Spike Rosered (スパイク・ローズレッド), also known as Axle the Red, is a Maverick from the X era, appearing as one of the main bosses in Mega Man X5. He is a plant-themed Reploid based on a red rose, who attacks by summoning a clone and throwing thorns. He is a mysterious mutant Reploid who possesses the Orbiter Engine required for the Space Shuttle project.
Spike Rosered debuted in Mega Man X5 as one of the eight Mavericks on the Stage Select screen. He holds the Orbiter Engine for the Space Shuttle project, serving as the boss of Jungle Stage. The game's Japanese manual states he is a mutant Reploid born from environmental jungle technology and the Sigma Virus, who now seeks to make a fortune on the black market.[2]
Spike Rosered's boss battle can be complicated due to the clone he summons, as the pair of Rosereds can attack the player simultaneously. Defeating Spike Rosered grants Spike Ball to X and Twin Dream to Zero. His weakness is the Ground Fire or Quake Blazer from Burn Dinorex, which lights him on fire and resets his pattern. A boss attack rematch with Spike Rosered later occurs in Zero Space Stage 4: Birth.
A rare mutant Reploid. Rosered was born when a nature control unit in the jungle, a Reploid, and the Sigma Virus combined. The process behind the mutation is unknown, and it is possible that this occurrence may become a threat even more dangerous than the Sigma Virus. Hidden in the secret Repliforce facility of the jungle is the Orbiter Engine which can be used for the Shuttle. His Spike Ball is a powerful weapon that wraps thorns together to increase attack power and deal continuous damage.[3][4]
As his name suggests, he is a rose-based boss. He is a Reploid made of plants, attacking with spike balls and a thorny whip. However, he is weak to fire attacks, which burn plants.
Attack:
Effect:
Spike Ball
Throws a ball of green or purple thorns. The purple ones bounce.
Rose Whip
Extends a thorn whip horizontally to catch the player.
Rose Cutter
Makes petals that harm the player rain from the sky.
Rosered is an extremely rare mutation resulting from a Reploid, an ecosystem control unit, and the Sigma Virus fusing into a single being. Though the mutation process is still fraught with mystery, what's certain is that those who undergo it almost always become Mavericks. This could be a threat to exceed even the Sigma Virus. Rose defends himself with a flexible rose-vine whip that can wrap around enemies and puncture them with deadly thorns.
Behind the Scenes
Developer Commentary
"His rose motif was decided early on. When you think of roses, do you think of the nasty ones? Thinking he'd probably be a flashy or conceited jerk, I modeled him after Kakyoin.[note 1] (laugh) I had a hard time coming up with a concept for Zero's Learning technique. I feel like the last technique decided on was his Twin Dream." - (Developer Comments)[4]
"Since he's a rose after all, I tried not designing him simply in that object's form, but forming his silhouette so that when he spreads his arms, he gives an overall physical impression of a rose in a flowerpot. By the way, if you look into roses, they come in a whole variety of shapes and colors." - (SENSEI, Designer Comments)[4]
"I designed Rosered so that when he stands straight with his hands over his head, he looks like three potted flower blossoms." - (Haruki Suetsugu)[1]
Nomenclature
Language
Name
Origin
Japanese
Spike Rosered (スパイク・ローズレッド)
"Rosered" is a combination of "red" and "rose".
English
Spike Rosered / Axle the Red
"Axle the Red", his name in the initial English release of Mega Man X5, was inspired by Axl Rose, the lead vocalist of the rock band Guns N' Roses. In the game's Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 re-release, his name was changed to "Spike Rosered" to match his original Japanese name.
Notes
↑The middle kanji is redacted, but it is most likely referring to the character Noriaki Kakyoin from the manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
References
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Spike Ball
Twin Dream
Ground Fire
Quake Blazer
