So I've been boning up on my X series trivia in the past couple weeks, and I seem to have hit a conundrum that I think could either spark interesting theories and speculation, or will simply be answered in one post and then this topic dies.

Anyway, what I came across was the origin of Sigma Virus and how "Mavericks" came to be. From what I've been reading, it seems as though Zero caught a virus that lay dormant in the capsule he had been sealed in until his release. When he battled Sigma, as seen in poorly animated/acted cutscene in X4, Zero transferred his virus to Sigma, thus Sigma Virus was born and it caused Sigma to turn Maverick.

Here's where my confusion comes in. Some sources say that a "Maverick" is a reploid that has become infected with Sigma Virus, becoming a violent threat to humanity. Sigma was, however, a top-class Maverick Hunter and de factor leader of the Hunters prior to this attack. So without Sigma Virus, how were their Mavericks to hunt in the first place?

Or are there other ways for a reploid to be classified as "Maverick?" Thoughts?

I will take "Shut up, Yosh" as an acceptable answer.

Edited by Yosh on September 9, 2011 at 9:55:32

The original Mavericks were Reploids who couldn't cope with the stress of their programming and malfunctioned because of it; the virus only appeared later. The source of the malfunction was eventually given as the "Suffering Circuit" that was copied from X and installed in all the other reploids, but most people here find that to be bunk, official or not, due to the stupid, official explanation that the Suffering Circuit is also the source of the Maverick Virus.

So there are two sources of Sigma Virus then? The Suffering Circuit and the mysterious plague virus chilling in Zero's capsule? They're pretty much equally ridiculous, and I'm pretty sure since it's Capcom they added space in there somewhere. It seems like since the late nineties, everything evil in Mega Man comes from space.

I suppose it confuses things more since in the states I think Sigma Virus and the Maverick Virus are two different things and overseas it's just one thing. Thanks for the answer.

Meh, I think the Sigma virus is really just a mutated strain of the original Maverick virus, hence why Sigma needed huge amounts of it to re-maverick Zero.

But yeah. Basically the same chip that made X a pacifist turns everyone else into a psycho. And frankly, the fact that Zero was the source of the problem fit with his character, and made it all the more meaningful when he gave his life to finally end the conflict between humans and reploids.

But NOOOOOO, now it's all X's fault and pretty boy Zero gets to be goddamn perfect again.

In short:

Capcom is a lousy storyteller.

Wait, should it be "Capcom is a lousy storyteller" or "Capcom are lousy storytellers"? Do you refer to an entire corporation as singular or as multiple?

According to the last thing they wrote on the subject (the Zero Collection timeline from the game's official Japanese webpage in 2010), they dropped the suffering circuit origin and decided that the virus leaked out from Zero's hibernation capsule while he was still sleeping, causing the first viral mavericks. Sure enough, Yosh, it seems they also tried to link it to Mega Man 10's Roboenza by calling the Sigma Virus a mutation of a 100 year old computer virus that came from space. I do think that's reasonably clever, except the only place that mentions Roboenza comes from space is the game's subtitle, but Wily has a space tower that he could be spreading the virus from. Even so, the actual storytelling aspect is still confusing!

As for grammar, I'd say that Capcom as a whole company would be left "Capcom is a lousy storyteller" unless you wanted to be more specific and say "Capcom's scenario writers are lousy storytellers". (But Inti Creates also seems responsible for the parts we're complaining about.)

It seems like that's why the misunderstanding came from. There's a retcon in there. So, originally, a Maverick was a reploid who's Suffering Circuit caused them to go berserk, which was accelerated when exposed to Sigma Virus, created by Sigma to be a jerk? Then Inti Creates changed that to the virus from space thing.

I actually prefer the original concept. It's kinda stupid to me that some mysterious virus was leaking out from Zero's capsule. I dunno if a computer virus can just float around in the air like this.

Of course, this is in the same universe where there are 9-ton robotic Elephants shooting flame and oil atop conveyer belts, weakened by giant tornadoes obtained from destroying a giant, purple, robotic eagle.

It was unexplained, then it became the Suffering Circuit, then it became what it is currently. Apparently the Suffering Circuit thing was conceived at some point during the early development of MMZ.

At times like these, I just repeat to myself, it's just a game, I should really just relax.

Suffering circuit was hilarious and I'm glad they retconned it. Way to enable emos, Capcom.