Maverick

File:MHX - Maverick Logo.png

The insignia of the Mavericks in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X.

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A Maverick, known as an Irregular (イレギュラー) in Japan, is a classification of robot in the Mega Man series. First appearing in Mega Man X, the term is used extensively throughout the X era, Zero era, and ZX era, coming to generally mean any robot whose behavior is dangerous or counter to the laws of society.

In the Games

X era

Mega Man X

The term Maverick was introduced in Mega Man X. The Japanese game manual says it was intended for defective Reploids whose behavior threatened to harm humans or fellow Reploids. This begat the formation of the Maverick Hunters, an organization dedicated to controlling Maverick activity. However, the term gained political connotation when Sigma staged his rebellion against humanity, recruiting Maverick Hunters to harm humans of their own free will, without any defects.

This game introduced the formula of eight Stage Select bosses, often called the "eight Mavericks". Before facing Sigma, X must fight eight animal or plant-based Mavericks on the Stage Select screen. These eight are all former Maverick Hunters, now part of Sigma's rebellion.

Mavericks introduced in Mega Man X

Name	Portrait	Special Weapon	Weakness
Launch Octopus		Homing Torpedo	Rolling Shield
Chill Penguin		Shotgun Ice	Fire Wave
Flame Mammoth		Fire Wave	Storm Tornado
Boomer Kuwanger		Boomerang Cutter	Homing Torpedo
Sting Chameleon		Chameleon Sting	Boomerang Cutter
Spark Mandrill		Electric Spark	Shotgun Ice
Storm Eagle		Storm Tornado	Chameleon Sting
Armored Armadillo		Rolling Shield	Electric Spark

Mega Man X2

In Mega Man X2, many of the Mavericks are remnants of Sigma's initial rebellion who survived, laying low until the X-Hunters put their plans into motion. Two major developments occur: first, the Mavericks begin intentionally creating more Mavericks, all bearing Sigma's mark. Second, Magna Centipede spreads the Maverick Virus around the world via the Central Computer Stage, a virus which can force Reploids to go Maverick against their best judgement. These developments would have repercussions for the rest of the X era.

The eight Mavericks are five former Maverick Hunters from Sigma's rebellion, plus three new recruits.

Mavericks introduced in Mega Man X2

Name	Portrait	Special Weapon	Weakness
Wire Sponge		Strike Chain	Sonic Slicer
Morph Moth		Silk Shot	Speed Burner
Flame Stag		Speed Burner	Bubble Splash
Magna Centipede		Magnet Mine	Silk Shot
Overdrive Ostrich		Sonic Slicer	Crystal Hunter
Bubble Crab		Bubble Splash	Spin Wheel
Wheel Gator		Spin Wheel	Strike Chain
Crystal Snail		Crystal Hunter	Magnet Mine

Mega Man X3

In Mega Man X3, Mavericks are briefly believed to be a thing of the past once Dr. Doppler finds a way to cure Reploids of the Maverick Virus (now called the Sigma Virus). However, the illusion is dashed when Doppler reveals his own evil ambitions, and that the entirety of Dopple Town, including many visitors, are now his Maverick servants. Some Reploids, such as Gravity Beetle, sympathize with the rebellion and join too. This forms the Doppler Army, a new Maverick force seeking to dominate the world.

The eight Mavericks are members of the Doppler Army, of their own free will or due to the Sigma Virus.

Mavericks introduced in Mega Man X3

Name	Portrait	Special Weapon	Weakness
Blast Hornet		Parasitic Bomb	Gravity Well
Blizzard Buffalo		Frost Shield	Parasitic Bomb
Gravity Beetle		Gravity Well	Ray Splasher
Toxic Seahorse		Acid Burst	Frost Shield
Volt Catfish		Triad Thunder	Tornado Fang
Crush Crawfish		Spinning Blade	Triad Thunder
Tunnel Rhino		Tornado Fang	Acid Burst
Neon Tiger		Ray Splasher	Spinning Blade

Mega Man X4

In Mega Man X4, the term Maverick is further complicated as a political tool. After being blamed for the Sky Lagoon incident, Repliforce stages a coup d'état in order to escape to space and establish their own independent Reploid nation. Despite not outright seeking to destroy humanity, they are branded as Maverick for their disobedience and the Maverick Hunters are sent after them. Additionally, Sigma retains some loyal Maverick agents to help pull the strings behind the chaos.

The eight Mavericks are five members of Repliforce, plus three agents of Sigma.

Mavericks introduced in Mega Man X3

Name	Portrait	Special Weapon	Weakness
Web Spider		Lightning Web Raijingeki	Twin Slasher Shippuuga
Cyber Peacock		Aiming Laser Rakuhouha	Soul Body Ryuenjin
Storm Owl		Double Cyclone Tenkuuha	Aiming Laser Rakuhouha
Magma Dragoon		Rising Fire Ryuenjin	Double Cyclone Raijingeki
Jet Stingray		Ground Hunter Hienkyaku	Frost Tower Hyouretsuzan
Split Mushroom		Soul Body Kuuenzan	Lightning Web Raijingeki
Slash Beast		Twin Slasher Shippuuga	Ground Hunter Raijingeki
Frost Walrus		Frost Tower Hyouretsuzan	Rising Fire Ryuenjin

Mega Man X5

In Mega Man X5, Sigma spreads the Sigma Virus across the entire planet. This results in much of the world going Maverick simultaneously, causing a global disaster. While the Maverick Hunters rush to stop the crash of Eurasia, they confront a variety of Reploids — some innocent, some not — who are infected by the Sigma Virus and refuse to cooperate with their plans. Additionally, Zero may go Maverick if he is exposed to the Zero Virus, restoring him to his Awakened Zero state.

The eight Mavericks are Reploids who own parts for the Enigma and Space Shuttle missions.

Crescent Grizzly	Volt Kraken	Shining Firefly	Tidal Whale	Spiral Pegasus	Spike Rosered	Dark Necrobat	Burn Dinorex

Mega Man X6

In Mega Man X6, Mavericks are again believed to be a thing of the past, as the Sigma Virus has disappeared and the world is focused on rebuilding from the Earth Crisis. However, wild Mavericks return as the mysterious Nightmare appears. As X investigates the Mavericks, he comes into conflict with High Max and the Nightmare Investigators, who are secretly loyal to the one behind the Nightmare, Gate.

The eight Mavericks are the Nightmare Investigators working for Gate.

Commander Yammark	Rainy Turtloid	Shield Sheldon	Blizzard Wolfang	Blaze Heatnix	Infinity Mijinion	Metal Shark Player	Ground Scaravich

Mega Man X7

In Mega Man X7, the healed world is susceptible to Maverick crime again. An illegal Maverick-hunting syndicate called Red Alert appears, competing with the weakened Maverick Hunters. When their member Axl seeks asylum with the Hunters, Red challenges them over his custody. Red Alert releases Mavericks across the globe, goading the Hunters into a duel to determine which group is superior.

The eight Mavericks are members of Red Alert.

Soldier Stonekong	Splash Warfly	Tornado Tonion	Vanishing Gungaroo	Flame Hyenard	Ride Boarski	Snipe Anteator	Wind Crowrang

Mega Man X8

In Mega Man X8, advanced Reploids called new generation Reploids are put into production to work on the Jakob Project. New generation Reploids are believed to be incapable of going Maverick due to their Copy Chips, which give them total control of their bodies and immunity to viruses. However, they instead choose to go Maverick of their own accord, joining Sigma to destroy the world and start anew in space using Jakob. The term Maverick comes into question when Lumine argues the rebellion is a question of natural evolution, not good and evil.

The eight Mavericks are rioting new generation Reploids.

Optic Sunflower	Gravity Antonion	Dark Mantis	Bamboo Pandamonium	Gigabolt Man-O-War	Earthrock Trilobyte	Avalanche Yeti	Burn Rooster

Zero era

In the Zero era, the term Maverick maintains its definition, being used to describe dangerous robots. However, it is frequently misused by the dystopic Neo Arcadia to criminalize any Reploids its agenda requires, especially when Copy X begins branding random Reploids as Maverick, planning to execute them to slow an energy crisis. Neo Arcadia also uses the term to demonize rebels such as the Resistance, who sought freedom from the city's tyranny. Zero himself, the protagonist of the story, is frequently called a Maverick by his enemies for fighting to defend fellow Reploids and even humans from the dictatorship.

In Mega Man Zero 4, Dr. Weil showed his cruelty by branding disobedient humans as Mavericks as well. This completely warped the original definition of the term, merely using it as a tool of fear and control.

ZX era

In the ZX era, humans and Reploids became nearly indistinguishable, resulting in the term Maverick temporarily falling out of usage. Instead, it was more commonly used to describe the wild Mechaniloids influenced by Model W, which would evolve on their own and terrorize the Outlands. These wild Mavericks would sometimes even attack Innerpeace, as Model W sought negativity from humanity in order to fully awaken. Any servants of Model W, such as Prometheus and Pandora or the rival Mega Men, were also capable of exercising leadership over these Mavericks to further Model W's evolution.

In the final battle of Mega Man ZX, Vent (but not Aile) and Serpent use the term Maverick as an insult to demonize one another. Vent calls Serpent one for callously destroying people's lives, while Serpent uses it against all of humanity, claiming that all who have hatred in their hearts are the true Mavericks.