Do you like Axl?

[OBJECTION MAN]

The childish third man in the primary line of defense for maverick wrong doings... Axl.

Love him, or hate him? Was Axl more, or less, welcome in X8 as opposed to X7? What do you, and don't you like about him?

Some feel he breaks up the tried and true dynamic of the X and Zero partner team. Others feel he fits right in, or even to a greater degree, we should have more actual playable characters much like Command Mission... What do you think?

[CephiYumi]

Well, I do like magic users sooo...

[Akira]

Axl... does not exist...

[GameDragon]

I feel that Axl overshadows X too much. Atleast in X7/X8.

[The Great Gonzo]

Axl is okay.

[Mirby]

Look at my sig.

[Blaze Yeager]

i still think that Axl is probably good character,But lacks What X & Zero Have...

[Dr. Wily II]

Well, I do like magic users sooo...

MAGIC MISSILE

[HokutoNoBen]

Hell no. Because at least to me, everything that Axl represents seems like something that could have been a possible development for an already established character, like say....Dynamo.

I mean, how do we go from a guy like Dynamo, who had decent development as an antagonist who rivals X and Zero in combat ability (and certainly has enough common sense to retreat), yet clearly has his own agenda to...nothing at all? And in his place, we get this new kid who comes out of nowhere, and is the impetus of a new plotline that just does more to ditch everything that X5 and X6 were building up towards?

To me, Axl does even more to represent what went wrong with Inafune-less Rockman X than even X6. So if he gets retconned away, I won't have any problem with such at all.

[Archer]

No, I don't like him, but I don't dislike him either.

I'm indifferent, really.

[Hypershell]

Hell no. Because at least to me, everything that Axl represents seems like something that could have been a possible development for an already established character, like say....Dynamo.

I mean, how do we go from a guy like Dynamo, who had decent development as an antagonist who rivals X and Zero in combat ability (and certainly has enough common sense to retreat), yet clearly has his own agenda to...nothing at all? And in his place, we get this new kid who comes out of nowhere, and is the impetus of a new plotline that just does more to ditch everything that X5 and X6 were building up towards?

That was......objectionable!

Dynamo is an annoyance and little else.  In design, he's a bastardization of X and Zero thrown into a blender.  In gameplay, he's a pushover.  In story, he's a jerk whose Robin Spitz-Swallows survival rate makes it a miracle that X and Zero retain their sanity.  His "combat ability" being remotely comparable to X and Zero is complete rubbish.  If he's not even a Hunter, not even KNOWN by Signas, then how in the hell does he get a mission efficiency rating higher than Zero?  Especially when his only priority is his own ass.  He barely has any place as a meaningful antagonist (gluttons for punishment have some value, I suppose) and CERTAINLY has no place as a player.

I don't dislike Axl, but I must admit that I'll always regard X and Zero as "the" dynamic duo of the Hunters.  Nevertheless, he does provide a fresh perspective, especially in X8, when you get to see a new character confront the old nemeses (in one game he already gets sick of Vile, you can't help but laugh at that).  In gameplay, he's been a bit of trial-and-error, but I think that both X8 and ZXA offered some strong possibilities.  Incorporate double-pistols into his default attacks (even if only for aesthetics), and make shape-shifting the basis of his special attacks instead of some limited stage gimmick, and he'd be set.

To me, Axl does even more to represent what went wrong with Inafune-less Rockman X than even X6. So if he gets retconned away, I won't have any problem with such at all.

Excuse me, but it's not as if Inafune-equipped Rockman X hasn't suffered its own pitfalls.  X5 was horrendous in gameplay and badly presented in story.  MHX is ugly as sin (in terms of character models, anyway) and watered down one of the best buster upgrades the series ever saw to half strength.  And X6, while not the best way to broaden the series audience, happens to rock a lot of socks as a challenge for the hardcore fans, not to mention features some of the finest large-scale enemy battles and SNES remixes that the series has seen, and the fact that you finally get to kick the recurring villain while he's down.

And know this: Whatever X5 was building towards, Inafune had no intention of continuing.  No shred of evidence has ever suggested that Wily's appearance would ever have anything to do with the Zero series.  From the Sigma Virus's defeat, to Zero's death, to Wily's confirmed yet off-screen and unresolved involvement, X5's story was exceedingly badly executed.  Inafune let it pass because all he wanted was to end the series, and it was evidently his assumption that the series dies when Zero dies (he's probably right in that regard).  With all due respect, screw him.  At least X6 had the decency to show us that Wily dropped out versus X5 referencing his involvement without ever having him make an appearance in the first place.  And while Zero is my favorite character, the Zero series was never and will never be a substitute for the X-series.

[VirusChris]

I love him!

He's my favorite character from the series, right alongside with Zero! I wish they make another Megaman game that explains what happen to Axl before the Elf Wars and why he's never mentioned by X or Zero in the Zero series (then again, they were both busying stopping Copy X/Eplizo/Omega/Dr. Weil at the time so no time to talk about the old days).


Though some of his dialogue in Command Mission, especially the bit about Zero at that Factory, seems out-of-place sometimes.

I look forward to Axl's next appearance!

[Mirby]

Forgive me for saying this, but it seems to me that they only mentioned Wily to give a reason as to why Zero was destined to fight X. We always knew X was created by Light, but it wasn't until X4 that we knew Wily created Zero, even though we'd been inundated with ZERO WOULD ONE DAY FIGHT X in the previous three games. Zero did in fact fight X in X5, thus concluding that part of the story. With Zero's destiny fulfilled, there was really no point to continue Wily's involvement in the X series.

@VC: I do too! ^_^

[Dr. Wily II]

So by connecting the dots...

Cossack was the original creator of Axl? o:

[Hypershell]

If they ever felt like re-introducing Wily, making Axl into Zero's little brother would make a surprising amount of sense.  Copy Chips leading to the elimination of Sigma and all.  It was clear in X6 that Wily had no reservations about his creations kicking Sigma's ass; I'd imagine he broke off the alliance after X5's plans went haywire.

We always knew X was created by Light, but it wasn't until X4 that we knew Wily created Zero

Actually hints of that were dropped in Rockman X2, but we lost them in localization.  X3 went completely Wily-less in all regions, though.

[Mirby]

I remember it saying that in both X1 and X2... at least the ZERO WOULD ONE DAY FIGHT X stuff...

[Hypershell]

For X1 that'd be quite impressive, considering that Zero had the notable handicap of being dead.

I think you heard wrong.

[Mirby]

Okay, maybe not X1. But I definitely remember it in X2.

[OBJECTION MAN]

I think only X3 and X4 flat out say it. I don't recall it in the English X2, which I recently replayed. That and you actually DID fight Zero in X2 (usually). The only thing in the English script that semi resembles it is Sigma wondering why Zero didn't follow his orders despite him thinking it was Zero's destiny.

[Mirby]

It's in the credits, or the ending scene.

[Aresian]

Well... I was gonna pwn Ben, but HS did it for me.

On the factual side, HS takes the win.

As for opinion, I love Axl. He is the fresh new flavor the series needed. Not that the X series is going anywhere anymore.

[Protoman Blues]

I have no beef with Axl.  Just how the decided to present him in the game...

It's the equivalent of someone take a fork and force feeding broccoli down your throat, when you really just want the carrots, or at least the ability to eat the carrot without being force fed the broccoli.

[GameDragon]

I think only X3 and X4 flat out say it. I don't recall it in the English X2, which I recently replayed. That and you actually DID fight Zero in X2 (usually). The only thing in the English script that semi resembles it is Sigma wondering why Zero didn't follow his orders despite him thinking it was Zero's destiny.

Having beaten X2 just yesterday, it doesn't flat out say X has to fight Zero until X3. X2's ending vaguely mentions "something" must be sacrificed in order to obtain peace.

As for Wily, he is somewhat mentioned by Sigma's final words in X2, "...the last of the doctor's creations."

[Hypershell]

In retrospect, it works.  But at the time, it was a bit too vague.  Could have referred to anyone.  Back in the day, I thought he meant Cain.

RMX2 is a bit more specific.  "Wi...Numbers..."

[OBJECTION MAN]

I feel that Axl overshadows X too much. Atleast in X7/X8.

Just to touch on this, since I didn't in my previous post.

I think the way they're planning it, which may not have been intentional from the beginning, it looks like they are going for sets of three. X1-3 was mainly X centric, and showing X's growing potential. X4-6 was mainly Zero centric, revealing the Wily connection, and Wily's continued presence. X7-8 so far have been very Axl centric, with his appearance along with the copy chips.

I think they're trying to do it in sets of three. 1-3 X, 4-6 Zero, 7-9 Axl, and ideally a 10 just to tie up all the lose ends and bring it to a finale ending where all characters reach their final conclusive story closure.