart of the Mother Elf, the wedding becomes this between Zero and Iris.
- The Atoner: Dr. Koopa spends the arc as this, trying to atone for what he did to Zero and Iris. And what better way to do so than arranging their wedding?
- Badass Boast: Iris, before facing Ragnarok 2.0:"My name is Iris Wily. And I have a message for you, Weil. I'm not afraid of you, and I won't let you hurt anyone else. I, the Ultimate Reploid, the Honorable Sword Of Justice, will strike you down!"
- Batman Gambit: The Merger Magikoopa (or rather, his Author Avatar) reveals himself ah having made one to completely destroy Dr. Weil. Knowing Weil's Omnicidal Maniac tendencies and that, to Weil, a Crapsack World is a perfect world, he goaded Weil by telling him that all Crapsack Worlds are destroyed and replace with 10 happy worlds. He then tells Weil that the only way he can win is to destroy Kingdom Hearts. However, he didn't tell Weil one important detail: Kingdom Hearts won't let anyone destroy it, and, as such, create the X-blade as a safeguard. This plan is worthy of Xehanort, which is Hilarious in Hindsight when The Merger Magikoopa reveals himself as a Kingdom Hearts player to the other angels:The Merger Magikoopa: "Me? I'm already half-Xehanort!"
- Chekhov's Gun: While gathering the wedding items, Metallix and the Broodals watch Kung Fu Panda. At the wedding, Metallix banishes Mario to the Null Space with the Wuxi Finger Hold.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Kingdom Hearts is referred to as "the core to all of existence" by Dr. Weil. Justified since it's Dr. Weil who said it; he understands nothing about hearts.
- Fantastic Racism: Dr. Weil is racist towards Reploids, claiming that they have no right to marry.
- Hate Sink: Obviously, Dr. Weil. He claims that Reploids do not have the right to get married. Then, The Merger Magikoopa shows how much he hates Dr. Weil by turning him into an Omnicidal Maniac that wants to destroy all hearts in existence, and what better way to do it than by destroying Kingdom Hearts? And what better punishment for him than being Put on a Bus to Hell and being forgotten by everyone right afterwards?
- Impossible Genius: The reason Iris Took a Level in Badass? Dr. Koopa found a way to give Iris a fighting will without hurting her brain, thus turning Iris into the Ultimate Reploid Repliforce tried to create.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Weil wanted to destroy Kingdom Hearts. Kingdom Hearts obliterated Weil with it's light.
- Shout-Out:
- Metallix banishing Mario in the Null Space:
Mario: "You... Can't... Beat... Me... You're just... A Machine... Made by... A Koopa..." (lungesc to Metallix, who grabs his finger)
Metallix: "I'm not a Machines made by a Koopa... I'm the greatest masterpiece of the greatest Koopa scientist!" (lifts his pinky)
Mario: (gasps) "The Wuxi Finger Hold!"
Metallix: "Oh, you know this hold?"
Mario: "You're bluffing... You're bluffing! No one could teach you a fictional technique!"
Metallix: "Nope. (Mario smiles) I figured it out." (Mario's smile vanishes as Metallix flexes his pinky)- Iris vs. Dr. Weil/Ragnarok 2.0 is similar to Sora vs. Ansem-World Of Chaos, with similar stakes: if Weil wins, Kingdom Hearts will be destroyed; if Ansem wins, Kingdom Hearts will be overtaken by Darkness. Even more, Guardando nel buio plays în the background... If fanfics have songs.
- Right before facing Weil, Iris states she "will strike [Weil] down", referring to herself as "the Honorable Sword Of Justice". This is a reference to Undyne, the Spear Of Justice.
- Took a Level in Badass: Iris, after a Heroic Resolve.
- Wedding Episode: Between Zero and Iris.
