Per wiki policy, Spoilers Off applies here and all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned.
Fridge Brilliance:
- This game introduces a possible reason for Zero's Superhero Speciation away from using his Z-Buster: he can't aim. In The Day of Σ, he utterly fails to hit the simulation Mechaniloid's weak point without hitting its hostage (something which Sigma claimed X was able to do). Then in the intro stage of the game proper, he fails to shoot Vile when he's escaping on the Death Rogumer. The only moments he actually succeeded were 1) shooting the arm of Vile's Ride Armor to save X, and 2) destroying Vile's Ride Armor at point-blank range. In both cases, his targets were large and stationary.
- A problem rectified in Zero's own series, where he uses a Buster Shot handgun with a sight.
- Wait, as in how he "missed" blowing out the giant Mechaniloid's leg, crippling it into exposing the generator?
- That had nothing to do with Zero's accuracy. Zero clearly dashed into point-blank range before firing.
- This also explains his shift in combat styles in later games. From X2 onward, Zero focuses on maximizing damage output over the largest areas possible. In X2 and X3, he accomplished this by combining Z-Buster shots with Z-Saber slashes. From X4 onward, he stops using his Buster and focuses on Z-Saber tech. He only goes back to the Buster Shot in the Zero series because it's the first weapon he can find.
- On the topic of aim, let's talk about X's. According to Sigma, X's ability to hit a target is no different from Sigma's own; he could have shot the Mechaniloid's generator without fatally harming its hostage. This is backed by X's opening shot, which he delivered while in free-fall at terminal velocity, at such a high altitude that any normal human wouldn't even be able to see where the Mechaniloid was, let alone line up a shot. X has advanced targeting systems helping him make those kinds of precision shots.
- As discussed on the X1 Fridge page, X always steadies his X-Buster's aim with another hand. Conversely, Zero is often seen firing with only one arm, which appears to negatively affect his aim.
- Also, X was designed by Dr. Light to be compassionate as well as effective as a warrior. Having a great, precise aim makes sense for someone like X who would go into the greatest lenghts to avoid as much colateral damage as possible, with his own hessitance being his main drawback rather than anything technical on his aim.
- The game occurs directly after The Day of Σ, where Sigma disabled Zero with his saber so he could challenge X uninterrupted. Look at Zero's dialogue portrait while he's hanging onto Vile's Ride Armor before the Heroic Sacrifice: he's clutching his chest with his off-hand. Zero may have some residual damage from Sigma's saber, and whatever Vile did before X showed up made it worse. Maybe the explosion that destroyed Vile's Ride Armor was Zero's power core rupturing as a result of Zero charging his Z-Buster.
- His first line after Vile makes it clear that Zero wasn't planning to self-destruct and destroy Vile's Ride Armor. More likely, his intention was to blow Vile's head off with a point-blank Z-Buster blast before he could kill X. The fact that his power core was damaged and might explode — let alone with enough force to destroy a Ride Armor — didn't even enter his mind.
"X... I'm always telling you... to be more careful... but now look at me..."- This could also explain why Zero stopped using a Buster. When it worked properly, the Z-Buster had higher output than X, especially in Maverick Hunter X, thus a bigger draw on his power core. If Zero is defeated in X3 he says his power core is damaged; maybe his more advanced Buster contributed to that damage. He probably decided to stop using a Buster unless the output was better controlled, like in X5 and X6. By X7, Zero developed enough saber skill that his Buster became superfluous.
- It also adds explanation why X takes longer to charge the Z-Buster than Zero. Dr. Light made the same mistake with Protoman that Dr. Wily made with Zero; their power output is higher, but their power cores are less stable because of it. X's long charge time means his power system is better regulated, so he can reach those insane power levels without sacrificing stability.
- In The Day of Σ, X surrenders by detaching his right forearm, despite both arms being able to summon his X-Buster in-game. However, the OVA only ever shows X's right arm as a buster — X's left arm didn't have attack abilities until this climax, where he upgraded himself through sheer willpower. That's why X's Shining Finger took Sigma so off-guard: he was witnessing X's true adaptive power and couldn't comprehend it. If he wasn't stabbed to the point of unconsciousness, X might've had the strength to form his X-Buster and blow Sigma's head off.
- This also explains the goofy "Not a Charge Shot!" from Vile Mode's ending. In the original Japanese, Vile says: "Impossible! Was he charging in a way I didn't notice?" — he isn't terrified of a Charge Shot, he's dumbfounded that X was secretly charging with his left arm!
- Sigma's insistence on teaching X that he must be ready to "pull the trigger" on the battlefield reflects his own inner turmoil: Sigma feels that the only way for Reploids to evolve is if he pulls the trigger and declares war on the humans. He's mentally bracing himself for this monumental choice.
- The Cain and Abel symbolism is very explicit. In the tale, Cain murdered Abel out of envy, because Cain's offering of crops made a poor substitute for the live offering he was supposed to have sacrificed to God. Similarly, Dr. Cain's "offering" of Reploids were made as a substitute to humans, and in the end they got Abel City scarred by a horrific attack that introduced the Maverick Wars.
- Vile's hatred of X is ironic; he hates him for getting more attention despite his apparent weakness, not knowing the reason X gets so much attention is because of his humanity. In a way, Vile is every bit as human as his mortal enemy. Selfish, rude, jealous, short-tempered, arrogant, violent and driven by a petty motivation, in contrast to X, who is selfless, kind, reverent, placid, humble, uses violence as a last resort and is driven to fight for justice and hope. X and Vile can be seen as representing the very best and worst of humanity, respectively.
- None of the eight Maverick lieutenants care for Sigma's dream of Reploid evolution: they're either loyalists, self-serving sociopaths, or have been totally subjugated. They don't care about evolving to match or surpass humanity. This is reflected in the fact that all of their bodies are designed after animals rather than humans.
- Boomerang Kuwanger is the only one to acknowledge X's potential, and he arguably has the most anthropomorphic design of the eight.
- Vile also acknowledges Sigma's dream, but fundamentally misunderstands it and ultimately doesn't care. His face is totally obscured in his helmet's shadow, reflecting that he is not as humanoid as he may seem.
- It may seem random that Vile can perform Rocket Punches or fire missiles from his elbow; his arms have never displayed these abilities before. However, one of Vile's most iconic weapons is the knee bomb he drops by opening up his leg. It makes sense that he'd be able to open other parts of his body to attack too.
- There's a story reason Vile's boss fight is moved to Sigma Palace 3. In the original X1, Zero leads the charge in Sigma Palace 1 up the cliff while X follows him, so they face Vile together. But in Maverick Hunter X, X enters via the palace moat instead, but nothing says Zero didn't still run into Vile on his cliff route and get captured for bait in Sigma Palace 3. Had X climbed the cliff, he may have found Vile beating Zero as in the original game.
Fridge Horror:
- Fridge Sadness: In this continuity Dr. Light sealed X away to protect the people of the future (and because The World Is Not Ready)... and yet X only ever seems to be fighting against other Reploids, derivatives of his own design. If Light never let X loose on the world, so much tragedy could have been averted. The world really wasn't ready.
- It's darkly poetic that Sigma actually achieved his goal in this game. He sought to prove the potential of Reploids by pushing X to the brink: X would either defeat the rebellion and show what Reploids are truly capable of, or fail and allow Sigma to genocide the humans and make a world of Reploids anyway. His plan went off without a hitch, even though he had to die to see it through.
