Launch Octopus, known as Launcher Octopuld (ランチャー・オクトパルド) in Japan, is a Maverick from the X era, first appearing as one of the main bosses in Mega Man X. He is a missile-themed Reploid based on an octopus, with an arsenal of explosives and whirlpools. He was a Maverick Hunter serving in the 6th Naval Unit until he joined Sigma's rebellion.
Launch Octopus debuted in Mega Man X as one of the eight Mavericks on the Stage Select screen. He serves as the boss of Ocean Stage. The Japanese game manual states he is a former Maverick Hunter of the 6th Naval Unit who quickly joined Sigma's rebellion, already holding anti-human feelings of his own. He leads an army of sea creature Mechaniloids to obstruct naval trading routes.[5]
Launch Octopus' relentless barrage of missiles can be overwhelming to dodge, but his tentacles can be severed with Boomerang Cutter to disable his piranhas and his suction attack. Defeating Launch Octopus grants X the Homing Torpedo. His weakness is the Rolling Shield, from Armored Armadillo, which briefly stuns him in place. A boss attack rematch with Launch Octopus later occurs in Sigma Stage 3.
Mega Man Xtreme 2
Sprite from Mega Man Xtreme 2.
In Mega Man Xtreme 2, Launch Octopus returns as a resurrected Maverick guardian of Laguz Island. He is one of the four bosses in X Mission, being the boss of Ocean Base Stage. He has new Special Weapons for X and Zero: Marine Tornado and Fish Fang, respectively. He is weak to both Hunters' versions of Tri-Thunder. Launch Octopus is later part of the boss attack in the Sigma Stage in Extreme Mode.
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
Render from Mega Man Maverick Hunter X.
In the remake Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, Launch Octopus receives a redesign but plays largely the same role as in Mega Man X, being the boss of Subterranean Base. He is an intellectual narcissist who believes that Sigma is one of the few who sees the true value of his combat prowess and fighting style.
In X Mode, Launch Octopus is still weak to Rolling Shield and yields Homing Torpedo upon his defeat. In Vile Mode, he is weak to certain weapons obtained from Armored Armadillo (Deadstar Hug and Stubborn Crawler) and yields the Missile weapon system. Octopus's boss attack rematch later occurs in Sigma Palace 1, being the first of them all. He is portrayed as a hollow shell that attacks intruders, explaining the return of the eight Maverick bosses.
Other Game Appearances
In CD versions of Mega Man X3, Launch Octopus fights X in the game's opening, being crushed by an Utuboros.
In Mega Man X5, Launch Octopus is mentioned by Volt Kraken. He reveals that the two were comrades during Kraken's time as a Maverick Hunter, and that he has long resented X for Octopus's death.
In Rockman ✕over, Launch Octopus is one of the four bosses from World 2.
In TEPPEN, Launch Octopus appears in multiple cards.
In Zombie Cafe, Launch Octopus appears as an enemy during the Rockman X event.
Other Media
In the Rockman X manga, Launch Octopus reprises his role from Mega Man X.
Octopus distinguished himself as a Maverick Hunter in the 6th Naval Unit, but secretly always harbored contempt towards the weak humans he was tasked with protecting. Sigma's goals line up with his long-held dream of creating a Reploid nation, so he was among the first to join the uprising. He has deployed his fleet of whale, anglerfish, and eel-shaped Mechaniloids to assault cities built on the ocean and blockade important shipping lanes.[3]
A submarine combat Reploid who creates whirlpools to suck up enemies and steal their energy. He attacks with his Special Weapon, Homing Torpedo, which pursues enemies relentlessly. He uses whale, anglerfish, and eel-shaped Mechaniloids (robots that are not Reploids) to attack a maritime city.[JP]
A Reploid from the 6th Naval Unit. He had always had doubts about protecting the weak humans. He sympathized with Sigma's ideas and joined the rebellion, attacking a maritime city and blocking sea routes.[JP]
A Reploid from the 6th Naval Unit. He was dissatisfied with protecting the humans weaker than himself, and rebelled with Sigma's ideals. Appeared in Mega Man X.[JP]
Maverick Hunter formerly of the 6th Armada. With plenty of firepower and the military knowledge to match, this intellectual uses brain over brawn to outwit Mavericks. Seeking to achieve beauty in combat and strategy, he gains the ultimate pleasure from fighting elegantly and gracefully. Having taken over the ocean cities, he is planning to cut off all shipping routes.
"Inafune did Eagle and Penguin, Kaji designed Mandrill, Octopus, and Chameleon. Mammoth, Armadillo, and Kuwanger were Tazaki's. Even as I watched them work, I could really see each of their distinct flavors coming out in their illustrations." - (Tatsuya Yoshikawa)[4]
"We were all responsible for doing the dots of the characters we designed. When working on Octopus, I was designing each part of him as its own animation and placing them together. I was under the impression that this would eat up less resources, but I was surprised to find out that my methods could actually eat up as many, if not more resource... (laughs) So I scrapped that." - (Hayato Kaji)[4]
