Area Zero

Area Zero.

"Since the crash of the space colony, the section has been sealed off, but apparently the land has been renewed in that time and nature is becoming more and more abundant."

—Rouge

Area Zero (エリアゼロ, Eria Zero) is a locale from Mega Man Zero 4. It is where the space colony Eurasia "crashed" a long time ago during the Maverick Wars (specifically, Mega Man X5), and nature slowly became abundant due to an environmental control system that was left active after the crash. Left alone even during the Elf Wars and cordoned off, it is one of the last habitable areas on Earth aside from Neo Arcadia. It was for this reason that a Caravan moved from Neo Arcadia to this location to escape from Dr. Weil's tyranny. Later, a mobile unit from the Resistance is stationed outside the area for protection. To leave humans without a place to escape, Dr. Weil initiates Operation Ragnarok, sending Craft and the Einherjar Eight Warriors to destroy Area Zero, though they are just a diversion while he prepares Ragnarok. After Neo Arcadia's destruction by Ragnarok, the majority of its surviving population moved to Area Zero, where water, food plant and natural energy is abundant, while many people still rely on the ruins of Neo Arcadia and stay in its surroundings.

Trivia

• As the habitants from Neo Arcadia moved to Area Zero, it is believed Area Zero became the Inner area from the Mega Man ZX series.
• The "Zero" from the name "Area Zero" may hold the notion of "beginning", being a reference to the initial state of Earth, as Area Zero is one of the few nature-filled areas at that time.
• It may also be a reference to Mega Man X5, since they clearly say that the Eurasia crashed there, and the Eurasia is also from X5. Also, Zero is the one who drove the shuttle to crash against it, and the "Zero" part might be in fact Zero's name, since canonically, he saved planet Earth from extinction on Mega Man X5.